EYE ON EDUCATION A Publication of the Paramount Unified School District
15110 CALIFORNIA AVE., PARAMOUNT, CA 90723 • TEL: 562-602-6000 • FAX: 562-634-6029
MARCH 2010
Integrating Art and Math at Jefferson The 3rd graders in Mrs. McDonald’s class at Jefferson School were recently taught a special lesson integrating Art and Mathematics by Art Consultant, Robin Kiss. Mrs. Kiss is a member of her local Arts for All Community Arts Team and has completed her training through Los Angeles County and the Music Center to provide children with standards-based works of art. The lesson was entitled “The Colors for Geometry” and was inspired by the work of artist, Paul Klee. Students made a clear connection between this lesson and the third grade Open Court unit of “Imagination.” Students were also pre-taught geometric concepts and vocabulary such as area, perimeter, and angles before beginning their new math topic. Additionally, students learned about the seven elements of art : line, form, shape, value, texture, color, and space. Mrs. Kiss discussed the color wheel, composition, and pri-
Mrs. Kaetlin McDonald and some of her 3rd graders share their masterpieces from an integrated Art and Geometry Lesson, taught by Art Consultant, Mrs. Robin Kiss.
mary and secondary colors. Students were excited to mix primary colors of paint (red, yellow, blue) to create sec-
ondary colors (green, purple, orange). They then mixed their secondary colors with either white or black to create a tint
or a shade of that color. Students were engaged in producing their new colors, and they were thrilled to complete their
geometric masterpieces! Kaetlin McDonald Jefferson School
Community Helpers Came to Preschool workers who help them in a variety of ways. The Districts youngest students were engaged in activities that helped them expand their understanding of the different kinds of community workers and what their work involves. Although the children may have begun to recognize different workers and associate them with certain clothing and tools, they now have an understanding of what they do and how they provide services that make communities better places to live. Parents of preschoolers are always welcome in
During the last month the Preschool students have had many visitors from the community. “Community Helpers” has been the theme of study for the District’s Preschool students using
the Open Court curriculum. Police officers, Firefighters, Doctors, Nurses, Librarians and Mail Carriers have all come to preschool over the past two months. Many of these professionals were
parents or family members of the students. Other visitors were members from our Paramount community. The purpose of this study unit was to help the children think about the community
the classroom. This creates a climate for a working partnership that benefits all involved, especially the children. This partnership helps ensure that the learning and growth will also be supported at home. Parents and family bring a specialized knowledge and experience to the classrooms. If you would like information regarding how to enroll a child in one of the Districts Preschool Programs, please call Gaines Early Childhood Education Office at (562) 602-6900. Preschool enrollment is now taking place for the 2010-2011 school year.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATES March 9, 2010 & March 23, 2010 Board of Education meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office, 15110 California Avenue, Paramount, and are open to the public