November 2009

Fourth grade students at Sage Creek Elementary dressed in their very best as they prepared to attend the Utah Symphony which was performing for them at Salem Hills High School. Students are taught about the different instruments and how they are used as part of the fourth grade fine arts curriculum and are always thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to see and hear them in the symphony performance. Sincere thanks go out to those from the Symphony and from our district who make this experience possible.

This week Sage Creek Kindergarten students learned about Thanksgiving traditions and Pilgrim and Native American cultures as they participated in a variety of hands on activities. From planting and grinding corn to making butter, sewing on buttons and washing clothes on a scrub board, children learned that being a Pilgrim can be hard work! On the other hand, they discovered that simple fun can be found in making Indian bracelets, rattles and pots, and in playing Pilgrim games and popping corn. The thrill of learning can be summed up in one student's exclamation, "This is the best day of my life!".

 Under the direction of teachers, Dayna Tanner, Michelle Porter, and Cami Thomas and with the help and support of many parents, Kindergarten students at Sage Creek Elementary enjoyed an early Thanksgiving feast on Monday, November 24. Students, dressed as Pilgrims and Native Americans, worked together to set the long table, prepare the food, and serve the delicious meal. This annual activity culminates their study of the First Thanksgiving as part of the Kindergarten Utah State Core Curriculum.

Brigham Young University’s Bean Museum made a special visit to the fourth grade on November 17, to share some information about Utah’s plants and animals. The fourth grade learned about 3 major ecosystems in Utah, and some of the plants and animals both dead and alive that lived in each one. They were able to see a live Pac-man Frog, and they learned about how it can breathe through its skin. They also saw a Bearded Dragon, which is a lizard that lives in Australia. Each student even got to touch the lizard’s scaly back! They left the scariest for the last, they brought out a real-life snake! Some students even got the opportunity to hold the snake for a picture. The fourth graders had a lot of fun learning about all of the different animals, and give a big “thanks” to the Bean Museum for sharing their animals with us!

Sage Creek Elementary students were treated to a delightful performance and learning experience from the Arts Resources for teachers and Students (ARTS) ensemble, /Sounding Brass. / Students were not only exposed to great music, but learned how the brass instruments are played, the different sounds of the tuba, French horn, trumpet and trombone, and how these musical instruments evolved. Students of all ages were heard saying "It was the best program ever!", "Awesome" and "I want to do that!" as they left the assembly. Thank you Sounding Brass for helping Sage Creek students get excited about music!