Back To School Night!

Tonight's the night!!!

Back To School Night at Del Rosa Christian!! 

We will be meeting at 7 pm in the auditorium.

Hope to see you there!! 

Summer Reading Projects

Get those projects in!!

The school year is fast approaching! Don't forget to get those summer reading projects in so you wont miss out on the field trip!! You only need to choose three books and pick any of these fun ideas!  Here is the list of projects:

Reading Projects!

Fairy-Tale Ending: Have you ever wanted to change the way a story ended?  Well, here is your chance!  Re-write the last chapter in the story, and make it your own!  Give the story the ending you think it should have.  Don’t be afraid to mix it up! (1-2 pages maximum)

Dinner is served:  Imagine you are invited to dine with a character in your book.  List 5 – 10 questions that you might ask them during your visit, and imagine what their response might be.  Also think about your surroundings: Where are you?  What is being served? Who else might be there? Try to ask questions that people really want to know.

Where in the world? Create a detailed map of where your story takes place.  Show with words or symbols where important events occurred.  Be sure to use plenty of detail in your artwork and description! (Maps can be three-dimensional as well.  Paper maché is a wonderful resource. Get creative with it!)

Scrapbook it! Create a scrapbook based on information you have learned from the story.  Be sure to write captions for each entry/page as to what is being included n the page and why.  You can add items mentioned throughout the story, or create something new by including items that you think the characters might have used or collected.  (5-10 illustrated pages, each with at least one caption.)

Dear Diary: Create 5 journal entries from one of the main characters in the story.  Be sure to include key events in these entries to give us an understanding of when they might have been written.  Give plenty of detail!  Be sure to write one entry from the beginning of the novel, and one from the end. (Each entry should be no less than one paragraph, no more than one page.)

Lights, Camera, Action! Create a movie poster promoting the novel as a popular, new movie.  You can cast real actors as the main characters, or use people you know.  Make sure your poster reflects the time period from which the story takes place, and be sure to show costumes and background detail!

Shadowbox Showcase: Create a shadowbox that shows one of your favorite scenes from your novel.  Be sure that it can sit vertically, so that it can hang on the wall. Imagine that you are capturing a little piece of that moment in the story with your artwork.  Be expressive!

Some of my favorite things: Create a poster of ten of your favorite things about your novel.  Be sure to give a description of each item, and illustrate each caption with either drawings or make a collage. Be sure to explain why they are your favorite!

Remember when… Create a poster of a timeline and show the main events of the story.  Choose at least five main events out of your timeline to illustrate on your poster.  You can illustrate them by either drawing or making separate collages. 

Wanted! Create a wanted poster for either the villain or hero in your story.  Explain who they are and what have done that makes them wanted by the law.  Also give a one-page description of who they are and what they contributed to during the story.

Comic Quest: Create a comic book based on the main events of the novel.  Be sure to include chapter headings and page numbers.  Each illustrated page will need to have captions explaining what is happening in the picture.  (5-10 pages)

On the Cover: Create a book jacket for your novel.  Illustrate the front cover by either drawings or a collage.  Be sure to include your favorite quote on the cover, and write a summary and review for the story.  Try to capture the heart of what your novel is about in your artwork! (Going the extra mile: Research the author of your novel and write a short biography about them on the inside)

Summer Reading: The London Eye Mystery

     As Ted explains it, "Somewhere, somehow, in the thirty minutes of riding the Eye, in his sealed capsule, [Salim] had vanished off the face of the earth. This is how having a funny brain that runs on a different operating system from other people's helped me to figure out what had happened."

Share in this epic mystery and discover what happens to Ted, Kat and poor missing Salim!

Discussion questions

Spoiler Alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

1. Ted says his brain works on a "different operating system" than most people. It is most likely that Ted has a condition called Asperger's Syndrome, a type of autism. Do you know anyone with Asperger's or autism? Do you think this is a positive portrayal of someone with Asperger's?
2. How does the way Ted's brain works help him solve the case? 
3. Salim's disappearance occurs because he doesn't want to move with his mom to the U.S. How have you coped when you've had to do something you didn't want to? What kind of choices did you have?
4. Ted and Kat are typical brother and sister. How do they work together to find Salim? What do they find out about each other in the process?
5. What do you think might happen to Ted, Kat, and Salim in the future? How might the experiences in the book change their lives?

