Johnson Jungle
Art, Guidance, Library, Music, P.E., & Spanish
Welcome to Johnson's newsletter for specialty courses and programs!
Jennifer Flynn (Visual Art), Whitney McKay (Guidance Counseling), Marie Zimmerman (Library), Alyssa Vanderpool (Music), Nick Behymer (Physical Education), Julie Dashley (Spanish)
Save the Date! FAMILY NIGHT Dec 7, 2017
On December 7, 2017, from 5-7pm, Johnson is hosting our first Culture Fest Family Night. Student artworks, projects, and performances will fill the evening with inspiration and excitement from around the globe!
As a part of the festivities, we are looking for families willing share a bit of their cultural background with the Johnson community! Fifteen-minute time slots will be available for people to share a little something about a culture that is dear to them. This may be reading a children's book in another language, singing a popular song, teaching a traditional dance, playing a traditional game, showing artifacts such as currency and post cards, etc. For example, "pirinola" is a traditional spinning top game played in Mexico. I will share a few facts about Mexico and then teach students how to play the game and then we shall play.
Please email me at Julie.Dashley@fortthomas.kyschools.us if interested in signing up for a time slot, or if you have any questions. We appreciate your willingness to support and help inspire our students!
Thank you and I look forward to Culture Fest 2017!
Book Fair!
We also have great objects and images presented in the library with books based in countries around the world! Thank you to those who are allowing us to share these keepsakes to help us inspire our students!
Kindergarten
The Turkey Tango
Kindergarten has been preparing for the Thanksgiving season by singing and dancing. They will perform for their book buddies and the cafeteria staff on November 16th to show their thankfulness for all that they do.
Alyssa Vanderpool, Music Educator
Thankful Stories
In the library, Kindergarten students have been learning about various story elements like author, illustrator, beginning, middle, and end. Students are also working in different centers to practice literacy and technology skills.
Marie Zimmerman, Library Media Specialist
Jennifer Flynn, Visual Art Teacher
Calm Down Bunny
This month in guidance counseling Calm Down Bunny came to Kindergarten to teach the students about identifying emotions and focusing their attention. The Kindergarteners all drew pictures with Mrs. McKay, following very specific directions. The first time they drew the pictures they were instructed to say the instructions out loud before drawing. The second time they drew the pictures they were instructed to say the instructions in their head. This was to help them "develop a little voice in their head" and encourage the development of metacognition.
Mrs. McKay also read them the book, The Way I Feel by Janan Cain.
Guidance Counselor
1st Grade
Fiction or Nonfiction?
1st grade students have been learning about fiction and nonfiction. We just read about our favorite hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo, Fiona!
Marie Zimmerman
Library Media Specialist
Rehearsal Progress: TOYS!
Alyssa Vanderpool
K-5 Music Educator
2nd Grade
Build a Bridge
2nd grade has been learning about the Super 3 Research method. We are beginning at STEM unit on bridges. Students will research, design, and test a bridge.
Marie Zimmerman
Library Media Specialist
Live Scoring Photos
Second grade is finished up their live scoring unit last week. They created their own sound effects and music to the cartoon Mickey Mouse Haunted Mansion.
Alyssa Vanderpool
K-5 Music Educator
3rd Grade
IN THE GYM!
Nick Behymer
Physical Education Teacher
Digital Citizenship
3rd grade students are continuing their Digital Citizenship PBL. They are learning about the Big 6 research method. Students will research a Digital Citizenship topic and create a project to teach others about the concept.
Marie Zimmerman
Library Media Specialist
Rhythmic Compositions
Third grade is working hard on creating and writing their very own rhythm compositions. Our next steps will be to perform our rhythms using percussion instruments.
Alyssa Vanderpool
K-5 Music Educator
4th Grade
Think Global! Pen Pals in the Bahamas
In the 4th grade Spanish class, we have finished writing our first letters to our Pen Pals in the Bahamas. Students are anxiously awaiting for a reply! In the letters, students introduced themselves in Spanish by sharing their first names, state they live in, their age, and a few likes.
Also, students are starting to create a whole class story in Spanish. This week we started by inventing our first character. In Mrs. Romeo's class, our character is a big panda!
Julie Dashley
K-5 Spanish Educator
Culture Fest Art Preparation
4th graders created artworks inspired by China and Japan to be on display during our first Culture Fest on Dec. 7. These students' dragons, pagodas, and koi fish will help transform the space in the gym, and help us realize how we can appreciate and be inspired by people, places, and traditions from all around the world!
Jennifer Flynn
Visual Art Educator
Far East Asia Medley
Fourth grade has been exploring the Asian culture through music. They are adding their own rhythm band to the Far East Asia medley. Our goal is to share at family culture night on December 7th.
Alyssa Vanderpool
K-5 Music Educator
Realistic Portraits
Jennifer Flynn
Visual Art Educator
5th Grade
Designing Real Spaces: JES Innovation Lab
5th grade students are re-designing the old technology lab to be an Innovation Lab where students can collaborate and create. They are just now finishing up their design proposals. Students will vote and the top project in each class will be presented to the PTO.
Marie Zimmerman
Library Media Specialist
Veterans Day
Shout out the the 5th grade on their Veterans Day Program. Enjoy a few highlights from November 10th!
