Although the end of the school year is quickly approaching the benefits of reading never fade. Helping students find a love of reading sets them up for a lifetime of learning. Reading each day to your child reinforces the value you place on reading and gives you a consistent opportunity to show enthusiasm for books. Our goal is for your children to read widely and read often. Please help us keep the momentum going over summer by reviewing the ideas and tips below.

Does reading 15 minutes everyday really make a difference? Yes! Here are some ways to keep your child interested in reading this month and throughout the summertime:

1) Fables are short stories which illustrate a particular moral and teach a lesson... Never Give Up. Work hard, Play hard. Be Happy with What You Have. All of these lessons are taught through Aesop's Fables. June 4th is Aesop's Birthday. So check out a few of the following books and instill life long lessons at the same time:

+The Tortoise and the Hare: Never Give Up!

+The Ants and the Grasshopper: Work Hard and Play Hard!

+The Dog and the Shadow: Be happy With What You Have.

+The Lion and the Mouse: No act of kindness is Ever Wasted.

2) Summer brings in more reasons to celebrate pets. Pet appreciation is a great reason to learn more about the pet you have or the one your children have been begging for! Check out the following resources for some laugh out loud books about the pets you know and love and the ones who have yet to make their way into your hearts. Did you know that cats, dogs, turtles, and fish love being read aloud to? Well we've never heard them complain about it! Have you? Encourage your children to read to you and your pet! Or pile up their favorite stuffed animals and let your child read aloud along with you to these furry friends. These books will help:

+Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (fiction chapter book)

+Alfie by Thyra Header (fiction picture book)

+Dog Days of History: The Incredible Story of Our Best Friends by Sarah Albee (non fiction)

3) Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing by blasting off with a good book. This summer the Governor's reading challenge and the Greenwich Public Library are partnered together in a reading event called A Universe of Stories. The Greenwich Librarians came to JC School to speak to your children about the importance of reading throughout the summer. No summer slump at JC! Did you know your kids can watch astronauts reading from space? For another twist on reading check out the book, Rosie Revere Engineer written by: Andrea Beaty, as read by astronaut Kate Rubins | Run Time: 8:32 Minutes. Click on the tab "Story Time Videos" to see lots of other books too. Also, why not read books about the moon, stars, the universe and beyond? The following books can get you started:

+Moonshot by Brian Floca (non fiction picture chapter book)

+If Pluto was a Pea by Gabrielle S. Prendergast (non fiction picture book)

+Space Case by Stuart Gibbs (fiction chapter book)

Now for the special summer reading event you heard about in our last issue of the JC Scholar...Reading Under the Stars, please join us on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at 7:45pm at the Bowman Observatory located on the field at Julian Curtiss School. See more event details and RSVP below.

4) Great news! Even though the school library is closed, your children can still read, read, read, all summer long. They can visit the main branch of the public library or read ebooks from the comfort of your home or wherever you may travel, as long as you have a device and an internet connection. Students can access, select and borrow titles using the Greenwich Public Schools Digital Library at Sora (formerly Overdrive) located at:

First, go to this website http://greenwichschools.lib.overdrive.com/

Next, enter your login credentials:

• Username: email address before @ sign (e.g. harry.potter)
• Password: 2+9 password (e.g. hp123456789)

5) Wouldn't it be helpful for you to have a list of suggested titles hand picked for you by your school librarians to read with your children throughout the summer? Done! The links below are in PDF form and can easily be printed out by you for your convenience. Suggested Summer Reading Titles K-1, 2-3, 4-5. For more information visit the GPS summer reading website.

6) Parents, ever wonder about the importance of reading aloud to big kids? Well, check out this article from Brightly on The Importance of Reading Aloud to Big Kids.

Be sure to follow Tess' example and read, read, read all summer long. The library is a great place to hang out!

What has your child has been learning in the library, lab, and Makerspace at Julian Curtiss School? Read on.

Do you think you can stand on a paper cup without squashing it?

Our kinders rose to the challenge! At first our kindergarteners thought it was "impossible", but they tried and tried again exploring variables such as :

*The number of cups utilized
*The way the cups were positioned
*The size of the cups
*The use of cardboard between layers of cups

K students determined if you stand on one cup it breaks straight away. This is because all their weight was pushing down on the cup, compressing it. However, when they arranged the cups differently and placed a piece of cardboard over the top, their weight was dispersed, or spread out, meaning there wasn’t too much weight on any one cup and the were able to stand up tall on top of the paper cups without squashing them.

