Dear CMS
Families~
It seems as
though the new trend is for us to have a snow day prior to the winter break or
even before the official start of Winter! The break this year is somewhat
longer than our usual length; two full weeks! We try to be respectful of the
time off and not assign homework or major projects, but we do encourage a daily commitment to reading for a
minimum of 20 minutes. We know, not only from the mountains of research, but
also from our experience working with children, that the more children read the
more they learn to love to read. The hardest part is finding just the right
book. Below are my suggestions for some books that might be of interest to your
child. All are available on Amazon or your local library.
Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by
Sean Howe – Did you
know that in that past 12 years movies based on the Marvel comics have grossed
$5 billion in the U.S. alone! The author interviewed over 150 current and
former employees at Marvel and tells the history of the genre’s rise in
American culture. The New York Times
named this book as one of their editor’s picks. You can read their review of
the book here.
Zoom: How Everything Moves: From
Atoms and Galaxies to Blizzards and Bees by Bob Berman – When you think about it, our world is full
of natural motion. Berman examines the “how” of motion starting with the
earth’s rotation, to the trajectory of a baseball and everything in between. The
Amazon review of this book says the author writes “with an entertaining style
and a gift for distilling the wondrous.”
Think Like a Freak by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
– A follow-up to their first book Freakonomics,
the authors explain how we make decisions and how to sharpen our thinking
skills. The book reads like a great story and is completely accessible for a
middle-level student.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – This is one
of the best loved books of all time but one we never seem to read anymore. The
story is set during the Civil War and paints a vivid picture of family hardship
and the bonds of sisterhood.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – The classic
story of the true meaning of Christmas is well-known to all of us mainly
through the many film versions. The book, however, is so much more poignant and
moving. Think your children are too old to be read a story? Try this one…the
Lozier children all-time favorite. (I love the version illustrated by Roberto
Innocencti.)
On behalf of
the entire CMS faculty and staff, I wish you and your children a happy and
restful holiday season.
We Celebrate
Learning!
Beth
