April Word of the Month: Persistence

Be Persistent!
Overview: Persistence is the continuous effort to do or achieve something even when faced with barriers, obstacles, hurdles, snags and stumbling blocks.

Assembly Read Aloud: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

When the Bus Driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place—a pigeon! But you’ve never met a pigeon like this one before.

Songs on YouTube About Persistence:

Books on YouTube About Persistence:


Word of the Month: Compassion

Compassion: Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Be compassionate!

 

Assembly Read Aloud: We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio

I know I can’t change the way I look. But maybe, just maybe, people can change the way they see . . .Wonder is the unforgettable story of August Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. …

Read Other Books About Compassion:

Sing Songs about Compassion:




Listen to Books about Compassion on YouTube:


GO OUT AND CHANGE THE WORLD….

February Challenge

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Pull out your scissors and create an adorable heart animal for this year’s Valentine’s Day Challenge!

Build your animal from hearts! Your animal creation should include as many hearts as possible! Use hearts for your animals’ ears, toes, tails, etc….. And do not forget the cute Valentine’s Day pun…no Valentine’s Day card is ever complete without a fun pun or word play!

Watch the video below to get a few ideas!

You should also include one fact about your animal! You only have a few weeks to complete this challenge!

Print the challenge form below and return it to Ms. Eyer.

Deadline: February 14, 2019! Valentine’s Day!

There is still time for the January Challenge!

This month’s challenge is to create a new use for straws. We don’t want them to end up in the garbage and then the ocean.

Let’s re-purpose straws by creating snowflakes!

January’s challenge is to create a snowflake and a diamante poem. Use straws to design and create a unique snowflake. On the back of your snowflake, tape your Snowflake Challenge Entry. Read Write Think is a great resource to help you develop your diamante poem.

Rules:

  • Snowflakes must be created with straws.
  • Add paint, color and/or decorations to your snowflake.
  • Entry Forms: must include name, grade, teacher and poem.
  • Entries are due by January 25th.

January Word of the Month

Optimism: Optimism is the ability to remain hopeful and confident about the future or successful outcome of something. Be positive!

Assembly Read Aloud: Spin by Rebecca Janni

Go for a spin up a hill—when the story of a bike ride becomes an inspirational journey.Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” Ride along up and down the hills and valleys of this bike ride.


Sing Songs About OPTIMISM!




Read About OPTIMISM with books from YouTube!





Blizzard Box

This request may find you busy preparing for the upcoming holidays and sharing special celebrations with family and friends. It is our hope, however, that your family will reserve some time to help with our community service project.

Our community service activity this month is donating “Blizzard Boxes” to Meals on Wheels. We are welcoming Blizzard Boxes until Monday, December 17th. A Meals on Wheels representative will be joining us for an assembly to personally receive the boxes and thank the children for their kindness.

A BLIZZARD BOX is an assortment of donated non-perishable food items packed into shoeboxes. Refer to Blizzard Boxes Suggested Food List 2018 to find out all the details, including the suggested foods. Please be sure to check product expiration date. NO fresh fruit or vegetables please!

Please wrap the lids separately from the boxes – wrap the top of the shoe box separately from the bottom of the shoe box (no boot boxes please) in grocery bag paper in order to make sure contents are easily accessible. Do not put any decorations on the box.

Children can use their imagination to draw pictures on the paper that seniors would enjoy receiving! The BLIZZARD BOXES will be delivered to the recipients of the Home Delivered Meals Program if regular food deliveries are halted due to weather related or other emergencies.

Consider creating a BLIZZARD BOX with your family. Drop off your BLIZZARD BOX at William O. Schaefer (WOS), 140 Lester Drive, Tappan, New York between Tuesday, December 4th and Monday, December 17th.

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Thank you in advance for giving so generously to the seniors in our community during this winter season.
Questions can be forwarded to hhill@socsd.org, ebarsanti@socsd.org, ccosgrove@socsd.org.

