Week Three in Review (Sept. 21-25)

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

Kindgergarten students pretended to be explorers in search of the Grizzly Bear and his cave! They rode off on their horses when they heard 'skipping music' and got off to walk when they heard 'walking music.' Students also began learning a fun chant called Peanut Butter Soup and added rhythm sticks to a song called Listen to the Ducks. Students also continued to explore their speaking, whisper, calling, and singing voices with the chant Five Little Monkeys. 

First grade created their own lyrics to a song called Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands. Students explored the differences between the steady beat and rhythm by responding to aural and visual examples. Additionally, students worked in small groups to learn a movement activity to the chant Engine, Engine.

Second grade students began learning to read quarter note and eighth notes using the song Bounce High, Bounce Low. Students also worked in small groups to learn a movement activity to the chant Engine, Engine. At the end of class, students learned the chant Go! Go! Go! and listened to a short selection of Elvis Presley's Blue Suede Shoes which contains this chant.

Third grade students learned how to set up the xylophone in a pentatonic (five note scale). Students also played an 8-beat pattern on the xylophone and later practiced singing the song Rocky Mountain while simultaneously patting this 8-beat pattern. Additionally, students reviewed the melodic notes mi re and do. After echoing short patterns of these notes, the students discovered the position of these notes on the xylophone.

Fourth grade students learned how to set up the xylophone in a pentatonic (five note scale). Students also played an 8-beat pattern on the xylophone and later practiced singing the song Rocky Mountain while simultaneously patting this 8-beat pattern. Students also played a review game which included musical terms such as crescendo and forte as well as the letter names for the notes on the treble clef staff.

Fifth grade began learning about the structure of chords and how most songs require more than one chord. Students learned about the I chord and the V chord and played along to a recording of Best Day of My Life using xylophones.