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.
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.
