Week of January 25

This week, the youngest Wayne Thomas student in your family (if you have a child in grades 1-5) should have brought home information about the 2010 Fine Arts Nights.  The dates are posted in the "Important Dates" section of this website, but please email me at egavin@nssd112.org if you did not receive this information sheet, and I will be sure to send one home with your child.

Kindergarteners composed and sight-read rhythmic patterns using quarter notes and quarter rests.  They had a good time playing "Wee Willie Winkie" on the xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels through instrument exploration!

First graders finished watching Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf."  Several students told me it was their new favorite movie, so you may be getting requests to watch it at home!  They also learned about the percussion and woodwind instrument families.

Second graders performed three levels of body percussion while singing "One Small Musician."  Students then improvised four-beat body percussion patterns, and the rest of the class echoed back.  They also sang "Kookaburra" in a round and reviewed how instruments make sound.

Third graders reviewed sixteenth notes by singing, moving to, and rhythmically dictating "Old Brass Wagon."  They also improvised question and answer rhythm conversations.  The part the third graders were most excited about this week was finding out about their Spring Sing!  They started working on their first song, and they do have a homework assignment that is due on the next day they have music.  The assignment consists of three questions about the first song in their Spring Sing.

Fourth graders finished testing for recorder belts in class this week.  If they wish to continue working on the music until they complete their black belts, they may schedule a time to meet with me outside of class.  They are not required to get all the way to the black belt; this is only if it is something they would like to do!

Fifth graders played the red belt song, "Auld Lang Syne" together in class.  Those students who didn't get to test for a belt in class this week had an opportunity to come in and test either during SSR or during recess.  Many students took advantage of this opportunity.  Most fifth graders are currently working on their green or purple belts.

Stay warm!