Music's Pumpkin Patch

Look who rolled into the music room today.  Our pumpkin friends!   The Grade 1's practiced drawing their music notes today and we put them in our pumpkin patch.

The Dream Game

The Grade 1's played our first 'dream' game today.  We listened to a piece of music and imagined what the song was about.  As you listen to it, what pictures or story comes to mind?  We talked about the feeling of the music.  Most felt it was kind of scary sounding.  We heard short, detached sounds and learned the word for this is 'staccato.'   We talked about the instrument that makes the loud crashing sounds (cymbals) and practiced moving our bodies to it.  We all agreed that the music got louder and faster at the end.  It was like something crazy was happening.

Concert Audition

Our Grade 4/5 students got audition sheets today and all are invited to come and try out for a part next week Wednesday and Thursday.

Here is the audition song.  Some who are trying for smaller parts will be able to sing it with another person.  Anyone who wants a large part like Santa or the Captain, must be able to sing it on their own.

AUDITION LINES:

Please choose ONE part from ONE scene and memorize it.  Remember that acting is getting into a character.  You are using vocal, body and facial expressions to show who you are and what is happening.  Make it interesting and speak SLOWLY.

SCENE 1 (when the Captain and the pirates discover White Beard/Santa)

Captain: Ahoy, mate!  Tell us what you saw!

Pirate: (in awe) Captain!  My Captain! I have seen what every pirate dreams of seeing: what every pirate has been told about, since we were little scurvies.

Captain: What?  What is it?

Pirate: Captain!  I have seen… WHITE BEARD!

Captain: (gasp) White Beard?

Pirate: Aye, me matey!  I would not have believed it, but I have seen him with me own eyes.

Captain: You mean the legendary White Beard is alive and sleeping in that tent?

Pirate: I have seen him.  White Beard is in THAT tent.

SCENE 2 (when Santa first meets the pirates)

Santa:  Ho!  Ho! Ho!  What have we here, Christmas carolers?  I just love when people show up expectantly to sing songs on my front porch.  (to one pirate with a patch).  Sorry about that eye, fella, you might find something new in your stocking this year, if you’ve been a good boy.  Ho! Ho! Ho!

Pirate: Avast! Hold it right there, White Beard!

Santa: White Beard? Ho! Ho! Ho! How cute!  Well, I guess I do have a white beard after all.  Very observant of you.

Pirate: Don’t try to be sly, White Beard!  We know all about you!

SCENE 3 (when the pirates go to the North Pole with the elves)

Pirate: Blimey!  How do you elves stand it up here?

Elf: We work almost all the time making toys for little girls and boys.  And when we get a break…. We dance.

Pirate: Dance!?

Elf (enthusiastically): Sure!  Nothing will warm up your body like a little song and dance

Pirate: This is too weird.

Elf (happily): Hey, don’t knock it till you try it

Pirate:  ARRRR!  We’re pirates!  Pirates don’t dance.  It wouldn’t be cool.

Elf (practically): Suit yourself.  If you want to stand there and freeze, go ahead.  But if you want to stay warm at the North Pole, listen to some elfy advice… just dance!

Rhythm Test

Grade 4/5 classes have a rhythm test tomorrow.  Study sheets are going home or see the file below.  Happy studying!

We Are Thankful

Today in music, we got to play a fun Thanksgiving game and create a beautiful dance with scarves.

What are you thankful for?  Can you create a dance to this song using a scarf?

Who's the fastest turkey?  Today we practiced leading this song.  Mrs. Rempel played the bass xylophone while we took turns playing the game and chasing the turkey back to the barn.

Dice Games

Room 4 got to learn some new music games at the end of the day to practice our note naming and rhythm skills.  We played "Battle of the Notes" (like the card game "War.")  We also played "Prediction" and "Note Racer."  It was fun and most students showed great fair play and cooperation skills.

Composing on the Instruments

Grade 3 students were hard at work creating melody patterns for their poems on the barred instruments.  We set up our instruments by taking off F and C.  The melody was only on B-A-G notes.  We got to share some of our patterns with the rest of the class and then we sang them.  Will blog about them another day.

How would you sing this?

Songs of Remembrance

Today the Grade 1's and I read the poem "In Flanders Fields" from the book by Linda Granfield, illustrated by Janet Wilson.  We shed a few tears as we talked about what Remembrance Day is, why we wear poppies and why remembering soliders who fight for our freedom is important.  This year the Grade 1 and Kindergarten classes will be singing at our assembly on Nov. 7.  We will be practicing our song for the next few weeks in music.

Congratulations to the students who came and auditioned today for a chance to sing the solo in the Remembrance Day Grade 2/3 choir song.  Everyone did great.  Jessica (Room 18) and Kiera (Room 11) will be leading the choir and the runner ups were Tyson (Room 17) and Jyan (Room 12). 

