There's an APP For That!

It seems like there is an app for everything! It can be overwhelming to know what the best apps are for children in different age groups. Check out this resource at www.commonsense.org to find recommendations to keep your kids "appy" and safe!






https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-lists

Go Chicks Go!!!!

This is too cute not to share. Our first grade teachers had a little fun in their downtime!!!! Keep in mind that our chicks are just babes - only a few days old.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1skqlSF_N4&feature=youtu.be

Mommy Makeovers

We hope that all of our Wolfpack moms celebrated Mother's Day in style on Sunday! We had some real life styling going on here on Friday in our Kindergarten wing. The laughter and cheer was such a happy sight to warm my heart! These pictures paint the story better than I could ever tell it!

Read, Deed, Run and the Final Run

Take 1500 students, their sponsors, some parents and put them at Rhodes stadium on a Saturday morning and you have a lively bit of fun!!!! It was a privilege to get to share this time with our TWE 4th and 5th grade Reed, Deed, Run club on Saturday, May 7. During the course of this school year, these students have read 26 books or 2600 pages, completed 26 deeds for our school and community, and run 25 miles. On Saturday, the students completed the final 1.2 miles of the "marathon" to become official RDR finishers for the 2015-16 school year. We are so proud of them and the dedication they have shown to complete this journey!

A Balanced Media Diet

Parenting has always presented challenges, but adding technology to the mix has added some new issues to consider. We are happy to collaborate with Common Sense Media (www.commonsense.org) and share with you this great resource for families making choices in the digital age. The article below gives some guidelines for establishing a "balanced media diet" that is just right for your family. Happy reading!




https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/5-simple-steps-to-a-healthy-family-media-diet?utm_source=050616+Default&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly

Chicks Invade TWE!!!!

Last week, Ms. Patrick wrote a blog about how living animals are incorporated into our science curriculum. Over the weekend, chicks started hatching in 1st grade bringing a little farm life to the suburbs. Now we have peeping and hatching galore. This has generated a lot of excitement at TWE!!! The chicks have names like Spike and Lemon....fitting their personalities or coloring. Students throughout the school are able to watch the action on the monitors in their classrooms. If you visit TWE this week, check out the monitor in the foyer to view the hatching and peeping in action! It is Packtastic!

TWE - Common Sense Digital Certified School

We are proud to announce that Tom Wilson Elementary has just been approved as the 500th Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School worldwide, an honor that recognizes our efforts in teaching digital literacy and citizenship to young people and engaging the entire school community in this important discussion.

 

At TWE, students are using technology to explore, connect, create, and learn in ways never before imagined, both in and out of the classroom. Daily issues emerge from this 24/7 "connected culture," such as cyberbullying, privacy lapses, and uncertainty about which information to trust online are surfacing both in schools and at home. TWE sees these issues as teachable moments. We believe that digital citizenship skills have become essential for students in the 21st century, especially in schools like ours who use technology to transform learning. That's why we are committed to teaching our students how to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly. Our school dedicated 61 hours and 18 different lessons to transforming our students into digital citizens. We look forward to keeping our parents and students informed as digital citizens.

Our Kids Are the Future- STEM is the Future

STEM is a nationwide initiative aimed at better equipping kids for the future. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. But STEM is more than just an acronym, it’s a step forward.

Our mission statement at TWE includes creating the future. As educators, we strive to prepare our students not only for success at TWE but success in their future.  Research shows that the growth in STEM fields are increasing at a fast rate. In 2009, the United States Department of Labor listed the ten most wanted employees. Eight of those employees were ones with degrees in the STEM fields: accounting, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information sciences and systems, computer engineering, civil engineering, and economics and finance.  We want our students to be lifelong learners and prepare them for the needs of the future.

Check out this short video about STEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GWhwUN9iaY   

Thanks to our generous PTA, our school has invested in STEM materials for all students K-5.  On May 31^st , all of our students will dive deep into STEM.  With the guidance of our teachers, students will engage in questioning, problem solving, collaboration, and hands-on activities.  We are looking forward to this fun day of learning!

Living Organisms by Laura Patrick (Math/Science Coach)

 

Living Organisms

Spring is here!  Springtime brings living organisms into our classrooms.  Our students look forward to learning about the life cycles and needs of their new classroom organisms.  Living organisms help promote the use of scientific observation skills.  They also help teach our student’s appreciation for the value of life and the importance of caring for living things responsibly. 

Our kinder students are enjoying observing the life cycle of a butterfly.  This week our students were amazed when they observed that it had formed a chrysalis.  Kinder students have been working on their observation and writing skills in science. We are anxiously awaiting to see the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our second graders are currently exploring the life cycle of the mealworm.  They have observed the mealworms shedding the skin and forming a pupa.  Soon we will see the pupa transform into a beetle.

Each grade level has the opportunity to explore living organisms in their classroom.  Our first grade team is waiting on our baby chicks to be born.  Science is truly alive in our classrooms at TWE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living Organisms

Spring is here!  Springtime brings living organisms into our classrooms.  Our students look forward to learning about the life cycles and needs of their new classroom organisms.  Living organisms help promote the use of scientific observation skills.  They also help teach our student’s appreciation for the value of life and the importance of caring for living things responsibly. 

Our kinder students are enjoying observing the life cycle of a butterfly.  This week our students were amazed when they observed that it had formed a chrysalis.  Kinder students have been working on their observation and writing skills in science. We are anxiously awaiting to see the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our second graders are currently exploring the life cycle of the mealworm.  They have observed the mealworms shedding the skin and forming a pupa.  Soon we will see the pupa transform into a beetle.

Each grade level has the opportunity to explore living organisms in their classroom.  Our first grade team is waiting on our baby chicks to be born.  Science is truly alive in our classrooms at TWE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is here!  Springtime brings living organisms into our classrooms.  Our students look forward to learning about the life cycles and needs of their new classroom organisms.  Living organisms help promote the use of scientific observation skills.  They also help teach our student’s appreciation for the value of life and the importance of caring for living things responsibly. 

 

 

 

Our kinder students are enjoying observing the life cycle of a butterfly.  This week our students were amazed when they observed that it had formed a chrysalis.  Kinder students have been working on their observation and writing skills in science. We are anxiously awaiting to see the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our second graders are currently exploring the life cycle of the mealworm.  They have observed the mealworms shedding the skin and forming a pupa.  Soon we will see the pupa transform into a beetle.

Each grade level has the opportunity to explore living organisms in their classroom.  Our first grade team is waiting on our baby chicks to be born.  Science is truly alive in our classrooms at TWE!