Looking ahead to the week of December 2 (Music)

Students enjoyed working on reading with expression through Readers' Theater stories!

Hello, families!  

LIFESKILL of the week:  The LIFESKILL of the week is caring!  Discuss examples of caring with your child and celebrate moments of using this LIFESKILL while at school, home and out and about in the community.

Thank you:  I just wanted to thank you all again for your sweet cards and gifts last week, during American Education Week.  I felt so special!  It was so heart-warming!  Y'all are the best!

Diamond Del permission brochure:  Students will be bringing home a permission brochure in their December 5 communication folder, which you will need to sign and return by December 12, in order for your child to have permission to partake in our Diamond Del "Being Here" Experience January 15!

Spelling post-asssessment date change:  Students will be bringing home their next spelling pre-assessment in their December 5 communication folder.  It will state that they post-assessment date is December 11, but we are giving students a little extra time and having them complete the post-assessment December 17.  Thank you for your flexibility!

Ms. Stidham's last day of student teaching:  Ms. Stidham's last day of student teaching is Tuesday, December 3!  Time has flown by!  If your child would like to secretly make a "Happy Graduation" card for her, that would be great!  I'll collect them and we will give them to Ms. Stidham on her final day of student teaching.  Remember to keep it a secret! 

Important Treasures publishing forms:  Your child will have the opportunity to write his/her own story, which will be professionally published in the new year!  Your child will receive one free published copy, but additional copies may be purchased by you.  You do not need to purchase an additional book (unless you’d like to do so), but this simply gives your child permission to have his/her book published.  Please complete the form that went home in your child's communication folder before break by Friday, December 6.  A child’s book cannot be published without a signed form.  

Looking ahead to next week:  As scientists, students will look closely at minerals and their properties through various investigations and enjoy a visit from Fossil Frank.  As mathematicians, students will continue to study division. Please check out the family letter below. Keep practicing those facts!  They'll have an 8s multiplication quiz the week they return from Thanksgiving break. In reading, students will work on identifying the main idea of nonfiction text and details, which support the main idea.  As writers, they will continue working on their opinion writing unit and begin thinking about a story they would like to write for their to-be published Treasures book.  They will also study comparative and superlative adjectives/adverbs.   

 

Who's reading our blog:  Can you solve these three hink pink puzzles?  Work together with your child to solve them!  If you think you've figured it out, send me an email with your guesses! 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break with your sweet kiddos!  I can't wait to see them back in the classroom, as we welcome December!

Looking ahead to the week of November 25 (Whole Grade Level SAIL)

Students enjoyed learning about different types of soil through several hands-on investigations!

Students have continued working in differentiated small groups during math and ELA.  Check out Ms. Stidham leading a math small group!  Be sure to ask your child what he/she works on during small group time each week.

We enjoyed a visit from author Jonathan Miller!

Hello, families!  

LIFESKILL of the week:  The LIFESKILL of the week is pride!  Discuss examples of pride with your child and celebrate moments of using this LIFESKILL while at school, home and out and about in the community.

Permission forms for publishing books:  Your child will have the opportunity to write his/her own story, which will be professionally published in the new year!  Your child will receive one free published copy, but additional copies may be purchased by you.  You do not need to purchase an additional book (unless you’d like to do so), but this simply gives your child permission to have his/her book published.  Please complete the form going home in your child's communication folder this week and return it by Friday, December 6.  A child’s book cannot be published without a signed form.  

Calling all rainboots:  After visiting Camp Discovery during a recent "Being There Experience," we saw a need for rainboots!  The children that visit Camp Discovery are immersed in different ecosystems... even a creek!  We would love to collect any rainboots that have outgrown your family, so they can be used by learners that visit in the future!  Please send them in throughout the month of November, and we will make sure they get to Camp Discovery!  

Looking ahead to next week:  As scientists, students will continue to study different types of rocks and their properties.  As mathematicians, students will continue to study division, as well as, figuring out which operation to use to solve word problems. Please check out the family letter below. Keep practicing those facts!  They'll have an 8s multiplication quiz the week they return from Thanksgiving break. In reading, students will work on identifying the main idea of nonfiction text and details, which support the main idea.  As writers, they will continue working on their opinion writing unit.  They'll take their next spelling pre-assessment, too.   

