1st

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• March 2-6th- Spring Break
• Monday, March 9th- Classes Resume
• Friday, March 27th- Early Dismissal @ 11:30 am
• Saturday, March 28th- Mark your calendars for CELEBRATE!

This week in phonics, we had so much fun learning about the suffix -ing! Students discovered that adding -ing to a word shows that something is happening right now (present tense), and they loved acting out words like jumping, running, and spinning as we became masters of this new ending. We practiced reading, writing, and even performing our -ing words to help them stick in our brains! We also unlocked the secret of “OU” when we noticed it in our sight words out, about, and our. The class learned that when o and u are together, they play really rough and someone always gets “hurt” and they make the “ouch!” sound! Our young readers are growing more confident every day as they discover new word patterns and sounds.

Our students became real-world problem solvers as they applied their addition and subtraction skills to exciting word problems! We focused on identifying key words like in all, altogether, left, and how many more to help us decide which operation to use. Students practiced slowing down, reading carefully, and thinking about what the problem was really asking. They proudly showed their work in multiple ways—by drawing detailed pictures, using number lines to count forward or backward, filling in number bonds to see the parts and the whole, and writing matching equations. It was wonderful to see them explain their thinking so clearly and confidently. We are building strong mathematicians who can use their skills in real-life situations!

In first grade, we celebrated Black History Month by learning about the importance of kindness, courage, and embracing what makes each of us unique. We explored the lives of inspiring leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, Jackie Robinson, and Rosa Parks by creating and studying timelines of their lives. Through these timelines, students discovered how small acts of bravery and big dreams can make a lasting difference in the world. We talked about how each of these individuals showed kindness, stood up for what was right, and celebrated their uniqueness—just like we do in our classroom community every day. This meaningful learning experience has inspired our next mini deep dive, where students will create their own life timelines to celebrate their personal milestones, special memories, and the unique qualities that make them who they are.

We wrapped up our three-month deep dive into animal habitats with an unforgettable trip to the West Liberty University Zoo Science Center! Students were paired with college mentors who guided them in creating their very own shoebox habitats, carefully designing environments to meet the needs of their chosen animals. It was amazing to see them apply everything they’ve learned as we explored the forest, arctic, desert, rainforest, and ocean over the past several months. From understanding climate and shelter to identifying food sources and adaptations, our young scientists have gained so much knowledge. We are incredibly proud of their curiosity, creativity, and growth throughout this exciting journey!

Thank you for stopping by to get a snapshot of our classroom deep dive! The children were so excited to be tour guides for you!

We hope you all enjoy Spring Break! We will see you back on Monday, March 9th! 

Danielle & Karen 

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• Saturday, February 21st: Open House at 9:00 am
• March 2-6th- Spring Break
• Monday, March 9 = Classes Resume
• Friday, March 27th- Early Dismissal @ 11:30 am
• Saturday, March 28th- Mark your calendars for CELEBRATE!
• Several of our WCDS families will be traveling to Chile with FC Wheeling Soccer over spring break, including Miss Meredith and Mrs. Fuentes, and will have the opportunity to visit a local school while they are there. As our students are learning Spanish as a foreign language, we are excited about the chance to support children in Chile who are learning English. If you have any bilingual English/Spanish children’s books at home that you would be willing to donate, they will be shared with the school as a way to support their English language learning. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library books are often bilingual and are a wonderful option to donate! Thank you for helping us share language, learning, and kindness beyond our classroom. Muchas gracias!

We have some little monsters in first grade! Monster Math Challenge finishers that is! Students have been working very hard to complete their addition/subtraction facts to 20 challenge. We are proud of their perseverance and hard work! In addition to Monster Math fun, we practiced number bonds in a super fun way! Someone very sneaky visited our classroom… her name was Sneaky Sam! Sneaky Sam tried to snatch numbers right out of our number sentences. For example, she would take the “3” from 5+3=8 and leave us scratching our heads! Don’t worry- our first graders were amazing math detectives. They used their number bond skills to figure out the missing part and fix the number sentence. We showed Sneaky Sam that we know how numbers fit together like puzzle pieces!

