I'll miss you!

Yes, it's true.  With the coming of the Race to the Top Grant funding, all our schools will now be staffed, and open full time.  This means there are going to be big changes.  Although it was a hard decision, I am moving to Cesar Chavez Middle School starting on February 12th.

I have had a wonderful time teaching fifth grade and media at Alvarado Elementary for the last 6 years.  I will miss all of your wonderful smiles, and great discussions on the fun reads we've had together.

Who knows?  Maybe we'll meet again!
Mrs. Valine

Changes Coming?

On Tuesday, January 8th the New Haven News published in part, "Students in the New Haven Unified School District will have only to visit their school’s library to start seeing the benefits of the District’s successful pursuit of a $29.4 million Race to the Top-District grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Among the many reductions forced upon the District by continuing state budget cuts, staffing was reduced or eliminated at the start of the school year in libraries and media centers at all New Haven schools. While some schools were able to provide various levels of service by using site funds, or because they were the beneficiaries of donations, all schools now will have services restored, as the District receives the initial influx of RTTT-D funds due during the next four-and-a-half years."

When will library services be restored, or what will library services look like with the push to digital media and the common core, has yet to be told. I look forward to the exciting changes the RTTT grant will provide us to move to 21st Century teaching and learning.

Library Helpers Wanted!

Hi Students!
Many of you have been asking, "When can the Library Helpers start helping?" Well, it's that time! If you would like to train to be an after school library helper, make sure you get a permission slip from Mrs. Valine this week. Library helpers are needed after school until 3:05 on:

Tuesdays at Alvarado Elementary

Wednesdays at Pioneer Elementary  

Thursdays at Kitayama Elementary

You can bring your permission slip to the first Library Helper meeting in October.
I can't wait for you to join me!
-Mrs. Valine

Welcome Back!

This year you will undoubtedly see many changes in the media center due to state budget cuts. The first is a reduction in services. Alvarado, Pioneer and Kitayama Elementary Schools will now share one media specialist, Mrs. Valine. This means each school will have 1/3 the normal services. We hope this is a one-year, temporary situation, and that you will soon see Mrs. Vranjes and Ms. Figdor back at Kitayama and Pioneer!

Mrs. Valine will be at:
- Monday - KIT in the AM, AES in the PM
- Tuesday - AES all day
- Wednesday - PIO all day
- Thursday - KIT all day
- Friday - PIO in the AM, AES in the PM

Stay tuned to learn about the services that will be maintained as we work through this budget crisis.

Week 34: 5/14 - 5/18

Online Book Fair!
5th - 3rd:
It's a Scavenger Hunt!

2nd - Kinder:
Millie Waits for the Mail DVD
Computers - www.abcya.com

All Books Turned In.
Those classes with all books turned in and/or paid for by Friday 5/18 will get a Root Beer Float Party!!
You Can Do It!!!

Week 33: Lessons 5/8 - 5/14

It's Almost Book Fair Time!

Book Fair Book Preview DVD
Last Check Out of the Year!

Week 31: 4/24 - 4/30

It's the first week of Star Testing!

Tuesday - Thursday Prep

9:50 - 10:20 3rd Grade
10:30 - 11:00 2nd Grade
11:50 - 12:20 1st Grade
12:20 - 12:50 4th Grade
1:05 - 1:35 Kinder
1:35 - 2:05 5th Grade

Friday Prep
9:50 - 10:20 5th Grade
10:30 - 11:00 4th Grade
11:50 - 12:20 1st Grade
12:20 - 12:50 2nd Grade
1:05 - 1:35 Kinder
1:35 - 2:05 3rd Grade

Monday Regular Prep Schedule

Lesson Plans:

5th - 2nd: Online Newspaper Hunt
www.newsschool.com

1st Grade:
Read Aloud - Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't!) by Barbara Bottner
www.abcya.com
Check out books.

Kinder:
Read Aloud - Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't) by Barbara Bottner
www.abcya.com

Week 30: 4/17 - 4/23

5th - 2nd Grade:
Mandala: Buddhist and Hindu Art
Star Test Bubble Art
Check Out








1st-Kinder:
Read Aloud - The Honeybee and the Robber
Computers - www.abcya.com
1st Grade Check Out

Week 29: 4/10 - 4/16

5th & 4th Grade:
All About Almanacs!

A yearly book of facts and records on nouns (person, places, and things).






3rd & 2nd Grade:
Encyclopedia Search: What's that country?

