KWorldWorks


 * 2008-2009, 2009-2010 **

Art Students will look at a variety of cultural groups from the past that have used natural materials of the earth like rocks and soil to create art. Students will look at the pottery of the Pueblo Indians as well as the Pre-Columbian Anasazi tribe and learn that clay is found naturally in the earth. They will also learn about the properties of clay and the changes it goes through. They will study the rock paintings of the aboriginal people of Australia as well as examine the large "sand paintings" made from dirt, rocks, bark, and other materials. Students will also study Tibetan sand paintings and those of the Navajo Indians. They will also look at photographs of the "Nasca lines" in Peru, giant drawings carved deep into the earth that are only recognizable from an airplane.

Music In music class we will study the way that: People use available materials to make musical instruments (the interaction between the natural world and human societies). People use scientific understanding to create musical instruments. People  use scientific and technological advances to create music, musical instruments, recordings of music, and special effects for music.

PE-The students will review the value of making good choices to have a happy life. We will stress the importance of proper nutrition and exercise as life-long habits. The students will have an opportunity to observe a real heart and brain from a sheep and focus on the concept of whatever one does that benefits the heart will also benefit the brain and vice versa. The students will review the heart is a pump made of muscle and needs exercise to stay healthy. The students will run 3 laps around the track at least one day of the week and one lap on a regular basis.We will continue to play games to stress proper nutrition like "Couch Potato". The students will also be introduced to the consistency of the brain which is like soft butter and the jagged edges of the skull which nessitates the use of a helmet during activities like biking or skate-boarding.


 * Spanish ** - The central idea is that we can examine rocks and soil to determine their properties, uses, and how they can be changed. In Spanish, as part of our animal unit, the children will act out a story about a boy who gets a pet rock, since real pets aren't allowed in his apartment. At the end of the year, when we do our unit on environment, we will review the word for rock and use it in a song and in our scavenger hunt.

**Library** - Books about rocks and soil are pulled for the teachers (approx. 20 titles). We discuss the profile //caring// and the attitude //empathy// and then read the book __The Tedy Bear__ by David McPhail. The students explain why or how they believe the characters of these stories demonstrate one of those traits.