Happy Constitution Week

Scroll down to last year's information, or click on this year's link to StellarStudents. Enjoy your freedom!

Have some fun and work hard! Learn A Lot!

You'll be surprised to see how smart you'll be by the end of the year! You won't believe how much smarter than that you'll be by the end of next year! :) Keep working hard, keep loving to learn and keep on reading! You'll grow leaps and bounds inside! Carry that knowledge with you each year and add some more as you go along the way! You can do anything you put your mind to do. CAN YOU FEEL IT!?!?!? CAN YOU TASTE IT?!?!?!?!?! DO YOU WANT IT?!?!?! YOU CAN DO IT!

Welcome Back! Enjoy Your Year!

"Talk" to friends here! Janelle, too!

Click on "comments" section & type comments just like we did at school. If you forgot your password, call a friend. You would never want to have the password posted for the world to see. Janelle wants to keep in touch with us!  Is that awesome, or what!? I know many of you missed her-as did I. Now, you have your own space to "chat" with everyone.   The nice thing is that you can leave your message/comment when you are able to get online, and your friends can leave a message when they're online. Don't you love technology? Remember, you can sign up for computer time at the library, too! That is really cool!

• click on links on right. Keep updated on shuttle Endeavor launch (6 more to go)
  
• 7/16 and 7/20 Moon Landing launch and LANDING anniversary http://www.wechoosethemoon.org
• Also, send your name to Mars. Click on links and learn!

NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK! SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GREAT AMERICAN BACKYARD CAMPOUT FRIDAY (6/27)!

Florida is one of the many states proclaiming the week by our governor! http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm#fl  There's activities, by not in Miami. There's also activities in other states if you're traveling, or if you are JANELLE! LOL  http://www.pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2009.htm

Click on the state to see more, or just view the site and request FREE POLLINATOR INFO! You just pay shipping and handling. 

http://www.pollinator.org/items.htm

http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm download these FREE! Scroll down to "Outer Coastal" for Florida, or just click here: http://www.pollinator.org/pdfs/OuterCoastal.rx5.pdf

WATCH THE POLLINATOR INFO VIDEO! http://www.pollinator.org/multimedia.htm

Here's just some info: http://www.pollinator.org/

HERE'S SOME ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS! http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1525

Click on the site to build a bee condo, solve a pollinator puzzle, or just learn how to help! You "BEE" the expert! 

Remember Decibels? Check out this news...

This is a grown-up article about loud decibels causing hearing loss. Remember learning abut decibels in Science when we studied sound? About 15% of American Teenagers have hearing loss-most likely from headphones, or loud music. They say that 70 decibels is okay-it's about as loud as taking a shower, which really isn't too loud. 100 decibels is dangerous. You might want to note that I read about Orange County (Disney area) and Key Biscayne (right here in Miami-Dade County) made LEAF BLOWERS illegal! Research has proven that the noise is damaging, but moreso, the pollution it stirs up in the air and we all breathe it! That is gross! I'd love to see them become illegal in my neighborhood and in Doral! What do you think?  Post your comment. 

Click here, or on title to read the Consumer Reports article: 

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-treatments/hearing/protect-your-ears-from-hearing-loss/overview/protect-your-ears-from-noise-ov.htm?EXTKEY=HNANT0906

June 27 = BACKYARD CAMPOUT DAY! Woo Hoo!

You can camp out in your backyard and participate in a yearly national event, THE GREAT AMERICAN BACKYARD CAMPOUT!  Click the link to get information and even register, if you'd like. Fortunately, you can register for any day that you camp if you can't do it Friday! The good thing is that you can do it from anywhere in your own backyard! You can do it in Miami, or wherever you are, and Janelle can do it in Colorado, my nieces and nephews can do it in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Have fun. Scroll down to see the links to great summer reading and relaxing and upcoming events in NASA. Have fun camping! Now that's what I call a cool STAY-CATION! Click here, or on the title. http://www.nwf.org/backyardcampout/?&utm_source=Fathers_Day&utm_medium=Eblast&utm_term=20080612&utm_content=TextLink&utm_campaign=GABC2008

Watch the launch live...keep updated! It Launched!!! :)

Click on title or click on link to watch the LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter launch. Remember, it's the training I had at the Kennedy Space Center? 

• LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) and
  
• LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) 

It's delayed until 5:32 pm TODAY! Here's the link to watch it live!

 http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html 

http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html?skipIntro=1

IF YOU CAN'T GET IT- GO TO YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/NASATelevision

Upcoming events: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/

http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html?skipIntro=1

http://nasascience.nasa.gov/

http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov/newsletter/LRO-Oct-08.pdf

Hope Your Summer Is Great!

Did you plant your seeds? Where'd you put them? Are you visiting the garden in summer camp? Is the squash growing? How about our radishes, tomatoes, etc ... from our first garden-the "secret garden?"  Starting a garden is a great summer activity that the whole family can do. No need to be bored! You can even buy ORGANIC seeds! I got ours at Lowes, but Home Depot and even Walmart have them. Have fun and enjoy!

FDA Warns of 'High Levels' of Disease-Causing Bacteria Found in Certain Hand Sanitizers - Infectious Disease - FOXNews.com

FDA Warns of 'High Levels' of Disease-Causing Bacteria Found in Certain Hand Sanitizers - Infectious Disease - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

Today is World Ocean Day!

Click on the title to see all of the cool info on the ocean and in keeping it safe!  Make sure that you keep yourself safe! Click here to mail e-cards  http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=eCards -Save the date cards for coastal clean up on September 19-Hey, that's when you're 4th graders!   :)  Miss you guys, but it really was great relaxing and not having school today-how about you guys? Plus, I watched Little House on The Prarie on the Hallmark Channel!

Happy Summer Vacation!

How's it feel to be on summer vacation before summer even starts? How's it feel to be out of third grade and getting ready for fourth?  How about that storm on Friday? Where were you-what were you doing? I saw lightning hit Edison High-don't worry, that's what lightning rods are for-yeay to Ben Franklin and his invention! (Did you know that there were 100 lightning strikes in 5 minutes between Miami and Miami Beach). Enjoy your summer. Remember to let us know how you're doing and what you're doing. Have fun and don't fall prey to summer loss! (Not you!) Click here for lightning info for kids  http://www.weatherwizkids.com/lightning1.htm

See post below for summer reading and info! 

P.S. Janelle wrote to us on the "Day at the Museum" section of the blog. Check it out! It's great to hear from her!   Janelle, read the comment!

Thank You For My Surprise! Scroll down 2c my Fave Books!

Thank you for my super surprise! I received it after school and let me tell you, it was a nice surprise to end the year! Thank you also for a great party, your contributions toward making it a success and your thoughtful gifts and cards with sweet sentiments. I MISS YOU ALREADY!

Here's a list of some of my favorite books. Remember, you get a free book at B&N when listed on the log, and you get 50% off of another book from Borders! See parent blog for info! 

http://www.paperbackswap.com/book/details/9780141308203-Summer+Reading+is+Killing+Me+Time+Warp+Trio

• Love That Dog! (Gotta Read)  http://www.sharoncreech.com/novels/01.asp also on parent blog. Click to see the author's site, read her inspiration. Probably my FAVORITE book! A great book to read to/with your parents and/or a friend. It'll also make you want to write a journal just like Ben's from Facing West! You can also read a preview of Hate That Cat. Thanks again, Mariam, I can't wait to read it!

• Henry and Ribsy (any Beverly Cleary) http://books.google.com/books?id=bt7gaJej0f4C&printsec=frontcover&dq=henry+and+ribsy&ei=loAsSsTlFIi0zAS3_smZBw click link to read some pages = great book

• More Henry and/or Ribsy links: http://books.google.com/books?q=henry+and+ribsy&btnG=Search+Books

• Things Will Never Be The Same - 26 Fairmont Ave. journal-type books by Tomie de Paola   http://www.tomie.com/books/bibliography/2003/things.html

• Non-Fiction Books by DK Publishers! http://www.dk.com/

• Because of Winn Dixie-the setting is in FLORIDA! http://www.walden.com/walden/read/winndixie/index.php

• Time Warp Trio - Summer Reading is Killing Me and others Miss Reed's class WebQuest assignment: http://teacherweb.com/FL/UniversityofMiami/ScienceCurse/ http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/authorsillustrato/a/scieszka_bio.htm

• Encyclopedia Brown series - Any and all-they're great!  http://www.kidsreads.com/series/series-brown.asp    http://www.thrillingdetective.com/eyes/encyclopedia.html 

