Greetings from the music room! This was an exciting week of
singing, moving, and playing instruments! Here are some of the highlights:
Kindergarten students
learned two new chants this week: Ten
Little Soldiers and Slippery
Slithering Snake. After students learned all of the words and the
fingerplay to Ten Little Soldiers,
they were challenged to perform the chant three times. First students spoke the
chant and moved their fingers, next students thought the words to the chant in
their head while moving their fingers, and lastly students spoke the chant and
moved their fingers once again. This helps the students to practice inner
hearing with a steady beat and prepares them to learn about form
(same/different/same). The chant Slippery
Slithering Snake contains hissing (breath support) and emotive speaking. In
addition to these chants, students continued to practice fast and slow
movements to previously learned songs.
First grade students
reviewed the rhythm of See Saw and
also practiced moving quarter notes and eighth notes up and down to show
whether the notes are high or low. Once students had all of the notes moved
into the correct position, they were asked to sing ‘high’ for each high note
and ‘low’ for each low note. Students learned another two-note song called I Pop Up. Mrs. Aaronson would sing
statements such as “if you like pizza, pop up” and students who like pizza
would respond “I pop up!” Students especially enjoyed silly statements such as
“if you have eyeballs, pop up” or “if you’re wearing shoes, pop up.” Lastly
students began learning a railroad song entitled Paddy Works on the Railway. Students were challenged to perform a
‘slow’ beat to this song even if Mrs. Aaronson played a fast pattern on the
guitar! Students loved the challenge and were incredibly successful!
Second grade students
began preparing to learn a new melodic note, re, this week. Students practiced
the song Closet Key and learned a new
song, Frog in the Meadow, which will
be used to learn this new note. Students also began working on solo singing by
echoing a short melodic pattern at the end of the song This Little Light of Mine. This pattern also contained the new
note. Lastly, students began teaching themselves a new song! First students read
the rhythm to Knock the Cymbals. Then
students decoded the solfege for this song. Once students had unlocked the
sound of this song, they were taught the words. Next week, students will learn
the dance to this song.
Third grade students
searched for the note high do in a new song entitled M is for Mary. After students discovered the location of this note
and a few short melodic patterns, students were able to sing part of the song
using solfege. Students also enjoyed inserting their classmates’ names into the
song and attempting to use their bodies to create the first letter of each
name! Students were led to discover that the new note in the song Big Fat Biscuit is lower than do!
Students practiced singing this song using the pattern “do-low-do.” Students also practiced reading all known
rhythms along with the song Twelfth
Street Rag. Students learned a series of four rhythmic patterns and
practiced repeating each pattern. Students discussed the form of the piece
which included terms such as introduction, interlude, and coda.
Fourth grade students
began focusing on the note C this week. Students learned a two note pattern to
play along with the backing track of Duke Ellington’s C Jam Blues. After students were familiar with the pattern, the
class was led in a discussion of improvisation. Students were given the
opportunity to improvise on notes C and G as a class and also as individuals.
Students practiced reading notes from the treble clef staff by playing a game
with a staff drawn on the floor from yarn. Mrs. Aaronson or a student would
stand on a line or in a space and students had to identify the note. First,
students spoke the name of the note, then students played the note on the
recorder. Students also began learning their blue belt song, Juba, and began learning new note high
D.
Fifth grade enjoyed
finishing the video Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory this week. By watching the video, students will develop a
deeper understanding of the overall story that we will be telling through our
musical. Following the video,
students began working on a vocal techniques unit. This unit will discuss
techniques such as proper breathing, proper posture, breath support, conserving
air, and vowel formation. In addition to preparing students for participation
in the fifth grade musical, this will also help prepare students to be
successful in middle school choir. This week, students began focusing on
posture. Students performed a series of stretches and were shown a series of
techniques for standing with one’s best posture.
Mrs. Ellis’s students
reviewed the chant Ten Little Soldiers.
After students mastered all of the words and the fingerplay, they were
challenged to perform the chant three times. First students spoke the chant and
moved their fingers, next students through the words to the chant in their head
while moving their fingers, and lastly students spoke the chant and moved their
fingers once again. This helps the students to practice inner hearing with a
steady beat and prepares them to learn about form (same/different/same).
Students learned a new chant entitled Spider,
Spider Legs and All. This chant contains the same rhythm as Engine, Engine and will be used to
reinforce the difference between beat and rhythm. Students also enjoyed
exploring form by moving to Edvard Grieg’s composition In the Hall of the Mountain King.
Mrs. Ross’s students
continued to focus on melodic note la and the rhythm half note this week.
Students learned a new song containing half notes entitled Who’s That Tapping at the Window. Students practiced reading the
rhythm to this song and also played half notes on xylophones to accompany the
song. Students did an incredible job following directions and playing half notes
on the xylophones! Students also learned a new note containing melodic note la
entitled Ida Red, Ida Blue. While singing this song,
students were invited one at a time to choose either a red envelope or a blue
envelope. If students chose the red envelope then they were given a melodic
pattern to sing. If students chose the blue envelope then they were given a
rhythmic pattern to clap. Students did a remarkable job performing the patterns
that they were assigned. Additionally, students practiced playing do re mi sol and
la patterns on the xylophone.
Mrs. Muller’s students
continued to focus on dynamics this week. Students reviewed the listening map
for Night Watch and began studying two
new maps March Past of the Kitchen
Utensils and Fanfare for the Common Man.
As the dynamics were not marked on the map for March Past of the Kitchen Utensils, students were asked to add
their own dynamics. Students were incredibly accurate in their selection of
dynamics. Students also examined the form
of this piece and were led to recognize that sections with the same letter and
picture were identical in sound.
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