Book Covers

You can't tell a book by its cover, so we are planning an event for January in which you can listen to our author's read selections from their books just published.

Our Books and Friday Schedule

This week we publish a sample of collected writings for each student. This project took longer to complete than anyone could have imagined.

And so we want to schedule a group celebration with each author reading selections from his/her book.

We're trying to figure out how many friends and family might be able to come this Friday from about 9 to 10 for this event. I know it is short notice. But Friday is a half day and some of you might already be planning to be here to assist with our class parties scheduled from 10 to 10:50. The morning ends with a group sing in the theater.

So let me if you might be able to attend. Otherwise we will set something up early in the new year.

In any case I wish you all a happy and safe winter break.

This Week

We are putting the finishing touches on the collections of writings each student is "publishing." We are ready for a few assessments before break. This Wednesday we will have the Word List #5 test and the next math boxes quiz. On Thursday we have a short answer and multiple choice test on History of US the Massachusetts colony chapters 13 to 22. I also expect students will be able to write out a list in order the states by region. This a unique and valuable life skill. Students will have a mental image of all the states, their regions, and relative positions.

I think of it as an extended connected trip from Maine to Washington State and on to Alaska and Hawaii.

The list is:

NEW ENGLAND: ME NH VT MA RI CT

MID ATLANTIC: NY NJ PA DE MD WV

SOUTHEASTERN: VA NC SC GA FL

SOUTH CENTRAL: AL MS LA AR TN KY

MID WEST: OH IN MI WI IL MO IA MN

PLAINS: ND SD NR KS OK TX

MOUNTAIN: NM CO WY MT ID UT AZ NV

PACIFIC: CA OR WA AK HI

National History Day

Friday we toured the Middle School's display of exhibits for the annual National History Day competition. Seventh and eighth graders participate in several categories. Individual or group projects produce either a research paper, website, film documentary, performance or panel exhibits. The NHD theme this year nationwide was on the subject of hotly debated or diplomatic issues in history. Subjects included Seward's Folly, graffiti, Cuban missile crisis and the Geneva Conventions.



I've been a coach and judge for many National History Day events at several schools. This is my fourth year judging exhibits at Shorecrest.



This year each student prepared for our visit to the Middle School, by reading the process papers for two exhibits. Students had to take notes on various aspects and then evaluate the actual panel displays.



Each student made a brief presentation to the rest of the class on what they learned and liked.
Everyone was encouraged to show their notes at home and discuss what they've learned about NHD.



Click here to learn more about History Day. Shorecrest Middle School NHD advisor, David Hodgson spoke to the class a day before our visit. He will post the winning results on his blog and they will also be featured on Ebytes.

Animations Project

Link here to view the dynamic animation project from Mrs. Baralt's technology course. Believe me there were many fairly complex steps to produce these "tv news reports." It's way harder than it looks. Ask a fourth grader how it's done.

Coming Up

This week we will have a math boxes quiz on Friday. There will be a new word list to be learned before winter break. We're memorizing the states by region in preparation for the Geo Bee in December. We've started a new Voices book with the theme of "Taking Perspective." We'll continue investigating the Puritans and the settling of New England. We're editing, word processing and illustrating the last parts of our books containing our collective writings for this first trimester. In Science we're designing and building our space station to be solar powered. And next week we will begin our new Science unit on the effects of water on land.

Holiday Gift Drive Details

History Fun

Ten centuries of European history (border changes) in five minutes....check it out.

Mental Health Break

Watch Jesse the dog's busy day.....a Jack Russell Terrier, of course. Wish my Lillian would take on more of the chores.

Paul Revere Rides Again: Grand Finale to Poetry in the Park

View from Poetry in the Park Founder's Bench

Poetry in the Park 2010 was enjoyed by all. These parents had a grand view while standing on the bench honoring the event's founder Penny Jennings.



Here's the view from atop the bench.

