The Green book

Third grade students have begun reading a novel by Jill Paton Walsh.
The Green book.
"Three kids (Joe, Sarah and Pattie) leave Earth in a space ship with their Dad, just before the planet is destroyed by a natural disaster. Each person on the ship is allowed to bring just one book. It is a four-year voyage, which the passengers mostly spend sleeping and reading. After a few weeks, people start trading books. Everyone makes fun of Pattie, the youngest child aboard, when they discover she brought an empty book as her choice.

Finally the refugees arrive at their new home. The air and water are good, but the vegetation is all very strange and crystalline. Pattie is given the honor of naming their new village. She calls it Shine.

By various experiments, the humans figure out ways to build houses and make lamps to light them. However, all their animals die after eating the local grass. Their earth plants won't grow, either, except for wheat, but even that has a weird look to it. Nobody is sure if they will have enough to eat, and their ship has no fuel to take them anywhere else.

Luckily, Pattie and the other kids, discover that there are "candy trees" with a sweet, edible sap. They also discover that the humans are not alone. A strange moth-people hatch out and hover around, curious but totally unable to communicate.

The wheat harvest comes in. All the grains look like glass beads. Sarah, Pattie's sister, steals a bunch of the grain and makes pancakes with it. The kids all eat them. Everyone is afraid they will die, but they suffer no ill effects. At last, they know they will be able to survive!

The grown-ups need a way to keep track of who gets how much wheat. They want Pattie to give them her blank book, but she protests. In the end, her father takes it and finds it is not blank. Pattie used the book as a diary and wrote down all their experiences in settling Shine."

Crispin The Cross of Lead

Fourth grade students are beginning a novel based in the 14th century. The novel is written by Avi.
Asta's son, a poor peasant in 14th Century England, was only 13 when his mother died and his whole world crumbled. His mourning was soon replaced by inexplicable terror when, it seemed, the whole world was suddenly determined to see him dead! On the advice of his priest, Crispin escaped from the only home he had ever known and ran into a world he had never known. With him, he carried his only possession, a cross of lead. Having no skills, no friends, no family, and no experience in finding food, Crispin's problems began to multiply.

Why was Crispin being pursued?

Who was the mysterious stranger he met in a deserted village?

What was the secret held in the cross of lead?

these are just some of the questions to be answered as we read,

Crispin The Cross of Lead.

The Wolf and the Lion

Third grade students have been discussing much after reading a very short story called, The Wolf and the Lion. I don't believe they thought that we could discuss so much for as many days as we have about this story. Have your child share the story with you and ask them some of the different perspectives we discussed such as, the Key words in the story and there meanings. The Feelings they had while reading the story, as well as, the feelings of the characters. some of the Images that went through their mind as they read, and of course the meaning or message of the story.

The Old Man and His Affectionate Son

Fourth grade students have been reading and discussing a short story called The Old Man and His Affectionate Son. Ask your child about the story and their thoughts and ideas on how the older people in the story were treated. What do you think?

Toothpaste Millionaire

Fifth grade students have completed reading a short novel that ties in well with the SMG. The novel is called, The Toothpaste Millionaire. Students are currently discussing the novel in class and will be working on an activity either creating a TV commercial, writing a different ending to the story or some other creative piece to be shared in class.

3rd-4th and 5th Grade News

All grades have currently begun their Literature Units and will be reading novels, short stories, and poetry until the end of the school year!

Stock Market Game

All four teams have been investing well, putting together very diverse portfolios. Currently all four teams are in the top 100, out of 228 teams competing. Cowlishaw teams not only compete against other elementary schools, but compete against students from high schools and middle schools in the Illinois region. Our teams rank this week in 2oth, 35th, 50th, and 92nd place. All it takes is one good investment to either move you to the top or down to the cellar. Students need to research companies and watch the news to learn if they can make the next best move to catapult their team to the top. Continue to watch for updates and talk with your child about news you hear, we don't consider parent assistance, insider trading.