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.