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What's New...
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OLARC Expectations...
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Here in the OLARC we too are working on becoming a school of "READERS." We are reinforcing how to choose "Good Fit Books" and we know how to "Read to Self." Above you will see the posters that are found throughout our school so we are all on the same "PAGE" (actually using the same vocabulary and concepts). Yes, we are becoming "Life Long Learners."
Please find a copy of our 1st Trimester Reflection Below: OLARC 1ST TRIMESTER REFLECTION Dear Harbor Heights Families, Here is what has been happening so far this year in the “OLARC” (Orca Library and Research Center). Our curriculum is based on Literacy Enrichment (incorporating the concepts of schema, connections, visualization, inference and questioning) using as many books as possible that surround us plus emphasizing Library/Research Skills through the use of our multi-media resources. We reinforce these skills daily with all grades. Our grading rubric for effort centers on “Building our Community of Learners” through our “Orca Expectations” of on task, respectful, cooperative, accountable and safe learners. Accountability for returning books on time (date they are due) is a major emphasis. We are off to an “Orca-rrific” year of learning together! Ä Each week is a learning adventure for us. All school activities included “Welcome to the OLARC” PowerPoint, choosing “Good Fit Books,” “Reading to Self,” “Meet the New Books,” Self-evaluation at the end of each class plus “Welcome to BOO-LARC & Terrifying Tech Time” (an engaging week of teaming between OLARC & Tech Time filled with cooperation, teamwork, creativity, imagination, friendship and fun). We look forward to more of this teaming throughout this year. All students are responsible again this year for stamping their own books with the date that they are due, reinforcing their accountability for the books they check-out. Ä 3rd-5th graders have a formal check-out every other week as part of class, but we encourage them to return books as soon as they are finished reading them and check-out more instead of holding on to them for two weeks waiting for their class check-out time. As of the second week in November, the minimum number of books intermediate students should have checked out is fifteen (15). It is so exciting to see what a busy place this can be with students coming and going and knowing just what to do without any disruption to the OLARC classes that are in progress, real life learning. Intermediate students continue to become “OPAC” (online public access catalog) users so that they are able to find books according to “key word,” “title,” “author” or “subject.” Third graders continue with review lessons throughout the year. It is very important that our students are able to use the OPAC with confidence. 3rd, 4th & 5th graders used maps of our OLARC for their activity, “OLARC Map Quest.” They were given a map and 24 locations to identify and label here in the OLARC. We continue to introduce new chapter books and book series through our reading to the students. We have just begun our travels through the Dewey Decimal Classification System. 3rd graders have been introduced to the 100s, 200s, 300s, 400s and half of the 500s plus Biographies. 4th and 5th graders are beginning in reverse order with Biographies. This year we will also focus on the Literary Genres. Ä 4th and 5th graders will experience added enrichment every couple of months when OLARC and Tech Time combine for visual arts activities that go hand-in-hand with mathematics. We have completed a look at patterns in art through our “Flip-Flop.” This month we will take a close look at symmetry through art. Ä 1st and 2nd grade students were introduced to and reviewed browsing for books, the process of checking books out including renewing those they have not finished, all the parts of a book especially the call number and its importance plus the responsibility of checking books out for one week and returning them on time the very next week so that they are available for others to check-out. Checking books in and out is part of the criteria for their report card grade, accountability. As of the second week of November, first graders should have checked out 7 books and second graders should have checked out 14 books. We are sharing lots of wonderful picture books with our primary students and also touched on informational text/non-fiction with the changing of the seasons. Projects included designing their own shelf marker to use each week, reinforcing and practicing “Read to Self,” reading with a partner, how to choose “Good Fit Books,” plus making connections and visualizing while we read to them. Ä Kindergarteners are very excited about coming into our Orca Library and Research Center and we are very excited to have them here each and every week. Our schedule for the last two years has not allowed for them to come weekly. So far they have been introduced to many aspects of our OLARC such as our “Social Learning Target” of greeting each other as a Community of Learners, browsing for books, designing and using a shelf-marker, checking out a book and taking it to their classroom where they keep it in their book box to enjoy during the week, learning the areas of our OLARC (everybody books, animal books and dinosaurs to date), making connections and visualizing while listening to both fiction and non-fiction books we read to them. Our “K” students will not be bringing their books home this year but keeping them in their classroom book boxes. Also there will not be an assessed area on their report card this year. Ä In everyway possible we are trying to make this area a very child friendly, comfortable, welcoming and familiar learning environment. Everyone realizes that the OLARC is open to students and staff during all class times. Lots of students are in here all during the day, once again REAL LIFE LEARNING in action! Thank you for your support and taking a look at the highlights from our 1st Trimester of OLARC! In our school’s November Newsletter and also on my website you will find the grading rubric all Specialists use for our students’ assessment in “Effort.” If you have questions about OLARC please call or email school and visit our websites on our Harbor Heights’ website. We are very thankful for the opportunity to work with ALL our Harbor Heights students. Happy Reading! Mrs. Shove: www.shovec@peninsula.wednet.edu Mrs. Watson: www.watsond@peninusla.wednet.edu Mrs. Stock: www.stockj@peninusla.wednet.edu OLARC Phone #s: 530-1822 or 530-1821
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