JC ELLIS
ELEMENTARY
ELLIS EAGLES
ARE:
peaceful
positive
respectful
responsible
TALON TIMES
February 2015 Newsletter
Volume 14 Issue 5
At J. C. Ellis Elementary School we will provide a consistent teaching and
learning environment that focuses on academic excellence for all children.
Julie Berner, Principal
Christi Rome, Asst. Principal
Michelle Blouin-Williams, Acting
Superintendent
Peggy Rome, Network Director
Marion “Coach” Bonura, Sch. Bd.
Rep - District VIII
801 Brockenbraugh Court
Metairie, Louisiana 70005
Phone: (504) 833-7254
Fax: (504) 833-9378
marion.bonura@jppss.k12.la.us
http://ellis.jpschools.org
From the Principal’s Desk:
Even though Valentine’s Day is past, it’s never too late to let
people know how much you care about them. Please know that I
appreciate your support and I love working with our JC Ellis
families! As we enter the last semester of the school year, I
would like to encourage all parents to help keep their children
focused on school. Winter seems to get long this time of the
year and students need to be encouraged to stay involved in
activities and school work. Parents and teachers have the same
goal - to provide the best education for their children/students.
Working together we can maximize the educational opportunities
for every child.
As we continue our own professional growth to better serve the
children of JC Ellis, we thank you for your generous time, talent,
and treasure to support our efforts, the humor you share with
us, and the beautiful children you entrust to us every day. JC
Ellis continues to pursue success in all that we do! As always, if
you ever have questions or concerns or just want to check up on
your student, please call me at 833 - 7254 or email me at
julie.berner@jppss.k12.la.us
Upcoming Events
M-F – Mar 2 – 6 – Read Across
America Week
F – Mar 6 – EPO Popcorn &
Pickles Sale
S – Mar 8 – Daylight Savings Time
begins – Spring Forward
F – Mar 13 – Non-uniform Day
$1.00
F – Mar 13 – Soccer Celebration –
1:00pm-1:45pm –Library
F – Mar 13 Gr. 5-7 Pep Rally 2:45 3:30pm - Pavilion
F – Mar 13 - End of Third Marking
Period (43 Days)
M – F – Mar 16 -20 –PARCC Phase
1
F - Mar 20 - Report Cards Issued
T – Mar 24 - After-school Parent
Conferences
F –Mar 27 - EPO Popcorn &
Pickles Sale
TH – M - Apr 2-6 Spring Break –
Student & Employee Holiday)
Julie Berner, Principal
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
1
Important Reminders for Parents and Students
1] Students should arrive at school no earlier than 8:30 a.m. If they are going to breakfast, the breakfast
program begins at 8:35 a.m. and ends at 8:55 a.m.
2] Again, I would ask that parents dropping off their student(s) in the morning follow our arrival &
dismissal procedures by pulling up as far the in driveway as you can. This will allow six cars to unload &
load at one time and allow traffic to move quicker.
3] When picking up students at dismissal time, we ask that parents do not come on school grounds
before 3:35 p.m. Please do not congregate around the doors to the buildings. This interferes with
dismissal.
4] Also, the bus loop in the front of the building should not be accessed when the buses are arriving or
departing. Again, this request is made in the interest of safety and we thank you in advance for your
cooperation.
5] Please be reminded that we must receive a written note indicating any dismissal changes. Many times
students verbally inform us of a dismissal change. However, we need a written note from the parent or
guardian indicating the change in dismissal plans.
6] Any change in address or phone number[s] should be reported to the office immediately.
PARCC
State Testing
March 16 - 20, 2015PARCC stands for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness
PARCC Phase I – PBA
for College and Careers. This is the new assessment that our
April 14-15, 2015students will have to take starting in the 2014-2015 school year.
LEAP/iLEAP Science &
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
Social Studies
(PARCC) is a group of states working together to develop a set
May 4 - 7-2015-PARCC
of assessments that measure whether students are on track
Phase II - EOY
to be successful in college and their careers.
PARCC is based on the core belief that assessment should work as a tool for enhancing teaching and
learning. Because the assessments are aligned with the new, more rigorous Common Core State
Standards (CCSS), they ensure that every child is on a path to college and career readiness by measuring
what students should know at each grade level. They will also provide parents and teachers with timely
information to identify students who may be falling behind and need extra help.
PARCC assessment readiness is a very important priority for our school community at this time. I am
confident that our students are very well prepared to take the PARCC assessment from an academic
standpoint. Taking student preparation to the next level involves a deliberate and focused effort on
teaching them how to use all of the assessment tools. I know that they will achieve great success with this
as well, and I thank you in advance for reinforcing the importance of this at home.
Our teachers are doing a fantastic job of ensuring that our students develop a mastery of the PARCC tools.
It is my pleasure to share with you the same resources that your children are using in the classroom. Feel
free to peruse this website parcconline.org to gain access to practice assessments and sample questions.
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
2
Dear Grade 3-7 Parents,
Now that our students have taken the i-Ready Diagnostic assessment, students have access to
engaging, individualized instruction in the area of reading using i-Ready Online Instruction.
i-Ready instruction is designed to complement what is being taught in the classroom and
can be used both at school and at home. The lessons are assigned based on how your child
performed on the diagnostic and are presented in three parts: tutorial, guided practice, and
independent practice. This instruction teaches students in the following skill areas, as well as
provides real-time, supportive feedback on their progress:
Reading Skills: Phonological Awareness, Phonics , High-Frequency Words, Vocabulary ,
Comprehension
he online instruction is designed to be both challenging and engaging. i-Ready delivers instruction
using engaging, contemporary animation; the lessons are also interactive. The result is an
experience that attracts and holds your child’s interest while also teaching important skills and
concepts. These lessons are proven to help students grow academically. As students complete
each assignment successfully, they earn credits that can be used to play games.
