Sylvan Park Related Arts Newsletter

In art as always we are being very creative! In kindergarten we are making construction paper owls related to a book we read together called “Owl babies”. In first grade we are learning about landscapes. In second and third grades we are making looms and will do some amazing weavings. And in fourth grade we are looking at narrative art and telling stories with our art.

It looks hopeful that our wonderful PTO will provide funds for hand dipped candles this year. The wax for the whole school runs about $400. If they can afford it that will be the week before Christmas break and I will need lots of parents help in the art room. You can e-mail me at Robert.green@mnps.org. If you would like to help. Thanks!

Congratulations to Aly Pittman in third grade and Chesney Jackson in fourth grade. Their artwork was chosen to represent Sylvan Park in the “Keep Nashville Beautiful” art contest. One or both of their artworks will be enlarged and put on a Nashville Waste Management truck to be on display from December until May 1.

Mr. Green

The following chart shows what we will be covering in each grade level in Music class these nine weeks. In addition, we plan to sing on a couple of programs, so be looking for news in the weeks to come.

Mrs. Hotchkiss

Kindergarten

2nd Nine weeks

What are we working on?

· Sing simple songs with high and low patterns

· Listen and play in different ways with steady beat

· Explore sounds and movements

· Recognize that pictures can represent steady beat

· Identify and respond to same and different in music

· Discuss appropriate audience behavior

· Experience songs and games from various time periods and cultures

What are possible assessments?

· Singing

· Recognizing steady beat from pictures

· Identifying same and different in music

· Demonstrating appropriate audience behavior

What can you do at home to help?

· Discuss ways to use the voice: whisper, speak, sing, and shout. Encourage your child to listen as they sing. Ask your child to teach you the songs they learn.

· Encourage your child to count items using a steady beat while pointing to the items.

· Listen to various kinds of music and talk about them. Point out differences: high and low, fast and slow, or long and short sounds.

· Discuss and practice paying attention at appropriate times. Practice sitting still for short periods of time (for example: while reading a book).

First Grade

2nd Nine weeks

What are we working on?

· Sing simple songs with high, middle, and low patterns

· Play on instruments simple patterns with a steady beat

· Explore movements and sounds using songs, poems, stories, voices, and instruments

· Create a simple song

· Read notes

· Recognize and respond to same and different in music

· Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior

· Experience songs from various time periods and cultures

What are possible assessments?

· Playing short rhythm patterns

· Reading notes

· Recognizing same and different

· Singing

· Demonstrating appropriate audience behavior

What can you do at home to help?

· Encourage your child to play with patterns using claps, snaps, and stomps.

· Ask your child to show you what he or she has learned about notes.

· Listen to various kinds of music and talk about it. Point out different instruments, styles, overall feeling, cultural influences, etc.

· Encourage your child to listen as he or she sings. Ask your child to teach you about posture, breathing, saying words clearly, and vocal sound.

· Discuss and practice paying attention at appropriate times. Practice sitting still for short periods of time (for example: while reading a book).

Second Grade

2nd Nine weeks

What are we working on?

· Sing simple songs correctly and with proper singing technique

· Simple repeated patterns on instruments with correct technique

· Improvise vocally, on instruments, and with movement

· Create a short song

· Read and write notes

· Listen to and discuss songs, focusing on patterns, volume, speed, and phrases

· Discuss musical performances

· Explore common elements between music and other subjects

· Perform music from different time periods and cultures

What are possible assessments?

· Playing instruments

· Creating a short song

What can you do at home to help?

· Ask your child what instruments they play at school. Ask your child to show what he or she has learned using pats, claps, etc. Encourage your child to play with patterns using claps, snaps, pats and stomps.

· Ask your child to teach you notes learned. Check out the website page for additional resources.

Third Grade

2nd Nine weeks

What are we working on?

