February 2016 “Specials” Newsletter Physical Education Pre­K: ​
Students will perform various movements while moving safely across a mat. Students will monitor their activity rate and determine which movement caused the body to work the hardest. Students will demonstrate a proficient degree of spatial awareness while performing a variety of locomotor movements. Students will demonstrate an understanding of flexibility while performing different stretches and movements throughout the space. Perform a variety a rolls down a wedge mat. Kindergarten: Students will demonstrate proficiency in fundamental movement skills. Students will practice moving in relation to one’s body parts, objects, and people. In addition, students identify and demonstrate the effects of physical activity on the body system (heart). First Grade: Students will explore and distinguish between the components of fitness (muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility). In addition, students identify activities that improve muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility. Second Grade: Students will identify and demonstrate the effects of physical activity on the body systems. In addition, students will explore and distinguish between components of fitness by participating in muscular strength, cardiorespiratory, and flexibility activities. Sample learning tasks provide opportunities for students to recognize the importance of self­evaluation in the improvement of skills. Third Grade:​
Students will recognize specific cues to perform skills of line dancing. Students will have opportunities to develop creative movement skills in groups. Fourth Grade: Students will recognize specific cues to perform skills of dance. In addition, students will have opportunities to develop creative movement skills in groups. Fifth Grade: ​
Students will recognize specific cues to perform skills of dance. In addition, students will have opportunities to develop creative movement skills in groups. Mrs. Rogers (J​
[email protected]​
) Mr. O’Reilly (​
[email protected]​
) Media Pre­K​
: Students are beginning their Mo Willems author study. Kindergarten: Students will begin working on their animal research project. They will use print and online resources to learn more about different animals. First Grade: Students will begin their “Young Geographers” inquiry project. They will use the CultureGrams database to explore various cities and countries around the world. Second Grade: Students will being their change in technology inquiry project. They will use a variety of sources to learn about how various instruments have changed over time. Third Grade: Students will begin learning about Realistic Fiction books. They will be able to identify which books are realistic fiction and explain why they are that type of book. Fourth Grade​
: Students will begin their Advertising inquiry project. They will learn what advertising is and why it is important. They will also recognize the importance of media messages. Fifth Grade: Students will begin their Narrative Fiction inquiry project. They will explore the narrative fiction genre. They will also discover the purpose of a book trailer and create their own trailer about a narrative fiction novel. Mrs. Savoy (​
[email protected]​
) Art Pre­K: Students will continue to develop their fine motor skills using various tool and materials. Students will experiment with line, shape, and color to create personally meaningful artwork. Kindergarten: ​
Students identify and compare ways in which selected artworks represent what people see, feel, know, and imagine while identifying and describing ideas expressed by different artists. They begin by creating artworks from observation and later, from imagination. Students explore processes and techniques in diverse media, such as clay and textiles and identify ways they can be used to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas. First Grade: ​
Students continue to explore color and line to express personal meaning. Students will also deepen their understanding of form and texture to create representations of observations, memories, and images from their imagination. Students experiment with color and pattern to achieve desired results in surface decoration. Second Grade​
: Students continue developing art­making skills through continued practice with the representation of images and forms from observation, memory, and imagination. Students investigate how communication of artists' ideas and feelings about experiences, events, people, and places, are among the many reasons art is created. Third Grade: Students engage with the expressive qualities of art and explore cultural and historical influences. This provides students with the opportunities to create original artwork with personal meaning and make connections to the art of different cultures, times, and places. Students use the expressive qualities of art, in particular, form and style, to create artworks with personal meaning, discover connections between art and other contents, and establish and use criteria for judging art. Fourth Grade: Students analyze an artist’s expression of personal meaning and techniques for creating artwork. This provides students with opportunities to develop solutions to visual problems in new ways. Students analyze how artists communicate ideas and depict texture and movement in artwork. They will apply and evaluate strategies to communicate ideas in their own artwork. Fifth Grade: Students explore how artists express their ideas in their artwork. This provides students with opportunities to apply the observed techniques to their artwork to express ideas. Students analyze how artists express personal stories and feelings in artwork. This provides students the opportunity to apply selected techniques to convey meaning in their artwork. Mr. Varno (​
[email protected]​
) Ms. Arias (​
[email protected]​
) Music Pre­K​
­students will be listening for musical form through locomotor movement and musical maps. Kindergarten​
­Students will be introduced to the musical staff, the placement of notes. They will also continue their vocal development through singing games. First Grade​
­Students will begin with theatre improvisation to encourage vocal singing improvisation. Second Grade​
­Students will do more sight singing of pitch patterns to set them up for improvisation later in the quarter. They do more rhythm reading to prepare for improvisation on instruments. Third Grade​
­I am happy to report, continues Recorder Karate with approximately 12­15 white belts awarded and 5­6 yellow and orange belts. I would like to see most if not everyone reach their green belt by the end of the quarter. I am sure black belts will be awarded before you know it. Fourth Grade​
­Students will be introduced to a variety of folk music and dance of various cultures. They read to perform on instruments as part of the process of comparing multi­cultural music. Fifth Grade​
­Students will be composing and creating new music. Also, students will be introduced to singing in harmony. Dr. Lively (​
[email protected]​
) Mr. Goba (​
[email protected]​
) Instrumental Music We are excited to start of the New Year with a bang. All instrumental music students th​
are preparing for our spring concert in May 19​
. Students are now learning quarter notes and eighth notes as well as new notes on their instrument and starting to refine their musical expertise. Remember that all students should be practicing at least 150 minutes per week or more (30 mi. a day for 5 days a week) and parents should sign their child’s practice chart after each week has been totaled up. Remember also to praise small improvements and help remind your child to bring their instrument on their lesson day (Monday or Tuesday)! Mr. Goba (​
[email protected]​
)