Our Lady of Hungary Regional School

Computer Activities

Grades K-5

Art Activities

Grades 2 -8

2010-2011

(under revision)

Kindergarten will be working with Computer Alphabet activities such as placing the letters in correct alphabetic order,  doing a lot of matching up beginning letters with words or pictures, and then doing Mathematical  computer activities such as counting bananas, little babies, fish, etc.  They have also been doing shape matching and sorting, such as Bert's bottle caps. and putting jigsaw puzzles together on the computer. Children learn basic parts of the computer by doing. This year we have been and will continue work on  lots of skills through websites such as www.pbskids.org, www.tarheelreader.com, www.bcps.org, www.internet4classrooms.com, www.annrymer.com (keyboarding) www.primarygames.com, www.wacona.com, www.globalclassroom.org, www.Discovery Education.com, www.Starfall.com, and more.

The software available is Kidspiration, Sunburst Alphabet and Phonics, Jay Jay the Jet Plane, Broderbund Math Workshop (excellent for matching shapes), Drawing For Children, Richard Scary's Busytown, KidPix, Clifford Phonics, Dragon Tales, Freddy Fish, and more.

First grade will be introduced to the keyboard and complete practice and many other activities relative to it, such as developing finger key placements using both hands and many extra practice sessions working on the basics, i.e, spacing, correcting errors, knowing punctuation keys.  They will be given text typing activities to try to reinforce using 2-hand home key finger placement, working slowly through each of the 3 banks of keys on the keyboard. The programs for first grade typing are www.annrymer.com/keyseeker, and Sunburst Type to Learn (with both floor and wall charts.) This year they will be doing Kid Writing, where they draw a dry marker picture on little whiteboards and then find words to write describing the picture, and type them on Microsoft Word.

First grade will also be doing many teacher organized as well as student text and graphic activities  on Kidspiration , Drawing for Children, and Kid Pix Deluxe. We will be using  many great first grade skills websites, such as www.Starfall.com, www.pbskids.org, www.primarygames.com, www.globalclassroom.org, www.teacher.scholastic.com (for stories), www.internet4classrooms.com, and more. Software programs also used are KeySkills for Language Arts, Arthur's Reading Race for stories, Sunburst Reading Who, Reading You, and Sunburst Phonics.

Math practice with telling time on analog and digital clocks, adding and subtracting will  be given on Treasure Math Storm and on the variety of websites given.

Second grade will be practicing higher level keyboarding skills over and over again on levels that are appropriate for each person individually. 

During School Year 09-10, second grade will be doing more practice typing of sentences, paragraphs, and stories of their own. Extra sessions will be given on spacing between words and sentences, locating mistakes and correcting, use of Capital letters and punctuation. They will be supervised to make sure they use home keys as they type text materials. This year we again will introduce Kid Writing, which they like.  They are given markers and small whiteboards to draw a picture about a certain theme.  Then they write words describing the pictures in their Word files to save on the network.  We also have a large Word Wall in our Computer to assist with finding a word and correctly typing it. We will also be using online stories to read aloud.

We also will go online often to do research such as finding pictures of animals, and specific information about animals.  We have used Kid Pix to create pictures or graphics in response to questions or partial sentences...For breakfast I like to eat (they insert a cereal bowl graphic).  They will have finished stories online that were started with their own sentences and ideas.

Last, each second grader will type a Science Research term paper in Microsoft Word on the computer, probably about an animal of their choice.

 Third grade will be  practicing higher level keyboarding skills appropriate for each person individually.  They do lots of extra text typing to make sure they are staying with home keys as they type and learning where punctuation marks go, bolding and underlining words, Centering and changing margins, spacing between paragraphs, learning how to start a new page, how to insert text.  We do stories many kinds of ways, and they input text responses in them. Each child will do at least one or two simple Powerpoint presentations.  Through internet websites, third grade will be given Math computer activities on simple times tables (2x and 3x), double digit addition and subtraction skills. and story problems.