Our Poems Displayed for Poetry in Park

Paul Klee today, Paul Revere tomorrow

Shorecrest parent and this month's "Picture Lady" Anne Healy holds a reproduction of Paul Klee's "Goldfish." After learning about the artist's career, students used special scratch paper to create their version of our November masterpiece.



Here's Carlos C.'s interpretation.

Beauty & the Beast: Thumbs Up

We were part of the opening night audience for the fabulous Middle School production of Beauty and the Beast. See it if you get a chance tonight.

BOO !!!!

Guess who and what? Posing after our Halloween parade and prior to Fall Festival fun we have:



birds,



a Japanese lady,



food,



pretty witches,



a couple of cats (black and jaguar, of course,)




creepy things and....



Paul Revere with a spider queen.

Science Projects

In the coming days students are expected to collect recycled materials from around the house to use in creating flashlights, miniature rooms and possibly a model of the International Space Station. All the electrical equipment will come from school supplies. Students took home their preliminary designs for a flashlight and room to light up. So save shoe, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls etc. We start constructions next Tuesday.

Reading Comprehension Terms

Homework for the next few evenings includes studying the reading comprehension terms cards each student has prepared and stashed in a special binder pouch. We will be having an assessment next Tuesday on how well students understand these terms and apply them to better understand what they read. You can help by reviewing the cards with your child and quizzing them on definitions.

Fall Festival, Book Fair and Poetry in the Park

It's a busy next few weeks. Our Halloween parade of costumes begins at 8:30 Friday followed by Fall Festival. There will be several places for you to sign out your child when leaving campus that day.

Book Fair starts November 8th. We will be going to check it out that first day Monday morning from 9 to 9:30. You're welcome to go with us.

Here's a reminder from the organizers: If you're going to allow your child to make purchases when they visit with the class (versus just creating a list to take home of things they'd like), students should not bring large denomination bills or checks. Last year we had students with $50 bills and $100 checks - and most only buy about $20 worth, which meant we gave them cash change of a significant $ amount - which concerns us as a safety issue.

Wednesday November is Poetry in the Park starting at 8:30. The fourth grade recites "Paul Revere's Ride" at the end of the morning's program. I'm thinking of having our first "author share" event in our room afterward, since many parents and guests will already be here. We will be celebrating the books students will have published. I'll try and get a sense if many of you can stay on or would prefer coming back another day.

My NM Absentee Ballot Explained

As a permanent resident of New Mexico I am voting with an absentee ballot again this year. I showed the class what's involved. Besides voting for a new governor (both candidates are female), sheriff, representatives and judges I have various bond issues to decide. Since New Mexico is the first minority/majority state (more people of Hispanic heritage than Anglo) our ballot is both in English and Spanish.

Paul Revere Rides Again

Fourth graders are busy memorizing this classic poem. We have read several picture books about Revere and the history of the poem. We have analyzed the figurative language and vocabulary too. It's all part of our preparation for "Poetry in the Park" next month.

Times Tables Time

We have a big push on to finally learn all the times facts to ten. At the same time students learn the divide facts too. We are in the midst of timed practice of 50 facts. The first two were done in class the past two weeks. The second two are for practice. This packet went home today. We will have more timed sessions in school. All families have been asked to set up a plan for accomplishing this task. We have a Math Unit 3 assessment Thursday. I have a practice test/review ready. Thanks.

Shorecrest's "Picture Lady" Art Appreciation Program Season Opener

Students using props provided by "Picture Lady" presenter and Shorecrest parent Peyton Craig McElroy strike living "masterpieces" in the style of Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte.













First time "Picture Lady" McElroy delivered a diverse and engaging half hour program. She may be in her rookie year presenting, but as a Shorecrest grad she has great memories being on the student side of this unique Charger tradition.

Potato Power

Isabelle J's blue fingernails contrast nicely with the red glow of a LED light powered by potato batteries.




