Webberville Elementary

Galaxy Gazette

February 2012

By: Chelsey C.

A Hallway Encounter/Research Based By Mrs. Slater I spend a good part of my day in the hallway. I enjoy walking by classrooms and listening to the staff teaching and students responding. I enjoy the many interesting displays created by the students that grace the walls. But I especially enjoy interacting with the students who cross my path on my journey through the school. Today I had one of my best encounters yet, when I ran into Mrs. Glover and her student, Bradley Davis. Bradley Davis is an afternoon kindergarten student who told me recently that he likes to be addressed as “Mr. Davis.” He is at least a third generation native Webberville resident. I know his grandma and I enjoyed working with his aunt, uncle, and dad when I was a teacher. As it turned out, Mrs. Glover was bringing “Mr. Davis” to me to show me something amazing-THIS KINDERGARTEN STUDENT CAN READ! I’m not talking about a simplified text but a real book! I asked him how he had gotten to be a good reader at such a young age and without hesitation he said, “My mom always reads to me.” I honestly know that Mrs. Glover must have had something to do with the development of this skill, but Bradley would only acknowledge the contribution of his mother. “Mr. Davis” confirmed for me what researchers have been saying for years. “When parents are involved in their child’s education at home, children do better in school, and the sooner the parental involvement starts, the more powerful the effects.” Based on these two statements, I expect that Bradley Davis will have a bright future based on his parental “involvement.” What does “involvement” look like at your house? Obviously, this involvement changes as children age. Reading a story to a 10 year old might not be as well accepted as reading to your 5 year old. But a 10 year old can have a more in depth conversation about what he/she read independently-when an involved parent asks some questions. Early elementary students need involved parents to review spelling words and math facts when students are just learning these skills, but upper elementary kids, who have yet to master these tasks, need that same drill. A parent who purposefully checks a planner and then the assignments noted will demonstrate involvement and will tend to have better news at conferences as a bonus. And all kids need to be sent out the door in the morning with a “Do your best today” message and greeted in the evening with “Well, did you?” My hallways are full of bright children like Bradley Davis and this community is full of involved parents. Let’s never forget the important connection between those two and make it our common purpose to never let a day go by without promoting and practicing both!

Student Council sponsors ‘Twins Day’.

Webberville Elementary School

Student Council sponsors many student

activities during the school year. On

Friday, January 20th students enjoyed

dressing alike for ‘Twins Day’. It was fun

to see all the students who looked like

twins for a day!

The 2011-2012 Student Council

members are Collin Jones, Ashton Lott,

Olivia Estep, Dalton Brown, Carson

Nolan, Xavier Pressel, Mackenzie

Schafer, Brennan Slick-Robinson, Seth

Wisuri, Nathan Walker, Branden

McGowan, and Eden Elzerman.

Hunter and Max

Carson and Olivia Brendan and Hayden

WEBBERVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Kindergarten Round-Up Friday, March 9, 2012 Please call the Elementary Office

at 521-3071, ext. 200 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to reserve your registration time.

Children turning 5 years old on or before December 1, 2012 are invited to enroll.

~ COME AND JOIN THE FUN ~

We look forward to meeting our newest STARS!

Ladies & gentlemen, get your dancing shoes ready! It’s time again to take those special little ladies out for a memorable night on the town. Please join us for an evening of fun, which includes great music, refreshments, a

gift bag & a keepsake photo. Don’t miss this chance to spend some special time on the dance floor with your girl(s)!

Purchasing tickets in advance helps us to properly prepare for food & gift bags. Tickets may be purchased at the door. *Payments of cash, check or

money order payable to WEB, will be accepted. Sponsored by Webberville Elementary Boosters

Date: Thursday February 16, 2012 Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Place: Webberville Elementary Multi-Purpose Room Cost: $12 per couple & $3.00 each additional child.

Tickets – teachers, please send orders directly to the office, thank you!

To purchase tickets, please return this stub with payment no later than Monday, February 13th. Please make checks payable to

W.E.B. *Prepaid tickets will be available for you at the door. Students Name: __Gr:____Teacher: ___

Number Attending: Amount Enclosed:$ ___

Volunteers – any questions? Please call Treva at (517) 388-2761. If you can help with any of the following for this dance, it would be greatly appreciated! Just place a check next to items you would like to help with,

and return it with your ticket stub/payment. Thank you!

