 | We have an exciting author visit coming up on April 23, 2018. Juana Martinez-Neal will be presenting to grades 1 and 2 in the library (which will be crowded but in a fun kind of way!). Her book has to do with learning about one's family history--a topic that 2nd grade has just been studying. Ms. Martinez-Neal will also be speaking at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival (April 21 and 22), which is always a great event for book lovers. The link to order a signed copy of her new book |
is here: Alma and How She Got Her Name. Orders will be accepted until April 21, 2018. Thanks to Pages for helping set up her appearance at Pennekamp!
Most of our focus this week, though, is on Earth Day, which is April 22. The first Earth Day happened way back in 1970, and it's been observed annually since 1990. Earth Day is unusual in that it's a global event: many civic events are based in one country or other, but countries all around the world mark April 22 to promote environmental conservation. The theme this year is "End Plastic Pollution." There are many excellent online resources to learn more about Earth Day. I'm particularly impressed with Earth Day Network.
So most grades are hearing books about the environment this week. The deaf-and-hard-of-hearing class will hear a classic picture book on the Amazon rainforests--The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry--and also view the BrainPOP Jr. video on tropical rainforests. Have I mentioned lately that our school subscribes to BrainPOP and that families may view BrainPOP content at home? If you need the login, please contact me or your child's teacher. (The Pennekamp PTA pays for the privilege of using BrainPOP, so I don't want to share the login information here, for all the world to see!) BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. offer many videos related to Earth Day, so this is an ideal time to take a look at what's available there.
Among the other books I'm reading, A Boy and a Jaguar is a standout. It touches upon so many important points--the experience of being a stutterer, the many and varied ways that animals benefit humans, and a sense of gratitude, among others. The short video below (on YouTube) is of Alan Rabinowitz, author of A Boy and a Jaguar, and it will accompany our reading of the book. I recommend you supervise children watching YouTube content because the advertisements, comments, and sidebars are often inappropriate for children. If you want information on stuttering or are looking for ways to talk to a child about stuttering, try the website of the Stuttering Foundation.
Most of our focus this week, though, is on Earth Day, which is April 22. The first Earth Day happened way back in 1970, and it's been observed annually since 1990. Earth Day is unusual in that it's a global event: many civic events are based in one country or other, but countries all around the world mark April 22 to promote environmental conservation. The theme this year is "End Plastic Pollution." There are many excellent online resources to learn more about Earth Day. I'm particularly impressed with Earth Day Network.
So most grades are hearing books about the environment this week. The deaf-and-hard-of-hearing class will hear a classic picture book on the Amazon rainforests--The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry--and also view the BrainPOP Jr. video on tropical rainforests. Have I mentioned lately that our school subscribes to BrainPOP and that families may view BrainPOP content at home? If you need the login, please contact me or your child's teacher. (The Pennekamp PTA pays for the privilege of using BrainPOP, so I don't want to share the login information here, for all the world to see!) BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. offer many videos related to Earth Day, so this is an ideal time to take a look at what's available there.
Among the other books I'm reading, A Boy and a Jaguar is a standout. It touches upon so many important points--the experience of being a stutterer, the many and varied ways that animals benefit humans, and a sense of gratitude, among others. The short video below (on YouTube) is of Alan Rabinowitz, author of A Boy and a Jaguar, and it will accompany our reading of the book. I recommend you supervise children watching YouTube content because the advertisements, comments, and sidebars are often inappropriate for children. If you want information on stuttering or are looking for ways to talk to a child about stuttering, try the website of the Stuttering Foundation.
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