Fasten Your Seatbelts!

Lower School Music is off to a fast start with a busy New Year! 


Here are just some of the things we are doing this week:

K4 & K5 classes are "ringing in the New Year" with a new song that involves playing bells, dancing, smiling, recognizing their birthday, AND promising to be a little kinder to everyone this year!   We also introduced our Spring musical, "Lemonade!" and discussed the term, "musical" (a story told through songs and speaking/acting, and usually characters are dressed in costume).

1st & 2nd grades began our classes with a VERY SERIOUS SONG called "One Green Jelly Bean"!   The students even created some extra verses.  Before the song ended, we were all laughing!  Our Spring musical, "Nuts!"  was introduced and we discussed the theme, which is "the circle of life".  

3rd grade continues to practice the flutophone.  We are reviewing the three notes we've learned, "B-A-G".  We are adding new songs, notes, and musical symbols!  We'll be well-prepared to play the recorder in 4th grade.

4th grade is concentrating on Recorder Karate and working toward earning "belts".  I sent home info that tells the students how to access the music online so they can practice.  This is the website:  www.musick8.com . I am offering a new way to test for belts:  While playing the music provided online, video your child playing the recorder using your iPhone, iPad, or other device, and then email it to me at ddyer@gwa.com  If they play it accurately (as we demonstrated in class), I will reply that they've earned their "belt"!   The next time they come to music, the belts are awarded!  Isn't technology wonderful?!

Some colleagues discovered a new website, "Interactive Sites for Education".  http://interactivesites.weebly.com/  It has a collection of fun learning activities for many areas of study, including MUSIC!  My 3rd & 4th grade classes looked at "Composing Your Own Music" and tried it out in class.  If my students want to compose music through this online game and email it to me (the site provides a way to do that), they can earn ONE noteworthy! 

Keep Calm and Make Music~
Mrs. Debbie Dyer