Wildwood Elem Specialist Newsletter
Art, Library-Media, Music, Phy Ed, and Spanish
April-June Edition
Spanish
This has been the best year of my teaching career because of all the loving and enthusiastic amigos I saw everyday, I will miss them all this summer, especially those that are moving on to OHA.
The Bobo games
There are games and videos on the WW Spanish website where students can play and learn and review Spanish during the summer. You can access it through the WW school webpage under academics and then Spanish or drag the following website link onto your desktop or Ipad and let the learning begin!!
Kindergarten
Kindergarteners learned fruits and vegetables, body parts and clothing words. They learned about the little mouse that comes instead of the tooth fairy and the history of Cinco de Mayo. Thay also learned how to tell mama that she was loved for Mother’s Day. At the end of the year, they learned about the Cuna Indians of Panama and the beautiful molas the women make to adorn their blouses. The kindergarteners colored their own molas to bring home. They were beautiful!
First grade
In first grade, students reviewed fruits and vegetables, body parts and clothing and learned some basic food words. They were able to try dried mango and pork rinds and compare banana chips to plantain chips. At the end of the year they learned about the Inca culture of Peru and had a favorite snack that the Inca discovered. You’ll have to ask them what it was…..
Second grade
Second graders reviewed fruits and vegetables, body parts, and clothing and learned more food words so that they could have a restaurant simulation where they took turns ordering off a menu. They had the chance to try pickled cactus, pumpkin seeds and dried papaya. They finished the year learning about the Mayan culture and got to experience grinding corn on a metate, balancing water jugs on their heads, playing a game with Mayan numbers, and trying fried worms and chocolate, both foods of the Mayans that are enjoyed in Mexico today.
Art
THANK YOU Wildwood students for an awesome year in art!
Kindergarten: Students spent the spring drawing, painting, cutting and gluing. We created a "very hungry caterpillar" collage inspired by author/illustrator Eric Carle. We drew symmetrical butterflies and used tissue paper in the wings and created colorful, patterned bodies. Recently, we created whimsical bird paintings and added white to all our paint colors to create "tints" or light colors. I am very excited to have these creative kiddos next year in first grade!
1st grade: After looking at some mobiles created by the artist Alexander Calder, students created a star shaped mobile with pipe cleaners and beads. Many of these mobiles were hung in the hallway outside of the art room, everyone enjoyed walking under the stars!! First graders welcomed spring by drawing and painting a symmetrical butterfly. We are continuing to explore symmetry by cutting and decorating a paper vase that we will fill with tissue paper flowers. This colorful mixed media still life was inspired by Vase with Flowers created by the artist Vincent Van Gogh. I sure am lucky to have these first graders back next year in second grade!
Have a fun, safe and creative summer!!!
Kindergarten bird painting
1st grade symmetrical butterflies
2nd grade African masks
Physical Education
Activities:
· Exercise Energizers (2nd grade)
· Fitness testing/practice
· Review stations
· Tolf (tennis ball golf)
· Capture the ball
Sports week was a huge success! Thanks to all who volunteered to run a station. The day would not have been a success without you!
Have a great summer, stay active!
Library-Media
Kindergarten:
- Learned about favorite author Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny, Elephant and Piggy, etc.)
- Began learning about award winning books, specifically The American Library Association Caldecott Award for illustration. Click here for this year's winners. They are beautiful!
- Studied summer themed books and used Pixie software to create a sand castle illustration (shape tool).
- Learned about grandparent themed books in honor of Kindergarten's Grandparent Day.
- Created a final self-portrait. This was stapled to their October self-portrait. They've come so far with their mouse and technology skills!
- Completed a digital class project thanking their teacher and learned the file>save command. Turned their projects into a movie. You can see them here. (Note: Mrs. Goff's class did not complete this activity as they missed Media class for a field trip.)
First Grade:
- For the first time ever, first graders used their personal login to log into our electronic books (through vendor MackinVia). They brought a handout home explaining how to access MackinVia e-books and their log in information.
- Used the "select tool" in Pixie software to create silhouettes.
- Studied award winning books, specifically the Caldecott Medal for illustration.
- Used Caldecott Medal winning illustration, Mo Williems, illustration technique on Knuffle Bunny (photography and computer paint) for a Pixie project illustrating what students see in our school.
Second Grade:
- Compared two Native American stories with a Venn Diagram in Kidspiration software.
- Created a Wordle (word cloud) for Mother's Day
- Studied award winning books, especially the Caldecott Award for illustration. In third grade, students will learn about the Newbery Medal for writing and the MN award for writing, The Maud Hart Lovelace award. If you are looking for quality chapter books, these are a good resource to start.
