Horizon Elementary News

Feb. 2: Groundhog Day

Feb. 2-6: National School Counseling Week

Feb. 3: 100th Day of School

Feb. 4: World Read Aloud Day – Class Reunions

Feb. 4: Battle of the Brains at Union Station

Feb. 5: Sub lunch Winners

Feb. 12: Valentine’s Day Activities

Feb. 13: No School- Staff Professional Development Day

Feb. 15: School Resource Appreciation Day

Feb. 16: No School- President’s Day

Feb. 18: Board Meeting 7 pm

Feb. 23: Elementary Board Awards

Feb. 24: Tornado Drill

Feb. 24: Sub Perb Winner Lunch

Feb. 27: Frozen Friday

We will be learning about community helpers this month. It’s important for children to understand the different roles in our community and how people work together to solve problems. We will start the unit with the post office. Then we will add in first responders, veterinarian and librarian.

We will also be participating in Valentines Across America. We will be receiving and sending valentines to family and friends. We hope to get cards from as many states and countries as possible. We will be marking them on a map as they arrive.

ELA: We are learning all about Native Americans in our CKLA unit. Our skills unit will focus on three additional new elements: consonant clusters, letter names, and reading text independently.

Math: We are working on our teen numbers and using base 10 blocks to represent numbers.

Science/SS: We will continue to learn about presidents Abraham Lincoln and George Washington and the importance of President’s Day.

Science/SS: We will continue to learn about famous Americans and will focus on some famous Presidents like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We will learn why we celebrate President’s Day.

ELA: We are making great gains as we start the month of February here in 2nd grade! In our upcoming CKLA Knowledge unit, we will be learning all about the different types of poetry. The students will have a blast getting to be creative while writing their own poems. Our CKLA Skills unit is continuing to build our knowledge of multiple syllable words and vowel teams as we move forward.

Math: In math we will be moving away from three digit addition and subtraction and into some math life skills such as learning how to count money, tell time, and identify shapes. THis is always a fun time of year for the students to use hands on manipulatives and grow their math knowledge.

Science/SS: We are just beginning our first big science unit of the year on Properties of Matter. The students will be learning about the three types of matter and all the interesting properties that go with different types of matter.

SEL: Our Second Steps lessons in the month of February will be mostly focused on problem solving. These are great skills for students to continue focusing as they get older and get more independent all the time.

ELA: We are wrapping up our Eureka! Student Inventor unit. Students have had a great deal of fun researching, reading, collaborating, building, presenting, dancing (yes, dancing), and opinion writing. Our next unit, Road to Independence: The American Revolution, centers on the big idea

that disagreements over the principles of government led colonists in North America to seek independence from Great Britain. By learning about the causes, major figures, and consequences of the American Revolution, students gain an understanding of what caused the thirteen original colonies to break away and become an independent nation, as well as the ideas and values at the heart of the conflict. Since fourth graders learned about many of these events in social studies, we will be able to focus on cause and effect writing, along with developing proficiency in subject-verb agreement, and deepening knowledge and understanding of prefixes and suffixes.

Math: Fourth grade has been busy in math! We are finishing up our current unit on measurement conversions, with units such as, time, length, weight, and volume. We have been working on converting with both the standard and metric systems! We are working through word problems with time, money, length, volume, and weight! Next, we will be entering the world of fractions! We will start with equivalent fractions, and learn to compare fractions. Also, we will be working on adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator!

Science/SS: We are wrapping up our American Revolution simulation! Students have been acting as Patriots, Loyalists, and Neutralists, and been subject to King George’s taxes. We have worked our way through the First and Second Continental Congress. Next, we will be moving into our next science unit! Stay tuned and check our weekly newsletter for more details!

SEL: We are working on empathy and kindness in fourth grade! We will continue this work throughout the rest of the year!

WE LOVE FIFTH GRADE!! It is the month of February and we are moving and grooving here. The third quarter is always a very busy time. We are really diving into new content and our brains are growing daily. Please encourage your fifth grader to keep their mind in the game as we move into this challenging time. We all believe that this group has the 'HEART' to succeed.

ELA: After wrapping up our unit on Don Quixote, we will begin our next nonfiction unit which will explore the oceans of the world. Deep Blue World is an informational unit that explores the diversity of animal and plant life within six ocean ecosystems. Students read rigorous informational texts and consider big questions regarding the characteristics of ocean environments that support thriving ecosystems. Informational texts and paired texts about marine biologists, oceanic phenomena, and marine life are used to develop students’ reading and writing skills.

Math: February is SO fun here in fifth grade mathematics! The students will be exploring the world of multiplying and dividing fractions. With this comes some really awesome realizations and learning outcomes. It is so great to see those wheels turning. These kiddos are true mathematicians and I couldn't be prouder of their progress so far this school year. Let's keep it rolling!

