Specials

Music

In chorus, students learn proper singing technique as they explore various musical genres. Chorus students focus on performing choral arrangements for their peers, parents, and the public. All students are encouraged to audition for solos, arrange chorus songs, and add instruments and other forms of art, such as dance and visual art, to the overall performance.

The instrumental music program at the Oak Ridge School gives students in grades 4-6 the opportunity to learn an instrument and to experience playing in an ensemble. Besides the obvious joys of learning to make music, alone and with others, learning to play an instrument helps children develop organizational and time management skills, as well as increasing focus and problem solving skills.

Instruction is offered on flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion and strings. Instrumental music replaces general music for students in grades 4,5,6. Along with in-school lessons students have the opportunity to participate in school and community performances throughout the school year.

General music students focus on creating and collaborating, while still learning how to read standard notation. Students compose and improvise regularly, and use technology to create modern original pieces. General music students perform for each other and learn to work together to form ‘classroom bands'.

Art

 

Grades 3 & 4: First Unit ~10/weeks: DRAWING with Various Lines and Shapes

During the beginning of a new school year I like to get the kids excited about being in school and what the promise of the new school year might hold. This year my 3rd & 4th Grade students are diving right into the concept of Linear Perspective or what they refer to as drawing 3-D.

Students from both grades have introductions on using tools: pencil, eraser, and rulers. How to draw a straight line using a ruler can be a challenge. Holding it so it will not move when they draw and do it consistently is a lot to ask. So, I break it into parts more easy to digest. Making a bridge on the ruler with two fingers, they draw a line on top, from one end to the other… Learning how to draw the basic line types: Vertical, Horizontal & Diagonal. With a series of steps drawn out for them, students follow them on their own drawing.

The 3rd Graders are learning to use the basic shapes as well. Building a drawing by ‘seeing' the shapes inside objects such as Planes, Cars, Trees, Houses, Mountains, Boats, People, Space Ships, Planets, all with the added 3D effect. New drawings are made each week, culminating in drawings on good drawing paper in full color using Colored Pencils and some Crayons.

Fourth Grade students are also shown how to draw a straight line using a ruler. Their finished work will be a Two-Point Perspective drawing of a House. A very technical drawing with a lot of perks. Students experience drawing a 3D chimney, a 3D walkway, driveway, a 3D car, Trees, shrubs, swimming pools, soccer or basketball courts, all with believable results. The finished drawing uses Colored Pencils. While both grades may draw something for Halloween, they are all encouraged simply to draw the scene the way they would like.

Coloring: Students are shown how to mix primary colors to make secondary colors, and even Tertiary colors, mixing secondary colors, mixing shades and tints to create different times of day or season.

Completion: Finished drawings are mounted on student choice of construction paper using staplers. The right way to staple is also demonstrated. Students are encouraged to share their work for the school to see.

My 5th Grade Graphic Arts students are learning how to use One-Point Perspective to create a 3D house interior. (there are two such groups)

My 6th Grade Graphic Arts Students are learning how to draw a simple design which when repeated and rotated with a carven rubber eraser, create sophisticated Arabesque or Radial Pattern Designs on paper, plastic and even glossy photo paper.

After this Unit comes one short unit on Painting, followed by December's end with Ceramics

Continuing after Winter Break, students in all grades will be focused on a unit in Ceramics.

3rd & 4th Grade: Students will be making their own Ceramic Creatures. Much in the spirit of last years successful clay creations, students will learn how to make their own unique and personal creatures. Focus on craftsmanship, creativity, and revisioning. All clay is bisque fired and then painted with glaze. Student work will be put on display at the Winter Art Show.

If possible the students in other 5th & 6th Grade Arts Classes will have the opportunity to make ceramic projects.

In late February, 3rd & 4th Grade and my 5th & 6th Grade students will begin a unit on Reduction Printmaking using Styrofoam trays and linoleum blocks.

Wellness

Wellness classes meet two days a week and the students are in the gym two weeks and the health room 1 week on a rotating basis throughout the school year. Activities throughout the school year include Cooperative Games, Physical Fitness Testing, Team Sports and Individual Sports, and Large Group Gym Games. In addition to our regular Wellness classes, we hold Special Events, in collaboration with our school's 7 C's Model. These events include Fun Run's, Grade Level Socials, etc.

Health classes are being introduced to a new curriculum with an emphasis on Life Skills Training. Students will have lessons in Self Esteem, Decision-Making, Smoking Information, Advertising, Dealing with Stress, Communication Skills, Social Skills, and Assertiveness.

Visit our new PE and Wellness Website: Oak Ridge School Health & Wellness

Technology

Welcome to Technology

Our focus is to prepare students for 21st Century skills of collaboration, digital literacy, inquiry, critical thinking and problem solving to both help achieve their academic goals and prepare for their futures.

Students in Grades 3-6 will be learning to type using a self-directing typing program, save and use Google Drive and Google Classroom, study Digital Citizenship, learn program coding, drawing tools, photo editing, video creation, animations, online multimedia presentation programs, and many other digital tools along with supporting classroom curriculum in literacy and math. 

We recommend parents sign up for a free account on Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ . This website provides invaluable resources to help you support and guide your child through their “digital native” world.

We look forward to learning, collaborating, and problem-solving with Grades 3-6.

Exploring the 7Cs

We are very fortunate at the Oak Ridge School to have a new class to offer students. This class came to be because of the vision of the teachers, staff, and administrators. Here is the story about the creation of the 7Cs.

When we found out that we were given the opportunity to come together as a unified school district, all the teachers in grades 3-6 were gathered at the Oak Ridge School. Mrs. Hill talked to us with excitement about this amazing opportunity that we had been given to create our own school. We were broken up into groups and asked to write our vision for this new school. As the groups worked common missions and visions for our new school began to appear. When it came time to share our ideas with each other it was wonderful to see that we all had a common vision in mind. No matter what school the teachers and staff were from or what grade they taught, when each group presented its vision for Oak Ridge common themes appeared over and over again. The teachers said- We want our kids to be curious, to ask questions, and to be engaged in their learning. We want our students to know and build their character so they can become the best people they can be. We want our students to be critical thinkers so that they can solve problems on their own and become independent. The teachers' vision is for our students to be a community and to understand what it means to be a positive member of a community. We want our students to learn collaboration, because we know that when they leave these school walls they will be working with many different people in many different groups and we want them to be successful. We want our kids to be effective communicators so that they can share their ideas and have their voice heard. Finally, the teachers said- we want our students to be creative. We want them to think outside the box and to do and create things that others before them have not. So, our mission was born: “Our mission is to develop respectful, resilient children who are skillful and able to think critically to meet challenges in a complex world. The Oak Ridge School Community believes that all children can and will learn well in a cooperative, safe and positive environment.” A little while later, Mrs. Hill thought, “Wouldn't it be awesome if the students had a class where they could live the mission of our school and practice these values?” So…here we are- Exploring the 7Cs (curiosity, character, critical thinking, community, collaboration, communication, and creativity) was created!!!

Exploring the 7Cs is designed to be a student-centered, teacher-facilitated class. Students go to the 7Cs once a week for 40 minutes. We have many hopes and dreams for this class, but we are anticipating that our students will end up taking this class in places we haven't yet imagined.

Many schools use the 4Cs or the 6Cs, but in Sandwich have we are striving to practice the 7Cs! Check out our website to see what we have been up to... http://exploringthe7cs.weebly.com/.

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