• Music is alive at Washington Elementary 4/5 Center. In General Music the scholars have been learning and reviewing note and rest names and their values. They have enjoyed applying what they’ve learned to music math. To review, the scholars play a game called “Music Values Around the World”. In this game scholars challenge the person next to them to verbally race for the correct note and rest name and its value. The object of the game is to see how far you can get around the classroom.
In the next few months each class will be busy preparing for the Christmas program “Holiday Road Trip.” It’s a celebration of Christmas traditions from coast-to-coast. Washington’s Holiday program will be held on December 19th. The 4th-grade program will be at 6 p.m., followed by the 5th-  grade program at 7 p.m. It will be a spectacular evening of music and dance.
From Kristi Kattner, General Music Teacher at the Washington Elementary 4/5 Center

• Students in Language Arts 10.1 and 12.1 are learning a new curriculum this year. Each chapter in the literature book walks students through three close readings of a single, excerpted text. After each reading, the students complete a written activity. Students are learning how to write complete, effective sentences that are the basis for writing well-organized sentences.
Consumer Math students are working on an Earning Money unit. We have covered how to calculate wages, (including calculating overtime and annual wages). It is necessary to review rounding money in order to accurately round to the nearest cent. Students learned other ways to earn money including tips, piece-work, and salary. Students are currently learning how to determine commission and will also learn about salary plus commission and pay.
From Marietta Riedel, Huron High School

• “String into Action” has been the theme in the elementary music classes at Buchanan K-1 Center, during the month of October. Students are learning about the String Family which is the largest family in the orchestra, it includes the violin, viola, cello and the bass. Students learned the instruments are made out of wood but are named “string” instruments because the strings are the part that makes the sound. Most often the strings are played by drawing a bow across them. The bow is made of wood and horsehair from a horse’s tail. The students have played their violins, violas, cellos and basses as an “air orchestra” to special recordings of these instruments.
This unit culminated with a performance by the Dakota String Quartet from the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra at our school on Oct. 19.
The students enjoyed the interactive program and they were excited to hear the instruments played together and the beautiful sounds they produced. The concert was funded by First Premier Bank/Premier Bankcard and the SD Arts Council.
From Barbara Nicholas, Elementary Music Teacher.