April 6 - 10 (Music Week 25)

 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 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 effective awareness of routines for sharing instruments - all part of the learning in an elementary music class. I am impressed by the care that they demonstrate to one another and also to me. One student was concerned that I didn't have an instrument to play. I assured them that I have had many turns but was very appreciative for the concern that I might feel excluded.

-I can create movement to show same and different sections; I can perform movement patterns to accompany songs.

-I can demonstrate pitch awareness while singing, showing high and low.

Grade 1/2 classes sang pages from their 'Brown Bear' book in warm up this week. They have asked if they can sing their grade team class pages next week. This Brown Bear melody will be burned on their brains for eternity, I think. We have sung it countless times - energy doesn't seem to be waning. 

The Bluebird song also continued to stimulate ideas for new exploration. Students have now demonstrated the form of this song through singing with partner games, instruments and, just as I was ready to put this song away for awhile, student ideas for scarf movement. I borrowed this original idea and shared with subsequent 1/2 classes. Each class created a unique movement sequence to represent different motifs of the song using different coloured scarves. 

-I can explore songs in major and minor keys.

-I can sight read and sing melodic patterns. 

Students began a new song this week as part of intentional work with differentiating songs based in major vs 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. A simplistic explanation is that songs based in major keys tend to sound happy, bright and cheerful while minor keys often sound sad, somber or serious. As a kid, I was told to think about major vs minor as the difference between Pop! Goes the Weasel and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. I remember this because it was profoundly confusing for me - there are differences between these two pieces that extend way beyond major vs minor. 

For now, we are in an exploration and experience phase with a song based in a minor key that the kids have enjoyed listening to in past classes. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLBBRuVDOo4

This week was comprised of beginning work with recorders and xylophones to play some melodic patterns related to this piece. We will continue to look at components of this song in music next week. 

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

-I can practice unison singing as part of a choral group. 

The students continued to look at pieces for our spring musical collaboration. We discussed strategies for learning new songs. Some suggestions that came out of conversations in both classes: 1. Read the music. 2. Listen to the song. 3. Sing the song. All very good strategies. Students identified that they don't like the experience of singing a song that they don't know very well - I'm not sure that anybody really likes this experience, even those who love singing. 

Most people liked the idea of listening to something a few times before attempting to sing along or echo sing the phrases. Playing or singing by ear is a highly effective way to learn new music and is also a fabulous exercise in ear training - so important as a musician. While the ability to read music from a musical staff is a wonderful skill, it doesn't need to be our only access to learning new stuff. 

-I can keep a steady beat.

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

ALP students continued with some new bunny songs this week. Students demonstrated excellent beat awareness while hopping to the beat of the music. We also brought hoops into our rotation and explored different ways to move the hoops (bouncing the hoops to the beat, spinning the hoops, wheeling the hoops around the room). Some students opted to hula hoop for the duration of the hoop activity - very impressive demonstration of core strength at work here. 

Best wishes for a beautiful weekend.

Mrs. McMillan