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Special Schedules This Week:
Because of Parent/Teacher conferences, we will have the following special schedules this week:
Monday, March 12: Normal Start and End Times; Normal Schedule
Tuesday, March 13: Normal Start and End Times; 6th-8th grade will follow a Monday Schedule (periods 1-8)
Wednesday, March 14: Minimum Day: Normal Start Time; Dismissal at 11:30am; 6th-8th grade will have periods 1-4
Thursday, March 15: Minimum Day; Normal Start Time; Dismissal at 11:30am; 6th-8th grade will have periods 5-8
Friday, March 16: Minimum Day; Normal Start Time; Dismissal at 11:30am; 6th-8th grade will have periods 1-8
8th Grade Graduation Planning Committee
Thank you to all of the people that came to the meeting on Wed. March7th.
There were many great ideas shared.
We will hold another meeting on Wednesday March 28th at 9:00 am in the MUR.
We encourage any parents that would like to participate in any way to attend.
If you cannot attend but would like to help out, please email me at
Parents are Invited to learn about Project Cornerstone
All parents are invited to an informational evening on March 14, 2012 at 7pm in our MUR ( multi-use room). Linda Silvius, the School's Partnerships Director for Project Cornerstone, will present an overview of this free program to parents . The School Partnerships program empowers all members of the school community - students, parents and caregivers, teachers and staff -to reduce bullying, promote achievement and help all students feel valued and respected. The "cornerstones" of this program are the Developmental Assets, a powerful framework for positive youth development.
Please take a moment to preview their website and peek at the developmental assets: projectcornerstone.org
Attention all artists! Ms. Gregori and Ms. Ostrom want you to join our painting crew as we create a beautiful mural for the front of the La Entrada School library. We are looking for any interested La Entrada students from grades 4 through 8. You must be available to work on the mural either Saturday, April 28th or Sunday April 29th. If you are interested in applying for a position to work on the mural, please see Ms. Gregori in room 4 or Ms. Ostrom in Room 3 for an application. All applications are due back by Wednesday, March 21st. For more information, contact us at: jgregori@llesd.org OR hostrom@llesd.org
SNAPSHOT: LA ENTRADA LIBRARY
Do you remember your school library as being a cloistered spot ruled by a sedentary librarian? If so, you haven't visited the La Entrada library under Mrs. Myers' direction! Here is an overview of a fairly typical two weeks in our library, based on activity logs from February.
4th graders are researching topics related to California.This is a Process Project where students complete a full research experience.They take notes, organize notes, create an outline, write an essay, prepare a verbal presentation and present all in the library and in the classroom.
Other 4th graders in other classes are researching the California Mission Period.Students are using our multiple copies of the 21 mission books to explore a mission's history, architecture, and the relationship between the California Native people and the Spanish Missionaries.
4th Grade Teachers - Read Across America preparation.Students are preparing for their trip back to Las Lomitas to read to the K-3 students.Our 4th graders come in; review all the work they do in their classrooms regarding presentation skills, and then chose a picture book to read.They practice with each other reading the books.They each receive a rubric and supportively check off such items as: 'reading the title', looking up, making eye contact, pronouncing all words smoothly and clearly etc.
A 5th grade project where students research the 13th original colonies.Once students have completed some initial research, they meet in ever growing bigger and bigger groups to determine what questions the whole class should research about the colonies.This year's class is considering some of the following questions: "How much freedom do you have for practicing your own religion?" "How has your relationship with Native Americans affected the growth of your colony?" "If your colony accept slaves, why do you need them and how does it effect your colony?""Who ruled your colony? England, or does your colony have your own government?"
Another 5th grade class Tall Tales Project.Students read multiple American Tall Tales from "John Henry" to "Paul Bunyan" to "Sally Ann Whirlwind" and discuss the hyperbole of these big, bold American actions - hey, it's not easy to 'straighten a river' but in Tall Tales this kind of thing happens all the time! Students going to Outdoor Ed have been advised to look at the beautiful world there and consider some big, outrageous accomplishment their character might accomplish.Lasso the moon? Move around a few tall trees to clear a path and save a village? Teach the birds to sing a rock song? Upon returning, students in groups will write a Tall Tale of their own to honor this American Folk Tale tradition.
Book Talks with More 5th graders - Give kids ideas for books to read by introducing 30-40 possible choices.
6th Grade is bringing in 6th graders who are reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, a Newbery winning book about an African American family in the 1940s. Students readnumerous picture books to explore the many cruel ways the Jim Crow Laws denied African Americans their civil rights.Students read these picture books and create a presentation listing all the hardships characters faced because of their skin color.Then they design a poster, write a plot summary, and prepare a presentation for the class.Then, the class creates a matrix of the ways characters are submitted to injustices: Fear, lack of education, denied access to public and private spaces etc. to get a fuller picture of the time and experiences of African Americans here in the U.S. during much of the 20th century.
6th grade Poetry project where students visit the 811 (poetry section of the library).Students read poetry freely and then start to learn some of the 'tools' poets use to enhance their poetry. The 'tools' are also called, 'poetic devices' and 'figurative language':these tools include: personification, metaphor/simile, imagery, alliteration and onomatopoeia.The students read and analyze many poems, choose one to memorize, and share their poems in a recital a few weeks later.
6th Grade Conversation Café.Another teacher brought in her students who are also reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.Students have 'conversation starters' - questions for discussion and then, she, Mrs. Myers, and an 8th grade Library Page roam among the groups and listen in and encourage their thoughts, sharing, and discussion.
Looking ahead in Mrs. Myer's library calendar reveals that this level of library use does not abate as the year progresses. The library is clearly a hub of learning on our campus. We invite you to visit to take your own snapshot.
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