Please Check Out Our Online Book Fair

Our online book fair is now open.  Please stop by and take a look.

We are also looking for volunteers to help run our book fair.  Please click on the following link to sign up.  Thank you.


http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4daaa62da5f94-2016

Bringing New Books Into Our Library

Our biggest fund raiser is our book fairs.  Our budget is very small for our library and keeping engaging books is a must to help maintian reading intersts.  We want to be able to provide Oregon Battle of Books to our students as well as new titles to keep reading interests alive.  At this point, our goal is to afford new books for the fall.  Please consider being a part of our fair.  We need volunteers as well as help spreading the word.  You can start shopping online on May 10th.  A great way to encourage your student to read for our Summer Reading Program.  Thank you.  

Scholastic Book Fair at MRA

Online Shopping:  May 10th-May 31st

Book Fair opens:  May 31st- June 7th in the Wildwoods Gym

Click Here To Find Out More

Coding

Even though we have been busy taking the Smarter Balance test,  some of our students have been able to start a new coding project in between our test taking.  The Cedars and 6th graders are learning how to write using Java Script for a Star Wars game.  They have been designing ways to navigate BB8 and R2D2 through obstacles to pick up scrap metal.  The 5th graders are learning the beginnings of creating an algorithm to create a program that will help them learn to collaborate with others and develop problem-solving skills.

Smarter Balance Schedule

Week of April 11th-15th
Language Arts Performance Task-Alders

Week of April 18th-22nd
Testing for Alders and Clarkia

Week of April 25th-29th

Gearing Up For Assessments

Every spring brings the heightened sense of discomfort in taking standardized tests.    Thankfully, at MRA we believe that a student's learning can be assessed through a multiple of non-traditional venues, as well as traditional testing.   It has been such a relief to teach in an environment where teachers are encouraged to evaluate students' learning through projects and uses of multiple intelligence.  However, our children are growing up in a world where they will have to learn how to pass standardized tests to obtain licenses for different career paths.  So, with that being said, I believe it's important that our students are exposed to and made aware of what standardized tests look and feel like.  For the next couple of weeks we will be taking practice tests during our computer times.  These will be done in a relaxed environment where they can ask all the questions they have and we will be modeling how to work through problems we get stuck on.  Please take time to walk through a few of these problems with your students and encourage them to ask questions.  Problem solving together can create stronger critical thinking skills.

Here is the website for the practice tests.  http://oaksportal.org/students/

Just select "guest school" and click on the grade level your student is in.  Then continue on to the practice tests.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

6th-8th Oregon Battle Of The Books

For the last six months these ladies have been reading, studying, memorizing titles and authors, logging details into their brains from sixteen different books in order to prepare for the Oregon Battle Of The Books.  

They competed in school battles and then moved on to regionals which were held at Reynold High School this past Saturday.  There were over 60 teams across Clackamas County that came to do battle.  We fought well but were just 15 points shy of making it into the next round.  

I am extremely proud of these young ladies and the dedication they poured into reading and working together as a team.  Way to go Abbey Briley, Chloe Corless,  Jelly Waters,  Lola McIlhenny, and Kayla Appleton.  You make MRA proud!

Read Across America