Greetings from the music room! It was another exciting week
of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the
highlights:
Kindergarten students reviewed the sounds of drums, maracas, woodblocks, and tambourines by playing a listening game and singing the nursery rhyme Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater. Students also created new verses to the chant The Witch Has an Itch while passing around a stuffed witch and providing her with scratches. We also continued to explore different movements to Dem Bones, This is Halloween, and Hey, Betty Martin.
First grade students practiced their loud and quiet voices with a chant called Stirring My Brew. Students also continued to explore the presence of two sounds on a beat using beat charts. Students were asked to place one or two spiders on each beat in order to show the rhythm of Spider, Spider Legs and All. Students learned a new song called Hippity Hop and were each given the opportunity to sing the name of their favorite candy using melodic notes sol and mi. Students also began learning a song called See Saw that will be used to help students learn to identify the notes sol and mi.
Second grade worked together as a class to place see saw icons onto the staff in order to represent the contour of the song See Saw. Students were also introduced to the names for two new melodic notes (sol and mi). Students then learned the rules for these notes. If sol is on a line, mi is on the line underneath. If sol is in a space, then mi is in the space below. Next week, students will practice reading these two notes from the staff. Students reviewed the song Must Be Halloween and decoded the rhythm of the song using their bodies and construction paper. The class was then introduced to quarter rests and placed quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests into ghosts using the interactive board to create a 'B' section for this song.
Third grade students all had the opportunity to be a leader for the improvisation activity The Halloween Cat. Students were invited to the front of the classroom in groups of five to take turns creating different ways of describing the Halloween cat. Students also played a beat tag game in which students were only allowed to step on the first count of each whole note. Additionally, students reviewed quarter and eighth note rhythms by participating in a rhythm telephone game and began decoding the melody to the song Closet Key by using a five line staff and key icons.
Fourth grade worked very hard this week to practice identifying the letter names of notes on the treble clef staff. They completed a story that used musical notation called Grandma's Farm and a Word Maker worksheet. At the end of the week, students were able to see how much progress they have made in the past two weeks when they had the opportunity to play Staff Wars and Note Squish on the music department ipads once again. Many students surpassed their previous high scores on these games! Students also had the chance to review a patting/clapping game called Double Trouble.
Fifth grade students continued to practice dotted quarter note and single eighth note rhythms through activities such as flashcard reading along with recorded music and moving around the room to find flashcards on the floor that match a clapped rhythm. In honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday, students listened to a 1925 composition of American composer Henry Cowell entitled The Banshee. Students discovered how the strings inside a piano could be used to produce chilling sound effects. Students also viewed the score to this piece and discussed the non-traditional use of the piano in this composition.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
4th Grade Recorder Orders Begin Today!
Tuesday, October 19, 2015
Dear Parents
and Guardians,
Beginning in
November, 4th grade students will be learning to play the recorder
in music class and participating in a program called recorder karate. The school has purchased recorders that will
be available for the students to use during the day; however students will not
be able to take those recorders home with them.
If your student would like to have a recorder for practice at home, a
recorder which they will be able to keep at the end of the unit, they may be
ordered through the school for $3.00-$4.00. All recorders come with a vinyl
storage bag, fingering chart, and cleaning rod.
The Peripole recorder is the same recorder that your student will be
using in class and is a good quality recorder that your student will be able to
keep for years. I have also added the option of purchasing a Canto recorder
which comes in five different colors or recorder karate belts. The recorder
karate belts are an optional accessory that several of the students have
requested. Although they are part of the recorder karate program, they are not
a necessity for at home practice.
I highly recommend purchasing a recorder, if possible, as it
will allow your child the opportunity to practice at home and perform for
family members. This will greatly increase
the progress that your student will be able to make in class. Additionally, playing the recorder develops
many of the skills used when playing band instruments, so this is a great
intermediate step as students will have the opportunity to learn a band
instrument in middle school.
If you would like to purchase a recorder, please fill out
the form below, place it in an envelope, and send it back to the school along
with cash or a check made payable to Loon Lake Elementary by Wednesday, October
28th.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Aaronson
NicoleAaronson@wlcsd.org
http://musicatloonlake.blogspot.com
4th
Grade Recorder Order Form
Qty.
Peripole Angle One-Piece Soprano Recorder (Black)…………..$3.00 _______
Canto One-Piece Translucent Soprano Recorde…………….…..$4.00 _______
*Please circle the color your student would like: Blue Green Purple
Red Yellow
Recorder Karate Belts…............………..………………………$2.00
_______
Student’s Name _____________________
Parent Signature_____________________________
Student’s Classroom Teacher _______________________________________
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Week Six in Review (Oct. 12 - Oct. 16)
Greetings from the music room! It was another exciting week
of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the
highlights:
Kindergarten students moved to Dem Bones and This is Halloween. This is Halloween provides the children with opportunities to act out many spooky characters including what they will dress-up as for Halloween. Students reviewed the chants Five Little Pumpkins and 1, 2, 3-4, 5. During the chant 1, 2, 3-4, 5 students practiced switching their voices between a high witch voice and a low Frankenstein voice. Students also had the opportunity to play a hand drum this week. Next week we will be reviewing the instruments that we have played so far this year (lumni sticks, tambourine, maracas, woodblock, and hand drum) and playing a listening game.
