Time for the October Newsletter!
Your CCES Special Area Teachers Have News for YOU...
Art at CCES
There are many exciting things happening in art this month! Here are a few highlights:
3D Printing:
We have a 3D printer in the main art room! Mrs. Kuzminsky has been experimenting with the printer and the accompanying software. The students LOVE seeing the printing in action! The next step is for students to do the tutorials and learn how to create their own CAD designs. Older students will be learning this in their technology and art classes very soon. If you would like to learn, practice, and be better prepared, try the website www.3dtin.com. It is a good starter site featuring simple geometric shapes and a user friendly interface. No download is required.
Collaborative Weaving:
Hanging outside the main art room is a giant, collaborative weaving the students created. It was a completely optional activity. Students were able to pick up a weaving strip as they came into school or as they left the art room. They took the strip back to class or back home to embellish it with a little personality. Upon returning to the weaving space, they could choose how and where to weave their strip. The students were so excited the weaving was done in only three days!! The picture above is the finished artwork.
Google Doodle:
Google has a contest for a google doodle. It is open to all students, grade K-12. Interested students in grades 4 and 5 have received an entry form in Mrs. Kuzminsky’s class, but there are extras for any student that would like one. The theme is “What Makes Me….Me”. The prizes for the national winner include:
· A $30,000 college scholarship
-A $50,000 Google for Education grant for his or her school
· A trip to the Google Headquarters in California to meet the Google Doodlers, and the opportunity to nominate a teacher to come on the trip
· A Chromebook
· An Android tablet
· A t-shirt printed with his or her doodle on it
There are also prizes for national finalists, state finalists, and regional winners. For more information go to https://www.google.com/doodle4google/ .
Music at CCES
In music, we have finished our unit on Rhythm and Beat and have transitioned into our next unit about Melody and Harmony. We will be learning to read melodies that go up and down by following melody lines and reading music notes. Students will also apply what they know and create their own melodies to sing or play on instruments. As we learn about harmony, students will discover how to add parts to melodies to make them more interesting. Harmony can be added in many ways, from simple repeated accompaniments to more complex chords.
Our first concert of the school year will be Tuesday, November 10th at 6:30 PM. Second graders will be singing, playing and drumming the African folktale “Grandfather Spider’s Feast!” Students should report to their classrooms between 6:00 and 6:20 to get lined up for the concert. Then their teachers will walk them down to the cafeteria to take the stage. More information about the 2nd grade concert will be sent home with students soon.
Media and Technology with Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Monroe, and Mrs. Bondi
What Will Your Child's Digital Footprint Look Like? Students in Grades K-5 have been learning to be good Digital Citizens and stay safe on the internet. These units on Digital Citizenship are available the Common Sense Media website. Common Sense Media is also a great resource for parents to use as they guide their children through these formative years. Be sure to check out these Parent Concern topics: Facebook/Instagram/Social Media, Cyberbullying, and Privacy/Internet Safety. We have recently been accepted as a Common Sense Media Certified School!
In Technology Lab, students are now learning to type! We are using a program called Type To Learn 4 here at school but there supplemental typing games listed on the Tech Lab Symbaloo page if your child would like to practice at home.
In the Media Center, students are learning to find books on their reading level. They are using the Destiny Catalog to do advanced searches and filter searches to find the perfect book! Classes are visiting the library for other lessons as well, to research and to check out books. This month’s spotlight is on our Kindergarten students! A collaboration between the Kindergarten teachers and Mrs. Jackson, these students are learning to research and to use teaching sentences to teach others about their topic. Click here to learn about a nocturnal animal from the students in Mrs. Mannings’ class.
P.E. at CCES
Hello CCES families, we just finished up two great units in Physical Education. 3-5th grades learned the overhand throw and the many games and activities associated with that skill. In grades K-2 students were taught how to catch and perform an underhand toss. For the next few weeks we will be working on basic soccer skills of dribbling, passing, kicking, and punting and a fun game called sideline soccer.
In November we will be focusing on striking skills which includes Volleyball for grades 3-5 and balloon activities for K-2.
WELLNESS TIP OF THE MONTH: Cooler temperatures are no excuse to let your health and wellness fall by the wayside. In fact, fall is the perfect time to take advantage of some of the highlights of the season, from incorporating seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet to kicking your fitness routine up a notch with fall-friendly activities.