EAGLES’ NOTES &

NEWS

Principal’s Corner

Mr. Eddie T. Watkins, Jr.

    It’s March, the most important learning month of the school year. Why? This is the last whole month of new instruction to really prepare our students for the State Testing coming up the first of May. The first week in April is Spring Break. Then we start really reviewing for those tests. We make sure all the standards have been covered. This month contains the end of the third nine weeks. Three-fourths of the school year will have passed. Those students who are having difficulties in academics will start being recognized as potential repeaters. Spring is in the air; the weather starts warming up; daylight savings returns; more after school time outside in daylight; and baseball begins. We still must continue to stress homework, classwork, signed papers, keeping agendas current, SCHOOL.

    The “new” Byrd Elementary is coming along just fine. Walls are up and most of all the concrete pads are poured. Please ride through Sage Creek and take a look at the progress. We are still shooting for a Christmas (2007) vacation move.

    Please let your child’s teacher know that they are appreciated in your own way.     

 

 

Testing Monitors Needed

As you know, testing is just around the corner, and volunteers are needed to assist teachers in testing.  Please call Mrs. Redd at 663-4320 if you can serve as a monitor.

 

Be on the lookout for Title I Surveys. Your input is valuable and needed.

  

 

 

Family Night at the Book fair is Tuesday, March 5. 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
www.aiken.k12.sc.us/schools/byrd/index.html                                                                       March 2007

                                              

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cards, and the first day of Spring.  We have almost learned all of our lower case cursive letters.  We'll be able to write our names in cursive as we start learning the capital letters.  Third Grade teachers are already asking to see samples of our handwriting.

In reading, we've begun our fifth unit.  It's all about places to travel.  We began with a trip to the moon!  We learned many facts about the flight of Apollo 11.

In Math, we'll be learning more about expanded notation,  fractions, and comparing numbers to 1,000.

Parents, continue to sign agendas and word lists.  Also, continue to insist on appropriate behavior at school.  This will be a busy, active month as we prepare for Spring testing and third grade.

Third Grade

Third grade has had an exciting month. We have been so busy preparing for our reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens during the Revolutionary War.  We spent many weeks learning about the American Revolution and then we spent the day preparing the weapons and the drills involved with the battle.  The students did a great job reenacting the battle. It was amazing to us to see so many dead soldiers get up and run when the troops started retreating.  After several attempts we finally got it right. What fun that was for all of us!

Our field trip to the Ruth Patrick Science Center was also very rewarding. The students were terrific.  They performed the necessary activities with quite a bit of enthusiasm.  They also appeared to really enjoy the planetarium show.  This month our classes will be involved with the Civil War.  We already had a reenactor come and share his knowledge with us. That was exciting.  Of course, we will continue with the multiplication throughout the remainder of the year. Graphs, probability, fractions, and measurement will be thrown in for good measure. 

Please remind your child that school still has several months to go and that each day they should come prepared for class--including homework assignments, paper, pencils, and books.

ATTENTION PARENTS

  Applications for Free or Reduced Lunch status are available if you feel you may qualify.  This is an excellent opportunity for your child/children to take advantage of well prepared, nutritious, breakfast and lunches.  Please contact our cafeteria manager, Ms. Brightharp at 663-4227 or our main office at 663-4320.

 
 

 

 

School News

K-4

The 4 year olds are learning much about numbers and counting.  We'll count our way through March, concentrating on numbers 1 - 10.  Our units will be on transportation, the weather, plants, and springtime.  We'll have fun with St. Patrick's Day and anticipated a visit from the leprechauns!

We'll continue our exposure to the letters of the alphabet, adding the letters Cc, Gg, Hh, and Oo this month.  The teachers will sit down with each child before report card time and do an individual skills check on number knowledge, shape recognition, letter recognition, and ability to write his or her name.  The children are working hard in class to master these skills!  5K is just around the corner!

Mrs. Bromley

K-5

 We have enjoyed participating in the celebration of Black History during the month of February.  President’s Day gave us an opportunity to learn more about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.

 

In math our focus has been on coin recognition and addition.  We will continue to work on addition facts to 10 for the next several weeks.

Looking forward to Spring –

 

First Grade

It is March and we have some great things planned for 1st Grade!  In reading we will be focusing on the following comprehension skills: Identifying Cause (Why something happened) & Effect (What happened), Main Idea, Sequencing (Putting things in the correct order), and the theme of a story. In math, we will be working on making Patterns, Addition with sums up to 20, Double Digit Addition (Ex: 28+11=39), Subtraction, and Measurement.  Our themes for this month are Cultures, Dinosaurs, Careers, and Plants.  We will be attending a play at USCA on March 29th.  We will be seeing “I Think I Can.”  Reminder: March is the last month for Book-It participation.  Please remember to keep working and reading with your child nightly.  Keep up the hard work!!!

 

2nd Grade

We can hardly believe March is already here!  This month brings the end of the 3rd nine weeks, report
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Third Grade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discernment.  This is the ability to distinguish "right" from "wrong."

 

Mrs. Lamback's Class

Mrs. Lamback's fourth grade math students just completed Unit 6: Chapters 17 & 18 in Geometry. Now they are entering Unit 7: Fractions & Decimals; Chapters 19-22. Extra Practice needed in any skill or lesson can be found  in the back of the math textbook.

Now for the PROBLEM of the MONTH:  (2 Byrd Bucks for the correct answer)

Ashley, Jonathan, Sarah, Carlos, and Tanya all made the finals of the National Math Fair Competition last year. Before the final round began, each one had to shake hands with all the others. How many handshakes were there?

