The Starside Specials Newsletter
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Art with Mr. Cappel
Greeting from the Art Room!
What a year it’s been so far, but you don’t need me to tell you that! From the start we’ve gone from art online, to art on a cart and finally back in the art room. Many adjustments and many challenges as to how we can use our IMAGINATION in different ways. From presenting the lessons to actually doing the art! There have been some challenges and some interesting results due to our current situation. The most positive outcome I have noticed, in our current situation with the schedule rotation, is that students really have shown an increased improvement in the care and craftsmanship of their work. Knowing that they can come back to their project the next day and not have to wait or rush because they won’t see their project for a week has really improved their attitude and pride in their work. My hope is that this will stay with them and they will remember it when that time comes for us to return to “life as usual” with our old schedule rotation.
As we move forward we are once again concentrating on becoming familiar with the basic elements and principles of art. Becoming better at using line, shape, color, texture, form, value and space in unique and different ways.
Many thanks to the parents who have shown their support during this challenging time in a variety of ways. Letting us know that you understand our situation and appreciate our efforts gives us the incentive to creatively meet the challenges we have overcome and the ones we have yet to conquer.
Mr. Cappel
Technology with Mr. Yocum
Kindergarten and First Grade – Our kindergarten and first grade students will be learning about the Keynote program on their iPads. They will be downloading pictures to go on Keynote slides based on letters in the word “Starside.” For example, they might download a picture of the sun for the first “s” in Starside and a picture of a tiger for the letter “t” in Starside. Later in the quarter they will be learning about coding by using the Ozobot robots.
Second Grade – Our second grade students will also be learning about the Keynote program on their iPads. Like the kindergartners and first graders, they will be downloading pictures from the internet to go on Keynote slides based on the letters in the word “Starside.” However, they will go one more step by typing the words on the slides as well. Later in the quarter they, too, will be learning about coding by using the Ozobot robots.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade – Our older students will also be doing the Keynote project like the younger grades, but they will be adding the definitions of the words they chose to the slides as well as the pictures and words. Later in the quarter they will be working with the Artie 3000 drawing robot to learn about coding.
PE with Coach Kilgore
Greetings from PE!
Growth vs. Fixed mindset has been our theme throughout this year. We are focusing on implementing positive attitudes (Growth Mindset) whenever things get tough. We want to use phrases such as “this may be tough now, but the more I practice, the more successful I will be.” We are trying to stay away from the negative attitudes (Fixed Mindset) such as, “I am not good at this, I give up.” Our goal is to challenge ourselves to change how we react when things are tough.
Kindergarten – 2nd grade: At the beginning of the year, students worked on throwing and catching skills. We learned how to throw underhand with the proper technique where your opposite foot is forward. We improved our skills of throwing to a target with reasonable accuracy. K-2 students also learned about dribbling (finger pads, eyes up, waist level), passing (chest pass and bounce pass) and shooting in the game of basketball.
Students begin running the pacer test in 2nd Grade. To help them prepare and understand the process, I had the students run a “mock” pacer test. In the “mock” pacer test, the distance from line to line is shorter and I stop the test after a certain number of laps.
Looking forward, students are being introduced to different aspects within the game of soccer. They are learning the techniques of dribbling, passing, and shooting the soccer ball.
3rd-5th: At the beginning of the year, students began by practicing their throwing and catching skills. In grades 3-5, our challenge focus has been working on our overhand throw. We are developing correct form and throwing for accuracy. These skills are being developed through partner practice and participating in games. To enjoy our hard work on our throwing and catching skills, we have played many fun games such as, “Boom City, Win the Pin, Pirates of the Caribbean and Monster Ball.”
3rd – 5th students also learned about dribbling (finger pads, eyes up, waist level), passing (chest pass and bounce pass) and shooting in the game of basketball. In the upper grades, we focus more on cues for when to dribble, pass and shoot. For example, for shooting, we learned the acronym BEEF which stands for Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow through. We are now starting to cover soccer where we will learn the skill cues for dribbling, passing and shooting.
