Embedded Files
Look at what K and 1 students have been up to!
Look at what K and 1 students have been up to!
**SPECIAL VISITORS COMING SOON! **
**SPECIAL VISITORS COMING SOON! **
Stratton PTO is thrilled to announce that the following authors will visit our school!
Stratton PTO is thrilled to announce that the following authors will visit our school!
SARAH LYNNE REUL 5/23
SARAH LYNNE REUL 5/23
(photo courtesy of Wernick & Pratt Agency)
STEVE SHEINKIN 5/31
STEVE SHEINKIN 5/31
(photo courtesy of The New York Times)
Attention 5th graders: Your summer reading list has arrived!
Attention 5th graders: Your summer reading list has arrived!
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Schooled or Linked by Gordon Korman
Ghost (or any book in the Track series) by Jason Reynolds
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (either the graphic novel or the novel in verse)
MCBA 2023-2024
MCBA 2023-2024
Here are the 25 book nominations for next year's MCBA award! Stratton library will be acquiring these titles real soon. Students can also check them out on Sora...there are unlimited copies available!
23-24 MCBA poster.pdfMCBA 2022-2023
MCBA 2022-2023
Thank you to all of our 4th and 5th grade participants who read at least 5 of the 25 nominated books and voted on their favorite book! We are happy to announce that Alone is the MCBA 22-23 winner!
NOVEMBER: Stratton students are GRATEFUL!
NOVEMBER: Stratton students are GRATEFUL!
Check out the GIGANTIC gratefulness banner created by the students, Ms. Francis, and parent volunteers.
September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
We are kicking off this month-long celebration by reading these picture books.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
An immigrant family finds refuge in the local library.
Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
The story of how one family fought for immigrants to attend public schools in California.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre
How one immigrant changed how libraries make connections with immigrants.
Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!
Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!
We are so excited to welcome students back to the library! This week, we are taking a tour of the library by following clues from the Gingerbread Man and learning about book care. Check out this cool game where students decided if the behavior was acceptable library behavior.
NO!
NO!
What NOT to do!
YES!
YES!
SpongeBob is doing it the right way!
Yoda says: Return books you must.
Yoda says: Return books you must.
It's true. Circulation has closed and it's time to bring back your library books!
June is PRIDE month!
June is PRIDE month!
Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ Community with these reads...
Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ Community with these reads...
Closing out AAPI Heritage Month with a focus on Hawaii and Polynesian culture!
Closing out AAPI Heritage Month with a focus on Hawaii and Polynesian culture!
Today we took a trip to Hawaii to learn about its land, culture and history! In grades 3-5, we touched upon the unique geological landscape, the national parks, Pearl Harbor, and Japanese internment. Then we read Ho'onani Hula Warrior by Heather Gale, a story based on the experience of a Hawaiian girl who doesn't identify as a wahine (girl) or kane (boy) and auditions for an all-male hula troupe. We learned that the mahu means "in the middle" in the Hawaiian language. In grades K-2, we talked about the hula dance and some key facts about Hawaii. Then we read Sakamoto's Swim Club by Julie Abery which tells the true story of a science teacher who trained a group of swimmers in an irrigation ditch to become Olympic swimmers.
Virtual Author Visit is THIS Thursday, May 12th!
Virtual Author Visit is THIS Thursday, May 12th!
PTO proudly presents
PTO proudly presents
Christina Soontornvat, Newbery Honor Award winning author
Christina Soontornvat, Newbery Honor Award winning author
Christina Soontornvat is the award-winning author of over a dozen books for children of all ages. Her picture books include The Ramble Shamble Children, illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Lauren Castillo, and Simon at the Art Museum, illustrated by Christine Davenier. She is the author of the beloved Diary of an Ice Princess chapter book series. Her recent works include the middle grade fantasy, A Wish in the Dark, which was named a 2021 Newbery Honor Book, and was chosen as Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post and School Library Journal, and All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team, which received the 2021 Kirkus Prize for Young People’s Literature and was also named a 2021 Newbery Honor Book. Her latest novel, The Last Mapmaker, published April 2022 from Candlewick Press.
Christina Soontornvat grew up behind the counter of her parents’ Thai restaurant in a small Texas town with her nose stuck in a book. She is very proud of both her Thai and her Texan roots, and makes regular trips to both Weatherford and Bangkok to see her beloved family members (and eat lots and lots of Thai food!). In addition to being an author, Christina holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Science Education. She spent a decade working in the science museum field, where she designed programs and exhibits to get kids excited about science. She is passionate about STEM (science, technology engineering, and math), and loves learning new things. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, two young children, and one old cat.
**SUPER SPECIAL KINDNESS PROJECT IS UNDERWAY IN THE LIBRARY!!**
**SUPER SPECIAL KINDNESS PROJECT IS UNDERWAY IN THE LIBRARY!!**
Mrs. Collins and Ms. Cameron wear their Star Wars swag!
Mrs. Collins and Ms. Cameron wear their Star Wars swag!
STAR WARS DAY!
STAR WARS DAY!
April is Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month
In an effort to support a diverse, accepting and kind community, we are reading both fiction and non-fiction books featuring people with autism.
