Book Fair Fiesta

The Book Fair Fiesta is here! Please stop by before school, after school, or during Multicultural Night to shop! All monies raised will benefit the students at Club. We are still in need of volunteers to help, especially in the morning. Click on this link to sign up! http://tinyurl.com/fairfiesta

If you can't visit the fair but would still like to shop, you still have the opportunity to shop online: http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/clubblvd. All orders will be shipped to the school for FREE! Last day to order online is April 19th.

Netiquette

I met with fourth graders this week to talk about what it means to be a good digital citizen. We began by disccussing what the world 'etiquette' means and how that word changes when we add the letter 'n' to the beginning... NETIQUETTE. 

We watched this video about Digital Netiquette on BrainPop: http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/digitaletiquette/

 

Students were reminded to use their manners online as well as in person and not to be 'trolls' and start 'flame wars' on the internet. We also talked about cyberbullying and I encouraged students to tell a trusted adult right away if they feel they are being bullied online. Our students are given great responsibility when going online and must use this privilege responsibly.

Lois Ehlert contest

Lois Ehlert was our Author of the Month for March. The students loved reading her colorful books! Below are the winners from our Lois Ehlert book contest. To submit their name, students had to read a Lois Ehlert book of their choosing, fill out the form below about the book, and turn it into Mrs. Husketh. Over 40 students entered the drawing and 10 students were the lucky winners!

Battle of the Books Competition

Today our 4th and 5th grade Battle of the Books team competed and placed 5th in the district semi-finals. These young readers dedicated 6 months to prepare by reading from the list of 18 books chosen by the state committee. They discussed their thoughts in weekly practices, logged in to the MyBobTeam website to quiz themselves, battled each other in anticipation of the big day, and learned more about themselves as readers in the spirit of competition. Each student challenged himself/herself and grew as a result of our time together. 

I am so proud of the way our team conducted themselves today-- they were wonderful competitors who displayed good sportsmanship and great attitudes. Well done, manatees! 

Team members give final words of encouragement before the competition.

Hanging out before rounds of play begin.

Ready for Battle!

My colleague, Mrs. Calhoun, from Sandy Ridge--they were the reading ninjas!

Kaeshad's shirt says it all...

The boys take 1!

The boys take 2!

The girls :)

This is how we felt after 11 rounds of competition! 

We can't wait to start reading for next year!!

Black History Living Museum

Last Friday 30 of our students acted as notable African Americans during our Black History Month luncheon. Actors performed at the luncheon for students and families in 30 minute shifts. We were visited by Jackie Robinson, Eloise Greenfield, Harriet Powers, Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, Jim Kelly, and Carl Brashear--just to name a few! Our actors were courageous, professional, and impressive! Thanks to all the families who were so supportive of our young actors. They shared a wealth of knowledge about important people who have contributed so much to our world.
 

 I gave students a research guide to help them focus their research and then organize it into a speech. Students worked on writing their speeches in first person and practicing it out loud at home.

During our dress rehearsal, we gave students feedback on their presentation via a rubric (thanks to Mrs. Childress and Mrs. van Orsouw for helping!). The rubric gave each student feedback on eye contact, speaking clearly, preparation, pace, and voice projection.

 

Great job, manatees! Your hard word taught us so much!

Author Visit with Carole Boston Weatherford

On Wednesday , February 19th, we hosted our Author of the Month, Carole Boston Weatherford, in the Media Center. All students had the opportunity to meet Ms. Weatherford and hear her poetry and stories. She gave students several pieces of advice throughout the day. To be successful at something students need to have Perseverance, be Practical, Preparation, and Practice!

 4th and 5th grade students learned about the importance of family tradition, oral history, and honoring the struggles of our ancestors through the poetry of Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People. 

Harrison holds a rain stick

2nd and 3rd grade students listened to and sang poetry from Sidewalk Chalk: Poems of the City. Ms. Weatherford talked to students about the book-making process and revealed that she is always working on a book! She also shared her poem Before John Was a Jazz Giant (about famous NC musician, John Coltrane) and reminded students that the seed for who they will be as a grown up sprouts in their childhood. 

K/1 kids had fun with call and response poetry--especially the poem from the book Jazz Baby.

All students had the chance to ask questions after each performance. One student asked Ms. Weatherford what inspires her to write poetry and she replied, "I am able to hear words in my head--I have a gift for that." A few of her favorite authors are Langston Hughes and Dr. Seuss. 

Dozens of students purchased one of Ms. Weatherford's books and participated in a book signing. 

A team of 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade reporters from our newspaper spent time interviewing Ms. Weatherford. We can't wait to read their article!

After her visit, students were lining up to check out one of Ms. Weatherford's books to share with their famlies. Students and teachers really enjoyed meeting our Author of the Month! Thank you, Ms. Weatherford, for inspiring our students and encouraging them to follow their dreams and connect with their past.