In addition, i-Ready Instruction supports the teachers and administrators at your child’s school. The
program provides a series of comprehensive reports designed to make classroom instruction more
effective. These reports include data about student performance on these individualized lessons so
that teachers can make informed decisions about the instruction that is right for your child.
At any time, you can see how your child is performing on these lessons by having your child log in
to i-Ready (https://login.i-ready.com/). Once he/she logs in and chooses a subject (Reading), just
click on the My Progress tab and then click on the Detail tab. Select any of the choices below
and you will see the specific lessons your child has completed, along with your child’s score.
TO LOGIN: Your child's username is first initial and last name initial and lunch number
NO SPACES. For example for Eddie Eagle the username would be: EE123456 Password
is student
Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate
to contact me at 833 - 7254 or email me
at julie.berner@jppss.k12.la.us
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
3
Stress Reducers
Stress is your body's way
of responding to any kind
of demand. It can be caused
by both good and
bad experiences. When people feel
stressed by something going on around them,
their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the
blood. The stress and strain of family life/school
affects both parents and children. This stress may
also affect your child's homework. Fortunately,
there are ways to deal with stress. How can you
get your family back in balance and show your
children positive ways to deal with pressure?
Please consider some of these suggestions such
as:
Turn on some music and relax. You might
even want to dance. Any physical activity is a
great stress reducer.
Find a safe place to take a walk with your
children. Notice, the different sounds, sights,
smells, and even a touch of the environment.
This makes a normal activity an exciting
adventure.
When any member of your family is unhappy,
it helps to talk about it. Listen carefully as the
problem is explained. It is beneficial to
suggest several solutions and decide which
ones he/she will try.
Find ways to laugh together. Watch a funny
movie or take turns telling jokes to each
other. Laughter has been proven to be a
wonderful aid to both emotional and physical
ailments.
Work smarter, not harder. Get the whole
family together and talk about sharing the
chores. This gives every member more time to
interact with and enjoy each other.
Life is difficult. We cannot escape problems
but we can learn a variety of ways to cope
with them.
I am available for requests and/or suggestions by
calling me at 831-0628.
Lynne
Lynne Kullman
Social Worker
HEALTHY KIDS!
There's a lot of discussion these days
about fit kids. Healthy kids learn better.
People who care (parents, doctors,
teachers, and others) want to know how
to help kids be more fit. Being fit is a way
of saying a person eats well, gets a lot of physical activity
(exercise), and has a healthy weight. If you're fit, your body works
well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run
around with your friends.
Some steps only parents can take — such as serving healthy meals
or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take
charge, too, when it comes to health.
Here are five rules to live by, if you're a kid who wants to be fit.
The trick is to follow these rules most of the time, knowing that
some days (like your birthday) might call for cake and ice cream.
Eat a Variety of Foods: You may have a favorite food, but the best
choice is to eat a variety. If you eat different foods, you're more
likely to get the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods and
old ones you haven't tried for a while. Shoot for at least five
servings of fruits and vegetables a day — two fruits and three
vegetables.
Drink Water & Milk: When you're really thirsty, cold water is the
best thirst-quencher. And there's a reason your school cafeteria
offers cartons of milk. Kids need calcium to build strong bones,
and milk is a great source of this mineral. How much do kids
need? If you are younger than 9 years old, drink 2 cups of milk a
day, or its equivalent. If you're older than 9 years old, aim for 3
cups of milk per day, or its equivalent.
Listen to Your Body: What does it feel like to be full? When you're
eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels
comfortably full. Sometimes, people eat too much because they
don't notice when they need to stop eating. Eating too much can
make you feel uncomfortable and, over a period of time it can
lead to unhealthy weight gain.
Limit Screen Time: What's screen time? It's the amount of time
you spend watching TV or DVDs, playing video games (console
systems or handheld games), and using the computer. Try to
spend no more than 2 hours a day on screen time, not counting
computer use related to school.
Be Active: One job you have as a kid — and it's a fun one — is
that you get to figure out which activities you like best. Find ways
to be active every day. You might even write down a list of fun
stuff to do, so you can refer to it when your mom or dad says it's
time to stop watching TV or playing computer games!
Speaking of parents, they can be a big help if you want to be a fit
kid. For instance, they can stock the house with healthy foods and
plan physical activities for the family. Tell your parents about
these five steps you want to take and maybe you can teach them
a thing or two. If you're a fit kid, why shouldn't you have a fit
mom and a fit dad?
I am at the school most Tuesdays and Thursdays and some
Fridays. My direct line is 484-4110 but
email is easiest method to contact me.
ashley.solano@jppss.k12.la.us
Nurse Ashley
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
4
ELLIS PARENT ORGANIZATION
Meetings: WE need your help!!!
Date: 4/15
Time: 7pm
Place: JCE Cafeteria - Refreshments will be served at all meetings.
E mail -ellisepo@hotmail.com Newsletters will also be sent via email.
Our Facebook page is updated as needed.
