Little Warrior News

The third nine weeks has been an exciting time in Preschool ! We are growing, learning, and becoming writers and mathematicians! We are practicing all of the social skills and listening skills to get ready for kindergarten. We have studied friendship and love. We dove into an author study on Laura Numeroff who wrote If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, and now we are studying all about pets. In math, we are learning about counting to 100, adding numbers within 10 using objects, patterns, adding on to 10, how to make a number and measuring. In science we are observing everyday things in our environment. We love picking up bugs and leaves outside and looking at them in magnifying glasses. We had a fun 100th day of school and counted so many things to 100. We enjoyed watching the kindergarten parade and look forward to participating in it next school year. We are looking forward to the last nine weeks of preschool and are so excited that we will be kindergarteners soon.

The third nine weeks has been an exciting time in kindergarten! We are growing and learning! We are becoming readers, writers, and mathematicians! In reading, we are using our sight words, and blending the letter sounds to read independently! In math, we are learning about addition and subtraction story problems to 10, writing and representing teen numbers, counting and grouping objects, counting to 75, and counting on from any number. In science, we have been learning all about plants and how they grow! It was so fun and engaging! We dressed up like we were 100 years old to celebrate the 100th day of school. We were so adorable that the whole school came out to see us in a parade! We had a blast during “Read Across America Week”. We read books and integrated them across the curriculum to do a lot of interactive and engaging activities. Mr. Larry even visited us one last time in kindergarten! We love Mr. Larry's educational magic shows! We are looking forward to the last nine weeks of kindergarten and are so excited that we will be first graders soon!

The new year brought many fun things to first grade! In math, we have been working on modeling different addition strategies, recognizing tens and ones within numbers, place value, and comparing 2-digit numbers. During reading instruction we practiced retelling what we read, asking/answering questions about what we read, identifying the main idea of a story, and practiced making inferences. We improved our speaking skills by implementing new vocabulary words in what we share in class. We continued to grow as writers by learning to share our opinions. We had a blast learning about Presidents at American Village! Thank you to all of our chaperones who were able to join us. January and February have been exciting months for first grade! We've had so much fun with the 100th Day of School, 101st Day of School, our Field trip to American Village, and Valentine’s Day! We can’t wait to see what Spring has in store for us!

Second grade has had an exciting third nine weeks! In reading we focused on informational text and text features. We were busy learning about time, money, and adding 3-digit numbers in math. In social studies we celebrated our super citizen heroes and finished our Liberty Legacy program. We have also learned about important historical figures that have made an impact on our country and celebrated Black History Month. Where has the time gone? Only nine more weeks of school are left and we know they will be wonderful and busy.

Third graders had a fun-filled and busy third nine weeks with STEAM Night and the book fair! In math, we have been working hard on two-step story problems while continuing to practice our addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills. In reading, we are diving deeper into Greek and Latin roots and suffixes, and we have been practicing text-dependent writing by responding to stories we read in class. Students have also been engaged in animal research, exploring different habitats and learning fascinating facts about various species.

We also had an amazing time on our field trip to the McWane Science Center on January 31st! Students had a blast exploring hands-on exhibits and making real-world science connections.

Parents, please remember that ACAP testing is coming up soon.

• ACAP Reading: April 1 - April 3
• ACAP Math: April 15 & 16

Please ensure your child is in school on time each day so we can make the most of every moment to prepare for fourth grade.

Being involved with your child's reading journey is extremely beneficial to their development and success with reading! According to the first edition of The Fluent Reader by Timothy V. Rasinski, (2013), “...a recent international study of reading achievement found that parental involvement in children’s reading was the number one predictor of reading achievement worldwide.”

When parents read with their child, they provide a model of a fluent reader and a partner with whom they can share their reading. When children hear a fluent reader they are given an example of how to read expressively and are exposed to new vocabulary which helps build oral language skills. Choose a book your child is interested in and you can take turns reading with them, or they can sit back and relax while enjoying listening to you read! Either way you are providing a beneficial practice that will support them as they grow in reading.

CPA - What Is It and Why Is It So Important?

Oftentimes math is a "mystery" to students. By utilizing a CPA (Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract) approach when introducing and working with new math content, we can demystify what is happening by making the math real. By utilizing all three components of the CPA approach in conjunction, students are better equipped to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of the mathematical content they are learning. This conceptual understanding of prerequisite math skills will serve as a foundation as students progress throughout their math journey.

To learn more about how students' mathematical understanding is developed through the use of the CPA approach to mathematics instruction, check out this short video on the progression of addition and subtraction skills from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Progression of Addition and Subtraction

All the Meadow View students who participated in the BCBS Kids Marathon did a great job. These students ran their last mile together and earned their finishers medal! Great Job! We are so proud of you!