· Sing songs with correct notes and technique and sing short repeated patterns

· Play instruments with steady beat and follow the conductor

· Improvise vocally or on instruments

· Create and demonstrate a short song with an introduction

· Read notes and demonstrate volume and directional markings

· Practice identifying various complex patterns in music

· Listen to and discuss songs, focusing on groups of instruments and styles from various time periods and cultures

· Discuss and demonstrate appropriate audience behavior

What are possible assessments?

· Improvising short patterns

· Creating a short song

· Demonstrating appropriate audience behavior

· Singing

· Identifying songs from different cultures

What can you do at home to help?

· Encourage your child to play with patterns using claps, snaps, and stomps.

· Encourage your child to experiment with vocal sounds, singing sentences that would normally be spoken. Encourage your child to create other musical sounds.

· Discuss and practice paying attention at appropriate times. Practice sitting still for short periods of time (for example: while reading a book).

· Encourage your child to listen as he or she sings.

· Listen to various kinds of music and talk about them. Point out different instruments, cultural influences, etc.

4th Grade

2nd Nine weeks

What are we working on?

· Sing songs with correct notes alone, with a group and with parts focusing on musical accuracy and proper singing technique

· Play and improvise on instruments short patterns that go with a song, expanding the number of notes used and changing speeds

· Read and write notes, rests, volume, and speed markings. Create short songs using different patterns and more notes

· Practice identifying various complex patterns in music

· Describe and discuss songs, focusing on instruments and styles from various cultures

· Discuss similarities between music, dance and visual art

What are possible assessments?

· Creating complex rhythm patterns

· Creating a short song

· Describing song characteristics

· Singing

What can you do at home to help?

· Encourage your child to play with patterns using claps, snaps, pats and stomps

· Encourage your child to experiment with vocal sounds, singing sentences that would normally be spoken. Encourage your child to create other musical sounds.

· Listen to various kinds of music and talk about them. Point out different instruments, styles, overall feeling, cultural influences, etc.

· Encourage your child to listen as he or she sings. Ask your child to teach you about posture, breathing, saying words clearly, and vocal sounds.

Mrs. Hotchkiss

Dear Parents,

Each nine weeks, we have cultural as well as linguistic class content. As part of our curriculum, we discussed

El Día de Los Muertos in Latin America with all classes at the beginning of the nine weeks. I have included a few student examples of our Dia de los Muertos Sugar Skull Necklaces in the above photo . In addition to our vocabulary goals, we will also discuss Christmas in Latin America as December approaches. Language goals include the following:

2nd Nine Weeks Student Friendly Objectives

Kindergarten

I can say the greeting for morning, afternoon, and night.

I can sing the months of the year.

I can count 1-15.

I can identify farm animals such as rooster, cow, goat, dog, chicken, and duck.

First Grade

I can identify months and date in Spanish.

I can ask about the weather.

I can name and describe the weather conditions

I can count to 30 and do simple addition problems.

I can name and describe at least 5 farm animals.

I can identify the expressions here, there, and everywhere.

Second Grade

I can identify the days of the week, the months of the year, and the date.

I can name the seasons in Spanish.

I can ask about the weather.

I can name and describe weather conditions.

I can count by 10’s to 100.

I can identify and describes a variety of farm animals.

I can describe using opposite adjectives.

I can tell time to the hour in Spanish.

Third Grade

I can form the date.

I can name the seasons.

I can ask about the weather.

I can name and describe the weather.

I can identify and describe a variety of zoo animals.

I can tell a story using opposite vocabulary.

I can tell time to the hour and quarter hour.

I can recognize numbers from 1-1000.

Fourth Grade

I can identify vocabulary related to the calendar.

I can name the four seasons.

I can ask about the weather.

I can name five weather expressions and related vocabulary.

I can name and demonstrate the following opposites related to directions:

Izquierda, derecha, adelante, atrás, cerca, y lejos , abajo, arriba, enfrente, and encima.

I can retell a story in Spanish using the appropriate order and vocabulary.

I can tell time to the hour and quarter hour.

I can identify at least 5 animals and related vocabulary.

I can recognize numbers 1-1000.

Sra. Poole