With October comes Autumnal and Halloween songs!
First grade has been learning about the differences between steady beat and rhythm. They have spoken, clapped, and played quarter notes (also known as "ta") and they know that if they see a symbol like this- Z, it means no sound, or "rest." First grade has been exploring high and low pitches with the help of Gretchen the Ghost, Wanda the Witch, and Simon the Skeleton.
Second grade has been learning about quarter notes and eighth notes (also known as "ta" and "ta-ti"). They have been performing a 2 part poem, "A Round Little Pumpkin," with some non-pitched percussion instruments to highlight the words "grow," "pumpkin," "sun," "Halloween," and "best." (They have also been practicing some pretty fantastic jack-o-lantern faces!) To further explore dynamics, they are listening to "In The Hall of the Mountain King" from Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt suite, and performing a movement activity that shows all of the loud and soft moments of the piece.
Third grade has also been learning about quarter notes and eighth notes, as well as half notes ("tu"). They have been practicing their Orff instrument skills, 2-part singing skills, and rhythmic skills in their study of "Falling Leaves." (We have been doing a very fun movement activity with movement scarves!) Third grade is also starting to improvise rhythm patterns that 'stem' from names of trees that lose their leaves in Autumn, and improvise melodic patterns that represent some of the spooky characters in "Halloween Night."
Fourth grade has been focusing on phrasing and form, which has been helping them learn their chorus pieces very quickly! They learned the poem "Bumps in the Night" and transferred it to barred instruments-xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. They have also had opportunities to improvise melodic patterns based on the poem. They are also using Sergei Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights" to create their own spooky story.
In 4th grade chorus, students have been working hard to learn all 4 pieces for our December concert. Most sections of chorus have already almost finished one of the songs! They have been working with solfege syllables (do, re, mi, etc.) to learn a 3 part round, and have had a lot of fun with our varied warm-ups.
First grade has been learning about the differences between steady beat and rhythm. They have spoken, clapped, and played quarter notes (also known as "ta") and they know that if they see a symbol like this- Z, it means no sound, or "rest." First grade has been exploring high and low pitches with the help of Gretchen the Ghost, Wanda the Witch, and Simon the Skeleton.
Second grade has been learning about quarter notes and eighth notes (also known as "ta" and "ta-ti"). They have been performing a 2 part poem, "A Round Little Pumpkin," with some non-pitched percussion instruments to highlight the words "grow," "pumpkin," "sun," "Halloween," and "best." (They have also been practicing some pretty fantastic jack-o-lantern faces!) To further explore dynamics, they are listening to "In The Hall of the Mountain King" from Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt suite, and performing a movement activity that shows all of the loud and soft moments of the piece.
Third grade has also been learning about quarter notes and eighth notes, as well as half notes ("tu"). They have been practicing their Orff instrument skills, 2-part singing skills, and rhythmic skills in their study of "Falling Leaves." (We have been doing a very fun movement activity with movement scarves!) Third grade is also starting to improvise rhythm patterns that 'stem' from names of trees that lose their leaves in Autumn, and improvise melodic patterns that represent some of the spooky characters in "Halloween Night."
Fourth grade has been focusing on phrasing and form, which has been helping them learn their chorus pieces very quickly! They learned the poem "Bumps in the Night" and transferred it to barred instruments-xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels. They have also had opportunities to improvise melodic patterns based on the poem. They are also using Sergei Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights" to create their own spooky story.
In 4th grade chorus, students have been working hard to learn all 4 pieces for our December concert. Most sections of chorus have already almost finished one of the songs! They have been working with solfege syllables (do, re, mi, etc.) to learn a 3 part round, and have had a lot of fun with our varied warm-ups.