PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS BINGO returns to Discovery! - Proceeds to buy TECHNOLOGY for the school. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4! Lunch will be sold for all attending families, friends and guests starting at 11:00 a.m. and the grand BIGO will begin at 1:30 p.m. PARENT COLLABORATION NEEDED in donating prizes for this event. Please contact Ms. Ivonne Casco at icasco@discoveryschool.edu.hn  (2221-7790 and 9960-0070) or Ms. Nora Sierra Ms. Nora Sierra at nsierra@discoveryschool.edu  (2221-7790 and 9985-0732) if you can help by donating gifts.  The school sent home, a closed envelope with 5 tickets that we are asking each family to sell for Lps. 150 each. You will then need to send back the envelope with the money to the school, addressed to Ms. Carolina or Ms. Gloria. The school will keep record of each family payment. Make sure you contact the school if you are sending the envelope with your child, especially if he/she is very young, so we can follow up on the envelope. On the day of the event, you will find the TICKET TABLE, where you will be able to turn in the stubs and collect your Bingo Cards. You may also buy more tickets if needed. Don’t miss this opportunity to collaborate with the school and spend a wonderful afternoon with your family. If you have questions and/or doubts, please do not hesitate to contact Debra Giles debgilespk@yahoo.com  (2221-7790 and 9572-0230) or Ms. Gloria Palacios gpalacios@discoveryschool.edu.hn  (2221-7790 and 95611434).  DISCOVERY ZONE 4 – Our amazing Summer Camp is back, beginning June 10. To enroll your child(ren), you can either pick up the form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the form and return it to Carolina. Great discounts are available—contact Cristiana Banegas (cbanegas@discoveryschool.edu.hn   for details.

HYDRATING SNACKS

Keeping Kids Happy, Healthy, and Hydrated!

It’s the hot season, which means that children are mostly going to be outside and always on the go. It can be difficult to get them to stop what they are doing and get some fluids in them. Of course, the most important drink to offer them is cold water. However, there are also some great snacks that can keep children hydrated in school, especially when they can get tired of just drinking water all the time.

Watermelon, cucumbers, citrus fruits, grape tomatoes, and bell peppers are a wonderful way to give your kids snacks that will not only fill them up, but also hydrate them. Watermelon, for instance, is majority made up of water, which makes it a great refreshing snack in this hot weather. Applesauce is also a great snack, especially when you freeze it.

Yogurt, whether it is plain or has fruits, also contains a lot of water. If you blend some frozen berries into plain yogurt, you will end up with a delicious sorbet like taste.

Pasta is another great food. When it cooks, it absorbs water. Try cooking fun shaped pasta; your kids will enjoy eating them.

100% juice is a good alternative to water at times, when kids are getting tired of just drinking water (limit 6-12 oz of juice per day). However, stay clear of sodas and drinks with added sugar and/or artificial sweeteners because instead of hydrating your body, it slows down fluid absorption in the body.  Pouring sparkling water to fresh fruit juice to get that soda feel can be a good alternative to regular soda.

These tips can help your kids keep hydrated during this heat and have a healthy summer as well!

Cantaloupes  are naturally sweet and 90 percent water making them ideal for hot days.

Cucumbers are one of the most hydrating vegetables available with water accounting for 96 percent of each cuke. For tots put off by the thought of a "green" vegetable, you might consider packing a little dip.

Peppers - Sweet bell peppers are 92 percent water and their crunchy sweetness gets munchkins munching.

Yogurt - Milk and yogurt have exceptionally high water content and make great alternatives on a warm day. They will also help contribute to the recommended two-to-three servings of dairy each tot should have on a daily basis.

Strawberries - With 92 percent of each strawberry being water, it is no wonder this berry makes so many picnic appearances.

Tomatoes - Red tomatoes are bursting with juice given that 94 percent of the fruit is water. For lil ones unwilling to eat a slice of the fruit, consider making a cold gazpacho filled with water-rich vegetables.

Watermelon - There's a reason watermelon is always on the barbecue buffet — they are 92 percent water.

Peaches - Fruits that contain potassium are healthy, inexpensive substitutes for commercial electrolyte sports drinks, when combined with sodium.  Peaches, berries, and cantaloupe have high water content to help you stay hydrated and avoid dehydration headache under the hot summer sun. 

Soup - It’s no wonder that watery broths are a popular prescription for flu patients; sipping low sodium soup is an excellent way to balance bodily fluids when suffering from symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.  For best results, avoid thick, creamy chowders.  Instead, brew up a light pot of chicken soup with carrots, potatoes, and celery.  Another refreshing summer soup is borsht, which is a slightly sweet broth of beetroots.

 

Avoid salty foods, since they dehydrate instead of re-hydrating. Avoid fatty foods (these slow digestion too much) and extra-sweet foods such as soda, candy, and sports drinks. These cause a spike in blood sugar. If sugar levels then drop quickly during a game, your child could become sluggish or even dizzy.

IMPORTANT SCHOOL NEWS AND EVENTS

TO KEEP IN MIND!

SCHOOL PICTURES: If you did not order your child’s picture, do not worry! You still have time to do it. You can either pick up the form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the Order Form and send it to Carolina along with the money.

MINUTA FRIDAY: This Friday, April 19 the school will be selling minutas during lunch and after school. Cost: Lps. 25.