- Finished the year learning the homerow of keyboarding. Students' main year of keyboarding will be in 3rd grade and reviewed in 4th and 5th.
- Students brought their headphones home in their plastic bag last week. These are headphones they could bring to OHA next year.
Kahoot! App
Read S'more this summer!
Collaboration
Music
Demonstrating their best singing, every kindergartener made a video of themself singing the Wildwood School Song. The videos are stored in their newly-established electronic portfolios, which will be expanded throughout their years of music learning in Mahtomedi.
The concept of musical instrument themes representing story characters was introduced in depth to Kinder learners. Prokofiev’s classic musical adventure of “Peter and the Wolf” was explored, with students experiencing how different instruments can portray characters in a story. Which instrument plays Grandfather, or the Wolf? Your kids can tell you, and perhaps even act them out!
There is plenty of percussion instrument playing occurring to match the energy levels and techniques learned throughout the year as we form a kindergarten Rhythm Band . Click here to watch a bit of our band. Super groundwork for first grade musicians!
First graders created individual singing videos to be archived with their steadily expanding electronic music portfolios. They also reviewed proper xylophone playing technique, and put it work to accompany the ballad Gallant Ship. Click here for a demonstration of one verse of Gallant Ship with instruments. We had some interesting discussion around the topic of whether we should only sing cheerful songs (Gallant Ship tells a sad story).
Our learning of reading rhythms that include quarter notes, eighth notes and quarter rests was extended to include composing patterns of our own. Using the Smartboard, individual whiteboards, and even kid bodies makes this learning especially engaging.
We learned African drumming techniques from a series of one-minute YouTube videos from a native drummer. It's challenging to keep a steady beat while combining different rhythm patterns and techniques like open, slap, or scratch. Everyone had a chance to improvise, creating their own pattern. Click here for a brief video demonstrating what Improvisation was like for us.
Finishing the year, students are sharing their numerous music and dance abilities during our Talent Days, as well as revisiting favorite songs and dances learned throughout the year.
Second graders focused on World Drumming in April. Sitting in drum circles, students learned the proper way to play African djembes and Tubanos, using special hand positions to get high and low sounds on the drum. Students could also echo complicated rhythms and improvise "What's for Dinner" as they each took a drum solo around the circle. After drumming, early May was devoted to studying the instruments of the Western Orchestra. Students can name instruments by sight, by sound and tell which family they come from as well as how they make sound. This unit culminated in attending a wonderful in-house field trip on May 8 to see The Summit Hill Brass in our very own WW Gym. The students were amazed by the big sounds brass instruments make when they are heard up close and personal. Thank you PTO for making this concert possible. Students will finish the year singing songs and games from around the world like Obw Asa Na from Ghana, Bate' Bate' from Mexico, Ritch Ratch from Sweden and Closet Key from the United States, All students completed their yearly singing video for their electronic portfolios as well, singing My Country 'tis of Thee. Second graders mastered some more patriotic songs this spring including The Star-Spangled Banner in May. They sang a hearty rendition at their Flag Ceremony on May 22nd. And finally, classes are showing their talents and musical interests in our final Talent Day during the last days of school. What a fun way to wrap up our musical year!
THANK YOU to PTO for its continued support of extra music opportunities at WIldwood! This year, PTO sponsored the First Grade Field trip to Orchestra Hall in the fall, the Second Grade In-House concert with Summit Hill Brass in May and our Outdoor Concert with Glen Everhart on the last day of school. Thank you so very much!!
DID YOU KNOW that a carefully compiled collection of music learning websites can be easily found via the Wildwood School website? You can know that they are safe and of good quality. Fun for summer! Here is a shortcut to get to them:
The longcut trail is: Under Academics>Music>Music General Information> Music Games.
LOOKING FOR A PRIVATE TEACHER FOR LESSONS? Click here for a list of local instructors available on the Wildwood website. http://www.wildwood.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us/page/2602
Kindergarten rhythm band!
First grade composing
2nd Graders enjoying Summit Hill Brass Quintet
Contact Information
Art: Kristi Eckert kristi.eckert@isd832.net 407-2136
Library-Media: Jean Oswald jean.oswald@isd832.net 407-2167
Music: Kathy Schwister: kathryn.schwister@isd832.net 407-2153 and
Ginny Gadbois Green: virginia.green@isd832.net 407-2149
Physical Education: Betsy Sommer betsy.sommer@isd832.net 407-2143
Spanish: Lynn Mucciacciaro lynn.mucciacciaro@isd832.net 407-2135
Website: www.wildwood.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us
Phone: 651-407-2167
Twitter: @mediawildwood