Science/SS:

ELA: As a reading and writing community, we are close reading a variety of sources related to the sinking of the Titanic. Students have immersed themselves in understanding what it was like to be a passenger on the unsinkable ship. In doing so, they have taken a stance on who, they believe, is to blame for the lives lost. We are working together to compose an argumentative writing piece that presents their claim and supports it with cited evidence from our readings. Students will also engage in a debate to help them understand the purpose of counterclaims and rebuttals in their writing to strengthen an argument. As writers, 6th graders are finding strong evidence to argue their claim!

Math: February is an exciting time in 6th Grade Math! We are officially diving into our unit on Algebraic Thinking. This unit introduces foundational concepts that will continue to grow and develop over the next several years of your child’s math journey. Students will work on creating algebraic expressions from real-world situations, balancing equations, and analyzing relationships between numbers and variables. Through hands-on activities, discussions, and problem solving, students will build confidence in thinking flexibly and explaining their mathematical reasoning. This is an important step toward deeper mathematical understanding, and we’re excited to see students rise to the challenge!

Science/SS: This month, we are continuing our study of Ancient China. Students will weigh the costs and benefits of the Great Wall of China and construct an argument about whether it was worth building. We will also explore the contributions of the Han Dynasty. In addition, students will play a game where they will take on the role of merchants traveling the Silk Road as they attempt to collect and trade a variety of goods. Toward the end of the month, we will begin our Weather Patterns unit. Students will act as forensic meteorologists to investigate why rainstorms are becoming more severe by studying the water cycle, energy transfer, and how rain forms through simulations and hands-on activities.

SEL: Our Unit for February is Developing a Sense of Self! During this unit, students will focus on building self-awareness, confidence, and personal responsibility. We will explore topics such as recognizing personal strengths, understanding emotions, setting goals, and developing a positive mindset. Students will also practice self-reflection, learn strategies for managing challenges, and discuss how their choices impact themselves and others. This unit supports students in growing both academically and socially as they continue to develop independence and resilience.

February: Privacy & Security - Smart choices protect future possibilities.

1. Make creating strong passwords a family challenge — mistakes are part of learning!
   
   

2. Explore app permissions together and talk about why it matters who sees our data.
   
   

3. Share times you’ve learned to say “no” to sharing too much — it models growth.
   
   

4. Let kids troubleshoot with you when a device or login fails — problem-solving builds persistence.

Students across all grade levels are diving into creative problem‑solving and digital skills this month in Technology & Innovation.

• Kindergarten is exploring Ozobots and learning how simple coding sequences can make their tiny robots come to life.

• 1st Grade is wrapping up their boat‑building challenge, testing designs and reflecting on what helps a structure float.

• 2nd Grade is digging deeper into Code.org, practicing debugging skills and learning how to fix broken code.

• 3rd & 4th Grade are becoming designers in Canva as they create Famous Missourian trading cards and Pet Adoption posters.

• 5th Grade is learning about digital identity — what it is, how it’s shaped, and why it matters in their online lives.

We’re excited to see students grow as thinkers, creators, and responsible digital citizens.

Love is in the air in our library as February is National Library Lover’s Month! The entire month is dedicated to celebrating our library and those who love to visit it. But really, who are we kidding? Everyday is the perfect day to share our love of reading!

1st and 2nd grades will be finishing up their Show-Me nominated books this month and will be voting for their favorite book. The winner will be announced in April and we will see if our votes match! We will be learning about illustrators and exploring books that have won and are nominated for the Caldecott Award.

3rd-6th grades will be voting for their favorite book from the Great Kids Can Read, Mark Twain, and Truman nominated books this month. Winners for these books will also be announced in April. Students who participated in and completed the Mark Twain reading challenge will be attending the Children’s Literature Festival in Warrensburg on Monday, March 9. Permission slips are being sent home this week if your child qualifies. (Read a minimum of 6 nominated chapter books). More information will be coming home as the date gets closer.

6th Grade Books vs. Movies is working on finishing up our first chapter book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham. We will be watching the movie after next week.

Our art room has been a busy place lately, with lots of new and exciting materials and lessons. We have a student teacher in the art classroom, Ms. Downs, and she will be here teaching until the end of February. The students have been so excited to get to work with her!

Each grade level is moving into a unit focused on the Studio Habit of Observe.

Kindergarten artists will be doing their first observation drawings by rotating tables to draw different objects. Their objective is to look closely and include several accurate details.

1st graders will be building structures with blocks and drawing what they’ve built from observation. Their objective is to look closely and include shapes and colors that are like the objects.

2nd grade will be working on using their observation skills to draw landscapes. They will be learning about terms such as horizon line, foreground, middleground, background, and overlapping. They will also learn about how to use size difference in similar objects to create the illusion of depth in their artwork (example: houses getting smaller when they are farther away in the picture).

