Mr. McGrath’s Class

WAX MUSEUM-BIOGRAPHY REPORT

Rather than doing our usual book talk and presentation, you will be presenting your books in a wax museum style for this report. To print out these instructions, click on the link below.

wax-museum_biography-report.doc

• There is no written report turned in for this book report. The due date is the 5^th of June. On the 5^th, the official date of the Wax Museum, students will be making presentations. Please come to school dressed to perform on the 5^th. Your parents are welcome to come and see you, and we will invite other classes, as well. Be prepared!
• We will check that you are prepared for this presentation on Tuesday, June 3^rd, so you’ll need to have a rough draft of what you plan to say for me to preview. It is incredibly fun if you dress up as your character. So, do some planning and don’t wait until the last minute. Read your biography now and get a costume together for our special Wax Museum!

Directions:

• Put together a costume so that you may dress in character-be sure to look the part.
• Gather props that would be used by your character. Set the scene.
• Provide one special prop as the “ON” item for your speech.
• Prepare a 1-2 minute speech during which you will speak in first person and tell the audience highlights about your life (you are the character).
• Organize your thoughts and be sure to include important points about your character’s life.

On Wax Museum Day:

• Dress in your costume.
• You will have a chair and some personal space to set up your props.
• Place your “ON” item in a very visible place for your audience.
• Provide a sign that lets the audience member(s) know to touch the item for you to speak.
• You remain frozen until someone presses your “ON” item, and then you begin your 1-2 minute speech.
• It is best to memorize your speech, but you may have note cards as a back up.
• Have fun!!!

This poem made me laugh. I know that you kids don’t feel this way at all. 

A Child’s Thanksgiving Thanks

I’m thankful for the many things
That help us live as well as kings,
For all the food that makes us drool,
And another holiday from school.

By Karl Fuchs

Our class is learning the Landlord’s Tale: Paul Revere’s Ride by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. Each student is working with a partner to read a different stanza of the poem. We will read it together on November 29, and make a podcast of it. Here is a reading of the poem that I found to help you practice.

11-paul-reveres-ride.mp3

Here is also a link of a short movie on Paul Revere that Arlyn’s Family sent us. It is real cool. Thanks! Check it out.

http://www.earlyamerica.com/paul_revere.htm

As you all know, we have been using the Reading Counts Program here at school and the kids are really enjoying it. Ocean Knoll recently ordered 500 new quiz titles for the kids based on their suggestions. Unfortunately, we were not able to purchase all of the corresponding books for these titles.  If you are interested in helping us out, we would greatly appreciate a donation of any of these titles. The list of new titles is below.

Thank you for all of your help and support.

Have a happy Thanksgiving Day!

Barin McGrath

new-titles-list.xls