F –Mar 6 - EPO Popcorn
& Pickle Sale
F –Mar 27 - EPO Popcorn
& Pickle Sale
EPO 2014-2015 Board Members
President Hollie Dumars
Vice President Stacey Autin
Secretary Thereza Walker
Treasurer Angie Berggren
Grade 5 Book Club
Mrs. Dowty’s Grade 5 Book Club embodies the reading environment that we wish to promote at JCE.
During book club, the students are reading, thinking, responding, discussing, arguing, and acting as
readers do in the "real world." Mrs. Dowty states, “Students are so sel
self-directed
directed during this time.
Since they choose the books, determine their reading schedule, and pick their response prompt (with
guidelines of course), they enjoy the autonomy and their participation is much more avid than during
times of the year when theyy are reading texts I've chosen. By interacting with their favorite books,
students can increase their comprehension and ability to discuss what they know.” The students
eagerly meet to read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. The novel is a work
wo of
historical fiction about an African American family living in rural Mississippi in 1933, at the height of
the Great Depression. In this story, the Logan family experiences racism and injustice as they pursue
their dream of owning and farming their ow
own
n land. Book Club members are Timothy Seymour, Erika
Canales, Cici Zhang, Ahmad Ahmad, Tavi Verneuil, Maiyan Barnes, Aja’Laia Hamilton, Kayla
Richard (Vice-President),
President), Jacodi White (President), Gregory White, and Jashaud Winston.
During a recent interview, the Book Club members expressed the following:
Gregory: “I like the novel personally because I like to learn about the Great Depression and its
effects. The author’s use of country slang (dialect) brings the characters to life.”
Jashaud: “The author really
ally knows how to tell
a story through figurative language. You can really
imagine what’s happening and can visualize
the events in your mind.”
Timmy: “One
One notable feature of the novel is
Ms.Taylor's use of a southern dialect like
Y’all go ahead and get dirty if y’all wanna . . .
Me, I’m gonna stay clean. I like that the author
uses this language rather
than proper English.
English.”
Kayla: “When
When we meet, we
sit in a circle to read
and take turns around the circle.
Mrs. Dowty helps whe
when we
don’t know something. At the
end of the meeting we
determine the assignment
for the next time.
time.”
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
5
JCE cordially invited moms to join their KINDERGARTENERS
for MY HEART BELONGS to MOMMY on Thursday,
February 12.
12. They enjoyed muffins together and completed
completed a
special activity. The celebration was wonderful.
Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
6
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
7
Mothers hold their
their children’s hands for a short
while, but their hearts forever.
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
8
STUDENTS of the MONTH
Each month JC Ellis recognizes "Outstanding" students in each grade. Actually all
our students are outstanding; however we especially honor these students. These
students are chosen for their contributions to the school and the community and for
also being caring, energetic students who have shown to be good role models for
other students.
JC ELLIS STUDENTS of the MONTH
FEBRUARY 2015
PRE-KINDER
KINDERGARTEN
1st GRADE
2nd GRADE
Ester Banegas
Raphael DeAssis
Ciara Godwin
Robinay Ulmer
Jacob Santalamacchia
Anaya Kent
Taniya Harris
Aidan Plummer
Nora Aitidar
Brian Diaz
Elliot Barrois
Daniella Dimaria
Nathan Martinez
Elizabeth Trombley
3rd GRADE
4th GRADE
5th GRADE
6th GRADE
Hannah Maher
Morgan Berryman
Cypress Dares
Angel SanMiguel
Elias Miller
Cris Arauz
Valeria Calderon
Maiyan Barnes
Cici Zhang
Zoe Maras
Italy Robinson
Carlos Zelaya
7th GRADE
Naomi Ruiz
Dominic Bruno
Awesome
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
9
CLASSROOM SNAPSHOTS
PRE-KINDERS
Ms. Keith: The Pre-K
K Stars are having fun while working
on the Louisiana theme. We initially started about two
weeks ago with the focus on culture, music, and stories;
during this phase of the unit, we named and colored
pictures of state and local symbols, then they will create a
poster to hang in the classroom. We defined Mardi Gras
as a joyful celebration and discussed the real meaning
behind the celebration. The children really seem to enjoy
the discussion sessions, and I enjoy being able to see
growth in them; their
heir language acquisition and writing are
examples of how much they’ve matured. Our culminating
activity was making Mardi Gras crowns and masks and
wearing them during the class party. We enjoy listening
to and singing traditional music and reading aweso
awesome
stories; for example, we read the story Why
Epossumondas Has No Hair on His Tail;; the students
thought it was so funny. They were able to name the
characters, some events, and settings; they also drew
pictures and wrote captions for their illustrations
illustrations. Our
focus now is on Louisiana’s foods and agriculture; we
defined agriculture as a practice of farming or growing
crops and rearing animals to provide food. In whole
group, we brainstormed and made a list of some
traditional foods. In small groups, theyy will cut out pictures
of foods, glue them to construction paper, write captions
to create menus, and post them in the kitchen area of the
Play Center. The culminating activity for this part of the
unit will be to role-play/act-out
out buying and selling diff
different
foods in their store, cooking the foods and serving them
in their restaurant. To help make the lesson a success,
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
the children will use a cash register, play money, play
foods, and the menus they made as props. This activity
will give them the opportunity
unity to practice reading menus.
and I’ve introduced them to joining sets, so they can
practice adding prices written on sources of foods.
Ms. Porteous/Ms. Laurenzano: The theme for the
month of March in Ms. Porteous and Ms. Murphi’s class
is, Light andd Sound: It’s All Around.
