{"id":456268,"date":"2025-12-18T20:24:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T20:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/456268\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T20:24:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T20:24:11","slug":"inside-the-classroom-sam-western-peterson-elementary-details","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/456268\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Classroom: Sam Western – Peterson Elementary | Details"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inside the Classroom<\/a> is a series that visits Northwest ISD campuses throughout the year and highlights the magical moments that happen between teachers and students each and every day across the entire 234 square miles of NISD.<\/p>\n

\"Sam<\/p>\n

Photo Album<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the most magical time of year, and that is certainly the case inside pre-kindergarten classrooms across Northwest ISD where learning centers are decorated with care in hopes that little thinkers will be excited there.<\/p>\n

Our next edition of Inside the Classroom takes you to Sam Western<\/a>\u2019s class at Peterson Elementary where the Mustangs were certainly in the holiday spirit and starting their day with energy.<\/p>\n

We visited just as they were kicking off their day with morning announcements and calendar time<\/a>. Next, students turned their attention to the focus wall<\/a>, a bulletin board in Ms. Western\u2019s class that highlights the letters, colors, shapes and numbers that the class is currently focusing on.<\/p>\n

After reviewing their current focuses, it was time to get some energy out during the morning music and movement block. Ms. Western and paraprofessional Molly Rowan<\/a> passed out scarves, then students danced, sang and had a blast with their scarves<\/a>. The smiles were contagious as the class traded in their scarves for jingle bells<\/a> and continued the signing and dancing.<\/p>\n

After a quick water break<\/a>, it was time for a high-paced phonemic awareness lesson using NISD\u2019s Heggerty curriculum. Ms. Western led students<\/a> through call and response exercises that covered rhyme repetition, initial sound isolation, compound words, final sound isolation, alphabet knowledge and language awareness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Students<\/p>\n

Heggerty lessons help students develop foundational reading and writing skills through a fast-paced, predictable lesson cycle. Lessons are in a call and response format with the teacher modeling skills and the students repeating.<\/p>\n

After another quick wiggle break<\/a> with the Reindeer Pokey, it was story time as students gathered around Ms. Western\u2019s rocking chair for \u201cThe Three Billy Goats Gruff<\/a>.\u201d Students loved acting out the story<\/a>, especially the mean troll.<\/p>\n

Next, it was time to sing the alphabet song as a special helper came forward<\/a> to point out the week\u2019s focus letters. The last activity of the morning\u2019s lesson involved participation from the whole class as they searched for the week\u2019s letters<\/a> in sentences that Ms. Rowan had written.<\/p>\n

Following the lesson, students were excited to begin their time in learning centers. These centers are fun, hands-on activities<\/a> that promote social skills as students play together, but also academic skills as many are themed based on current curriculum.<\/p>\n

Students were able to choose which activities they visited with many of them being holiday themed. From decorating a Christmas tree<\/a> to creating a Kwanzaa kinara<\/a> craft, the collaboration was evident<\/a> as students spent the rest of their morning playing and learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to the holiday-themed centers, students also enjoyed a classroom library<\/a>, alphabet games<\/a> with Ms. Western, building centers<\/a> and much more.<\/p>\n

The morning seemingly went by in a flash as Ms. Western and Ms. Rowan were great at quickly transitioning their class between activities, keeping their Mustangs engaged throughout.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The students are out for holiday break now, but when they return in January, Ms. Western and Ms. Rowan will have a whole new world of themed centers waiting for them.<\/p>\n

Check back regularly all year as we continue to visit students and teachers throughout Northwest ISD and offer a rarely seen look Inside the Classroom<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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