Week of 11/05 to 11/9/07

Updated 11-7 (See Drama Buddies, below)

There are several calendar items to note this week:

Wednesday, 11/7
School picture make up day
Walk-a-thon
Brown bag meeting

Thursday, 11/8
Money due for Brea Mall shopping event

Friday, 11/9
The Drama Buddies are coming!!!!!
Mini-classes continue

About those Drama Buddies:

For our kindergarten and first grade parents, you may not understand all those exclamation points after the drama buddies announcement. Each year, Mr. Johnson brings some of his drama students over to work with our MP3 kids. The drama buddies also come to see the class play. Spending time with their drama buddies is one of the most cherished activities for our kids. When Mrs. Johnson announced it in class today, a cheer rose up from the pond rug.

More information on Drama Buddy day will be added to this announcement tomorrow.

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As promised, Drama Buddy Info:

Dear MP3 Parents,

This Friday, November 9, is when we will be visited by the La Habra High School Drama Buddies! We anticipate this day not only being a very fun day for the kids, but also a day that incorporates many valuable skills for the children, including:

· Making connections with literature through the performing arts.
· Listening and following directions.
· Cooperative learning and collaboration with peers.
· Problem solving
· Communicating a story through theatrical performance.
· Creative expression
· Creative choice-making
· Developing theatrical characters
· Developing theatrical vocabulary
· Self-confidence and taking risks by performing in front of others.

The drama buddy workshops will be held from 10:15 – 12:10 on Friday. The students each have a “buddy” they will be paired up with. They will also be part of a group, where they will learn a variety of theater skills as well as learn a skit that their group will perform. Groups will perform in the Multipurpose Room from 11:15 – 12:10. Parents are welcome to come watch the performances! The theme for the skits this year is “sequels”. Each group will perform a skit (written by the high school students) that is a sequel to a children’s book. (We will read the original books to the kids prior to Friday.) The high school students have spent a lot of time preparing to make this day special for our children. We are also planning to provide lunch for the kids that day. Similar to years past, the Drama Buddies will be providing a pizza lunch to eat with our kids during lunch time after the workshops. (SPECIAL NOTE: Kindergarteners are invited to STAY during lunch on Friday, from 12:10 – 12:50, so they can eat lunch with their buddy, and the rest of our class. They may be picked up at 12:50.) Thanks!

Lauren, Lori, and Laura