For the past few years our school has been celebrating Pi Day.  Pi, a mathematical concept that stands roughly for 3.14, matches our official school number P.S. 314.   People around the world celebrate Pi Day on March 14th or 3/14. 

Children spend time learning about Pi and studying circles in their classroom leading up to the big day.  Muscota’s Pi Day celebration is an event that the Parents Association and family volunteers bring to life for us each year in the gymnasium, where we play circle/Pi related games and eat pies and pizza pies.

 If you are interested in learning more about Pi, sharing some activities with your children, or even singing Pi Day songs, you may enjoy visiting some of the following websites:

Definition of Pi

The first thousand digits of Pi

Pi Day Activities and Links

 Keep an eye out for flyers from the Parents Association asking for volunteers and refreshments for Pi Day.  We will posting pictures of this year’s celebration very soon…

 A recent study published by Syracuse University shows that schools with certified school library media specialists achieve higher scores on the fourth grade English Language Arts.  I would imagine that these students also stand out in less quantifiable ways in terms of excitement about literature, research skills, and cyber-citizenship.  But for now, it’s exciting to see that studies are acknowledging the connection between school librarians and student achievement. 

Read more about this study in this article by School Library Journal.

David has published four children’s books, including Cowboy Ned and Andy, Ned’s New Friend, Leaves, and Monster Hug. Over the past month our K/1 and 2/3 classes have been studying David’s books, reflecting on his work through their own drawing and writing.

In preparing for David’s visit, students talked about how they are author/illustrators too, and this idea hit home for them when David shared drawings and stories he created as a child.

David invited students up to read the roles of Scaly Monster and Hairy Monster from Monster Hug.

Students were interested in how one’s sketches and stories are transformed into hardcover-bound books. David showed students what the test book jackets for Monster Hug look like.

David talked with students about how to draw emotions on characters faces.

Students practiced their happy faces, and made observations about what their mouths and eyebrows looked like.

All of those drama classes with Dayna are paying off! Some impressive angry faces.

To give you a sense of our students’ excitement about meeting David yesterday, picture the Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

David talked with a fan about his books.

Vanessa and Lesia’s classes shared a group photo with David.

All in all, it was a fantastic day with David, who stayed for a bit to autograph a few books and visit with teacher. Classes are already working on thank-you notes.

Drop by the library during parent conferences this week to see the sketches David created at Muscota and our student work, all of which are on display in the library.

For more information about David, visit his website at www.davidezra.com. To purchase his books online, visit his results page at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Authors such as James Howe (Bunnicula), Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted), Robert Sabuda (Encyclopedia Prehistorica), They Might Be Giants (Here Come the 123′s), and Julie Andrews (yes, that Julie Andrews) will appear throughout the day and sign books for fans.

The event is completely free, though families may want to plan to purchase books.

Chances are that if you’re sending your child to Muscota New School, you care about fostering and supporting your child’s creative interests at home.   But paint, instruments, costumes, ballet slippers, and even drawing paper can get expensive!

 I just learned that Lego is sponsoring a new initiative that will provide families with $5,000 grants to support children’s creativity at home.  Parents can apply for these grants at http://www.legocreationnation.com/ by September 17th.

(NB: I am not endorsing Lego, but I’m happy to pass on this opportunity for families to benefit from corporate philanthropy.)

This is where we librarians step in.

Just because the Harry Potter series has come to a close doesn’t mean the excitement about reading has to end. The summer is the perfect time to keep up the reading momentum and to maintain or boost your child’s reading proficiency.

• Visit our public children’s librarian Elizabeth and enroll in the New York Public Library’s summer reading program, “Uncover the World.” Children can even sign up online to create a reading log and write book reviews.
• My favorite time to read is when I’m riding the subway. As you travel around the neighborhood, the city, the country, or the world this summer, encourage your child to carry a book with him/her to read in transit.
• Model reading-for-pleasure for your child. Turn off the television for an hour each night and curl up on the couch with that juicy new paperback. Your example is the best way to show children that reading is a worthwhile leisure activity.