We unlocked yet another fun secret-ay! The letters ay are “dudes that are just too cool!”. They always put their thumbs up and say, “AAAYYYYY” And that’s the sound they make! They were surprised to find so many “ay” words from their books.

Students were given another reading challenge with Dr. Seuss books! After reading a selected book from the Dr. Seuss chart, students will receive a sticker. Once the entire chart has been filled, they will turn it in for an additional surprise! Our kiddos are very motivated and LOVE reading these books:)

In science, we are wrapping up our deep dive into animal habitats. Our final biome is the ocean. We have been diving through the different ocean zones and learning about the amazing creatures that live in each one. Students created their own sea creature from play-doh and had fun sharing their unique animals.

We area excited to travel to West LIberty next Thursday morning. Please make sure to sign and return the yellow permission slip. We will be gone from 9-12 and plan on returning for a regular lunch. Students may bring a disposable snack for the field trip. PARENTS ARE INVITED TO WALK THEIR CHILD TO CLASS FRIDAY TO SEE THEIR ANIMAL HABITAT and work from our deep dive!

We are thankful for your partnership and support! Have a wonderful weekend!

Karen & Danielle

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• Monday, February 16th: Bring a Friend to School Day
• Saturday, February 21st: Open House at 9:00 am
• Friday, February 26th: First grade field trip to West Liberty (more info to come)
• Friday, February 27th- March 8th- Spring Break
• Saturday, March 28th- Mark your calendars for CELEBRATE!
• Several of our WCDS families will be traveling to Chile with FC Wheeling Soccer over spring break, including Miss Meredith and Mrs. Fuentes, and will have the opportunity to visit a local school while they are there. As our students are learning Spanish as a foreign language, we are excited about the chance to support children in Chile who are learning English. If you have any bilingual English/Spanish children’s books at home that you would be willing to donate, they will be shared with the school as a way to support their English language learning. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library books are often bilingual and are a wonderful option to donate! Thank you for helping us share language, learning, and kindness beyond our classroom. Muchas gracias!

In Phonics this week we unlocked the Secret of “er.” We learned that when these crazy drivers get in the car together, they slam on the breaks and say “errrrrrrrrr” (insert screeching sound)! 🚘 We practiced our words (her, over, and number) and learned that these two letters usually appear at the end of a word– though not always. We made our RED words appear like magic in hearts when we took a marker to our paper after using crayon!

In math, we used Conversation Hearts to practice sorting, graphing, and answering questions about data in a fun and hands-on way. Students began by sorting their hearts by color—pink, purple, yellow, green, and orange—and counting how many of each they had. Then, they created a color graph to represent their data, with each square standing for one heart. Once our graphs were complete, we used them to answer questions like which color had the most, which had the least, and how many there were in all. Students also compared amounts and explained their thinking using the graph as evidence. It was a sweet and engaging way to build counting, comparing, and data skills all in one lesson! At the end, they accepted the challenge to see how. many hearts they could stack on top of each other. Though this proved to be a quite a difficult task, they showed great perseverance and got super creative with their stacking.

Our habitat discovery has now led us to our last destination–the amazing OCEAN! We learned that the ocean has different layers, specifically focusing on the Sunlight Zone, the Twilight Zone, the Midnight Zone. They learned that the Sunlight Zone is bright and warm, and many fish, dolphins, and sea turtles swim there. The Twilight Zone is darker and cooler, and you might find squids and lanternfish. The Midnight Zone is very dark, and some animals can even glow! We loved learning about the ocean and the wonderful animals that call it home! We look forward to traveling to West Liberty University’s Zoo Science Center on Thursday, February 26th. More info is to come!

