Ms. McMillan's Music Class

  UPCOMING DATES Performing Arts Club: Thursday, April 30th Volunteer Tea featuring Grade 5/6 and Performing Arts Collaboration: Thursday, May 28th EMBRACE MUSIC WHILE SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR LIVES WITH KIDS: Listen to something new. There is always new music to disover. Model interest and respectful curiosity as you encounter new music. Very strong opinions emerge in my class as kids react to songs, especially popular ones. Conversations about music can be critical and interesting but when we open with "I hate this song" or "I hate this artist", there isn't much room for dialogue. In class, we practice sharing thoughtful responses to songs, referencing components of the music using vocabulary that highlights expressive qualities, instruments, voices, sound layers and lyrics. The beauty of practicing this while discussing music is that we can transfer these skills to conversations about anything. Critical thought and willingness to participate in respectful disc...

  UPCOMING DATES Performing Arts Club: Thursday, April 23rd Volunteer Tea featuring Grade 5/6 and Performing Arts Collaboration: Thursday, May 28th EMBRACE MUSIC WHILE SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR LIVES WITH KIDS: Watch a musical. I realize that the notion of busting out into song to communicate feelings and ideas is unrelatable to some people but this is part of what makes musical stories so very entertaining. Imagine if people did this throughout the day - it would be both cathartic and oh, so much fun!  While some people enjoy the opportunity for characters in a story to shape plot development through a song, there are others who are not excited by this concept. If musicals are not your jam, watch a movie and pay attention to the soundtrack. How does the music contribute to the progression of the story?  LEARNING INTENTION LEGEND ( Blue  =  Kindergarten ,  Green  =  1 / 2 ,  Purple  =  3 / 4 ,  Red  =  5 / 6,  Pink...

  UPCOMING DATES Performing Arts Club: Thursday, April 16th Volunteer Tea featuring Grade 5/6 and Performing Arts Collaboration: Thursday, May 28th EMBRACE MUSIC WHILE SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR LIVES WITH KIDS: Think of music as a way of being. Singing and moving to music (running, jumping, twirling, possibilities endless here) enriches the pace of life in weird and wonderful ways. Making sound with 'instruments' can be as simple as banging on hard surfaces or drumming with things found in the kitchen cupboards. Be playful, have fun, and enjoy the capacity of music to build closeness with kids.  LEARNING INTENTION LEGEND ( Blue  =  Kindergarten ,  Green  =  1 / 2 ,  Purple  =  3 / 4 ,  Red  =  5 / 6,  Pink  =  ALP ) -I can distinguish voice sounds; develop tuneful and accurate singing voice. -I can play steady on a variety of small, non pitched percussion instruments. Kindergarten students accompanied singing ...

UPCOMING DATES Performing Arts Club: Thursday, April 9th Volunteer Tea featuring Grade 5/6 and Performing Arts Collaboration: Thursday, May 28th EMBRACE MUSIC WHILE SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR LIVES WITH KIDS: Continue to encourage singing; sing with your kids as you listen to music in the car or around the house during a kitchen dance party or otherwise. The wonderful thing about voices is that each one is unique - you do not need to sound like anybody but yourself. Parental singing is a powerful tool for emotional bonding with kids. Regardless of their parents' musical ability, kids respond to the emotional quality of the singing because it comes from you. FYI: Older kids will roll their eyes at you because they are increasingly self aware. Don't be discouraged. The goal is to show kids that you don't have to embark on singing in a planned or professional way - it can just be a fun thing to do! LEARNING INTENTION LEGEND ( Blue  =  Kindergarten ,  Green  =  1 / 2 ,...