Rays Day/Spirit Day Tomorrow!

Children may wear either Charger spirit wear or Rays t-shirts tomorrow for Spirit Day.

Dear Parents:

A huge THANK YOU to all of you for participating in the "Links for a Cure" project for Relay for Life. The children were so excited each day to donate and design their links for the chain. Over $1,000 was raised and our class was $103 of that! That was quite an accomplishment in just 4 days! I wish I could have been at Relay. It is always a wonderful event. Unfortunately, I was "under the weather" and went home to bed Friday. I'm on antibiotics now and starting to feel better.

Oh, and did you see the picture of Mrs. Rauman in E-bytes? She had her long locks cut and donated to "Locks of Love" in honor of a dear friend of hers that is battling cancer. What a wonderful thing to do. We are so proud of her. And her new "do" is so cute, too!

Field Day is coming up April 5th. The PE coaches are still in need of parent volunteers to help. If you can do this, please contact either the PE coaches or me. You would need to arrive about 9:30 and plan to be here about 2 hours.

We also have a field trip on Tuesday, April 12th, to Raymond James during Celebrate the Arts week. Parents are welcome to join us! Raymond James is allowing us to go on this tour free of charge for chaperones and students. However, if you plan to go, please let me know no later than Thursday, April 7th. We MUST call in all names going on the tour in advance.

Now, a glance at what we will be doing in class this week:

Reading/Language Arts: Our spelling focus is on the long e sound spelled with y or ie. In phonics, we are learning to change the y to ie before we can add the inflections -ed, -er, -est, or -es to root words ending in y. Our grammar focus will be on verbs that tell about the past. Our word wall words are took, traveled, almost, able, blue, great, and poured. Our anthology story this week is a nonfiction story. Our comprehension focuses this week are on rereading when we don't understand something and noticing and recalling details. Details are bits of information that help readers picture in their minds what is happening. Details can tell what something looks like, how it sounds, or what it does. Details help us answer questions such as Who? What? Where? and When?

Writing Workshop: During our Craft of Revision unit this week, we will continue to work on "showing, not telling". Remember, if an author says, "I was happy," that is telling. If an author writes, "I skipped all the way home, humming happy songs as if my heart would burst," that's showing. We will also work on revising endings.

Math: We will be taking our Unit 7 assessment this week and beginning Unit 8. We will be reviewing counting and exchanging coins, introducing the dollar, facilitating the use of money to explore place-value, and extending place-value concepts to hundreds.

Science/Social Studies: Florida and weather continue to be our focuses. In addition to learning about the various types of weather we have in Florida, we will also learn about the state tree - Sabal Palm, the state animal - Florida Panther, and the state bird - Mockingbird.

Volunteers this week:

* Tuesday - Art - Chris Chen (12:05)
* Thursday - Library Check-out - Julie Piper and Molly Camp - 2:05
* Friday - Math Game - Ailsa Hudson (9:00)
* Friday - Parent Reader - Leigh Harting (2:15)

Other Important Reminders/Dates/Information:

Class Picture Day is this Wednesday, March 30!

Our next Spirit Day is this Thursday, March 31. It is on a Thursday this month Relay for Life was the last Friday of the month.

This Friday, April 1, we will celebrate the groundbreaking for the new Athletic Center. Ceremonies begin at 8:30 a.m. We will return to the classroom at 9:15. There is a reception for adults until 10:00 a.m.

Field Day will be Tuesday, April 5 and will involve grades K-4. Information will come home soon regarding the color of the team your child is on. That is the color shirt they should wear that day. Don't forget to let me or the PE coaches know if you can volunteer to help that day!

During Celebrate the Arts week (April 11 - April 14), we have a field trip to Raymond James on Tuesday, April 12, to view the wonderful sculptures and other art. Remember, if you are planning to join us, you must let me know by Thursday, April 7th.

Stay Dry have a great week!
Susan and Beth

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone enjoyed Spring Break! I had a fabulous time with my little Owen! Right after school on Friday, we drove to Boynton Beach and celebrated his first birthday with a big party on Saturday. We came home on Sunday and then Monday my daughter, son-in-law, and Owen came to our house to spend the week. We enjoyed playing at the park, playing at home, and a day at Lowry Park Zoo. I was so sad to see them leave on Saturday. Luckily, I have my twenty "other children" to keep me busy and happy! I was so glad to see them this morning!

Here are some pictures to enjoy from our week before spring break. We played a game about the symbols of America, enjoyed a compliment party, participated in fun lessons about germs and water safety with the Red Cross and upper school students, and participated in a theater workshop with upper school drama students. That was a fun week!

We have another busy week planned as usual! What's going on, you ask? Well, here goes!