As part of our science unit on electric circuits, students explored various ways to elicit a flow of electrons in potatoes to power a sound device, clock and other items.



Delaney C. and Aidan S. use a voltage meter to determine the amount of current generated by the spuds. Two potatoes amounted to a volt and a half. Students all calculated various combinations and varieties of potatoes in a series of informal experiments. The process included changing one variable, making predictions and analyzing the results. They later wrote up their findings.

How Many Batteries Does It Take To Turn a Lightbulb On?

Everyone has a hand in getting a lightbulb to glow using 20 plus batteries.



It's all part of our science unit on electric circuits. The lightbulb has its base cut away to allow access to the wires that lead to and from the filament.

Spelling City

These next two weeks, and thereafter when needed, we are working on learning to spell words that each student has identified from his/her own writings. We encourage students to get their ideas and thoughts down in the writing journal and not be overly concerned with correct spelling. These are first drafts and mostly for the writer to see and use. Later in subsequent drafts we do polish up the spelling and other conventions (punctuation, capitalization, grammar, word choice etc.)

Students make lists of the words they find misspelled in their various rough drafts, again, mostly in their writing journal. They then are expected to write the words correctly several times and memorize them. There will be an assessment, as usual, for a part of their Language Arts grade.

Here is a link to a marvelous website for practicing their spelling demons.

An Author Remembered on his 83 Birthday

A Land Remembered author, Patrick D. Smith will be 83 tomorrow. You can learn more about him here and the link to the right. We hope to send birthday greetings to him.

Companions

Lillian, our Jack Russell Terrier poses, reluctantly, with me during recent trip back to my other home in New Mexico. Lillian gets to run free in the open high desert of our neighborhood above Albuquerque. She chases jack rabbits, lizards and sometimes road runners. We keep an eye out for coyotes who have in the past chased her. We also are mindful of rattlesnakes.

By the way, Lillian was a rescue dog. She had been in and out of shelters and mistreated by neighbors before we took her on several years ago. Here is a link to an incredibly entertaining video promoting dog shelters and rescue services.

Parent Teacher Conference Schedule Update

It's P-T week in Lower Division. Here is the schedule. We can work out any conflicts. See you soon.

9/29

2:45 Mauch

9/30

7:30 Jotch

8 Bernstein

8:30 Samuelson

9 Counsman

9:30 Hess

10:30 Broderick

11 McMullen

11:30 Cano

12 Ali

12:30 Elwyn

1:30 McCain

2 Tralins

10/1

12:10 Olson

2:45 Coop

3:30 Gilani

Important Survey

Dear Shorecrest Parents,

As you may know, Shorecrest is gearing up for our accreditation visit in the fall of 2011. At the same time, the Board of Trustees is engaging the community in a strategic planning process. A major part of this process involves a school-wide self-study through which we can identify goals to improve all aspects of our school. In order to most clearly identify those goals, we need your help.

On Friday, October 1, we will launch a set of opinion surveys with the assistance of an organization called AdvancED. All stakeholders in our community will be offered the opportunity to participate in online surveys that will provide a wealth of information to the self-study team and the Strategic Plan Committee that will be used to guide the goal-setting process. All students, grades three through twelve, will be taking the survey at school. The survey will also be made available to recent Shorecrest graduates. All administrators, faculty and staff will be participating in the survey. And importantly, there is a survey designed just for parents.

The parent survey will ask participants to gauge their satisfaction with all aspects of the Shorecrest experience, focusing on Shorecrest as a whole and as the Divisions in which you have children enrolled. You will have access to the survey via emails, from the online community, through teachers’ and administrators’ blogs, from E-Bytes and from the Shorecrest web site.

Please take the time to complete the survey when it opens and participate in this important process. We know you have many opinions—both about what we are doing well, and about opportunities for improvement. Let your voices be heard by taking the survey when the window opens October 1^st!

