Keep Christmas With You

The Kindergarten Christmas program was presented in the Broadway Sanctuary on Friday, December 7.  The program is an annual event that involves all the PK, JK, and SK children.  “Keep Christmas With You,” was the title of this year’s program.  This was our way of saying “Merry Christmas” to family and friends.  The children were dressed in holiday attire that had been made by teachers and friends of SBEC.  The children worked very hard to learn songs and speaking parts to share the true meaning of Christmas with others.  There was also a special time of celebration as the nativity was presented with representatives from the SK classes.  Following the program, a reception was in the gym area in honor of the children and their guests.

As you celebrate Christmas with your family and friends, please try to remember the words of one of the children’s favorite songs from the program:

“Keep Christmas with you all through the year, when Christmas is over, save some Christmas cheer, These precious moments, Hold them very dear and keep Christmas with you – all through the year.”

We wish you a very Blessed Christmas!

The SBEC Kindergarten Children

Technology in SBEC's Elementary School

"Technology" seems to be the big buzz word these days in education. Everywhere you look, there is some new product, new social media website, new expensive gadget being advertised. Sure it's cool, but what's all the fuss about really?

These days, our students are growing up in a technology rich culture. It's amazing to think that our kindergarteners will probably never know a day without the internet, a cell phone, or an invisible Cloud holding all their data. How is this relevant to the education they are receiving at SBEC? Why should students use technology in school when they spend so much time outside of school using it?

Since our students live in a technological culture, they are so much more adaptable with technology than we are as adults. They are used to moving from Xbox, to Wii, to PC, to Mac, to iPad, to Kindle, etc, and it is important that we engage their culture in an academic environment. Elementary students don't necessarily need to learn how to use an iPad, iPod Touch, or laptop; most already know how to use these devices or similar devices. Instead, we can use technology as a transparent tool for learning.

With that being said, the focus of technology in education is not on the device itself, but what and how the students are learning. The students' unique interaction with the educational material allows the technology to disappear in the classroom and be overshadowed by the academics themselves. Not only is technology engaging to our students, but it is also an avenue for independent, critical, and creative thinking; skills that students will carry with them well beyond academia.

At SBEC, we are dedicated to providing students with opportunities to use technology in ways that enhance their school experience and bridge academics with culture in a relevant way. If you have any questions about how we are using technology in our elementary school, please feel free to contact me at ehopkins@sbectrojans.com.

Emily Hopkins
SBEC Technology Integrator
Grades PK-6                                               

Elementary Spanish

Elementary Spanish is going well this nine weeks.   SK and first grade students are learning colors, numbers, and how to ask each other their names in Spanish.   Second grade is reviewing the months of the year and will be working on a calendar this month. Third grade students are reviewing the alphabet , while the fourth grade has been reviewing basic mapping skills before the study of the twenty-one Spanish speaking countries of the world.

Our fifth graders have learned 131 new words and have completed a study on Mexico. They will begin a study about the Aztecs later this month.  They come to Spanish as part of the fine arts program two days a week.

Sixth grade Spanish class has been busy reading two books aloud in Spanish and will begin a third one this month. They have also studied The Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated in Mexico annually, and made traditional skull magnets and marigold flowers commemorating the celebration.  Sixth grade students may choose Spanish three days per week as an elective in the fine arts program.

As the curriculum builds each year, the students leave elementary school with a foundation of vocabulary and cultural knowledge to assist them in their study of Spanish as they enter high school.

   

Judy B. Arthur

Elementary Spanish Teacher

Elementary Art at SBEC

The 1st-4th grade students just finished up a fantastic quarter of Art.  I presented challenging projects for each grade that required the students to design a new creature based on a mixture of two different things.  For example, 1st grade had to draw a fruit mixed with an animal.  Next,  the students had to draw the environment in which their “fruital” lived in as well as illustrate what it is doing in that particular environment (swimming, eating, running, hunting).  To finish up the project, students had to carefully  color their artwork using rich bold colors.  Creativity, imagination, craftsmanship and quality were emphasized.

In addition to the new creation projects, 1st graders created a secret code alphabet artwork which involved writing the alphabet one letter on top of another.  The further along they overlapped the letters, the more the secret code developed.  After a while, the letters were unrecognizable.  Students then filled in the shapes created by the overlapping lines with markers to create a balanced color design.  Students were challenged to ask others (parents and friends) to see if they knew the secret code.  Emphasis was given to craftsmanship, neatness, penmanship, borders, spatial relationships, vertical horizontal and diagonal lines, and color.  

To finish up the quarter, I strengthened the 2nd and 3rd graders’ drawing skills by walking them through step by step instructions on how to draw animals and insects. 

Mr. Ransom
1st-4th Grade Art Teacher

jransom@sbectrojans.com

SBEC 5th and 6th Grade Choir

The SBEC 5th and 6th grade choirs have really grown in size and ability over the last few years.  This year, the 5th grade choir has 24 members and the 6th grade choir has 28 members.  These groups meet separately, but sometimes perform together.  The 5th grade choir meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the 6th grade choir meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Both choirs perform for elementary chapels, Christmas and end of year concerts, and they present programs at area nursing homes/retirement communities during the school year.

In class, the students learn not only how to perform, but also the fundamentals of correct vocal technique and music reading.  They learn proper breathing techniques, tone placement, vowel shapes, and enunciating clearly.  They also learn the basics of reading music so that they can thrive at the Junior High and High School level.  

These choirs are non-audition choirs.  To join, all you need to do is to sign up at the end of the school year!

Patti House  

SBEC Choir Director

Glogster and Prezi in High School

This year, the high school teachers are implementing two websites fluently into pre-existing units. These two websites are Glogster and Prezi. Glogster is a tool used to create a virtual poster. Glogster allows the creator to have a limitless imagination; because videos and articles can be embedded into the poster itself. Prezi is like PowerPoint, except that it uses zooming interface technology to create an experience for the audience while keeping the speaker on track. These websites can be used by both the teachers and the students.

American government teacher Mrs. Elaine Jenkins has already implemented both of these websites into her Honors Government class through her Political Survey project. The students were shown how to use both Prezi and Glogster and were allowed to choose one for the presentation of their results. Mrs. Jenkins said, “After learning the techniques of Prezi and Glogster, the students are really excited about their presentations. I am really excited to see them.” 

Kaylah Holland

High School Technology Integrator