Snacks (what kind?): ______

Decorating: Set up: _ Clean up: __

Name______________________ Phone #_________________

February is

2-3 7:00 p.m. Family Movie Night ~

Kung Fu Panda:The Kaboom of Doom

2-6 6:00 p.m. Boosters meeting in Library

2-8 STUDENT COUNT DAY – BE HERE!

2-14 100th Day ~ HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

2-16 *Daddy/Daughter Dance*

2-17>2-20 No School ~ President’s Day Weekend

2-23 4:00-7:00 p.m. Parent/Teacher Conferences

2-24 2:15 p.m. Awards Assembly

SAVE THE DATE

Webberville Elementary

Mini Relay for Life

Thursday, April 12, 2012

More information to come!

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

2012 WES yearbook

orders are being

accepted through

the month of Feb.

Order forms were sent

home with students.

Yearbooks are $15

and checks should

be made out to

Webberville

Elementary (WES).

WES Preschool News

We have been very busy in the

preschool classroom! We are building

friendships and learning to

participate in large and small groups.

We explore letters, numbers, shapes

and colors on a daily basis! Preschool

is an important time to improve our

social skills as well as learn some important skills for Kindergarten! We

have been working hard on writing our names! We love to sing songs,

especially the Bear Hunt! Some of our favorite activities to do with

friends are building in the block center and playing in the kitchen!

===================================================================

Mr. Weaver’s World…

The fitness unit is now in full swing

for the elementary physical education

classes. The whole unit will consist of

timed runs, push-ups, sit-ups and

various other exercises. The exercises

they are learning over the next few

weeks will stay with them for life, so

feel free to have your son/daughter

practice with you at home. They

should be able to tell you what

exercises we have done so far.

*Please send gym shoes with your

son/daughter-they are essential for

their gym activities.*

The following is the timed run for each

grade level:

1st Grade - 4 minutes

2nd Grade - 5 minutes

3rd Grade - 6 minutes

4th Grade - 7 minutes

5th Grade – 8 minutes.

I have already seen improvements

from the first day we started the run.

With continued practice, I believe

that each student will be able to

complete the runs without stopping

or walking.

Noteworthy Well, a lot has happened since the last time I’ve written a newsletter article!

Alexia “Lexi” Hope Filipiak was born on November 21, 2011. She was 9 lbs, 7 oz.

and 22 inches long! I can’t resist sharing a couple of pictures Thanks for all of

your well wishes—she is a bundle of fun! On to musical news—

Kindergarten students are learning about high and low sounds. They are also

learning about mallet technique on the “big kid” instruments.

1st grade students are learning how to identify and write quarter and eighth notes.

They are also working on notating Sol and Mi in the songs we are singing.

2nd

grade students have been learning about Sol, Mi, and La and now they are

adding Do into the mix. They are also continuing to explore different uses of

ostinati (short, repeated musical patterns) in our songs.

3rd graders have just touched their violins for the first time and are having a blast!

We have learned the “Eek Song” to help name the notes on the violin, and have

also played songs on open strings in guitar position. Next up is adding fingers to

change notes and putting the violins on our shoulders.

4th and 5

th grade students are auditioning to find out their roles in Rats! Students

will be learning blocking and choreography over the next few weeks to prepare

for their show. Please note the concert date change below.

It’s great to be back teaching your wonderful children. Catch you next time we have

something noteworthy! ~ Mrs. Filipiak

Upcoming Music Dates

4th/5th Grade Musical—DATE CHANGE--Tuesday, March 20th and Wednesday, March 21st

(required for grade)

Kindergarten-2nd Grade Spring Concert—Tuesday, May 8th

Lexi's first day at home! Lexi loves to smile in her sleep

Mrs. Glover’s news… February is a LOVE-ly month for

learning in kindergarten! In math the children have been working on writing numbers to twenty, solving addition word problems, and finding number bonds up to

five. The K-Pals literacy program has been completed in reading; the children are excited to begin learning Daily Five routines which form the structure for reading instruction in grades one through five. In writing we've

working on adding detail sentences and are slowly replacing capital letters with lowercase letters. Science has brought a study of earth materials - the children are in the middle of an experiment to determine if soil, pebbles, or sand is the best material for growing grass. In social studies we've been exploring economics; the children are learning about the difference between goods and services as well as the difference between a need and a want.

