Monday, October 12

A to Z: The Importance of Poetry


An alternative to prose, frequent exposure to poetry can benefit your child in a multitude of ways. A universal path to human emotions, poetry serves as a great empathy-teaching tool. Emotions and ideas expressed in a poem are transmitted to the reader, who gleans insight into the author's feelings and purpose. Being able to emotionally identify with others and acknowledge their ideas, is a pivotal skill for students to build as they grow into adulthood. The rhythm and sound of poetry can also be influential, especially for younger children. Toddlers who may not understand a poem’s words, can learn from the rhythm and begin to experiment with making their own sounds. As children develop and begin to read and write, exposure to poetry helps students become more versed in literature and composition, preparing them for higher education. 

Jabberwocky, Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son
  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
  The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
  Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
  And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
  And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
  The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
  He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
  Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
  He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
  Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
  And the mome raths outgrabe.

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools
Image by Southfield Library Reads

Friday, October 9

FRIDAY FOLDER: October 9

Highlights of the Week:

Historic Anaheim

Anaheim Hills

North Tustin

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools 

Monday, October 5

BOOK REPORT: Best Mystery Series

In honor of National Mystery Series Week, here’s a compilation of some of the most timeless children’s mystery series. Check out these titles at your local library!

Nancy Drew, Carolyn Keene
A mild-mannered teenager, Nancy Drew stumbles into mystery upon mystery and solves crimes with wit, gumption, and help from her trusty friends, George and Bess. Follow Nancy as she recovers stolen objects, finds the truth behind spooky phenomena, and foils the crook’s plans! After first appearing in 1930, Nancy Drew has been reborn and revived throughout the years by way of computer games, movies, and updated books with modern story lines.

The Hardy Boys, Franklin W. Dixon
Frank and Joe Hardy are a pair of ordinary teenage brothers who frequently become tangled within the plots of countless mysteries. Male counterparts of Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys series was created by the same American writer and publisher, Edward Stratemeyer. Both series were penned under ghostwriters Frank Dixon and Carolyn Keene, but the stories were actually contributed by many different writers.
Encyclopedia Brown, Donald Sobol
Boy detective Leroy Brown has a brain full of trivia and operates his own detective agency. Solving the mysteries for the neighborhood children, Encyclopedia Brown picks up sleuthing tips from his police chief father and aides in the solving of many of his father’s police cases! Donald Sobol, author of this acclaimed mystery series, has collected many writing accolades, including a special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his contributions to the genre.
Harriet the Spy, Louise Fitzhugh
Eleven year old Harriet Welsch knows that she’ll be a famous writer someday. Dedicating all of her free time to jotting down her most inner thoughts and observations, Harriet strictly follows her daily spy route, spying on her classmates and neighbors. Harriet’s life is somewhat isolated, leaving her to channel her opinions of herself and others into a notebook. Tension ensues, however, when the notebook is discovered by her classmates and Harriet’s secret thoughts come spilling out. 
The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner
Four orphaned children make a home out of an abandoned boxcar and are eventually taken-in by their long-lost grandfather. As the children visit their grandfather during school holidays and travel to different locations, the Boxcar Children stumble upon mysteries wherever they travel. Including over 100 titles, this mystery series was originally written in the 1920’s by a 1st grade teacher.

Basil of Baker Street, Eve Titus
The mouse version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, Basil of Baker Street follows a mouse-detective and his biographer, Dr. Dawson. The sleuthing pair reside in a mouse community built in the basement of 221B Baker Street. Reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, Basil and Dr. Dawson solves mysteries and are in constant pursuit of Basil’s nemesis, the criminal mouse-mastermind, Professor Ratigan.




For more ideas, check out these popular children’s mystery novels:
The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
The Invention of Hugo Cabert, Brian Selznick
Horton Halfpott, Tom Angleberger
The Wizard of Dark Street, Shawn Thomas Odyssey
The Aviary, Kathleen O’Dell


Discover more literary gems through Fairmont’s Pinterest board Literary Genius!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools
Images by Wikipedia, Goodreads, & Amazon

Friday, October 2

FRIDAY FOLDER: October 2

Highlights of the Week:
 
Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus
 
 

Historic Anaheim Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private School

Wednesday, September 30

A to Z: Community Service


Young people these days are very busy. Between school, homework, soccer practice, and more, there doesn’t seem to be much time left over. However, teaching your child the importance of community service is incredibly beneficial for his or her transition into becoming a responsible adult. Instilling manners at home, along with encouraging good citizenship and a sense of community, will help to foster empathy and self-awareness in children of any age. Engaging in opportunities to serve may help your child become more culturally diverse, learn about socio-economic differences within your community, discover specific skills or interests, and most importantly, learn the value of helping those in need.

Most communities and local organizations are almost always in need of extra hands to volunteer. Public libraries, schools, churches, and civic organizations are great resources for identifying potential causes and opportunities that might be a good match for your child. Websites such as VolunteerMatch are great for finding local community service opportunities specifically for children. If you’re still in need of ideas, think about visiting your local food bank or senior living center, donating goods to the Salvation Army or local homeless shelter, or even simply having your child take a Saturday to help friends, relatives, or neighbors with household or outside chores. Explore some of these non-profit nationally-recognized volunteer organizations:

The seeds planted when serving one’s community will take root and help your child to grow into a well-rounded, giving individual. Making community service outings a family affair is a great option which will create stronger bonds between family members, create memories, and provide an outstanding example for your children to follow.

Click to read about the different ways Fairmont students are serving their communities!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by KCHA News

Monday, September 28

EVENTFUL: Total Lunar Eclipse

This weekend, you may have noticed a total lunar eclipse, or “Blood Moon,”  while looking out upon the evening sky. This rare phenomenon occurs as a result of light and shadows. As the Earth rotates around the sun, it becomes aligned between the sun and moon, casting its shadow onto the moon’s surface. The reddish color of the moon is created by the Earth’s shadow and the light from the sun that emanates past the outer edges of the Earth. This creates a sunrise-like effect that encompasses the entire Earth and causes the moon’s surface to appear red.

 Glastonbury, England courtesy of Getty Images
Geneva, Switzerland courtesy of the Associated Press

September’s eclipse was the fourth of a four-part series of total lunar eclipses, known as a “tetrad.” A very rare occurrence, only seven more tetrads are expected until the year 2100. September’s lunar eclipse was particularly special due to the lunar eclipse and “supermoon” occurring on the same night. A supermoon refers to the times when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit to the Earth, making the moon appear larger to us on the ground.

Watch NASA’s stream of the entire eclipse:

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Friday, September 25

FRIDAY FOLDER: September 25

Highlights of the Week:


Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools