May 2013
Students Earn Honors for Letters About Literature
UCLA Lab School Upper II students Marie Chorpita, Alex Kahn, Taera Kang and Jenna Schiffer were among 10 state finalists in the Letters About Literature Level One competition this year. In addition, Marie, Alex and Jenna each earned an Honorable Mention for being in the top five finalists.
April 2013
2012-2013 Speaker Series Presents: Sir Ken Robinson
The UCLA Lab School Speaker Series presents a special book signing event with Sir Ken Robinson, internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human potential.
March 2013
Young Musicians from UCLA Lab School Featured on UCTV
UCLA Lab School students are among the 140 young musicians from Los Angeles area schools who are featured in the film Orchestra Kids: 2012 Elementary Honor Orchestra, on UCTV. Conducting the orchestra is Larry Newman, founder and director of Children's Music Workshop, which provides instrumental music programs to LA public and private schools.
February 2013
CGI Math Workshop, Saturday, March 2
UCLA Lab School presents “CGI Math: Student Articulation and Argumentation in K-6 Classrooms," with Keynote Speaker Dr. Megan Franke, on Saturday, March 2, 2013, 8:30 a.m. – Noon. Megan Franke is a UCLA Education Professor and a developer of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI). Sessions will be led by UCLA Lab School teachers who use CGI in their classrooms. Topics include children's strategies and problem types for first timers to CGI, warm-ups to get your students going, formative assessment, inquiry and building a CGI community.
January 2013
2012-2013 Speaker Series Presents: Children's Peer Relationships, with Dr. Jaana Juvonen
Join us for an informative discussion with Jaana Juvonen, Ph.D., on Children’s Peer Relationships: Myths and Facts About Bullying + Harnessing the Power of Diversity. Dr. Juvonen is a Professor in the Developmental Psychology Program at UCLA. As an expert in children’s peer relationships and school adjustment, she was a key part of the team that developed the UCLA Lab School Safe School system.
Cool Tools is Featured in Seattle Area Newspaper
A Seattle area school's implementation of the UCLA Lab School Cool Tools system was featured in the Woodinville Weekly newspaper. The article notes that teachers at Bear Creek Elementary School have said Cool Tools "has helped build confidence and strengthen friendships; allowed students to understand the power of put-ups and how difficult it is to recover relationships that are damaged by put-downs; ignited students’ interest in collaboration and connecting with others in the classroom and across the school; and helped build a classroom community based on trust, common language, proactive conversations, fun and problem solving."
November 2012
Register Now for the Critical Thinking Institute
Our hands-on workshops will help you weave together project-based learning, inquiry and technology to create dynamic instruction in science and social studies.
In the Classroom and In the Swim: Diana Nyad Talks to Students About Dreaming Big
Upper students and teachers had a chance to talk with Diana Nyad about her lifelong “Xtreme Dream” to break the long distance swim record when she visited UCLA Lab School.
2012-2013 Speaker Series Kicks Off With a Nutrition Super Panel
Join us for Optimizing the Health and Wellbeing of Children Through Nutrition, with Dr. Suparna Jain, FAAP, Dr. Cara Natterson and natural foods cooking instructor and food blogger Pamela Saltzman on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 8:15 – 10 a.m.
October 2012
New Website Supports Teaching with Primary Sources
The newly launched ART of TEACHING with Primary Sources website gives teachers access to videos, lesson plans and other resources that support the use of primary sources and inquiry learning in classrooms. It’s hosted by the Cotsen Foundation for the ART of TEACHING and UCLA Lab School, in partnership with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program.
Profile: Meet New Assistant Principal Linda Lee
Listening to differing points of view and building consensus are skills Linda Lee has honed in her 16+ years as an educator. “My style is ‘let’s get everyone together and put all the needs on the table and try to figure out the best solution,’” Lee said. “You get better results from a variety of ideas.”
September 2012
Open Doors Program Gives Pre-service Teachers a Look at Setting up a Learning Environment
The beginning of the 2012-2013 school year launched the UCLA Lab School Open Doors program for incoming elementary candidates from the Center X Teacher Education Program (TEP). For three weeks, pre-service teachers from the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies participated in professional development alongside experienced teachers and observed in classrooms as they began the school year.
Exploring Ideas About Social Justice With Young Children
An inquiry project by Primary level students at UCLA Lab School illustrates the ability of young children to make sense of big ideas such as those associated with social justice. Take a look at the conversations teachers recorded for the project.