Reading/Language Arts: Our phonics focus is on the vowel dipthong /ou/, spelled ow or ou. Our grammar focus will be on using the words am, is, and are. Our word wall (or high frequency) words are answered, baby, done, heard, pools, pushed, and together. Our anthology story this week is a fiction story. Our comprehension focuses will be reviewing story elements (characters, setting, plot) and making inferences. As your children read at home this week, help them to make inferences by asking about clues the author has given for them to think about. Also, review the story elements. Remember, when you talk with your child about the story elements, ask how he/she knows this i.e., "I know it is nighttime because the dark sky and moon tell me it's nighttime or the merry-go-round on the hill tells me that the setting is a fair".

Writing Workshop: During our Craft of Revision unit this week, we will continue to work on revising leads while revisiting some texts that we have read before to help us focus on the leads the authors used. We will also work on one of the most basic and essential goals of all dramatic writing - "showing, not telling". If an author says, "I was happy," that is telling. If an author writes, "I skipped all the way home, humming happy songs as if my heart would burst," that's showing.

Math: Continuing our geometry, we will continue to familiarize ourselves with polygons - shapes that have all straight sides that touch only at their endpoints. We will also learn to identify and investigate the characteristics of spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, pyramids, cones, and cubes. If we still have time, we will begin to explore symmetry!

Science/Social Studies: Having completed our study of America, we are now beginning to focus on our great state of Florida! Today we made a map of Florida and learned many characteristics of our state. This week, we will be learning about the discovery of Florida, where the name came from, who Ponce de Leon is, and about the state flag. As the unit continues, we will learn about many important symbols, places, and industries in Florida. We will also learn about weather.

Volunteers this week:

* Tuesday - Art - Ailsa Hudson (12:05)
* Thursday - Library Check-out - Ailsa Hudson and Cynthia Biondi - 2:05
* Friday - Math Game - Margaret Young (9:00)
* Friday - Parent Reader - Kristen Danielson (2:15)

Other Important Reminders/Dates/Information:

Relay for Life is this Friday, March 25. The children are allowed to wear purple shirts not only that day, but everyday the rest of this week in honor of supporting Relay for Life!

Field Day has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 5. It will only involve grades K-2. More information will come soon.

Class Picture Day is Wednesday, March 30. Order forms will come home soon.

Our next Spirit Day is Thursday, March 31. It is on a Thursday this month because of Relay for Life being the Friday before.

At 8:30, on Friday, April 1, we will celebrate the groundbreaking for the new Athletic Center.


As always, if you have any questions, please email me.
Susan

Important Information!

Relay for Life's Purple Week:

In the spirit of Relay for Life, all students in all divisions will be allowed to dress down in purple attire starting on Tuesday, March 22 and running the rest of the week through the day of Relay on Friday, March 25. This includes purple shirts, socks, ribbons, and any other accessories. Please remember to wear uniform pants, shorts or skorts. And don't forget to join us on March 25 out on Haskell Field to remember, celebrate, and fight back at Shorecrest's Relay For Life 2011.

Celebrate the Arts

Posted By Lisa F. Bianco

Dear Parents,

If you or someone you know is an artists that can dance, sing, act, draw, paint, sculpt or play an instrument, please let them know about our Celebrate the Arts Teach -In the week of April 11.
We need artists to come to the school to teach two classes 40 minute interactive classes about their art. The grade taught is dependent on the artists' wishes. These classes will take place on April 15th. Everyone who has done it has loved it, so don't let someone you know miss the experience. Please notify Esther Happle at Embhap@verizon.net.

Also, just like last year, we will have a studio to exhibit art work created by our guest artists, faculty and parents. If you are a parent and would like your art to be included, please notify Camden Mosesmann at camdenx@aol.com

If you have any other questions about our wonderful Celebrate the Arts festival, please call or E-mail Esther Happle at 813-732-5191 or embhap@verizon.net

Thank you so much!

Esther Happle
Parent Liaison for Celebrate the Arts
embhap@verizon.net

Progressive Story Project

First grade students participated in a shared writing experience with schools around the United States called the Progressive Story Project. Sponsored by Karen Ditzler, an Instructional Technologist in Pennsylvania, students are partnered with classes to write a story, create illustrations, and record the story in Voice Thread.

Mrs. Owen's Class - The First Halloween

One scary dark Halloween night there was a vampire trick or treating with his friends. He was sharing his candy with his friends. When the vampire went home all of his candy was gone. He cried, “Boo Hoo!” He looked in his bag and there was a hole in his bag. Then he went outside and he saw a trail of candy. He followed the trail and he picked up some candy. He walked and walked.

He walked into a really spooky haunted house! First he saw a white ghost with red eyes. The vampire was scared and ran away fast. Next he saw a brown werewolf with yellow eyes. He ran away fast and the werewolf chased him. When he looked back he saw the werewolf and ghost behind him. They started shouting, "We just want to be your friend!"

The vampire stopped running in front of the haunted house. He turned around to find the ghost and werewolf standing in the door. They asked the vampire to be their friend. The vampire said “OK,” and they went off trick or treating together. When they set off, the vampire told them he didn’t have a bag because his had a hole in it. The ghost with the red eyes gave him a bat-shaped bucket to carry his candy. This was a very special bucket with magic powers.