• On The Banks of Plumb Creek - Laura Ingalls Little House On The Prarie  http://www.littlehousebooks.com  http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/publish/consumer/home/shows/little_house_on_the.html 
  
• Meet Samantha and other American Girl Books-Enter contest at Borders. http://contests.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=contests&cdn=hobbies&tm=8&f=10&tt=11&bt=0&bts=1&zu=https%3A//entry.americangirlcontest.com/  http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/static/books.jsf/uniqueId/123/nodeId/12/webMenuId/3/sName/Bookstore http://www.americangirl.com/

• Dear America Series - They're all good! This one is before the westward expansion-Sacagawea helped  http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/books/mynameis/augustus.htm

• A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket... This author's style of writing is one of my favorites! He sure likes alliteration, too! Actually, if you recall, his real name is Daniel Handler. Lemony Snicket, the "author," is actually another character. Fascinating! If you watch the movie, try to read all 3 books! You won't be able to put them down. I double dog dare you! lol http://www.lemonysnicket.com/books.cfm The books are way scarier than the movie, which is quite amusing.                                          Here's a clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWB1HGnA3tA
• Flat Stanley-Invisible Stanley, and Flat Stanley, Flat Again are great. http://www.flatstanley.com http://www.chccs.k12.nc.us/mdelem/webquests/jenny/chapmanwebquest.html  

If you're bored this summer-the Food Network will be showing a competition for the next Food Network star on Sunday's at 9:00 p.m.-it's usually pretty exciting. 

This weekend = Shuttle Tracking!

Remember to watch and track the Space Shuttle and ISS! This weekend you can see the Shuttle! Click on the title, or click here: http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States&region=Florida&city=Miami Let us hear how you enjoyed it!

Woo Hoo! FCAT Scores Are Here!

Wanna tell us how you feel, or what you did for "homework" (relief)?

Tell about your DAY At The Museum! Hi Janelle!

I had a terrific experience-did you? :) Tell us what you liked best! It was just like the Smithsonian-it was the John I. Smithsonian! LOL We learned history and science in one day! :) Woo Hoo! BEE Happy, BEE Very Happy! Thanks, Mr. Gentzel!

I missed you!

I'm sure that you had a great day! I hope you're saving your projects for Mother's Day! You'll be glad that you did. Did you see ISS? I missed it. We were out and forgot to run outside.

• Borders is having a craft day for kids today!
• Monday is the Native American museum. If you have any Native American Indian facts, information, or resources to share with the class, bring them in to teach us! :)
• The "Bee Man," our friendly neighborhood beekeeper will visit us on Thursday! Think about your questions and what you've already learned about bees, plants, and agriculture. How about that garden?! We're gardeners! Woo Hoo! I will see you Monday! Enjoy the weekend. Tomorrow is the last free Family Fun Fest at Biscayne National Park until next year.

• Did you get your pictures for your animal classification project?
• Think about your board game! Hmmm, it'll be fun and tough at the same time! :)

I can't believe how much you've all grown and that you'll be flying away-soaring new heights and sights in a matter of weeks! We still have things to learn, explore, and do-you won't be bored!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Happy Fifth of May!

Enjoy the Mexican holiday. You can also keep looking for your 5 pictures of vertebrates (birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals) and 5 invertebrates (any type: worms, arthropods, mollusks, etc.) to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

http://www.kidport.com/grade5/science/Vertebrates.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/vertebrates.shtml

Interested in hexopoda? http://www.insectimages.org/browse/order.cfm?id=98

"Bee" Informed About Bees!

Check out these invertebrates! They actually give us some tasty treats. Can you guess who they are? Tell us what you know about these creatures and why they're important to us and who they are? You are right (now I can add this picture)! Thomas was the first to guess it! Wow! Everyone got a 100% on the Bee Quiz! That means everyone got an 'A' and no one got a 'B!' LOL!!!!!!!!!!

• http://www.honey.com/consumers/kids/default.asp Here's where you can learn from other kids and they can learn from you!


• http://kids.yahoo.com/directory/Science-and-Nature/Living-Things/Animals/Invertebrates/Arthropods/Insects/Bees


• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/ Look at this. This is the NOVA video!
• http://www.badbeekeeping.com/ Check out this kid beekeeping!


