Art: Happy 2017! As the new year begins and the second marking period comes to an end, many of the art folders will be going home. Parents -- please sign the folder and keep the artworks at home, but return the folder with the art journals/notebooks. We need the folder for more artworks to come later in the year.
Fourth graders have finished the unit of art of the face. They will be bringing home their symbolic portraits and realistic selfies. We have started our printmaking experiences; this year we will be focusing on just intaglios, a printmaking process where the image is cut out of the printing plate. They will be experiencing using the reduction method to make prints.
Third graders, with an exception of one class, have finished up winter birch tree landscapes, a study on rhythm which is one of the principles of art. Students then will practice using patterns as part of their artworks and create a multimedia dragon pictures.
Second graders will take home their art folders with holiday street collage(unless they already took it home), pine tree paintings using space and distance, and Chinese dragon puppets practicing folding and cutting skills.
First graders will also take home their art folders with winter monochromatic landscape and a sampling of some folk art: koi nobori, embroidery and aboriginal art.
Kindergarteners have been painting, cutting and gluing to experience different aspects of art. They are really beginning to understand how to handle certain art materials correctly. Fun, fun, fun!
Physical Education: It’s time to hit the Volleyball court. Our 1st -4th graders are developing and improving on the three basic skills of Volleyball.
Setting, Bumping and Serving. As we continue through the weeks, all of the skills will be placed together. For 4th grade, they will play a modified game of volleyball called “Nukem” volleyball. For the younger grades they will be able to work with a Big Beach Ball. Keeping it up, working together cooperatively to keep the ball in the air.
Setting, Bumping and Serving. As we continue through the weeks, all of the skills will be placed together. For 4th grade, they will play a modified game of volleyball called “Nukem” volleyball. For the younger grades they will be able to work with a Big Beach Ball. Keeping it up, working together cooperatively to keep the ball in the air.
As February approaches, the Third graders will be getting ready for Jumprope For Heart. 
Music
Kindergarteners are developing their ability to use and switch between high and low voices with visual cues to known poems. They are creating, in an age-appropriate way, new text to short songs. They have played some new instruments in the new year: colored hand bells, chimes, and boomwhackers. They continue to review instruments that they have played so far this year.
First Graders are reading, performing, and conducting the steady beat in known songs. They can highlight phrases in known songs. They have played quite a few instruments in the new year to demonstrate their ability to perform a steady beat accurately.
Second Graders have been working on rhythms and Meter in 2. They can divide rhythms in known songs into 2-beat measures and add bar lines. They understand also that 2-beat meters are divided into strong and weak beats. The students are beginning to use a 3-line/2-space staff and understand how pitch works in notation.
Third Graders have been using Google Classroom to learn about the composer Antonio Vivaldi, define music vocabulary, and use music vocabulary to describe Vivaldi’s music. The recorder letter for the upcoming third grader recorder unit went home last week.
Fourth Graders have been using Google Classroom assignments to comment and answer questions on video clips from an authentic Native American Powwow where drumming and traditional dances are shown. They are also working on reading and playing the orange belt songs in Recorder Karate.