Around In this unit, the
students will explore lights and sounds around the
community, classroom and at home. Students will
recognize different objects that provide us light, and will
also explore sound and music as they create different
instruments in the classroom. The stories being read this
month are What Does Hugh Hear? , Ella Sees Lights and
The Very Lonely Firefly.. The letters for this month are
Long Vowel a,, and Consonants v, x, and y. The students
will also learn about
the colors black and
purple and the shape
square. Both the
teachers and students
in the class are
looking forward to
Read Across America
Day, which is a nationwide reading celebration that takes
place annually on March 2—Dr.
Dr. Seuss’s birthday. We will
celebrate by reading Dr. Seuss stories and completing
activities to go along with our books!! In room 34 – we
love to read!
KINDERGARTENERS: Senora Milton, Ms. Morris,
Madame Megan , Ms. Christine:
Christine
All Kindergarten classes are finishing up a unit in
Reading that discusses
character traits from stories
read in class. We have
focused on Howard B.
Wigglebottom and Stand
Tall Molly Lou Melon as the
two main characters that
we compared. The children
have loved learning about
the characters and
discussing the physical and personality
10
traits of both Howard and Molly. In Math, we have
discussed weight, capacity, and height. We also learned
to compare quantities with numbers that involve more
than and less than. On a fun note, we had a great time
celebrating Moms and Muffins with all the moms and the
children enjoyed spending some time with mom at
school. The following day was also a blast when we were
able to exchange Valentine cards with all our classmates.
FIRST GRADERS
How parents can help with Math at home …
•Count objects such as jellybeans in a bowl, pennies in a jar,
cheerios in a baggie, etc.
•Find numbers in newspapers, magazines, or on items around
the house.
•Practice counting with your student while doing various
activities-driving in the car, jumping rope, waiting in line at a
store, etc.
•Divide a deck of cards evenly between players. Each player flips
over a card, the player with the highest card wins the cards.
Continue until one player has all cards in the deck.
•Put different items into groups and talk about which group has
more or less items using the terms greater than and less than.
•Roll dice and create numbers. Say what is 10 more and 10 less.
********************************************************************
Ms. Cook: Our class has completed the unit on spiders
and we have learned lots of
interesting facts about the many
different kinds of spiders. We
learned that spiders are arachnids,
not insects, spiders have 8 legs –
insects have 6 legs and an
abnormal fear of spiders is called
‘arachnophobia’.
We are excited to know that we will
learn about Dr. Seuss and read
many of his books during his birthday week! We also
can't wait to start our unit on Amelia Bedelia.
We have finished Module 3 in math and are now
beginning Math Module 4 in which we will be interpreting
two-digit numbers as either tens and some ones or as all
ones, and using symbols to compare quantities and
numerals. We continue to drill our addition and
subtraction math facts.
Mrs. Kent: Students read several Anansi, or Spider,
stories, which present the character as both a
trickster and a helper. They explored character motivation
and how animals interact with other animals and adapt to
their living conditions. Students continue to use evidence
from informational and literary texts to inform and
support their opinions. Module 4: Place Value,
Comparison, Addition and Subtraction of Numbers to 40 ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
Module 4 builds upon Module 2’s work with place value
within 20, now focusing on the role of place value in the
addition and subtraction of numbers to 40. When
students are presented with a collection of 20-40 items,
they will discuss how it is more efficient to count ones and
tens rather than counting each individual item. We are
using a strategy called RDW.
RDW means Read, Draw, and Write.
1. Read the problem.
2. Draw the problem (number bonds, pictures)
3. Write the solution (number sentence, sentence with
answer – Charlie ate 7 red apples.)
Ms. Meehan: Ms. Meehan's class will be learning all
about Dr. Suess and his nonsensical rhymes! We will
begin a new unit on Amelia Bedelia. I encourage you to
check out and read some Amelia Bedelia books from the
library. For Math, we will be starting to compare numbers.
After we understand comparing, we will start using the
terms greater than, less than and equal to. A fun way to
practice this is to have the students count various items
and have them compare them with you at home. Please
keep up with your math facts daily!!
Sra. Vicario: Los estudiantes leen varios Anansi, o la
araña, las historias, las cuales presentan el carácter tanto
como embaucador y un ayudante. Ellos exploraron la
motivación y cómo los animales de carácter interactúan
con otros animales y se adaptan a sus condiciones de
vida. Los estudiantes continúan usando pruebas de
textos informativos y literarios para informar y apoyar sus
opiniones. Módulo 4: Valor posicional, Comparación,
Suma y resta de números a los 40 Módulo 4 se basa en el trabajo del módulo 2 con el valor
de posición dentro de los 20, ahora se centra en el papel
de valor posicional en la suma y resta de números a 40.
Cuando los estudiantes se les presenta una colección de
20 a 40 artículos, van a discutir cómo es más eficiente
para contar unidades y decenas más que contar cada
artículo individual
Mme Bogreau – French Immersion: In math First
Grade French Immersion students have been working on
place value and are now beginning to add with
regrouping. Students are also enjoying our daily graphs.
They are practicing collecting information and comparing
data about their favorite food or activities.
In ELA students are discovering syllables and compound
words. They are also practicing collecting information
from non-fiction books.
In French students continue using their 'musical ears' to
identify the sounds of French.
11
Ms. Tallo & Ms. Way: We are learning about families!
We’ve been reading stories about family members and
how they help us with our daily activities. We are also
learning about letters of the alphabet, word families,
rhyming words, nouns, verbs, and plurals. We have been
practicing direction following by reading recipes and
making yummy snacks! In math, we have been studying
simple addition and subtraction, telling time,
measurement, understanding and counting coins and
dollars, and matching/naming shapes. February has been
tons of fun celebrating Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, and
President's day!
