Week Two in Review (Sept. 15-18)

Greetings from the music room! We had a very busy week continuing to establish procedures and reviewing content from previous grade levels. It was wonderful to meet all of the second grade students this week and I am looking forward to exploring new songs and skills with all students in week three!

Kindergarten continued to explore their speaking, whisper, calling, and singing voices. Students met 'Mark the Monkey' and learned chants such as Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar. Some of the children came up with some very clever ideas about who stole the cookies. One child thought it might have been the doctor who told the monkeys to stop jumping on the bed! Students also practiced their loud and quiet voices while singing the song Grizzly Bear and later practiced moving around the room quietly (tiptoe) and loudly (marching) to the beat of a drum. 

Our classroom visitors: Mark the Monkey and Grizzly Bear!

First grade finished playing a get to know you game to the song Bounce High, Bounce Low. In week three, first grade will use this same song to learn the difference between beat and rhythm. Students began learning a new song No Bears Out Tonight which will also be used to help students learn the difference between beat and rhythm. First grade students reviewed their loud and quiet singing voices by playing a guessing game to the song Grizzly Bear and then moved around the room quietly (tiptoe) and loudly (marching) to the beat of a drum. In first grade, students will learn the musical terms for loud (forte) and quiet (piano).

Second grade learned the song Bounce High, Bounce Low and played a get to know you game. In week three, students will review the difference between beat and rhythm and begin using quarter notes and eighth notes to write the rhythm for this song. Students explored the classroom using different types of movements (tiptoe, march, walk, shuffle) and practiced freezing on a musical cue. Students reviewed the song Doggie, Doggie and learned a new song called See Saw. In week three, students will use both of these songs to review the two-line staff and learn melodic notes sol and mi.

Third grade reviewed the American folksong Rocky Mountain and learned melodic notes do re and mi. Students then located a pattern of these notes in the song Rocky Mountain. In week three, third graders will use this song to review quarter notes, eighth notes, and half notes. Students will also play do re and mi patterns on xylophones.

Hand signs for melodic notes do re and mi.

Fourth grade reviewed quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests while working with partners to play a game called post office. In this activity, students listened to a pattern as it was clapped and then worked together to select the correct answer. Students also reviewed the song Rocky Mountain and will use this song in week three to review half notes and the pentatonic (five note) scale.

Fifth grade reviewed quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes while working with partners to play a game called post office. In this activity, students listened to a pattern as it was clapped and then worked together to select the correct answer. Students also reviewed the song Rocky Mountain and will use this song in week three to begin learning about different types of chords (I and V).