Author visit coming our way!!

Abbie Bowker is coming to our school on June 1st & 2nd!

Abbie is the co-author and illustrator of Woolly Bear Winter! She is a Vermonter and teacher.  Her sister, Cam, is the other author, who created the poem in the story. 

Abbie will be here to share about the book and how it was created as well as work with classes on creating poems and illustrations. We are looking forward to her visit and learning more about science, nonfiction, Vermont wildlife, and a bit of Vermont folklore! 

Getting ready for her visit, we have sent home a form in case your family would like to own a copy of her book. Abbie plans on signing all of the books ordered by May 15th. If you need a new order form just let us know in the library! 

Book Fair Update

Thank you to all of the families that took part in our spring book fair! 

This is always an exciting time for the students! 

Because of all of you, the PTO was able to raise just over $1000!

We also had families participate using our online fair. The online fair provides an online 24/7 store with a wide variety of items that begins a few days before our in person fair and last for one week after the fair. This option provides a way for family out of town to purchase as well as busy families that could not make it into the in person fair. All items purchased in the online fair are shipped free to the school after the online fair ends. 

We had an estimation jar at the fair that was mostly filled with mini marshmallows, in honor of our camping theme. The person closest without going over wins a poster and a book from the fair. This fair our winner was a sibling at MBS. He guessed 180. There were 183 marshmallows in the jar!

Thanks again and we hope to see you in the fall at our next fair!

Book Fair Info

Our book fair is March 27th -31st. 

We also have an online fair going March 23rd to April 5th in case you cannot visit our fair. 

The link to the online fair is here.

Our link to the book fair homepage can be found in the right hand sidebar.

The students will being with previews on Monday, March 27th in the afternoon. The previews continue on Tuesday, March 28th. After the previews are complete, we begin sales. The book fair will accept cash, credit, and checks made to UMS PTO.

We are looking for volunteers to help with student previews and evening open hours. Be on the lookout for a letter and flyer going home. 

See you at the fair!

Hello there darling, who is the most glamorous of all? 

Meee, of course!

This is one rich and pampered cat! She is very good at being glamorous. But will that change when a visiting family member also brings a dog? Can a glamorous cat be friends with an outfit wearing dog? 

The students had a ball reading about Glamourpuss! The adventure of what will happen between Bluebell and Glamourpuss kept the pages turning. 

       

Here is a video of the author introducing the book:

Out of the Woods by Rebecca Bond

What would you do if you lived in the middle of a forest when it is on fire? Well Antonio and all the lumberjacks get in the lake! And they are joined by all the forest animals as well! Would you want to stand waist deep in the lake with moose, raccoons, wolves, and many others if it saved your lives?

If you would like to see the answer key to the animal track match, please click here.

Red Clover language

We learned a few Spanish words as we heard about Mia's family.

These were all words that were in Spanish in our story! We are lucky to have Ms. Barnes with us. She is not only our library assistant but also know Spanish very well! She made these word cards with both the Spanish and English words. So if you have been hearing a few Spanish words at home, it could be Mia, Abuela, or Mango that shared them with us! The power of reading the Red Clover books together!!
Happy Reading,
Ms. Hebert and Ms. Barnes

Winnie: the True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh

Students enjoyed this Red Clover title by Sally M. Walker, which tells the story of the REAL Winnie!  In 1914, Canadian veterinarian Harry Colebourn was heading out to Europe to care for horses on the front when he encountered a motherless bear cub at the railroad station.  He named her Winnipeg for his hometown, but the name was quickly shortened to Winnie.

When the War became too dangerous for Winnie to stay with Colebourn, he placed her in the safety of the London Zoo.  It was there that author A. A. Milne and his young son Christopher Robin met her.  Christopher Robin was so entranced by Winnie that he changed his own toy bear’s name from Edward to Winnie The Pooh-- and the rest is history!  

Walker’s book includes lots of real photos and historical information in a kid-friendly format that the children really enjoyed. This is the second book about Winnie that our students have experienced. The 2016 Caldecott medal winning title was Finding Winne by Lindsay Mattick.  And, there’s a special twist:  Lindsay Mattick is Harry Colebourn’s great granddaughter, and her infant son is named Cole in his honor.  

Winnie and Harry’s statue at the London Zoo

We’ll read all 10 Red Clover books this year, and vote as a school for our top choice in April. I look forward to viewing what the favorites will be!