UCLA Lab School Team Presents Work on Inquiry and Social Justice at International Forum
A teacher-researcher team from UCLA Lab School presented their paper "Creating Collegial Relationships for Social Justice" at the VIII International Meeting of the Paulo Freire Forum at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies on September 20. Genevieve D’Arcy, Shernice Lazare, Cyrene St. Amant, Carla-Anne Thomas and Christopher Wilson have been using peer coaching and self reflection to help each other engage young children to think critically about issues of equity, access, power and authority and build skills for leadership in community service and civic engagement.
Teacher-Researchers to Present Social Justice Work at International Paulo Freire Forum
A teacher-researcher team from UCLA Lab School will speak about developing a social justice curriculum for elementary school age children and how it relates to the role of teacher as public intellectual at the VIII International Meeting of the Paulo Freire Forum on Thursday, Sept. 20, at the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies.
UCLA Lab School Project to Help Lead the Way in Dual-Language Learning
Professor of Education Alison Bailey is collaborating with Principal Norma Silva and teachers in the Learning Two Languages (LTL) program on work that can help illuminate the inherent potential of bilingualism. Included are an evaluation and refinement of the LTL program and the formation of a new Professional Learning Community for educators in the Los Angeles area. The goal of the Professional Learning Community will be to bridge the gap between English-dominant and English language learner populations by examining the common challenges that all dual-language faculty and staff throughout Los Angeles County face.
August 2012
School Year 2012-2013
School starts on September 4! Here is a list of important dates for the school year.
June 2012
Sharon Sutton: UCLA Lab School’s Technology Coordinator Makes It Happen
Technology and Outreach Coordinator Sharon Sutton was honored with the Making IT Happen Award presented by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and California’s Computer-Using Educators (CUE) this year. She will be acknowledged with other Making IT Happen winners from across the nation at a reception during ISTE’s national conference June 24-27 in San Diego. The award recognizes Sutton’s leadership and innovation in helping teachers throughout California integrate the use of technology into the curriculum in meaningful ways over the past 20 years.
Students Earn Honors in Letters About Literature Contest
Upper II students Diego A. and Alida J. recently received certificates of recognition for being finalists in the 2012 Letters About Literature program, presented by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in partnership with Target. Both Diego and Alida were among the top 10 letter writers in the California division, Level I (grades 4-6). In addition, Diego received an Honorable Mention for placing among the top four in this group.
April 2012
CGI Math Workshop, Saturday, May 5
UCLA Lab School presents “Preparing Our Children to Be Mathematically Competitive: A look at current research and best practices on children's mathematical thinking through the lens of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI),” Saturday, May 5, 2012, 8:30 a.m. – Noon. Keynote speakers will be Megan Franke, UCLA Education Professor and CGI math expert, and Jim Stigler, UCLA Psychology Professor and Director of the TIMSS Video Studies. Sessions will be led by UCLA Lab School teachers who use CGI in their classrooms. Topics include introduction strategies and problem types for first timers to CGI, warm-ups to get your students going, and building a CGI community.
March 2012
The Rainbow Juice Connection: A delicious blend of math, science and teamwork
A juice and smoothie bar created by Early Childhood students started with an investigation of fruit. Soon it had them learning about measuring, graphing, voting and working together on a tasty project.
Alumnus David Horacio Hernandez is a White House Champion of Change
David Horacio Hernandez, UCLA Lab School class of 2002, was recognized by the White House Champions of Change program for “outstanding leadership and service to the community.”
February 2012
Author Laurie David Offers Recipe for Family Dinner Success
The producer of the Academy Award-winning film An Inconvenient Truth is on a self-described mission to preserve an endangered aspect of American life – the family dinner. She launched this year’s Speakers Series with a lively discussion of why dinnertime matters, and what we can do to make it a healthy and fun family ritual.
We’re Celebrating Reading Aloud Together!
The Gonda Family Library and the FSA are hosting a school-wide celebration of the joys and benefits of reading aloud. Reading aloud to children every day helps them to be informed, self-assured, curious and inspired. It also strengthens family bonds and associates reading with pleasure. The Family Read-Aloud Celebration web page offers information to help families start or renew a reading routine. Help build the list of 100 favorite read-aloud titles, then finish the celebration by attending the pizza party on March 2!
