Horizon Elementary News
On the Path to Possibilities - April Newsletter
Happy April, Horizon Families!
Welcome to the busiest—and arguably most exciting—stretch of the school year! It truly feels like "March Madness" here at Horizon as we race toward the finish line. Between the energy in the classrooms and the packed calendar, we are moving at lightning speed.
Here is everything you need to know to navigate the weeks ahead:
The Scholastic Book Fair:
Get ready to grow those home libraries! The Book Fair is happening now and will continue through next week. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to find new favorites and support our school library.
Important Dates:
Please update your calendars with the following reminders:
No School: Friday, April 17th (Teacher Professional Development)
Panorama Survey: The survey window is open from March 16th through March 27th. This is a vital tool that helps us understand our students' experiences and how we can continue to grow. Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions.
MAP Testing & Statewide Assessment:
Our Statewide Assessments (MAP Testing) are scheduled for April 27th through May 13th.
Because these assessments take place first thing in the morning, we kindly ask that you reschedule all morning appointments during this window. Having your child present and ready to go ensures they can "show what they know" without the added stress of make-up sessions! This testing also requires some schedule changes for all grade levels. Please reach out to your classroom teacher for specific changes.
We are so grateful for your continued partnership during this "full-court press" to the end of the year. Thank you for all you do to support our students and staff!
Take Care,
Mrs. Kristi Mellon Horizon Elementary Principal
mellonk@smithville.k12.mo.us
Early Childhood:
Warrior Preschool:
Kindergarten:
ELA: We started our new Knowledge unit about American symbols & presidents. We are learning about presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Barack Obama. We are also learning about Washington D.C. and Mount Rushmore. In our skills unit we are reading in our new decodable reader, “Seth.” We are exploring new tricky words: down, out, and of and sounds “qu” and “ng.”
Math: We are learning all about coins: penny, nickel, dime and quarter!
Science/SS: We are currently finishing up our unit on plants and animal needs.
SEL: We are learning more about empathy and kindness.
First Grade:
ELA: We’ve started a new unit in Knowledge - Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca. We are excited to learn about the people of long ago. In our skills unit we are learning about different spellings for consonant sounds. We are also practicing writing a narrative story.
Math: We are currently learning about different shapes and how to divide shapes into equal parts.We will then move into learning about money. We will learn the names and values of coins.
Science/SS: As we work on money in Math, we will also talk about economics in social studies. We will talk about goods and services. We will also discuss the difference between wants and needs.
SEL: Our next few Second Steps lessons focus on problem solving. We will learn how to identify what the problem is and how to decide if it was an accident. We will also learn how to be assertive when we need help.
Second Grade:
ELA: This month, our second graders are diving into the hidden world of biology! We started our journey with Anton van Leeuwenhoek, the "Father of Microbiology," and his incredible discoveries with the microscope. From there, students are zooming in to explore the human body from the inside out—learning how cells, tissues, and organs work together to create our complex body systems. We are placing a special focus on the digestive and excretory systems before wrapping up the unit with a look at the "fuel" that keeps us going: good nutrition and the keys to lifelong health!
In Skills, our second graders are becoming "word detectives" as we dive into Unit 5. We are exploring tricky spelling alternatives for vowel sounds and mastering the mysterious "schwa" sound (like the 'a' in balloon). Students are also learning to "chunk" longer words into smaller pieces to tackle big, multisyllabic vocabulary with confidence.
In writing, we are putting our creative hats on to rewrite the endings of stories from our Sir Gus Reader. Along the way, we’ll be sharpening our grammar skills by hunting for adjectives and identifying the subjects and predicates that make our sentences complete.
Math: We are laying the groundwork for multiplication by exploring arrays and partitions. Students will practice breaking rectangles into equal rows and columns and using repeated addition (e.g., $2 + 2 + 2 = 6$) to find totals quickly and accurately.
Science/SS: We are learning about plant and animal relationships.
SEL: Students are learning how to be problem solvers.
Third Grade:
This year is flying by us! It’s hard to believe that we are already in the last quarter of the school year! April is an exciting and busy month in 3rd grade. We will have our field trip to Arabia Steamboat Museum this month and we will be taking time to prepare for our first experience with the MAP test.