I Can Write Music!

I am so proud of Room 11, 12, 17 & 18.  Today they learned a children's rhyme called "Pease Porridge."  We reviewed quarter (ta) and eighth (ti-ti) notes as well as the quarter rest (sh).  We did one measure together and then they had to complete the rest of the song independently.  For some students, this was their first experiences writing music and they did REALLY well!  After this, they had to practice playing it on the hand drum.

Hats off to this Grade 1 student for only learning about this a couple of classes ago.  She did this all by herself!

Next class, we are going to write our own melodies on the pitched instruments to create a little tune.  I wonder what this will sound like?

Rhythm Test

Preparing for the playing test.

Don't forget to count in the beat, which sets the tempo (or speed).  We say 1, 2, ready go

Grade 4/5 students will be having a rhythm test next week on Wednesday.  We did a practice test this week and many found it challenging to listen to an 8-beat rhythm and write it out.  Yet, many students are able to do it!

The test will include:
1. separating rhythms into measures using bar lines
2. putting the rhythms you hear in the order you hear them
3. writing the rhythm you hear (8-beats long)
4. creating your own 8-beat rhythm using quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes
5. playing 4 measures of a rhythm pattern on the hand drum
6. identify note names, rests and their values (whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth)

Make sure you practice them all because Ms. Rempel will choose which 2 you'll play for your test.

Super Singers!

These students did an awesome job today in leading the school in the Kind-Hearted Hand song.  If you missed it, hopefully you'll get a chance to see them lead in another assembly through out the year.

Monday Assembly

Come and join us bright and early Monday morning at 9:00 am for our monthly assembly.  Classes will be sharing about things that are important to them and our school will sing our theme song, "Kind Hearted Hand," featuring several soloists.

Wakati Wa Amani

The Grade 4/5 choir is preparing a song for the Remembrance Day assembly on Nov. 7.  We are learning to read music, sing in 2 part harmony and a new language, Swahili.  Here is the practice track.

Pronunciation Guide/Translation

Wakati wa amani (wah-kah-tee wah ah-mah-nee) = a time of peace

Amani iwe kwenu (ah-mah-nee ee-weh kweh-noo) = peace be with you

Kikora (kee-koh-rah) = joy

Mwanzo (em-wahn-zoh) = start over

Rafiki angu (rah-fee-kee ahn-goo) = my friend

Imani (ee-mah-nee) = faith

Kiburi (kee-boo-ree) = pride

Uwezo (oo-weh-zoh) = strength

Amini (ah-mee-nee) = believe

I Have But One Dream...

The Grade 2/3 choir is preparing for their first performance at our Remembrance Day assembly on Nov. 7.  Our song is called "One Dream" by Dave and Jean Perry.  We are holding auditions for 5 students from each room to sing a solo at the beginning of the song.  These students will need to prepare on their own and the 2 chosen students will have additional practices.

Audition criteria include:
- singing on pitch
- knowing the words
- singing clearly (pronunciation of the words)
- good volume
- having confidence

Beat, Beat, Feel the Beat

The beat keepers!

Several music classes have been moving, saying and playing the beat in a variety of songs and games.  We had lots of fun playing follow the teacher as we listened to the famous song "The Syncopated Clock" by Lerory Anderson.  Can you hear the clock's tic-toc?


We have also been learning about TEMPO - the speed of the beat.  It's how fast or slow the music is played.   Here's some of the words we have learned and practiced.   

Check out the tempo video with Mr. Greg!

 

Note and Rhythms

The Grade 4/5 classes have been reading, writing and performing various rhythms showing whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes and rests.

Practicing rhythms on our hand drums.

An excellent example of a student's work!

Listening tests.  Can you clap these rhythms?

Kindness Matters

Our classes have been rehearsing the song: Kind Hearted Hand by Peter Seltser.  I had over 30 kids audition for a solo part in the song and 14 got chosen.  These students will lead the school during assemblies.  I have posted 2 videos of the song with lyrics on Youtube.  One has the singers and one is the instrumental track.

Check out this website for more information on The Great Kindness Challenge.  And check out Kids For Peace Global who have graciously given us permission to use their recording of the song.

For your own recording of the song, you can buy it on Itunes.

Instrument Sort

The Grade 1 classes have been accompanying songs with the non-pitched instruments, creating simple rhythmic textures and performing a steady beat.  We also identified, described and classified non-pitched percussion sounds into 3 groups - metals, woods and skins/membranes.  Students showed excellent listening and control as we practiced taking turns and waiting to play at the right times in the music.  This takes concentration.

Can you sort these instruments?

Showing playing and waiting positions.