Spotlight on Specials
First Quarter
Fourth Grade ............................ Exploratory Team
Technology
We started the year reviewing expectations, the district’s acceptable use policy.
Students also began working on keyboarding skills. We practice a portion of technology specials working with the Type to Learn Keyboarding Program. Students learned home row finger placement and various keyboarding techniques via lessons and games. Practice time at home tends to increase their words per minute and accuracy level. There are many free sites available. Our portal currently has Ainsworth Keyboarding available to kids for at home practice.
We did a quick review of MS Word. So many projects in the classroom require either Word or Google Docs. The kids quickly caught on to a few of the shortcuts and basics of the program.
Our second project was a quick review of our email system. We reviewed how to add contact information, create a new message, parts of an email, add an attachment, send an email, open an email and reply to an email. We discussed email etiquette and appropriate use at school.
Music
During the first quarter, fourth grade students have been working diligently to prepare for Riverview’s annual Veterans Day assembly! As I have told the students, this is a fantastic opportunity for them to give a special gift to say “thank you” to those who have given so much for all of us. This program requires a great amount of maturity from our students. I have high expectations for them, and I know they will do a spectacular job on November 10th and 11th! Looking into the rest of the year, students will be working on rhythm and note reading writing, singing, and playing. This year we will be using the Recorder Karate method for our recorder unit after Winter Break! We will also continue to build students’ listening stamina and discover new ways to describe the music we hear. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Library
In our library classes we reviewed rules and appropriate behavior in the library, identified ways to care for our books, and discussed the proper use of shelf markers. We also discussed our safety procedures at RE, where we would go, and what our jobs are. We talked about different acronyms to help us in choosing a “good fit” book such as “I PICK” and “CAN IT BE FOR ME?” We took a look at the nominees for the William Allen White Award. Students are encouraged to participate in the William Allen White Reading Program for 3rd-5th graders by reading books off the lists. Students are able to vote on the book they want to win the WAW award as well as read some different authors they might not have read otherwise. More information is available on my website at: http://riverviewlibrary.weebly.com/
Physical Education
The first few weeks of school were focused on the structure of the class and implementing/practicing our warm-up activities and signals. Students have learned new warm-ups such as Restaurant Race, Turtle Tag, and Clean Your Room.
We then worked on cooperative activities; games and challenges where students have to work with one another to complete a task. We were able to play games such as Yogurt River, Beanbag Bash, Star Wars, and Aerobic Bowling. Students spent a lot of time in small groups and teams to work together.
We also learn a “Word of the Week” – a word that is important in Physical Education. The words we have learned so far are: exercise, cooperation, competition, pace, humility, and accuracy.
We are finishing up our soccer unit. I am very impressed with the talent each student possesses! We have learned many skills, such as toe taps, trapping, passing, “tic-tocs”, and dribbling. Students were able to participate in dribbling games as well as side line soccer and mini soccer games. We also completed the pacer test. The pacer test is a running test that students will complete at the end of each quarter to see how they progress throughout the year. It has been a great start to the 2015-201 school year! Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Art
To kick off the school year, all students created a self-portrait. The self-portraits were made in different colors so that we could create a school-wide rainbow self-portrait mural. The mural is on display in the cafeteria & it looks fantastic!
During the first quarter of art, fourth grade students completed two projects in art. In the first lesson, fourth graders learned about an artist named Wayne Thiebaud. Thiebaud is known for his paintings of sweet treats. After viewing & analyzing his work, students created a print of ice cream cones. The prints were made by drawing onto a piece of foam. Next, the plates were inked & students made a series of three prints using different colors each time. For the second lesson, Mr. Case, our students teacher taught students how to create a three-dimensional drawing of blocks using pencil. Student arranged the blocks to look like buildings & then drew them. Once the drawing was complete, students shaded the blocks to make them look more realistic & added details to make the drawing more interesting. Finally, student used colored pencils to add a splash of color to their drawings.
Counselor
In guidance with Ms. Munsey this quarter we started with getting to know you activities and understanding the role of the school counselor. We also focused on the character trait RESPECT. We spent much of our time discussing and understanding how to be considerate of other people’s feelings and tolerant of differences. During the first quarter we also celebrate Peace Week and Red Ribbon week. During peace week I taught students how to deal with their problems in a peaceful respectful way. We discussed strategies, reporting, and the definition of bullying behavior. Red Ribbon week is October 26th through the 30th. I will be teaching students the importance of healthy choices and good decision making.