Specials

Technology

My name is Mrs. Dismukes. Before becoming a CCS Eagle, I previously taught 4^th grade and 5^th grade.  I received my Masters in Educational Technology from Northern Arizona University. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, and crafting with my daughter.

Here are some of the websites we utilize in class.

K-2:

Starfall (reading games)

minimouse.us (mouse practice)

www.abcya.com (practice grade level skills with fun games)

Raz-kids (leveled reading program)

Telling Time (time practice games)

3-6:

http://members.learningplanet.com/act/mayhem/free.asp (multiplication and other facts practice)

Lemonade Stand (practice math and business skills running a lemonade stand)

AplusMath (practice multiplication facts)

All Grades:

Kids Online Resources (fun learning games and other links)

http://www.factmonster.com/mathmoney.html (math practice)

Dance Mat Typing (keyboarding skills)

Cool Math (fun math games)

Funbrain (reading and math games)

Time For Kids (online news articles for kids)

National Geographic Kids (online magazine)

Nasa Kids’ Club (NASA for kids)

www.pics4learning.com (copyright released images)

 

              

Physical Education

“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” – John Wooden

CCS is proud to have “Coach Z”, Ronald Zamort, using his example to teach our Eagles what is possible when you work hard, train diligently, and believe in yourself and your dreams!

Coach Z played professional football in the NFL for both the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants! He is a natural leader and mentor and used the NFL platform to volunteer countless service hours to support and empower kids of all ages receiving the United Way Worldwide Development Award in 2020. He also brings valuable experience working as a youth counsellor and was an MVP college athlete at Western Michigan University. Welcome to the CCS Family Coach Z!

Physical Education is a time for students to get active while developing a better knowledge of their body and how it works. Students learn how to check their heart rate, monitor steps with pedometers and sport safety. Students will begin to develop the vocabulary, scientific reasoning, and mathematical knowledge of athletics.

Students Can Expect:

• Warm-Up Exercises: loosening and stretching muscle groups
• Fitness: exercises designed to develop major muscle groups
• Lesson Focus: skill development and practice for activity
• Game: use of the skills learned in a positive, competitive environment
• Health: scientific enriched discussion of lesson and other topics such as good sportsmanship, sun safety, nutrition, and systems of the body

Art To The Core

At Challenge Charter School the Arts are highly prioritized and integrated through each subject to help our students express the beauty they see in the world in many formats and mediums.

Highlights of the art program:

• Building a strong foundation in understanding and creating art by learning the elements of art and the principles of design.
• Gaining knowledge of traditional art genres- landscape, portrait and still life, as well as experimenting with abstract and expressionistic art.
• Creating a connection between Core Knowledge Curriculum (esp. social studies) and art lessons for every grade. For example, first grade is making a drawing of a pharaoh with a hieroglyphic boarder while studying Egypt.
• Incorporating art history and art appreciation in most of the lessons by learning about specific artists, artworks and art movements from prehistoric to modern and contemporary.
• Even though students get inspiration from famous masterpieces they never mechanically copy artworks-originality is always encouraged and required!
• Students are given the opportunity to use a variety of art techniques and mediums like drawing, painting, collage, sculpture and paper mache. In every class students learn new art terms to help build their vocabulary.

 

The students LOVE Mr. and Mrs. Miller’s art gallery! The Millers founded the CCS Art program with a commitment to a culture where artists are free to create with no fear and there is no “right way” to express yourself as a developing artist. To prove that art is truly in the eye of the beholder, they chose their own favorite selections each year and offer to buy these pieces making some of our students proud, paid artists! These pieces are shown off at the end of year assemblies and hung in the cafeteria gallery. Previous years’ masterpieces are spread about the campus bringing this beauty to all who enter.

“This world is but a canvas to our imagination.” – Henry David Thoreau

 

S.T.E.M

Throughout the year students will experience a unique process of hands-on learning in STEM. All grades will spend time learning life science in the garden on top of working on challenges that reflect what they are learning with their homeroom teachers. 

Our goal is for all students to become capable and creative problem solvers. By the end of the year they will be able to:

• ASK questions and identify problems.
• IMAGINE solutions.
• PLAN how to use available resources in their own designs.
• CREATE something that addresses the problem.
• IMPROVE upon their designs when things do not work.
   

Science in the Garden

Students learn the following in Gardening:

• The “whole plant” (stem, leaves, root, flower and seeds) can be eaten
• Soil is a natural resource and is very useful to humans
• The importance of earthworms to soil and plants
• How to maintain a garden
• How to take care of a garden in different seasons
• When to harvest vegetables
• Recipes that use the vegetables grown