Read With Me Cultivating a Literary Community 

I prefaced this little video with the statement, “If you’ve ever doubted your teacher was unusual…you never will again!”

However, here I am, by popular demand, sharing this video with you all AGAIN!  Like I said in class, you will never forget what a homophone is again, will you?

Today, we were all moved as we shared our current book of the month, 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy…even if Mrs. Nash did cry….AGAIN! In this story, Kimeli, a young Maasai who had left his home in Kenya to study medicine in New York, came home to tell his family about the tragedy that occurred in New York City on September 11, 2001.  He felt compelled to do something to help his adoptive nation.  But what could he do?

He knew what he should do.  When he was a child, his elders taught him that he could help to heal a suffering heart by sacrificing something that was important and dear to him.  But, he knew that some burdens are too big for one chest to bear alone.

After speaking with his elders and his people, the Maasai tribe decided to give America a very unique gift:  14 cows.  It is the wish of the Kimeli and his people that whenever someone hears of their gift, we will find some small measure of comfort and peace in our hearts.

Why was this gift so special?  Perhaps this video (Psst! Click here!) will help you understand a little more about how important a cow, or a water buffalo, can be to people in worlds very different than our own.

Oh, and don’t forget your tissues!

We’ve got spirit, how ’bout you?

Did you hear it?  Did you hear the noise?

On Friday afternoon, all of the third, fourth, and fifth graders met in the dining room for a brief (yet fun) FCAT Pep Rally.   We HAVE spirit.  We ARE ready.  We WILL rock that test.  If you don’t believe me, take a moment to watch for a second…

FCAT Pep Rally from Jenny Nash on Vimeo.

Remember to help your child do their best on the FCAT this coming week by remembering a few simple things:

1.  Eat a good dinner and get to bed early each night.

2.  Wake up early enough to eat a healthy, filling breakfast.

3.  Be on time to school each day.  (Students will not be permitted into the room tardy.)

4.  Help your child stay relaxed at home throughout the week.  Help them keep a positive outlook by cheering them on daily with lots of love and encouragement.

This week we will not be assigning homework, but we WILL expect you to continue to read nightly.  Also, feel free to continue to practice nightly on FCAT Explorer….it’s fun and focused!

Last week, Kyle was our Adventurer of the Week.  As you know, this lucky student has the opportunity to bring in something special to share with the class.  Kyle’s “show and tell” captured our attention – and our hearts.  Here’s a quick clip of the cutie-pie we met.

chinchilla from Jenny Nash on Vimeo.