First grade students played the steady beat on xylophones to the chant Spider, Spider, Legs and All and the song Candy Store. Students also began discovering that there can be one, two, or zero sounds on a beat. Students were asked to arrange themselves on orange pieces of construction paper in order to show the rhythm for the song Big Black Cats. Students also began learning a fun Halloween song and game called Witch, Witch. This song will be used to help students learn melodic notes sol and mi.
Second grade students learned a new song and game called Who? This spooky owl song and its game allows students to practice their piano (quiet) and forte (loud) singing voices. Students reviewed the hand signs for sol and mi while singing the song See Saw and also began singing the song using the words high and low. Next week we are going to start putting these notes on the staff. Additionally, students began learning a song called Must Be Halloween. During this song, students create a 'B' section by using the interactive white board to place quarter notes and eighth notes into four spooky ghosts. After singing the song, the class reads the rhythm that was created.
Third grade students practiced whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes this week. Students moved a piece of music called Urgos by showing the length of whole, half, and quarter notes. Students also began learning a telephone game in which they must identify the correct rhythm after a friend taps it on their shoulder. Students also began an improvisation activity called The Halloween Cat. Next week students will have the opportunity to be the leader for this activity and create their own descriptions for the Halloween cat.
Fourth grade students learned an improvisation activity called The Halloween Cat. The chant 'snaked' around the room as each student in turn created their own description for the Halloween cat. Students decoded the rhythm for No One in the House and reviewed the counting for sixteenth notes. Students continued to learn about the lines and spaces of the treble clef as they created words using only the letters A B C D E F and G. Students then turned their words into music notes for their friends to decode. Students also began learning a new round called Boots of Shining Leather and a nonsensical song entitled Ding Dong.
Fifth grade students began to dissect the rhythm of Ye Toop Doram and Chairs to Mend. Students were asked to identify the dotted quarter/eighth notes in these songs and practiced counting several rhythmic patterns containing this rhythm. Students also experienced Chairs to Mend as a two- and three-part round and began learning a telephone game in which they must identify the correct rhythm after a friend taps it on their shoulder. Additionally, students reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff by using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Kindergarten students moved to Dem Bones and This is Halloween. This is Halloween provides the children with opportunities to act out many spooky characters including what they will dress-up as for Halloween. Students reviewed the chants Five Little Pumpkins and 1, 2, 3-4, 5. During the chant 1, 2, 3-4, 5 students practiced switching their voices between a high witch voice and a low Frankenstein voice. Students also had the opportunity to play a hand drum this week. Next week we will be reviewing the instruments that we have played so far this year (lumni sticks, tambourine, maracas, woodblock, and hand drum) and playing a listening game.
First grade students played the steady beat on xylophones to the chant Spider, Spider, Legs and All and the song Candy Store. Students also began discovering that there can be one, two, or zero sounds on a beat. Students were asked to arrange themselves on orange pieces of construction paper in order to show the rhythm for the song Big Black Cats. Students also began learning a fun Halloween song and game called Witch, Witch. This song will be used to help students learn melodic notes sol and mi.
Second grade students learned a new song and game called Who? This spooky owl song and its game allows students to practice their piano (quiet) and forte (loud) singing voices. Students reviewed the hand signs for sol and mi while singing the song See Saw and also began singing the song using the words high and low. Next week we are going to start putting these notes on the staff. Additionally, students began learning a song called Must Be Halloween. During this song, students create a 'B' section by using the interactive white board to place quarter notes and eighth notes into four spooky ghosts. After singing the song, the class reads the rhythm that was created.
Third grade students practiced whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes this week. Students moved a piece of music called Urgos by showing the length of whole, half, and quarter notes. Students also began learning a telephone game in which they must identify the correct rhythm after a friend taps it on their shoulder. Students also began an improvisation activity called The Halloween Cat. Next week students will have the opportunity to be the leader for this activity and create their own descriptions for the Halloween cat.
Fourth grade students learned an improvisation activity called The Halloween Cat. The chant 'snaked' around the room as each student in turn created their own description for the Halloween cat. Students decoded the rhythm for No One in the House and reviewed the counting for sixteenth notes. Students continued to learn about the lines and spaces of the treble clef as they created words using only the letters A B C D E F and G. Students then turned their words into music notes for their friends to decode. Students also began learning a new round called Boots of Shining Leather and a nonsensical song entitled Ding Dong.
Fifth grade students began to dissect the rhythm of Ye Toop Doram and Chairs to Mend. Students were asked to identify the dotted quarter/eighth notes in these songs and practiced counting several rhythmic patterns containing this rhythm. Students also experienced Chairs to Mend as a two- and three-part round and began learning a telephone game in which they must identify the correct rhythm after a friend taps it on their shoulder. Additionally, students reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff by using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Teacher Orff Training
Hello Everyone! I would like to share that I have immensely enjoyed two Saturday workshops hosted by the Detroit Orff Schulwerk Association, one on Sept. 19th and one on Oct. 10th. These workshops are professional development opportunities for music teachers in the Detroit and surrounding areas that promote the Orff-Schulwerk philosophy of music education - a combination of music, movement, speech, and drama. From these workshops, I have discovered new ways to include children's books, American history, and musical improvisation in the music classroom. I am excited to try these new ideas with students at Loon Lake!
Week Five in Review (Oct. 5 - Oct. 9)
Greetings from the music room! It was another exciting week
of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the
highlights:
Kindergarten students learned a short story about a big pig who likes to dig, dig, dig in the garden. This story allows children to explore their high and low voice. Students also explored their vocal range and the difference between high and low sounds by moving to and imitating the sound of a slide whistle. Students also began learning a chant called 1, 2, 3-4, 5 which will be used to explore the difference between high and low sounds. New songs this week included Hey, Betty Martin and Alice the Camel. Children also enjoyed experiencing the difference between fast and slow (while keeping the beat) by dancing to the chicken dance!
First grade students practiced differentiating between fast and slow by learning a chant called Grandma Moses. Students also used their bodies to demonstrate whether sounds on a glockenspiel or a piano were high or low. Students created new verses for a chant called Saw, Saw, Saw Away which also provided opportunities for students to keep the steady beat using the interactive white board and their bodies. Let Us Chase the Squirrel and Big Black Cats were two more songs we learned this week. Instruments were added to these songs in order to practice high vs. low and beat vs. rhythm.
Second grade students learned the Italian terms for loud and soft this week: forte and piano. Student conductors were then chosen to show the class whether to use a forte or piano voice. Students also began using hand signs for sol and mi while singing See Saw and Poor Little Kitty Cat. Students practiced differentiating between fast and slow by learning a chant called Grandma Moses. Students also reviewed the chant Go! Go! Go! and created an accompaniment for it using the xylophones.
Third grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each third grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also began learning a two-part xylophone accompaniment to the song Tideo. One part practiced using two hands independently, while the other part required students to play mi re do at the correct time. Next week third grade classes will simultaneously sing and play these two different xylophone parts. If students are up for a real challenge, we will also have a group of students performing movement.
Fourth grade students performed a three-part canon using the song Crow Rooster. Students also decoded the final line of rhythm for the song No One in the House and discovered that four sounds on one beat indicates sixteenth notes. Students also reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff and enjoyed using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Fifth grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each fifth grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also began a rhythm unit which will focus on syncopation, dotted quarter and single eighth notes. Students began learning three songs with these rhythms: Ye Toop Doram, Chairs to Mend, and Al Citron. These songs are from the countries of Afghanistan, England, and Mexico. Students also reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff and enjoyed using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Kindergarten students learned a short story about a big pig who likes to dig, dig, dig in the garden. This story allows children to explore their high and low voice. Students also explored their vocal range and the difference between high and low sounds by moving to and imitating the sound of a slide whistle. Students also began learning a chant called 1, 2, 3-4, 5 which will be used to explore the difference between high and low sounds. New songs this week included Hey, Betty Martin and Alice the Camel. Children also enjoyed experiencing the difference between fast and slow (while keeping the beat) by dancing to the chicken dance!
First grade students practiced differentiating between fast and slow by learning a chant called Grandma Moses. Students also used their bodies to demonstrate whether sounds on a glockenspiel or a piano were high or low. Students created new verses for a chant called Saw, Saw, Saw Away which also provided opportunities for students to keep the steady beat using the interactive white board and their bodies. Let Us Chase the Squirrel and Big Black Cats were two more songs we learned this week. Instruments were added to these songs in order to practice high vs. low and beat vs. rhythm.
Second grade students learned the Italian terms for loud and soft this week: forte and piano. Student conductors were then chosen to show the class whether to use a forte or piano voice. Students also began using hand signs for sol and mi while singing See Saw and Poor Little Kitty Cat. Students practiced differentiating between fast and slow by learning a chant called Grandma Moses. Students also reviewed the chant Go! Go! Go! and created an accompaniment for it using the xylophones.
