“Every child one voice”

Upcoming Events:

Dec 20 All Kindergarteners on EARLY SCHEDULE Early Dismissal @ 1:20 for Grades 1-6 Winter Dress-Up Day sponsored by Student Council

Dec 23 – Jan 3 Winter Break – No School Jan 6 School Resumes Jan 13 – 17 Hot Cocoa Sale sponsored by Student Council Jan 22 PTA General Assembly – Parent Roundtable *IMPORTANT REPORT CARD INFORMATION Report cards are now posted on the Parent Portal for those who have completed the “Electronic First Day Packet”. The link to access the Electronic Packet is available on the front page of the TR website. Access to report cards on the Parent Portal is blocked until the packet has been completed. Teachers and staff will not be able to provide printed copies for those denied access. Box Tops for Education® Earn money for technology at Turtle Rock by saving Box Tops found on hundreds of products, including online items. See attached flyer for details about saving Box Tops online. IUSD Draft Calendars for the Next Two School Years IUSD’s Board of Education is accepting comments until January 6th about the proposed 2014-2015 and 2015-2015 school calendars currently posted on the IUSD website. The significant change for the 2015-2016 school year is that the first day for students would be Aug. 26, 2015. Follow the link to read more or comment on the proposed calendars. Fantastic Family Fun Night Results! A wonderful time was held by all who attended the TR Book Fair and Family Fun Night on Thursday, Nov 14, at our new locations at Barnes and Noble bookstore and Ruby’s Diner. The puppet show by Fairytale Puppets, story time with teachers reading their favorite books, and Jeff Abbit’s magic/comedy/juggling act was tremendous fun! We thank Tammy Smecker-Hane for organizing it and the wonderful parents who helped run it: Neda Alfi, Guiti Azimi Firoozi, Jessie Billings, Catherine Chin, Daniela de Castro Santoro, Patricia Diaz, Wen Ding, Xiaojun (Doris) Hu, Honey Khawani, Grace Kim, Maya Kleinman, Yu (Annie) Li, Gholamreza Maleki, Dilber Mistry, Sudarshan Moudgalya, Brenda Ruehs, Stacy Shipman, Janet Solis, Yi Tang, Celeste Wakita, and Bing Zhang. It was great to see the children excitedly picking out book to read. From experience, we know they read more when they choose books whose stories inspire them. It was also terrific to see parents augmenting the classrooms’ libraries with books

from the teachers’ Wish Lists. Teachers appreciate it very much. We also want to thank Principal Karen Catabijan and Mrs. Gray, Rosenthal, Smith, and Tonooka, who read to the children at Story Time. In addition to having fun and fostering a love of reading in our children, we raised $1,460 for PTA programs throughout the year, the most we have ever raised at this event. We send out a big THANK YOU to all those who participated! January 22nd, 6:30 pm - PTA General Assembly: Parent Roundtable The PTA is holding a Parent Roundtable at our next General Assembly meeting. Discussion topics such as homework and time balanced will be mediated by PTA members. Come join us to share what works and get ideas to help our students succeed.

OC Marathon Running Club OC Marathon Running Club will kick off in January. If you are interested in becoming a coach, please email Joann Bloxsom for more information. jbloxsom@outlook.com 7th Grade Immunization Requirement It’s not too early to start planning for next year’s 7th graders! All students entering, advancing or transferring into 7th grade need proof of a whooping cough booster immunization called “Tdap”. Many students have already received the vaccine and simply need to supply proof to the school health office. This can be done by: bringing in the original Yellow Immunization Card from the doctor (or provide the school with a copy); the immunization record can be scanned and e-mailed to the health office @ gailwylly@iusd.org or it can be sent via FAX to (949) 936-6259. If you provide a copy/e-mail or FAX, make sure the student’s name is visible. Your child will need proof of this immunization in order to start 7th grade in September. As of now, there is no grace period or extension. Under current law, schools do not have the option to provide a grace period. Questions: Call the health office @ (949) 936-6261 or follow the links: www.iusd.org-health services-TDAP Immunization Requirement.

www.iusd.org/tr / December 19, 2013

Tips for Reading Success December 2013

© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

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If your child could add lines to a favorite story or talk to a book character, what would she say? Let her turn a blank note-book into a reading jour-nal and try one of these ideas. In the process, she will build reading comprehension and writing skills.

Add a pageSuggest that your

youngster create a new page for a picture book. For instance, if she reads Bill Martin Jr.’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, she could draw an animal in her journal and write a sentence. (“Silver lizard, silver lizard, what do you see?”)

Interview a characterEncourage your child to think of

questions she’d like to ask a character from a book. After reading a story like Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, help her write questions in her journal. She may want to ask the Once-ler, “Why did you chop down the Truffula trees?” She can add

Keep a reading journal ■ A Weed is a Flower: The Life

of George Washington Carver Born into a family of slaves, Carver became a famous scientist who helped make peanuts popu-lar. This biography by Aliki explains how Carver taught farmers to grow different kinds of crops and developed more than 100 uses for peanuts.

