The Specialists Update

Students have art, music, technology education, health and physical education throughout each of their three years at WMS. We are fortunate enough to really get to know your students and see them grow throughout the three years here with us!

The specials classes are listed below.

Art: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Technology Education: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Health: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Music: 6th, 7th grade and 8th grade

Physical Education: 6th, 7th and 8th grade

Orchestra, Band and Chorus: 6th, 7th and 8th grade by student choice

Specials classes meet for 1 trimester every other day with the exception of physical education; physical education meets every other day for 2 out of the 3 trimesters. This means that by the end of the school year your student will have had all four specials for one term and physical education for two terms.

It has been such a great back to school art making. On the first two weeks, 6th and 7th graders created a quick art exercise “All About You” sculpture, each colored strap shows their individual interests and characteristics. They got familiar with cutting and materials to create an abstract paper sculpture. Another group of 8th graders, they did a collaborative drawing about elements of art and design. They first used black acrylic paint to create four elements: pattern, negative/positive space, texture and shape and then cut and paste into abstract and realistic collage artwork. In this week, students also focus on techniques and they are currently creating a unit of watercolor project.

In 6th grade, students are finishing up their zentangle patterns with watercolor. Students are exploring 7 different watercolor techniques and how to use zentagle patterns to create more dynamic designs. We are trying to move away more “elementary” compositions that students are familiar with. Students have done a really great job looking at examples about line, texture and pattern to create zentangle while exploring watercolor with materials like salt, crayon, paper tower and making tape.

In 7th grade, students are finishing up zentangle landscape with watercolor. In this project, students learned not only watercolor techniques but also practiced value and shading. They also looked at landscape compositional example about foreground, middle-ground and background. Students also created light and shodow using zentagle patterns in their landscape design.

In 8th Grade, students also learned about watercolor techniques. They’ve done two watercolor warm ups, one is watercolor glazing with 3 primary colors and the other is techniques with various materials. Students looked at compositional example about how to create the three panels on watercolor paper. They are finishing up their watercolor triptych to create an image that connects to the three panels.

6th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education(Tech Ed)! Trimester 1 has just begun and students have been introduced to the class topics in Tech Ed for the term, and we’ve had some spirited discussions around structures and their types and properties, as well as the forces that they encounter. We’ve together identified many examples near and far. Next week we will begin exploring bridges specifically, and get to understand their types and styles. Soon we will be discussing forces and loads as they pertain to bridges, in preparation for their team projects designing and building physical structures.

7th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education(Tech Ed)! Trimester 1 has just begun and students have been introduced to the class topics in Tech Ed for the term, and we’ve begun by defining systems generally, and in particular transportation system types. We’ve started looking at modes of transportation that fit into each category, and then explored a few unique ones that transcend multiple mediums of travel. We will next start exploring ‘transportation subsystems’ and their functions with examples, in preparation for their culminating transportation device design/build projects in the second half of the term.

8th grade: Greetings from WMS Technology Education(Tech Ed)! Trimester 1 has just begun and students have been introduced to the class topics in Tech Ed for the term, and begun exploring ‘engineering’ and what it is all about. We’ve discussed and analyzed the Engineering Design Process, and have been looking at examples of the steps in action through excerpts of the WGBH show, Design Squad, and will also be looking at a case study featuring the premiere design firm, IDEO, where a design team redesigns the shopping cart for Nightline. We debrief and analyze what we see in relation to the Engineering Design Process. Pretty soon into the term the students will form groups and design, build and program a number of autonomous robots using Lego Mindstorms kits, to experience hands-on design challenges for themselves.

Thank you for taking the time to read our monthly Music Newsletter. My name is Mr. Frontz, and I teach all the general music classes at WMS, and co-teach 8th Grade Drama. Each month, I will give a brief summary of the work we are doing in music and drama classes, and give you updates on upcoming performing arts events.

In all our classes, students are reminded of the following habits of successful musicians: Listen, Participate, Raise Your Hand, Be Kind.

Upcoming Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts (FAPA) Events

Monday, September 22nd, 2025- All City Chorus First Rehearsal (sign up and information here)

6th Grade General Music

Our 6th Graders are focusing on improving their singing voices. We are reviewing the basics of solfege through some fun games like Forbidden Pattern and Follow the Hand. We have also been arranging music to sing using multiple vocal parts; we took the Bobby McFerrin song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and identified the riff, bass line, and the main melody. We then took these parts and divided them among the group, and created an order in which to sing each part.

Recently we took a “Virtual Field Trip” to a recording studio. Students then roleplayed being background singers at a recording session where they sang a song using Call and Response called “Count the Days”.

We’ve also been reviewing the basics of rhythm notation, and learning to play the djembes (hand drums from Ghana). Students are learning about Call and Response two different ways it is used (echos and question and answer).

7th Grade General Music

Our 7th Graders are deep into our first World Percussion Unit where we are learning to play in drum circles with different percussion instruments such as the djembe, the shekere, and the Gonkogwe (double bell from Ghana). First, we reviewed drumming techniques by reviewing a drumming groove we learned last year, and combining it with the song Funga Alafia which is a Welcoming Song from Nigeria and Liberia.

Students then created complementary rhythms and practiced soloing over the group drumming groove. They learned about four ways musical parts can complement others; rhythm, pitch, timbre, and playing at different times.

