Resource Classes
Resource team poses for a selfie.

The art curriculum is based on the Virginia Standards of Learning for Art K-5. They are sequentially aligned with the developmental ability of elementary students. Children sharpen their fine motor skills handling various media and tools. They work with two dimensional and three dimensional materials.

Students progress from identifying simple shapes to creating them and combining them to produce objects and animals. As they mature, they learn how to add details, make textures, incorporate backgrounds, and create a sense of depth in their work. When working with 3-D media, students learn about simple forms. They learn how to sculpt and combine objects into more complex works of art using more advanced materials and techniques. Art projects encourage collaboration, individual expression, creative solutions, twenty-first century thinking and communication skills.

In addition students learn about a variety of artists and cultures throughout history and how their artistic contributions affect us today. We also reinforce the core academic Sol’s by creating art projects centered on their current unit of study in the classroom.

Visit our Artsonia site!

The general music curriculum at Watkins is taught sequentially through a variety of internationally proven methods involving singing, classroom instruments, movement activities, student collaboration, and 21st century technology. Beginning with imitating the fundamental beat and two-pitch songs, the students progress through increasingly more complex rhythms, melodic phrases, and general knowledge until they are able to apply key components of their learning to real-world experiences in music class and at home. This process begins in kindergarten and continues through the fifth grade. Our primary guide for planning music lessons is the Virginia Standards of Learning for music K – 5, but we also refer to the Chesterfield County Performing Arts CPR’s which can be viewed on the Chesterfield County Public Schools website, and other online resources.

The students will typically be engaged in movement activities during part of their music classes, so please remember to have your child wear clothing and shoes appropriate for jumping, skipping, hopping, etc., and sitting on the floor. Although we don’t usually assign homework assignments, some students will be asked to practice program material and recorder lessons at home for short periods of time. We’ll also encourage students to continue learning independently at home and in the community by participating in after-school music enrichment classes, talent shows, private lessons, and by attending concerts, listening to a wide variety of music styles, and exploring interactive music websites for fun.

We strongly believe that music education is whole education and plays a vital role in developing many of the skills necessary for today’s workplaces and global economy. Feel free to visit your child’s music class at any time to see the wonderful things we’re doing at Watkins!

The purpose of physical education is to help students acquire the knowledge, processes, skills, and confidence needed to engage in meaningful physical activity both in the present and for a lifetime. The practice of leading a physically active lifestyle will bring about personal enjoyment, challenge, satisfaction, and a health-enhancing level of personal fitness. (Virginia Department of Education.)

At J.B. Watkins, we design our lessons to provide an active and instructional environment. All skills and activities are aligned with state SOL’s. The goal of our program is to give students the knowledge they need to lead an active and healthy lifestyle outside the classroom. We do our best to incorporate fitness concepts and skill related activities into each lesson.

With childhood obesity becoming a worldwide epidemic, we want to educate our children on the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle so that they do not become a part of the epidemic!

I’m excited to teach the new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) resource class at Watkins during the 2018-19 school year!

Check out our website Watkins STEAM!

The following supply requests can be found on the school supply list that came home with your child’s end of the year report card.

STEAM School Supply Donations

  • Kindergarten- 1 box of 24 ct. Crayons
  • First Grade- 1 box of 12 ct. Colored Pencils
  • Second Grade- 1 roll of Tape (scotch, masking, duct assorted)
  • Third Grade- 1 Glue Bottle
  • Fourth Grade- 2 large Glue Sticks
  • Fifth Grade- 1 box of Washable Markers

Lynne Owen
[email protected]
https://sites.google.com/ccpsnet.net/wkessteam/home

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