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Band | Orchestra | Physical Education | Reading | Science | Vocal Music Both the 5th and 6th band classes are beginning work on our songs for the next concert on May 8th. This concert will include all the band students in the district grades 5 through 12 so it should be an exciting (and loud) presentation. Mr. Ruhlen also hopes to be able to find a day in May when we can take our 6th graders to play for some of the elementary schools, in particular the 4th graders. The band classes continue to pursue some basic fundamentals daily with new warm up exercises that are improving the kid’s tone and understanding of chromatics (movement by half steps). This is also enlarging the number of notes our students can play, allowing them to play down to the lowest note on their instrument. At the same time the band plays Mr. Ruhlen’s warm ups, the percussion students are working on rhythms sheets that will have all the kids playing rolls on their snare drums by the end of the school year. Mr. Ruhlen is very pleased with the turn out he sees in the after school instrument classes. He still has room for more, but the students who are participating after school are not only getting extra supervised rehearsal time but Mr. Ruhlen can focus on each child’s individual needs and address those directly. If students wish to join this after school activity, they need to bring a note from a parent stating they have permission to attend and stipulate how the student will be getting home afterwards (late bus, parent picking them up, etc.). Mondays are for low brass players (trombone and baritone), Tuesday is for trumpets and French Horns, Wednesday is for clarinets and saxophones and Thursday is for flutes and percussion wishing to play bells. Mr. Ruhlen would love to see the attendance numbers double. See links on our Band website www.TeacherWeb.com/KS/ChallengerIntermediateSchool/Dvorak/
The all District Orchestra Concert has been scheduled for May 13, 2008 in the Goddard gymnasium. It is always an amazing sight to see all the string players at Goddard play together from grades five through twelve! Challenger and Discovery string players have begun to work on the “ William Tell Overture” for this final concert. This piece was written in 1829 by Gioacchino Rossini The folk hero, William Tell, originally came from a play by Friedrich Schiller. The story originates in Switzerland where the governor of the Swiss canons was a tyrant called Gessler. He put up a pole in the middle of his village and made everyone bow to his hat which he placed on top of the pole. Anyone who failed to bow was either killed or put in prison. William Tell, a local huntsman, failed to salute the Governor’s cap and was seized by the guards. The Governor, remarks that he has heard that Will Tell was a master of the bow and arrow, and demands that Will Tell shoot an apple from his sons head. The spectators were horrified while William Tell takes aim and hits the apple from his sons head. The Governor Gessler, who was a tyrant orders William Tell bound anyway, and taken to the prison at Kussnacht. A revolt by the peasants ensues. The town is freed from the tyrant Governor and William Tell becomes a folk hero. Come and hear “The William Tell Overture “played for you by our own fifth and six grade strings at our May 13th Concert!
Spring Fitness Gram testing was completed the last week of March and first week of April. Please ask your child how they performed on their PACER (cardiovascular) test, push-up and sit-up tests. Fitness Grams will be sent home in May. Coming Attractions: Spring is in the air! And you know what that means? FIELD DAY! The two days for Field Day are scheduled for May 14th (5th grade) and May 15th (6th grade). We need at least 30 parent volunteers from 8:00 – 10:30 a.m. each day to help with the morning game stations. Please click here to download the volunteer form and return it to school by May 2nd. Sign up today! Should be a lot of fun! Weather permitting; we will be on the track sometime in late April for the 6th grade students to run a timed mile run/walk. Please dress appropriately for this event. Collect & Save: Thank you for the support of the “Collect and Save” program. Mrs. Dondlinger’s 5th grade class won the spring contest, so they earned the special treat to eat. Please continue to collect General Mill’s BOXTOPS, Tyson Project A+ labels, and Campbell’s Soup labels even over the summer months. We have another turn-in date in October, 2008. PLAY IT SAFE: Spring weather and sandals go hand-in-hand. As a friendly reminder, sandals and flip-fops should not be worn during physical education class. Thank you for helping your child be prepared for physical education class. Tennis shoes provide for a SAFE and FUN time while moving in the gym. Please send a note to excuse your child from participation due to injury or illness. RECYCLE: Start saving your empty shampoo or ketchup bottles with the lids. We need them for water games on Field Day. Please clean the bottles and send them to school with your child and they can drop them off in the gym or give to Mrs. Buchanan. Ketchup bottles are the best for the water games. Thanks for your help. I have enjoyed working with your child and teaching them the skills they need now and for a lifetime. Mrs. Buchanan
Please continue to emphasize the importance of staying focused in school. As we get into the nice weather, students sometimes lose focus. Let’s work together to keep the kids IN THE ZONE! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please call or e mail us! Fifth Grade Science Scott White swhite@goddardusd.com Spring fever is certainly in the air, but Challenger musicians continue to work very hard. Fifth grade students keep pressing forward in preparation for our concert on Tuesday, May 6, at 7:45 p.m. Please mark your calendars now for this performance. The singers have a good start on their pieces. Now we will begin auditions for some special parts featuring dance, percussion and harmony. Sixth grade students have just completed a unit on reading notes in both treble and bass clef. And now they are ready for a couple of projects that combine art and music. The first project involves a pattern that the students will draw based on what they hear in various styles of music. The second project will allow the students to design a CD cover. I am looking forward to the creativity of our Challenger sixth grade. And I’m looking forward to another great month with your amazing students. Thanks for sending your best! Mrs. Cromwell, vocal music |
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