MS Read-a-Thon

Hello Everyone,

This week we kick off our MS Read-a-Thon. Our reading month will begin with assemblies on Wednesday afternoon. After the assembly, reading packages will be placed in Advisory teacher mailboxes. Please distribute the envelops and encourage you students to read. To get your students excited about the Read-a-thon here are a couple of ideas:

1) Set a class reading goal. Reading minutes should be tracked. You can create a class chart and create a chart to track each student. An example of a Reading Thermometer has been placed in your package.

2) Check out the great resources online at www.msreadathon.com.

3) Participate in the school challenge! At the end of the reading period, the library will be asking teachers to submit their class's reading minutes. There will be a PIZZA LUNCH for the class with the most reading minutes and a prize for the top three students in the school.

Pledge envelopes will be handed into Ms. Friesen. Listen to the announcements for final dates. Happy Reading!!

Earth Hour

Earth Hour is coming! On Saturday, March 28th at 8:30pm, millions of people will be turning off their lights for 1 hour in an effort to help reduce their carbon footprint. You and your class can be a part of the solution. Valley Park has been registered as an Earth Hour participant. Here are some resources and suggestions to help promote Earth Hour with your class.

http://wwf.ca/earthhour/ - Earth Hour Canada

http://earthhour.org/ - International Earth Hour

http://earthhour.smh.com.au/cities/toronto/ - Earth Hour Toronto

Books

"Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at School" by Jeanne Nagle (640 NAG)

"Building a Green Community" by Ellen Rodger (333.72 ROD)

"How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint" by Amanda Bishop (640 BIS)


"True Green Kids - 100 Things You Can Do To Save the Planet" by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin (333.72 MCK)

"An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore (363.73874 GOR)

"The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming" by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon (363.73874 DAV)



Check out the Display in the library for more books!



Videos


An Inconvenient Truth (video section of the library)

Planet Earth (see Ms. Friesen)











Websites

Have students calculate their carbon footprints

http://www.zerofootprintkids.com/kids_home.aspx
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

Learn about different typs of energy sources

http://http//fplenergy.apogee.net/kids/default.aspx

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index

Great information on Global Warming

http://globalwarmingkids.net/index.html

National Geographic Site - learn about the "Behind the Scence" of some everyday products we consume
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/consumption-interactive.html