Week of November 5

Keep reading to find out about some of the things your students learned in music class last week!

Kindergarteners in Ms. Tepper’s PM class played the xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels with a fall song.  Students in Ms. Tepper's AM class and Ms. Waller's class sang and moved to a song called "Walk to School."  They analyzed a poem describing things they might do fast or slow.  They also figured out the form of "Walking Song" from Acadian Songs and Dances and did a creative movement activity.

First graders played the Boomwhackers with a song called "Deedle Deedle Dumpling."  They discovered that the longer the Boomwhacker, the lower the sound.  They made connections between Boomwhackers and Orff instruments because they noticed that the larger the Orff instrument, the lower it sounds.

Second graders sight-sang several songs about games.  They then analyzed a painting called "Children's Games" to try to find many of the games in it.  They did a rhythmic dictation activity with the names of the games and will soon compose their own songs based on these rhythms.

Third graders worked on a song from New Zealand this week.  They learned about many cultural traditions that the Maori still do today, and they played a game called Tititorea, which is a stick game used to develop hand-eye coordination in New Zealand.  They really enjoyed this activity!

Fourth graders were very excited to receive their recorders this week!  Each student should now have a recorder that he keeps at home and one that stays in the music room, so it will always be accessible in class.  They began working on the proper way to blow into the recorder and on the finger position for their first note.

Fifth graders completed their study of Native American music this week with songs by the Mohawk and Potawatomi tribes.  Those students who ordered recorders received them, and all students began reviewing the appropriate way to blow into the instrument.  Students are very excited to begin this unit!

Music Fact of the Week

We are very lucky at Wayne Thomas to have many students whose parents are serving in the military.  We appreciate the great sacrifices they make to serve our country and are proud to have them as members of our Wayne Thomas family.  In honor of Veteran's Day, visit http://www.eiu.edu/~eiutps/patriotic_songs.php to learn about the official songs of the branches of the U.S. armed forces.