6th Grade in the Media!

Photo courtesy of Suzanne Murphy and the San Bernardino Sun

The 6th graders are in the newspaper!! Pictured above is a photo from the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper taken during our week long trip to Yosemite, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Simeon.  This particular scene is from the California State Capitol's Assembly floor.

Summer Reading: Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief

Thank you Christian!!

Discussion Questions:

1. Percy says, "Mr. Brunner expected me to be as good as everybody else, despite the fact that I had dyslexia and I had never made above a C- in my life.  No- he didn't expect me to be as good.  He expected me to be better."  What does this say about Mr. Brunner as a teacher?  

Literary Devices: 

Foreshadowing- When an author hints or gives clues to suggest that something will happen later in the story.

2. What foreshadowing did you pick up on in this story?  (An example could be Percy's love for water.)  What did is lead up to in the story?

Foil-a type pf character who is a contrast or the opposite of another character.

3. Do you think Percy's character is a foil for Luke? Why or why not?

4. SPOILER ALERT: DO not read this last question if you have not finished the story :-)

In the end of the book, do you sympathize with Luke and his feelings of betrayal from his father? Do you think what he did was right or wrong? Why? 

Incoming Student Supplies List

So many supplies!

Hello!  You should have received a letter detailing the list of supplies that your student will need for the upcoming year.  Please feel free to bring these supplies to orientation on Thursday, August 30^th, at 7:00 pm.  

1. English Standard Version Bible (Other versions acceptable, but this version is preferred)
2.  Webster’s Dictionary & Thesaurus (Desk Size)
3.  Two 1-Inch Three Ring Binders (For classwork)
4. One 2-Inch Binder (For homework)
5. Two packages (200 sheets) of college ruled notebook paper
6. Three sets of 5-tab dividers
7. One spiral notebook to journal in. (80 sheets)
8. One package of 10-12 plain wooden plain pencils (Will be shared with the class)
9. One package of 10-12 blue or black pens
10. Backpack
11. Pencil Box
12.  Hand held pencil sharpener 
13.  Two large erasers
14. Package of Markers
15.  Colored Pencils
16.  Student Scissors
17. One bottle of glue
18.  Two boxes of tissues
19. Bottle of Anti-bacterial gel
20.  Compass and Protractor
21.  Ruler
22. One package of Dry-Erase markers (Will be shared with the class)

Some of these supplies will need to be replenished periodically throughout the year.

 If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the school.  

Summer Reading: Shiloh

     Hello Students!!  I am greatly anticipating your summer reading projects for this month!  If you have any questions about the books, or are needing to talk to me about them, please do not hesitate to stop by!  I would like to encourage you to keep reading and find books you are really enjoying.  One of the summer reading choices for this year is a book called Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.  Here are a few questions that you should ask yourself while reading this book:

Discussion Questions

1.       Why doesn't Judd Travers like Marty?

2.        Why does Marty leave the dinner table when they're having fried rabbit?

3.       Why do people in Tyler County keep to their own business?

4.       Why do you think the author use words such as “lookin'” instead of “looking” when the characters speak?

5.       Do you think Marty should give up his desire to be a vet even though there's not enough money to educate him? Why or why not?

6.       When Shiloh reappears at Marty's house, what do you think Marty should have done?

7.        Why do people leave food for Mr. Preston in their mailboxes? What does that show about them?

8.        How does Marty's mother know about Shiloh?

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING SKILLS

9.       How can you lie by what you don't say? How do you think this relate to Marty and Shiloh?

NOTE:  If you have enjoyed Shiloh this summer, I encourage you to ask be about the other two books in the Shiloh series!  This book is the first of the trilogy, so feel free to come by and grab the other two books!!

-Mrs. Barr