Week of August 29

We had a HOT week here in the music room!  Still, we learned lots and even had fun in the process!  On the left-hand side of the page, you will find that there has been a new section of the blog added this year.  If you click on the page called "Musical Almanac & Calendar," you will be able to download a new calendar each month.  These calendars include information about important dates in music history, as well as some current musicians' birthdays.  In most of the main blog posts, I will suggest ways that you can explore some of the events with your children.  Read on to see this week's recommendation!


This week, Kindergarteners in Ms. Tepper's class listened to a story called So-me Goes Missing.  They also learned to sing a higher pitch, called "sol," and a lower pitch, called "mi."  They enjoyed making high and low-pitched animal sounds in "Good Day Song."  Students in Ms. Waller's class had their first music class this week and learned a spoken song called "Name, Name."


First graders sang a song called "Vacation Fun" and came up with new movements to perform with the song.  They also changed the lyrics to be about things they did over the summer.  They reviewed quarter notes and eighth notes through the use of body percussion with the song.


Second graders learned a folk dance called "Caimarusa," from Colombia, South America this week.  They discovered that the song is in A-B form, and the dance is performed in longways sets.  They also reviewed locomotor and non-locomotor movements through the dance.


Third graders learned a song called, "Laugh, ha, ha!" this week.  They reviewed the definitions of round and canon, and added the word "canon" to the word wall.  Most third grade classes have been able to successfully sing this song in two groups so far.  Each class has decided that they want to be able to perform it in four parts, so that is their goal for next week!


Fourth graders learned a song called "Down the River."  They sang the song, which they discovered to be in A-B form.  They also did the folk dance that goes with the song.  This dance, like many folk dances, is performed in longways sets and allowed for each student to dance in their own individual ways "down the river."

Fifth graders discussed the difference between noise and music and learned a spoken song called "Charlie, Charlie."  They played a game called Streets and Alleys with this song while many students played specific instrument parts on the tubano, maracas, and gankogui.

 

August 29th would have been Charlie Parker's birthday.  You can learn about this talented jazz musician by visiting his official website with your child: http://www.cmgww.com/music/parker/index.php or reading the book pictured above, Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, by Chris Raschka: http://books.google.com/books/about/Charlie_Parker_Played_Be_Bop.html?id=GTMP0MfvNEMC