In Writing Workshop, our first graders kicked off a sweet and exciting friendly competition called “Cupcake Wars,” inspired by the book Cupcake by Charise Harper. After reading the story and noticing how the main character learns that being unique is something to celebrate, students were challenged to design their very own one-of-a-kind cupcake using a variety of craft supplies. Nothing was off limits—some cupcakes were piled high with imaginative toppings, while others were transformed into characters with faces, accessories, and even personalities! Once their creations were complete, students brought their ideas to life through writing, describing their cupcake’s features, explaining what made it special, and describing what it would taste like if it were real. We wrapped up the project with a school-wide vote for the most creative cupcake, making the experience even more exciting and giving our young authors a real audience for their work. Congratulations to Edna’s valentine cupcake & Gemma’s Stitch cupcake, as they tied for first place! All cupcakes were amazing creations and we were so excited to celebrate ALL creations!

Our First Grade Valentine’s Day celebration was filled with love, laughter, and lots of kindness! The day was centered around showing appreciation for one another and celebrating the friendships we’ve built in our classroom. Students were so excited to pass out Valentine’s cards to their classmates, carefully making sure everyone felt included and special. We enjoyed a few sweet treats, shared smiles, and practiced using kind words throughout the day. It was a joyful celebration that reminded us all how important it is to spread love and kindness—not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day in first grade. 💕

Have a weekend full of LOVE!

Danielle and Karen

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• Monday, February 9th: No School
• Tuesday, February 10th: No School (Teacher Professional Day)
• Friday, February 13th: 1st Grade Valentine Party

Several of our WCDS families will be traveling to Chile with FC Wheeling Soccer over spring break, including Miss Meredith and Mrs. Fuentes, and will have the opportunity to visit a local school while they are there. As our students are learning Spanish as a foreign language, we are excited about the chance to support children in Chile who are learning English. If you have any bilingual English/Spanish children’s books at home that you would be willing to donate, they will be shared with the school as a way to support their English language learning. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library books are often bilingual and are a wonderful option to donate! Thank you for helping us share language, learning, and kindness beyond our classroom. Muchas gracias!

It was a wonderful winter week! The snowy weather gave us the perfect opportunity to bundle up and head outside for some sledding fun. We took advantage of the beautiful conditions and spent time on our “slope” laughing, playing and enjoying the fresh air! Smiles ( and rosy cheeks) were everywhere!

Back in the classroom, it was warm and toasty in First Grade! We are continuing to explore our animal habitats, and we spent the week traveling through the amazing rainforest! We learned about exotic animals AND plants! Our favorite tree is the great Kapok tree, which is the home to a troupe of monkeys , hummingbirds and spotted tree frogs! It was fun to learn that the rainforest is made up of four layers: Emergent, Canopy, Understory and Floor. Ask your child which animals live on which floor!

We are honing our basic addition and subtraction skills everyday with Monster Math fun, math centers, small group instruction and partner card games. Two favorites are “Take Out the Trash” and “War”. Our focus on numbers to 40 has been exciting this week and students are mastering identifying tens and ones in these larger numbers.

In Phonics , it was all about blends, which are an important building block for reading and spelling. St, sl,tr,ft and sn were just a few of the blends we practiced reading. We learned that blends are two or more consonants that come together in a word, and each letter keeps its own sound. We practiced hearing and saying these sounds clearly! Most importantly, students learned that when they see a blend, they don’t skip sounds~ every letter matters!

We enjoyed another lively visit from Michael, our local traveling librarian! His engaging and exciting lessons are ones we look forward to every month!

🩷We will celebrate Valentines on Fri., Feb. 13th! Please send in your child’s valentine box/bag and cards on that day. Thank you in advance to Caston, Winston and Alex’s parents for donating the treats for the party!🩷

Enjoy the looooooong weekend!

