Week Nineteen in Review (Jan. 19 - Jan. 22)

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

Kindergarten students learned and reviewed songs entitled Just from the Kitchen, Wheels on the Bus, Johnny Works with One Hammer, and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Students also practiced keeping the steady beat with substitute teacher, Mrs. Davis, while Mrs. Aaronson attended the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids.

First grade students reviewed writing sol and mi on the staff this week. After the teacher sang a four-beat pattern, students were asked to write it on a music staff using pom-poms. Students also learned songs Juba, Draw Me a Bucket of Water, and Hop Old Squirrel with substitute teacher, Mrs. Davis, while Mrs. Aaronson attended the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids.

Second grade students began learning a new song called Naughty Kitty Cat which will be used to practice quarter rests. This song is about a naughty kitty cat who got caught licking the butter dish. Students enjoy the fun chase game that accompanies this song! Students also decoded the melody (sol, mi, and unknown 'high' note la) of the song Plainsies, Clapsies. Additionally, students learned songs Owisana, Makoway, and Miss Mary Mack with substitute teacher, Mrs. Davis, while Mrs. Aaronson attended the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids.

Third grade students reviewed do-re-mi-sol-la song Ida Red and its game. Students also practiced writing do-re-mi-sol-la on the staff using laminated music staves and dry erase markers. Students were asked to write patterns provided by the teacher and encouraged to create their own patterns if they finished early. Many students quickly completed the assignment and did a terrific job creating their own do-re-mi-sol-la melodies. Additionally, students explored their voices by following a bouncing balloon. When the balloon rose into the air, students performed an ascending glissando. When the balloon fell towards the ground, students performed a descending glissando. Students enjoyed passing the balloon around the classroom. 

These students are writing the melodic pattern do re mi re do.

This student has written the melodic pattern do re mi sol la.

These students have written the melodic challenge pattern do re mi sol la sol mi do!

 Fourth grade students reviewed the purple belt song, Old MacDonald and began learning the blue belt song, Oh, When the Saints. This new song contains notes 'high' C and D. This song also allows students to learn about the function of a musical tie. Its function is to combine the note value of two notes of the same pitch. Students were encouraged to look for patterns within this song and to practice it in small sections. Students also enjoyed sampling a few levels of a recorder game on joytunes.com. These games are best enjoyed by a single player and a link has been added to the fourth grade recorder tab of this blog. Students need to create an account and have access to a computer with a working speaker and microphone in order to enjoy these games.

Fifth grade students added 'open the throat' to their list of vocal techniques this week. Students were led in a discussion about the importance of breathing silently and keeping the back of the mouth and throat open. Students learned a new vocal exercise called How Blue is the Sky. Students also reviewed the song We Shall Overcome and its significance to the Civil Right's Movement. Students also listened to the first verse and chorus of the song Lift Every Voice and Sing and similarly discussed its significance. Students reviewed the solfege and hand signs for the major scale. Additionally, students learned songs Hi, My Name is Joe and Obwisana with substitute teacher, Mrs. Davis, while Mrs. Aaronson attended the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids.