March Mystery Madness
March 3, 2011
Dear Parents and Teachers, |
|
We are celebrating March
is Reading month. This year’s theme is “March Mystery Madness” and will
last over the month. Please find the attached schedule. Here are some
of the highlights. Our kick-off begins with a visit from Detective John
Riley who will discuss his job responsibilities and how he investigates
and solves a crime.
This week your child
learned words from a detective’s dictionary: alibi, clue, crime,
detective, evidence, mystery, red herring, sleuth, suspect, victim and
witness. Some of these words may be your child’s spelling words or
challenge words throughout the month. Next your child learned the
ingredients for a good mystery: characters (suspects, detective and
witnesses), setting, plot (a problem that needs to be solved, an event
that cannot be explained, a secret, something that is lost or missing or
a crime that has been committed, clues (hints that help the detective),
and red herrings (clues that lead the detective off track). Lastly a
detective case report, a story map for mysteries.
On Mondays middle
school/high school teachers along with National Honor Society (NHS)
students will be “mystery readers” in elementary classrooms. They’ll
read their favorite mysteries.
Throughout the month
students will have “Mystery Radio.” On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8:00
a.m., a NHS student will read aloud a mystery over the intercom system.
Students will then have the opportunity to solve the mystery. If they
guess the correct suspect, then they could win a prize. Be sure to be
on time to hear all the clues!
On Friday, March 18th
we’ll have a book exchange in the Media Center. Beginning Monday, March
15th and throughout the week, students can bring in used
children’s books in good condition. For each book brought in, your
child will receive a coupon. On Friday they can trade in their coupons
for books.
There are several dress up
days: Hats Off to Good Mysteries (Wear a Crazy Hat), Get Mixed Up with a
Good Book (Wear Mixed Up Clothing), Cozy In with a Good Mystery (Wear
PJs and Slippers) and Sock It to the Suspects (Wear Silly Socks).
Lastly Young Author’s
Night will be Thursday, April 7th from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the
Media Center. During this event, students will share the books they
have written to a small audience. Some classes have made the
traditional bare books, but some classes are using Student Publishing.
Mrs. Lyman, Mrs. Catanese, Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Bromley are
piloting this new web-based program. These classes will create a book
online. The company will publish paperback books for FREE! In return
we’ve promised to send home order forms for you to order additional
books in paperback, soft cover or hard cover, if you wish.
Our celebration will
conclude with a visit from author Jonathan Rand on Friday, April 15th
at 1:00-2:00 pm in the new gymnasium. He lives in Indian River and has
written the popular Michigan Chillers, American Chillers and Freddie
Fernorthner: Fearless First Grader series. Later this month you’ll
receive an order form to purchase his books. Mr. Rand will be available
to sign your child’s books before and after the presentation.
Warmly,
Shantel Niederstadt &
Laura Petrosky
Title 1
Teacher
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
1
Teachers:
Introduce
Detective’s Dictionary |
2
Teachers:
Introduce
Ingredients
for a
Mystery |
3
Teachers:
Introduce
Detective
Case Report |
4
Mystery
Kick-Off
with John
Riley
Detective
12:00-12:30
(K-2)
12:30-1:00
(3-5) |
5 |
6 |
7
Mystery
Readers
|
8 Young
Author’s Day
Manistee ISD
9:00-9:45
(K-1)
10:00-11:00
(2-3)
12:15-1:15
(4-5)
Radio Mystery
|
9
Radio Mystery
|
10
Hats Off to
Reading Good
Mysteries
(Wear a Crazy
Hat)
Radio Mystery |
11
Buddy Reading
Student
Publishing Books Due |
12 |
13 |
14
Mystery
Readers
Bring in
Gently Used
Books
|
15
Radio Mystery |
16
Radio Mystery |
17
Get Mixed Up
with a Good Book
(Wear Mixed Up
Clothing)
|
18
Book Exchange
in the Media
Center
8:00-8:45
(K-2)
8:45-9:30
(3-5)
|
19 |
20 |
21
Mystery
Readers |
22
Radio Mystery |
23
Leader Dog
School
8:00-8:45
(K-2)
9:00-9:45
(3-5)
Radio Mystery |
24
Cozy In with a
Good Mystery
(Wear PJs
and Slippers) |
25
Buddy Reading
|
26 |
27 |
28
No School
(Spring Break) |
29
No School
(Spring Break) |
30
No School
(Spring Break) |
31
No School
(Spring Break) |
|
|
Reading Month
Calendar
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