Third Grade has been using Kidspiration to insert graphics into and adding texting with each activity.  Some times it's Science, at other times it's a holiday activity. They are also being given lots of practice with grammar, sentence writing, and identifying nouns and verbs. They are being given extra help with a Word Wall which has been started in the Computer Lab.

Through Third Grade Adventures, logic and mathematical activities are frequently practiced also. Through 4th Grade Halloween Adventures, 3rd grade third grade works with Math, Science, Music and Language Arts practice. And through a new program called Key Skills, children practice basic things such as synonyms, opposites, parts of speech and other Language Arts activities.

Last, each third grader will type a Science Research paper on the computer.

Fourth Grade is developing writing skills and working on computer units related to their classroom curriculum.  We will start out with the Water Cycle in Kidspiration and  then move on to the Kidspiration Cloud template, and other Weather Channel software, as Weather (storms, hurricanes, etc.) are part of the 4th grade curriculum. We have also completed Discovery Education video segments related to clouds and weather, and Weather Channel software on all things related to Weather.

In Language Arts, we have been working on grammar sentences (simple and compound) and parts of speech. In addition many practice sessions will take place practicing how to change margins, change spacing, bold, underline and italicize words, how to center and right align text, paragraph indentations, how to starta new page, how to insert page breaks and insert words. We will write a number of paragraphs and stories on Microsoft Word and this year in Kidspiration.   We are going to do a class Powerpoint on sea creatures or mammals and have completed a Powerpoint on Early Explorers, where they have to find information about their topic as well as pictorial or graphic materials on their topic.  Another big item for fourth grade this year will be keyboarding and remaining with home keys whenever they sit down at a computer to type any kind of text material. There are no typos allowed.  Text is expected to be just about perfect by fourth grade. (double spacing after sentences, proper use of capital letters, etc.) We also will learn how to use Microsoft Word's Spell Checker.

Last, each fourth grader is required to type a Science Term Paper and hand it in towards the end of the school year.

 Fifth Grade will develop more proficient keyboarding skills. Importance of home keys is stressed and results of their typing practice are printed out for them (so they know their speed and accuracy levels). We also work on a game for Keyboarding Proficiency http:/freeonlinetypinggames.com/free-typing-games/typing-defense.

Fifth grade will become especially proficient in Powerpoint presentations, in subjects such as Endangered Rainforest Animals and Earthquakes. These include photos, a name and description of the animals including diet and geographic location, use of animation techniques and sounds available for each slide.

We will be doing as many activities as possible related to their Language Arts, Science and Social Studies curriculum.  On Word, Powerpoint, and Kidspiration,  we do all sorts of activities relating to Language Arts, i.e. sentences,  finding nouns, verbs, prepositional phrases. and "meaning" words".  Microsoft Word will be used to learn how to indent paragrahs, change margins, highlighting words, underlining words, erasing errors, center and right align text, change spacing between sentences, how to start a new page, insert words and page breaks, double space between paragrpas, indenting, capitalization and punctuation (where the keys are and where it is needed), spacing after titles, centering and right alignment. Use of the Spell Checker will also be done. They are given a "story" about any topic involving themselves to write in rough draft, and then in final form on the computer.  Specific computer skills are cutting, copying, and pasting both graphics and text materials, toggling back and forth from one application to another, altering and saving text. A great variety of web resources will be used such as Welcome to the Web (www.teachingideas.co.uk/welcome/start.htm), www.makebeliefscomix.com,

Art Education - Grades 2-8

Grade 2 is introduced to Fine Arts lessons for the first time. Emphasis is on how to properly use the tools, procedures to follow, and good listening. management of scissors, watercolor pans, brushes, and cups, cut papers, gluing and attentiveness with learning to stay on tasks. Making drawings are big items. They will learn 6 ways to use watercolors, how all colors start from the 3 primary colors on a color wheel. Differences between Warm and Cool Colors are especially emphasized.  Simple animals are always used as themes. We did a zebra, an owl, and an elephant so far.  Symmetry is taught and collage making.  Awareness of backgrounds takes place.  Patterns are used and depicting many simple emotions through pictures is emphasized.

