VIDRINE ELEMENTARY

09/10/2026

First graders conducted investigations to explore which materials would work best as protective gear in pond environments with thorn bushes. Which material do you think worked best?

🏠 Family Challenge: Find a small household object (such as a stuffed animal, toy, or plastic cup) and design a protective covering using 2–3 materials found at home.

Together, families can:

1. Predict: Which material will provide the best protection? Why?
2. Build: Create a protective covering.
3. Test: Gently test it by exposing it to a safe “thorny” obstacle, such as crumpled paper, craft sticks, or the edges of cardboard.
4. Improve: Discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what they would change.
5. Share: Have the child draw their design and explain why they chose their materials.

🌿 Family Discussion Prompt

“If you had to walk through a pond environment with thorn bushes, what would you wear to protect yourself? What materials would you choose, and why?”

09/10/2026

Mrs. Jenn’s students researched special leaders from the Social Studies Unit -The Exploration and Settlement of North America- and then presented their project to the class.

🏠 Family Challenge: Students share their important person from the exploration and settlement of North America and become the “family expert.”

At home, the student should:

1. Teach their family 3 interesting facts about the person they researched.
2. Ask the family: “Would you have wanted to explore or settle a new place during this time? Why or why not?”
3. Create a family connection: Together, identify a place their family has explored, moved to, settled in, or considers important. It could be a new city, state, country, neighborhood, or even a favorite vacation destination.

09/09/2026

09/04/2026

Tiger hugs!

09/04/2026

Today, Mrs. Brittani's students participated in a hands-on, messy activity exploring the properties of matter -- making oobleck! They explored how it can act like both a solid and a liquid depending on how much force is applied - they squeezed it, poked it, poured it, and observed what happened. 👐💧

🧪 Family Science Challenge: “Matter Hunt”

Families, it’s your turn to be scientists! 🔬

This week, challenge your family to explore the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas right in your own home.

🏠 Matter Hunt
Find 3 solids, 3 liquids, and 3 gases around your house. Talk together about what makes each one a solid, liquid, or gas.

09/01/2026

Our Pre-K friends are having SO much fun learning independently through our learning centers!

From building and creating to exploring, counting, sorting, practicing fine-motor skills, and using their imaginations, our little learners are discovering that learning can happen through play! 🧩🔢🎨🖍️

🏠 FAMILY CHALLENGE: Create a Learning Center at Home!

Choose one area of your home and turn it into a mini learning center! Let your child choose the activity and encourage them to work independently.

Try one of these ideas:

🔢 Math Center: Sort toys by color, size, or shape. Count them together!
🎨 Art Center: Give your child paper and crayons and let their creativity lead the way.
🏗️ Building Center: Use blocks, cups, or boxes to build the tallest or strongest structure.
📚 Literacy Center: Look at a favorite book and have your child “read” the pictures to you.
🍳 Dramatic Play: Set up a pretend restaurant, grocery store, or classroom.

09/01/2026

Ms. Carlee’s second graders took a walk through a story to determine the story’s elements. They read “The Invisible Boy” together and the students were able to identify the setting, characters, problem, and solution, along with the beginning, middle, and end of the story. 📚

🏠📚 FAMILY CHALLENGE: Be a Story Detective! 🔎

Choose a favorite book to read together as a family. After reading, work together to identify the 5 story elements:

📍 Setting – Where and when does the story take place?
👧🏽 Characters – Who is in the story?
⚠️ Problem – What goes wrong or needs to be solved?
💡 Solution – How is the problem solved?
📖 Beginning, Middle & End – What happens at each part of the story?

BONUS CHALLENGE: ✨ Create your own “story walk” at home! Draw or write the beginning, middle, and end of the story on separate pieces of paper and place them around your house. Have your family walk through the story and retell it together!