December School Wide Paper Bag Challenge

Robert Munsch’s The Paper Bag Princess is a bestselling modern classic that features a princess who rescues a very snooty—and ungrateful—prince. The Princess Elizabeth is slated to marry Prince Ronald when a dragon attacks the castle and kidnaps Ronald. In resourceful and humorous fashion, Elizabeth finds the dragon, outsmarts him, and rescues Ronald–who is less than pleased at her un-princess-like appearance. Listen to The Paper Bag Princess here.

Inspired by Robert Munsch, this month’s challenge is to create a gift from a paper bag. Your job is to think unconventionally and be resourceful too. Help reduce your family’s environmental footprint this holiday season by redefining a paper bag or several paper bags into an original, ingenious gift! Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Make a present this holiday season for someone using paper bags!

Rules:
1. Single Entries only.
2. All entries must have submission form attached – Paper Bag Form.
3. Paper bags as wrapping paper or gift bags will not be accepted. All bags must be created or incorporated into a gift.
4. All entries are due Monday, December 17th!

Here is a video, Paper Bag Upcycle Ideas, to activate some creative thinking.

Good Luck!

December Word of the Month: Kindness

Be kind!

K is for kindness! It’s a simple word, it’s true, but it’s amazing what a word can do! How will you be kind today? Small actions make a big difference! Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. PASS IT ON!

Assembly Read Aloud: Pass It On by Sophy Henn

When you see something terrific, smile a smile and pass it on! If you chance upon a chuckle, hee hee hee and pass it on. Should you spot a thing of wonder, jump for joy and Pass It On!

Read More Books About Kindness!

  • The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
  • Come With Me by Holly McGhee
  • Pass it On by Sophy Henn
  • Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler
  • Heartprints by PK Hallinan
  • Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
  • I Like Your Buttons by Sarah Marwil Lamstein
  • How Full is Your Bucket? (for kids) by Tom Rath
  • What Does It Mean to Be Kind? by Rana DiOrio
  • A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead
  • Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss
  • Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
  • Good People Everywhere by Lynea Gillen
  • The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber
  • Because Amelia Smiled by David Ezra Stein

Sing Songs About Kindness!







Read About Kindness with books from YouTube!




October Word of the Month

Acceptance is allowing someone to become part of a group or community and making them feel welcome.

Diversity is the understanding that each person is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These differences might include: ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.

Assembly Read Aloud: Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival

More books related to the theme of ACCEPTANCE:


Sing a few catchy songs about ACCEPTANCE:

It’s certainly easier to make assumptions about people than it is to spend time getting to know someone. SoulPancake wanted to put assumptions to the test to see what we’re missing out on because we’re so busy assuming we already “know” a person. Watch the video below and discover why you should never judge a book.

Listen to a few a YouTube books about ACCEPTANCE!
How Full is Your Bucket

Octicorn

Whoever You Are

A Rainbow of Friends

The Big Orange Splot

The Sneetches Video

Same Same But Different

It’s Okay to be Different

Socktober!

In October 2011, creator Brad Montague realized there was a large homeless population in his hometown, and he wanted to do something about it. While researching the needs of the homeless community, he learned that socks are the items least donated to homeless shelters. So Brad took action. He began to film himself wishing people “Happy Socktober!” as he gave out pairs of socks on the streets, and he posted these videos on social media.

Word got around about these videos, and people wanted to know how they could help. So in a stroke of genius, Brad created a Socktober rap that could be purchased for a $5 donation to The Van, a group that drives a van around Arkansas to deliver necessities, including socks, to those in need.

Since then, Socktober has exploded! Kids and adults around the world have started their own sock drives to benefit their local homeless shelters. In 2013, Socktober teamed up with Kid President to spread the word and encourage more people to participate.

Last year, participants on all seven continents donated pairs of socks! This year William O. Schaefer will be collecting socks. PLEASE SEND ALL SOCKS IN By OCTOBER 30, 2018. Thank you.

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