Dear Maple East families: Pick A Reading Partner (PARP) 2017 Maple East Elementary School Welcome to PARP (Pick A Reading Partner) 2017 The Amazing Reading Race! We will help you go on an adventure across the United States. The two week long reading program asks parents to read with their children for at least fifteen minutes daily and stresses that reading can be fun as well as informative. The choice of reading materials is up to your team anything with printed words works. The daily practice of reading together strengthens reading and communication skills in the child and also strengthens the family relationship. Some important things you will want to know for the next two weeks: 1. ROUTE LOG OF MINUTES SPENT READING: On the passport provided in the PARP Packet, we ask that you record the minutes spent reading everyday during PARP. Please add up the minutes during the week and enter the total number of minutes read on the line. Prizes will be awarded each week to the class at each grade level with the highest average of minutes read. *This is not an individual prize - the classroom at each grade level with the highest average minutes read each week will receive a classroom prize. Encourage your teammates to read! **Principal s Challenge - Ms. Mihalic will be participating in a fun activity with the classroom that has the highest average number of minutes over the entire PARP event! The first reading log is due on Friday, February 2 and the second is due on Thursday, February 9. 2. POSTCARD POSTER CONTEST - Using half of a standard piece of paper, create a postcard from the US. It might be of a favorite place you visited or somewhere you hope to visit one day! Be sure to include your name, grade and teacher on the back of your postcard. Entries will be judged and prizes awarded for the most creative postcards at each grade level. Those winners will be entered in a drawing to be Mr. Lester or Mrs. Shantler for a day! This postcard is to be returned Tuesday, January 31. 3. DESTINATION WRITING CONTEST Ever dreamed of going on a fabulous trip to somewhere special in the US? Now is your chance to tell us all about it! On a separate piece of paper, have your child tell us where they would love to visit and why! Be sure to include your name, grade, and teacher on your writing entry. Entries will be judged and prizes awarded for the most creative entries at each grade level. Those winners will be entered in a drawing for a Buffalo Bisons Four Pack of Tickets. The Writing Contest is to be returned on Friday, February 3.
4. PARP MAP CHALLENGE: You and your child will complete the included map of the United States by reading different genres and completing one of two activities for each region over the two weeks. Once the region s reading and activities are completed, students color the area. Students that have returned a completed map after the two weeks will be entered into our Grand Prize Drawing for a family four pack of tickets to the UB Bulls Men s and Women s Basketball Double Header on February 25. The State University of New York at Buffalo Athletic Department has graciously donated 5 family 4 packs ~ one for each grade level! This completed map is to be returned on Thursday, February 9. 5. PARP FACEBOOK PAGE: Many of our families are on Facebook, so a page was created to help remind you of what is coming up for the week. Our daily reminders will keep you up to date on what is due and the activities on our calendar. We are also using it as a way for you to post some of the Map Challenge Activities, if you would like. For those of you concerned about privacy, do not worry. We will not post anything with a child s name or photo we will only repost what parents have sent us willingly. If you are not enrolled on Facebook, you can visit and view the page, but you won t be able to post to it. You can either search Maple East PARP from Facebook or use this link: http://www/facebook.com/mapleeastparp. 6. GUEST READER NIGHT (Friday, February 10th, 6:30-8pm at Maple East). Bring your family to compete in Amazing Race Pit Stop challenges traveling all over the US. Once each challenge is completed, your racer s passport will be stamped. If a child reaches the finish line with a completed passport, they will receive a prize. Come listen to our celebrity guest readers and visit the Book Fair. Those that attend will be entered for a chance to win several great door prizes including 3 Kindles!***We will not be serving any food or beverages at our Guest Reader Night. Learning to read is the single most important activity in a child s education. Studies show that children who read at home are better prepared to succeed in formal education. Together, we can further develop the reading habits and skills of our children! Sincerely, KC Kappel, Liza Keenan and Molly Wall PARP and Guest Reader Night Chairs
MAPLE EAST 2017 THE AMAZING READING RACE! ACTIVITY BOARD Friday, January 27 OPENING CEREMONIES!!! Monday, January 30 Tuesday, January 31 Wednesday, February 1 Thursday, February 2 Friday, February 3 Wear your Amazing Race Team color! K- Red 1 st - Yellow 2 nd - Black 3 rd - Blue 4 th - Green Wear your favorite sports jersey/shirt! Postcard Contest Entries Due Bring in a fact about a US Landmark to share in your pocket! Wear a US Destination Shirt! ***Return Writing Contest and Week 1 Reading Passport Logs. Monday, February 6 Tuesday, February 7 Wednesday, February 8 Thursday, February 9 Friday, February 10 Wear a readable t-shirt! Support Team USA: Wear red, white and blue! Book Swap Day - Bring a book to class to swap with someone else that brought one too! ***Return PARP Map & Week 2 Reading Passport Log CLOSING CEREMONIES!!! Spirit Day Guest Reader Night 6:30-8pm
The Amazing Reading Race Map Challenge Read the specified genre AND complete one of two required activities for each region. Color that region on the map of the US on the back of this sheet. Return your completed map, with all 7 regions colored, by Thursday, February 9 th to be entered into a Grand Prize Drawing for each grade level. Region Genre Activities Northeast Southeast Midwest Southwest Mountain West Coast Pacific Nonfiction Poetry Fiction Biography Mystery Adventure Newspaper/Magazine Read to someone older OR Read to someone younger Read to a furry friend OR Ask a parent to tell you about a favorite place they have visited Visit the library OR Create a tagxedo about a favorite book at www.tagxedo.com Write a letter to a relative/friend OR Write a fan letter to a favorite author Read a story about a place you have never been OR Find a city in each of the regions on a US map Have a family game night OR Create a word puzzle on www.puzzlemaker.com Have a parent post a picture of you reading on the PARP Facebook page OR Read a book on www.magickeys.com/books
ROUTE INFO Reading Minutes Friday, Jan. 27: Saturday, Jan. 28: Sunday, Jan. 29: Monday, Jan. 30: Tuesday, Jan. 31: Wednesday, Feb. 1: Thursday, Feb. 2: ROUTE INFO Reading Minutes Friday, Feb. 3: Saturday, Feb. 4: Sunday, Feb. 5: Monday, Feb. 6: Tuesday, Feb. 7: Wednesday, Feb. 8: Total Minutes: Total Minutes: HAND IN FRIDAY, FEB. 3 rd Name: HAND IN THURSDAY, FEB. 9 th Name: Grade: Grade: Teacher: Teacher: