This week in the music room

Hi everyone! The last week of February is here already. This week we have a special assembly on Wednesday for Anti-Bullying Day. Don't forget to wear your pink shirt!

Here's what will be happening in the music room this week:

K-1
-review new game "Seven Steps" - this is a fun song that incorporates a circle dance in which students have the opportunity to be the leader and create a dance move that we all copy. Also develops singing voice and singing in tune
-last week students learned "la", and how it relates to the two solfege tones we already know, "so" and "mi". This week we build on this with a new song, "Doggie, Doggie". Includes a fun circle game with opportunities for solo singing
-discuss and identify pitches and rhythms in "Doggie, Doggie"
-begin learning Bumblebee songs


Gr. 2/3
-review "Seven Steps" - game described above
-Continue learning "Country Swing" - identify phrases in the song that are the same; isolate a repeating phrase and learn. Build on this phrase and learn whole song. Country Swing is proving to be a bit tricky with that low D note that is required! But I know the students can do a wonderful job!
-new songs and singing game - Bumblebee Songs
-new singing game - "Grizzly Bear" (focusing on dynamics)

Gr. 4/5
-we STILL haven't had a class opportunity to learn "Happiness Blues"! This week we are going to learn how to pick the song and sing the lyrics
-continue learning "Country Roads"
-new game - "Seven Steps", or "Icka Backa"

Gr. 4/5/6 and 5/6
-Listening lesson - Compare and contrast two versions of the same song, "Hound Dog". One version by Elvis Presley, one version by Big Mama Thornton. Use music vocabulary (electric, acoustic, tempo, harmony, beat, rhythm, syncopation) to discuss similarities and differences, and discover the connection that the Blues music genre has made to other genres of music.
-new game - "Icka Backa"

Here's to a great and musical week! Let's have lots of fun while we sing, dance, and play instruments!

This week in the music room!

Happy Valentines Day!

Wow, the next two weeks are certainly a change from our regular routine! Things are busy, busy at Courtenay Elementary!

This week: special performance from Green Thumb Theatre and early dismissal Wednesday. Valentine's Day Thursday.

Next week: No school for students Monday (teacher professional development day, and Lunar New Year assembly Thurs. Feb 21 at 10:30!

Here's what our students are up to in the music room ..... 

K, K/1, 1

• continue learning Skinamarinki and A You're Adorable  
• New circle game: 1,2,3, Who Will it Be? 
• New Valentine's Rhythm and ORFF activity: Valentine, Valentine

Gr. 2/3

• New circle game: 1,2,3 Who will it be?
• Continue learning new note on recorder: low D
• Continue learning new song on recorder (purple belt song): Country Swing

Gr. 4/5

• Learn new song Somebody Loves Me, play circle game similar to Stella Ella Olla
• Continue learning Country Roads
• optional activities: Valentine's Bingo, Valentine's Composition activity, guitars 
• (students in grade 4 have been taking their FSA's which occur during music time, so there may only be a handful of grade 5 students that attend music class)

Grade 4/5/6

• Somebody Loves Me (played as Stella Ella Olla)
• Valentine's Bingo (each Bingo spaces corresponds with a rhythm that matches a "Valentines Phrase" - ie - Be Mine)
• Valentines Composition activity (students in pairs receive Valentine hearts with phrases on them ("true love", etc) which correspond to a rhythm. Students arrange hearts into a 4 bar rhythmic song in 4/4 time; students then choose instruments (xylophone, boomwhacker or guitar) and play their arrangement for the class.

This week in Music

K-1

• students continue to work on keeping a steady beat through movement, listening, and playing xylophones
• students are confident singing "so" and "mi" using hand signals
• we are beginning our Valentine's Day songs, including Roses are Red (xylophone song), Valentine, Valentine (circle game), Skinnamarinki Dinky Dink and A You're Adorable

Gr. 2-3

• students have tested for their green belts in Recorder Karate. We are now moving on to purple belt - which means a new note, "low D", and a new song, Country Swing
• students have learned about the staff, and where notes are placed on the staff. We have talked about the names of lines and spaces.
• Students are learning a new circle game, Stella Ella Olla, which helps them to keep a steady beat while singing
• Valentine's songs include 1,2,3, Who will it Be! (partner clapping game), Circle Round the Zero (circle dance)

Gr. 4/5

• we continue to work on playing ukulele chords D, G, A7 and Bm 
• Students have started a new song, "Country Roads"
• Students have started a new ukulele technique where we pick the strings and play the melody instead of chords - they have learned to play Mary Had a Little Lamb and will soon begin to learn Happiness Blues
• Students will also play the circle game, Stella Ella Olla

Gr. 4/5/6 and 5/6

• students continue their study of the Blues - playing the 12 Bar Blues on guitar (chords D, G, and A)
• students discover the lyrical form of the Blues (AAB), and write a short blues song with a small group
• Students learn how to play a shuffle beat, essential to making their guitar playing sound more "bluesy"
• students will combine the above skills to create a class blues song, that contains 3 AAB verses, and will sing and accompany themselves while playing the 12 Bar Blues on guitar 
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