Culture Fest: Colonial American Culture Exhibit
Jennifer Flynn
Visual Art Educator
School-Wide Information
Book Drive
THANK YOU to Marcus Bohan for thinking of the needs of other students!!
Congrats to NKY Honor Choir students that performed at Lakeside Christian Church on Friday, November 3rd as part of NKY District 6 KMEA Honors Choir.
Betsy, Danica, Adelaide, Audrey, Annelle, Sylvie, Marshall, Eva, Sydney
Alyssa Vanderpool, Music Educator
Online Art Exhibits
Students will be adding to their digital portfolios on Artsonia. Parents - you can easily add relatives' email addresses into your child's account, and then they will be notified when new artwork is posted for viewing. It's a great way to share students' creativity with family members that live far away! (Their account keeps artwork from year to year, allowing you to see their visual art skills develop over time.) Visit Johnson's Gallery to see all of our amazing artworks.
Many students have recently created winter artworks that are currently in the process of being posted to their portfolios - and Artsonia offers opportunities to buy products exhibiting your child's artwork, helping support our school art program!
Get 25% off any one item!
Use Promo Code: HolidayFunds17
Special offer applies 25% off one item's non-sale list price. Valid through December 14, 2017.
Studio Art Presents at the Board Meeting
Jennifer Flynn, Visual Art Educator
Watch D.O.G.S. at Johnson Elementary School
Library Reminders
Students in Kindergarten-2nd grade are allowed to check out one book at a time.
Students 3rd-5th grade are allowed to check out two books at a time.
Students may checkout books during their library class or outside of class with their teacher’s permission. Students may use the self-checkout station outside of class, or they can email me a picture of the book’s barcode.
I will send out monthly emails from Destiny (our Library Management System) regarding overdue books. The latest overdue notice went out on November 2nd. It would be a great idea to keep library books in a specific spot each night with your child’s iPad. Students that need to renew a book should bring the book in on their library day and re-scan it.
If you would like to see if a book has an Accelerated Reader test you can go to: http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx
Destiny Discover and Biblionasium
Students in 1st through 5th grade have been learning about two awesome programs, Destiny Discover and Biblionasium. Watch these videos to learn how your student can access the program and participate in our exciting 40 Book Challenge.
Please let me know if you need any assistance!
Marie Zimmerman
Library Media Specialist
The Big Buddy/Little Buddy Mentoring Program
She Became
Artist Visit from Cartoonist Steve Harpster!
Artist/Author Visit from Origami Storyteller Christine Petrell Kallevig!
Thank you PTO for making these experiences possible for our students!
Digital Citizenship
One of the things that students learn in library is how to be a good digital citizen. This is so important now that we are 1:1 with iPads. Below are some tips from Common Sense Media about how parents can help students search on the internet.
Marie Zimmerman
K-5 Library Media Specialist
We need your help! Art Room Donations Needed
We appreciate your donation of any of the materials below.
ART ROOM NEEDS:
- Pipe Cleaners
- Paper Plates
- Letter Stickers
- Googly Eyes
- Silk Flowers
Thank you for supporting our students' creativity!
PARENT INFO SESSION AT HHS - Nov 20
Parents/Guardians,
We are pleased to be able to offer another informational session for parents of students in grades 4 through 12 to discuss appropriate uses of social media and possible consequences of misuse. We will once again welcome Steve Smith, founder and president of A Wired Family (AWiredFamily.org); Steve Franzen, Campbell County Attorney; Judge Blau, Campbell County District Judge; and Detective Adam Noe, FTPD.
The presentation will take place on Monday, November 20, at 6:30pm in HHS Performing Arts Center. As always, thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you! Thanks to HHS for coordinating this event!
Jamee Flaherty | Assistant Superintendent for Student Services
28 N. Fort Thomas Avenue | Fort Thomas, KY 41075
jamee.flaherty@fortthomas.kyschools.us
Phone | 859.815.2011 Fax | 859.442.4016
Community Connections
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Polar Express: A Musical Storybook
Sat. November 25, 2017 | 10:30 AM
All aboard The Polar Express! This holiday adventure of a mysterious train bound for the North Pole includes original storybook imagery by Chris van Allsburg.
Experience instrument demonstrations, crafts and more at the pre-concert Family Fun Zone. Doors open at 9:30 AM!
You can purchase tickets on the CSO website.
Antique Christmas at the Taft Museum of Art
November 3, 2017–January 7, 2018
Fill yourself with holiday cheer by visiting the Taft’s annual display of antique ornaments, decorations, and toys. Thanks to generous lenders from Cincinnati and beyond, you can escape to a winter wonderland of Christmas past.
This year, you will see toys Santa might have left in years gone by: a jack-in-the-box display, a vintage Lionel toy train set, and dancing antique dolls. Festive decorations include a miniature lighted village of German houses, a heavenly arrangement of angels, a German table-top chandelier, and feather trees. Enjoy such treats as an unusual brown-coated Belsnickle “Santa” candy container, trees with cotton fruit, and a display of vintage dime store memories. Greenery will deck the halls and exterior of the house, and the Dining Room will be set for a holiday feast with sparkling china, crystal, and silver. Click here to learn more about the Antique Christmas displays!
Check out all the cool events going on at the Campbell County Public Library
Read blog posts, see pictures, and view resource information for every grade!