Mrs. Jongkind in Art
Students are finishing up their shape unit in the art room. Students in grades kindergarten through third worked on various pictures, incorporating shapes into their projects. Fourth, fifth, and sixth grades completed the first stage of a clay project. Soon, their clay projects will be bisque-fired and ready to be glazed. After they are glazed, they will be fired in the kiln a second time, turning the glazes into glass.
Mr. Reiner in P.E.
The gym remains alive with activity and competition as the outdoor weather starts to cool down. In Kindergarten and 1st grade we’ve spent time practicing how to stop and go quickly and in a balanced manner, playing games like simon says and red-light green-light. In 2nd--6th grade we are working on long distance running, and have been doing activities and games that are strengthening our legs, core and endurance, like jump roping, hula hooping, and ladder sprints. Coming up in a few weeks we will run the half mile for 2/3rd and the full mile for 4-6th, and record our times, so that we can see if we have grown when we run it again in the spring!
Welcome Miss DeLeon in Music!!
Hello! I am Ms. De Leon, the new music teacher! The past two weeks, students have been adjusting to the new routine of music class. We have been working on a game called “Pumpkin Patch” and the students really seem to enjoy it! Each grade is working on some form of keeping a steady beat. For example, 5th and 6th grade have been working on the difference between rhythm and steady beat with The Addams Family theme! We are also working on singing more in the classroom, both as a class and individually. Please continue to encourage your students to always try their best!
Going into November, we’re going to continue working on steady beat keeping, but we will also work on learning rounds, reading rhythms, and start learning some folk dances! Kindergarten and 1st graders will be learning a song called “Tideo”, which not only has a pass around game as an activity, but they will also work on keeping a steady beat with instruments!
2nd and 3rd grade will start working on rhythm versus steady beat, and how to read different different rhythms in sheet music!
3rd graders will also be working on a round called “Peace Song”!
4th graders are not only going to be working on reading rhythms and steady beat versus rhythm, but this month we are also going to start working on how to read music! How to read music is my personal favorite thing to teach, so I’m looking forward to these activities!
5th and 6th graders will be working on a round called “Coffee”, reading music, and learning a traditional Mexican folk dance called “Los Machetes”. “Los Machetes” is a folk dance that originated in Jalisco about how agricultural workers in Mexico harvest sugarcane!
With Thanksgiving around the corner, the theme in music class this month will be songs, dances, and activities based on harvests, fall, thankfulness, peace, and so much more! It’s been wonderful working with your students these past two weeks and I’m excited to continue working with them!