SECOND GRADERS
Ms. Dupree: ELA: This month we are continuing with
The Ox-Cart Man unit and incorporating Social Studies
through the textbook. The students are learning about
producers, consumers, goods, and services and how
these things have changed and how they've changed our
lives from long ago. In Math, we are in Module 4 and we
are learning different methods of how to do subtraction
with regrouping 2 to 3 digit numbers up to 1,000.
Module 4: Addition and Subtraction Within 200 with Word
Problems to 100 Students build upon their understanding
of the base ten system and their prior knowledge of place
value strategies presented previously. The student
learned how to write a friendly letter, too. They wrote
their own friendly letter to someone at our school,
addressed envelopes, and stamped their letter. The
letters were mailed out to different classrooms. The
students were excited to give and receive letters from
their pals. During our recent Valentine's Day/ Mardi Gras
Party we decorated treat bags, gave out Valentine's, ate
King Cake, and decorated Mardi Gras masks while
listening to Mardi Gras music! They had a lot of fun.
Thank you to our Room Mom and Mrs. Stauder for
helping out!
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
Mrs. Morgan: Mrs. Morgan's class has been learning
about farming in the past and present day. We read about
how life on the farm changes with the seasons. We
enjoyed learning how to write friendly letters and are
looking forward to having pen pals to correspond with. In
math class the students have been adding two and three
digit numbers with and without regrouping. They have
also learned how to model this on a place value chart
with number discs.
Sra. Irizarry: Math : In Module 5, students build upon
their mastery of renaming place value units and extend
their work with conceptual understanding of the addition
and subtraction algorithms to numbers within 1,000,
always with the option of modeling with materials or
drawings. Throughout the module, students continue to
focus on strengthening and deepening conceptual
understanding and fluency.
Science: Learning about the solar system fascinates my
students. We have been discussing the planets . This
helps the students to engage in the learning process as
they create their 3 D model projects.
Social Studies: We have explore producers and
consumers. For this social studies lesson, we read the
Ox-Cart Man a story and discussed the concept of
producers, consumers, goods and services. Students
portrayed various roles and discuss if they are a producer
or a consumer.
ELA : We are learning capitalization rules, story structure,
characters, setting , plot and how to make inferences. We
also are writing friendly letters.
THIRD GRADERS
Mrs. Stutzenbecker, Ms. Busot & Ms.
Omorotionmwan: In third
grade math, we have
completed studying area and
our module 4 book. The
students did a great job with
area. Throughout the module,
they did some hands on
projects to further their
understanding of area. They
created robots and determined
the area and they made
pictures of their names on graph paper and also
determined the area of various shapes. The kids enjoyed
this activity, and loved the creative outlet. We will soon
begin our new Eureka Module 5 booklet wherein we
study fractions.
12
In third grade Social Studies, we have been learning
about American Culture and especially Louisiana
Culture. In third grade Science, we are studying body
systems, plants and their parts, animals and their parts
and we are learing how to classify animals.
Ms. Villalva: Spanish Immersion classes: We, the
third graders, have completed Eureka Math Module 4.
Now we know how to measure the area of spaces like our
home! It has been a lot of fun and we
have learned a lot. But probably our favorite class now is
Science, as we are learning a lot of new things about
animals and how to classify them. People are mammals.
So are dogs, cats, horses, duckbill platypuses,
kangaroos, dolphins and whales. What do all these
animals have in common, you ask? The answer is –
MILK! If an animal drinks milk when it is a baby and has
hair on its body, it belongs to the mammal class. It’s so
interesting!
ESL: Ms. Martin: 1st-3rd ESL classes are finishing up
with ELDA (English Language Development Assessment)
testing. In addition to ELDA testing we will be celebrating
Dr. Seuss' birthday next week. We will learn about the life
of Dr. Seuss and why he is important to us, as readers.
We will read a few books written by Dr. Seuss and do
many engaging lessons and activities centered around
them.
FOURTH GRADERS
Mrs. Bertucci & Mrs. Bordelon: The fourth grade
students are excited about digging into The Lightning
Thief. We are all quickly becoming experts on Greek
mythology. We are also noticing the details that are
foreshadowing the twists and turns of this wonderfully
written novel! The students were assigned a project to
research a god or goddess of their choice, and then
create a Facebook page for them. The students will work
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
on this in library class. They may also work at home if
they choose. This will be counted as a grade for
Reading. The students are also in full swing practicing for
Middle of the Year testing that is coming up! We just
finished rewriting “A Face in the Pool” from Echo and
Narcissus’s point of view. We will continue practicing
narrative writings like this on several other occasions in
the next few weeks.
Ms. Crider: In 4th grade math we are finishing our units
on fractions. We have learned how to add, subtract, and
multiply mixed numbers. In our next unit, we will learn
how to interpret and create line plots. We will also be
learning about decimals. We will learn how to compare
them and change them into fractions.
Testing is right around the corner. It is paramount that
your child knows his/her multiplication facts. Knowing
them automatically is an integral part of success in math!
Time tests have been going home weekly; if your child
has not been doing well on them, please have them
practice their flash cards every night!
Ms. Ridgely: Science: 4th grade was asking, “How do
our hearts and lungs work together?” Now the children
are finding out that the respiratory system is responsible
not only for breathing, but it moves oxygen and carbon
dioxide in, out, and all around the body. The circulatory
system is equally amazing! It not only moves blood, but it
carries nutrients to every cell in the body, and carries
away wastes.