 

Who's reading our blog:  Share this Starfish story with your child.  Ask him/her, "What does this story mean to you?"  You don't need to send an email... I'll ask the kids in class, "Who has heard the Starfish story?" and we will discuss it during morning meeting next week! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Looking ahead to the week of November 18 (PE)

We enjoyed celebrating veterans and our military families last week!  We appreciate all that our veterans have sacrificed, as well as, their families.

Hello, families!  

Ms. Stidham is taking over the blog this week!... I have really enjoyed student teaching in Mrs. West's classroom. This is my first week of full time teaching and I have loved every second of it! Your children have been such a joy to work with! 

LIFESKILL of the week:  The LIFESKILL of the week is pride!  Discuss examples of pride with your child and celebrate moments of using this LIFESKILL while at school, home and out and about in the community.

National Board release form:  Mrs. West is beginning the process to renew her National Board certification this year.  One of the components involves a lesson that will be recorded in class.  Please return the student release form, which went home in last week's communication folder (check the back for your signature page).  Signed forms will be due Thursday, November 14.  

Calling all rainboots:  After visiting Camp Discovery during a recent "Being There Experience," we saw a need for rainboots!  The children that visit Camp Discovery are immersed in different ecosystems... even a creek!  We would love to collect any rainboots that have outgrown your family, so they can be used by learners that visit in the future!  Please send them in throughout the month of November, and we will make sure they get to Camp Discovery!

Looking ahead to next week:  As scientists, students will kick off the Earth Materials unit and discuss soil, fossils, and rocks.  As mathematicians, students will take their topic 6 test and begin looking into division. Please check out the family letter below. Keep practicing those facts!  They'll have a 7s multiplication quiz next week. In reading, students will work on illustrations and mood and how those affect the story, as well as, the reader's perception of the plot. They will also participate in Readers' Theatre, as they work on using expression as they read! As writers, they will continue working on their opinion writing unit.  

 

Who's reading our blog:  Ask your child to create a compound sentence about school! Send their sentence in the subject line of an email and share it with me (jstidham@richland2.org)!  

Thank you again for all of your support! 

Looking ahead to the week of November 11 (Art)

Students enjoyed the Fun Run!  Our school raised over $11,841!  Team West came in 6th place, overall, with $811!  You guys rock!  

Our class enjoyed learning about different careers through several guest speakers last week!  Students also dressed up in their favorite career attire!

Hello, families!  

LIFESKILL of the week:  The LIFESKILL of the week is organization!  Discuss examples of organization with your child and celebrate moments of using this LIFESKILL while at school, home and out and about in the community.

National Board release form:  Mrs. West is beginning the process to renew her National Board certification this year.  One of the components involves a lesson that will be recorded in class.  Please be on the lookout for a student release form, which will go home in this week's communication folder (check the back for your signature page).  Signed forms will be due Thursday, November 14.  

Calling all rainboots:  After visiting Camp Discovery during a recent "Being There Experience," we saw a need for rainboots!  The children that visit Camp Discovery are immersed in different ecosystems... even a creek!  We would love to collect any rainboots that have outgrown your family, so they can be used by learners that visit in the future!  Please send them in throughout the month of November, and we will make sure they get to Camp Discovery!

Looking ahead to next week:  As historians, students will wrap up their study about the Colonial period in South Carolina.  As scienctists, they'll kick off an Earth Materials unit.  As mathematicians, students will take a look at using known facts to multiply.  Please check out the family letter below.  They'll have their 6s multiplication quiz, as well!  Keep practicing those facts!  In reading, students will work on making inferences.  As writers, they will learn about conjunctions through a mentor sentence.  Students will continue working on their opinion writing unit, too.   

Who's reading our blog:  Ask your child about their favorite Career Day speaker(s)!  Send their favorite speaker in the subject line of an email and share it with me!  

Thank you again for all of your support!