STUDENT REPORT
Fall Trimester 2024-25
Student
Grade
1
Class
Teacher
2
We spent a large part of the beginning of the year focusing on spatial awareness because we do a lot of running in first-grade PE. We explored the trail, the field, various playgrounds on campus, and the gym. We introduced jump ropes, hula hoops, and frisbees throughout the first part of this year. We plan to focus on more partner-based activities in the second trimester.
Class
Teacher
3
First-grade artists began the year by looking at the importance of lines in art through a “line walk” in the art room, observing and identifying lines on various surfaces, including the ceiling, windows, floors, and their own hands. Students next explored mark-making with nontraditional materials. They collected natural objects such as rocks, leaves, and twigs and dipped them into liquid watercolors to observe the different lines and textures these objects could make. First grade also worked with soft and oil pastels on black paper. They practiced blending and layering colors with their fingers, creating vibrant abstract pictures. Building on this, students worked on their observational drawing skills by looking at Van Gogh's sunflower paintings and a still life of real sunflowers. They drew carefully with the pastels and blended their colors, each creating a unique interpretation of the still life. First graders explored line and pattern further and created sun and moon paintings based on Mexican Folk art designs. They worked hard to fill their paintings with details and used pastel and watercolor resist methods. More recently, first graders have been learning new collage techniques, such as manipulating paper by tearing, folding, curling, and cutting. They created a 3-D torn paper character and three-dimensional paper masks using these skills. First-grade artists will next learn about proportion and make self-portraits.
Class
Teacher
4
Music Time with First Grade has been full of our favorite songs and games like Hello, The Rainbow Song, and Time To Say Goodbye. We have been exploring some instruments, with particular emphasis on mallets, shakers, rub boards, and the button accordion. They also have the banjo, violin, trumpet, and the 3-row button accordion making regular appearances in class. We continue to use music as an opportunity to develop students’ social skills and self-expression, actively listening and giving each other turns to be center stage. A highlight of this trimester is the original collective composition titled Brain, You’re The Best Thing Ever. This piece is an example of the students using music to represent and codify the collective memory of what they have learned together in class, and the level with which they are capable of creatively expressing what they know.
Class
Teacher
5
First-grade students started the year forging drama agreements and norms. This thoughtful process involved the students, myself, and first-grade assistant teacher Rocky. We identified the ways to successfully interact with one another and established consistent practices for each class. First graders start each drama class by gathering, settling into a circle, then working with their breath and grounding their voices. A series of tongue twisters follow these practices. These vocal warm-ups are a fun way to improve articulation. Next, the students rise and work through physical exercises that ready them to move with confidence and self-control. After warm-ups, the class plays a theater game or two. These games allow the students to express emotional states like happiness, sadness, fear, excitement, and curiosity. Other games build focus and responsiveness. All games and exercises contribute to the students' growing abilities to collaborate successfully and happily.
Teacher
Class
6
1st grade has been doing amazingly in dance class this year! We start every class with the same warm-up routine, which they now know by heart. Earlier in the year, we went on nature walks to observe trees’ natural movements. First graders then used their observations to create dance moves to poems written about nature & trees. We built a “dance obstacle course,” which allowed them to move through different spaces and learn how to create movements that may have felt mundane but could actually be considered dance moves! One thing the first grade loved this trimester was creating their name dance. The first graders are fast learners and have already learned their dance to The Peppermint Stick Dance from The Nutcracker. They each have such imaginative ideas to help add to the choreography, and it’s been so much fun creating alongside them. We end every class with freeze dance, which uses a playlist they made together and constantly evolves based on their favorite song of the week. They get to let loose and have fun, which is rewarding after rehearsing their dance for most of the class!
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