Schoolyard Habitat Grant Protects Wildlife and Provides Learning
Children, teachers, parents and friends joined volunteers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission to plant 2,000 native plants along a portion of Stone Canyon Creek (aka The Gully), part of the Ballona Creek watershed. The new plants were provided by a $7,374 Schoolyard Habitat grant, which supports UCLA Lab School’s ongoing efforts to help restore the ecosystem around the creek and create an outdoor classroom for hands-on learning.
December 2011
UCLA Lab School Speakers Series 2011-2012
This year we have a line-up of experts guaranteed to inspire, enlighten, and inform! Join us for these engaging discussions about the latest research and issues related to children’s education, health and wellbeing.
October 2011
UCLA Lab School Speakers Series Hosts The Family Dinner, with Laurie David
Join us on Thursday, December 1, 8:30-10:30 a.m., for a fun and interactive discussion with author, environmentalist and producer Laurie David. She’ll talk about how mealtime can nourish your family—mind, body and spirit—and lay the groundwork for children to become happy, successful adults.
Cool Tools is Featured in Santa Monica Daily Press
The Santa Monica Daily Press featured an article on Cool Tools, part of the safe school system developed at UCLA Lab School, and its use in elementary schools in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District.
September 2011
Participants in Coastal Cleanup Day Help Create a Sea Change
UCLA Lab School students, parents and faculty worked with environmental group Heal the Bay on Coastal Cleanup Day.
Teachers Receive Grant for Peer Coaching Project Focused on Social Justice
A team of UCLA Lab School teachers recently received a $30,000 grant from the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies to explore innovative ways to address concepts of social justice in the classroom and the community.
August 2011
SPASES Project Team Wins Best Design Paper at International Conference
A team from CONNECT and UCLA Lab School won Best Design Paper at the International Conference for Computer Supported Collaborative Learning hosted by the University of Hong Kong in July. The project they reported on, SPASES (Semiotic Pivots and Activity Spaces for Elementary Science), combines pretend play and the technology of augmented reality to help young children learn science.
A Visit with Art Educator Malcolm Wray Gets Teachers and Students Inspired
Working with visiting art educator Malcolm Wray, teachers and students learned techniques for creating collaborative murals on subjects as diverse as plant life, the history of transporation and ancient Greek mythology. “The visual arts give children another language, another means of expressing ideas and understanding the concepts they’re studying,” said Principal Norma Silva.
June 2011
Summer Reading
Check out Mrs. Kantor’s list for great summer reading!
Culmination 2011
Friends, families, teachers and staff gathered in the Redwood Forest on June 16 to celebrate Culmination 2011 with Upper students.
May 2011
Celebrating a Jog-a-Thon Participation Record!
This year we achieved the highest level of community participation in
Jog-a-thon history — 99%! This is a wonderful demonstration of the
community’s commitment to children.
The New ABCs of Learning, with Susan Kaiser Greenland
May 17
Join us for an introduction to the practice of mindfulness for children and young adults and its applications at home, in schools and in the caring professions. Speaker Susan Kaiser Greenland, founder of the Inner Kids program, will present age-appropriate and secular activities that help children from pre-kindergarten through young adult incorporate the new ABCs—attention, balance, and compassion—into their daily lives.
April 2011
Students Imagine the Future of Work
A UCLA Magazine article features work by students from Early Childhood, Primary and Intermediate. Imagining the workplace of 2030, some see flying motorcycles, holograms and solar-powered moving sidewalks.
Read the story in UCLA Magazine
January 2011
6th Annual English Learners Symposium: Promoting Academic Achievement Among English Language Learners, February 12
Join us for a lively and informative discussion about issues and strategies related to meeting the needs of English Language Learners. Presentations include effective practices, English Language Development (ELD), dual language instruction, technology integration and more.
November 2010
Stone Canyon Creek offers students a laboratory for learning
Students at UCLA Lab School combined their science learning with conservation efforts recently when they worked with two environmental groups to install 200 native plants along a portion of Stone Canyon Creek that runs through their campus.
Creek restoration project begins with school-wide planting days, Nov. 15 & 16
What can we do to make our environment healthier? UCLA Lab School students of all ages will help address that question on Monday, Nov. 15, and Tuesday, Nov. 16, as they take part in a school-wide planting day.
September 2010
Programs for Educators
Created by teachers, for teachers, our professional development programs offer dynamic learning experiences in an inspiring, collaborative environment. Whether you want to visit for a day or engage in a long-term collaboration, we have a program to suit you.