We have just finished our jump rope, cup stacking, and gymnastics units. We will be starting dance and striking soon! I hope everyone is ready to get their groove on. Be sure and ask your child which dance was their favorite and ask them to teach it to you!

I know it seems far away but Field Day is creeping up on us. You are invited to join us on May 9th! We will have some really fun stations including sack races, refreshments, sled races, and water stations, just to name a few. This year we will offer Field Day t-shirts, backpacks, temporary tattoos, and water bottles. The Physical Education department uses this money to purchase new equipment and replace old, worn out equipment. You have always supported us and we thank you so much! Order forms will be coming home soon. I know everyone will have a blast on Field Day!

Stay happy and active!

Baked Cheese Sticks Recipe

2 mozzarella sticks, cut in half

1/4 cup bran cereal crumbs (I put Fiber One in the food processor)

1 egg white

salt & pepper to taste

serve with: marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, season cereal crumbs with salt & pepper.

Dip cheese sticks into egg white, then dredge with crumbs.

Repeat dipping into egg white; roll in crumbs to coat.

Lay on a sprayed baking sheet; bake for about 10 minutes.

2 servings.

Healthy Tip

March is National Nutrition Month

During Nutrition Month, we wanted to share some tips to eat healthy on a budget:

1. Create a shopping list- Plan ahead! Create a grocery list based on your weekly meal plan and stick to it. Skip highly processed and snack foods, they tend to be more expensive.

2. Plan around sales- looks for sales and plan around them, check with stores that price-match.

3. Pick seasonal produce- Shop seasonal produce, and shop local farmers markets.

4. Meat sales matter- when your favorite meat is on sale, STOCK UP. Also, plan to go meatless once or twice a week.

5. Sock up on dry goods- whole grains and beans are generally inexpensive, so stock up when they are on sale. You can also buy in bulk. You can also prepare ahead of time and freeze.

We are always busy in the music classroom!

Kindergarten: pitch exploration, singing, steady beat, movement exploration, circle games, playing unpitched percussion instruments, read aloud books

First Grade: pitch exploration, singing alone and with others, movement exploration, steady beat, rhythm, circle games, playing pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, read aloud books.

Second Grade: Lots of singing! We’ve been busy preparing for our Let’s Celebrate America performance in March!

Third Grade: note values, rhythmic reading, melodic reading, dancing, improvisation, playing pitched and unpitched instruments, instrument technique.

Meadow View Singers: Rehearsals are in full swing as we prepare for our spring concert in May!

Kindergarten students viewed the artwork of Wassily Kandinsky and used his concentric circles as inspiration for their own paintings. They also looked at the color wheel and learned about cool and warm colors.

First graders were introduced to the abstract art of Alma Thomas and created colorful work in her style. They are now working on creating 3-D paper sculptures.

Second graders have been introduced to weaving and worked on woven paper pieces. They are now getting started on a project using yarn to weave a rainbow.

Third graders discussed the job of an architect and many have been sketching zoos as part of an architecture drawing contest. Third grade classes have also explored with some 3-D creations, some with cardboard and some with air dry clay.

Our annual Art to Remember projects are currently available to order online at www.arttoremember.com. The due date for ordering is April 4th.

We are excited to announce the "Attributes of a Champion" program!

The program is an initiative designed to promote character education and encourage positive behaviors by teaching lessons on five focus words that we call the "Attributes of a Champion." The program will span all grade levels, pre-k through third grade. It was developed in a district-wide, collaborative setting by teachers, counselors, and administrators of all five schools in our district. We think it will be a great addition to our already wonderful school!

Program Essentials:

- The five "Attributes of a Champion" are: accountability, commitment, integrity, leadership, and excellence.

- We will focus on one attribute/focus word at a time.

- The school counselors and the Kindness Crew will create videos about the program to be shown by classroom teachers. The first video will introduce the program. Follow-up videos will be enrichment lessons that will teach about the focus attribute and give examples of behavior expectations that go along with the focus attribute.

- Faculty and staff will be asked to participate in the program by giving reminders about the focus attribute and encouraging students to work toward displaying traits of the focus attribute.

- Faculty and staff will distribute Wow cards to students who they see exhibiting traits of the focus attribute.

- Students who are given a Wow card will place their Wow card in their grade level mailbox in the front office.

- The school counselors and the Kindness Crew will periodically draw Wow cards from the mailboxes to recognize a few of the students who have put in a Wow card.

- Two Wow cards from each grade level will be drawn for each attribute. The two students drawn from the mailbox will be recognized as an honoree for that attribute.

- Members of the Kindness Crew will go to each honoree's classroom and announce that they are being recognized for having their Wow card drawn from the attribute mailbox.

- Kindness Crew members will give honorees a Wow lanyard to wear and keep!

- Winners will have their photo taken to be featured on the bulletin board in the cafeteria, Facebook, and the tv in the lobby.