DPTO Fun Run and Olympic Games -Proceeds to buy TECHNOLOGY for the school. On Saturday morning, April 20, the DPTO will once again host the annual Fun Run for parents and students of all age. This year, it will be even better, as we are beginning the event with an Olympic torch run, followed by the Fun Run, Parent/Student/Teacher competitions (such as basketball,  volleyball, soccer) archery, and Greek games created and hosted by the Grade 5 students. You can either pick up the pledge form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the Pledge Form, collect the money, and bring both with you to the Fun Run.

BINGO returns to Discovery! - Proceeds to buy TECHNOLOGY for the school. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4! Lunch will be sold for all attending families, friends and guests starting at 11:00 a.m. and the grand BIGO will begin at 1:30 p.m. PARENT COLLABORATION IS NEEDED in donating prizes for this event. Please contact Ms. Ivonne Casco or Ms. Nora Sierra if you can help by donating gifts.

DISCOVERY ZONE 4 – Our amazing Summer Camp is back, beginning June 11. To enroll your child(ren), you can either pick up the form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the form and return it to Carolina. Great discounts are available—contact Cristiana Banegas (cbanegas@discoveryschool.edu.hn) for details.

Ways to Motivate Your Child to Learn

If you want your child to be a stellar student, don't limit learning to the walls of his classroom. Although the skills your chld is learning at school are crucial to his/her intellectual and social growth, your child needs your help to open up the world of ideas.

v     Fill your child's world with reading. Take turns reading with your older child, or establish a family reading time when everyone reads her own book. Demonstrate how important reading is to you by filling your home with printed materials: novels, newspapers, even posters and placemats with words on them.

v     Encourage your child to express his/her opinion, talk about his/her feelings, and make choices. Allow your child to pick out a side dish to go with dinner and select an extracurricular activities. Ask for his/her input on family decisions, and show that you value it.

v     Celebrate achievements, no matter how small. Completing a book report calls for a special treat; finishing a book allows your child an hour of video games. You'll offer positive reinforcement that will inspire your child to keep learning and challenging himself.

v     Show enthusiasm for your child's interests and encourage him/her to explore subjects that fascinate her. 

v     Provide play opportunities that support different kinds of learning styles — from listening and visual learning to sorting and sequencing. 

v     Point out the new things you learn with enthusiasm. Discuss the different ways you find new information. 

v     Ask about what he/she is learning in school, not about his/her grades or test scores. Have your child teach you what was learned in school today — putting the lesson into his/her own words will help your child retain what was learned.

v     Help your child organize  school papers and assignments so he/she feels in control of his/her work. 

v     Turn everyday events into learning opportunities. Encourage your child to explore the world around him/her, asking questions and making connections.

v   Focus on strengths, encouraging developing talents.  It is easier, and more pleasant, to do better at something when you know you are doing somethign right!

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Ten Ways to Help Your Child Become a Reading Success

Encouraging children to read helps transform reading from a basic skill to a learned behavior and an intellectual habit. The more children read, the more they'll enjoy it, and the better readers they're likely to become. Here are some tips on ways to grow your child's interest in the wonderful world of reading,

v     Read with your child. You can't start too early. You can't read too much. Reading to young children nurtures an interest in language, words and communication. For older children, reading together can be fun and interesting. Consider reading one book together every month aloud. Take turns reading pages, chapters or major sections of the book. As this activity becomes a routine, it will not only help develop your child's reading skills, but will also create a basis for ongoing dialogue and discussion.

v     Read together regularly. It is recommended that parents spend an average of an hour a week—or 10 to 15 minutes a day—reading with young readers. It establishes reading as a regular, daily habit.

v     Encourage your child to build his or her own library. From stamps to comic books to autographs to baseball cards and stuffed animals, children have always been natural collectors. By encouraging book collecting and the creation of a personal library, you introduce your child to a world of resources. Help your child start his or her own library by including a visit to a local bookstore in your weekly or monthly shopping outings.

v     Search for reading activities on the Internet. There are an abundance of great websites that provide reading lists for children. Visit Book Adventure, a free, interactive, motivational reading program. Students choose their own books from more than 7,000 titles, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem their accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teacher and parent resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading. Other great resources are Tumblebooks, Myon, and the MAP reading skills websites provided by our teachers at Discovery School.

v     Get a riddle book! Children enjoy riddles and jokes that rely on wordplay. Laughing together at clever jokes and riddles can make a Saturday trip to soccer or hockey practice more enjoyable and memorable.

v     Create a vocabulary game. Compile a word list, or ask your children's teacher for a word list, and make a daily or weekly vocabulary game on index cards. Whether your child is just learning how to read or is preparing for high school exams, seeing, saying and learning new words is important. There are many electronic grames that children can enjoy that will build their vocabulary. And the good old fashion Scrabble and Boggle are great fun games you can enjoy as a family.

v     Make a book. Encourage your children to write original stories and illustrate them with their own drawings. It's a great way to increase comfort and familiarity with words.

v     Learn new words on the road. Use every new experience to introduce new words to your child. Every journey, trip or vacation, regardless of the distance, introduces new ideas and objectives to your child and can increase his or her vocabulary.

Adapted from http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/reading_success_tips.cfm