ELA:We have wrapped up our novel study over Charlette’s Web, which the students absolutely loved! Our next unit is a nonfiction unit and it will be over the study of jazz: From Blues to Bebop, All That Jazz! This unit should take us through the remainder of this month.
Math: We are wrapping up our current unit over area and perimeter. Our math work in April will focus on one and two-step word problems using all 4 operations.
Science/SS: We are currently in our final science unit over Forces and Motion and we will switch back to social studies for our last unit over economics. In oureconomics unit, students will be creating their own business, developing a product, budgeting, and setting up their shop.
SEL: Students are reviewing how to be resilient and show kindness.
Fourth Grade:
ELA: We wrapped up our unit, Road to Independence, and now we are ready to begin our novel study. Fourth graders will read the classic, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. During this unit, students will review narrative elements. Students will write narratives and will practice using textual evidence to answer questions.
Math: We are continuing to work on fractions throughout the month of April! We are finishing up multiplying fractions by whole numbers, then we will move into decimals! Students will learn how to convert fractions into decimals and vice versa. We will focus on tenths and hundredths. We will also learn how to compare decimals!
Science/SS: We have been working hard on the Human Body, Vision, and Brain! We will continue this unit and then be able to dive into the next Social Studies Unit! Government! We will see what the government does to make decisions!
SEL: Second Steps have been great! We wrapped up the unit Empathy and Kindness! We are going to be starting on the unit Problem Solving!
Fifth Grade:
April showers bring May MAP flowers here in fifth grade! We are BUSY BUSY here this month in the fifth grade hallway as we prepare for the final quarter and our MAP testing!! Please help us support these fifth graders as they finish their school year. We want them to be confident and competent as they move into sixth grade next year.
ELA: After Spring break we will begin our last unit. This unit focuses on the classic novel The Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster. The story follows Milo, a young boy who finds that a phantom tollbooth has suddenly appeared in his bedroom with a mysterious note. As students progress through the novel and the lessons, they read the text closely, learn to analyze characters and settings, and examine the use of language and themes. In particular, students analyze figurative language and other literary techniques; make inferences about characters, settings, plot development, and the author’s craft; and interpret multiple-meaning words.
Math: April is an exciting time here in fifth grade mathematics. Our goal this month is to finish up our study of order of operations (Algebraic expressions). We will also dive into the world of three dimensional space by looking at the volume of rectangular prisms. Lots of spatial awareness goes into this study and the students find it quite engaging. If time allows we will also tiptoe into the world of multiplying decimal numbers. Of course, some class time will also be utilized to help prepare ourselves for the upcoming MAP assessment. It will, no doubt, be an exciting time here in Room 113!
Science/SS: This month in science, we wrapped up our unit on space systems, where students explored concepts such as the sun, moon, Earth, and patterns we observe in the sky. We are now transitioning into our new unit on Earth systems. Students have begun learning about the four major spheres of Earth: the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and how these systems interact with one another. As we continue through this unit, students will deepen their understanding of how changes in one sphere can impact the others. Next, we will begin exploring the water cycle and examine how water moves through Earth’s systems, as well as discuss environmental impacts and how humans can affect these natural processes. This month in social studies, students are beginning an exciting state research project. Each student will be assigned a state to explore in depth, learning about its geography, history, landmarks, climate, and important facts. Throughout the project, students will practice researching, organizing information, and presenting their learning in a meaningful way. This project is a great opportunity for students to build their research and presentation skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse regions of the United States. We look forward to seeing their hard work come together as they complete and share their projects.
SEL: Students are learning the important skill of persevering through difficult tasks!
Sixth Grade:
ELA: We have been focusing on a unit that provides students with the opportunity to read and evaluate ideas presented in Greek Myths. The lessons focus on themes around the rights and responsibilities of humans. As readers, we explore the Prometheus myth to consider whether or not humans deserved fire and Prometheus deserved to be punished for providing it. We also read Odysseus’s description of meeting the Cyclops Polyphemus, then consider how these two tricksters treat one another and identify the character traits that define Odysseus. Finally, we are wrapping up our unit by reading a retelling of Ovid’s “Arachne” myth, focusing on the different ways that Greek mythology influenced other writers to communicate similar themes. This unit provides readers with an overview of how storytellers have used literature for centuries to grapple with some of life’s great questions, and it underscores the importance of text as a way for readers to learn about themselves and their communities. As writers during this unit, we have composed responses that demonstrate our ability to make a claim in response to a question, provide cited textual evidence that supports our thinking, and include reasoning that connects our evidence to our claim.