Karen & Danielle

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• Friday, February 6th: Early Dismissal at 11:30 am (No Aftercare) & 8:00 am Parent Coffee
• Monday, February 9th: No School
• Tuesday, February 10th: No School (Teacher Professional Day)
• Friday, February 13th: 1st Grade Valentine Party (see info and list below)

We celebrated our 100th day of school in a BIG way during this very short week on campus! We rotated through centers including stacking 100 cups, finger-painting 100 gumballs, linking numbers 1-100 on a chain, and so much more! Most importantly, we took time to reflect on our growth. The class talked about how we are 100 days smarter and 100 days better at reading, writing, math, and so many other skills. The progress these first graders have made since the beginning of the year is truly something to celebrate. This day was a joyful reminder that learning adds up—day by day, skill by skill. We’re so proud of how far our students have come and can’t wait to see what the next 100 days bring! 💯✨

Our Valentine’s Day celebration will be held on Friday, February 13th. Please see the class list below. Students are encouraged to bring something to place their Valentine’s in, whether that be a beautifully created box or even a decorated bag! The day is about celebrating LOVE and FRIENDSHIP. Our party will be held in the afternoon. Please be on the lookout for sign-ups to make our celebration extra special.

It was amazing to see all the learning that took place “at home” during our snow days this week. We loved seeing the creative ways they practiced their red words and the amazing creations that were built. But most of all, we loved seeing the joy that radiated on their faces to the massive amount of snowfall we had. As always, we appreciate your partnership as we encouraged learning at home. We hope you enjoy the pictures below that were sent in. Have a wonderful weekend!

Danielle & Karen

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• Friday, January 30th: Freedom Friday and 8:00 am Parent Coffee
• Friday, February 6th: Early Dismissal at 11:30 am (No Aftercare)
• Monday, February 9th: No School
• Tuesday, February 10th: No School (Teacher Professional Day)

Our 2nd graders in “training” are becoming quite the masters of the glued sounds -ng and -nk! This week we mixed the two and also added suffix -s!

In math this week we had a blast learning about different types of graphs, including picture graphs, bar graphs, and pie graphs! We graphed fun things like our birthdays, favorite colors, favorite animals, and even the weather. Through these activities, we learned how to ask and answer questions like “Which has the most?” and “How many more?” We practiced comparing data and understanding patterns, while also having fun exploring how graphs help us see information more clearly. It was a great way to practice math and teamwork, and we’re excited to keep graphing in the future!

We continued our Deep Dive on animal habitats and ventured to the DESERT 🏜️ Students learned that it is a hot, dry place where many animals live, like lizards, snakes, birds, and foxes, and they have special ways to stay cool and find water. We also learned lots of interesting facts about cactus plants, including that they store water inside and do not need much rain. Our favorite fact was that a cactus can live over 200 years and that some can be edible! Cactus for dinner anyone? 🌵

This week, students learned about diversity and bias. Through classroom conversations and activities, students discovered what they have in common with their peers as well as what makes them unique. When kids learn to respect and value all people, no matter the similarities or differences, they are able to feel more connected to others, have higher levels of social awareness, and create stronger relationships. We put this idea into practice with a little demonstration with EGGS! We compared a brown and a white egg on the outside and then cracked them open to compare the insides. This activity highlighted the importance of equality. We discussed the powerful impact Martin Luther King had on the world and students shared their own dreams.

Thank you for all your donations for the Ohio County Animal Shelter. Our students were proud of our service project and they loved making treats for the dogs in our community.

We hope you all have a wonderful Snowy weekend! ❄️

Danielle & Karen

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

-January 19th – Community Service Projects

-January 30th – Freedom Friday, Parent Coffee @ 8:30 am, Little Explorers/WeTwo

• Friday, February 6 – 11:30 Early Dismissal – Winter Long Weekend 
• Monday, February 9 – No School 
• Tuesday, February 10 – No School

This week, we held an SEL-based school assembly where Mr. Joe discussed our MLK Jr. Day of Service is coming up. Each grade shared what they are doing, along with the items or supplies they hope to collect. That was followed up by the incredible Mr. Ron Scott (Cousin Ron), as the kids refer to him now. Mr. Scott discussed the importance of one of our WCDS values, respect. Through his playful and engaging storytelling, the kids learned about respecting others, materials, and themselves. We are extremely grateful that our kids were able to learn from him this week and hope to welcome him back soon! 

