West Elementary News

Exploring equal parts lays the foundation for the fractions your youngster will learn about when he’s older. Enjoy these activities together. ● Spot equal parts. Encourage your child to look around the house for items divided into halves, thirds, and fourths. He might find a loveseat with two cushions (halves), a tub of Neapolitan ice cream with three flavors (thirds), and a staircase with four steps (fourths). ● Draw pictures. Suggest that your youngster use art to show equal parts. For example, he could sketch a four-leaf clover (fourths), a pizza with six slices (sixths), or a Ferris wheel with eight carriages (eighths). Ask him to tell you about his drawings so he gets a chance to use fraction words.

Math + Science Connection, Beginning Edition, March 2021

The weather decided to once again provide some challenges but next week we will release some new dates for the literacy nights. Conference sign-ups will be open starting Monday so please get signed up with your teachers. We also have an impressive collection of lost and found items so stop by and grab anything that belongs to your child. Last week we finished up with interviews for new teachers coming to West. Those names will be released during the March Board meeting. Lastly, thank you for your patience with pick-up and drop offs, the snow creates a lot of congestion in the parking lot. This summer we will be looking to create a better system for this process!

One of the best parts of St. Patrick’s Day is designing and building a leprechaun trap! STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) can be incorporated into the fun activity!

A simple leprechaun trap can be built from items you find around the house or inexpensive dollar store items. The fun is in coming up with design ideas using things you already have. Rainbows, a shamrock, a small black pot, gold coins, or lucky charms, and plenty of the color green are fun things to include when making your leprechaun trap.

Click the links for St. Patty’s Day STEM Activities:

Jr. Engineer Leprechaun Trap Engineering Challenge

St. Patrick’s Day STEM Fun

*Info from: littlebinsforlittlehands.com

Have you ever heard someone read choppy and without expression? Broken reading is often hard to listen to, sounds awkward, and decreases comprehension. A fluent reader, on the other hand, read accurately and with expression. The text flows with appropriate speed so the reader is able to understand what is being read. Many times children who struggle with fluency lose interest and do not want to read.

Does your child read slowly? Does he read choppy and often lose track of his place when reading? Does she lack expression? Does your child often get frustrated when reading and quit?

If any of the above are true, rereading text is an excellent strategy to help your child gain fluency and confidence when reading.

How can you help your child with this strategy at home?

1. Have your child choose a different paragraph from the story they are reading each day. Have them reread that paragraph until they can read it smoothly, with expression, and read all the words correctly. This practice doesn't take long, only 5-8 minutes each day.

2. Remind your child that he/ she must be reading from a good- fit book. If the book is too difficult, your child's energy will be spent on decoding words and not on fluent reading.

3. Model what fluent reading sounds like by reading aloud to your child. Then, have your child reread a paragraph they have heard you read.

As always, be sure to continue to offer your child support and encouragement!

The CAFE book, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

Based off of both staff and student survey results West Elementary focused on responsible decision-making skills during the month of February. We called this our "February focus". Students were able to enjoy a pajama day last Friday to celebrate our responsible decision making skills. Staff was on the lookout for students making responsible decisions all around school. This resulted in an increase of positive interactions and behaviors! PBIS students of the week were nominated because of their responsible decision-making skills and got to have "Breakfast with Bjustrom". The donuts in February were sponsored by Burns Chiropractic and the The Archery Shop & Range.

Every child should be able to make constructive choices. Children that are given little opportunity to assert reasonable and appropriate control in their lives will attempt to gain that control through misbehavior, arguing, and manipulation. We can teach children responsible decision-making skills by offering them choices within limits.

1. Offer two choices that you are absolutely fine with.
2. Offer choices at every opportunity. This builds up your child’s sense of autonomy and power and gives them the skills to make a responsible decision.
3. Allow your child about ten seconds to choose. Can’t wait all day!
4. If your child doesn’t choose, make the choice for her or him.

March 2- 2 Hr Early Out, Read Across America Day (Thing 1, Thing 2, and The Cat and The Hat will visit classrooms)

March 4 PIE Meeting at West Elementary at noon

March 8 Parent Teacher Conferences (Please sign up for a time that works for you.)

March 10 Parent Teacher Conferences

March 11- 18 No School, Spring Break

March 30 Readiness/ Kindergarten Parent Meeting at 5pm at West Elementary

March 31 Grades 3-4 Music Concert at 7 at the High School

Week of April 4 West Elementary ISASP for grades 3 and 4

April 6 Preschool Open House/ Registration 4-5:30 at West Elementary