Ms. Villalva: Spanish Immersion: We, the fourth
graders, are becoming masters of fractions. We know
how to simplify them, how to add or subtract them and
how to represent them with a figure or a number line.
Fractions also help us share things equally so if we bring
a bag of candies to school we can give each of our
classmates the same amount making them all happy. In
Science we have learned about the animal cycles and
now we are learning all about our circulatory and
respiratory systems. Do you know how many times does
a heart beat in a minute? 70 to 90 times!
FIFTH GRADERS:
Mr. Chaze: Math - We are studying Module 4:
Multiplication and Division of Fractions and Decimal
Fractions wherein students learn to multiply fractions and
decimal fractions and begin work with fraction division.
Work proceeds from interpretation of line plots which
include fractional measurements to interpreting fractions
as division and reasoning about finding fractions of sets
through fraction multiplication. Students are introduced to
the work of division with fractions and decimal fractions.
13
We fully realize how close we are to taking the first part of
the PARCC test, and there is no time to waste! Until the
end of the school year, all assessments given in
mathematics will strictly follow the PARCC format. Hence,
when we actually take the test, there will be no surprises.
In mathematics, we have completed our work on fractions
and we are currently solving problems of area and
volumes. This section of the curriculum allows very
productive work, and gives us several opportunities to
reinvest contents previously learned in class. Students'
scores on the third interval assessment have shown
dramatic improvement, congratulations children! This
positive momentum is a good sign of things to come.
In science, we have been learning about human impact
on ecosystems and we have been reflecting upon
strategies by which we can contribute to preserving the
Earth's resources for the future generations. In social
studies, our journey in colonial America has taken us to
Philadelphia and Benjamin Franklin's inspiring
accomplishments.
We do not let this long winter affect us, and we are
getting exciting by the upcoming Spring!
Mrs. Dowty: Mrs. Dowty’s ELA classes are finishing up
The Birchbark House book and concentrating on
strategies to increase reading comprehension. They have
been utilizing techniques in writing a well-constructed
short response answer and a cohesive composition. The
students have become experts in finding text evidence
from several sources to support or prove their opinions
and responses. Since the new PAARC test will be
administered beginning March 16th, we have been
practicing taking reading tests with the new format that
includes citing specific details from articles and passages
to support answers. The students will be well-prepared
for the new test.
Mrs. Dowty’s 5th grade Social Studies students are busy
researching information from photographs of artifacts,
journals, books, and articles from the colonial days. Each
child is writing a first person point of view narrative of the
day in the life of a colonial child based on this research.
We have discussed historical fiction, primary and
secondary sources, and authenticity in this process. The
students have given themselves new names based on
common colonial names and will present their report to
the class.
Mrs. Morse: In science we have finished up with animal
and plant adaptations, as well as food webs. The
students really loved constructing and building the large,
intricate food webs to show how energy flows between
organisms! The student were really fascinated with how
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
adaptations help animals and plants to survive in their
environments, especially when we watched animals
camouflage themselves, and mimic other organisms to
protect themselves.
In social studies, we are studying the Thirteen English
Colonies in America 1607 – 1776. We have concluded
learning about the Northern Colonies and have begun
focusing on the Middle, or breadbasket, colonies. The
students have learned the geographic location of Middle
Atlantic colonies, how the Dutch began to settle New
Netherland, and the influence Quakers had on
Pennsylvania.
In ELA, we have really been diving into the book, The
Birchbark House. The students are really getting pulled
in to the book, and Native American culture. We have
been practicing taking reading tests with the new format
that includes citing specific details from articles and
passages to support answers.
SIXTH GRADERS
Ms. Bejma: ELA - Have you ever
felt like you did not fit in with
others? You know, like you’re
different from everyone else?
Maybe you have been picked last
for a game of kickball. Maybe you
have been teased because of
your height, weight, or even the
way you talk. Whatever the case,
Hannah Tupper of Elizabeth George Speare’s The Witch
of Blackbird Pond, feels your pain. In sixth grade English
Language Arts, students have begun a journey towards
acceptance of not only one’s self, but of those around
them. We are accomplishing this by reading and openly
discussing The Witch of Blackbird Pond and relating it to
the past and present. We are learning about the
influence of family expectations and religious values on
14
the development of one’s personal identity. Please take
the time to talk with your child about a time when you
have not fit in with others. How did you handle the
situation? How did it help shape the person you are
today? Those are a few questions we are aski
asking each
other as we read and understand what Kit and
Hannah are going through. We are learning to celebrate
our differences, and you can help us attain that goal! We
are also learning how reading informational texts, in
coordination with literary texts, can
an enhance our
understanding of time periods, as well as the theme and
setting of a novel. We are also focusing on the three
different types of writing (narrative, research simulation,
and literary analysis) that is part of the PARCC
assessment in March. They are learning to write a thesis
statement, hook, and closing. As always, sixth graders
are learning not only content, but they are learning life
lifelong learning and coping skills!
Mrs. Byrd: Science: 6th and 7th grade students are
preparing for the iLEAP test. 6th grade students enjoyed
exploring and being
creative with their
Choice Board activities
on Force and Motions.
Choice Boards offer
students a way to make
decisions about what
they will do in order to
meet class
requirements. They could be forr a single lesson, a week
weeklong lesson, or even a month long period of study. The
students had to choose at least six activities that
reinforced force and motion. They did a Gallery Walk in
class observing students’
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
projects and discussing and writing positive
pos
comments on
the projects using sticky notes. The
students enjoyed reading their comments. Overall, it was
a positive learning experience for all of us!!!