Third grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each third grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also began learning a two-part xylophone accompaniment to the song Tideo. One part practiced using two hands independently, while the other part required students to play mi re do at the correct time. Next week third grade classes will simultaneously sing and play these two different xylophone parts. If students are up for a real challenge, we will also have a group of students performing movement.
Fourth grade students performed a three-part canon using the song Crow Rooster. Students also decoded the final line of rhythm for the song No One in the House and discovered that four sounds on one beat indicates sixteenth notes. Students also reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff and enjoyed using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Fifth grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each fifth grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also began a rhythm unit which will focus on syncopation, dotted quarter and single eighth notes. Students began learning three songs with these rhythms: Ye Toop Doram, Chairs to Mend, and Al Citron. These songs are from the countries of Afghanistan, England, and Mexico. Students also reviewed the notes on the treble clef staff and enjoyed using music department mini-ipads, which are shared among Walled Lake Elementary Schools, to practice their note name reading.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Week Four in Review (Sept. 28 - Oct. 2)
Greetings from the music room! It was another exciting week
of singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the
highlights:
Kindergarten students learned a new song and movement activity called Hunt the Cows. They pretended to find the lost cows and also explored the upper range of their voices by adding "yee-haws" to a story about Cowboy Joe! Students also learned a new song called The Little Mice Go Creeping. This song will help students learn the difference between loud and soft. Another song students learned this week is called Here Comes a Bluebird which practices moving to the steady beat while working cooperatively with classmates. Additionally, students accompanied a song called Listen to the Ducks using rhythm sticks and tambourines.
First grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each first grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also explored the differences between high and low sounds using the rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock. Students used their high and low voices and also played ascending and descending glissandos on xylophones. Additionally, students began looking at the difference between one and two sounds on a beat using icons and the chant Engine, Engine.
Second grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each second grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also learned a chant called Three Little Muffins and discovered that musicians call loud sounds forte and quiet sounds piano. Students also moved around the classroom by responding to forte and piano sounds.
Third grade students learned a new song and dance called Tideo. This double circle dance allowed students to work with several different classmates. Students also discovered the placement of melodic notes mi re and do in this song. Additionally, students began learning a song called Closet Key which will be used to reinforce mi re and do.
Fourth grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each fourth grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also learned a musical game from the Phillipines called Sagidi Sapopo. In addition, students learned a song called Crow Rooster which can be sang in a three-part canon! Students also began learning movement for a song called No One in the House which will be used to learn sixteenth notes.
Fifth grade students reviewed the I and V chords and also learned about the IV chord. Students learned the pattern of these chords in the 12-bar blues and played these notes on the xylophones. Students also learned about use of the 12-bar blues in the blues genre and early rock and roll. Students learned about the blues style and looked at the form of blues lyrics (AAB) by listening to Good Mornin' Blues. Students also created their own blues lyrics.
Kindergarten students learned a new song and movement activity called Hunt the Cows. They pretended to find the lost cows and also explored the upper range of their voices by adding "yee-haws" to a story about Cowboy Joe! Students also learned a new song called The Little Mice Go Creeping. This song will help students learn the difference between loud and soft. Another song students learned this week is called Here Comes a Bluebird which practices moving to the steady beat while working cooperatively with classmates. Additionally, students accompanied a song called Listen to the Ducks using rhythm sticks and tambourines.
First grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each first grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also explored the differences between high and low sounds using the rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock. Students used their high and low voices and also played ascending and descending glissandos on xylophones. Additionally, students began looking at the difference between one and two sounds on a beat using icons and the chant Engine, Engine.
Second grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each second grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also learned a chant called Three Little Muffins and discovered that musicians call loud sounds forte and quiet sounds piano. Students also moved around the classroom by responding to forte and piano sounds.
Third grade students learned a new song and dance called Tideo. This double circle dance allowed students to work with several different classmates. Students also discovered the placement of melodic notes mi re and do in this song. Additionally, students began learning a song called Closet Key which will be used to reinforce mi re and do.
Fourth grade students took a rhythm pre-assessment this week. This assessment will be used to help track each fourth grader's progress on rhythmic skills throughout the school year. Students also learned a musical game from the Phillipines called Sagidi Sapopo. In addition, students learned a song called Crow Rooster which can be sang in a three-part canon! Students also began learning movement for a song called No One in the House which will be used to learn sixteenth notes.
Fifth grade students reviewed the I and V chords and also learned about the IV chord. Students learned the pattern of these chords in the 12-bar blues and played these notes on the xylophones. Students also learned about use of the 12-bar blues in the blues genre and early rock and roll. Students learned about the blues style and looked at the form of blues lyrics (AAB) by listening to Good Mornin' Blues. Students also created their own blues lyrics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)