We began our Teacher of the Day lessons! Students will be given the opportunity to share their individual passions by teaching a topic of interest to their classmates. First up was Kyler, who taught us his passion about… We are loving learning about one another and seeing everyone’s special interests shine! Additionally, this activity supports both speaking and listening skills while fostering confidence and peer engagement.

In Science, we continued our Arctic Animal deep dive. We talked about how animals survive in cold places and began researching our favorite Arctic animal! They learned about their animal’s diet, size as well as a fun fact! The students asked great questions and are so excited to continue learning more! We also got creative by using TP rolls to create lifelike animals. Our classroom was filled with imagination, teamwork, and lots of smiles while their animals came to life.

In math, we continued our measurement unit. We began by guessing the weight of three bags. We decided which bag was the heaviest and which one was the lightest. We were amazed that some guesses were fairly accurate!!! Students practiced weighing different objects around the room and compared which items were heavier or lighter.

In phonics we unlocked another fun secret- “ink, ank, onk, unk “make the sounds the bells clunk”!
In literacy, students focused on more glued sounds as we unlocked this Secret!! Through reading, writing, and word practice, students learned how these sounds stick together and appear in many familiar words. They are noticing many of these secrets when we read aloud or during their own silent reading time.

We are so excited to contribute to our service project on Martin Luther King Day! Students will be making dog treats for the Ohio County Animal Shelter. Please check the Talking Points for more information and how you can help!

Have a great weekend!

Karen & Danielle

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

-January 19th – Community Service Projects

-January 30th – Freedom Friday, Parent Coffee @ 8:30 am, Little Explorers/WeTwo

Happy New Year! 🥳 Our first graders are officially SECOND graders “in training!” We read “Squirrels New Year’s Resolution” by Pat Miller. Students made goals to add to their vision boards. We are excited for a fun remaining half of the year making connections, building confidence, and growing as learners.

“-Ing, -ang, -ong, -ung makes the sound of bells rung!” In literacy, students focused on glued sounds this week as we unlocked this Secret!! Through reading, writing, and word practice, students learned how these sounds stick together and appear in many familiar words. They enjoyed spotting glued sounds in books and practicing them in their own writing. In addition, we also unlocked the secret of “y!” When at the end of a word, it steals the capes of Superhero I or E and does the job— like in the words why, by, my, and try!

In SEL, we met some new friends to help us practice our skills! Tom Cat and Tabby Cat were a hit as we covered topics like lining up, sharing, and perseverance.

In math, our first graders have been busy exploring measurement in a fun and hands-on way! Instead of using rulers, students learned about non-standard measurement, using everyday objects like paper clips, cubes, and other classroom tools to measure length. To make learning even more exciting, we connected measurement to our Arctic animal studies. Students used their non-standard units to find out how long or short different Arctic animals are. They carefully lined up cubes and paper clips, counted their units, and compared results with classmates. It was wonderful to see students so engaged, working together, and discovering that measurement can be both meaningful and fun—especially when it involves polar bears! See if your child can tell you how many “polar bears tall” they are!

Our first graders continued their study of habitats by exploring the Arctic. They learned about animals such as polar bears, Arctic foxes, seals, and snowy owls, focusing on the special attributes that help them survive, like thick fur, blubber, and white camouflage. Students also discovered Arctic plants and other life forms, including mosses and grasses that grow during the short summer. This exploration helped students understand how living things adapt and depend on one another within a habitat. To wrap up their learning, students worked in groups to create posters of different Arctic animals, drawing each animal in its habitat and writing facts they learned.

