Important Dates & Reminders

• Performances: Fifth- and sixth-grade chorus students are preparing to sing songs for the FCPS Pyramid Concert at West Potomac High School on Wednesday, November 13^th at West Potomac HS at 7:00 p.m.
• The BES Chorus is also preparing for their annual Winter Concert in December.

What are we learning?

Art

• Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade worked on collage (tearing or ripping of materials and gluing them to create an image) robots and learned how the robots can be community helpers or family helpers.
• 3rd through 6th grade are rounding out the quarter learning about printmaking!
• All levels learned about collage and printing making this quarter.

PE

• K thru 6 grades are continuing throwing and catching activities.

Music

• Students in grades K-6 will sing holiday songs related to Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.
• Third and fourth graders are playing recorders.
• Students in grades 5-6 will transition from playing bucket drums to playing Orff instruments: xylophones and metallophones
•  All students are learning to demonstrate steady beat using movement to music.
• Students in second grade will learn about the music of composers Franz Joseph Haydn. 
• Third grade students will study the  Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky and his Nutcracker Ballet. Fourth-grade students will learn about Mozart.

STEAM

• Students have been learning to be Creative and Critical thinkers while experimenting using the Engineering Design Process.   Students reflected by stating,  “I can revise and refine to improve.”  

Library

• Lots of spider and bat nonfiction was read during Library.  Ask your students about advocating for these misunderstood animals (especially at this time of year).  
• Please ask your child which day of the week they should return library books.  Many are not being returned and are overdue, and then students cannot check out new books!  We want books to go back and forth :) 
• Book Fair will be the week after Thanksgiving (Literacy Night December 4th will be a shopping opportunity for families).

Band/Strings

• On Wednesday, October 23rd, strings students in the West Potomac Pyramid participated in the annual Spooktacular event. This included games and fun, culminating in a concert. Elementary musicians had the opportunity to listen to the West Potomac Orchestras and were invited on stage to perform the Monster Mash finale. 
• Bucknell had around 10 strings students participate in the two rehearsals and the Spooktacular itself and fun was had by all!
• 4th grade strings students will be taking their bows home the week of October 28th. It will take some time for the children to reliably form the correct bow hold, so they should continue practice on a straw or a pencil, in addition to the bow.
• Have your student try to teach you the correct bow hold at home.
• Band is settling into its routine and has changed its focus to the upcoming winter concert.

Questions to ask your child at home.

• Art- How can your child be helpful in the community or home as a helper?