Thank you for your commitment to maintaining the quality of the Shorecrest education, and for engaging in the important process of our self-reflection.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Murphy Kenneth P. Slaby, Chair Jill S. Lemon, Chair

Headmaster Strategic Planning Committee Accreditation Committee

International Day of Peace

The Lower Division's peace dove nest. It was a lovely and peaceful ceremony last week. And leading up to the ceremony we all had a chance to reflect on what peace means to each of us.

Rescued

This Nanday Conure or black-hooded green parakeet was a brief visitor to our classroom last week. We all admired this beautiful bird that I found on my porch stoop. The parrot is part of an unusual community of these birds originally from the pantanal region of South America. A few pets were released in the wild and have flourished here in St Pete. This one was somehow injured and allowed me to shelter it for the night.

Isabelle and her mom took the parrot to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary after school. It is getting the care it needs and will be put up for adoption. Who knows?

Life Lessons from the Rays

Here we are in our Rays' gear after presenting a program at Monday assembly on what life lessons can be learned from our local team. I'll try and post a video of our show.

Our script:

Our teacher Mr. Hughes thinks the Rays have always been good.

The first year he moved to St Pete the Rays were in the World Series.

Ringing his cowbell and wearing all sorts of Rays gear, Mr. H believed that the local team had always been the Rays and had always been winners.

AND GET THIS…he naturally assumed that everyone here had always been BIG Rays fans too and Tropicana Field was always SOLD OUT.

(Shake head) We didn’t have the heart to tell him the real story about the Rays. Maybe someday.

But not now….because he’s such a….well….FANATIC about the Rays.

And why not….it’s September, the pennant race has heated up….the first place Yankees are in town and Mr. H has his game face on.

So here come the Rays. (kids all run out and take up positions in the field)

Yeh Rays!

Win or lose we celebrate our hometown team.

Besides entertaining us with many fun, fast and fabulous games this season, the Rays teach us important life lessons.

Here are some of what the team calls their Rays Factors:

Flexibility…..dealing effectively with challenges and learning from mistakes

Accountability…means accepting responsibility for your actions, no excuses

Consistency means people can depend on what you say and do

Trust your friends and family to support you all the way

Organization means making sure your have all your tools ready to do your job

Respect yourself and others, always do your best and expect others to do the same

We can also learn from what Rays manager Joe Maddon expects from his players:

To have a strong Work Ethic means a belief in the importance of working hard to achieve your goals

To be Caring for your teammates, community and family.

Being Neighborly means to treat others the way you want to be treated.

Playing Smart which means to use your intelligence to solve problems and make quality decisions

Being Bold is to believe in yourself and don’t hold back….you can do it

Staying Fit keeps you full of energy and enthusiastic

Did you know the Rays are not just great ballplayers, but great readers.

Here’s what some of them say about reading.

Starting pitcher James Shields---

“I appreciate the time that I get to sit down with my daughter to read her favorite books. Our favorite books to read together are The Giving Tree and Green Eggs and Ham. Those books are so big in helping her develop her reading skills. And reading is the foundation for a good education.”

First baseman Carlos Pena

“My father was the one who helped me understand how important reading was at a young age. Reading always relaxes me and gives me a break from the routine of everyday competition. Reading allows me to refresh my mind.”

Left Fielder Carl Crawford:

My second grade teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was influential in getting me to read. Reading is fuel for the mind and you use your mind in baseball.

Third baseman Evan Longoria:

“I enjoy the challenge of doing the daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper during my down time in the clubhouse. Reading helps expand my vocabulary and gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

Dan Wheeler, relief pitcher:

“I’d like to encourage all kids to read because it stimulates your mind and imagination. My mom was the biggest influence in my life to get me to read as a young student. One book I read more than once growing up was Casey at the Bat.”

And who are you?

I’m the umpire and you’re OUT………of time.

Parent Teacher Conference Schedule

It's P-T week in Lower Division. Here is the schedule. We can work out any conflicts. See you soon.

