Week of September 21

An exciting event is coming up next Friday, October 2nd in Highland Park.  The first annual Harvest & Harmony Festival is taking place in the Ravinia District.  Wayne Thomas 5th graders, along with students from four other elementary schools in District 112, will be coming together for a large drum circle performance.  We hope to have as many 5th graders as possible join us for this special event.  Everyone else is welcome to watch!

Kindergarteners in Ms. Tepper's afternoon class read a book called Happy Birthday Moon, which helped them learn about echos.  Students in the morning class performed a folk dance called "Seven Jumps."

First graders played the Orff instruments this week.  They performed several familiar nursery rhymes on the xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels, showing the highs and lows on the instruments.

Second graders began learning a song called "Peas Porridge" this week.  They did a rhythmic dictation activity with this song and played unpitched percussion instruments.  They will begin playing the Orff instruments next week!

Third graders completed their "Down at the Station" activities this week by performing two different Orff instrument parts, two boomwhacker parts, and a sand block part while singing.  They did a great job!

Fourth graders sang "Cotton-Eyed Joe" this week.  They worked in groups to compose movements to the song and then taught the rest of the class their movements.

Fifth graders began learning "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" this week.  They also continued working on their bucket drumming for their performance next Friday in Jens Jensen Park.  See note that was sent home today (Friday) for more specific information!

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns:  ecrutchfield@nssd112.org.