In celebration of Martin Luther King Day and our school-wide day of service, our first graders will be collecting donations for the Ohio County Animal Shelter. Please see the flyer below for more information. In addition, students will be making treats for the shelter animals on Monday, January 19th. Please be on the lookout on Talking Points for opportunities to donate items for the treats as well. We thank you in advance for your help!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Danielle & Karen

UPCOMING DATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Our first graders had a truly magical festive week filled with cheer, laughter, and learning! We kicked off the fun with sledding on campus, turning our school day into a winter wonderland. The excitement continued as we celebrated a lineup of special themed days including Snowman Day, Grinch Day, Reindeer Day, Santa Day, and our much anticipated Polar Express Day! Each day brought holiday spirit into our classroom and kept smiles shining brighter than our twinkling lights.

On Grinch Day, we witnessed the Grinch’s heart growing 3 times! Ask your child how this happened right in our first grade room!!

One of the highlights of the week was Polar Express Day. We gathered together to watch the movie, cozied up with warm hot chocolate, and even had our very own train tickets hole-punched- just like on the Polar Express! It was a heart-warming experience that truly captured the magic of the season:)

The holiday fun didn’t stop our learning-especially in math! We reviewed our subtraction skills with festive activities like “Roll A Snowman” and completed a mystery 100 chart picture. Be sure to ask your child what picture was revealed at the end- it was a FUN surprise! This joyful week was the perfect blend of learning and holiday magic, and we are proud of our first graders for all of their hard work and wonderful spirit. We also spent the week reviewing our tricky sight words by playing bingo , building words with wiki sticks, writing in shaving cream and guessing which sight words had stickers on the back!

Thank you to the parents that signed up for our Holiday Party. We appreciate your time and generosity!

We look forward to seeing you all back in 2026. Merry Christmas and have a wonderful break!

Karen & Danielle

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WCDS EVENTS

• December 15th: Santa’s Workshop for first grade (1:45-2:15 pm)
• December 17th: Elementary Holiday Show (grades 2-5) at 6:00pm
• December 19th: Early Dismissal at 11:30 (No Aftercare). School will resume on January 5th, 2026

There’s something magical about the final weeks before Christmas break. Energy is high, excitement fills the classroom, and learning transforms into something even more joyful. This week, we began our countdown to break by celebrating with daily themes—Elf Day, Gingerbread Day, Tree Day, Kindness Day, and Candy Cane Day. Each day included matching books, math activities, and plenty of seasonal spirit. In addition, we had a friendly visit from our classroom Elf- claiming the name of Sprinkles Jingleham. Students received silly elf names for the day! What’s your elf name? (See picture below)

This week, our students continued their exciting journey into the world of forest animals and their habitats. To deepen their understanding of how animals live and survive in forest environments, students designed and created their very own forest animals with the help of their 3rd grade Cougar Buddies! Once their animals were complete, students wrote a fun fact to accompany their creations. Finally, students helped to transform our classroom into a Winter forest for our Holiday Night! It was magical to see all their snowflakes and creations line the walls and create a beautiful walk-through experience for all of the Early Childhood community. Thank you so much for attending this event! As we continue our study, we look forward to exploring more about how animals adapt, change, and survive in different habitats. For now, our winter forest remains a magical reminder that learning doesn’t just happen at our desks—it happens when we create, imagine, and bring ideas to life.

We are wrapping up 2025 with suffix -s! Students learned that in addition to the suffix meaning “more than one,” they also learned how it can be an action! We will be filling these final weeks with a review of all skills as well as practicing RED words! We are so proud of our students. They are becoming masters at reading, writing, and spelling! 👏

Speaking of READERS—a few our students showed off their skills in their book club with Mr. Joe! They read a Calendar Mysteries chapter book called “November Night,” by Ron Roy! They presented an overview of the book and highlighted their favorite part of the mystery. All students will have the opportunity to apart of a book club before the end of the year. Way to go Levi J., Nora, Bradley, and Levi S.R. 📚

We hope you all a wonderful weekend!
Danielle & Karen