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
A sweet story about an older brother who receives support from his autistic little brother during a time of need.
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
A non-fiction book that tells the story about how Temple Grandin's brain works in unusual and magnificent ways.
How To Build A Hug
How To Build A Hug
Another non-fiction book that explains why and how Temple Grandin invented a squeeze machine.
Learning about Ramadan
Learning about Ramadan
This week, students learned about how our Muslim friends participate in daytime fasting during the month of Ramadan. We read two stories. See below!
Lailah's Lunchbox
Lailah's Lunchbox
The Gift of Ramadan
The Gift of Ramadan
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Today, Stratton 4th and 5th graders took a virtual field trip to Mexico to visit the Museo Frida Kahlo. Two sneaky skeletons "locked" the students in the museum and they had to work together to solve puzzles and riddles to escape the museum! It was super fun!
March is Women's History Month!
March is Women's History Month!
This month we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of women around the world! Look below to see the books we are reading in the library.
Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle
Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle
Inspired by the true story of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese African Cuban girl who broke Cuba's taboo against female drummers. This book received the Pura Belpre Award in 2016.
Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome
This book tells the story of how two sisters became the best tennis players of all time. And it all started with a dream!
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
This is the story of a woman who dared to dive, defy, and discover!
Explore more strong women by clicking on the pictures below!
Explore more strong women by clicking on the pictures below!
February is Black History Month!
February is Black History Month!
Each day we will learn about two black Americans who have made major contributions in the areas of activism, science, sports, poetry, entertainment, and government. Today we learned about poet and activist Amanda Gorman and professional boxer and poet Muhammad Ali!
Amanda Gorman, Poet Laureate and activist
Amanda Gorman, Poet Laureate and activist
(left) Amanda Gorman's picture book
(below) Video of "The Hill We Climb," inauguration day poem
Announcing the ALA's Award Winning Books!
Announcing the ALA's Award Winning Books!
Click here to see all the winners! Below are the 2022 Caldecott winners!
2022 Caldecott Award
2022 Caldecott Award
Watercress by Andrea Wang
Illustrated by Jason Chin
2022 Caldecott Honor
2022 Caldecott Honor
Have You Ever Seen A Flower?
written and illustrated by Shawn Harris
2022 Caldecott Honor
2022 Caldecott Honor
Wonder Walkers
written and illustrated by Micha Archer
2022 Caldecott Honor
2022 Caldecott Honor
Mel Fell
written and illustrated by Corey Tabor
2022 Caldecott Honor
2022 Caldecott Honor
by Carole Boston Weatherford
illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Look what we can do together!
Look what we can do together!
Stratton students are enjoying coloring in the GIANT sloth poster in the library! Stay tuned for the big reveal when it's finished!
APS Mock Caldecott 2022!
APS Mock Caldecott 2022!
A the end of January, the American Library Association will announce the Caldecott Medal to the book with the most outstanding illustrations! In anticipation of this announcement, Arlington students will judge 10 picture books that the school librarians think *could* be the winner. Students are learning about different art techniques, the impact of text placement, how the use of color evokes different emotions, and the use of double-page spreads. At the end of the month, the students will vote on their favorite picture book and we will announce Stratton's winner and find out Arlington students' favorite picture book of 2021. Look at the slideshow below to explore the books we think might win!
Some very, merry Christmas reads...
Some very, merry Christmas reads...
We continue to recognize winter holidays by reading some festive books about holiday traditions!
Dasher by Matt Tavares
Dasher by Matt Tavares
A story about bravery and finding a place to call home.
Wintercake by Lynne Rae Perkins
Wintercake by Lynne Rae Perkins
A tale about how an accident can lead to a new friendship.
Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealey
Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealey
A wish for peace and harmony comes true after a snow storm.
December astronomy highlights!
December astronomy highlights!
We learned about two celestial events including the comet Leonard which was visible to the northern hemisphere last week and the geminid meteor shower which peaked December 13-14.
This week's read aloud!
This week's read aloud!
Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon tells the story of a girl who wants to be an astronaut and tries to get her entire neighborhood to share her enthusiasm for space.
Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Hanukkah!
December is here and we want to wish our Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah! Look at the books we are reading in library!
Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat: A Chanukah Story
Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat: A Chanukah Story
If you liked Tomie dePaola's book Strega Nona, you'll love this story!
Little Red Ruthie
Little Red Ruthie
A favorite fairy tale mixed with Hanukkah traditions.
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming
A silly story by the one and only Lemony Snicket!
Thanksgiving: a Time to Have an Attitude of Gratitude!
Thanksgiving: a Time to Have an Attitude of Gratitude!
We featured a number of books during the week of Thanksgiving...take a look below!
Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
Did you know we almost lost Thanksgiving? This book tells the story of a very persistent woman saved the holiday.
Thank You, Omu!
Thank You, Omu!
We learn how sharing with others makes the world a better place.
Balloons Over Broadway
Balloons Over Broadway
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is a longstanding American tradition. We learn about the origins of this parade in this book.
November 13th is World Kindness Day!
November 13th is World Kindness Day!
