Week of December 6

If you or someone you know would be interested in leading an arts-related activity for our Arts in Action afternoon in March, please contact Mrs. Crutchfield!

Kindergarteners in the morning class sang and moved to "One Finger, One Thumb," sang and played rhythm sticks with "Johnny Works With One Hammer," and read a "So-Me" story.  Students in the afternoon class sang and played tone bells with “The Snowman."  They also did movements to "See the Pony" and distinguished fast from slow in the song.

First graders learned about call and response form using the singing game "The Penny, Key, and Paper Clip."  They discovered that songs having the same type of form can sound incredibly different like "Everybody Oughta Know," "John the Rabbit," and "Tshotsholoza," which are all in call and response form.  They also worked on simple body percussion pieces in call and response form.

Second graders performed "Icicles" in a three-part round.  They learned "Sledding Song," which is a conversation between two people.  They discussed appropriate audience behavior and then many students performed the piece for the class.  They continued working on "Rocky Mountain" and will be recorded singing it early next week.

Third graders learned a song called "I've Been to Harlem." They labeled low "sol" and low "la" in the piece. They also did a tricky dance with the song.  They began learning the first of two songs that will be paired together as partner songs.  They discovered that the attitude of the singer changes halfway through the song, so they worked on conveying that in their voices.

Fourth graders continued to work on "It's Raining" on their recorders.  Your child should be practicing at home a little bit each day.  Students are still having a hard time remembering to bring their materials to class, so they will be going to the Quiet Room during recess if they do not come with their folders.  We talked about ways to help them remember their folders, including putting them back in their backpacks immediately after practicing.

Fifth graders learned to play “Happy Birthday" on their recorders.  They will play this song in order to earn their purple belts.  All students are now working on the songs for their orange belts or beyond.  Students should be practicing each day at home.

Have a great weekend!