Related Arts Newsletter
December 2, 2014
Library News
Nurse News
Cold Weather Safety Tips
As winter approaches, it is important to remember the importance of dressing appropriately for winter weather. When exposed to very cold temperatures, skin and underlying tissues may freeze, resulting in frostbite. The areas most likely to be affected by frostbite are your fingers toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Frostbite will appear as white, gray, or yellow patches. Protect yourself and your children against frostbite by keeping your head, ears, face, hands, and feet covered and warm. Please make sure to send appropriate winter weather gear daily with your students. Remember, if students do not have snow pants or boots, they will be restricted to a designated area at recess.
P.E. News
The next 2 - 3 weeks Kindergarten through 2nd grade curriculum activities
A. Scooters
B. Bowling
C. Fleeing and tag games
This next 2 – 3 weeks 3rd through 5th grade
A. Badmiton
D. Lead up activities
School Counseling News
Our student ambassadors are doing a great job of planning events and leading the school in activities to improve school spirit and serve others. The student ambassadors are split into 2 groups and take turns planning events for each month. Their first assignment was to plan Red Ribbon Week, which turned out great! Students are now working on their November planning and intend to do a service project. Students will be collecting canned food and gently used toys to give to the Salvation Army. The classroom who collects the most items will receive a popcorn party or movie. Our ambassadors took the lead in presenting their plan to each classroom. The December group is hard at work on their plan for students when they come back from Thanksgiving break. They will be sharing their ideas at our character counts assembly on Friday, December 5th.
Music News
Our K-2 elementary Christmas Concert is almost here!!!! Next Monday, Dec. 8th the students will showcase their hard work for the past 6 weeks. Each grade will be singing and using some instruments to accompany their songs. I always look forward to seeing the final product because the students really put on a nice performance. Not to mention how wonderful they all look with their large smiles of anticipation and cute little outfits. In addition to performances from the K-2 students, the 5th Grade Band will also be delighting us with music under the direction of Mr. Dan Cooper.
I would like to thank you in advance for your support of the music program with your attendance at the K-2 Christmas Concert!!!
Students in 3rd grade are continuing to learn about solfeg and reading pentatonic melodies, different pulse values, playing Orff instruments and other classroom instruments, learning to hear and describe the differences between major and minor melodies, and moving to the different sections in ragtime music.
Students in 4th grade have begun to learn how to play the recorder, they have also been playing Orff instruments and other classroom instruments to accompany learning/activity songs, and learning and describing the different sound qualities of the glockenspiel, xylophone, and metallophone. Please ask them to explain the differences to you.
Students in 5th grade have also been playing and learning more on their recorders, exploring movements to demonstrate steady pulse while clapping an ostinato, they have been working on question/answer phrases with unpitched classroom instruments, and have worked on staff note name identification.
I would also like to say that I am so thankful to each and every one of you for your students’ attendance here at Denver schools. It really is a pleasure to share with them my passion for music! Each day is a new adventure in helping them learn about the elements of music and how they fit together to make an experience like nothing else. I am very blessed to receive a gift each day and every class period when students come in the room with smiles and their eagerness to learn, play instruments, and make music with each other.
I hope that you all have a very blessed Christmas, New Year’s, and holiday season and that you find a way, or many, to make music a part of that for you and for your children!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Janeece M. Downs
Band News
Concert Etiquette
In a few short days you will be attending our elementary Christmas program. With this upcoming even I wanted to share a few pointers that will help the performers and audience to enjoy the performance:
• Remain seated and quiet when the performance is in progress.
• If it is necessary to leave the gymnasium before the concert is over, please do so between numbers.
• Clapping is the appropriate way to show appreciation for the performance rather than whistling or cheering.
• Parents should keep small children seated with them on the bleachers and not allow them to run up and down the bleachers during the concert.
These few tips can really help the performers remain focused, as well as help the audience to enjoy what their children are doing
Art News
While I was ill last month, I had a lot of downtime at home and was able to add the finishing touches on my classroom website. The site shows our learning targets, upcoming units and photos of students at work in the art and TAG classroom. It also has a list of small items the classroom can use and some information about my teaching philosophy and gifted programs here at Denver. Explore the site with your children and find links to great art sites for kids, on-line museums, local art opportunities and on-line drawing contests. It also has links to help your young creative writers and math whizzes challenges themselves at home. I hope you like it! Please check this out for weekly updates and see your child's creativity!
http://abigailfliehler.wix.com/fliehler-classroom