Today we read Lubna and Pebble, a story about a refugee girl whose best friend is a pebble. We learned that even when we are small, an act of kindness can help make another person's day better.
Did you know that 11/11 is National Origami Day?
Did you know that 11/11 is National Origami Day?
Today we featured origami books in our library and even tried making our own origami!
Veteran's Day 11/11
Veteran's Day 11/11
November is GRATITUDE month. Let's start by thanking a veteran! Watch this video of a veteran reading Night Catch!
November is Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month
We highlight books by Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous authors and books about Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous cultures and experiences to make sure students have mirrors to see themselves and windows into cultures and experiences other than their own.
Click on this link to learn more Native American Heritage Month Slideshow
Diwali is November 4
Diwali is November 4
It is November and a time for many celebrations! This week, we are learning about Diwali, a holiday that originated in India. It is known as the festival of light because good triumphs over evil. Check out the books we are reading in library class!
Diwali books
Diwali books
More books to choose from!
More books to choose from!
Coloring Rangoli art
Coloring Rangoli art
October is LGBTQIA+ History Month
October is LGBTQIA+ History Month
While Pride Month is celebrated in June each year, LGBTQIA+ history is honored in October in conjunction with National Coming Out Day. National Coming Out Day is an annual event held on October 11 to support people who are safely able to "come out of the closet" and increase awareness and understanding of LGBTQIA+ lives and culture.
APS K-8 Libraries celebrate our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, friends and family in October and every month. Click here to learn more about the books we highlight during this month.
Day of the Dead "Dia De Los Muertos"
Day of the Dead "Dia De Los Muertos"
We recognize and highlight many holidays celebrated at this time of year. Day of the Dead is just one of many celebrations we feature! Check out this slideshow to see the picture books we read for each holiday!
Spooky Stories and Survival Stories!
Spooky Stories and Survival Stories!
In library, we discussed why spooky stories are timeless and prevalent in every culture around the world. As a class, we talked about how spooky stories make us feel and what we can learn from the characters in spooky stories.
In 4th and 5th grade, we talked about how some of the spookiest stories are TRUE! Examples include the Apollo 13 mission and the rescue of the Wild Boars boys soccer team in Thailand. We listened to author Christina Soontornvat read an excerpt from her non-fiction book describing in detail the rescue effort. Click here to watch the clip. Click here to watch the trailer for the documentary film out in theaters now called The Rescue.
We also highlighted the I Survived! book series and a new series called Girls Survive. Both series are gripping and action-packed historical fiction stories.
September 26-October 2 is FAT BEAR WEEK
September 26-October 2 is FAT BEAR WEEK
We learned about how brown bears fatten up in preparation for winter and hibernation.
Visit the Fat Bear Week website to vote for your favorite chubby bear!
September 26-October 2 is Banned Books Week
September 26-October 2 is Banned Books Week
5th graade learned about censorship and the importance of allowing every voice to be heard.
September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month
Look at the books we've been reading in library class!
Look at the books we've been reading in library class!
Hooray! New books have arrived!
Hooray! New books have arrived!
We have 18 boxes with over 720 new books to unpack! Stay tuned as we get these books ready for you!
June is PRIDE month!
June is PRIDE month!
Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community!
Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community!
We have been talking about sharing our pronouns and why it is important. Here are two stories about conversations that happened during library class over Zoom:
"A RA student asked about the words after my name on my zoom screen (she/her/hers). I explained how pronouns are words we use in place of a person's name so that speaking can be easier. (Being the grammar nerd that I am, I made sure to take advantage of the teachable moment and provide a mini part-of-speech lesson). Then I explained that I put my pronouns next to my name because I want students to know how to address me. I told them that in some instances, the pronouns they think they should use for people may be incorrect because it is based on the person's appearance. A person may use different pronouns because of how they feel on the inside, or because they choose to have long hair if they are a boy, or short hair if they are a girl. I said that in order to not make anyone feel uncomfortable or offended, sharing our pronouns lets others know what to call us. There was silence, so I let them marinate in that information for a bit. Then students started sharing their own personal experiences: one student talked about how she moved to Stratton from another school because she had a short haircut and was bullied when classmates repeatedly called her a boy. Her story gave her classmates courage to share that they too have been called by the wrong pronoun because their name or haircut made it unclear to others whether they were a he/she. It was an amazing conversation. I was so happy they felt comfortable talking about those things with me and their classmates."
"Today, a student asked me a question about my pronouns. I went through the same talk and explained how they are free to add their pronouns if they want. A handful of students added their pronouns right away!!!"
What we're reading aloud in library:
What we're reading aloud in library:
Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack
PRIDE: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders
Need recommendations for more PRIDE books? Watch this video!
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
What we're reading aloud in library:
What we're reading aloud in library:
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
Lift by Minh Le
Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought The Dumpling From Beijing to Cambridge by Carrie Clickard
Luka's Quilt by Georgia Guback
Building Zaha by Victoria Tentler-Krylov
The World is Not A Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeannette Winter
A Map Into the World by Kao Kalia Yang
Paper Son by Julie Leung
Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim
Special Features
Special Features
Punk band "Linda Lindas" perform at the Los Angeles Public Library
Report abuse