This Week's Reading Selection-1/28

Your child is reading “Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears,” a West African folktale about one mosquito who causes a lot of trouble for all the other forest animals. You may enjoy discussing the story and doing these activities with your child. Together you can develop and explore your child’s language skills.

More Folktales
Talk about some things your child liked about this folktale and the
way it explained how mosquitoes act. You may be able to find these
folktales that explain other events in nature in your local library.
• How the Ostrich Got Its Long Neck by Verna Aardema. Scholastic,
1995.
• Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies by Harriet Peck Taylor.
Simon & Schuster, 1995.

Animal Pictionary
Work with your child to create an animal pictionary. Help your child list the names of all the animal characters in the story in alphabetical order. For each entry, suggest that your child draw a picture of the animal and write a few words to describe it. You may enjoy looking for books at the library or looking on a computer to learn more about some animals.

Martin Luther King,Jr. March-January 21, 2008

Jelani Goode marching along side Governor Janet Napolitano at Monday's MLK March.

Week of January 22

No SPELLING or VOCABULARY WORDS this week, due to short week. Please use the study time to practice multiplication facts and work on Book Report.

CEREAL BOX BOOK REPORT

This month's selection: Caldecott Medal Book
Students will read their self-selected book and create a cereal box book report at home. Students will
decorate a real cereal box with illustrations and information related to the book they read. Student have received instruction sheet for project.

New ALPS Student

Congrats!
Mary

Coyote Places the Stars

Your child is reading “Coyote Places the Stars,” by Harriet Peck Taylor. This story is adapted from several Native American folktales that tell a story about why we see constellations in the sky. You and your child may enjoy sharing the story and these activities. As you do so, you will be helping your child develop language skills.

Listen to a Storyteller
Today, as in past years, storytellers keep traditions alive by telling old stories to new generations. Your family can be a part of this process. With your child, attend a storyteller’s performance in your community. Afterward, work with your child to
retell the storyteller’s best story to others in your family. Encourage your child to write down that story or a story of his or her own.

Traditional Tales
Help your child read and discuss other traditional tales. Look
for books like these in your local library:
• Why the Sky is Far Away by Mary-Joan Gerson. Little, Brown,
1995.
• Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric A. Kimmel. Holiday
House, 1995.
• Coyote Steals the Blanket by Janet Stevens, Holiday House,
1993.

Papa Tells Chita A Story

 Chita loves to hear Papa's story of adventures during the Spanish-American War.  In this historical fiction selection, a young girl is entertained by the story of her father's brave trek to bring back reinforcements during the Spanish War.  She enjoys his oft-told story so much that she gleefully anticipates all the details.  

Week's Reading Focus Skill:             Summarizing

Summarizing is telling the important ideas in a story in your own words.

CELEBRATE FAMILY

Tell your child a story you remember your family telling you when you were a child.  It can be about something real or made up; it can be brief or detailed. What is important is that is a story you can pass down to your child.  Enjoy your retellings.  Perhaps you can even tape record your stories to share with aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents at a family party.

Welcome Back!

I hope you all had a joyous holiday season.  I'm sure you are anxious to share the excitements of the holidays as well as get back to learning 3rd grade skills.