GRAND AVENUE SPECIALS
May/June 2016
SPECIALS DEPARTMENTS
Music-Katie Lavigne and Glenn Schuster
Physical Education-Jacob Breunig and Eric Scheunemann
Email: contact@saukprairieschools.org
Website: www.saukprairieschools.org
ART
Visiting Artist From Oaxaca Mexico
Armando Jimenez is the grandson of the master carver Manuel Jimenez, who is credited with creating the whole movement of the Oaxacan wood carvings, also sometimes referred to as alebrijes. Armando works next door to his brother Moises, and the carvings of both of these very talented men are in high demand. What a great way to support a living legacy, and an art form that has been passed down within the family. Armando and Moises pieces, while adhering to the traditional painting style of their family, shows incredible range of creativity in the whimsical animals depicted ... animals often not native to Oaxaca.
Armando will be at Grand Avenue until 4:30 pm on Friday, May 20, selling his work and visiting with families. He will also be doing an art talk and selling work at the Water Street Gallery on Saturday, May 21, from 5-7 p.m. All art purchases are cash only.
Support for this project comes from: The Sauk County UW-Extension, Arts and Culture Committee and Lea Culver.
Creative Arts Festival
Nine fifth grade artists were selected to attend the Creative Arts Festival in Wautoma on Thursday, April 14. Artists worked on a variety of projects including drawing, upcycling old clothes, paper mache, weaving, making musical instruments, performing, and floral arrangements. Students pictured below include: front row: (l to r) Jack Dillon, Nolan Vils; back row: (l to r) Ella Yanke, Natalie Curtis, Abby Ballweg, Laura Fritz, Marcus Larson, and Landon Ballweg.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON:
Fifth Grade: During April, students worked on their second clay project of the year, bits-n-pieces. Students used skills that they learned in previous clay projects to design and build clay vessels. These decorative containers will be glazed bright colors before going home.
In addition to their individual drawings each fourth grade class created three watercolor paintings inspired by Georgia for their concert backdrop. Look for the paintings at the May 9th concert!
Third Grade: Most of April was spent finishing the dreamtime paintings based on the artwork of the Aborigines from Australia. Third grade artists recreated aspects of dreamtime paintings, map symbols and color patterns, in the background of their animal drawings. As we move into May students will start planning and building clay cupcakes! Clay is always a favorite!
Music
This past month the third graders have been singing a lot of folk songs and learned various concepts and history associated with each given piece. We have also listened to a recording of the viola and brass quintet.
This past month the fourth graders have been working on thier May 9th concert.
The Fifth grades have continued to work on thier sight reading skills and will start testing thier progress next week. We have covered compound duple meter, the Jamaican Rumba, Beethoven and Dvorak. We have also learned a song and dance that goes back to 1853 and done in the royal court of England.
In our Music Express Magazine we have sang La Bamba and Yakety Yak, Folklore form Scotland, and learn about Eric Whitacre who wrote the music for "Pirates of the Caribbean."
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
What we worked on in April:
- Tennis Skills - Students worked on improving their forehand and backhand strokes. They were taught how important footwork and moving is because it helps you be in position to strike the ball successfully. Three cues were used to help students be successful: side to your target, anchor foot/reaching foot, and reach with your racquet to strike the ball.
- Fitness Assessment Preparation - Students practiced our four fitness assessments to help them prepare for up second round of fitness assessments. We will be recording resting heart rate and recovery heart rate along with our four fitness components described below.
The four fitness components we assess are cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance, and muscular strength. The website below describes the assessments we use to assess each of these components. It is important to understand the benefits of each of the fitness components.
Cardiovascular Endurance - improved stamina and energy levels, improves general condition of your heart and lungs, helps supply fuel for your body during sustained physical activity, helps improve sleep, reduces risk of quite a few serious diseases.
Flexibility - reduces risk of injury, reduces muscle soreness/especially lower back pain, increase blood flow and nutrients to tissues, improved posture, maintain/increase range of motion and mobility, reduces joint degeneration.
Muscular Endurance - increases amount of excess calories burned, lowers blood pressure, decreases resting heart rate, decreases stress levels, improved stamina throughout daily activities, helps create more efficient cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
Muscular Strength - increased metabolism, assists with injury prevention, helps prevent chronic diseases, strengthens ligaments and tendons, reduces the risk of osteoporosis, better posture.
What we will be working on in May/June:
- Fitness - Like we mentioned, we will be conducting our second round of fitness assessments.
- Soccer - We will work on spacing, dribbling the soccer ball with your feet, inside and outside striking of the ball with your feet, and passing the soccer ball.
- Frisbee - We will work on improving our frisbee throw and catch. We will utilize the games of ultimate frisbee and disc golf to help us accomplish these goals.
- Softball - We will be working on striking a ball (off a tee and/or pitched), fielding/catching a ball with a glove, throwing with control and accuracy, and base running.
- Track and Field - Students will work on sprints, distance running, hurdles, relays, and field events (lung jump, high jump, and shot put)
5th and 6th Grade Mary Ballweg Memorial Track Meet:
- 5th grade parents - please be on the look out for information coming home about this great opportunity that will take place after school on June 1st at the High School.