Challenge #2:

Can you build a spaghetti bridge? Our Kinders tried it! They learned about compression and tension while constructing a free standing bridge out of spaghetti, strong enough to hold a book.

Challenge #3:

Do you know how catapults work? Our kinders do! Using craft sticks, rubber bands, and a glue kinders built catapults and launched ping pong balls from them, thereby demonstrating the store and release of tension or potential energy.

Challenge #4:

Lift and Thrust is an important part of flight. After reading The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers, kindergarten students were able to observe these anti-gravity properties by designing paper airplanes. Then they participated in a paper airplane contest.

As a grade level, students took a field trip to the main branch of the Greenwich Public Library at the end of May. They took a tour of the facility, met the librarians, received a library card and checked out a book. The library is the perfect place to hang out this summer. Let your kiddo show you around!

First graders also learned about what all living things need to survive. In the computer lab we worked on researching facts about survival. Students utilized the Greenwich Public Schools research cycle (plan, do, review) as well as the database PebbleGo to complete their research. They also learned that books and curated videos were other resources for high quality information. After finding an interesting fact, each student wrote their fact on an index card and then recording their fact in front of the green screen. This research was turned into a grade level iMovie.

First graders also learned how to write book reviews. Book Reviews are a way for us to share our opinions about books with friends. Students picked one book and wrote a review about it. Their reviews included opinions, summaries, and three reasons to persuade others to read their chosen book.

Students in second grade learned about Single Sign On login capabilities using Google. Students were taught that even though they may see the Google Single Sign On (SSO) button, they are only allowed to utilize it with GPS approved resources. One of the approved resources is called Typing Club. This platform teaches students the skills necessary for logging on with SSO as well typing skills. The goal is for students to become familiar enough with the keyboard so that they have no difficulty expressing their ideas while working on a variety of technology platforms. Students have explored Home Row keys and are beginning to trust their fingers to find their way around the keyboard. It's really hard not to peek at the keys and to only use the assigned finger to touch each individual keys, rather than hunt and peck for letters on the keyboard, but our second grade students are trying. If you would like to encourage your child to practice their typing skills this summer please have them login through the Greenwich Public Schools portal: https://greenwichps.typingclub.com/. Then click "Sign in with Google" and enter their firstname.lastname@greenwichschools.org followed by their password (9 digit student ID). Students should stay in sequence order and try and try again, only moving up a level after earning all 5 stars on their current level. Other fun platforms for typing include https://www.abcya.com/grades/2/skill . Check out the games: keyboard invasion, typing challenge, typing rocket junior, and typing race.

In library, our third graders have finished reading the multiple award winning book, Riding Freedom, by Pam Munoz Ryan. To summarize, by the age of 12, Charlotte Parkhurst knew that there were many more opportunities in the world of the 1860s for boys than girls. So she cut off her hair, wore boy's clothing, and began a new life using hard work, dedication, and her gift with horses to earn many privileges -- including the right to vote. This is a story about overcoming hardship and not taking freedom for granted. Our students loved this book. The author has written many other books perfect for summer reading. You can find out more about them on Ms. Ryan's website.

In the Makerspace, our third graders embarked upon a KEVA plank exploration. Keva planks are an exceptionally versatile tool for teaching STEM concepts. Only one simple building block is used which allows for an infinite number of construction possibilities. Planks are assembled using various stacking techniques. Gravity is the primary force acting on the blocks, however students are also immersed in other concepts such as balance, counterbalance, leverage, problem solving, and teamwork. Construction progresses quickly so multiple trials or experiments can be conducted in the course of any challenge. Trial and error maximizes discovery. Students were able to apply perseverance and collaboration skills as they constructed a variety of three dimensional structures in teams...and they had a blast while doing it!

In computer lab, third graders were reminded how to access ebooks via the online library catalog on the GPS research tool page. Did you know that JC students have access to over 1,800 electronic books? Students can read from any device, as long as they have an internet connection. So when our school library is closed this summer, students can still read, read, read all summer long! Simply click the link above, and navigate to the "online library catalog", choose Julian Curtiss School and "Catalog" and then change the material type filter to "electronic ebook" and search through our amazing catalog of ebooks. Once you find a book you like click "open" and then log in. Student log in is firstname.lastname. Students password is their initials and 9 digit student ID number. Happy Reading!

