June 21, 2021
Issue I
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is PRACTICE
Welcome to the first issue of The McManus Files.
I am excited to share some summer learning activities with you. Each week, I'll mail out a new flyer with a variety of challenging, creative, and fun activities to help keep you busy and moving forward over the summer. By practicing basic skills, trying new activities, and looking at problems differently, you will be preparing yourself for the upcoming grade. Have fun and let me know what you think. Please share this flyer with your friends and encourage them to join our mailing list by following the link at the bottom of the page.

Mr. McManus :-)
Inquiry Quest...
June 20th was the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. Summer just started and the days are already getting shorter. What is going on? Research why the length of days (daylight) changes throughout the year and why we have seasons. Write a paragraph that teaches about your discoveries with this inquiry quest.
5 Daily Writing Prompts...
These prompts and questions will help jumpstart your daily writing. Just as it's important to read for at least 30 minutes each day, you should also write for 30 minutes a day. Don't worry about your organization or spelling, just write!
"From the top of the palm tree I could see..."


Would you rather visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt? Why?


"When the woman stepped out of the hot air balloon she held a(n)..."


If you could plan your own birthday party, what would you do? Explain every detail in a proposal to your parents.


"After stealing the secret documents I ran into the abandoned building only to find..."
A Good Read
Before the Ever After
by Jacqueline Woodson

ZJ's friends Ollie, Darry and Daniel help him cope when his father, a beloved professional football player, suffers severe headaches and memory loss that spell the end of his career.
Problem of the Week

Solve the problem and complete Parts A & B

I have a large family. I have just as many brothers as I do sisters. Each of my sisters has only half as many sisters as brothers. How many brothers and sisters are there in my family all together?

Part A: What is your answer to the problem? 

Part B: Explain your thinking in complete sentences. How did you come to your final answer?
Right Trapezoid Puzzle
Can you divide this right trapezoid into four equal and identical shapes?
Isosceles Trapezoid Puzzle
Can you divide this isosceles trapezoid into four equal and identical shapes?
A Great Book Series
Echo Falls Mystery Series by Peter Abrahams
Ingrid Levin-Hill lands the plum role of Alice in the Echo Falls production of Alice in Wonderland. Things in Ingrid's small town soon keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Then events in Echo Falls turn into a nightmare, and Ingrid is determined to wake up.

This is the first book of the Echo Falls series for younger readers, winner of the 2006 Agatha Award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Fiction. Welcome to Echo Falls. Home of a thousand secrets, where Ingrid Levin-Hill, super sleuth, never knows what will happen next.
Perspective Drawing
Learn to draw what you see
Drawing with perspective is very challenging and a great brain exercise. It's also fun! To be successful you need to concentrate. Watch this video, first. It is a great lesson. Then, you can practice with this art lesson. Once you have practiced, try drawing your own neighborhood and house/building.
Go Take a Hike
San Pedro Valley Park in Pacifica is one of my favorite open spaces in the Bay Area. It has great hiking for all levels with beautiful views and many animals. This park is also very near Frontierland Park-quite possibly the greatest playground in the world. For an amazing field trip, take a hike on a dirt trail in San Pedro Valley Park, then picnic at Frontierland!
Current Events Corner
I've been seeing so much written about the Supreme Court lately. What is the Supreme Court? Can you list ten facts about "the highest court in the land?" What are some of their recent decisions? Do you agree or disagree with their rulings? Do you think Justices should serve a life term?
Have fun!
Mr. McManus
Are the activities in this email relevant and appropriate to your child?
Yes
No