Monday, January 16, 2017

Week Eighteen in Review (Jan. 9 - Jan. 13)

Greetings from the music room! This was an exciting week of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the highlights: 


Kindergarten students learned a two new songs for steady beat this week: The Monkey Stomps His Feet and Wishy, Washy. In this song students pretend to be sailors who have just returned home from a long voyage. They danced and patted the steady beat while searching for friends to join them on their next journey! Students also began learning two new songs to help them master the concept of fast and slow: Grandma Moses and The Noble Duke of York. Students especially enjoyed trying to perform Grandma Moses as quickly as possible. Students practiced their loud and quiet voices with the rhyme Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree. Lastly, students practiced listening for differences in sounds by learning movements to a song entitled Frog in the Meadow.

First grade students reviewed the song Pease Porridge and searched for the location of the quarter rests in this song. Students not only showed the location of these rests with their bodies while singing, but also found them on a heart chart. After students discovered the location of the rests, they were asked to place rests  on the chart. In their second lesson this week, students were asked to discover the location of the eighth notes in this song. After all eighth notes were placed in the correct location, students sang the song using rhythm syllables and discovered that it sounded exactly like the song - they had placed all of the rhythms in the correct place! Students also practiced using repeat signs and were introduced to basic form (same and different sections of a song) while performing a dance called the Cumberland Square.

Second grade students practiced drawing two-beat notes while singing the song Let Us Chase the Squirrel. Students also practiced singing the solfege for Apple Tree. Students then learned how to set-up the xylophone to look like melody street and how to transfer the notes that they were singing onto this instrument. While some students will need some additional practice, several students were able to play this song successfully after only a few minutes of practice. Get it second grade!

Third grade students reviewed their new melodic note high do this week. Students practiced singing melodic patterns containing high do and continued to practice playing a crossover bordun. Students were challenged to play this crossover pattern while singing the song Li'l Liza Jane. Students also learned a movement canon which required them to perform four different kinds of movements. Once students were successful, they were divided into two teams and asked to perform it as a canon (one group started four beats before the other group started). Lastly, students reviewed the song Rocky Mountain and practiced playing classroom instruments along with this song. Students learned three different xylophone patterns (one containing high do), a drum pattern, and a tambourine pattern.

Fourth grade students were given the opportunity to test for their green belt (It's Raining) this week. During testing, students were able to work at four different stations: learning a new song, create a song using BAGE cards, treble clef dominoes, and a note naming speed race game called One-on-One. Following testing, students reviewed the new note, low D, and began learning the A section to purple belt song Old MacDonald. Students reviewed how to label a song using form since knowing that a section of a song repeats can simplify learning a new piece of music.

Fifth grade students prepared for their Willy Wonka Kids auditions this week. Students learned the Willy Wonka Kids Finale song (all student will need to know this for the performances regardless of whether they are on-stage, backstage, or in the chorus). Students were also given the chance to watch short video clips from the 1971 movie and practice reading the lines that they will need to know for auditions. We worked on using a light, soft voice for high notes and adding acting to scenes in order to make them more interesting.

Mrs. Ellis's students reviewed how to draw eight lines to the steady beat at the end of the chant I Think Clocks Are Neat. Students learned that they can turn those lines into quarter notes. Students also learned that quarter notes are the notes that can be used to show the steady beat. Although the note's name is 'quarter note' when we read quarter notes we say 'ta'. Students also practiced moving to the steady beat even when the steady beat was not being played. Lastly, students practiced singing the song Rain, Rain Go Away and enjoyed playing a rainstick during this song.

Mrs. Ross's students learned about melodic note sol this week and where it lives on melody street. Students created melody street with their bodies by standing in ways that show the distances between the different melodic notes. Students transferred the rhythm of Rocky Mountain to rhythm instruments and were challenged to play only on certain notes. For example, tambourines only played on quarter notes and drums only played on half notes. Students also learned a new song containing melodic note sol called Down Came a Lady.