• http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-42-03-00 Check out the research!
• http://www.raz-kids.com/ You can't use it anymore, they closed the account. I shouldn't have had the user name on here. You live and learn. Enjoy everything else!
  
• http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=bees These pictures are awesome!

Saturday, May 2, ASTRONOMY DAY at Museum of Science

Astronomy Day at Museum of Science on May 2! It just so happens that it is falling on Free Comic Book Day this year. Click the link and/or title to see the itinerary. http://www.miamisci.org/www/astronomy-day.php

Is The White Giraffe Real?

Write your thoughts about the white giraffe before we read/listen to chapter one of the fictional story!

Free Comic Book Day = Saturday! Find a store...

Saturday, May 2, is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! Yes, you heard it right-FREE! Find a store near you to get your free comic(s). Some stores give one-some a couple or more. The earlier you go, the better the selection. Free = great! http://freecomicbookday.com/

Here's a list of the free comics-http://freecomicbookday.com/comics.asp

Here's some suggestions for those who are new to comics http://freecomicbookday.com/into.asp

Find a store near you-http://freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_locator.asp These=closest to JIS

Picture Day-Wednesday! Bookfair last day = Thurs!

Don't forget that it's class picture day on Wednesday and the last day for the Bookfair is Thursday! Friday is May 1-It's almost here...

Monday, April 27, Get a FREE piece!

Go to KFC to get a free piece of KFC's new grilled chicken. One piece only per person-be grateful! Click on the title for the link to KFC!

Waking the Wooly Mammoth - Tonight @9pm

Tonight at 9:00 pm, the National Geographic channel will be providing a reconstruction of a Wooly Mammoth recently found. Click the title to see the link and visit the Mammoth Lab! Enjoy! If you see this, remind me tomorrow to show you the hair specimen I have of an extinct wooly mammoth!

Happy Earth Day, Earthling!

Here's some links to learn more about our planet, caring for it, and the things that are in it.

http://www.miamigoingreen.com/
http://www.earthday.gov/kids.htm
http://www.epa.gov/region5/publications/happy/happy.htm Download an Earth Day book
http://www.epa.gov/kids/ Cool site with games and information
http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/worm/ Worm World
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/squirm/skworm.html Worms!
http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/ EEk! Environmental Eduaction for Kids (EEK)
http://www.kids.gov/
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=kids.kids_index
http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/resources.htm
http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/vidcam.htm watch nature cams!
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/education/kids/planetprotectors/index.htm Planet Protectors!

Are You Ready For Metrozoo?

Remember to wear white and BRING YOUR LUNCH! No one ordered a lunch. Brittney, bring Flat Stanley with you! :) Thanks. Here's a link to the shows and the zoo. There's many more activities that you can do and things to see when you take more time with your family. http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/visit-the-zoo.asp
http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/visit-the-zoo.asp?Id=21&rootId=1 Hope you like it. Remember the buddy system-our BFFFT system-Best Friend For Field Trip (BF^3T).

Where are my Peeps?

Happy end of Spring Break! Look forward to seeing you! Here's some Peeps activities: http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/, or click the title. :)

Pre-order Diary of A Wimpy Kid 4!

The book will be released in October. Be the first to get it! Click the title to pre-order at Borders!

See you at Family Fun Fest at Biscayne National Park!

See you from 1:00-4:00 pm-I'll be on the jetty! Scroll down for additional information (on the right-under Lincoln's head.) The last Free Family Fun Fest is Mother's Day! Enjoy your break! http://www.nps.gov/bisc/forkids/familyfunfest.htm

Visit Toys R Us to get your goodies from Nickelodeon 12:00-2:00pm! Whoo Hoo! Free stuff!

Visit 100 Hours of Astronomy from April 2-5 and have some fun during this International Year of Astronomy!
http://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/outreach/iya/100hours.html

Post your comments here!