Our final unit will focus on reading Summer of the Mariposas Some of the ideas that we will return to throughout our readings will be the characterization of the sisters, the stages of a hero’s journey, and the themes of family and identity. This will support us while we consider how characters change and develop.
Math: During the month of April, our focus in 6th grade math is geared towards understanding
and solving problems within the coordinate plane, as well as, an introduction to data and statistics! Students will use these topics to represent and define/explain real world situations! We will also be spending some time reviewing 6th grade concepts and preparing for the MAP test!
Science/SS:
SEL: The unit we are currently focusing on with students is titled, “Managing Relationships and Social Conflict”. We are learning strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict. This unit’s content helps students learn to honor and understand differences based on varied personal, familial, and cultural backgrounds.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:
Recognize the difference between minor and major social conflicts
Describe the different perspectives of the people involved in a conflict
Apply the four-step conflict resolution process
Identify ways to make amends after a social conflict
Technology & Innovation:
April brings a fresh round of hands‑on learning across all grade levels.
Kindergarten students are diving deeper into coding with Ozobot Ari, experimenting with more complex color‑code sequences and exploring how small changes affect robot behavior.
First graders are coding with Indi robots and building important digital‑learning independence by practicing their district usernames and passwords.
Second graders are beginning block‑based coding with Dash, learning how sequencing and loops help robots move with purpose.
Third graders are engineering their own cardboard skateparks, applying design steps and simple machines to create structures that really work.
Fourth graders are finally launching into Battle Bots, where teams design and build robot attachments while managing a classroom budget, making collaborative decisions, and solving design challenges through the engineering process.
Fifth graders are beginning a choice‑based project that lets them take the driver’s seat by selecting a pathway—engineering, robotics, circuits, digital design, or media creation—and guiding their own learning from start to finish.
Sixth graders are tackling authentic engineering and design challenges, building prototypes and refining their ideas through testing and iteration.
April: Media Literacy & Fake News - Learning to think critically is a process.
Ask your child: “Who made this? Why?” — curiosity builds deeper thinkers.
When spotting fake news, say: “Good catch! That’s a skill that takes time.”
Help your child know it’s okay to admit when they were misled — that’s part of learning.
Library:
SPRING BOOK FAIR IS HERE! Due to Spring Break falling the week before book fair this year we will only have it for one week instead of our normal 2 weeks. The book fair will be from Monday, April 6 - Friday, April 10. Students will be able to shop during their regular classroom time. FAMILY NIGHT will be on Thursday, Apr 9, 2026 and I will keep the fair open from 4:30-7:00pm.
eWallet Link - https://www.scholastic.com/bf/horizonelementaryschool10
MARCH BOOK MADNESS - Our tournament of books is coming to an end this week! The winner of our Picture book and Novel bracket will be announced Monday morning! The finalists are (Picture Books) Dog Vs Strawberry vs. Don’t Trust Fish (Novels) Candle Island vs. Westfallen! Ask your children which books they are rooting for!
April’s focus:
Kindergarten will be working on listening to stories for enjoyment, nursery rhymes and poetry, and using non-fiction books as a source of information as we begin to do some early research into topics that interest them.
1st grade will work on identifying and using nonfiction text features, using nonfiction text features to help answer questions, and they will be introduced to some basic reference sources.
2nd grade will be learning how to use our online catalog to find resources in the library. They will also be practicing their alphabetical ordering skills as we practice using the dictionary and encyclopedias.
3rd grade will be learning some basic online search strategies and will be learning about copyright basics.
4th grade will be doing activities with poetry and figurative language. We will also be working on narrowing down research topics so that we can develop good questions.
5th grade will be learning about note-taking, how to find relevant sources when researching topics, and how to make a bibliography of their sources.
