April 13 - 17 (Music Week 26)

 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 = ALP) 

-I can distinguish voice sounds; develop tuneful and accurate singing voice.

-I can play steady beat using shakers, boomwhackers, shape drums and sticks to accompany singing.

Kindergarten students continued to accompany singing with steady beat accompaniment on several small percussion instruments this week. We used an instrument hoop circle rotation to take turns playing shakers, boomwhackers, shape drums and claves (pair of cylindrical hardwood sticks). The students continue to practice spatial awareness during movement activities. We are currently using movement as a means to access tuneful and accurate singing voices. Movement allows kids to tap into physiological components necessary to produce good sound (particularly systems for breathing and resonance).

-I can create listen while playing to create unison sound with other voices and instruments.

-I can play/strum steady beat on ukulele to accompany singing.

Grade 1/2 classes sang pages from other 'Brown Bear' books while strumming ukuleles this week. Students from grade 5/6 classes joined our classes in pairs to support our younger students in music classes. We practiced with left hands holding the neck of the ukulele and right hands supporting the body of the ukulele. Several students were wondering if they could hold the ukulele the other way because they are left handed. I told them no, regardless of hand dominance, we should play instruments the way they were desiged to be played. I shared some of my own left handed music experiences and then showed the kids what left-haned piano would look like, playing upside-down-hands-crossed to accommodate my dominant left hand playing the melody. Most people were holding their ukuleles the 'right-handed' way by the end of this class.

-I can explore songs in major and minor keys.

-I can sight read and sing melodic patterns. 

Students continued the Astronomia song this week as part of our work with experiencing songs in minor keys. When we reference major and minor keys, we're referring to songs based in different scale configurations, with different patterns of intervals between notes of the scale. 

In addition to learning the melody, students also learned a bass line layer. Each component of the song required some reading and playing. Students were given some absolute note names and were given the challenge of figuring out the unlabelled parts. Despite my attempt to have students sort things out on their own, there were several students who were eager to label the pitches for their classmates, so people were spared the music sudoku challenge this week.

-I can develop musical interpretation; use vocal interpretation to enhance a song's meaning.

-I can sing and play instruments as part of a group; I can listen to play with appropriate expression (tempo and dynamics) to create effective group sound. 

The students continued to look at pieces for our spring musical collaboration. We selected 2 pieces to really dive into this week and created some choreography and arrangement of voice and instrument parts to best support the plot development in our story. I continue to be surprised by the creativity that emerges from these workshopping sessions, including some very excellent dancing. Most of my moves are from the 1900s so AI dog will be an excellent addition to my arsenal of skills. 

-I can keep a steady beat.

-I can experience music through  a variety of movements (walking, running, jumping).

ALP students continued with a variety of movement activities to reinforce beat awareness this week. I am noticing many interpersonal connections beginning to occur during these music and movement experiences. Sharing excitement and enthusiasm for jumping, twisting and moving in conjunction with music - nothing better!

Enjoy the sunshine and warmer days!

Mrs. M.





















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