Greetings from the music room! This was an exciting week of
singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the highlights:
Kindergarten students
continued to practice fast and slow movements to the songs Grandma Moses, Frog in the Meadow, and The Noble Duke of York. Students also learned a new song for
fast/slow called Rig-a-jig-jig. Students
walked slowly around the classroom during the first section of the song. Students
moved quickly by skipping with a friend during the second section of the song.
Students enjoyed walking alone and then trying to find their friend in time for
the skipping section! Students also
practiced moving to the steady beat during the song The Monkey Stomps His Feet. Students tried walking, tiptoeing,
marching, and even moving sideways to the steady beat.
First grade students
practiced reading quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests this week.
Students learned four four-beat patterns and practiced repeating each pattern.
Once the students were secure in reading these rhythms, students were
challenged to switch from pattern to pattern. Once students were successful,
they were challenged to repeat this activity while listening to a recording of
instrumental music. This proved to be quite challenging for the students, but
they enjoyed trying to rise to the challenge! Students also practiced reading
the rhythm of the song See Saw and
learned that this song only contains two melodic notes: a high note and a low
note. This song will be used to teach students about melodic notes sol and mi.
Second grade students
reviewed the song Let Us Chase the
Squirrel and reviewed how to create two-beat notes by tying two quarter
notes together. Students were then shown that there is an easier way to draw a
two beat note. Students were introduced to half notes and practiced reading half
notes by performing the rhythm of Who’s
That. Students also practiced playing half notes on the xylophone while singing
the song Who’s That. Students were
incredibly successful! Students also continued to work on playing melodic notes
do mi sol and la on the xylophone. Students were given additional time to
practice playing the song Apple Tree
on the xylophone.
Third grade students
began preparing to learn a new melodic note, low la this week. Students learned
two new songs: I’m Gonna Sing and Big Fat Biscuit. Both of these songs
contained the new low note. Students also enjoyed learning the game to Big Fat Biscuit. In this song, students
work in groups of three to compete in a long jumping contest. Students also
practiced performing quarter note, half note, and whole note pulses. Students
were divided into groups and asked to create a movement for each pulse. After
students had created a movement for each note value, Mrs. Aaronson played the
pulses on woodblocks. Students had to listen to the pulse that was played,
decide which note it was, and then perform the correct motion. Students did a
terrific job with this assignment!
Fourth grade students
tested for their purple belt this week. Students reviewed the form of Old MacDonald and practiced combining
all four sections of the song. While students were testing they were able to
play Telephone Rhythms, One-on-One, and Busted. Each of these games practices either reading rhythms or
letter names on the treble clef staff. Students also learned new note C.
Fifth grade students
auditioned for roles in the fifth grade musical and enjoyed watching the video Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory this
week. By watching the video, students will develop a deeper understanding of
the overall story that we will be telling through our musical.
Mrs. Ellis’s students
practiced performing the steady beat using egg shakers while performing the
song Rain, Rain. Students also
continued to practice performing and telling the difference between beat and
rhythm. Students practiced moving their bodies quickly and slowly to the chant Grandma Moses and the song The Noble Duke of York. Students also
practiced speaking the chant Queen, Queen
Caroline which will be used to practice reading quarter notes and eighth
notes. Students also learned a chant called Ten
Little Soldiers which will used to help the students to practice inner hearing
with a steady beat and prepare them to learn about form (same/different/same).
Mrs. Ross’s students
were introduced to a new melodic note this week, la. Students learned the
placement of this note on melody street and practiced singing patterns with this
new note. Students began learning a new song with melodic note la called Firefly. Students listened to the song
while watching a short video about the synchronized fireflies that live in
Elkmont, Tennessee. Students also reviewed quarter notes, eighth notes, and
half notes by reviewing the rhythm to the song Down Came a Lady.
Mrs. Muller’s class
expanded their knowledge of dynamics by adding pianissimo (very quiet),
fortissimo (very loud), mezzo piano (medium quiet), and mezzo forte (medium
loud). Students practiced matching the Italian dynamic terms to their English
equivalents. Students reviewed the listening map for Slavonic Dance and examined a new map for Night Watch. Students also added their own dynamics to the song Ho Young Rider. After adding dynamics to this song, students
attempted to sing it using their chosen dynamics.
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