She did it!

Yea! for Kathy Sullivan!

1984 October 11

She was the first woman to walk in space!

She had a dream and she worked hard to make it happen.

You can learn to do the same thing she did--follow all the steps you need to do to make your dreams come true: do well in school-save the clowning for the circus, you deserve better from yourself!

Can you think of something important to you that you dream of doing one day?

Welcome Hawaii into the United States!

They became the 50th state in 1959 on this day!

There are several ways to get information on this great state. You could go to a paper encyclopedia, the "H" volume. On the internet, you could Google Hawaii. The 996's would be the nonfiction dewey decimal number for a book. For a presentation of the main ideas, looking in the index of the current almanac would give some brief facts of the Hawaiian Islands.

Let the Fun Begin!

.........it is time to kick that brain of yours into working & growing again!

Your teachers have been getting their classroom & lesson plans in order for the last 2 days.

In just a little less than a week, you will be joining us for a wonderful adventure!

I hope you had a good relaxing summer, I know I did. I am so excited about the 2010-2011 school year!

See you soon!

Happy Birthday Peter Rabbit?

Today is Beatrix Potter's birthday!!!

She is the author who invented the character we know as "Peter Rabbit."

Without Ms. Potter's help, we may never had the fun-loving, and trouble-making character as:

PETER RABBIT! So happy birthday B. Potter, and Peter Rabbit from whose mind he came. No Beatrix Potter---No Peter Rabbit!

And the winner is............!

Reading all of the best chapter books written the last year for young students, the John Newbery committee chooses ONE winner: the Newbery winner for 2010 is ...

When You Reach Me, by R. Stead

John Newbery was born today. He was the very first bookseller and publisher of children's books.

Read one of the past winners for a real 'winning' treat!

Click on this URL for a complete list of past Newbery winners:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/reading/elem/newbery/newbery.htm

Today in 1969, on this day
the FIRST human stood on the surface of the moon!

We are so used to hearing about the space shuttle that it is easy to forget that space travel by humans is an amazing thing! Lots of science, lots of brain-power, lots of determination makes these special activities occur.


What kind of special goal do you have for your life when you go to middle school or high school? Being an "all-A-student"? To make it on the cheer leading squad? To become really good at playing a musical instrument? Learn to be good at chess? Finding out what interests you is a great start for setting some goals--go ahead, make a wish and make it come true!

What does "Star Trek" & "Indiana Jones" have in common?

In 1940 on this date, the Captain of the "Enterprise" of Star Trek: the Next Generation; and a few years later (1942) the star, Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) were both born TODAY! Both the Enterprise and the history professor of antiquities have books about them in character and biographies (books about people's lives). Try to find both a fiction book (about Star Trek or Indiana Jones) and a biography book about either Patrick Stewart (the Captain of the Enterprise) or Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) to read.

Remember: practice makes perfect -- that goes for sports AND for reading!

........and a book ABOUT Mr. Gamble's life = BIOGRAPHY
..............a book ABOUT Mr. Gamble's pretend adventures = FICTION.

Talk to you soon,
Mr. G