9/29

2:45 Mauch

9/30

7:30 Jotch

8 Bernstein

8:30 Samuelson

9 Counsman

9:30 Hess

10:30 Broderick

11 McMullen

11:30 Cano

12 Ali

12:30 Elwyn

1:30 McCain

2 Tralins

10/1

12:10 Olson

2:45 Coop

3:30 Gilani

Our Reading Buddies

Every other Friday afternoon we visit Mrs. Minke's kindergarten class for "buddy reading." Our fourth graders bring books to read and discuss. Our buddies read from their books too. It takes about 25 minutes and everyone reads to 3 or 4 different kids. It's a great way to end the week.

Mrs. Rowe's Peace Dove

Watch this slide show to find out how to make a peace dove with olive branch for Tuesday's International Day of Peace ceremony.

"A Smile is the Beginning of Peace"--Mother Teresa

We celebrate International Day of Peace next Tuesday. There's a special gathering around the flagpole first thing in the morning. I have put several links to the right for families to share and discuss. Each student will be making a dove with an olive branch in his beak and a peace message written on the body. This is a good chance to learn about various peace symbols and the IDP. Later this fall, the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner will be announced. See my links to learn more about the Nobel prizes.

The Week Ahead

Our investigations into electric circuits continues. Sophie E. and Olivia O. use the current tester they assembled to figure out which of a dozen items were conductors or insulators of electricity. The items included: chalk, pencil, nails, mesh screens, paper clips, brads, aluminum rods etc. This week we will create batteries in parallel and series circuits.

We are ready to begin our history studies of how the 13 colonies were settled. We start with Jamestown, Virginia. Surviving Jamestown is a webquest (see link on the right) we'll do.

Math Unit one assessment is Tuesday. The students successfully created their first unit study guide/practice test last week. Everyone seems well prepared.

On Wednesday we have the first word list spelling and vocabulary exam. Several students aced the practice exam which therefore counted. We will be starting word list 2 on Thursday.

In writing we've already planned the next poetry assignment which is to write a series of short poems on one theme. I shared several short poems I wrote on experiences I had while kayaking. Students made lists of themes that might inspire a similar series of short poems. We continue to expand and edit their short fiction pieces known as the sticker stories. Their first personal narratives are almost ready to "publish."

I checked all the reading folders last week and had a ten minute conference with each student to make sure they know what's expected. Students work independently on reading for about 50 minutes each day. I spend that time in one on one conferences about reading and writing.

And Monday morning we present our special program celebrating the Rays.

Tuesday is picture day.

We Performed at First Gathering Around Flagpole

Our class kicked off the new school year with a presentation on all the new things we expect to accomplish month by month. Sophie demonstrates how to do a handstand.

Here's the script we used.

Another school year begins and we have big plans to try new things.

By the end of this month we plan to all know how to set these magic rings twirling.


(Taylor M. has got the right touch)

Our teacher calls it his “Olympic Ring Thing.” He doesn’t remember where or when he got it.

Also by the end of August we all will know how to play chess. Those who already play are teaching the rest of us.

In September our teacher will show us how to play backgammon. He has over 25 different backgammon games.

This October we will memorize and recite a really long poem about Paul Revere’s Ride for Poetry in the Park.

In November we will be preparing for the National Geographic Bee that is held in December.

It’s learn to yo-yo time in December……we’ll be “walking the dog” and going “round the world” by vacation.

It’s show time in January. We’re going to learn about jazz and perform “We Haz Jazz” one more time.

For February’s Presidents Day we plan to learn all the names in order from Washington to Obama.

Thomas knows how to draw in 3D, so by March we hope he helps us all learn how.

Gymnast Sophie can do handstands and cartwheels. By April so will we.

By May we will know all the states by heart from Maine to Hawaii.

And we’ll know ten new songs.

And Mr. Hughes….what new things are you going to learn?

