Elementary Specials Quarterly Newsletter

It is hard to believe that our first quarter of school is already finished! We, the Elementary Specials teachers, would like to share with you what content has been covered in each grade level during these first nine weeks of the school year. Things have gotten off to a fantastic start, and we are all very excited for what is to come!

TK

• Art: Students have learned about the art color wheel, created a Fall Sunflower and a Fall leaf.  Also, students celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th)
• Computer: TK students have been learning how to use the mouse. They know it is important to put their fingers in the right place so they can click where they need to. They have practiced controlling the mouse by tracing letters and numbers. They love listening to the music that plays through the headphones.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students have been learning and practicing basic locomotor movements in every class period. We have also played several different tag games, done numerous activities with the parachute, practiced coordination skills with hula hoops, and worked on total body fitness. Vocabulary words and concepts covered include fitness, coordination, self control, focus, and sportsmanship.
• Science Lab: Students were presented with an “engineering challenge” in which they were given simple materials to build a structure. They exhibited  great creativity in the many castles, bridges, and towers that were built.  1st quarter also included lessons on senses, grouping, and a farm lesson in which we made our own butter and tasted it on bread.
• Spanish: Students are learning “hola, adios, me llamo_________” and counting to 10.  We have learned a color each week and in 2nd quarter we will review all the colors.

Kindergarten

• Art:  Students have learned about the art color wheel, different types of lines in art, and celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th).  Also, students began a Fall art piece that will be finished in the near future.
• Computer: Kindergarten students have practiced logging in and out of the computer. They have been practicing controlling the mouse by tracing letters. They have also mastered double-clicking. They are becoming more familiar with the keyboard and finding all the letters and numbers.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students have been learning and practicing basic locomotor movements in every class period. We have also played several different tag games, done numerous activities with the parachute, practiced coordination skills with hula hoops, and worked on total body fitness. Vocabulary words and concepts covered include fitness, coordination, self control, focus, and sportsmanship.
• Science Lab:  Students were presented with an “engineering challenge” in which they were given simple materials to build a structure. They exhibited  great creativity in the many castles, bridges, and towers that were built.  1st quarter also included a lesson on bears, in which we focused primarily on the polar bear and experienced how blubber keeps the polar bear warm in the Arctic  We made observations with apples; learning about the wide variety of apples that God provides for us, as well as the parts of the apple and the taste of different kinds of apples.  We had a lesson on objects that either sink or float in water, and a farm lesson in which we made our own butter and tasted it on bread.
• Spanish: Students learned “hola and adios” and how to answer “como te llamas?” Students learned all the colors and counting 1-15.

1st Grade

• Art:  Students have learned about the art color wheel, warm/cool colors, created Lego self-portraits w/personal attributes, celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th) , learned about different lines in art and made a class collaboration Fall art piece.
• Computer: First grade students have practiced logging in and out with minimal assistance. They have been practicing computer skills like controlling the mouse, finding letters on the keyboard, using arrow keys and number keys.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students have been learning and practicing basic locomotor movements in every class period. We have also played several different tag games, done numerous activities with the parachute, practiced coordination skills with hula hoops, and worked on total body fitness. Vocabulary words and concepts covered include fitness, coordination, self control, focus, and sportsmanship.
• Science Lab:  Students were presented with an “engineering challenge” in which they were given simple materials to build a structure. They exhibited  great creativity in the many castles, bridges, and towers that were built.  1st quarter also included lessons on our senses, and animal habitats in which we made a self-contained habitat for earthworms- to keep in the classroom :) We finished the quarter with another animal lesson on camouflage- which was the wonderful creation your child made out of home made play dough, painted, and brought home on a plate.
• Spanish: Students learned “hola, adios, buenos dias” and answering “como te llamas?” with “Me llamo_____________” orally and in writing. Students learned/reviewed all the colors and counting 1-30.

2nd Grade

• Art:  Students have learned about the art color wheel,warm/cool colors,  created a Lego self-portrait w/personal attributes, celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th), and made a class collaboration Fall art piece.
• Computer: Second grade students have mastered logging in and out without assistance. They have been practicing computer skills like controlling the mouse, using arrow keys and number keys.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students have been learning and practicing basic locomotor movements in every class period. We have also played several different tag games, done numerous activities with the parachute, practiced coordination skills with hula hoops, and worked on total body fitness. Vocabulary words and concepts covered include fitness, coordination, self control, focus, and sportsmanship.
• Science Lab:  Students were presented with an “engineering challenge” in which they were given simple materials to build a structure. They exhibited  great creativity in the many castles, bridges, and towers that were built. We started off the year with a great lesson on fighting bacteria by exercising proper handwashing technique; using cinnamon and oil to prove the point- that in order to rid your hands of bacteria you must use soap and warm water :)  We did a lesson on ecosystems, making a self-contained ecosystem for the classroom.  Finally, in honor of the “Fairy Tale” theme, we did a lesson on Snow White and the erupting apple, making our first chemical reaction erupt out of an apple with baking soda and vinegar.
• Spanish: Students reviewed greetings and goodbyes and role played using Spanish answering “Como te llamas?” with their own Spanish name. Classroom, clothing and colors vocabulary learned in 1st grade was reviewed. Students learned some names of Spanish speaking countries (there are 21). Vocabulary assessment was done.  Students are encouraged to practice at home.

3rd Grade

• Art:  Students have learned about the art color wheel,warm/cool colors, created a Lego self-portrait with personal attributes, made a “moving” line art piece and celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th).
• Computer: Third grade students have had the chance to play some fun and challenging games as they practice a few computer skills like controlling the mouse, using arrow keys and the numpad. Students have also learned how to create and format a Word Doc.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students took their first of four fitness tests. These tests will track student progress throughout the year in the areas of cardiovascular, upper body, lower body, and core strength and endurance. We also completed a five week long football unit that gradually introduced the necessary skills and concepts needed to play a game of two hand touch football. Students worked a great deal on agility and footwork throughout this first quarter.
• Science Lab:  Students began the year with a lesson on the water cycle followed by weather, in which we were able to go outside to make observations and measurements, and learn about the different types of clouds.  We finished the quarter with one of the most fun, yet challenging lessons by making our own catapults and learning about Sir Isaac Newton and his laws of motion.
• Spanish: Students reviewed greetings and goodbyes and role played using Spanish answering “Como te llamas?” with their own Spanish name. Students learned some names of Spanish speaking countries (there are 21). Students learned the days of the week and the months. Vocabulary assessment was done.  Students are encouraged to practice at home.

4th Grade

• Art:  Students have learned about the art color wheel, warm/cool colors, created a Lego self-portrait with personal attributes, celebrated International Dot Day(Sept. 15th), and made a “moving” line art piece.
• Computer: Fourth grade students have had the chance to play some fun and challenging games as they practice a few computer skills like controlling the mouse, using arrow keys and the numpad. Students have also learned how to create and format a Word Doc.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students took their first of four fitness tests. These tests will track student progress throughout the year in the areas of cardiovascular, upper body, lower body, and core strength and endurance. We also completed a five week long football unit that gradually introduced the necessary skills and concepts needed to play a game of two hand touch football. Students worked a great deal on agility and footwork throughout this first quarter.
• Science Lab: Students did a lesson on the “moon’s craters” in which students observed and recorded measurements from dropping a marble into flour to measure the size of the crater it makes. Then applications were made by comparing the distance and force of the marble to the size of the crater.  Students also did a “Skittles experiment” in which they were able to practice the Scientific Method by comparing cold vs hot water in time trials to see which would melt a Skittles faster.
• Spanish:  Students reviewed greetings and goodbyes and role played using Spanish answering “Como te llamas?” with their own Spanish name. Students learned names of Spanish speaking countries. Days of the week and months were learned/reviewed.  Students use weather words and phrases. Vocabulary assessment was done.  Students are encouraged to practice at home.

5th Grade

• Art: Students learned about the art color wheel, warm/cool colors, created a Lego self-portrait with personal attributes and celebrated International Dot Day (Sept. 15th).  Also, the students created an Optical Illusion art piece.
• Computer: Fifth grade students have had the chance to play some fun and challenging games as they practice a few computer skills like controlling the mouse, using arrow keys and the numpad. Students have also learned how to create and format a Word Doc.
• Music: Children have learned how to keep tempo along with maintaining a rhythm using rhythm sticks and various percussion instruments.In addition to experimenting with percussion instruments the children are learning a new hymn monthly.
• PE: Students took their first of four fitness tests. These tests will track student progress throughout the year in the areas of cardiovascular, upper body, lower body, and core strength and endurance. We also completed a five week long football unit that gradually introduced the necessary skills and concepts needed to play a game of two hand touch football. Students worked a great deal on agility and footwork throughout this first quarter.
• Science Lab: Students did a lesson on the “moon’s craters” in which students observed and recorded measurements from dropping a marble into flour from different heights, to measure the size of the crater. Applications were made by comparing the distance and force of the marble to the size of the crater. Students also had a “paper airplane” lab in which they were able to make 3 different designs, then test them out on a runway, recording their data in 3 different trials, to see which design actually flew most successfully.
• Spanish:  Students worked on basic dialogs using greetings, goodbyes and their Spanish names as well as answering “De donde eres?” (Where are you from?) naming a Spanish speaking country. Days of the week and months were reviewed.  Students used weather words and phrases and learned the 4 seasons. Vocabulary assessment was done and practicing at home is encouraged.