5 th : Just completed a lesson on positive and negative space, and are currently working on value drawings. 4 th : The 4 th graders have been busy perfecting their skills with creating a Parallel Painting and a lesson on craftsmanship and creativity. The students are now learning about the Art Nouveau movement and will be creating a radial print. 3 rd : We spent a short time with Sumi-e paintings and are now learning about Op Art and Victor Vasarely. 2 nd : Learned about organic vs. geometric shapes with a complimentary leaf lesson. Now we are digging into clay and creating coil pots. 1 st : Completed a cool paper weaving lesson and are now moving on to fun selfportraits. K : We ve completed a name design lesson on shapes and patterns. Some of the classes just finished an awesome printmaking lesson on lines, shapes, and letters! Pre-K : Cutting and tracing helped the students in creating shape collage. The pre-k students also got a taste of the cool K printmaking lesson. We focused on printing letters with lines. HS/CAPP : As our rotating art schedule continues (drawing, painting, clay, various mediums, repeat) we have been working with texture, q-tip paintings, getting experience with different clay tools, creating a torn paper collage, and even going outside to do chalk drawings. ***GUESS WHAT?*** Maryvale Arts is going global! Our students will soon be able to view their artwork online, make comments, receive awards, do fundraisers and even purchase a t-shirts and other products with their artwork on it. Copy and paste this link http://www.artsonia.com/schools/maryvale3. Mr. Clay is in the process of uploading photos and documenting artwork. If there are parent volunteers interested in helping please contact me. THANKS!

Sharon Minor King, Ph.D., Art Specialist In the spirit of collaboration, the following classes are contributing to a Rainforest/Jungle installation of art works in the hallway that leads to the "Arts Pagoda (the portable outback)": Mr. Miller (3rd), Mrs. DeMoss (4th), Mrs. Zariquiez (5th), Mme. Kone (2nd), Ms. Cangilla (CAPP), Mrs. McDonogh (CAPP), and Mrs. Simmons(Pre-K). The installation is an ongoing project that has four phases: (1) Creating the plant life; (2) Creating the animals (3) Creating the architecture, and (4) Creating human dwellers. The students will also include their masks from 1st quarter. The art lessonsintroduce Paper Engineering. Students have made their individual art objects by sketching and completing pop-ups, cut-outs, and collages. Equally, students had to also learn how to collaborate, cooperate, accommodate, and adapt when installing the diverse works in the hallway. The professional artist studied is Henri Rousseau, a French painter whose jungle scenes are well known throughout the western art world. Rousseau taught himself how to paint. His art is on display at local museums such as the Smithsonian Gallery of Art and the Phillips Gallery (Washington, D.C.). The installation has been an inspiration for other studies at Maryvale such as ecology, biology, language arts, and the study of diverse cultures. Many students have discussed their visits to rainforests in South America and Africa. Several teachers and administrators have also agreed to share their experiences living in a rainforest (Mr. Miller), or their travels to rainforests and jungles (Mrs. Till). There will also be written commentaries by students on display.

Ms. Withers Physical Education Classes 4 th and 5th grade has been working on kicking skills including playing soccer games. We are continuing to work on sportsmanship and cooperation among peers. 2 nd and 3 rd grade has also been working on different kicking skills. We have played different forms of soccer and other kicking games. These students are continuing to calculate their workout heart rates and resting heart rates. K & 1 st grade has continued to master their throwing and catching skills, along with chasing, fleeing and dodging. We have played a variety of games including sharks and sailors; knock down the pins, and different activities involving scooters. Kicking was introduced this quarter into the games we played. Pre K has been so wonderful this quarter! Every class period they walk in and sit down on the circle as quiet as can be without me reminding them that is what we do every day in the beginning of class. We have still been working on a variety of different skills in a choice center class. Choice centers are centers they choose to go to. They cannot stay at one the whole entire time, or can they just stand and wait for something to be open. If they would like to use something someone is already using (and has been for awhile) they have to ask using please may I These centers include throwing different objects into buckets or at targets on the walls, throwing and catching with partners, rolling balls to knock over bowling pins, jumping/hopping/walking patterns, modified jump roping and using the scooters. CAPP classes have been working on making eye contact and saying hello and good bye. We have been crawling through a tunnel, rolling down a cheese mat, using scooters, throwing balls into targets and with others. In addition, students were using oversized balls and jumping on a trampoline. Mr. Johnson s Physical Education Classes The Physical Education just completed a 4 week unit on soccer skills. We are now beginning our volleyball unit. JJohnson

