ART
Kindergarten: Kindergarten artists worked with ink/colored daubers to create a large snowman on paper and shade it in with chalk to make it look 3-D. Each artist gave their own personality and style to their snowman and boy did they look cute! We practiced our cutting and gluing, putting it on a new background and splattering some paint for snowflakes. Then students focused on drawing different lines for the rays of a sun, giving the sun a fun facial expression, and watercolor painting it in color wheel order, and creating an oil pastel resist. On our next project, students used model magic to sculpt and color a caterpillar on a leaf. They learned that the white clay made a lighter version of the marker color on their clay and that’s called a tint. They used wiggly eyes and pipe cleaners to finish this one day project. To end the year, we moved around to different art stations creating painted papers and texture rubbings while learning about Eric Carle who wrote and illustrated his own books using a painted paper technique. They created original works of art using these papers. The students had a wonderful trimester and were very creative!
1st Grade: First grade artists discussed the difference between a portrait and self portrait. Then using a mirror they studied their reflections, drew themselves with great details, and then colored their self portraits. Next, they sculpted and colored model magic clay to create a lollipop for their portrait. They had some fun expressions, and some even drew their tongue sticking out so it could be licking the lollipop! For our next project, we talked about a famous artist named Banksy whose well-known painting was shredded in the frame during an art auction. Students created a springtime work of art, glued it into a paper frame and shredded the bottom in a similar style. Later in the trimester, having voted on an art March Madness bracket at Millburn, students chose Balloon Dog by artist Jeff Koons as their winner. First graders created their own version out of paper and practiced drawing a cityscape behind it. Lastly, we studied Claude Monet and painted our own Japanese Bridge using a pointillism technique to make it look impressionistic. It was a busy few months!
2nd Grade: Second grade artists worked on a large scale this trimester, drawing spring flowers with ink daubers on poster boards. We used fluorescent oil pastels to color the shapes in and created a wax resist when we used watercolor paints on top. These were a stunning addition to the hallways, bringing lots of cheer as the weather warmed up!. Next we studied artist Iris Scott who is known for her large scale paintings of shaking dogs. Students drew and watercolor painted their unique dog then drizzled Jazz paints to create movement on their artwork for the watery effect. Lastly, students worked through the stages of clay by doing a new project this year. They sculpted a beautiful rose using a coil technique and used clay tools to scratch and attach the leaves. Once the pieces were kiln fired, they painted them the color of their choice. Great job artists!
3rd Grade: Third grade artists worked on a fun new landscape project which starred themselves inside a hot air balloon. Using watercolors, photographs and markers, they assembled their collage pieces and finished their balloons with colorful patterns and texture. Next, students created a functional pocket from a slab of clay which can be hung on a wall. They learned how to scratch and attach clay pieces to keep them together, make impressions using various tools and paint the artwork after it was fired in the kiln. Students then studied ancient Chinese scrolls and created their own using chalk and ink. Once dried, they painted cherry blossoms on them, glued popsicle sticks and hung them with yarn. They looked beautiful!
4th Grade: Fourth grade artists worked very hard on drawing a realistic castle in perspective this trimester. Students used rulers and a vanishing point to create a 3-D effect on a 2-D surface, and became architects as they constructed towers, doors, windows, draw bridges, and roads. Then they worked on building materials and textures such as stone and brick, before finally focusing on value and shading. Next, students learned 3 origami folds and used their many pieces to create radial symmetry. These neon, eye-popping works of art looked amazing and each student brought their unique style to the project. They should be proud of a job well done!
5th Grade: Fifth grade artists worked on a perspective unit learning how to draw a 3-D bedroom on paper. They did an amazing job bringing objects to life by using a vanishing point and creating depth. They focused on the furniture in the room, details on the walls and ceiling and finally added accessories to the room. Once finished, they took time practicing value with either pencil or colored pencil. I am very impressed by the skills the students demonstrated in their drawings. They finished off the year with a fun graffiti art project which went up in our hallway. Many compliments were given as they drew their name in a fun and stylistic way and attached them to our brick wall. Congratulations fifth graders on a fabulous year in art!
Music
Kindergarten and 1st grade: Kindergarteners and first graders had a very active final trimester in music! We prepared and performed our seasonal concerts, “singing through the Seasons” and “Pete the Cat the musical”. Kindergarten’s concert was complimentary to their science lessons about the seasons and their changes at the start of the year. Students worked to memorize and sing songs about different seasons in Spanish, Sign Language, French and English. We spent a lot of time learning about the 4 instrument families, names of instruments and ways of playing different instruments.