Register Now for the Critical Thinking Institute
Our hands-on workshops will help you weave together project-based learning, information literacy and technology to create dynamic instruction in science and social studies.
Early Literacy Institute
Help children learn reading and writing skills in the context of engaging literacy activities designed to support a lifetime of learning.
July 2010
Summer is a great time to read!
Whether you’ll be travelling to new places, delving into fun projects, or relaxing at home, making time for reading is sure to result in lots of rewards.
June 2010
Congratulations to Our Culminating Students!
Upper Culmination 2010 brought together students, teachers, families and friends to “honor the past, celebrate the present, and look toward the future.”
Teacher Hasmik Avetisian Presents Mural Work at National Conference
The art murals UCLA Lab School students create have at least one thing in common: they’re all about collaboration. Demonstration teacher Hasmik Avetisian shared methods for creating collaborative murals in a workshop she led at the National Arts Education Conference in Baltimore this year.
April 2010
Upper Student is National Winner in Letters About Literature Program
Upper student Lara B. has been selected as a national winner in the Letters About Literature program. Her efforts earned a $10,000 grant for the Gonda Family Library.
Cyber Safety Expert Lori Getz, April 28
Join us for Everything You Need to Know About Your Child and the Internet, a lecture and open discussion about the fundamentals of the Internet and how your children are using technology.
Drop Everything and Read!
On Monday, April 12, we’re joining families and schools around the country for national D.E.A.R. Day. This special reading celebration is to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.
Author Jules Feiffer Visits, April 11-13
Award-winning cartoonist, author and playwright Jules Feiffer will be the featured speaker at the 2010 Frances Clarke Sayers lecture on Sunday, April 11, at 4 p.m. Mr. Feiffer also will visit UCLA Lab School for a special presentation to students on Monday, April 12, and Tuesday, April 13.
March 2010
Young Alumni Are Presenters at International Research Conference
James Crenshaw (’08) and Nina Parks (’08) joined researchers Yasmin Kafai and Deborah Fields in a presentation of their work at the first Digital Media and Learning Conference, held in San Diego on Feb. 18-20.
Upper Students Win Honors in 2010 Letters About Literature Contest
Lara B. (Rooms 5&6) and Nial A. (Rooms 3&4) earned high honors in the 2010 Letters About Literature contest, in which young people write to an author whose work has made a difference in their lives. Five students — Ally G., Gracie M., Kennedy M., Tairyn M. and Skylar W. — will receive certificates of achievement for placing among the top 200 letter writers in California.
November 2009
Under the Sea: Students travel to Catalina Island to learn about oceanography
Upper I students immersed themselves in a study of oceanography recently when they traveled to Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) for a two-day field trip.
October 2009
Inside the Lab: Children and Teachers Build Knowledge of Math
Acorns, pebbles, LEGOs, coins, bottle caps. Primary students count large collections of objects like these to develop number sense and an understanding of mathematical concepts.
Making Science with Students, Teachers and UCLA Researchers
It's a late spring afternoon and some busy scientists have gathered to report their findings on experiments they conducted in recent months. An array of carefully planned and organized posters documenting the work are displayed around the room. After a brief meeting the scientists circulate to discuss their projects.
Programs for Educators Offered
Educators, join us for a dynamic learning experience in an inspiring, collaborative environment. Whether you would like to visit for a day or engage in a long-term collaboration, we have a professional development program to inspire you and your students.
Register for Our Award-Winning Critical Thinking Institute
Our award-winning Critical Thinking Institute has been called life-changing by some participants. Create fun, engaging learning experiences aligned with state and national curriculum standards.
Lab School Internship Program Starts
College students interested in teaching careers began working in lab school classrooms last week. They're part of a program to give young adults hands-on experience and guidance related to teaching. The interns are mentored by lab school teachers and, in addition to working with children, attend seminars exploring theories and issues in education. Some participants are enrolled in Education 196, a UCLA course offered to undergraduate students. Others are part of CA Teach, a program administered by the state of California to develop highly qualified science and math teachers to work in schools throughout the state.
February 2009
Reunion Brings Together Class of Winter 1956
Despite the fact that nearly 53 years have gone by, Margaret Leshin is still able to recall how her classmates looked back in sixth grade. For her, the memory of her time at UES (now UCLA Lab School) is still vivid in her mind, and the same goes for the rest of the class of Winter 1956.
