Scroll through this post to see what our students have been up to in our Enrichment classes this fall.
Art Enrichment
Jackie Dorr
This semester in Lower Elementary Art, the students built mosaic nature sculptures. Then they began a unit on drawing where the students had a guided drawing lesson on how to draw scarecrows in a crop field. We had a lengthy discussion where they were encouraged to make their scarecrows unique and their own. After drawing the scarecrows, the students outlined their pencil drawing with oil pastels. Lastly, we had a discussion about color theory as they painted their scarecrows. They were encouraged to create their own shades and tints of colors as they painted their drawing in their own, unique way.
In Upper Elementary Art, we’ve been bringing a lot of nature into our work. Upper Elementary just finished painting watercolor galaxies where they learned very carefully how to blend colors together. Most recently, we have looked at the works of Andy Warhol, specifically his pop art. Inspired by Andy’s work, we’ve been exploring printmaking with sunflowers. In early November, we are going out into nature to collect items to use for our printmaking work. At this point, the students have experimented enough with printmaking to be familiar with it. They are encouraged to experiment, be creative, and really dive deeply into making their work their own.
Physical Education
Coach Bry Huston
In Physical Education class, students at all levels focused on developing throwing skills. We engaged in activities that supported underhand and overhand throwing while still supporting body movements, body awareness, and body control.
Music Enrichment
Jackie Dorr
Children’s House students have been learning how to sing and play a c major scale on the bells. I can mix up the order of the bells and have the students put them back in the appropriate places to create a scale. We are also focused on developing their singing voices while incorporating songs about nature and Halloween.
This semester in Lower Elementary music classes we’ve been focused on learning how to read music. The classes learned a song on the steel pans by ear, and then learned how to write out the song on a musical staff. (See attached video)
In Upper Elementary music, students have been analyzing the music for Sweet Child of Mine by Guns & Roses. After they analyzed the music, they were asked to go find an instrument they connected to so they could start learning the music they had just analyzed.
In addition, as we have begun preparing for the Winter Show, they have also analyzed some steelpan music and are currently working on how to perform the music they analyzed. There has been a huge focus on note reading as well as rhythmic development and putting pieces together as one big ensemble.
In Adolescent Creative Arts, the students have been working diligently writing their own piece of music together as a band.
Spanish Enrichment
Ale Equivel Castillo
Children in our Spanish Dual Langauge Program have been learning about the Mayan celebration of Hanal Pixan, and the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos! The children created decorations for their ofrenda. The Lower Elementary students are also making sugar skulls in honor of the holiday.
Children’s House students have been learning colors, family members, animals, numbers in Spanish. Children’s House elders (kindergarten year) create booklets to strengthen their Spanish reading and writing as well.
Library and Media Lab
Sherry White
Every Children’s House class has a weekly story time visit followed by a book checkout. Students are introduced to the skills and concepts needed to navigate the library, such as selecting a book, check-out procedures, book care, and the parts of the library. Library books are circulated for a period of one week. Each class has a scheduled library day and books need to be returned the following week in order to check-out additional books. Each library visit includes a purposeful read-aloud. Some of our stories this month have been My Autumn Book, How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin, The little Blue Cottage, and In the Middle of Fall.
Lower Elementary students visit the Media Lab once a week to build their keyboarding skills using edclub.com. This online resource is used to teach correct finger-to-key movement across the entire keyboard. It is a highly effective tool that helps students at all skill levels improve their typing ability through guided lessons and engaging assessments. The student experience is designed to be clean, straightforward, engaging, and fun. It is a highly effective tool that helps students at all skill levels improve their typing ability through guided lessons and engaging assessments. Students are provided with continuous feedback on their progress every step of the way and are motivated to repeat each lesson to master each step prior to proceeding. Students are provided with an optional virtual keyboard and virtual hands on their typing interface to assist them when using the correct fingers when they are practicing each lesson. The carefully designed lessons include instructional videos, educational games, cross-curricular content, and other interactive experiences.
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