■ Gone with the Wand Bernice Sparklestein’s magic wand is broken, and she wonders how she can fulfill her duties

as a fairy godmother. Then, her friend the

tooth fairy tries to help her find a new job as a different kind of fairy. A cute story by Margie Palatini.

■ Pretend Soup and Other Real RecipesThis cookbook by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson includes 20 kid-friendly recipes, such as Confetti Rice, Zucchini Moons, Hide-and-Seek Muffins, and Bright Pink Fruit Dip. Each recipe includes step-by-step pic-ture instructions that make it easy for your child to cook with you.

■ Bailey Bailey is a pretty good student. He does well in reading and math — but he paints with his tail in art class and eats his own homework. That’s because Bailey is a dog! The first Bai-ley book, by Harry Bliss. (Also avail-able in Spanish.)

Poetry night

answers based on the book. (“Because I wanted to make money.”) This will get her used to asking and answering ques-tions as she reads.

Write to an authorYour youngster might use her reading

journal to draft a letter to an author. She could write a sentence about her favorite part or ask the author why he made the main character a giraffe. If she’s not writ-ing yet, have her dictate her letter to you. Idea: Let her copy the letter onto statio-nery and mail it to the author (check the author’s website for the address).♥

Read-aloud favorites

Reciting poetry can help your youngster practice speaking and improve his memory. Plan a family poetry night with these tips:

● Choose. Get a book of children’s poetry from the library, and read poems aloud. Then, have each person pick a short poem to memorize.

● Practice. Post copies in various places. That way, you can read your child’s poem for him to repeat, or he can read it himself. He might put his poem on his place-mat at the table or on his nightstand, for example.

● Recite. Gather in the living room, and take turns saying your poems. Make the evening more fun by wearing costumes or using props.♥

Turtle Rock Elementary School

© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing,

and language skills.Resources for Educators,

a division of CCH Incorporated128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630

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O U R P U R P O S E

December 2013 • Page 2

Ready for typing?

bake. Book-related activities help your child make connec-tions between what he reads and the real world.

Pack a book bag. Encourage your young-

ster to read away from home. He could put a

few books in a colorful gift bag and carry it along

when you visit relatives or run errands.

Try “buddy reading.” Your child will probably enjoy spend-ing time with friends or cousins while school is out. They can share books and talk about them afterward — they’ll have their own mini book club!♥

Winter-break reading

Cold winter days are perfect for snuggling up with a good book. Motivate your youngster to read during the holiday break with these suggestions.

Match the event. Read a story about a snowman during the first snowfall. Or whip up a batch of cookies, and read The Gingerbread Man while they

I know my daughter will be using a computer her whole life. Should I teach her how to type now?

Your daughter will definitely use a computer for school assignments more and more as she gets older. But for now, it’s important that she develop the hand muscles she needs for handwriting.

Sculpting with clay, finger-painting, stringing beads on a necklace, and scooping and pouring sand and

Big words, small words

What do snowman and evergreen have in common? They’re both compound words, or words made by combining two shorter words. Try this fun activity to boost your child’s knowledge of com-pound words.

1. Have her make a snowman by cut-ting three circles out of white paper.

2. Ask her to write the word snow in several places on her snowman.

3. Help her think of compound words that contain snow (snowsuit, snowball, snowflake) and add the second part of each word. Tip: If you’re not sure whether a word is compound or two separate words, look it up together in a dictionary.

4. Let her repeat the activity for other words. She could write star on each point of a star shape and add -fish, -light, and -gaze or draw a book with bookmark, bookcase, and bookstore.♥

Build, read, and write!My son James loves to play with blocks.

At our parent-teacher conference last month, his teacher suggested that we use blocks to fit in extra reading and writing practice.

We found books about things he could make, such as castles, skyscrapers, and monuments, and I put them with his blocks for inspiration. At first, I thought he’d just look at the pictures, but he has started pointing out facts that he reads, like how moats kept enemies away from castles. I also encouraged James to write signs to go with his buildings. When he made an airport, for example, he wrote Tickets, Bags, and Taxi on slips of paper and taped them to the blocks.

I’ve noticed that James’s buildings are more creative—and I’m happy that he’s reading and writing while he plays.♥

water are all fun ways to build strength and coordination in little hands. Also, forming letters with a pencil (rather than simply pressing keyboard buttons) helps your child remember what letters look like, which makes learning to read easier.

If your daughter shows an interest in typing, you

might offer to help her type a story she has

written. Then, print it out, and let her illustrate it.♥

© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

December 2013

Pairing books with fun activities can inspire your child to read more often. Here are ways he might use books to try new projects, learn fasci-nating facts, and visit interesting places.

Do an art projectSuggest that your young-

ster get art books from the library and choose something to try. He could pick sculpture, cubism, or pop art, for example. Then, he can look at the pictures and read about the technique and the mate-rials needed. Idea: His art teacher may be able to recommend a good book.