6th grade Encore is forming book clubs with next year’s State Award Nominees! Then the students will work on creating Book Trailers and other resources that will be used with next year’s 4th and 5th graders!
Physical Education:
The time of year has come where we will have a lot of assessments for students so that they can see where they have improved this year.
K-3rd grade is in the process of testing how many they can complete in 1 minute jump rope. We have been practicing hard for over a month each week and the time has now come. Each grade has a baseline goal, but more importantly students are doing their best to have a higher score than the first day we started. I have had a lot of students tell me great practice scores each week and excited about improvement, and I look forward to seeing the final assessment!
K-2nd grade will also be doing tee-ball and soft pitch softball next month. They will get a lot of reps hitting off of a tee, and then later get into running the bases and focus on fundamentals of playing in the field as a team.
3rd-6th grade will be wrapping up fitness assessments this month. We will be getting upper-body strength, abdominal strength, cardio, and flexibility assessments. For upper-body students get to choose either a push-up or pull-up arm hand for their test. For abdominal students will complete a 1 minute sit-up test. For cardio students will complete either the pacer or mile run. For flexibility students will do a sit & reach test. 6th grade only has to complete the pacer, as they have been assessed each month for Warrior Day. When fitness assessments are complete, we will start our pickleball unit for 3rd-6th grade. We are lucky at Horizon to have enough nets and rackets for pickleball!
Music:
Hello Horizon families! Here’s a little bit about what will be happening in the music room in April:
Kindergarten: Kindergarten will be moving through the Carnival of the Animals, as we practice all of the musical opposites that we learned about this school year! We will also work on a few songs that we will be performing at our Kindergarten celebration to show friends and family all of the amazing things we have done this year in the music room!
1st Grade: 1st grade will continue to expand their knowledge of rhythm, while also adding in new concepts of pitch. This is my favorite time to teach students the song Do Re Mi from the Sound of Music! This will occur while we begin learning about music street (otherwise known as solfege).
2nd Grade: After our amazing music program, students are continuing to practice everything they know about rhythm. They are also learning about more families that live on music street, a magical street that lives on our music staff!
3rd Grade: After an amazing music program, 3rd grade will be building their knowledge of musical instruments as we move into our instrument unit. We will learn about the different instrument families and build our knowledge of instruments! We will also continue to build our rhythmic and pitch skills that we worked so hard on first semester.
4th Grade: After an amazing music program, students will move into their first major music project in the music room. This will be a group project where students come up with their own company and a product to sell. Project groups will then learn how to promote their product through visual posters and commercial jingles. I always love to hear the jingles they come up with in this cross curricular project!
5th Grade: 5th graders are learning about the different genres of music. In the music room they are working in project groups to complete a research project on one genre of music. They will then be presenting their projects to the class, so everyone has a chance to learn about all the genres that were selected!
6th Grade: In our 6th grade Intro to instruments class, students are refreshing their knowledge of notes and rhythms. They will be reviewing all of the notes we have previously learned in 4th and 5th grade. We are doing this while learning a new instrument, bucket drums.
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!
Art:
Happy April families! It’s been a wonderfully creative month in the art room, and I’m thrilled to give you a peek into the projects, skills, and discoveries your young artists have been diving into.
Warrior Preschool and Early Childhood artists are exploring our new spring-themed
stations. Each week the activities rotate to a new table so that students can explore
a new skill, technique or material. The stations this month are 1) using
watercolor crayons to color and paint a bird, 2) coloring and collaging a bird’s
nest, 3) using markers to “dye” model magic and create birds’ eggs, 4) building
with legos, and 5) learning to create a rubbing from a texture plate. These stations continue to be a huge hit and are helping our youngest learners build fine‑motor skills and new techniques.
Kindergarten students have glazed (painted) their clay pinch pots and will be able to take them home in the next couple of weeks. They are continuing work on their self-portraits and are learning about their first few options in Fiber Arts (lacing cards and lacing beads)
1st Grade artists have completed their clay coil hearts. They learning a very fun wax resist technique to color them, using oil pastels before their project took a “dunk” in some black paint. They got to add a pipe cleaner and bead hanger as a finishing touch. I know these students are so excited to get these clay projects home!
