If your student comes home talking about the math game with an avatar where they learn addition and subtraction or multiplication click on this link called BigBrainz and you can find out how to download it at home. It's free. Contact me for the password.

Mensa for Kids has some games your math enthusiast might like to try like Minus Mission, Alien Addition, Demolition Division or Meteor Multiplication. Click on Mensa for the link. Try the "Games and Activities" icon.

Catch the new Link to Reading called PBS Kid's Island. Click on Stories and Reading Activities. Readers can "listen and read" along with the highlighted text.  This is a good way to build fluency.

Bruce Lansky the "king of giggle poetry" is coming to our school on November 5. Elementary schools are also hosting an author night that same evening. Watch for the flyer from school. If you'd like to take a look at his website click on his name.

We started our Book Bag Reading recently. Almost all students have signed up. Several are reading enthusiastically to get the weekly prize. Each reader's goal is to read at least three books every week. Congratulations to Alanah and Samera for attaining that goal the first week.

DON'T LET YOUR RELUCTANT READERS FALL FURTHER BEHIND...Here are some strategies that may hook them into reading:

    

Start with your child's passions. When kids own the choice of what they will read, motivation increases.

Make reading a social experience. Your child may not enjoy reading alone but will enjoy reading with a parent, siblings, friends.

Read aloud to your child. Doing so throughout the elementary grades improves listening skills, builds comprehension, lengthens attention span and grows the imagination.

Use new technology. Children who don't find books interesting may find it cool reading the same texts on smart phones, computers and electronic readers.

Be a role model. Let your kids see you reading and discussing what you've read.

Camouflage reading. Incorporate it into other pastimes like reading menus at restaurants, the directions to board games, or looking at websites.

Make sure the books your child reads are  a"good fit." Many don't want to read because the books are too difficult and frustrating. Good fit books are those which students can read fluently with 95% accuracy. Too many difficult words leads to discouragement.

3 Ways to read...

The Daily 5 structure tells emergent readers there are three ways to read a book: read the pictures (pictures often carry much of the story's meaning,) read the words (to understand what is happening in the book,) and retell a familiar story (pictures and familiar words help retell the story.)

Three ways to read a book gives new readers a couple alternatives to knowing all the words and reinforces the idea that reading is understanding the story, not just saying words.

excerpted from the Daily 5 by Gail Boushey & Joan Moser "the sisters"

April is poetry month. Check out these authors.

Jack Prelutsky is a prolific writer of humorous and crazy poems that appeal to kids. His website is a fun place to visit.  It is so cool, it won an award. Another popular kid's poetry author is Shel Silverstein. When you visit his website you'll see his outlandish pencil drawings and get a preview of his latest book. My third featured author is Kenn Nesbitt. At his "poetry playground" website you'll get tips on how to write your own poems. You can also connect to a rhyming dictionary, his newsletter and a poetry contest.

Browse around on these sites by clicking on the author's name. Then try your hand at writing a poem or two.