November News from the Specials Teachers

Students have been doing an excellent job in Specials! Many classes are starting to earn 5 stars on their “Yelp” review, which is a report of how they did each day in Art, Music, PE, STEM, and SEL.

STEM with Ms. Jess 

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Kindergarten

  • We will be continuing our unit on pushes and pulls. 
  • We will explore forces by designing a trap for a monster, experimenting with dominoes, and asking questions such as “How can you knock down the most bowling pins?”. 

1st grade

  • We will be continuing to learn the science of sound & and light! 
  • We will ask questions including “Can you see in the dark?”, “Where do sounds come from?” and “How do boats find their way in the fog?”.

2nd grade

  • We will be starting our next unit “Material Magic” where we focus on the form and function of different materials.
  • We will ask questions such as “Why do we wear clothes?” and “Could you build a house out of paper?”.

3rd Grade

  • We will continue our “Fates of Traits” unit by asking questions such as “Why do dogs wag their tails?” and “How long can people (and animals) survive in space?”. 
  • If time permits we will begin our next unit–Mission to Mars.

4th grade

  • We will continue the “Human Machine” unit we started at the end of October, thinking about how the human body works like an amazing machine. 
  • If time permits, we will start our next unit, outer space!

5th grade

  • We will continue our “Watery World” unit by thinking about the importance of water in our lives, fresh water vs. salt water, and how it plays a role in natural disasters.
  • If time permits, we will start our next unit, “Spaceship Earth”.

 

 
 

PE with Coach Cat

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We will continue learning more soccer skills this month!

Kinder & 1st

  • Students will focus on body and spatial awareness, passing skills, and dribbling skills in this unit.
  • Students will demonstrate positive behavior towards each other as they learn new skills.
  • They will demonstrate ways to show respect, consideration, and care for others. 

2nd & 3rd

  • Students will focus on partner passing, dribbling around objects, trapping the ball, defense/offense, and spatial awareness.
  • Students will demonstrate positive and respectful behavior towards each other as they learn new skills.
  • Students will encourage others by using verbal and nonverbal communication. 

4th & 5th

  • Students will focus on passing to a moving receiver, dribbling around objects, trapping the ball, defense/offense, and finding open spaces.
  • Students will demonstrate positive and respectful behavior towards each other as they learn new skills.
  • They will also give each other positive feedback throughout the lesson. 

SEL with Ms. Renee

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Welcome to November in Social Emotional Learning! In November, we turn our focus to Grief and Friendship.

 

K-5 Week One

  • Week One, we will be reading the book “Dribbles” by Connie Heckart.
  • The book is about a community of cats who surround their eldest with care so that she dies knowing she is loved.
  • We will follow up with a nature mandala activity using fall leaves, acorns, pinecones, and whatever else we can find.
  • This lesson responds to the many students who express grief for a lost pet when the class comes together for Rose & Thorn.
  • Here is a link to a description of the book if you’d like to check it out.

K-2 Week Two

3-5 Week Two

  • We will read “A Little Spot of Belonging” by Diane Alber and participate in friendship games and activities.
  • Here is a link to the book

 

And, a big thank you to the families who came to our GVA-N Parent University class on Self-Regulation!

Here is an article with some fun ways to use self-regulation in your home.

 
 

 

Art with Ms. Bradford

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Ms Bradford

During the month of November, elementary students will be finishing Canada and the USA region.

We will have extra time to finish unfinished art in our portfolios and document our travels on our passports.

 

 

 
 

Mr. H’s Music Notes

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Kindergarten

  • Students will continue learning how to keep a steady beat and then start learning to hear the difference between high and low notes and long and short notes.

 

1st grade 

  • Students will be learning how to improvise rhythms as well as singing more songs utilizing the Pentatonic Scale - Mi-Sol-La.

 

2nd grade 

  • Students will be learning the Instrument Families and learning about Pitched and Non-Pitched Instruments

 

3rd grade

  • Students will learn Treble Clef Letter Names, Crescendo, and Decrescendo, and how to sing in Canon (rounds).

 

4th grade

  • Students will be reviewing Treble Clef Letter Names as well as Accelerando and Ritardando, and the Low La and Low Ti.

 

5th grade 

  • Students will be learning Syncopation and reviewing Bass Clef and Rhythms.