News from the First Grade

The first graders will be learning more about folktales and fantasy stories this month. We will

continue to discuss the elements of these two genres and enjoy the activities that go along

with these stories; this includes reading, writing, making puppets, retelling the story and

other projects. Look for a variety of projects in our first grade hallway. We have been noticing

many students need additional practice on sight words, math facts, and reading fluency. As

we continue the year, the students will learn new skills and need to know the skills already

taught to be successful. Please help your child practice the skills he/she needs to continue

learning and to do their very best.

In Science we are beginning a unit on sorting and classifying

objects. We will be sorting by size, color, shape and texture. We

will be using magnets to classify, work on floating and sinking

and end the unit by building a boat that must move across a tub

of water. In Social Studies we are working on our core

democratic value of Patriotism by learning about important

United States symbols, including the American flag, the Statue of

Liberty, the eagle and the seal of the United States.

Mrs. Fitzgerald’s February News

February is a short month, but a busy one. We are focusing on our work as we look forward to our Valentine exchange and the one hundredth day of school.

This month in Reading, we will be meeting regularly in our reading groups where students will read texts at their own grade levels. Students will also have many opportunities to read independently while we practice using reading skills such as making predictions, sequencing, summarizing, and making connections. We will also practice fluency through the repeated reading of Reader’s Theater scripts and word family poetry.

In Math, we will complete our unit on multiplication. The concept will be presented in several different ways so students may choose the problem solving strategy best suited for them. We will

practice multiplication math facts in class and encourage students to practice at home. We will also explore the measurement concepts of time and money during the month of February.

Our Writing will focus on the trait of word choice. We will learn about the difference between antonyms and synonyms, how to write and recognize similes, and how to use alliteration to enhance our writing. We will practice using adjectives, “colorful” words and “fancy” words. We will also work on answering who, what, when, where, and why questions as we write.

We will continue our study of measurement in Science as we measure the volume of liquids and solids and use a bucket balance to measure the weight of objects. We will also investigate how substances are mixed and if mixtures can be separated.

The topic of Social Studies this month is government and famous presidents.

Have a fabulous February!

Second Grade News from Mrs. Mrowka

This might be a short month, but

February is very busy for our class.

First, after five months of addition

and subtraction, we are looking

forward to doing something

different in math. It’s

MULTIPLICATION and DIVISION! But

please, continue to practice addition

and subtraction math facts at home.

We are so proud of our efforts on

timed test every week. Ask your

child to share his/her results with

you.

Next, in Writing, we will be working

on Word Choice and Sentence

Fluency. This will include writing

sentences of different lengths using

connectives and exploring ways to

begin sentences.

We have finished studying the

second grade red words as spelling

words, so every student should

know how to read and spell them.

We keep reviewing them in class,

but they need more practice at

home.

What does Abraham Lincoln keep in

his hat? What did George

Washington like to do when he was

little? These are some presidential

facts we will learn in Social Studies.

Finally, we will be celebrating 100th

Day by writing a paper on “What

will I do with

$100.00?” I

can’t wait to

read the

children’s

responses.

Third Grade News

Happy February to everyone! February is a short month, but a very busy one for third graders!

In language arts, 3rd grade students have learned about fables and their story elements. We are continuing to work on reading fluently and smoothly. Both third grade classes have been working on reading rate and how to “change gears” to match the text that they are reading. We are now adding dialogue into our stories along with stronger, more interesting verbs and adjectives. Later this month students will begin research of a president of their choice. As always, please encourage your child to read 15 minutes every night.

In math, we will be learning about fractions and decimals. We will start first with comparing and ordering fractions. By the end of the month we will be able to correctly place fractions on a number line. We will next move into equivalent fractions. Please continue to encourage your child to practice their math facts. By the end of the month we will be moving into our data and probability unit. We will learn how to use, read and solve bar graphs.

Mr. Kubiak’s class

Mrs. Mayes’ class

In science class we are beginning our forces and motion unit. We will have many hands-on activities that will test how different forces act on objects. We will also be observing how objects move and why they are moving the way that they are. Students will be constructing their own objects and observing the motion of their objects.

In social studies we have learned about the French arriving in Michigan and beginning the fur trade. Ask your child what types of items the French were trading to the Native Americans for furs. We also discussed why French explorers and missionaries were coming to this area. We will next move into the British settling into this area and the interactions that they have with the French and Native Americans. Big changes are on the horizon for Michigan as a result of this meeting!