First grade’s concert was inspired by their curriculum’s strong emphasis on literature, writing, and we took advantage of a 1950’s theme to study and perform blues and Rock n’ Roll music. Students worked together across classes generating the ideas for, drafted and wrote lyrics to a song two songs performed at their concert. The first was written in a Blues style and called, “The Pete the Cat Blues” while the other using the melody of a children’s song made famous by Jazz musician Ella Fitzgerald called, “A Tisket, A Tasket”. Students then focused on reading rhythms and pitches vocalling and on classroom instruments. It has been a great year and I wish Kindergarten and First graders and their families a lovely summer break.
2nd and 3rd grade: Second grade musicians focused on the fundamentals of music, such as the anatomy required for a strong vocal performance, how to accompany our singing voices on instruments, how to use our voices to strengthen our instrument playing skills using our voices and note reading. We played layered rhythms and learned to identify and play our rhythms separate from one another.
Our 3rd graders have been learning to read music in treble clef, taken what they have learned and applied the work to playing on classroom instruments. Students have prepared for their performances by focusing on the creation of harmonies, creating emotion with choreography and lyric memorizations. Both concerts will wonderful and the students made us very proud.
4th and 5th grade: The 4th and 5th graders have spent a lot of time listening to music of different genres, playing classroom instruments to popular music and studying a small bit of music's history from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Learned more about sight reading with our voices along with how musicals evolved in the 20th century. We studied the differences between ballads and Sea shanties performed on ships famous in the 18th century. Then we used that music to practice our note reading and chord reading skills. Finally we studied Benjamin Franklin’s Armonica and how it brings a whimsical sound to Camille Saint Saens famous music, “Carnival of the Animals”. I am so very proud of how well they have been working together to achieve these skills and wish them joy as they enter summer break.
Physical Education
PE K-2
Our younger students have been very busy in the gym this trimester! We are continuing to work on our need to be prepared with appropriate shoes, be responsible by listening to and following directions and be safe with the equipment we use. We have worked on various locomotor movements and non-locomotor movements. We have increased our ability to move throughout space safely both with and without equipment. Students spent time increasing and developing some overhand throwing and catching skills. We also learned some basics that helped be able to jump rope! We rounded up the trimester by working on striking with our hands, paddles and a bat! Students and staff are finishing the year with Field Day, a whole day of relays, games and activities.
PE 3-5
The big kids have continued to increase their fitness levels as well as learned what each component of fitness is and why including all of them in our workouts is important. They powered through their third round of fitness testing and got to see how far they’ve come since the fall. Students practiced and refined their volleyball skills and jump roped and learned all about track and field. We were able to spend a few days outside playing some classic games like kickball and wiffle ball. We are ending our year with a fun-filled Field Day!
STEM
K-1
I can't believe we just finished our last rotation of STEM for this year! During this last rotation, we combined engineering and coding together. Students used a LEGO kit called "Coding Express" to create different types of train tracks to get the LEGO DUPLO people to different destinations. After the track was built, they used different colored coding blocks to get the train to move, turn the lights on, get gas, go in reverse, make the train whistle sound and stop the train. Students loved using this hands-on activity while learning early coding concepts. We had an amazing year in the STEM lab!
2nd
During this last rotation, we combined engineering, coding and robotics together. Students used a LEGO kit called "Lego WeDo" to create different types of robots, including a snail that they coded to light up, a cooling fan that actually worked, a moving satellite that turned and a spy robot that used a motion sensor to make a noise. Students loved using this hands-on activity kit while learning coding concepts. We had a wonderful year in the STEM lab!
3rd
During this last rotation, we combined engineering and coding together. Students used a LEGO kit called "Lego Spike Essentials" SPIKE Essential engages students in hands-on investigation of STEM concepts. Students built multiple amusement park rides, carnival games, and various vehicles. Once they built these various activities, they were able to code them to move. Students really enjoyed these lessons!
4th and 5th
During this last rotation, we combined engineering and coding together. Students used a LEGO kit called "Lego MindStorms." This kit engaged students in hands-on investigation of STEM concepts. Students built programmable robots as a team and then used their coding skills to make their robot move. Students really enjoyed building these robots!