Mrs. Muller's students were introduced to two new listening maps this week. These listening maps continued to focus on improving the students' mastery of instrument families and sharpen their listening skills. The two pieces students listened to this week were Fossils (a movement from Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals) and Jamiacan Rumba. After becoming familiar with the listening map for Fossils, students were given the additional challenge of piecing the map back together simply by listening to the piece. Once again, students were incredibly successful!

Week Seventeen in Review (Jan. 4 - Jan. 6)

Greetings from the music room! This was an exciting week of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the highlights: 


Kindergarten students did not have class with Mrs. Aaronson this week due to the holiday break.

First grade students learned a new song entitled What Shall We Do When We All Go Out? In this song students pantomimed activities that they enjoy doing outside while singing the song along with piano accompaniment. Students were also able to share a favorite gift or activity from over the holiday break through a chant entitled The Holidays Are Over. After each child had a chance to share, a few of the children's gifts were listed on the board and the children figured out how to write the gift using music notes. Students then practiced reading the notes and playing the rhythm on rhythm sticks. Students also began learning a song called Pease Porridge. This song provided students with the opportunity to find quarter rests in a new song as well as a chance to create and read four-beat rhythm patterns. Students also learned about repeat signs and turned their four-beat patterns into eight-beat patterns.

Second grade students learned how to create a two-beat note this week. Students discovered that if they combined two quarter notes that they would have a note that equaled two beats. Students learned that one can draw a tie to combine two quarter notes. Students learned a new song entitled Down Came a Lady. Students used this song to play a fun game similar to Mother May I, practice their new note do, and search for two-beat notes. Lastly, students began to practice sight singing do mi sol la patterns. This means that students were given the first note for the pattern, asked to sing it in their heads, and then asked to sing it out loud. Students did an utterly amazing job at this!

Third grade students reviewed the melodic note high do this week. Students learned what this note looks like on melody street, remembered that it is a skip away from la and practiced placing the note on the treble clef staff. Students also began learning a xylophone pattern called a crossover bordun which requires students to play the note high do while crossing one hand over the other.

Fourth grade students reviewed the the song It's Raining by focusing primarily on the second half of the song. Students were reminded to practice over the weekend as they have a playing test coming up next week. Additionally, students reviewed the new note low D.

Fifth grade students were given audition packets and permission slips for the fifth grade musical Willy Wonka Kids. Students heard a synopsis of the story, were introduced to the characters in the musical, and were able to listen to a recording of the Willy Wonka Kids Finale.

Mrs. Ellis's students returned to the classroom by learning a modified version of their welcome song called It's a Brand New Year. At the end of the song, each student was able to share their favorite gift or activity from the holiday break. Students reviewed the chant I Think Clocks Are Neat and practiced drawing eight lines to the steady beat at the end of the chant. Interestingly, some students were more successful drawing the lines than performing the steady beat by clapping or patting. Lastly, students were asked to perform the steady beat while Mrs. Aaronson played the cajon drum. Sometimes Mrs. Aaronson played the steady beat and sometimes she did not play the steady beat. Students were challenged to continue to show the steady beat even if they did not hear it!

Mrs. Ross's students returned to the classroom by learning a chant called The Holidays Are Over. In this chant, students performed a body percussion pattern and were able to share their favorite gifts or activities from the holiday break. Students also practiced reading quarter notes, eighth notes, and half notes by reading the rhythm to Rocky Mountain. Next week students will practice transferring this rhythm to percussion instruments.

Mrs. Muller's students began learning about listening maps this week. Students were introduced to a piece of music by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky entitled Pictures at an Exhibition. Students learned the story behind this piece of music and its connection to art. Students then listened to a recording of the movement Promenade while following along with a listening map that showed the instrument families heard in the piece. Students were challenged to follow along with the listening map on their own and did a remarkable job!