The vampire was so surprised that he jumped up joyfully to give ghost a lovely hug. The three friends headed out to trick or treat in the foggy, dark night. While they were walking, it got darker and they started seeing lots of scary people dressed up as witches, goblins, and ghosts. The vampire whispered, "Oh my, I wish I had a bright light so I can see if these scary people are real!." Then all of a sudden a mysterious candle popped out of the bat-shaped bucket. That is when the vampire realized that the bat-shaped bucket has magic powers.

The light from the magic bat shaped bucket helped the vampire to see that the people trick or treating were half monsters and half people. He was very scared! He ran home with his eyes wide open and screaming loudly all the way! He quickly opened the door with his magic bucket. Next he ran into his house right into his bedroom. He hid under his blankets shivering. His friends’ werewolf and ghost came to help him and they told him to use his magic bucket to get rid of the monsters! All of a sudden a magician with a magic wand came out of the magic bucket and did a spell to get rid of the monsters! Vampire listened and all the monsters went away. Vampire and his friends were happy so they celebrated and ate some candy! Then they brushed their teeth to get rid of all their sugar bugs!

Dear Parents:

Reading Week was a huge success! Did you see us on E-bytes? I hope you enjoy the snapshots here! They are from our D.E.A.R. time, our visiting community author (Mrs. Cameron), and of our viewing of the bald eagle with Mr. Schiaparelli's telescope.

Next week is Spring Break! I hope you will enjoy some special family time. I know that I will. I will be going to my daughter's on Friday after school. My other children will also be joining us there. It will be a tight fit - on air mattresses, etc.! But, we are so excited as we will be celebrating Owen's first birthday! He turns one on Saturday! I can't believe it has been a year already since he was born. Then they will be coming to St. Pete to spend a few days with us! As many of you know, she teaches Kindergarten and luckily her spring break is also next week.

This week promises to be full of fun and learning!

First of all, tomorrow we will be enjoying the compliment party that we worked so hard to earn! The children are already working toward their next party as we have earned 3 compliments so far as I write this! Twenty-two to go!

Here is a look at some of what will be happening in 1-4 this week:
Reading/Language Arts: Our phonics focus is on long vowel i spelled y, ie, and igh. We'll also learn about verbs that tell about now. Our word wall (or high frequency) words are climbed, earth, fooling, thought, and table. Our anthology story this week is a fantasy. We talk each week about the genre of our stories. When your child is reading at home, ask them about the genre that they are reading. Also, remind them that good readers change their reading rate as they read. Sometimes they slow down and sometimes they read a bit faster to help them understand what they are reading. If your child is reading quickly and having trouble comprehending, ask them to slow down a little! We are also reviewing the story elements of characters, setting (where and when the story takes place), and plot (what happens in a story). Review these when your child is reading with you. When you talk with your child about these story elements, ask how he/she knows this i.e., "I know it is nighttime because the dark sky and moon tell me it's nighttime or the merry-go-round on the hill tells me that the setting is a fair".

Writing Workshop: During our Craft of Revision unit this week, we will practice revising leads. We will be revisiting some texts that we have read before to help us focus on the leads these authors have used in their stories. "Rereading" is an incredibly valuable activity in helping your child notice the techniques that authors use. Children can attend to an author's technique in a book they know well more easily than they can in a new book, where their attention is usually diverted to the plot. The children will also continue to practice what their role is in a revision conference.

Math: We will be taking our assessment on Unit 6 tomorrow and then beginning Unit 7. We will be introducing fact platters which will be a fun way to facilitate the learning of addition facts! We will also work be doing a little geometry - identifying plane shapes, such as the hexagon, rhombus, and trapezoid, and investigating some of their characteristics.

Science/Social Studies: We will complete our study of America this week. We also have some special things happening! Tomorrow we have the Audubon Society coming for a great presentation on birds where they will learn a little more about our national bird, the Bald Eagle. Also tomorrow, we will be participating with upper school students in the Black Box Theater on improvisation techniques! That should be fun! On Thursday, the children will be learning about disease prevention and water safety with a group of UD students and the Red Cross. When we return from Spring Break, we will move right into the study of our great state of Florida!

Volunteers this week:

* Tuesday - Art - Cynthia Biondi (12:05)
* Thursday - Library Check-out - Valerie Pillot and Kristen Danielson - 2:05
* Friday - Math Game - Molly Camp (9:00)
* Friday - Parent Reader - Margie Young (2:15)

Other Important Reminders/Dates/Information:

Field Day will not be Friday! It has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 5. It will only involve grades K-2. More information will come after spring break.

Spring Break next week!

Relay for Life is Friday, March 25. The children will be allowed to wear purple shirts that day.

Our next Spirit Day is Thursday, March 31. It is on a Thursday this month because of Relay for Life being the Friday before.

See you after Spring Break if not before!
Susan and Beth