Trimester 3, 2017 Summary
K-2nd Grade Focus on Music Literacy
This trimester, we have spent a LOT of time on reading melodies, and composition. We began by discussing this big question "Why do we write the notes down on the staff?" Even the composers of the past did this so that today we can still play their music. When you don't write it down, it can be forgotten! Just like those good old grocery lists, right?!
Over the past few months, the students spent time identifying the notes on the staff, listening and critically thinking about melodies, searching and finding musical patterns and working together to build their music literacy skills.
Ask your children about some games we played to reinforce our learning.
- Echo me game (with ukuleles)
- Point and play
- Roll and play
- Composition station
- Heads up 8 up (with pitches on staff)
In these past few weeks, we spent some time learning about musical ostinato (or plural: Ostinati). This is a repetitive musical pattern, which can be rhythmic, melodic, etc. A wonderful (and super fun) site to reinforce this learning is called http://www.bitesizebeats.com/
This must be done with an adult, as there is an age requirement. It is an adorable example of the great power of repetitive musical patterns (ostinati) ... all in the package of some funny M&Ms!
We enjoyed making our own ostinati live too...some using voices and some using instruments!
Just a warning...Your ostinato will get stuck in your heads! Haaha :)
3rd-5th Grade Focus on Performance
Congrats on a totally RAD 80s musical! Our 3rd-5th graders poured their hearts into this year's performance. I asked my students about some things they will remember or take away from this experience. In the kids' words, here are some valuable things they learned this trimester because of our musical production.
"I learned that you need to speak slowly for the audience to hear you."
"I learned that we needed to use more of our voice so the audience can hear us clearly."
"I learned sign language. I can communicate now in a different way. When I'm older I can help others because of this."
"I learned that it is okay to laugh at ourselves. Not to be so serious all the time."
"We learned to listen to the cues for all of our transitions."
"I learned to be more open with music. Before choir, I didn't sing and dance a lot. Now I like to dance and sing and listen to music."
"When there are a lot of people I used to have stage fright. Because of this show, I conquered my fears and I even tried to stand out!!!!"Targets of this experience...
- Analyze musical concepts through performance
- Practice, improve, and perform artistic ideas
- Develop personal interpretations that consider creators' intent and appropriate to the audience and content
- Explain how music is related to history, culture and our daily life
- Evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances, individually or in collaboration with others
*For information about the national standards hit during this trimester, check out the "Performance" section of this document: http://www.nafme.org/wp-content/files/2014/11/2014-Music-Standards-PK-8-Strand.pdf