Pacer Test: Over the past 5 weeks, 2nd-5th grade has participated in the pacer test. The pacer tests the aerobic capacity of the students. Overall, I have been very pleased with the way each student has given 100% on this test.
We had award ceremonies at the end of each class, where the boy and the girl with the best score received a certificate. In the gym, there is a “Pacer Club” wall where students can write their name up and join the club when they reach a certain number of laps.
Coming soon….The Pacer Hall of Fame. The pacer Hall of Fame will be a poster that goes up in the gym with a boys and girls division and it will have the best score and the name of each student from each grade level 2nd-5th. Their name will stay on this poster until someone breaks their record.
It is important for me to say that when I present the pacer test I place an emphasis on personal improvement, which is the most important thing you can take away from this test. I also think that it is important to award kids for their awesome accomplishments. Plus, I believe these incentives gives students something to strive for in their next pacer test.
Please check out the link below to see some of the fun stations that your students used to work on different skill sets in December!
Please feel free to contact me ckilgore@usd232.org with any questions or concerns.
Counselor with Mrs. Mispagel
While things have looked a little different this school year, I have enjoyed getting to work with our students in person and via Zoom during our counseling lessons! Throughout the first semester we learned about my role as the school counselor, kindness, tolerance, growth mindset and careers. Our lessons included reading books, Kahoot games, drawing/coloring, career BINGO, researching careers, and much more.
We are beginning the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year. All grade levels will start the semester with the Too Good for Drugs curriculum. The lesson topics will include goal setting and making healthy choices. Students will receive a workbook for the Too Good for Drugs curriculum and the lessons will be supplemented with games, role playing and other activities/materials.
There are many other topics in the Too Good for Drugs curriculum which we will also be covering throughout the semester. Below you will see an overview of the topics included in the curriculum.
I’m excited to share that we will be doing our Comets Care Day again this year. All grade levels will be staying at Starside and participating in different community service activities within their classrooms. We are currently planning and working with our staff to determine what organizations we will be helping and what activities our students will be doing. Look for more information later this Spring.
I look forward to continuing to work with your child during 2nd semester. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or if there is anything I can do to help support your child and/or family.
Mrs. Mispagel
Library with Mrs. DeHoff
Greetings Starside Families,
Kindergarten and First Grade will continue building on skills from the first semester. Looking ahead, they will listen to books that are seasonal and also books on diversity. Students will work on retelling stories with different applications.
Second Grade will continue building on skills from the first semester. Looking ahead, students will explore award-winning Caldecott books. Also, they will listen to seasonal books and books about other cultures. We will use STEAM projects where applicable.
Third Grade will wrap up their nonfiction unit. Then look ahead to a book tasting activity, podcasts, and award-winning books.
Fourth Grade will wrap up their Genre unit. Looking ahead, the students will listen to podcasts, make a clips activity, and make a commercial using a children’s book.
Fifth Grade will continue with podcasts, then clips, iMovies, and other apps to share their information on the subject they are learning.
Mrs. DeHoff
Music with Mr. Dahlgren
K-1st Grade: We are working hard on maintaining steady beats while working on classroom songs such as “Baby Beluga” and “Highway Number 1”. We also are working on using body percussion and motion in order to better understand how to stay together while also being individually creative!
2nd-3rd: So far, our students have been working hard on learning basic percussion playing using all the many instruments we have available in the classroom. For 3rd quarter we are beginning to delve more deeply into common music terms that anyone might see when learning how to read and right musical notation.
4th-5th Grade: After 2 quarters full of folk dance and instrumental song arranging, it’s finally Ukulele time! 3rd quarter’s focus will be on learning and strengthening Ukulele basics such as 1, 4, and 5 chords and well proper playing position.
EVAN DAHLGREN
MUSIC TEACHER
Starside Elementary
Ext. 2199--