Teller Elementary School

KG

1ST

2ND

3RD

4TH

5TH

ART

In Kindergarten, we mastered a new tool…the Ruler! We practiced our skills with the ruler before investigating the work by Piet Mondrian. After determining he mainly used straight horizontal and vertical lines and only primary colors we created our own “Mondrian Animals”. Get ready for Paper Bag Puppets in December

In 1st Grade, we have been discovering and analyzing the work by Jean Dubuffet. After identifying the distinguishing characteristics (organic line, manic amount of designs and pattern, and use of only red, blue, black, and white) of his work students are set off to create their own large version of a work of art inspired by Jean Dubuffet

In 2nd Grade, we have been learning about Japanese culture through the May 5th holiday deemed “Kodomo No Hi” or Children’s Day. Students identify that in Japan on May 5th you can see hundreds of thousands if not millions of fish kites crafted to represent the children and symbolize perseverance and the navigation of life. Students then create their own fish kite that focuses on repetitive patterns and the use of materials like oil pastel and watercolor pencil.

In 3rd Grade, students are learning about folk art and Mexican culture through the lens of Alebrijes. We take a deep dive into the origins of Alebrijes in Mexican culture and then brainstorm and plan our own Alebrijes with watercolors. Our Alebrijes focus on the combination of the elements of air, fire, land, and water and use of pattern to create visual texture within our inventive creature.

4th graders have been investigating the work of graphic designers and street artists specifically focused on lettering. Students are exposed to tutorials on how to create block and bubble lettering, shading and adding shadows to letters to make them look more three-dimensional. Students then create a work of art that represents their name in an inventive way and includes a theme to the piece with watercolor pencils 

5th Graders have been learning about and having fun with the power of words through a unit focused on lettering and how it can be inventive. We are also taking the concepts of word walls that we have seen throughout our classrooms over the years and putting a fresh spin on it creating our own 5th Grade word wall that includes words that currently have value to us. Students represent these words by drawing them large and filling them with patterns and watercolor

MUSIC

This month we have focused on understanding, identifying and moving to tempo changes. We learned that presto means fast and largo means slow. We enjoyed playing several games to practice this including Dunk Tank, Bear Hunt and The Old Gray Cat. 

We have started our 1st Grade show prep. Mr. Archuleta’s class will present Jack and the Beanstalk, Mrs. Agyemang’s class will present Cinderella and Ms. Kurtz’s class will present The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig. We completed our auditions and now we are starting to block and rehearse. Our 1st Grade Fairy Tale Trio show will be presented January 23rd at 5:00 PM. You can access your child’s script and songs HERE

This month we have taken a close look at the four instrument families brass, woodwind, strings and percussion. We discussed the sound and appearance and other key factors to help us identify which family each instrument belongs to. We learned to make musical predictions by focusing on the mood, instrumentation, dynamics and tempo of each movement of Camille Saint Saens Carnival of the Animals. Next month we will create our own animal music using our classroom instruments. 

This month we have started our rehearsals for our 3rd grade Black History Celebration. This year’s show is called Dreams. The students will present songs and famous quotes from Black Americans that have shaped our world by following their Dreams. The show will showcase singing, choreography, and bucket drumming. The show will be presented on February 13th. Make sure you mark your calendars! You can access songs and scripts HERE

This month is all about the recorder. We learned how to read a finger chart and  played a C scale. We also reviewed strategies to assist with reading treble clef pitches. This included using our hand staff and following the musical alphabet and using acronyms such as Every Good Burger Deserves Fries and FACE. We have used these strategies to decode the melody Jingle Bells. In December we are looking forward to sharing out Jingle Bells with other classes as we go recorder caroling throughout the school the week before Winter Break. 

This month has been all about the BLUES. We learned about the origins of Blues music and how the Great Migration changed the sound by adding electrical instruments which later developed into more popular styles of music including rock and country music. We have learned to play the C Blues chord progression on both ukulele and the keyboard. Next month we will compose our own BLUES songs using AAB form. 

P.E. 

We are learning the fundamentals of striking. We are learning to strike with a balloon and slowly working our way to striking with a paddle.. We are also practicing how to show integrity in activity and asking for help when we need it.

We are learning the fundamentals of striking. We are learning to strike with a balloon and slowly working our way to striking with a paddle.. We are also practicing how to show integrity in activity and asking for help when we need it. . 

We are learning the importance of working as a team and learning the fundamentals of offense and defense. We are focusing on accuracy through target practice with the added obstacle of a defender to make it more challenging. 

We are learning the fundamentals of throwing and catching. This month we will be practicing target practice in a two vs. one small sided game to practice playing defense on the ball and off the ball. Our goal is to play a two vs. two game and learn to go from offense to defense. 

We are learning the importance of working as a team and learning the fundamentals of team handball. 4th grade is working towards playing a small sided 6 vs. 6 mini team handball game while using defensive and offensive strategies. 

We are learning the importance of working as a team and learning the fundamentals of team handball. 5th  grade is working towards playing a small sided 6 vs. 6  mini team handball game while using defensive and offensive strategies. 

OTHER EVENTS/REMINDERS/ INFORMATION

Art: 

• Over the summer I had a wonderful Teller parent apply for a program called the Student Art Buying program with the Cherry Creek Arts Festival where DPS schools (if accepted) can send a few representatives in the form of students and receive $500 in cash to shop for a piece of art/artist that speaks to them and the values of their respective schools. That being said, we were accepted and three of our students from the Teller community took part in the event and it was truly a success! Thank you to those parents who attended as well. We appreciate you! See pics below of the piece they selected by artist Layla Messkoub. 

• In other news, I will be displaying my own artwork for the month of November at Big Hairy Monster at 3105 E. Colfax. There will be an opening Saturday night November 2nd from 7:00-9:00 pm. I hope to see you all there. The flier is below for your viewing pleasure

MUSIC: 

1st Grade Families: Help your 1st Grader  by practicing their song and lines at home. You can access the script and songs HERE 

3rd Grade Families: Help your 3rd grader by encouraging them to practice their songs at home. You can access their music HERE

Sign your child up to audition for our 2025 talent show. Check out all the details HERE

UPCOMING TELLER PERFORMANCES

Winter Beginning Band, Violin, Tiger Voices and Concert Band concerts: December 9-12th 3:30 Each day

Teller Talent Show Auditions: December 16, 17th and 19th 3:00-4:30/5:00 PM

Teller Talent Show January 10, 2025 3:30 PM

1st Grade Fairytale Trio: January 23, 2025 5:00 PM

3rd Grade Dreams: A Black History Showcase- February 13, 2025 5:00 PM

2nd Grade Night of the Notables-March 13, 2025 5:00 PM

4th grade Night of Shakespeare- April 24, 2025 5:00 PM

4th Grade Shakespeare Festival - April 25, 2025 5:00 PM

5th Grade Lion King May 27-29th 5:00 PM

P.E.: 

In order for students to stay safe during P.E. class, please send students with closed toe shoes on the days that your student has P.E. Students have P.E the day after they have Music. Shoes that are unsafe include crocs, any type of open toe shoes (sandals or slides), and shoes with tall heels. Wearing appropriate shoes to PE will prevent injury and allow students to participate safely