Choose a book that you have recently read and enjoyed!
Create a script using the link below as a guide.
scholastic-one-hand-book-review
Choose at least two people and read your 1-hand book review to them.
Share your review with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.
Pictured above is one of my favorite poets – Amanda Gorman. In the picture, she is reading a poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden! And, she is just 22 years old!!
Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, as well as an award-winning writer! She has written for the New York Times and has three books forthcoming with Penguin Random House.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, she began writing at only a few years of age. Now her words have won her invitations to the Obama White House and to perform for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, and others.
In 2017, Amanda Gorman was appointed the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate by Urban Word – a program that supports Youth Poets Laureate in more than 60 cities, regions and states nationally. She is the recipient of the Poets & Writers Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award, and is the youngest. board member of 826 National, the largest youth writing network in the United States.
Click on the link below to watch Amanda Gorman read her poem “Talking Gets Us There”.
https://pbskids.org/video/dots-spot/3050991492
HERE’S YOUR CHALLENGE: WRITE A POEM OF YOUR OWN!!
Go to https://www.poetry4kids.com/ to explore! Click on the “Poems” tab to read poems others have written to help you gain some inspiration!
Under the “Lessons” tab, you’ll find poetry lessons, as well as a rhyming dictionary!!
Submit your poem in the comments below.
Today, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Below are 10 facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Have you heard of Kid President? Click on the video below to watch him tell the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. Then, in the comments, tell us how will you celebrate and honor Dr. King on his special day.
Friday is National Cookie Day!! This is a great time of year for cookies! I know I can’t stop eating them!
Here’s a quick, but fun, video about the history of the cookie – did you know they were invented by accident? Find out how by clicking below:
Then, who is the most FAMOUS lover of cookies??? Well, Cookie Monster! Who else? To help celebrate National Cookie Day, sing along with the video below!
Finally, I think I have the BEST recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I’ve shared it below.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
12-oz. pkg. Chocolate Chips
Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture. Blend well. Add chips.
Drop from tsp. 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet (or a non-stick baking sheet). Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for 8 – 10 minutes.
Makes 6 dozen.
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE IN THE COMMENTS!
Step 1 – Have you ever wondered why turkey is often a dish enjoyed at Thanksgiving Dinner? Check out this Wonderopolis to learn all about this tradition. Click below.
Now, that you have learned a little about this tradition, let’s get creative!
Step 2 – Watch this video for step-by-step directions on how to draw an adorable turkey. Grab a piece of paper and drawing utensil and click on the video below.
Remember, you can pause the video if you need more time.
Step 3 – Display your turkey drawing in your house for others to enjoy!
In the last Early Enrichment Mini-Spark, you were shown how to make your own pipe-cleaner superhero. That was fun!!
But, did you know that not all heroes have superpowers and/or wear capes?
Lots of stories have heroes or heroines! Think about this question: What does it take to be a hero?
Think about that question while you go to the link below to watch and listen to a story about Ping.
After watching/listening to the story, answer the following questions in the comments below:
1. Was Ping a hero? Why or why not?
2. What qualities or character traits did he have that could be considered heroic?
3. What qualities or character traits did he have that might not be considered heroic?
And, finally…
4. What does it take to be a hero?
Source: https://frugalfun4boys.com/pipe-cleaner-superheroes
If you are a superhero fan, you will not want to miss this awesome craft! You will have a blast creating your own jointed and posable superheroes out of very simple materials. Pipe cleaners, straws, beads… You probably have most (if not all) of the supplies on hand!
First, grab your supplies:
Step 1: Start by drawing hair and superhero masks on the wooden beads.
Step 2: Glue on googly eyes – SO CUTE! Then draw a little mouth. 
Step 3: Grab three pipe cleaners. Twist them together in the middle. I found that three “twists” was enough to hold them securely together. Then adjust them so that they are in the arrangement shown.
Step 4: Slide three pony beads onto BOTH of the bottom two pipe cleaners. This will form the body.
Step 5: Cut a straw into 8 one inch segments. (Or feel free to adjust the size!) We found that we could get 7 segments out of each straw, so you’ll need two straws per superhero, with quite a bit left over.
Step 6: Build each limb by sliding on a straw segment, then a pony bead, then another straw segment.
Step 7: Bend the ends of the pipe cleaners into hands and feet. I found that it helps to wrap some of the excess around the wrist or ankle to make it secure. Then trim off any excess ends.
Step 8: Slide the head onto the final two pipe cleaners. Then trim off the excess.
Mammals are everywhere—from the Arctic ice to the driest of deserts. They live on land, in the open ocean, and underground. With more than 5,400 species, mammals move in all kinds of ways. They walk, hop, gallop, and swing from trees. They swim, dive, glide, and even fly!
Go to this website to check out how bats, bears, dolphins, gazelles, gibbons, and/or kangaroos move and learn some fun facts about each!
In the comments below, write down something you learned!
