The Human Body

Over the past week students have been learning about their bodies, The Human Body!

This domain covers a number of topics and concepts regarding cells and how cells form the building blocks of life on Earth. Students are then taught how a collection of cells form tissues, and tissues form organs, and finally how organs work within the various body systems. In addition, students are taught about Anton van Leeuwenhoek and his work with the microscope and his discovery of the tiny one-celled bacteria. 

Students will then hear about the digestive and excretory systems. They are going to learn the fundamental parts and function of these two body systems.

The remainder of this domain focuses on the importance of good nutrition and how to make good choices in order to eat a well balanced diet. Students will be taught five keys to good health: 

eat well, exercise, sleep, keep clean, and have regular checkups. 

We have been using the model below for our classroom. Students are fascinated with being able to see and touch these parts in their bodies. They should be able to tell you where their lungs are, liver, stomach, small intestines and large intestines are from the picture below. Ask if they can point to each part.

Spelling List

This weeks spelling includes the r-controlled vowels. In class, as we went through our spelling words, the students identified the r-controlled spelling in each word. You will see that underlined on their spelling lists when they came home on Monday.

We will also be seeing these words in our readers, War of 1812, and in a variety of activities throughout the week. 

Test is on Monday!!

Aerokahanas Assembly

Heads up...the excitement from out assembly will be coming home today! 

We had the Aerokhanas Assembly this morning, where a groups of trained gymnasts performed not only their skillful moves but also taught an important lesson to all students at Westwoods. Staying healthy, keeping fit, working as a teams, and exercising were all some of the topics talked about. In addition, many students, and staff, were able to become part of the team and put their trust in the athletes.

Students were selected to come to the mats to be lifted like an elevator! Many students participated or had a blast watching their classmates "rise" to the occasion :)

Dumpster on Parade

Almost there!! Recently all groups were able to get together to begin the wrap up phase of their sketches. They will have one more day next week to perfect their drawings and then they are passed on to the artists! 

I am so impressed with all the different ideas the variety of students came up with. The brainstorming, researching, conversation and sketching was a huge success! Very proud of the work both second and fourth grade students have accomplished thus far! In addition to the collaboration and the job they have done working together. Very awesome!

 

 

Spring Concert!

Last nights Spring Concert was awesome!! The kids did such a great job singing and dancing, while also looking good with fancy attire!

Below are pictures of the dress rehearsal (during school) and at the concert that night as well. 

Very proud of them! Great job!!

Dress Rehearsal

Concert Night

Artists Visit

Today the artists visited Westwoods to meet all the students involved in the Dumpsters on Parade project. They were very excited to get into their dumpster groups and show their theme, what they have researched, and what sketches they have come up with. It was a very energetic crowd, but a very purposeful visit. We will wrap up our sketches next week then pass off all the hard work to the artists!

Jean Larson

Savannah Burke

Chase Hunt

Mr. Gunn (WW art teacher) is also helping, but was unable to make today's visit.

Dumpsters on Parade!

The date is set!

Painting dumpsters at American Waste

Saturday, May 14th

Student drop off to Westwoods at 8:30 that morning.

Student pick up at Westwoods at 12:00 that afternoon.

A TCAPS bus will transport all students to and from American Waste.

More details and permission slips will come the beginning of May. 

Civil War

We are wrapping up the Civil War domain this week. I am amazed on student engagement and interaction within this topic. Every story we read together, the students were very attentive, asking questions, shocked by new and interesting details. and having a very rich discussion that continued even outside the classroom. I saw students in the library looking for books on people, places, battles, etc. all connected to the Civil War. I heard stories from parents and students coming back detailing the knowledge learned being passed on to enlighten someone new. They are very proud of what they know, and I am very proud of their level of learning!

Throughout the historic event of the Civil War, the students learned about the controversy over slavery between the North and the South, which eventually led to the beginning of a war. In addition, how the Emancipation Proclamation changes the focus of the war. With General Lee surrendering to General Grant, ending the Civil War, and also ending slavery in the North and South all together. Throughout our journey we met just a few of the many influential men and women who made significant contributions during this time:

Harriet Tubman

Clara Barton

Abraham Lincoln

Ulysses S. Grant

Robert E. Lee 

Ask your child about each of these important figures and what impact they had. The discussion should also spring other topics involved within each figure that we learned.

You will also see a Civil War flip book (like the pages above) coming home that details the important information read throughout each story.

Bully Free!

It was a sea of blue here at Westwoods today! Awesome job to all students who wore blue to support the bully free community that we are!

All classrooms participated in a Below the Line & Above the Line activity. Students brainstormed different ideas they could do to help someone who is being bullied (above the line). They also thought about what a bully acts like (below the line) and how poorly it could make someone feel.

Great conversations that I hope will also continue home!

McNitt Updates

Bully Prevention

This week, April 11-15, we will be celebrating our school wide effort to prevent bullying! There will be different activities students can participate in throughout the week in and out of their classrooms. On special activity every classroom will be doing is an "above and below the line" poster that will be displayed for all to see. On Friday, please wear blue to school to raise awareness! Together we are the solution!

Homework & Spelling
A new homework packet headed home yesterday in all students communicators, along with a new spelling list.

Spelling words this week are focusing on word endings with el, le, or tion.

We are also continuing to work on the skill of alphabetizing a variety of words. Students are really starting to get the hang of this and doing really well!!

They have an alphabetizing activity on the back of their spelling list that is due on Friday.

Thank you for your continued support at home with your child's homework. Just the extra reminders to set a schedule of action to become more responsible helps!

Dumpsters on Parade

This week we are continuing to work on researching, collaboratively thinking and especially sketching our dumpster themes to pass on to the artist at the end of April!
Our next sketching date will be on Friday with our groups. Students can bring any extra sketching and ideas they have, from their own time, to their group that day.

 

Donations
Our classroom is getting short on a few different items. If can and are willing to donate any supplies to our room, we are in need of:
Pencils
Clorox Wipes
Pencil Top Erasers
Thank you!!

Field Trip

Our end of the year field trip has been set! We are heading to Camp Lake Ann on Monday, June 6. We will be leaving school at 9:45 and returning at 2:20 (give or take a few minutes). Our time at Camp Lake Ann is from 10:00-2:00. Within that time we will be outside in the woods, eating our packed lunches, or experiencing The Bog. More information will be coming home in May for the students. 

Music Concert