If you'd like to watch the videos for more information, please view our Google Classroom on your child's Chromebook - code XQMA6LW

As always, feel free to call us if you have any questions or need help of any kind.

Cordially,

Lucy Chapman and Karen Snyder, MVES Counselors

This quarter in the Meadow View Elementary library, students explored a variety of engaging lessons that combined literature, history, and creativity!

**Discovering Graphic Novels**
First, second, and third graders learned about the exciting world of graphic novels! They learned how pictures and words work together to tell stories in a unique way. Students discovered some great graphic novel series perfect for early readers.

**Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.**
In January, we took time to learn about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Through books and discussions, students gained a deeper understanding of his contributions to civil rights, while learning about the importance of kindness, fairness, and using our voices to make a difference.

**Caldecott Award Lessons**
Students across all grades explored the prestigious Caldecott Medal, awarded annually to the best-illustrated children’s book. They learned what makes a picture book stand out and enjoyed past and present Caldecott winners, analyzing the artwork and storytelling techniques.

**Celebrating Children’s Authors & Read Across America Week**
As part of Read Across America Week, students learned about beloved children’s authors, including Dr. Seuss! We explored his imaginative storytelling, rhymes, and creativity while also highlighting other influential authors whose books inspire young readers.

**Thank You for a Successful Book Fair!**
A huge THANK YOU to our incredible parents, students, and teachers for making our Book Fair such a success! Thanks to your support, the library raised over $6,000, which will go directly toward expanding our collection and inspiring a love of reading in our students.
Whether you shopped, volunteered, or encouraged a love for books, YOU made a difference! We truly appreciate your generosity and enthusiasm for literacy at Meadow View Elementary!

We’ve had a wonderful nine weeks in the library, and we look forward to even more great books and learning adventures in the coming months!

We had a blast learning in the STEAM lab during the 3rd nine weeks! Kindergarten has talked about hibernation and snowflakes as well as decoding a secret Valentine's message! First grade has worked on exploring magnets, building a new chair for baby bears since Goldilocks broke it, and decoded their own secret message as well! Second grade created their own snow scoops, went ice skating with friction, and created their own coding language! Third graders participated in the great chain race where they made a chain from one sheet of paper. The longest chain was 125 inches!!! They also did science with candy hearts to see whether they would sink or float in water, vinegar, and soda. They made coding bracelets using binary coding which was a ton of fun! We have also been learning about Bessie Coleman-creating their own plane, Benjamin Banneker-creating their own constellation, Mae Jemison-creating their own space shuttle launch, and the first all black basketball team-creating their own basketball goal.

Kindergarten: Our kindergarten students are doing a great job logging into their Google accounts. We are also practicing finding numbers and letters on the keyboard.

First Grade: Our first graders started the nine weeks reviewing keyboard skills and learning about mapping tools. The students have been using drawing tools to fill in and create different objects.

Second Graders: We have spent the last few weeks focusing on test-taking skills. We will start reviewing keyboarding skills and databases.

Third Graders: We have also spent the last few weeks focusing on test-taking skills. We will be reviewing keyboarding skills and learning about about flowcharts and spreadsheets.

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March 12: GRC Field Trip to Barber's Museum

March 14: Boosterthon

March 18: Spring Pictures for PreK, Kindergarten & First Grade

March 21: Spring Pictures for Second & Third Grade

March 24 - 28: Spring Break - No School

April 1: Miss Annie Visits Kindergarten

April 18: Weather Day - No School

April 22: Second & Third Grades to THS for "Shrek the Musical"

April 24: Last Day for Warrior Reading

April 25: PreK Field Trip to the Zoo

Cap & Gown Pictures for Kindergarten

May 2: Parade of Graduates

May 5 - 9: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 8: Meadow View Singers Spring Concert

May 9: Field Day

May 12: Field Day Rain Date

May 16: Kona Ice

May 21: PreK Park Day & End of the Year Party

May 22: Last Day of School for Students

MVES is a School-Wide Title I School. The Parenting Room is open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Alabaster City Schools students will no longer receive breakfast and lunch at no charge. All eligible families need to fill out the free and reduced online application for federal funding for our schools and to ensure their eligibility for programs like P-EBT.

Click HERE to apply.

The Alabaster City Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in any of its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies.

Dr. Dorann Tanner; Chief Student Services Officer (Title VI) (Title IX - student concerns) dorann.tanner@acsboe.org

Dr. Latanza M. Harrison; Chief Human Resources Officer (Title IX) latanza.harrison@acsboe.org

Ms. Lisa Radcliff; Exceptional Education & Federal Programs (Section 504) lisa.radcliff@acsboe.org

Meadow View Elementary School - Alabaster City Schools

Our Motto

"Champions of Our Future"

Our Mission

Preparing Students for their Future

Our Vision

To partner with families and the community to inspire and prepare graduates to be responsible and productive champions of their future.