Sylvan Park Paideia Design Center

On Friday, October 16th, Related Arts hosted a celebration for those students who demonstrated good behavior in specials during the first nine weeks. The children enjoyed eating popcorn, watching a movie, and playing outside. We are looking forward to the next reward party in December!

The Related Arts Team

We are now into the second nine weeks and the year is off to a great start! The decorations that the students made in art class for the Halloween dance looked awesome, as well as all the costumes! We are furthering our art exploration this nine weeks by delving into new materials and concepts in each grade. Kindergarten will be getting into mixed media, painting, landscape drawings, and color as an Element of Art. First grade will be drawing landscapes, creating collages, and experimenting with mixed media. Second grade will begin Fiber Arts, paint, create landscapes, and discuss Color and Line as Elements of Art. Third grade will also begin Fiber Arts with circle weaving and explore color, as well as many Principles of Design, including balance, pattern, unity, variety, and proportion. Fourth grade will continue drawing and painting and even begin learning about sculpture. As always, I would love to hear from you if you have any comments or questions.

It’s hard to believe we are already into our second nine weeks! As on overarching theme in music this 9 weeks we are studying the science of sound. We will do a couple of experiments to see sound waves, determine what makes a pitch high and low and how different instruments work, among other things. Here are just a few of the other things we are working on in music until winter break. In kindergarten, we are working on identifying music as fast/slow and loud/soft, demonstrating high and low pitches, recognizing melody patterns that move upward and downward, and demonstrating fast, slow, loud, and soft. First grade is learning to interpret and perform iconic notation for one sound on a beat, two sounds on a beat, and no sound on a beat as well as recognizing and performing iconic notation for high and low sounds. They are also going to create a composition using sound/silence, long/short sounds, and high/low sounds. In second grade we are playing simple rhythms in duple meter, reading and performing traditional pitch and rhythm notation, and will create a composition using so and mi. Third grade is working on rhythmic and melodic ostinatos, experiencing simple and complex forms of music (AB, ABA, Rondo, etc), as well as singing pentatonic melodies with correct technique. Fourth grade is working on learning the recorder as well as singing partner songs and performing melodies with accurate pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and proper technique. All grade levels always discuss and demonstrate proper audience behavior and using musical terms correctly. The rest of this 9 weeks will be lots of fun!

Ms. Biederstadt

Music Teacher

Dear Sylvan Park Families,

I am so excited to announce that we have been chosen as one of 6 Metro elementary schools to produce a Disney Musical this year! Disney Musicals in Schools is a program in conjunction with TPAC that gives schools access to the music and performing rights for Disney Musicals that have been written for children to perform. The musical and performance skill level required of these shows generally align with 4th and 3rd grade students. This grant is a 3 year commitment, meaning each spring for the next 3 years we will be able to put on a Disney Musical. While the main performers of the shows will be students in 4th grade the entire school will be involved in this wonderful opportunity in one way or another; building set, painting scenery, making programs, etc. I am looking forward to this new adventure with our students and I know we will have a wonderful experience working on this amazing opportunity together!

Ms. Biederstadt

Music Teacher

This 9 weeks we are exploring the Character Education Traits, Respect and Fairness. We are developing an understanding of these traits through different storytelling techniques found in Another Sommer-Time Story: The Ugly Caterpillar by Carl Sommer. This book explains how we all are different. Learning to respect these differences is the goal of this unit. Along with the book, there are activities and games. Role play, classroom games, group games, computer games, videos, and writing or drawing activities are incorporated to deepen understanding. Each activity is adjusted for each grade level. The College bulletin board located in the main entrance of the school is a result of the 1st nine weeks on Responsibility. I am excited about our next project for the 2nd nine weeks. More to come…

Mrs. Smith

Guidance Counselor

In the second nine weeks, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classes have been working on volleyball. This unit involves skills such as forearm\bump pass, setting, serving, and volleying. It also includes basic knowledge about the game such as positions and rules of play. Kindergarten and 1st grade students have been developing overhand throwing and catching skills. These skills focus on proper body positioning and aiming for a specific target. Finally, all classes continue to work on cardiovascular fitness as part of their regular class routine.

As always, safety of all of our students is most important to us. Please remind your children the necessity of following the physical education rules consistently. The rules are as follows:

1. Be safe. (Stop. Look and listen on whistle signal).

2. Be able to cooperate with others.

3. Be respectful to others and equipment.

4. Work hard.

5. Have fun.

Thank you for your support at home.

Coach Scott

Physical Education

Spanish classes have had an enjoyable and productive few weeks. Our cultural focus included Mexico’s Day of the Dead and the art and tradition of the sugar skull. In Kindergarten, we have begun to learn words dealing with our favorite foods. Weather expressions and seasons have been learned in first grade and reviewed in second, third, and fourth grade. Third and fourth grade classes will soon begin our community unit. In all classes, we continue to build Spanish number skills, to practice conversational skills, and to develop both practical and cultural knowledge of Latin America and Spain. Spain's most beautiful castles, Mexico’s Crystal Cave, and Hispanic Christmas traditions are just around the corner! As always, thank you for your support at home.

Sra. Poole

Spanish