Sylvan Park Related Arts Newsletter

Dear Parents,

We hope that your family has had a wonderful start to the year and the second semester. In this newsletter, you will find important information regarding the third nine weeks. Although the unexpected snow resulted in fewer classes the first half of the nine weeks, we are working towards meeting the same target learning goals in March. To that end, we have much planned for the months February, and March. Thank you for your support at home!

Sincerely,

The Related Arts Team

We are well into the Third Nine Weeks and getting back in the groove of things after our snow days! As we all get back on the same page, we will continue to follow the Tennessee State Standards and building our portfolios. The students will bring their portfolios home soon so they can share their artwork with you! The list below includes a general breakdown of what we will accomplish and focus upon this nine weeks:

Kindergarten

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Clay

1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

• Elements of Art: Texture, Form, Value, Color

Thank you,

Ms. Williams

In Guidance this nine weeks, we will discuss the character trait Perseverance. We learn that Perseverance means not to give up and do your best. February has many titles than has been attached to it, Heart awareness month and Black history month. We will integrate our previous lessons of Respect, Responsibility, and Compassion with Perseverance. There are many American Heroes such and Harriett Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks who serve as examples of those who exhibited Perseverance and Fairness. Activity resources for class content include Brainpop and Kahoot. Thank you,

Mrs. Smith

I hope everyone enjoyed their winter break and the extra little break we got with all of that snow! Because students only come to music once a week, we are still playing catch up because of the days we missed, etc. We should all be back on track within the next week! Here are just some of the things we have been working on and what we will continue working on this nine weeks in music.

Kindergarten is working on distinguishing high and low sounds, as well as musical patterns that move upwards or downwards. We are also talking about the difference between fast and slow and the difference between loud and soft. Sometimes it is hard to remember that a high pitch doesn’t necessarily mean it’s loud and a low pitch does not mean it’s soft! As always, we are reinforcing keeping a steady beat to the music, no matter the tempo.

First grade is officially reading music! We have practiced reading so-mi patterns on the music staff with quarter and paired eighth note rhythms. Soon, we will be adding the pitch la into the mix. I am so proud of what wonderful musicians these first graders are becoming!

Second grade is also reading music with the pitches do-mi-so and la. Our next pitch to focus on is re and then these students will know the entire pentatonic scale! We are also working on describing the music we listen to using appropriate musical vocabulary.

Third graders are writing their own musical compositions. We have studied time signatures, note values, and pitch names so it is time to put it all together! Once the basic music is written, students will be able to add tempo and dynamic markings to their music to produce the ‘feel’ they would like their piece to have. Creating an individual piece is an ongoing process and something we will be practicing a lot this semester.

Finally, fourth grade has completed a small composer research activity as well as practiced using their musical vocabulary appropriately. Moving forward we will study different types of musical forms, continue learning the recorder, and applying musical expression qualities when playing or singing a piece of music.

In addition to everything during the school day, The Lion King Kids rehearsals are in full swing! I have already seen so much growth in our 4th graders and I am so proud of all of the hard work that they are putting in during class, after school rehearsals, and at home. This show is going to be amazing! As always, if you have any questions please feel free to email me at emily.biederstadt@mnps.org.

Ms. Bierderstadt

During the third nine weeks, all grades are finishing basketball. Hockey is a new focus for 1st through 4th grade. In Kindergarten, the skill of tumbling will be introduced. In all classes, however, overall fitness remains a constant goal. February is American Heart Month. Sylvan Park always participates in Jump Rope for Heart. We believe in helping others through our donations while, at the same, learning to jump rope and maintain heart health as a school. Additional information regarding Jump Rope for Heart will be coming soon. Thanks for your continued support of physical education at Sylvan Park.

Coach Scott

During this snowy and unexpected start to the third nine weeks, our vocabulary theme has been the family in all grades. We have also reinforced our number skills and faced the challenges of the Amazon Rainforest. In third and fourth grades, we have begun to study gender of nouns in Spanish. In the next few weeks, body vocabulary and conversational questions will also be included. I hope that your family remained safe and enjoyed the snow days. Thank you sincerely,

Sra. Poole