 

Fifth Grade

 

Ms. Williams

Throughout the month of February, we have been exercising our interest and fascination with the achievements of African-Americans.  Their countless commissions have impacted not just our nation but our world as well.  To gain a more precise perspective of the origin of the African-American culture, we have been studying the book entitled Hard Labor The First African Americans, 1619 by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack, Jr.  From it we’ve learned about the hopes and dreams Africans had for their futures despite their very difficult situations.  We have truly been inspired to research more of the sorrows and successes of an oppressed people, and we challenge you to do the same. 

Ms. Bramlett 

Our class wishes Dr. Seuss a Happy Birthday on March 2nd!  In Reading, we have been studying Dr. Seuss' style of writing. In Writing, we will be using Dr. Seuss' syle to write our own short stories.  In Math, we just took our Unit 3 Test and will be working on Division this month.  In Social Studies, we have just finished our study of World War I and will be studying about the Roaring Twenties and World War II this month. 

 

 


School News – cont’d

 

Fourth Grade

Mrs. Fernandez     This month we will be reading the following stories in Unit 5: The Race for the North Pole, Into the Sear,  & Space Probes to the Planets. We will be focusing on the following PACT tested reading skills: “Graphic Sources”, “Author’s Purpose”, & “Text Structure”. In grammar we will focus on Pronouns & Referents, Prepositions & Prepositional Phrases and Conjunctions. Please remember to read and take tests on your AR books! The 4th grade will be going on a field trip to the Ruth Patrick Science Center on Monday, March 12, 2007. We will be attending the programs “Lets Talk Math”, “Mission to Mars” - A Planetarium Show, and “Circuit City”. Please remember that we will be gone all day and each student will need to bring a bag lunch with a drink.

Mrs. Watkins

      This month in Social Studies we are beginning unit 6: A Growing Nation.  We just finished learning about the how Americans began moving west, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  We had a lot of fun redesigning the nations capital, Washington, D.C. and planning our own trip out west.  Now we will learn about the new challenges that our nation must face. 

 

Ms. Kmiecik   

    We are ending our study on Electricity.  Please have your child to study vocabulary words every day.  Notes will be given this week. Please study daily.  This is the end of the 3rd 9 weeks and it is very important to study for all tests. Our next area of study will be Light and reviewing for the PACT Tests.

   In Health we are studying about substances that can be harmful such as drugs,tobacco, and alcohol.  We are studying how to be trustworthy, responsible, and how to react to peer pressure.  Please make sure that the reading is done each week and have a discussion with your chikd on the importance of saying no to harmful things in their lives.  Thanks for all you do.

 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Johnson’s Class

We have been busy with projects and presentations.  The students have shown great creativity through their biome displays.  We have learned about inventors and inventions.  A favorite among the students was George Washington Carver.  We were glad to learn that many African Americans from the 1800-1900's are receiving credit for their hard work and contributions to the betterment of our world.  I was pleased with the efforts that most of the students put into their presentations of these famous people. 

We are picking up the pace now to make sure that we learn everything we can before the state test in May.  Please encourage your child to pay attention and do his/her best work everyday!  Thank you.

 

 

 

MEDIA CENTER NEWS:

   Our spring Scholastic Book Fair arrives on March 1 and runs through March 15.  Students will browse during the 1st week, and purchase books during the 2nd week. FAMILY NIGHT AT THE BOOK FAIR will be held on Tuesday evening, March 6, from 6:30-8:00.  All are invited!!

   Also, our 3rd-graders are completing their Flat Stanley projects.  They received letters from other 3rd-graders all over South Carolina, telling about the history of their towns, then found these towns on the SC map.  It has been a fun learning experience for our students.

 

 

Upcoming Events:

 

March 1-15         Book Fair

March 20             End of 3rd quarter

March 23             Teacher Workday

March 26             Report Cards

 

 
 

Reading Recovery/Literacy Group

Mrs. Terry Harris

  I would like to invite all the Reading Recovery parents to come to school and watch a lesson.  Please call or write me a note so we an schedule a time for you to come to visit.

  I want to thank all the 5th grade Reading Together Tutors.  They have completed all 30 lesson in the program with their 2nd grade reading partner.  We will be celebrating the conclusion of this program with an ice cream party.  I think we have some future teachers in this group of reading tutors.

   Here are some other reading strategies to use with yoru child when sounding out the word doesn’t work:

--have our child search through the whole word (or play guess the covered word)

--look for word patterns ( cat à mat à matter)

--check for prefixes and suffixes (un , ful)

--ask, “Does what I read make sense?”  “Does it look right?” “Does it sound right?”  “Does it fit the letter patterns?”

 

ART NEWS

            Congratulations to Jaxen Coleman a second grader in Ms. Talbert's class. Jaxen's art work entitled walking under rainbows  was selected as top 150 finalists from over 4,000 entries in the Wonderful, Colorful World of Cray-Pas

A National Children's Art Competition from around the USA.

            Jaxen's original art work is on display in the Sun Gallery from February 8th to May 25, 2007 in Hayward, California. You can see Jaxen's work at www.gellyroll.com and click on 2007 winners top 150.

            The following Byrd students have their art work on display March 7 through March 28th for the 28th Annual Agnes Markwalter Youth Art Competition. A reception will be held on March 7 for all the budding young artists at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art located at 506 Telfair Street.

            Good job to...Haylie McFerrin, Grace Tinkey, Brittney Wintrow, Morgan Harris, Rachael Oltz and Daquan Martin

            Grades 3 and 4 are working in clay. We are making clay whistles. We have learned about clay and its stages. Reminder that students in grades 3 & 4 need to bring in a gallon zip-lock bag.

            Fifth grades are working on one-point perspective. Some are doing a great job.

            Grades Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd are beginning  painting. We have been studying some Georgia Okeeff's paintings. We are learning how to read a color wheel and color types and combinations.