Week Six in Review (Oct. 10 - Oct. 14)

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

Kindergarten students practiced using their nighttime (quiet) and daytime (loud) voices while singing the song Cobbler, Cobbler. Students also practiced keeping a beat while singing this song and pretending to hammer shoes. Students transferred this hammering motion to an instrument; students took turns playing the steady beat on a woodblock while singing the song. Students also learned three new loud/quiet songs: Hey, Betty Martin, Lady, Lady, and Lazy Mary. In Hey, Betty Martin students tiptoed quietly in order to avoid waking up Betty Martin's new baby brother. If he happened to wake up, then students pretended to rock him back to sleep while singing the lullaby Lady, Lady. 

First grade students learned a new song entitled Big Black Cats. Students were challenged to tiptoe the rhythm of the song like a sneaky black cat. This song will be used next week to introduce students to quarter rests. As students are making such wonderful progress in rhythm development, it was time for them to take the first grade rhythm pre-assessment. This assessment will be used to show student growth in the area of rhythm this school year. 

Second grade students reviewed the song Apple Tree and learned to sing the song using melodic notes do mi sol and la. By studying this song, students learned that notes can jump from sol all the way down to do! Students also began learning a new 'do' song entitled Mouse, Mousie. This song contains a fun chase game in which a mouse must try to stay away from a surprise cat. (The student who is the mouse only finds out who the cat is at the end of the song). Students also learned a rhyme called 2,4,6,8 which will be used to review quarter notes and eighth notes. Students practiced reading quarter notes, quarter rests, and eighth notes by creating 8-beat compositions on the interactive white board.

Third grade students continued to focus on the melodic notes do re mi and sol this week. Students reviewed the location of the notes do re and mi in the song Down to the Baker's Shop. Students then practiced playing this pattern on the xylophone while singing the song. Students practiced singing a series of do re mi sol flashcards and learned a melodic new pattern in the song Remember Me. Students also began learning a Japanese song entitled Naka, Naka, Hoi!

Fourth grade students continued to focus on the notes of the treble clef staff this week. Students reviewed these notes by playing a game called Treble Clef Memory on the interactive white board. This game, like the board game Memory, required students to find matches. In order to create a match, students had to find the alphabet letter and matching note on the treble clef staff. Students discovered that the music alphabet only contains seven letters: ABCDEFG. Students were challenged to write as many words as possible using only these seven letters. Students will later use these words to practice writing notes on the treble clef staff. Students also began learning a Japanese song entitled Naka, Naka, Hoi!

Fifth grade students learned two new songs containing dotted quarter/eighth notes this week: Chairs to Mend and John Kanaka. Students discussed the history of Chairs to Mend, sang the song as a round, and practiced reading its rhythm. Students learned a short partner dance to the sea shanty John Kanaka and enjoyed the lyrics "we'll work tomorrow, but not today!" Students also began learning a new song, Alabama Gal, which contains another new fifth grade rhythm. Students enjoyed learning the line dance for this song and were able to master it in only two classes!

Mrs. Ellis's students focused on steady beat and loud vs. quiet this week. Students reviewed the rhyme Engine, Engine and practiced speaking using their 'nighttime' (quiet) and 'daytime' (loud) voices. Students continued to explore the ups and downs of their voices by drawing train tracks on the board and following the train along the path with their voices. Students also learned two new loud/quiet songs: Hey, Betty Martin and Lady, Lady. In Hey, Betty Martin students made their fingers tiptoe quietly in order to avoid waking up Betty Martin's new baby brother. If he did wake up, then students pretended to rock him back to sleep while singing the lullaby Lady, Lady. 

Mrs. Ross's students practiced performing body percussion through a new song entitled 'Round and 'Round. Students learned a clapping, chest tapping, stomping pattern to this song. After students were successful at performing this pattern, they were invited to play it on a drum called the cajon. Students enjoyed having the chance to play this unique instrument. Students also discussed chores that they might complete at home through the song Do, Do, Pity My Case. Lastly, students began learning a song entitled Big Black Cats. This song will be used to reinforce quarter notes and quarter rests.

Mrs. Muller's students reviewed the song Li'l Liza Jane. Students were once again challenged to clap a repeating rhythmic pattern while singing this song. Students were then invited to play this rhythm on a tambourine. Next, students reviewed singing and playing the full scale and the five-note pentatonic scale on the xylophone. Students were then asked to play a melodic pattern on the xylophone while singing the song Li'l Liza Jane.