2nd Grade has finished painting their clay snowmen and they’re heading home! Moving forward, we will begin to explore new options in Fiber Arts after break.
3rd Grade has finished painting their clay snowmen and they’re heading home! After spring break, they will continue their learning regarding watercolors, symmetry, and fiber arts.
4th Grade has been hard at work learning about how to draw using 1 point perspective. We did a worksheet all together and then students got some focused work time to begin their own 1 pt. perspective creation. Soon after spring break, 4th grade will be starting their clay project.
5th Grade has been working hard on drawing still lives from observation, and they’re doing SO well. Most recently,we opened our cardboard sculpture studio and students have had a great time pushing their creativity and problem solving with some 3D creations. Soon after spring break, 5th grade will be starting their clay project.
6th Grade – 2D Art is off to an excellent start this quarter. We started an “About Me” project, challenging students to make a personal or expressive artwork with materials of their choice. We most recently have learned the process of drawing with charcoal – a fun, new, and messy experience for our students! We will continue to explore a variety of new materials, techniques, and subjects as the quarter goes on.
Counselor:
This newsletter is specifically designed for parents of 3rd through 6th graders. While our students have been preparing academically with their teachers all year, we can work together to ensure they are mentally and emotionally ready to show what they know.
Our 3rd through 6th grade students will be taking the MAP Test starting the last week of April. Administration and teachers will be reaching out as we get closer with more details about all the W’s. These tests are just one snapshot of your child’s growth and do not define who they are as a learner or a person! Our school will be providing a supportive, calm environment throughout the testing window.
You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Here are five practical ways you can support them during this time.
1. Prioritize Sleep - In the days leading up to a test, a well-rested brain is more important than a last-minute cram session. Aim for 9-11 hours of sleep. A consistent bedtime routine in the week before testing can make a huge difference in focus and mood.
2. Fuel Their Brain with a Healthy Morning - Don’t let them head out the door on an empty stomach! A protein-rich breakfast (eggs, yogurt, peanut butter toast) provides sustained energy. A breakfast of sugary cereal or a donut can lead to a mid-morning energy crash. Bonus: The school will be offering a free grab-and-go breakfast in the cafeteria each morning of testing for any student who needs it. 3. Encourage a Growth Mindset - The words we use matter. Instead of saying, “Just do your best,” try using language that reinforces effort and resilience. You might say: “I want you to show off what you’ve learned this year.” “If you feel stuck, take a deep breath, and just do your best to figure it out.” “This test is a chance to be a problem-solver. I believe in you.” Remind them that feeling a little nervous is normal—it’s their body’s way of getting ready to do something important. 4. Maintain Normal Routines - While it’s important to be on time, try not to make testing days feel like a major event. Keep after-school activities, dinner times, and bedtimes as normal as possible. This consistency signals to your child that while this is important, it’s also a normal part of the school year. 5. Manage Your Own Stress - Children are incredibly perceptive. If you are anxious about the tests, they will pick up on that anxiety. Reassure them that your love and pride are not tied to a test score. A calm, confident parent helps create a calm, confident child. Tools & Resources The "Power Down" Hour: In the evenings before a testing day, encourage an hour of screen-free time. Reading a physical book, playing a board game, or simply talking about the day helps the brain wind down for quality sleep. Deep Breathing: Teach your child "Box Breathing" to use if they feel anxious during the test: Breathe in for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds. Breathe out for 4 seconds. Hold for 4 seconds. Repeat. School Resources: Remind your child that they can ask their teacher for a quiet break, a drink of water, or a walk to the restroom if they need to reset during testing. If you have concerns about how your child is handling testing anxiety, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are partners in this, and together, we can help your child finish the school year strong.
Reading:
Welcome to Spring, everyone! That means that end of year testing is right around the corner. Parents encourage your students to do their very best on their end of year testing. I-Ready test results will be used to dismiss students from current Reading Success Plans if students qualify. Many students showed great growth on their January iReady tests. If these students score well on their Spring assessment, too, we will be able to dismiss them from their Reading Success Plan. We must have 2 points of successful reading data in order to dismiss students. As always, thanks for all you do to support your child’s reading.
Mrs. Hahn
Mrs. Miller
Mrs. Roske