A special shout-out to Mrs. Pam Fraley and the Williamston Kiwanis Club for donating dictionaries to our third grade students. The students were so excited to receive their dictionaries. They have been learning about how to use them for school as well as everyday life.

Should be a fun, exciting, busy month for our wonderful 3rd Graders!

What’s new in 4th Grade?

The month of February is going to be packed with fun and excitement. We will have our 1ooth day celebration, Valentine’s Day, and our field trip to Jiffy. We are also working towards accomplishing our New Year’s goals. The students are hard at work memorizing their multiplication and division facts 0-12. This is even more important now because we are multiplying two and three digit numbers and working on long division in math right now. We will move into

fractions and decimals for the second half of the month. The young scientists are having a great time studying matter. Our scientists are conducting experiments to study the properties of solids, liquids and gases.

The government is our next unit in Social Studies. The students will learn about the three branches of the government and how that impacts our daily lives.

In Language Arts we are turning into great young writers. We are continuing to use the Write Steps program and work on editing and revising our own writing. The students will specifically focus on writing conventions and word choice this month. They will also work to incorporate similes and metaphors into their own writing pieces. When it comes to reading, comprehension is key, so in order to build our comprehension, the reading strategy for the month will be summarizing. The students will work on summarizing a book in their own words, looking for all of the important details in the reading.

Perry’s Preview

The 100th day of school is on Tuesday, February 14th. We will combine activities associated

with 100 with our Valentines’ Day celebration. Students are encouraged to bring in a collection of 100

to share with the class. Parent teacher conferences are on Thursday, February 23rd, so please begin

thinking about whether you would like a phone, email, or meeting conference. The trimester ends on

March 2nd and report cards will be sent home Wednesday, March 7th.

We are continuing to work on voice, word choice, and organization in writing. Students are

writing an essay about their special place using the 5 squared paragraphs organizer.

In science, we will continue to work on objects in the sky; creating

models to help us understand the motion of the planets in the solar system. We

will also be attending the planetarium at MSU later this month or in March.

Colonial living is the topic of study in social studies. Students will choose a colonial job and

construct an artifact for that job. Western World Domination is also starting to heat up and groups are

forced to decide whether attacking is the right strategy or laying low is the way to go.

Cloudman’s Corner

We have welcomed Mr. Vogel into our learning community.

He is completing his student teaching with us to earn his

teaching degree from University of Phoenix. He has already

transition to lead teacher in the areas of Spelling/Greek and

Latin Roots, and newly this week, Read-a-Loud and math. If

you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Science is out of this world. We have begun our unit on

“Objects in the Sky.” This unit begins with the understanding

of seasons. Ask about the land of the midnight sun. When is

the Earth closest to the sun and in what season does that

occur?

Photos:

Students are

investigating

how the

angle of light

affects the

brightness and the surface area covered.

Computer connection: We have begun our study of the

keyboard. We will hone in on these skills without

looking at the keyboard --- a true typist.

January Special Guest Stars~ WHS Girls Basketball Team

Front row; Emily, Kaleigh, Jordan, Taylor & Amanda.

Back row; Jackie, Kayla, Lynsey, Bailey & Kelsei.

Reading Awards~

Baylee,

Garrett,

Braylen

Flag Raisers ~ Zack, Justin, Christopher, Hunter, Collin,

Cole, Matthew, and Carson.

Safeties of the Month

Nolan

&

Zoah

Math Awards ~ front row; Rebecca, Hunter, Olivia, Zack, Eden, and Tyler R.

Back row; Aidan, Ashlee, William, Brennan, Tyler N., and Carson.

Music Awards ~ Ashlyn, Grace, Collin, Bradley, and Rebecca.

Students of the Month ~ Jacob, Garrett, Jason, Sarah and Amber.

Students of the Month ~ Emma, Molly, Anakin and Kolson.

Students of the Month ~ front row; Griffin, Ian, Davin, and Joel.

Back row; Kate, Alyssa, Lucas, and Nate.

Students of the Month ~ Zoah, Austin, and Malaena.

Students of the Month ~ front row; Olivia, Camden, and Melanie.

Back row; Rachel, Nolan, and Alaia.

Students of the Month

*****

Gracie Lou & Jacob