3rd and 4th grade artists will be using their observation skills to show dark and light in their artwork.

5th grade will be practicing some quick still life drawings as a group, then will be tasked with creating their own still life setup that we will photograph and use as a visual reference for a future drawing.

This month we had our basketball unit for all grade levels. Our focus was ball-handling and shooting. We did a lot of drills and games for both, and luckily at Horizon our basketball goals can go from 7 ½ feet to 10 feet, which is perfect for our K-3 grades! A lot of goals were made and we have some really good dribblers!

Here is what we will be doing in February:

K-4 will be playing team building games that require team strategy, sportsmanship, throwing, rolling, catching and growth mindset. We will also be working on jump-rope and fitness goals!

5th-6th grade will be starting archery this month. We will start with finding our eye dominance and procedures to safely have an archery unit. Just as is done in Smithville Archery Club. It is required that students have the correct shoes to participate. Specifically nothing that is open-toed or crocks.

Hello Horizon families and welcome back! Here’s a little bit about what will be happening in the music room in February:

Kindergarten: Kindergarten will end our high and low unit as we move into moving up and down. We will also use the valentine’s holiday to remind ourselves of steady beat and how beat stays steady like our hearts.

1st Grade: 1st grade has been learning about the 3 basic notes/rests of rhythm. This includes Quarter Notes (ta), Eighth Notes (ta-di) and Rest (shhh). After identifying these notes students will apply them through reading and creating rhythms. Students will then apply rhythms in “Rhythm Tic-Tac-Toe” and “Rhythm Bingo”.

2nd Grade: Students are experiencing stations in the music room for the first time! Students will be rotating around to different activities in the classroom where they will practice rhythms and the new note: a half note (ta-a).

3rd & 4th Grade: Both 3rd and 4th grade will begin listening to and learning their music for our upcoming music program! Our program this year is called “Wright” and is a fun musical about the Wright brothers and the beginning of flight! Our program will take place March 12th at 6pm in the Smithville Performing Arts Center. Be on the lookout for an email with more details about this show!

5th Grade: 5th Grade is moving into our brand new BUCKET DRUM UNIT! Thanks to our amazing PTO fundraiser last year, our music room has enough bucket drums for entire classes to learn! We will work on extended rhythms and how to play this new percussion instrument.

6th Grade: In our 6th grade Music Around Us Class, we are learning about different Careers in Music. Along with this we learned about Foley Artists, who create sounds for film. We will begin a Foley project where we get to become Foley Artists and create sounds to accompany a Tom and Jerry episode!

Choir: This semester the Sunset Singers will be preparing for our annual Smithville Elementary Music Festival. Although it is structured a bit differently this year, students will still get the opportunity to work in a festival type setting while being cliniced by all 3 elementary directors in the district! Our festival will take place on April 14th, please save this date now if you have not already!

match the spirit of the month: Social Awareness, Respect for Self & Others, and Empathy. These skills are the foundation of healthy relationships, a positive school climate, and success both inside and outside the classroom.

Here’s what your child will be exploring:

• Social Awareness: Learning to “read the room.” We’ll discuss how to recognize and understand the feelings, perspectives, and cultures of those around us. This includes noticing body language and understanding that others may have different thoughts and experiences.

• Respect for Self & Others: We’ll talk about what respect truly looks like—in our words, actions, and attitudes. This means honoring our own worth (positive self-talk, setting boundaries) and showing care and consideration for peers, staff, and family.

• Empathy (Our Superpower!): Moving beyond just recognizing feelings to truly understanding and caring about them. We’ll may practice “stepping into someone else’s shoes” through stories, role-playing, and discussions to build compassion and kindness.

Activities will include:

• Engaging in cooperative games that require understanding and teamwork.

• Practicing “I-Statements” and respectful communication.

• Identifying emotions in ourselves and others and exploring appropriate ways to respond.

How You Can Help at Home:

1. Model Empathy: Verbally label feelings (yours and your child’s). “It looks like you’re feeling frustrated because your tower fell. That can be disappointing.”

2. Discuss Perspectives: When reading or watching a show, ask, “How do you think that character felt? Why?”

3. Practice Respectful Interactions: Encourage turn-taking, active listening, and using polite words as a family.

4. Celebrate Differences: Talk about what makes people unique—in your family, your neighborhood, and the world—and how those differences make our community stronger.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if there are specific ways I can support your child’s social-emotional growth.

Wishing you a month filled with kindness and connection.

Cafeteria Stars: Ms. Billings' third-grade students WON AGAIN..... demonstrating respect, responsibility, and kindness during lunch. They consistently follow cafeteria expectations, making our shared spaces enjoyable for everyone. WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!