Mrs. Terrranova: Math: We are PARCCing. Sixth grade
mathematics is working on (1)
1) connecting ratio and rate
to whole number multiplication and division and using
concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems; (2)
completing understanding of division of fractions and
extending the notion of number to the system of rational
numbers, which
ich includes negative numbers; (3) writing,
interpreting, and using expressions and equations; and
(4) developing understanding of statistical thinking.
6th Grade Social Studies:: We are completing our unit
on Ancient China. It is amazing the impact and
achievements that China has had on the world such as
art, literature, and inventions. We are celebrating their
contributions by creating projects related to ancient and
modern China. Some of our activities included: making a
detailed map of ancient China and
a current China, making
and illustrating a travel brochure for China listing three
places of interest, researching Chinese musical
instruments and presenting the information to the class
with listening samples, and/or making a Chinese dish and
serving it to the class. We cannot wait to share pictures of
our projects with you next month!!
The students have also used social studies to help
reinforce reading and language skills by understanding
how to read, summarizing, identifying point of view, and
determining themes, using historical texts. Next month,
we will begin to delve into the foundations of western
ideas and how those foundations have helped to shape
the world in which we live in today!
day!
SEVENTH GRADERS
Ms. Terranova: PARCC prep is upon us. The
mathematics test design has three sessions called units
to be taken separately: Unit 1 - 30 multiple-choice
questions—aa calculator may not be used; Unit 2 - 30
multiple-choice questions—aa calculator may be used;
Unit 3 - 2 constructed-response
response questions—a
questions
calculator
may be used. We are studying Expressions and
Equations so that we can use properties of operations to
generate equivalent expressions and solve real-life
real
and
mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic
expressions and equations.
Ms. Vansant: ELA – We are focusing on the three
different types of writing (narrative, research simulation,
simulati
and literary analysis) as it is part of the PARCC
15
assessment in March. Students have been accessing
iReady. Our upcoming unit will be memoir writing.
ANCHOR TEXT: Memoir - William Zinsser
TEXT DESCRIPTION: In this informational text, William
Zinsser explains the types of memoirs and provides
advice to writers for how to write a memoir: be yourself,
speak freely, and thinkk small. He explores concepts of
voice, point of view, writing as a record of memory and
act of healing, and reducing decisions in writing. In this
section, Zinsser focuses on “being yourself,” not a writer.
TEXT FOCUS: As an anchor text, “How to Write a
Memoir” provides students with the content knowledge to
both write their own memoirs and evaluate memoirs they
will read throughout the unit. Research on using mentor
texts to teach writing can be found in Writing Next. The
text provides suggestions for improving
proving writing practice,
which students apply to their writing over the course of
the unit and beyond
Mrs. Byrd: Science: We are learning about what makes
each of us individuals by studying genetics. Genetics is
the study of heredity and the variation of inherited
characteristics. 7th grade students had an opportunity to
do a Choice Board Activity on Genetics. Choice Boards
offer students a way to make decisions about what they
will do in order to meet class requirements. They could be
for a single lesson, a week-long
long lesson, or even a month
long period of study. They enjoyed exploring, being
creative, and relating to real world situations. The
students made their own tests and games to share with
the class. Some of the games included mini bingo,
Genetic City,
ty, and Jeopardy. Learning Science this month
has truly been hands-on.
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
7th grade SS: We have traced the origin of individual
rights beginning with the Rights of Englishmen, Virginia
Declaration of Rights, and the Declaration of
Independence. Students can now explain how Americans
came to believe that all citizens had basic human rights.
We have completed an in-depth
depth study of the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights. Students are rotating through
stations to advance their knowledge of Constitutional
Principles
nciples with a focus on synthesizing their knowledge of
the foundations of the U.S. government. Students are
engaged in summarizing and taking notes with an
emphasis of selecting activities that support each
individual students learning style.
ESL - Ms. Juneau: Mrs. Juneau's ESL Beginner ELA
class is discussing
ng compare and contrast words.
Sentences are constructed comparing and contrasting
simple English items, such as a banana and orange or
shark and goldfish. We will read the story "The
Gingerbread Man" and compare and contrast the
Gingerbread Man and a selected student. Our ESL
Intermediate
diate ELA class is exploring the Ojibwe Indian
tribe during the reading of The Birchbark House.
House We are
learning the Indian names of several animals that appear
throughout the novel. Our writing is being enhanced
through the study of the order of adjectives.
adjecti
FRENCH IMMERSION – Ms. Bychurch: 4eme- Les
élèvesen 4eme apprennent sur le gouvernement des
Etats Unis ainsi que le gouvernementde la Louisiane.
Dans la classe de Français on continue notre travail sur
la conjugaisondes verbes.
me apprennent sur La Chine
6eme- Les élèvesen 6eme
Ancienne, un sujet très intéressant pour nous !On vient
de faire un projet sur « Les Proverbes Chinois » ou les
élèvesont choisi un proverbe spécial pour présenter à la
classe. Dans la classe de français on continue
notretravail sur la conjugaison des verbes aussi et les
pronoms possessifs.
