Friday, February 10, 2012

Hawthorne Elementary Choir News

The 4th and 5th Grade Hawthorne Elementary Choir has been meeting Wednesdays, 7:35 - 8:10, in the Music Room since mid-October.  About 15-20 students have been gathering each week to sing fun warm-ups like throwing a frisbee with your voice and the "Waterspout Song" about a lost alligator named Alfred.  This fall the group rehearsed and performed "A Song of Peace" in the Hawthorne Holiday Concert in December.

The choir is scheduled to sing at the Taste of Heritage Cultural Festival at Northbridge Mall on Saturday, March 31st.  They are currently preparing two songs to sing at this event.  It's a fun afternoon of cultural exhibits, food of many different cultures, and entertainment!

In May Hawthorne choir students will sing in a large group with the other Albert Lea elementary choirs "on tour", travelling to each of the four elementary schools to share their music with all students!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Hawthorne/Halverson Music Room News


January News from the Music Room
 Each class, Grades 1-5, begins with a Student Director who  leads the class in three rhythm patterns to be echo-clapped back by the students.  The class also reads, claps, and speaks the rhythm from two rhythm cards.  Students are enjoying taking their turn being the Director; everyone gets to try it!

During January, Grades 3-5 have been reviewing music symbols.  They have begun studying instruments that go with their grade's curriculum standards.
Grade 5 - keyboards; Grade 4 - recorders; Grade 3 - orff instruments

Grade 2 has been performing rhythm patterns on classroom instruments;  some patterns they have read from rhythm cards, other patterns they 'improvise' or make up as they go along. 

Grade 1 composed songs using shapes, such as triangles, circles, etc.  They made four shapes per line, a total of four lines--16 shapes.  We assigned instruments to each shape used and played the songs' patterns on percussion instruments.  They were great music readers and played their instruments as an ensemble.  It was great fun, and they were the composers of the songs!

Kindergarten is singing, moving, playing music games, and learning alphabet-letter songs.  Each day in the Kindergarten Music Room begins with the "Hello Song".  Students know how to say hello in four languages so far:  English, Spanish, French, and German.  We'll move on to Italian, Russian, and perhaps others.  If you have suggestions, let me know!
Two singing games we learned and enjoyed playing are "Good King Leopold, Good Queen Lorelei", (where each student takes their turn to be king or queen) and "Doggie, Doggie, Where's Your Bone".  Each class seems to love the movement song "Sam, the Robot Man", moving their feet to the beat.