Here's what happened In our eighth week together___
- Kindergartners continued their focused learning using Engine Engine. We rediscovered the poem by hearing just the rhythm and identifying the match to the words. We tried out a partner beat / rhythm echo game with one partner keeping the beat tapping on their partner's palm while the other partner echo said/tapped a 4 beat rhythm pattern on their partner's palm. We started experimenting with creating melodies to the text of the poem Engine Engine using Sol and Mi (up / down). Over the course of the week students did a lot of singing and movement activities centered on Sol - Mi. Student leaders used body conducting (sol=shoulders and mi=waist) to invent tunes for the poem instantly. At the SmartBoard we created and notated a predictable Sol-Mi tune and notated it in the spaces of a three line staff. Once we had agreed to a melodic pattern that everyone could easily remember and sing without looking, we added a beat bordun on the xylophones as accompaniment. Everyone had a turn at accompanying the song (in groups of 4 since we have 4 Bass Xylophones). This week we also played a S-M-La singing game, Doggie Doggie Where's Your Bone and Melody Statues.
- First Graders and Second Graders continued learning and working on the songs, dances and music games for their upcoming specials sharing - "Culture Connection". Both groups worked on It's a Small World and Hello to All the Children of the World - opening and closing songs. Each grade level also worked on pieces of a particular country/culture. Second grade - Japan including the singing game, Kagome and Ame Ame Fure Fure - all students learning both the dance with umbrellas and Orff instrument parts - rotating so that everyone had a turn on every part before being asked to choose what they would most like to do in the performance of that piece. First Grade - Mexico including Que Llueva and Danze de Los Viejitos. We added the canes to the dance and practiced not only the steps but the drama/character of dancing as an 'old' person.
- Third Graders continued to focus on basic recorder technique - with BAG pieces. They reviewed they had learned in Week 7, and worked some on Hot Cross Buns and Gonna Make Music which had been sent home in the packet. In Gonna Make Music students took the opportunity to improvise new melodies on B, A and G after singing the verse. We took one day to focus on the names of the lines and spaces of the treble clef using an ipad app called Staff Wars. Students learned the BAG portion of a piece, See a Pin, through body percussion levels representing the pitches. The 5th day students shared in a Talent Time sharing and choices of music/movement games.
- Fourth Graders continued working on pieces for their Colorado Connection Concert reviewing pieces previously taught including the square dance and spent time working more on their small group recorder pieces. We took one day to review the names and spaces of the treble clef using an ipad app, Staff Wars. Students had their 2nd opportunity to take the 50 in 5 Challenge - trying to name 50 notes on the treble clef ranging from the B below the staff to the B above the staff. Most students bettered their personal records and many more names were added to the Hall of Fame posted in the music room. Following the 50 in 5 challenge some students retook the Note/Rest Name test while those that had already passed with 20 out of 20 had the opportunity to learn a new rhythm reading game called Kaboom! The 5th day students shared in a Talent Time sharing and choices of music/movement games.
- Fifth Graders focused on Melody this week. They learned a piece that I wrote called The C Scale Rondo. Everyone learned the A section of the Rondo form from solfeggio and ear. Students worked to collaboratively in small groups with like instruments to create a contrasting 4 measure section for the piece based on 8 different melodic fragments. Fifth graders also took one day to review the names and spaces of the treble clef using an ipad app, Staff Wars. Students had their 2nd opportunity to take the 50 in 5 Challenge - trying to name 50 notes on the treble clef ranging from the B below the staff to the B above the staff. Most students bettered their personal records and many more names were added to the Hall of Fame posted in the music room. The 5th day students shared in a Talent Time sharing and choices of music/movement games.