Week Sixteen in Review (Dec. 19 - Dec. 22)

Greetings from the music room! This was an exciting week of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the highlights: 


Kindergarten practiced keeping a steady beat to the chant Engine, Engine this week. Students practiced tapping their hands on their knees while following along with the steady beat on the interactive white board. Students were then given the opportunity to come up to the white board and show the steady beat by pointing to train icons. Students were then each given a paper with train icons and asked to keep the steady beat on their own. While students are gradually making progress on keeping a steady beat, several students are not quite able to keep a steady beat just yet. Students also enjoyed moving to a recording of Trepak from The Nutcracker. Students performed movements to the steady beat and felt the form (sections that are the same and different) of the song through movement. Additionally, students enjoyed playing jingle bells and rhythm sticks while singing the song Jingle Bells. Students played jingle bells during the chorus and rhythm sticks during the refrain.

First grade students enjoyed moving to March and Trepak from The Nutcracker. Students performed movements to the steady beat and felt the form (sections that are the same and different) of the song through movement. Students also reviewed quarter rests and practiced writing them on heart charts. After students were successful at drawing quarter rests, they were given the opportunity to write, read, and share their own four-beat rhythm patterns using quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests.

Second grade students reviewed the song Grandma Grunts and practiced moving to the quarter note and half note pulses. Students completed the movement sequence for Draw a Bucket of Water and were successfully able to move to the half note pulse during this song. Students also practiced a series of three melodic flashcards containing the new note do. Lastly, students learned a chant called Holiday Treats, performed a body percussion pattern to this chant, and created word chains of their favorite holiday treats.

Third grade students were formally introduced to the melodic note high do (d') this week. Students were led to discover that the highest note in Li'l Liza Jane and I Lost the Farmer's Dairy Key is the note high do. Students practiced singing the melodic pattern do re mi sol la do'. Students also practiced performing a body percussion canon using the words I Love the Holidays. Lastly, students enjoyed moving while singing the song Deck the Halls.

Fourth grade students learned a new recorder song called Little Train. This song contains the notes B A G and E. Students also explored adding drums and xylophones to this song. This proved to be quite challenging as it is difficult for young musicians to play one thing while hearing another. Students also began learning the song It's Raining (green belt) and practiced breaking the song down into manageable chunks for learning. Students also learned a new note called low D. Students enjoyed playing a game in which they had to walk around the room and play this note as long as possible. If students ran out of air or squeaked then they were to sit down. Lastly students learned a speed game called One-on-One. This game is identical to the Around the World games frequently played in math classes - students race to say the correct answer as quickly as they can.

Fifth grade students continued to learn about listening maps this week. Students were introduced to a movement from French composer Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. The movement, Fossils, was intended to evoke the sounds of extinct dinosaurs. Xylophones were heavily featured in this song to create the sound of music being played on bones. Students followed along with two different maps: one that was incredibly confusing and one that was very simple and effective. Students discussed the pros and cons of each map. On a separate day, students were asked to listen to a recording of Fossils and place cut up strips of the listening map back in the correct order. Students did an excellent job with this task! Students also listened to a piece called Jamaican Rumba, followed along with its listening map, and discussed the form of this piece.

Mrs. Ellis's students practiced keeping a steady beat this week by moving to recorded music (All the Way to Galway and Syncopated Clock) and by moving to chants (Hickory Dickory Dock and I Think Clocks Are Neat). Students were asked to keep the steady beat by pointing to pictures of grandfather clocks while speaking the rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock. Students were very successful when doing this on the interactive white board. Ss also practiced keeping a steady beat by clapping and counting to eight at the end of I Think Clocks Are Neat.

Mrs. Ross's students began learning songs containing melodic note sol this week. Songs included No One in the House and Who's That Tapping at the Window. In addition to learning to sing the songs, students learned a body percussion pattern to No One in the House and played rhythm patterns to Who's That  on woodblocks and rhythm sticks.

Mrs. Muller's students reviewed the song Ho Young Rider and discussed the vocabulary found in this song. Students also learned about the four different instrument families: woodwind, brass, strings, and percussion. Students were asked to name the four instrument families and then practiced identifying which instruments belong to each family. First, students separated pictures of instruments into the four instrument families. Second, students were asked to listen to recordings and identify which instrument family they heard. As a challenge, some recordings contained more than one instrument family.