Earth Hour Saturday, March 28, 8:30pm-9:30pm

Check out Miami's happenings to celebrate Earth Hour! You can visit the Museum of Science during the day, MDC or Bicentennial Park at night, and/or other Miami-sponsored events: http://www.earthhourus.org/miami/events.php

Watch the YouTube video - see Miami for a second! http://www.earthhourus.org/video.php

Meet a climatologists:
www.earthhourkids.org/climate.html

Kids: http://www.earthhourkids.org/
Parents: http://www.earthhour.org/

Sign up for information: http://www.earthhourus.org/apisignup/signup.php

Don't forget the great ideas you mentioned:

• Tell stories, or jokes
• play games (boardgames, hide-n-seek, flashlight freeze, or any other invented games)
• sing songs
• have a tickle fest
• pillow fight! (No, not REALLY fighting)
• color
• read with a flashlight
• make pudding, dirt cups, or something else and munch in the dark!
• Look at the stars!
• camp in the living room, or outside!
• HAVE FUN!
• REMEMBER SAFETY & SELF CONTROL!

Cool Events!

Okay, Lot's happening:

1. Live chat with NASA tonight, or type your questions and view later.
2. Friday bring your old jeans to The Falls to break a world recycling record!
3. Earth Hour at 8:30pm Saturday! Turn off electricity for one hour-talk/play games

Ag Literacy Day, March 24!

Click here for "This Week In Agriculture"
http://www.florida-agriculture.com/theweek/index.htm

Watch videoes:

• Good Grades http://www.florida-agriculture.com/videos/scripts/script_fresh3.htm
• Do You Know Where It Comes From? http://www.florida-agriculture.com/videos/scripts/script_fresh7.htm
• Scrub It Up http://www.florida-agriculture.com/videos/scripts/script_fresh5.htm

Listen to the Florida Fresh To You song!
Click on the link and scroll down to the bottom to hear the music. Follow along with the words. http://www.florida-agriculture.com/audio/scripts/script_fresheng.htm

Eat Your Colors Everyday! http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/wp-content/uploads/UserFiles/File/pdf/Take_your_child_supermarket/Eat_Your_Colors.pdf

http://www.foodchamps.org/ activities

http://www.florida-agriculture.com/planetag/

Send your name orbiting earth...

Happy National Grammar Day! March FORTH (3/4) to Good Grammar!

Happy Lincoln and Mendelssohn's Bicentennial!

Click to hear an example of Mendelssohn's Symphony no. 4 in A Major! Post your comments here!

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461525939/Mendelssohn's_Symphony_no_4_in_A_Major_Italian.html

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461525939_761551623_-1_1/Mendelssohn

ISS Fly-Over at 6:49!

Water, Water Cycle, Erosion

http://krampf.com/members/experiment-videos/wonderful-water Watch a 3 minute water video! Not bad.

Play the Water cycle game http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/topic_subtopic_entry.php?RECORD_KEY(entry_subtopic_topic)=entry_id,subtopic_id,topic_id&entry_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=447&subtopic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=27&topic_id(entry_subtopic_topic)=3

http://www.nps.gov/bisc/forkids/upload/South%20Florida%20Junior%20Ranger% This is the Junior Ranger book. Print pages 14 and 15 to learn about Florida's Water Shed!

http://www.swcs.org/ soil and water conservation

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/gifted_ed/project_promise/curriculum/grade_two/handouts_for_earth_science_2/erosion_pictures-rev.pdf Great Erosion site

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/erosion.htm Erosion

Ground Hog's Day and 100 Day all in one week!

SIX more weeks of winter! Read all about it! http://www.punxsutawneyphil.com/

http://www.groundhogs.com/ See his official site.

Dear Mr. President Contest-sent-Good Luck!

Click on the title to see the directions. Remember, you need to color a picture 8.5 x 11 horizontally. They are looking for brightly colored pictures. You can scan it from home or mail it. If you really want to do this, but are unable to scan it or mail it, bring it in Tuesday and I'll get it in the mail for you! Do your best. Someone has to win! Wouldn't it be cool to see your picture in a book? The president will get one, too! Click here for an entry form. http://store.kidthing.com/campaigns/kidthing_dmp_submission_form.pdf

• This will give you something creative to do if you're sitting home bored this weekend! Make sure to follow the directions! :) See you Tuesday.
• See next post to vote for the book, A Bad Case of Stripes!

Click Here to Vote for your favorite book!

If you want to vote for A Bad Case of Stripes click on the title to vote by Friday, January 16! Vote now!

Biscayne National Park's Family Fun Days = Free!

Visit the park for a fun family day full of free activities to learn about the world around us. Don't forget to get your passport stamped!  Click on the title to view the link! See you there!