Introducing Tumblebooks...

Thank you to our public library for purchasing & sharing this wonderful tool for our young readers:

The Tumble Books library provides users with an online collection of animated, talking picture books, which aid in the instruction of reading fluency, comprehension and building vocabulary. The Tumble Books tool brings books to life for all readers, even those who are just starting out.

Click HERE to take a tour of Tumble Books!

**In order to use this wonderful site at home, click HERE to be directed to the Portland Public Library's website. Click on the blue and green book image that is located on the left panel of the page. For more questions, contact your child's teacher, or the Portland Public Library!

Lelan Statom Visits WHE...

 News Channel 5 Meterologist, Lelan Statom made a visit to our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders on Tuesday March 20. He brought a wealth of information about climate, the water cycle, and severe weather! Lelan also clarified lots of myth's about severe weather, including "counting the seconds between thunder and lightening, in order to tell the distance." ; ) We are so thankful for the opportunity to participate! Watt Hardison loves News Channel 5! ; )

The Great Kapok Tree: Week of January 9, 2011

 

This week we are reading “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry. The story takes place in the rain forest of the Amazon. Throughout the story, rain forest animals try to persuade a logger to leave the kapok tree.
 We will focus on some vocabulary words in this story.  It would be helpful if you will reinforce the meaning of these words at home with your child.  Also, on this newsletter you will find our spelling words for the week.  Please practice these words at home as well.  The words in italics are our challenge spelling words.  Let’s have a great week!

 

Spelling Words: its, ours, mine, yours, family’s, families’, man’s, men’s, girl’s, girls’, hers, theirs, brother’s, brothers’, teacher’s, teachers’, aunt’s, aunts’, boy’s, boys’, country’s, countries’, witness’s, witnesses’, laboratory’s, laboratories’

Vocabulary Word	Meaning
canopy	the uppermost layer of branches in forest trees
dangle	to hang and swing loosely
dappled	marked with spots; spotted
fragrant	having or giving off a pleasing odor; sweet-smelling
pollen	a fine, yellowish powder released from the anthers of flowers. Grains of pollen carried by insects, wind, etc., to the pistils of flowers to fertilize the flowers
slithered	moved with a sliding motion
wondrous	wonderful; marvelous; remarkable