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
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