Grade 3  works  with Art Elements, such as line, color, texture, and and some value.  Basic differences in color schemes will be emphasized.  Color wheels with the primary and secondary colors is first.  Overlapping figures and shapes on a flat surface takes place.  Creating a three dimensional hanging fish from a flat fish took place.  The principle of repetition of patterns of all types is used over and over again. A tissue leaf collage, an owl collage, a sunset collage were done. Facial expressions showing emotions on faces are emphasized. A standing figure drawing is introduced as well as portrait drawing.  Backdrops and scenery are being painted.

Grade 4 - Fourth graders began the year studying historical teapots, drawing their shapes and their parts, then designing one of their own. They made mixed media masks using primary tempera paint colors. Their portrait experience included doing a contour line portrait of another classmate and then painting a Picasso-style portrait, where things get reversed. They used multi facial colors and oil pastels with watercolored backgrounds.

Cursive creatures were created by writing their names on a folded paper, painting in the shapes, and pressing the two sides together.

For a textural experience, we cut out shiny fish with decorated papers.  These were placed on an ocean backdrop where we made the fish very glossy with modge podge to make them stand out from the backdrop.

We will be painting a huge poinsettia plant, a winter town, and a monochromatic paining next.

Grade 5 - Grade will review all six Art Elements through their art projects.  Furthermore, more art "words" and terminology will be taught. Value is introduced, discussed often, and displayed in various student art works. Drawing skills are built on and principles of Art reinforced, such as repetition, center of interest, and unity. Patterning in a variety of ways is developed. Poster projects including Lettering (AAA) are very popular with Grade 5. The primary colors are used to develop into other colors. Responsibility for care of class materials is reinforced.  One point perspective drawings are started in Grade 5. Marbelizing papers and to use as backgrounds is done.

Grade 6 will be doing projects incorporating all Art Elements and Principles. This group will be doing 2 projects sometimes in one class period, as they need to learn more of the intricacies of Color (analagous, color harmonies, complementary, etc.) and of Principles, such as Focal Point, Repetition, and Contrast. Two point perspective drawings are introduced and done. Lettering on posters is emphasized through entries in the AAA Poster Contest. This year Grade 6 will be making a 3D paper mache creation (animal or monster), which essentially is an experience with balance.  Using digital images of themselves, they will be making a portrait with a monochrome background.

Grade 7.  Grade 7 will begin the 2010-2011 year with a water pipes composition using principles of Art for the first time (center of interest, repetition, contrast, variety). They will move onto architectural drawings of "Painted Ladies" (old Victorian houses) with Horizon Lines  incorporating Art Elements and Principles. An extra large painting mixing the primary colors will be experimented with. Posters for the OLH Gala and for the AAA contest were done.  Many famous artists will be shown on Powerpoints, and lessons will stem from their work.  Each 7th grader will also be making a 3D paper mache vessel and also cardboard collagraph prints. 

Grade 8.  Grade 8 will begin the 2010-2011 year with a sculpture lesson. The lesson must incorporate 4 Art Principles (focal point, repetition, contrast, harmony, and balance). They will move onto drawings and collages incorporating bright color harmonies and textures. A "pointillist" composition will be completed. The principles of repetition and harmony are always reinforced.  Horizon lines in landscapes will be emphasized. Linoleum block cutting and printing was introduced this year.

Also this year their lessons will involve using digital camera images incorporated in at least 2 ways. Either they will draw portraits from front and back.

They will be placing poster entries into the AAA Poster Contest, and creating a 3-d standing paper mache hand with an unusual pattern repeated on it.

Last Edited on 05/13/2011

Questions or Comments on the website please contact mduda@olhrs.com