Display a collection Whether your child collects trading

cards or toy animals, his reading skills can help him set up an exhibit. Have him find a collector’s guide or another nonfiction book, and encourage him to dig for facts about the items in his col-lection. He can arrange the objects on a table and write the facts on index cards

■ Explore! The Most Dangerous Journeys of

All Time Your child will learn about 20 explorers in this real-life adventure book by Deborah Kespert. There are accounts of the voyages of Marco Polo, David Livingstone, Mary Kingsley, and others. Also includes interesting facts about how people can survive in extreme conditions.

■ Bridge to Terabithia Jess’s new next-door neighbor beats him in a race, knocking out his hopes for becoming the fastest runner in school. Despite this rocky start, the two create an imaginary world and a thriving friendship. A Newbery Honor winner by Katherine Paterson. (Also available in Spanish.)

■ The New Way Things Work Does your young-ster wonder how cell phones work? What about lasers? David Macaulay’s

illustrated reference book starts with simple machines, like levers and pul-leys, and moves on to the inner work-ings of modern inventions.

■ Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace In this story by Nan Marino, tween superstar Elvis Ruby suffers from an embarrassing case of stage fright on a reality show. Now he’s hiding from the paparazzi by working in a restau-rant. Elvis thought being famous was tough — until he tried being anonymous.

Read a book, do an activity

Places to fi nd story ideas

to display with them. (“The cheetah is the fastest mammal.”)

Take a fi eld tripLet your youngster pick a fun spot for

your family to visit that’s related to a book he has read. For instance, he might read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl) and find a local plant that gives tours. During the outing, ask him how the real-life experience is similar to and different from the one he read about.

Does your family’s junk drawer tell a story? Or is there a story behind a lost-and-found ad or a song on the radio? When your youngster has a creative writing assignment or wants to write for fun, suggest that she find an idea in one of these places:

● The junk drawer. Let her pick a few random items, such as an old key and a business card. She could imagine that the key unlocks a secret room at the address on the card.

● Classifi ed advertisements. Have your child use a newspaper ad as inspiration. She might write about a lost dog being reunited with his owner, for example.

● The radio. Your youngster can use a line or a verse from a song to make up her own story. For instance, a love song may prompt a modern-day fairy tale.

Turtle Rock Elementary School

© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

To provide busy parents with practical waysto promote their children’s reading, writing,

and language skills.

Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630540-636-4280 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com

www.rfeonline.com

ISSN 1540-5583

O U R P U R P O S E

Reading Connection INTERMEDIATE EDITION December 2013 • Page 2

Read and imagine

2. Choose subtopics. As your youngster does research, suggest that she write each fact on a separate index card. Then, she can sort the cards into

subtopics (“Leaders,” “Routes,” “Opposi-

tion”). She might label an envelope for each cate-

gory and store the cards in the appropriate one.

3. Review notes. Before she writes her paper, she should read

over the note cards in each category. She can set aside any that don’t support her main idea and rearrange those that belong with a different subtopic. Now, she’s ready to write!

Organize before writing

Help your child set herself up for success! She can turn in better reports and essays by organizing ideas and information before she starts writ-ing. Encourage her to try this method.

1. Get focused. The first step is pinpointing the main idea of her paper. If her teacher assigns a report on the Underground Railroad, her main idea could be “The Underground Railroad helped many slaves become free.”

Strong readers naturally form “mov-ies” in their minds as they read, which helps them understand the material. These strategies can help your child sharpen her visualizing skills.

CastingIf your youngster were directing a

movie based on a book, who would she cast? Encour-age her to picture each character and choose a famous person or someone she knows who would be just right for the part. She might think about the

Homophone match-up

Your or you’re? Its or it’s? Play this card game to help your young-ster learn homophones—words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.

You’ll need 24 index cards. Together, brainstorm nine pairs of homophones (peek, peak; affect, effect) and two sets of trios (there, their, they’re; to, too, two). Note: Google “homophones” for more examples. Then, have your child write each word on an index card. Shuffle the cards, and lay them facedown in six rows of four.

On your turn, flip over three cards. If two are homophones — or if you get a trio — use each word correctly in a sen-tence, and keep the cards. (Put back the third card if it’s not part of a trio.) If they don’t match or if you misuse a word, flip all the cards back over, and your turn ends. Once all of the matches have been collected, the person with the most cards wins.

Gifts for readers My nephew is a bookworm. I always give

him books as gifts, and I’d like to surprise him with something different this year. Any suggestions?

It’s great that your nephew loves to read! Keep the new reading material coming all year long with a magazine subscription to match his interests. For example, he may enjoy Sports Illustrated Kids if he’s a sports lover or Odyssey if he’s into science.

Many bookworms also like word games and activi-ties. Try a board game such as Last Word or Word on the Street, a set of storytelling dice or poetry magnets, or a book of crossword puzzles or word searches. Other ideas include bookmarks, a book light, or bookends.

author’s descriptions of the character’s appearance, personality, and mannerisms to make her selection.

LocationSuggest that your child look for pas-

sages in the story to help her decide where her movie should take place.

Then, she could close her eyes to picture a setting for each scene. If the book is about a journey in a covered wagon, she might imagine the “flat stretches of earth” and “endless blue sky.”