If your family has finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and you’re having trouble finding the next great page-turner, email me at ellens@muscota.org. I’ve got some summer reading suggestions for you.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0385752/trailers-screenplay-E32812-10-2

“The Golden Compass” is the first book in a fantasy trilogy by children’s author Philip Pullman, and is set in alternate universe wherein each person’s soul takes the form of a “daemon”–an animal who loves its human so much that it can never leave its side. Lyra, a young girl with a daemon named Pantalaimon, discovers that her long lost mother is inventing a machine that will separate humans from their souls/daemons, AND that her father is inventing a machine that will crack open the universe, allowing humans and ghosts to travel between worlds. With the help of mercenary bears, 400 year-old witches, and gypsies, Lyra and Pantalaimon work against time to save the daemons and the universe.

The series is best for grades 5+, but motivated fourth graders can share it with a parent. Book two, “The Subtle Knife” is set in multiple worlds, introduces new characters, and is the shorter of the three. Book three, “The Amber Spyglass” introduces new lifeforms, is partly set in purgatory, and is best understood by older readers.

The movie is coming out this winter, so now’s the time to check the books out of the public library for the summer and get reading. I can’t wait to compare the book with the movie!

Gianni peruses the selection and decides how to spend her money.

Kindergarteners Angie and Anna sell notecards, wrapping paper, silly putty, and bookmarks created by Francesca’s class.

Muscota art teacher Heather enjoys the food cooked up by Kathy’s class.

Fourth-graders Kain and Antonio bargain with customers over their home-made candy.

Dayna, drama teacher, and Alena, music teacher, sell masks, props, sketchbooks, and more to raise money for the arts program.

Xavier, having studied bridges all year with Marilyn and Victoria’s class, gets his picture taken in front of their depiction of the George Washington Bridge. (Or maybe the Golden Gate?)

Aracely works as a hostess at Lesia’s Critter Cafe.

The Critter Cafe’s delicious representations of the insects Lesia’s class is studying.

Dressed as characters from the game, Marilyn’s students sell chess boards they created after studying with chess coach Manuel this year.

The Amazing Adrian performs fortune-telling and palm-reading for customers.

Buddies Michael, Raul, and Jonathan hang out at Da Club in Emmy’s room.

In my favorite picture of the year, dance teacher Valerie and fifth grader Shantel bust a move at Da Club.

Thanks to all families who helped out on Friday, and to all those community members who helped clean up!

2/3 teacher Louisa displays prices for her class’s merchandise.

Vanessa’s students Daniel, Artin, and Janiel are clearly proud of their class’s bean bag toss.

Kathy’s 4/5 class advertises their Chinese-themed products. Wait ’til you see their uniforms!

Deniska shares the designer handbags his classmates have fashioned out of Capri Sun Juice containers.

Becky displays her class’s stain glass creations, designed as part of their study of the Blue Balliett novel “The Wright Three.” Sorry, folks, most of them sold out before noon!

Ana and Jackie cook up a delicious selection of food for those of us famished from all the preparation.

In fact, I better get down there before it all sells out…

To all the loyal fans who purchased the library’s student-created bookmarks for 50 cents last year, the $1.50 we made was put to good use. It was used as the postage for the REACH grant application we submitted this December.

Despite last year’s commercial success, I will not be selling this year, but shopping and supervising the organized chaos. I say “organized” because our assistant principal Howard has devised a plan to maintain both the Mini-Mall spirit AND crowd control. In compliance, I will only be using staircase B to travel between the K-1 sales on the first floor and “Da Club” on the third floor.

This year my shopping strategy is to buy lots of student-made jewelry and wear it all to the Moving On ceremony in June. You can never wear too many beads and macaroni necklaces at one time.

Pictures of Mini-Mall to follow!