Newsletter - November 2019

News from the Art Room...

October was a busy month as most grades completed an autumn-themed artwork. Kindergarten learned about primary and secondary colors  by making pumpkins. First and third grades made fall trees. Second grade made owl collages. Fourth grade completed their sugar skulls and fifth grade is finally getting started on theirs! Fifth grade also made their own sketchbooks that they use at the beginning of each class to “warm up” their creativity. 

On Saturday, November 2nd from 6-9 pm everyone is invited to The Masonic Center for the annual K-12 Art Show. Students who have work in the show will be getting a certificate and post card.

Art to Remember order forms have been sent home with your students if they completed the project. You can order online with the link on the postcard, or you can return the order form to school. If you order by November 8th it is free shipping! Proceeds from your orders will support Jefferson’s PTO, which provides the students with a variety of fun enrichment opportunities throughout the year! 

 

What are Mathematical Practices? You may have noticed a category under the subject of Math called Mathematical Practices. Bridges in Mathematics explains that they are, “The attitudes and ways of thinking and working that characterize successful mathematicians. They are much bigger and somewhat more amorphous than math content skills, and at least as important.” We think of them as habits of mind when working in math. Check these out from the Math Learning Center source.

Music News!

Everyone has been working very hard in the last month, learning new songs, playing many different instruments, and becoming a better musician. Kindergarten has been working on using their singing voices, and they have started to learn about all of the wonderful and fun instruments we have that we can use in music class. First and second grade have learned a bunch of new singing games and are experiencing how fun music can be. The third graders learned all about the woodwind family of instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, and saxophone). Fourth grade got to compose their own rhythms and melodies, as well as experiment with the sounds of many different classroom instruments. The fifth graders have been working very hard to master not only a very difficult song on the xylophones, but also the various chords on the ukulele.

All of the students have started to work on the music we will be performing for the Winter Concert, but that is going to be our main focus for the next month. The theme for the concert this year is winter and everything that is great about winter, so the kids will be singing about snowflakes, snowmen, mittens, sleigh rides, and much more!

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! 

The winter concert is Thursday, December 5th at 6pm in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium, inside Oshkosh West High School.

 

It is expected that all students will be at the winter concert. Many students will have a special role (speaking, playing an instrument, singing, etc.) so if you know that your student will not be there, please let me know in advance (april.schneider@oshkosh.k12.wi.us). 

 

 

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION?

During the month of October, students have been involved with activities that had to do with throwing and catching. 

Kindergarten through second grade have been working on both an underhand and overhand toss. Ask your students if they remember these cues for both throws: Underhand is “Tick-Tock goes the clock” and overhand is “muscle man, Superman, swimmer.” These students have also been working on the proper way to catch a ball while using the catch cushion or catch pillow so the ball doesn’t get away. 

Third through fifth grade has been working on throwing and catching during game play. They have also incorporated throwing at a target for accuracy in games like Monarchy and Long Bomb. Students in fifth grade have also started using heart rate monitors this month. These tools help students track how fast or slow their hearts are beating. Students are being challenged to stay in a certain zone for a period of time and if they do, they can earn badges on the app that the heart rate monitors connect to. By the end of the calendar year, the goal is to have all third through fifth grade students using these. 

All grades finished out the month of October with Halloween games--still related to throwing and catching--such as Ghosts in the Cornfield, Catching Ghosts and Pumpkins, and Pumpkin Patch Throw Down. 

 

SPECIAL GUEST

On October 21, we had a special guest teach many classes about Cup Stacking. Jean Balke from Speed Stacks INC. joined Mrs. Lange in teaching Jefferson students about the fun activities that can be done with cup stacking!

 

WHAT’S NEXT IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION?

The month of November is a very busy month at Jefferson. November 14th is National STACK UP Day (cup stacking) so we will be spending the first two weeks practicing our skills so that we can participate in the national day and be counted in a world record. After cup stacking, it is time for the Pacer Test. Students will be testing their cardiovascular endurance to see how long they can run. We will have to practice tests before running the real Pacer test the days before Thanksgiving. 

 

TIPS TO BE FIT AT HOME

Cold weather and the holidays are on their way but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be active! What can you and your children do at or around home to keep you moving through the seasons? 

1. Take a walk through the fall leaves

2. Rake the leaves and run through the piles

3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator during your holiday shopping trips

4. Look for a holiday fun run

   1. festivalfoodsturkeytrot.com for a race near you!

5. Build activity into family outings

 

Be on the lookout for “holiday homework” that your children will bring home to help them stay active while they are away from school!

Monthly Literacy Update

November 2019

 

 

As a parent or guardian, there are many things you can do to make sure that you’re supporting and growing your child’s literacy skills at home every day. Here are a few easy ideas:

 Things You Can Do to Raise a Reader 

1. Read from day one. Start a reading routine in those very first days with a newborn.

2. Share books every day. Read with your child every day, even after he or she becomes an independent reader. 

3. Reread favorites. Most children love to hear their favorite stories over and over again. Rereading books provides an opportunity to hear or see something that may have been missed the last time and provides another chance to hear a favorite part. 

4. Visit the library early and often. Make visiting the library part of your family’s routine. 

5. Find the reading and writing in everyday things. Take the time to show your child ways that adults use reading and writing every day.

6. Talk, talk, talk. A child’s vocabulary grows through rich conversations with others. No matter your child’s age, narrate what you’re doing, talk in full sentences, and add interesting words into your conversation.

Information from: "10 Things You Can Do to Raise a Reader." Reading Rockets, 2012. 

Speech/Language Corner

Parents can use various activities to help their child with his/her speech and language development. Here are some activities for children (these suggestions would be appropriate for children developing communication skills): Children of any age—

• Talk to your child about what you are doing, what you see, what your child is doing and what your child sees.
• Repeat or expand on what your child says using correct sounds and words. Don’t call attention to speech errors your child may have.
• Take time to listen and respond to your child. Acknowledge, encourage and praise attempts to communicate.
• Build and expand vocabulary by labeling and talking about objects and events in your child's environment.