So what are your new school year plans?

The Week Ahead

The class has finished Math Unit 1 on geometry. We will prepare a study guide and take a practice test this week. Normally we would have the official assessment at the end of the week, but due to various religious observances we will have this next week. Word List 1 has been studied for several weeks. This will also have a practice session with the graded assessment for next week.

This week we will begin our history studies. These involve reading and responding to 3 or 4 short chapters per week. Students will keep response/note taking papers in their binders. Normally we read and discuss each chapter together in class. Students are expected to take notes and respond to the chapter for homework that evening.

Near the end of each day we reflect on our day and write highlights in student planners kept in their binders. Don't forget to check this feature. It's a handy way to start a conversation about your child's day.

Geometry: Math Unit One

We're just about finished unit one which is all about lines, line segments, rays, angles, things congruent and concentric. Here Delaney C., Greta M. and Will H. practice drawing circles with a compass. They also learned how to use the tool for measuring and inscribing polygons inside circles. Ask your fourth grader what it all means.

Writers Workshop

As you see from the photos below, students are already sharing with each other various things they've written. Writers read their latest efforts to one another. Each partner is expected to respond with positive encouragement and helpful hints.



Writers Workshop sets in motion a process of near daily writing experiences and lessons across the curriculum. Students will explore many genres of writing including: personal narrative, short fiction, persuasive essay, poetry, literary essay and historical fiction time permitting.



Writing sessions follow these steps. We begin with a mini lesson for the entire group in which I model (with my own writing or a piece of literature) something I want everyone to work on that period. Students write quietly at their desks for 20 to 3o minutes and frequently longer. During that time I move around and check on students progress and meet one on one with most. Later in the hour, students are encouraged to conference with their writing partners. These conferences feature each writer asking the other to explain what he or she is trying to accomplish with this particular piece of writing. This is when the helpful hints and encouragement are exchanged.



Students originally write in their journals. Second or third drafts are word processed and saved. Near the end of the process with any given piece of writing, students work from various checklists that assist them to improve their word choices, sentence variety, spelling, grammar, punctuation and voice.





Finally a piece is ready to be published. These final word processed pieces are analyzed by both student and teacher using the same rubric which has been specifically designed to evaluate each genre.



Sometime each trimester we hold a public reading/celebration in which our student-authors share their writings. These collected writings are "bound" in a permanent booklet with student designed cover art.



Students are working on several poems, a personal narrative and a piece of short fiction. They are also beginning to "journal" their reactions to the novel A Land Remembered which I am reading to them. This provides an introduction to an important first step in writing a literary essay.



Our writing year began with my wife giving an informal talk on her life as a writer. She shared her insight that all writers are readers, observers of human behavior and note takers.



Here's a list of the mini lessons the class has experienced thus far.

Writers are readers, observers and note takers

A writer’s life discussed

During Writer’s Workshop everyone writes and shares including the teacher.

Stories/writing ideas come from everywhere

Writing from a prompt: sticker story

Why writers cross out instead of erasing

Importance of sentence variety

Writer’s Workshop procedures reviewed

Writers read their writings to each other.

Writers compliment each other and offer helpful hints.

Writers ask, “What are you trying to do with this?”

Writers reflect on what: they’ve learned about, are pleased with and/or need to improve.

About conferencing with the teacher, editing and word processing

“The Important Book” poetry project

Introduction to praise poem (ode) writing: “an electrical device we can’t live without”

Literature helps us understand various genres of writing

Personal Narrative introduced: “TV and Me”

Brainstorming and listing possible first experiences or important small moments recalled

Difference between personal narrative and memoir

About “voice:” how to get your writing to “sound” like you…..(example: Connor’s personal narrative about remodeling his house.)

Special paragraphing when writing dialogue

Describing characters: add appearances, mannerisms and personality traits of people around you observe

Importance of planning (inspiration style webbing etc.) either before writing soon after starting; revising as you go along