1st & Kinder: Non-Fiction - Life Cycle of the Bee
Tumblebooks: The Queen Bee
Create a Lifecycle Wheel

Week 28: 3/27 - 4/9

Whoa! What's the truth?
Comparing Encyclopedias...
A book or set of books of facts on nouns.

5th - 3rd: 2005 World Book Reference and Wikipedia
2nd: Source Sorcery - Review Reference Books
1st - K: TumbleBooks - The Bumblebee queen

Week 27: 3/20 - 3/27

This Week's Read Aloud...California Young Reader Medal Nominee: Book 5
Let's Do Nothing



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It's Time to Cast Your Ballot!
Vote for Your Favorite California Young Reader Medal Nominee!

Week 26: 3/13 - 3/19

CYRM Book #4
Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of the Girl Who Floated

Reminder: Doodle for Google Due THIS FRIDAY! Don't forget the signed entry form!

Week 25: 3/7 - 3/13

We're On Book 4: The Odd Egg

It's California Young Reader Medal Time!!!
Let's Get Reading...
The Nominees are:
On Meadowview street by Henry Cole
Princess Hyacinth - the Surprising Tale of a Girl who Floated by Florence Heide
The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett
I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll
Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile

Week 24: 2/29 - 3/6

California Young Reader Medal Nominee #2
On Meadowview Street



5th - Kinder:
What is Google?
Doodle 4 Google
"If I could travel in time, I'd..."

Doodles Due 3/16 WITH Permission Slip!

Week 23: 2/22 - 2/28

Continuing California Young Reader Medal Nominees
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole

Need to Know Vocabulary:
Meadow
Preserve

Week 22: 2/15 - 2/21

Why might books get awards?
Looking at Award Winners.

Begin California Young Reader Medal Nominees
I Need My Monster

Week 21: 2/7 - 2/13

5th: Finish PPT adding Theme/Color
4th: Finish ComicLife adding Heading/Color
3rd/2nd: Encyclopedias
1st/Kinder: Read Aloud about Valentines

Week 20: 1/31 - 2/6

It's Black History Month!

5th Grade: Finishing Bay Animal PPT
First, copy and paste this under your Bibliography in your document.

"Discover Amazing Bay Life." Explore the Virtual Bay with the Marine Science Institute. Marine Science Institute, 28/1. Web. 12 Dec 2011. .

ANIMAL NAME HERE. 2011. Photograph. Flicker Creative Commons, Sunnyvale. Web. 3 Jan 2012. .

ANIMAL NAME HERE. 2011. Photograph. Pic4Learning, San Diego. Web. 3 Jan 2012. .


4th Grade: Finishing California PPT
3rd: Encyclopedia Search
2nd - 1st: Read Aloud - Dizzy (Biographies)
Kinder: Read Aloud -

Week 19: 1/24 - 1/30

Happy Lunar New Year!



5th/4th Grade: continue with tech projects.
3rd Grade: Thesaurus Skills. How else can it be said, "Happy New Year"?
2nd Grade: Thesaurus Skills.
1st Grade:Lunar New Year Video. Checkout. New Year Games.
Kinder:
Chinese New year Video & Puzzle

WEEK 17: 1/10 - 16

Hope Project


5th Grade: Marine Science Institute PPT Project
This week we will take the information, and photos we have gathered and begin to put them into a PowerPoint Presentation.

First, copy and paste this under your Bibliography in your document.

"Discover Amazing Bay Life." Explore the Virtual Bay with the Marine Science Institute. Marine Science Institute, 28/1. Web. 12 Dec 2011. .

ANIMAL NAME HERE. 2011. Photograph. Flicker Creative Commons, Sunnyvale. Web. 3 Jan 2012. .

ANIMAL NAME HERE. 2011. Photograph. Pic4Learning, San Diego. Web. 3 Jan 2012. .



If you have not finished gathering the required information, here are the links to:
Information -
Virtual Bay Animal Information
Creative Commons Photos -
Pics4Learning
Flickr.com/creativecommons

NOW, follow the printed directions for creating slides within your PowerPoint Presentation.


4th Grade: Continue California State Scavenger Hunt
This is your last week to collect information, and photos.
For Information use: Fact Monster
For Creative Commons Photos use:
Pics4Learning
Flickr.com/creativecommons

3rd Grade: Dictionary Dig!
Last week we had a Dictionary Scavenger Hunt, this week we will be using what we learned about the dictionary!



2nd Grade: MLK Dictionary Dig!


1st Grade: Read Aloud - Riding to Washington by Gwenyth Swain.
Checkout.

Kinder: Read Aloud - Riding to Washington by Gwenyth Swain.
Computers - Navigating the web, using bookmarks, and quitting.