In the makerspace, our fourth graders, continued their exploration in electricity with "Makey Makey". “Makey Makey” is a play on words - students make their own Keyboards (“Ma-Key”). The keyboard is replaced by any object that conducts electricity - in our case clementines. The heart of Makey Makey is its circuit board that connects to a computer via a USB cable. Building circuits that can be used like a joystick or a keyboard key allowed our students to learn, experiment, and invent. The fourth graders were provided the opportunity to learn from each other in an environment that fosters risk taking and collaboration. Students were challenged to work as a team to play the song Mary Had a Little Lamb using the clementines. Success was measured from the actions of making mistakes and trying different solutions. Perseverance at it's finest.

Furthermore students utilized Snap Circuits as a hands on method of exploring a variety electrical and electronic circuits. Each block has a unique function so students examined snaps, wires, motors, switches, batteries, fans and lights as they built switches that turn electricity on and off.

Students also utlized, Compose Yourself, a musical composition tool that builds creativity, confidence, and musical aptitude. Students worked in teams to arrange musical measures into a pattern. They then entered the codes on this site to hear their piece played by a full symphony Orchestra. Listen to the clip below and you will likely agree how professional our students sound!

Some students chose to continue working on their light saber projects. I am super proud of them for going back over a longer period of time to find a solution to a project that required additional stamina.

Calling all current 4th Graders, rising to 5th grade in the fall....Come join us for Battle of the Books!

Here's how it works: Read all 10 titles between now and November 1st...that’s only 2 books per month! Pay attention as you read to unique lines of text, aha moments, repeating lines, description of characters and setting, key events, and dialogue. Consider keeping a notebook to jot down those lines of text or phrases. Memorize the title and author of each book.

In November, all participating students will take a Battle of the Books Quiz. The top scorers in each classroom will advance to a grade level Battle of the Books. The winning team will represent JCS and compete in a district Battle of the Books! An example of a quiz question: In which book did the author write, “The day of reckoning has arrived?” Answer: Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo.

Click the link below to connect with Battle of the Books, book trailers and get a sneak peek at what these books are all about. Bet you want to read them all!

In library, our 5th graders continued working toward their personalized reading goals. Check out the Padlet wall linked below to see the amazing work students did over the course of the school year. Students determined and wrote their own reading goals, selected, read, and reflected on a personalized stack of books, and then chose one favorite book to write a recommendation about. These recommendations were posted on the Padlet wall so that students could share their favorite books and authors with each other, and get great ideas for reading their next few books; thereby keeping the reading cycle going.

In the Makerspace, our 5th graders participated in "Collaboration Nation". Students chose their own teams and their own STEM projects which varied in topic based on individual interest. Science concepts ranged from making snow, to building instruments (exploring vibration), dissolving crystals, testing PH, surface tension and pressure, to making tornadoes, slime, treasure grabbers, and more! There was even an "acid" challenge. During this challenge students had to figure out how to remove objects from the bottom of a jar filled with "acid". (It was really water but our students didn't know that initially!) The challenge included parameters such as: Do not touch, tip, splash, or stick hands or objects inside of the jar....while still removing the objects from inside. Students eventually noticed that the objects in the acid all had metallic properties and they utilized the power of magnets to help remove these objects safely.

The treasure grabber project had a focus on friction. Students were challenged to use simple materials to build a treasure grabber and then grab as many treasurers off the table as possible. The secret to moving the treasure grabber is lots of friction—a force that resists motion. When students pull on the strings, the grabber slides and twists. By first pulling one string and then pulling the other, they made the slider move forward and backward with the addition of a magnet on the bottom of their treasure grabber students were able to picking up items along the way.

Our 5th grade students were highly motivated, engaged learners who employed decision making, resilience, and problem solving skills to these rigorous tasks.

Polymers: a substance that has a molecular structure consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic materials used as plastics and resins.

Email: heather_mcguinness@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: www.greenwichschools.org/jcs
Location: 180 East Elm Street, Greenwich, CT, USA
Phone: 203.869.1896
Twitter: @JC_LLC