The last story in our reader is called A Curve in the River. It is an excerpt from a series of books about a boy named Julian, his little brother, Huey, and their friend Gloria. In this story,Julian puts a message in a bottle, throws it into the river, and has a wonderful time imagining where it might end up; will the bottle float to India, France, Hawaii, China, or perhaps Rio de Janeiro?

Your child can review and practice vocabulary list words with the games I have linked below. Just click on the Java Games link in the Quia activities section and it will take you directly to the games choices page. It may be helpful to print out the list of terms (vocabulary list words and definitions used in the games) from the games choices page so your child can refer to them as needed during practice.

Several of the Useful links relate to Julian's imaginings that his message bottle has ended up in some exotic, foreign place. If you'd like to know more about India, Hawaii, or France, click on a link and travel to that location via the Internet. You can even send or receive an ocean story through an electronic message-in-a-bottle; make sure to check with your parents before you try this one.

This week's Bonus Activity will require parent help and supervision. Use the ***site for sending electronic messages in a bottle***. You will find it in the Useful links section at the bottom of the Class Page. Click on the link below, and when you get to the web site, click on 'Fishing a bottle out of the water'. Next you will need to click on the picture of the diver. To find the message I left, you should click on the globe and look in the Atlantic Ocean until you find "A Message for my Students". Once you have found and opened it, print it out and bring it to school. If you show your printout to Mrs. Pellarin before the last day of school you will get a treat. Have fun fishing!