DHCS Specialty Classes Newsletter
Thank you all for your ongoing support to our classes. We are excited to share what students have been learning in our classrooms through our new monthly newsletter.
Your DHCS Specialty Classes Team
Art-Mrs. Boyd
2015 Art Show
I wanted to thank  all who were able to attend our 2015 Art Show in the cafeteria. The art work will remain up for those who were unable to attend and would like to have your child show off his/her work. Many  pieces  from each grade level earned ribbons at the Arizona State Fair this year. The winners will be posted on the wall across from Mr. Jiles' office door. I am extremely proud of all my students for their hard work. Parents were emailed an email from Artsonia.com . This site allows me to share your child's art piece with you, your friends,  and your family all over the world. The website offers fun items to purchase if you wish to send your child's art work out as a gift. If you did not receive an email please email me and I will make sure you are added to our Artsonia Museum. 
 
Holiday Gift 
All grade levels will be working on a personalized gift for someone special. I will be purchasing all tiles  for the students at the same time. Please be sure to turn in the required $3.00 with the Holiday Gift flyer by the deadline date so your child may participate during his/her class time with me. I will be assigning other projects for students who will not be partaking in the tile gift project.  Click here to view and print the flyer. 

For those who are interested small display  easels are available at Dollar Tree locations. To wrap all gifts I am asking for tissue paper, and gift bag donations. (6" width). Please pre-label your child's gift bag with their name. They will fill in the TO: portion later. Any left over tissue paper will be donated to our classroom for future art fun. 
 
Please note: Tax credit does not apply
Library-Mrs. Nolan

"All Students work on their Library Citizenship every time they come to Library, which consists of the rules, their behavior and 
sharing."
 

Kindergarten:  November
Book/Books: Thanksgiving for Emily Ann & 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving. 

We have spent a few minutes out of each class on the meaning of Thanksgiving.  We have worked on telling the difference between fiction (not  true) and  nonfiction (true).
 
1st Grade: October/November
Book/Books: 1st grade finished up a Junie B Jones book and now we have been reading
Thanksgiving books: The Great Turkey Race & The Amazing Tur key Rescue
 
1st grade is in full swing of checking out books from the Library. They h ave practiced hard learning how to use the shelf markers and treating the boo ks. 

2nd Grade: October/November
Book: 2nd grade just finished up a book called "It's Halloween you fraidy mouse" which is by Geronimo Stilton and was on CD.
We ha

All 2nd grade has retested in AR (Accelerated Reading)  and have new reading levels. If you are unsure what your child's reading level is you may email your teacher or myself.  ve played Thanksgiving Trivial Pursuit

 
3rd Grade: November
Book:" Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" This book we have been reading and will continue
reading for a few more months.
All 3rd grade has retested in AR(Accelerated Reading) and have new reading levels.
 
4th Grade: November
This grade level has been working in teams and playing a game called "You are the historian" learning about the first Thanksgiving. It was three pages of fact or myth, terminology and multiply choice of what took place in 1621 when the pilgrims landed in America. 


Music-Mr. Pérez

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything."
- Plato
Kindergarten
  • Content- Christmas songs  "Santa Claus is coming to town", "Must be Santa", "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", and "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth".
  • Goals- Students will learn to sing by memory in natural voice, and will learn speaking vs. singing, and direction (up/down). 
  • Objectives- Students will engage in responding to a steady beat singing accompanied by the teacher; will identify the differences between singing, shouting, speaking, whispering; and will distinguish between loud/soft, sound/silence, high/low, and fast/slow.  
1st & 2nd Grade
  • Content- The Musical Alphabet and the C Major Scale (letters and syllables).
  • Goals- Students will learn to sing the scale (ascending and descending) accompanied with the piano, and to play it using the musical tubes (boom whackers).
  • Objectives- Students will learn to play it in a steady beat at different tempos (fast/slow).
3rd & 4th Grade
  • Content- The song "Hot Cross Buns", in the recorders.
  • Goals- Students will learn the embouchure and tonguing technique, and right and left hand fingerings.
  • Objectives- Students will learn to play the notes G-A-B, the half-note and quarter note values, the half-note rest, and the 4/4 time signature.


P.E.- Coach Blackburn

Kindergarten-4th Grade
 
In PE we are using this time to complete our sections on football. We also work daily on skills that improve overall gross motor skills.

Kindergarten & 1st Grade
We are working how to catch the ball, throw the ball, and kick the ball. 

2nd Grade- 4th Grade
We are working on the things above and the nuances of the sport.   

I hope everyone has a terrific holiday season. Coach Blackburn

Technology-Ms. Jennifer
 

This year we have integrated technology with 3rd and 4th grade Library time. This has proven to be a huge success and the students are fired up!

In October all 3rd and 4th Grade students walked into the lab to find all computers disassembled. They were taught new vocabulary, functions, and were tested to see if they could correctly assemble their computer. They did awesome!

This month students are learning internet safety, wha t a web browser is, what a search engine is, and have started learning "blind typing skills". Students understand the basic knowledge regarding home row keys and the importance of patience and practice. The following link is what I have suggested students use for practicing their blind typing skills. For each letter combination they test out for they receive a sticker on their class poster located in the Technology Lab. Be sure to come by and check out what your child has mastered. Click the   November Newsletter  link. 

Free Typing Lessons: Students are told to master one lesson before moving ahead. Rushing will not help them retain the important information needed to build their skills. I enjoy this site for the simple reason that students are able to view their progress for each lesson. It is important that they begin under the lesson tab (not the car game), on lesson #1 f and j, and to set it for only 5 words per minute. Students are told they may join me in the lab to take a blind typing test when they are ready. This will be during recess times when I am available. 

Each class will explore technology 1 day out of each month during  a Library day. For parents who are  interested in computer tutoring after school. The new flyer will be posted after Thanksgiving break. Each lesson is $10 Wednesdays and Fridays 3:00 pm-4:00 pm on dates listed. 

Feel free to contact us with any questions.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mrs. Boyd-[email protected]
Mrs. Nolan-[email protected]
Mr. Pérez-pedro.pé[email protected]
Miss. Jennifer-[email protected]
Mr. Blackburn (Coach)- [email protected]