Week 12 - Our final weeks this school year - May 8 - June 2

Here is what happened in music our last week + a day together . . .

In Week 12, the Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade classes enjoyed their 2nd week of Music Olympics, with this week being focused on Melody.  Team Events included the 50 in 5 Challenge (with team scoring), Treble Clef Spell-It Relay, Treble Clef Read-It, a Treble Clef Memory game, Name That Tune and Team Play a Tune by Ear.  The Ribbon Events included the Treble Clef Spell-It Contest and the Play a Tune by Ear Contest.  On our final day of the week, the winning team received a team prize and the individual Ribbon winners were recognized in an in-class ribbon ceremony.  All in all it was a fun time with games and contests, but reviewing what we've learned about melody this year.

Kindergarten, First and Second Grade classes focused on learning Americana Play Parties and Folk Dances.  They experienced different formations including single and double circle and long-aways sets.  The play parties / dances for each class were selected from the following:

• Shoo Fly (3 versions)
• Skip to My Lou
• The Heel and Toe Polka
• Alabama Gal
• Sashay the Donut
• Old King Glory of the Mountain
• Down in the Valley
• Sweets of May
• Jump Jim Joe

The very last week of school (following Memorial Day) each class has music one day.  5th grade will have their final Talent Time and Choice Day.  KDG-4th grade classes will be introduced to the songs that will become a part of our Flag Ceremony the first day back together next school year.

Week 11 - April 17-May 5

At GRE the specials schedule is a 3 week rotation - so 3 weeks equals 1 instructional week for me with all of the students.  That's why this post is called - Week 11 (April 17 - May 5)

Here's what happened In our eleventh week together___

• Kindergartners - Second Grade focused on a review of Instrument Timbres this rotation.  We started with the singing game, Old King Glory of the Mountain, but with each person taking a small percussion instrument (claves, jingle bells, maracas, rigged woodblock/guiro, triangle or hand drum) as they were chosen to join the line of marchers.  Once everyone had an instrument, student conductors led the group by touching colored dots on the floor - one for each timbre family.  2nd graders extended their knowledge of timbre by sorting instruments into timbre families and having additional turns to conduct new music with the colored dots.  First and Second Graders took two days to explore each small percussion family using our Colored Dominoes activity.  The musical score is created with  colored dominoes and each small percussion group is represented by a color within the score.  Students play their instrument when their color comes along.  We varied between Tutti and Silence on black - which had no particular group of instruments associated with it.  Kindergarners reviewed the timbre families with our "Listen" game using two of each instrument family in the game

• Third Graders, Fourth Graders and Fifth Graders all got to participate in a Music Olympics.  This is a really fun way to review our music learning and skills in competitions and games.  We took one day to choose captains, teams and meet to sign-up for Ribbon Events.  Over the course of the two week Music Olympics, each student competes in at least one Ribbon Event of their choosing, along with all of the various team events.  This week Music Olympics focused on Rhythm.  The Ribbon Events included the Rhythm Reading Contest (solo performance) and the Rhythmic Dictation Contest.  Team events included Rhythm Roll, Rhythm Grab, Dice Scramble, and Team Rhythm Dictation.