Week of January 24

We are still looking for volunteers for our Arts in Action afternoon on March 23.  If you have a skill in any area of the arts (music, theater, dance, art) and would be willing to volunteer your time on March 23, we could use your help!  If you know of anyone else who may be interested, please let us know that, as well.  We are seeking to make this the most rewarding experience possible for the Wayne Thomas students.

Kindergarteners in the afternoon class read Engine, Engine, Number Nine and learned the song of the same name.  They played rhythm sticks and did movements to the steady beat and the rhythm of the song.  Students in the morning class played "Wee Willie Winkie" on Orff instruments and played hand drums to rhythms using quarter notes and quarter rests.

First graders learned about the percussion and woodwind instrument families this week.  They listened to the percussion section of Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" and several other songs to help them hear the various instruments.

Second graders learned to locate "do" on the five-line staff this week.  They played Orff instruments and sight-sang a song called "Mother, Mother."  They listened to several singing samples and rated the samples on their pitch accuracy.  This was difficult at first, but they ended up getting most correct with a little bit of practice.

Third graders sang a song called "Tideo" this week.  They performed partner movements with this song and played a singing game with it, as well.  They then used "Tideo" to learn sixteenth notes.  They did a lot of math in music this week while learning about sixteenth notes because four sixteenth notes together get one beat, but one on its own gets 1/4 beat.

Fourth graders did very well during their last week of recorder testing in class.  They may continue testing outside of music class if they would like to, but the practicing will take place at home.  When they are ready to test, they can set up a time with me, and I would be happy to test them then.  Three fourth graders worked so hard during the recorder unit that they earned their black belts this week!

Fifth graders worked really hard on their recorder music this week.  Right now, most fifth graders are working on their blue or red belts.  One class has several students who are working on their black belts!

Let's hope for an early spring!