Wednesday 31 October 2012

"In the Hall of the Mountain King"


 How did he DO that?

Edvard Grieg, a Norwegian composer, knew how to tell a story through music. Think about how he wrote his music. Close your eyes and listen to “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” How did he make it sound as if something was chasing someone?  What did he do to the speed of the music? Think about the instruments he chose to create his scene. What were they? If you were the composer, would you do this differently? 


 In the Hall of the Mountain King
from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1





Friday 26 October 2012

Drumming Club

Today was our second meeting for the Grade 3 drumming club.  We like playing drumming games.  The song we learned was called "Monkey Monkey Moo." We added the bass drum, a ratchet, vibraslap and cymbals.

Grade 3 Drummers!!

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Grade 1 Reads Rhythms!


This is our smartboard activity we worked together on today.  
Can you remember where the ta, ti-ti and sh go?

Grade 1 is learning to read, play and write quarter notes, quarter rests and eighth notes.  Today we practiced singing and moving to "Big Black Cats."  We identified the ta's and sh's and used our bodies to create those patterns.  Next, we discovered that there were two notes on a beat in the "running, running through the...."  We created this pattern using ti's.


Fall music in Kinder



Kinder Room 7 skeletons 
Our Kindergarten students are full of energy.  We do a variety of activities with many opportunities for spontaneous play and skill building.  This month we are focusing on a fall theme.

Today we acted out a favourite song, "We Are Scary Skeletons."  Students are moving to the suggested part in the song (walk, hop, run, jog, skip, jump).  At the end we sing, "We'll scare you.  BOO!"  We are learning to sing and move

Kinder Room 8 skeletons
Through poems and play, we are learning how to keep a steady beat.  Here our pumpkins are jumping on the heart as we sing the pumpkin poem.


Peter Peter, pumpkin eater
Had a wife and couldn't keep her
Put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well

Can you sing your name for me?
My name is ________.

Saturday 13 October 2012

Lest We Forget



Students are preparing for our Remembrance Day assembly on November 9.  In music, we are having discussions about the history of Canada's place in keeping peace and lives given that we would have our freedom.  We are also looking at the history of the music and lyrics.

History of Flanders Fields

Significance of 'God Save the Queen'

The Royal Canadian Legion - Last Post

Facts about Remembrance Day

13 songs that will ring on Remembrance Day



Danny Boy by Nana Mouskouri


Danny Boy wikipedia

Standing Strong and True (For Tomorrow) is an all-star Canadian country single dedicated to fallen Canadian soldiers and their families.




Friday 12 October 2012

We are the Music Makers!

Listen.  Think.  Create!  We are the music makers!



In 2003, Manitoba Education developed a new music curriculum and a butterfly was chosen to represent the new framework.  The Stevenson-Britannia music program provides rich and diverse learning opportunities for all students in Kindergarten to Grade 5.  As set out by the  Manitoba Music Curriculum Framework, we believe that “every student’s growth as a musician and a music-literate person can be realized through ongoing learning experiences that connect creative music activities, technical knowledge and skill development, the building and broadening of cultural and historical understandings related to art and life, and ongoing reflective and critical thinking opportunities that focus on music and personal learning.”  At the centre of our program, we support, nurture and inspire the growth of every student as a music maker. 

Bach to School!

This year the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra string ensemble visited us with their 'Bach' to School program.  We enjoyed hearing pieces from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras. (Music Era Game)  The students particularly enjoyed hearing popular pieces such as Call Me Maybe, Super Mario and Harry Potter's theme song.

The WSO String Ensemble
Ms. Rempel and the double bass!

Symphony Season 2012-2013

Music at Stevenson


This year our school, Stevenson-Britannia, is forging new technology adventures.  As a teacher for 12 years, I have loved using technology in my classroom.  I have been fortunate to have a Smartboard in my music room for 2 years now.  I am continually pushing myself to discover new applications to enhance learning and engage my students.  This year, I want to find ways to share our learning with students, families, colleagues and the community.

Several teachers in our school have ventured to create blogs and to share projects and activities in our school.  I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the student connections and felt it was time for me to step into the land of blogging to celebrate the learning happening in our music room.