January 14, 2013

January 14, 2013

Hello Parents!

We have had an upbeat start to the week with lots of laughing as we have begun crafting our "fantasy" short stories. I thought you might like to see our  rubric for short stories (attached below). It is a brainstorm of ideas for characters, settings, problems, etc, that the students can launch from when they plan out their own stories. I am especially interested in having them be creative in solving their "problems" with a secret skill or a a clever act or a gesture of kindness. We can certainly go beyond, "I knocked the monster down and ran home. "  :)

Invite your child to share his or her brainstorming on this. What will be the setting? What will be the problem and the solution? 

I have also attached the cover of our Whangdoodles book. We are, at long last, nearing the end of the children's journey. Today, having left the professor behind, they finally met the Whangdoodle, the last mystical beast on earth, and the king of Whangdoodle Land.

Ask your child to describe the Whangdoodle to you.

Here is what we learned today - about what he looked like:

"Two eyes and a very-large pair of antlers emerged from the tapestry. followed by a mooselike head that bore them. Next came four rather short legs attached to a round, barrellike body...his voice was deep...The whangdoodle was truly an extraordinary creature...He was the size of a small pony. His face was big and friendly with large brown eyes and long, fair eyelashes. His eyebrows were arched,giving him a constant look of surprise. His muzzle looked soft as velvet and when he grinned, he displayed strong, horselike teeth which protruded over his lips. His antlers were amazingly large and very handsome. He held his head proudly, in keeping with his generally regal air. His body was a warm, grey-brown color and his small, rather thin tail was fashioned into a love not. On his hind feet he wore a pair of old bedroom slippers with floppy tassels."

And last: we are in our second week of Science Workshops on solids, liquids, and gases. Ask your child about his or her workshop today.

That's all for now.

Have a great rest of the week.