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