2 nd Nine weeks in Mrs. Hubbard s Music Classes It is hard to believe that the second nine week grading period is almost half over. Below are the objectives K thru 5 th grade classes have been working on: Kindergarten: In Kindergarten we have been learning to identify 4 classroom percussion instruments by sight and sound. They are Rhythm Sticks; Hand Drum; Triangle and Tambourine. We even looked for the instrument shapes in a painting. The students really enjoyed this-try it at home! They have also been learning about the steady beat. We have been accompanying songs with the steady beat using the four instruments we are learning about. 1 st Grade : First graders are refreshing their memories about keeping the steady beat with rhythm sticks to a variety of songs. They do enjoy using instruments! They are also becoming critical listeners. I am asking them to listen to a piecee of music and decide if it is: Slow or Fast And other times they are listening to decide if it Loud or Soft. 2 nd Grade: 2 nd graders are also becoming critical listeners. They also are listening for Loud/Soft and Fast/Slow. However, we have made it a bit harder. They are learning the Italian words for these AND they have to listen for both fast or slow AND loud or soft at the same time. The Italian words for these are: Loud-Forte Soft-Piano Fast-Allegro Slow-Lento 3 rd Grade: Third graders are becoming conductors this grading period. They are learning how to conduct in 2/4 time. They are becoming quite good. They are increasing their Italian Musical vocabulary. They are becoming critical learners for: Two musical expressions- Staccato- short; light and separate Legato- smooth and connected Two new tempo markings:

Andante-walking speed Presto-Very Fast And two new Dynamic markings: Pianissimo- Very Soft Fortissimo- Very Loud 4 th Grade: In 4 th grade students are learning about the Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky. They are learning about 4 sounds in one beat-16 th notes. They are continuing to become better and better at reading music. 5 th Grade : 5 th graders are learning about the composer George Frederick Handel. They are also learning about percussion instruments around the world. Finally they are learning a new rhythm pattern- syncopation (a pattern of short long short ) Highlight of the 2 nd grading period so far! Our second graders were treated to a concert by the National Symphony at Strathmore Concert Hall. This concert was for every 2 nd grader in Montgomery County. It was sponsored thru a grant from GEICO. The children really enjoyed seeing an orchestra live. Coming Up: On Tuesday December 15 th the Maryvale 4 th /5 th grade Chorus will travel to Collingswood Nursing Home to sing our Winter Concert for the seniors. They LOVE have the students come and enjoy the performance as well. Wednesday December 16 th the student body will be treated to The Instrumental and Chorus Winter concert at 2PM. We will repeat the concert for family and friends Wednesday evening December 16 th in the Gym at 7:30. Please feel free to join us for a delightful performance.

A from Mrs. Hunte (part-time Music Teacher) There is great excitement shown by music students in the CAPP and Pre-K classes. Students continue to participate and enjoy movement activities as well as sing and play un-pitched percussion instruments, such as rhythm sticks and hand drums. Additionally, it is rewarding to hear students singing the hello song as they enter the classroom, without my invitation. 2nd grade: Students recently had the opportunity to visit the National Philharmonic at Strathmore for the Kids Student Concert. This was an important student experience, since they recently completed learning about the four families of instruments in the Orchestra. Moreover, students were prepared for one of the selections, The Little Train of Caipira, making the experience more meaningful at the performance in the concert hall. Following this field trip, students were given the opportunity to share their thoughts and they participated in a discussion concerning the differences between a live performance and listening to pre-recorded music. Additionally, students continue to sing, play instruments, and participate in movement activities; and in keeping with the curriculum, students are now learning some music vocabulary. This includes Italian terms such as Piano and Forte (soft & loud), Allegro and Lento (fast & slow). 3rd grade: Students are presently learning how to a conduct two-beat pattern which will require of them more concentration and involvement. This is a critical transition for the students since this action is silent, as opposed to the teacher keeping the steady beat, either on an instrument or by clapping. Students will also be learning additional Italian terms such as Legato (smooth and connected), Staccato (short and detached) as well as other terms such as Pianissimo (very soft) and Fortissimo (very loud). The purpose of these terms in music is to identify the dynamics and tempo (speed of the beat) which adds spice and color to music! 4th grade: Students really enjoy singing and playing instruments (boomwackers, hand drums, rhythm sticks) and they are extremely talented! In addition to the already known eighth, quarter, half, dotted-half, whole notes and rests, students are now learning sixteenth notes and making the significant connection between Music and Math. Learning new rhythmic patterns during this marking period will also include syncopation. These rhythms, especially the latter, are important in many styles of music, including Jazz, and they add excitement to the composition and to performers of such music. Students are beginning to make this connection as evidenced by their involvement. Happy holidays!