We are now learning a new song from Liberia, called “Take Time In Life”. We are learning a new drumming groove to go with the song, and revisiting the ukulele learning two new chords- the D minor chord, and the Bb Major chord. Students are experimenting with singing and playing at the same time, while revisiting string instrument techniques that will carry over to our upcoming guitar unit.

8th Grade Drama

As is past practice, 8th Grade drama class is a hybrid Drama/Music class cotaught by Mr. Frontz, and the high school drama teacher Ms. Wilson. The goal of this class is to prepare students for high school performing arts classes such as Foundations of Drama, Music Technology, World Percussion, and Modern Music Ensemble.

So far, 8th Graders have participated in introductory drama lessons based on emphasizing motions, communicating clearly with each other, and thinking quickly and committing to a choice. Each activity connects to an element of theater such as memorization, physicality, character development, and improvisation. We are building towards more intense drama lessons which ask more of students’ creativity and confidence.

When not learning about drama, we have been revisiting the piano, reviewing the location of the notes on the keyboard. We have learned to play some popular tunes, and are working to make sure students are always using the correct finger patterns for each piece.

6th grade: We are off to a great start for the 2025-2026 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS. The first thing 6th grade students have worked on in health class is writing a letter to their 9th grade selves which they will read when getting to WHS. After completing the letter, we will move onto introducing the health triangle.

7th grade: We are off to a great start for the 2025-2026 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS.

Students started the term by reviewing what they learned in 6th grade Health class. Now we have begun our first unit which is the topic of nicotine. Students will identify similarities and differences between vaping and smoking cigarettes. We will discuss reasons why teens are vaping, and the effects on the body from vaping.

8th grade: We are off to a great start for the 2025-2026 school year. Here is the link to our parent/guardian letter home. This explains what Health class is all about at WMS. Students started the term by looking into the seven dimensions of wellness and completing a wellness wheel.

Now we will take a look at the myths vs. the realities of puberty. Students will be asked to identify the mental and social changes that come with puberty and recognize that they are just as difficult to deal with as the physical changes of puberty.

*** As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns about when topics are being discussed in Health class! My email is nicole.lewis@watertown.k12.ma.us.

Mrs. MacEwen: lauren.kelly@watertown.k12.ma.us

Mr. Pereira: haiden.pereira@watertown.k12.ma.us

This month in PE:

This month in PE, we went over our class expectations and our grading policy with all classes.. We walked through our dynamic warm up which we will participate in at the start of every class, and had our first “Fitness Friday” of the school year. We also began our first unit of the school year: Team Handball. Our PE units consist of 2-3 days of skill work/ lead up games and 3 days of game play.

Dynamic Warm up:

Hamstring scoop

Frankenstein March

Knee Pull

Quad Pull

Lunges

High Knees

Butt Kicks

Full Sprint

6th Grade:

Day 1 skills:

PowerPoint presentation of the history, rules, form, and technique of Team Handball.

Stationary passing focusing on our passing sequence: Chest pass, Overhead pass, Overhand pass.

Day 2 skills:

Passing in motion

Three-man weave

Shooting technique

Day 3 Skills:

Modified Game play

Day 4-6 Game play:

Students will be able to incorporate the skills they have been working on in a game play scenario.

7th and 8th Grade

Day 1 Skills:

Passing in motion

Three-man weave

Day 2 Skills:

Powerpoint presentation of team handball rules and position explanations.

Modified Game Play

Day 3-5 GamePlay:

Students will be able to incorporate the skills they have been working on in a game play scenario.

Fitness Fridays:

We will continue with our Fitness Fridays throughout the semester in which we will complete two rounds of eight exercises followed by free choice options every Friday.

1.Jump Squats

2. Ski Jumps

3.Air Squats

4.Plank

5.Scissor Kicks

6.Twists

7.Jumping Jacks

Free Choice Options include:

-Basketball

-Badminton

-Volleyball

-Soccer

Looking ahead:

We will be starting our Fitness Unit within the next couple of weeks, where we will be focusing on lower body, upper body, and full body movements and mechanics. We will also be running our cardiovascular endurance test (the PACER test ) on October 17th and the 24th.

Required for PE class:

· Sneakers

· Water bottle

Recommended for PE Class:

· Change of clothes

Participation Expectations:

All students are expected to try their best, follow directions and be properly involved in class activities for the entire class period.

All students are expected to display a positive attitude and good sportsmanship. This includes proper use of language, respecting the feelings and safety of themselves, their classmates and the instructors.

All students will be evaluated on their ability to perform related activity skills and follow rules.

Student-Athletes who do not participate in PE class will not be allowed to participate in school sponsored athletics that day.

Game play opportunity policy:

In PE class, we have multiple opportunities for students to participate in game play scenarios. This year, we are introducing a two-chance policy within our game play to keep the games fun, inclusive, and safe for ALL students.

Some examples of why a student would receive a warning:

Inappropriate use of body contact, inappropriate language, inappropriate play, poor sportsmanship.

Chance one: Verbal warning

Chance two: Not allowed to participate in game play for the remainder of class, will work on independent skill work.

Grading Policy:

The following guidelines will be used:

20% = Participation in the warm-up before class

40 % = Participation (minimal 0-19%, acceptable 20-35%, exceptional 36-40%)

30% = Social Competency / Cooperation (Does the student follow expectations?

Do they demonstrate personal and peer safety? Do they use equipment properly?)

10% = Homework/Assignments (Google Classroom, etc…) /

Preparation (properly attired with athletic wear