7eme- Les élèvesen 7eme apprennent sur les fossiles et
l’évolution des espèces. On vient definir nos études sur
les cellules. Nous avons beaucoup appris sur ce sujet
!Dans la classe de Française
ise nous travaillons sur la
conjugaison des verbes et nousregardons aussi
au des
videos
16
FRENCH IMMERSION – Ms. Bychurch: Translation +
DYK?: The 4th graders are learning about the US
government and the Government of Louisiana. Did you
know that our system of law in Louisiana has its origins
with a short French emperor? To give Bonaparte the
credit he deserves, he was not only a brilliant general, he
was a brilliant administrator. To be able to govern an
empire, he understood a uniform system of law had to be
in place. He therefore took existing law, which was largely
based on ancient Roman law, and codified it. That is, he
put all the law into writing so it could be understood by
everyone. So how are the other forty-nine states
different? They all have laws based on English common
law. The common law is a system of law that is based on
court precedent. Laws and statutes are interpreted, and
the ruling of one judge may influence or even control the
ruling of another judge. The Code Napoleon takes the
civilian law approach. Civilian law is based on scholarly
research and the drafting of legal code which is passed
into law by the legislative branch. It is then the judge’s job
to interpret that intent more than to follow judicial
precedent. In French class we continue our work on
conjugation of verbs.
The 6th graders are learning about ancient China, a very
interesting topic for us! We just did a project on "Chinese
Proverbs" and chose a special proverb to present to the
class. A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. In
French class we continue with learning verb conjugation
and possessive pronouns.
The 7th graders are learning about fossils and evolution of
species. We just define our studies on cells. We learned
a lot on this subject! In class we work on French verb
conjugation and also are looking at videos of France.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION and HEALTH
Grades K-2 – Coach Browning - In our Physical
Education classes in grades K, 1 and 2, we
have enjoyed playing games that use the
correct forms of throwing, overhanded and
underhanded, and catching above and
below the waist. The students seemed to
enjoy these very active games. Our next
focus is on basketball skills. The children will learn to
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
correctly dribble the basketball in a stationary position.
We will then proceed to dribbling while moving and,
shooting skills.
In our Healthy Lifestyle Choices series we have just
started a unit on “Safety”. Some of the topics will discuss
are: Risks and Dangers, Important Telling, Tattling and
Snitching, Identifying a Trusted Adult and Fire Safety.
As a gentle reminder, please be sure your child wears
tennis shoes daily that are double tied. Tennis shoes will
give the necessary support for active participation and
help prevent ankle injuries.
Please dress your children warmly during these cold
days, because we try to take them outside for aerobic
exercise in the yard, if it is too cold to play a less active
game or teach a skill lesson. A hat or hoodie is great to
help your child stay really warm.
Grades 3-7 – Coach Marks & Coach Ryan: Boys (Gr.
3-7: We are developing our basketball skills leading to
intramurals and a championship game. We will select an
All-Star Team.
Girls (Gr. 3-5): We are developing our volleyball skills
leading to intramurals and a championship game. We will
select an All-Star Team. Girls (Gr. 6-7): We are
developing our cabbageball skills leading to intramurals
and a championship game. We will select an All-Star
Team.
GIFTED/TALENTED
Ms. Layton: DRAMA – Rehearsals for our spring play,
"Beauty and Polluti," continue. The students are delving
into their roles. Playing, practicing, and performing
develop a sustained focus of mind, body, and voice,
which also helps in other school subjects and life.
Ms. Alford: GT- Gifted students are excited about the
Read Across America Day. We have created a truffula
forest for the Dr. Seuss Day door decoration contest.
Students are examining the literary components and
figurative language devices of Dr. Seuss' work beyond
the fun silly wordings that are used in his writings. As
students examine their favorite books they will dive into
the figurative language of the hyperbole, onomatopoeia ,
and personification and locate examples.
17
The students have stated that the use of his colorful
language in reality is very
"deep". As we are also
preparing for testing week,
students are reading a
variety of genres and
responding to the works by
practicing writing skills. It is
the goal that we "will
succeed, yes
indeed, yes indeed, ninetynine and three-quarters
guaranteed!!" per stated by Dr. Seuss.
Ms. Weathers: TVA – Talented Visual Art illustrated an
image from The Lorax from Dr. Seuss for the door
decoration contest. We liked the landscapes depicted in
this book commonly recognized as a fable concerning the
danger corporate greed poses to nature, using the literary
element of personification to give life to industry as the
Once-ler and the environment as The Lorax. Students
were able to demonstrate their painting skills.
ELLIS EAGLES ARE REACHING for the STARS!!
LIBRARY - Ms. Boh: We are very busy in the library this
year! Kindergarten has been studying character traits
with our good friend Curious George. First grade has
undertaken a project of alphabetical proportions. They
are working to create class ABC books and having a
great time! Second grade has finished up working with
the dictionary and is now learning about biographies. Our
third graders are learning the difference between primary
and secondary sources as well as the myriad types of
reference resources available to them. Myths, monsters,
and mountains: fourth grade has embarked on a unit on
ancient Greek mythology! In the library, they are using
exceptional research skills to create a Facebook page for
a mythological character. I am very excited to see what
they come up with! Fifth grade is getting ready to present
book talks to their classmates as a new twist to the
traditional book report. Sixth grade is continuing to work
on their career studies research projects. Almost done
guys! Seventh grade is working with primary American
historical sources such as the Articles of the
Confederation and the Constitution of the United States.
Top Patrons by Grade Level for February:
1st Aldo Cardona
2nd Adam DePoorter, Genesis Diaz Paz, Brinley Muller
3rd Samantha Garland
4th Jose Montoya
5th Michelle Ortiz
6th Julissa Ramos
7th Ausem Jarushi
18