music lessons
Lessons are designed based on national, state and district standards. They are also driven by the Kodály concept and complemented by the Orff approach. Mrs. Bjorklund is hard at work designing yearly plans that will enhance musical literacy and ear training and expose students to as many different genres of music and movement as possible.
Kindergarten music
Kindergarten spent the first half of the school year labeling our different voices: talking, whispering, calling and singing as well as different levels of voices that we associated with papa bear, mama bear and baby bear.
We also prepared and labeled a few music comparatives: fast & slow and loud & soft and we're preparing to label another: high & low.
As we continue into the second half of the school year, we will continue to work on steady beat and finding our singing voices through lots of play. We'll also label rhythm as "the way the words go" and prepare the read quarter notes and two eighth notes as well as the melodic pitches "so" and "mi" by the end of the year!
We also prepared and labeled a few music comparatives: fast & slow and loud & soft and we're preparing to label another: high & low.
As we continue into the second half of the school year, we will continue to work on steady beat and finding our singing voices through lots of play. We'll also label rhythm as "the way the words go" and prepare the read quarter notes and two eighth notes as well as the melodic pitches "so" and "mi" by the end of the year!
1st grade music
First grade spent the first half of the school year reviewing and solidifying concepts and skills worked on during the kindergarten music year. In November, we began intensive work on quarter notes and eighth notes and we spent the month of December working on our singing voices so we'll be preparing to successfully sightread the pitches "so" and "mi" early in the month of January.
The second half of the school year will move quickly in first grade music, with a performance in February. See our UPCOMING EVENTS page and check your e-mail for more information!
We will learn the melodic pitches "so", "mi" & "la", the rhythms quarter note, two eighth notes and quarter rest, have a solid understanding of the musical comparatives fast & slow, loud & soft, and high & low and be able to distinguish and perform beat & rhythm. See if your child if they can read the rhythm pictured below to you already! They will call the quarter notes "TA" and the sets of two eighth notes "TA-di" for short!
The second half of the school year will move quickly in first grade music, with a performance in February. See our UPCOMING EVENTS page and check your e-mail for more information!
We will learn the melodic pitches "so", "mi" & "la", the rhythms quarter note, two eighth notes and quarter rest, have a solid understanding of the musical comparatives fast & slow, loud & soft, and high & low and be able to distinguish and perform beat & rhythm. See if your child if they can read the rhythm pictured below to you already! They will call the quarter notes "TA" and the sets of two eighth notes "TA-di" for short!
2nd grade music
Second grade spent the first half of the school year reviewing and solidifying concepts and skills worked on during the first grade music year. They are becoming more comfortable reading the melodic pitches "do-mi-so-la" both in stick notation and on the staff. We've also spent a lot of time reading half notes, quarter notes, two eighth notes, and quarter rests. We've been preparing to label the melodic pitch "re" (pronounced "ray") and many students have already caught on! "It's ree, I know it is!" They've even been flashing the Curwen hand sign. It is pictured to the left. I keep telling them they'll just have to come back to music to find out if they're right!
In the second half of the school year, we'll label the melodic pitch "re", prepare and label the rhythm, four sixteenth notes, and improvise with our voices and on instruments using these known musical elements and compose our own music.
UPDATE: We've now labeled the melodic pitch "re"! Use the flashcards below to practice reading melodic patterns including "re" from the staff. Can your child also find these pitches on a xylophone or keyboard instrument at home?
In the second half of the school year, we'll label the melodic pitch "re", prepare and label the rhythm, four sixteenth notes, and improvise with our voices and on instruments using these known musical elements and compose our own music.
UPDATE: We've now labeled the melodic pitch "re"! Use the flashcards below to practice reading melodic patterns including "re" from the staff. Can your child also find these pitches on a xylophone or keyboard instrument at home?
3rd grade music
Third grade is continuing their studies of the soprano recorder. Below is a review of expectations and basic procedures as well as a "How It's Made" clip about wooden recorders. Click here to access our recorder website. We'll begin implementing the "Recorder Karate" incentive system sometime in early spring as well. Stay tuned for more information! They will also be performing in February. See the UPCOMING EVENTS page and check your e-mail for more information.
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4th grade music
Fourth graders learned the entire extended do pentatone and are ready to learn the solfege pitch "fa" after winter break. They'll also be learning more complex rhythms: syncopation and an eighth and two sixteenth notes and two sixteenth and an eighth note patterns. We'll be applying all of this knowledge to the Orff instruments and creating and performing pieces that include these musical elements.
5th grade music
Fifth grade classes began learning the ukulele before winter break. After break they'll learn more chords and strumming patterns and select a song to perform for other classes or possibly publish to Youtube!
This spring they will also producing a musical! Check the UPCOMING EVENTS page and your e-mail for more details!
This spring they will also producing a musical! Check the UPCOMING EVENTS page and your e-mail for more details!