Week Thirty Four in Review (May 16 - May 20)

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 reviewed the dramatic play You Must Pay the Rent. After reviewing the dramatic play, students worked in groups of three to prepare a short 'performance' of the play. After having the opportunity to practice together and divide the parts, students were invited to the front of the classroom and to perform for the rest of the class. Students also began learning a new song entitled Two Little Black Birds. Students took turns being Jack and Jill and flying around the classroom. Next week, students will also play xylophones during this song in order to create the sound of flying birds.

First grade students reviewed the rhythm to Haydn's Surprise Symphony. First, students read the rhythm and performed tiptoe movements while listening to the recording. Then students were into four groups, each with a different instrument. Students were challenged to play their instrument only on notes containing their group's color. This was a fun challenge for the students and they enjoyed playing the instruments! Students also played xylophones this week and began transferring melodic notes sol mi and la onto the xylophone. Students reviewed the song Lucy Locket and the written music for this song. Students then worked with a partner to transfer their knowledge to the xylophone and play the song. 

These students are practicing the song Lucy Locket on the xylophone.

A big thank you to all of the students and families who came to our music informance nights this week! It was such a pleasure to share your first grader's newfound knowledge of music with you. Thank you again for coming! 

Second grade students focused heavily on melodic notes do re mi sol and la this week. Students reviewed the song All Around the Buttercup and practiced singing the song using solfege. After students were secure in their ability to sing the song using melodic notes do re mi sol and la, students began learning how to transfer these notes to the xylophone. Students worked with partners while learning to play the song. After having the opportunity to work with one another and practice, students were invited to play the song for the class. Not only did students do a terrific job performing the song, they were a wonderful audience for their classmates! Lastly, students began learning a chant entitled Jeremiah which will be used to review the Italian terms for loud and quiet (forte and piano).

Students in Mrs. Locey's class are hard at work with their partners. They are learning to play All Around the Buttercup.

Third grade students began learning about form this week by analyzing a well-known song, Chatter with the Angels. Students discovered that the form to this song is ABAC. In other words, the first and third lines are the same while the second and fourth lines are different. Letters that repeat represent music that repeats. Likewise, letters that are different represent music that is different. Next, students learned a Swedish dance called Fjaskern which is performed in a repeating AB form. This dance allowed students to physically experience form through movement. Students were especially surprised by the end of this dance; the recording gradually gets faster and faster! 

Fourth grade students began focusing on sixteenth notes this week. Students reviewed the spiritual Chatter with the Angels and discovered the location of sixteenth notes within this song. Students then learned an Orff arrangement to accompany this song. Students played glockenspiels, soprano xylophones, alto xylophones, and bass xylophones. Students also learned a game called Heads Up, Rhythms Up, a musical variation on the game Heads Up, Seven Up. Additionally, students learned a fun hide and seek game to the song Rabbit and the Possum. The song Rabbit and the Possum will be used to reinforce sixteenth notes.

Fifth grade students created a pitch and rhythm listening map for Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks this week. While listening to the beginning of the piece many times, students charted the ups and downs of the melody as well as the location of the song's long and short sounds. Students used lines and dots to represent the pitches and rhythms of the song. Students were also encouraged to incorporate the theme of the song into their listening maps. Many students drew clever pictures of dancing eggs or chicks in tutus.