4.28.2008
Choir Festival
On Friday the Jefferson Choir took a trip over to Sand Creek Elementary School to participate in the Choir festival. It was a fantastic day and our Conductor Susan Zemlin from Blaine High School was AMAZING and had great things to say about the songs we were singing. The day was long and there was a lot of standing and singing, but the students did a wonderful job...I am so proud of them. I can't wait for our Jefferson concert on May 8th! It should be spectacular!
4.22.2008
Homework this week
1st Grade:
Please be looking for homework coming home from your students this week. We have been working on singing Sol-Mi melodies and the students just completed writing their own melodies and placing them on a 2-line staff. Please have your child sing it and sign it with their hands for you (encourage the use of a light high voice). Then sign it and have them bring it back to the Music Room.
2nd Grade:
Please be looking for a homework assignment coming come from your students this week. We have been working hard on reading, writing, and signing Sol, Mi, Do. The assignment was a transcription of a song they have been singing.
Please be looking for homework coming home from your students this week. We have been working on singing Sol-Mi melodies and the students just completed writing their own melodies and placing them on a 2-line staff. Please have your child sing it and sign it with their hands for you (encourage the use of a light high voice). Then sign it and have them bring it back to the Music Room.
2nd Grade:
Please be looking for a homework assignment coming come from your students this week. We have been working hard on reading, writing, and signing Sol, Mi, Do. The assignment was a transcription of a song they have been singing.
3.12.2008
Recorder Choir Update
In case you haven't heard, this year I started a recorder choir at jefferson for the 5th grade students who wanted a bit more challenge with the recorders. It has been going very well and the students are enjoying stretching their musical wings. This week we began learning the Alto recorder. The alto recorder is bigger than the sopranos we play in class and it plays in a different key than the soprano. It's a bit of a mind bender, but the students are picking it up really quickly.
3.04.2008
Things have been busy!
It's been a while since I've posted any news from the music room so here's what's been happening in Feb:
1st Grade:
Just finished writing 16 beat compositions using High and Low. They are now able to read/sing/ and play music off of the 2-line staff!! How Exciting!
2nd Grade:
Has just learned the entire Pentatonic Scale (do, re, mi, sol, la) and is busy singing/improvising/composing/ and playing around with our new sounds
3rd Grade:
Is having fun singing and playing around in La, based pentatonic (minor mode). Soon we will add low Sol to our note pallette. Be looking for a new composition coming home soon!
4th Grade:
Is progressing nicely with their recorders. We now know 4 notes: GA CD and have started our "recorder karate" belt testing. Be sure to encourage your child to bring their recorder home to practice. The more they practice, the better they sound!
5th Grade:
Just finished a large project where they created a dance, recorder improvisation and added it to a known xylophone song. It was amazing to see the wonderful and creative ideas that they came up with!!! I wish that I could put the video up online, however I am restricted due to data privacy laws here in the district.
Jefferson 4/5 Choir:
I am really impressed at how quickly the choir is learning their music. Not only did they impress me by how well they are READING the choral octavos, but they are watching me while I direct! They are truly a musically gifted group! I am really excited for our workshop with Cantus next week. If you have not visited the Cantus website, do it now and get a taste of the musical excellence that will be at Jefferson next week.
Recorder Choir:
recorder choir is busy working on new songs that they will be playing on the choir concert in May. They are also preparing a couple of really neat xylophone ensemble songs. One group has even taken on the challenge of learning the Alto Recorder
1st Grade:
Just finished writing 16 beat compositions using High and Low. They are now able to read/sing/ and play music off of the 2-line staff!! How Exciting!
2nd Grade:
Has just learned the entire Pentatonic Scale (do, re, mi, sol, la) and is busy singing/improvising/composing/ and playing around with our new sounds
3rd Grade:
Is having fun singing and playing around in La, based pentatonic (minor mode). Soon we will add low Sol to our note pallette. Be looking for a new composition coming home soon!
4th Grade:
Is progressing nicely with their recorders. We now know 4 notes: GA CD and have started our "recorder karate" belt testing. Be sure to encourage your child to bring their recorder home to practice. The more they practice, the better they sound!
5th Grade:
Just finished a large project where they created a dance, recorder improvisation and added it to a known xylophone song. It was amazing to see the wonderful and creative ideas that they came up with!!! I wish that I could put the video up online, however I am restricted due to data privacy laws here in the district.
Jefferson 4/5 Choir:
I am really impressed at how quickly the choir is learning their music. Not only did they impress me by how well they are READING the choral octavos, but they are watching me while I direct! They are truly a musically gifted group! I am really excited for our workshop with Cantus next week. If you have not visited the Cantus website, do it now and get a taste of the musical excellence that will be at Jefferson next week.
Recorder Choir:
recorder choir is busy working on new songs that they will be playing on the choir concert in May. They are also preparing a couple of really neat xylophone ensemble songs. One group has even taken on the challenge of learning the Alto Recorder
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2.19.2008
Choir Schedule update
Please note that there has been a change of date for the Cantus Workshop. It is now going to be Thursday March 13th 4pm-4:45pm. Please make this change on your calendar and download a new copy of the schedule from the website
This is a VERY important event for the choir, so please make sure that your student can attend.
This is a VERY important event for the choir, so please make sure that your student can attend.
2.01.2008
Website updates
I have made a few updates to the Grade level pages on the website. Here's what I have added:
- a list of songs that we listen to in class as well as links to purchase these songs via iTunes
- more information on the homework that comes home and how I grade each assignment
- a few more recordings of classroom performances for you to listen to.
1.29.2008
A new year
Greetings everyone!
it's been a while since I've given you an update about what is going on in the music room here at Jefferson, so hold on to your hats:
1st Grade
are having a great time learning new songs and poems and using the instruments to accompany their singing. They have just learned about a quarter rest so be looking for an assignment coming home soon with this new bit of knowledge in it.
2nd Grade
are busy learning about high, mid, and low which will turn into Mi, re, and do of the pentatonic scale very soon. We are using the song "let us chase the squirrel" to make this conscious. Be looking for a short assignment coming home that will address this song.
3rd Grade
have just learned low la to add to our pentatonic knowledge. Low la is central to songs in the minor mode (sad sounding) and many other great songs that we have in the music room. They are busy learning a xylophone piece that uses the new note in triple meter.
4th Grade
are busy playing up a storm with their recorders. They have learned A C' and D' and are playing many of the songs they learned in 1st and 2nd grade because A C' and D' are also mi sol and la of the pentatonic scale. Soon I will be handing out their recorder "books" so they can study at their own pace.
5th Grade
a very exciting week for 5th grade as well. We are video taping movement pieces that we created using a xylophone song, recorder improvisation, and a dance that they made up themselves...be looking for it on the website soon!
Phew, that's a lot of stuff going on. Keep checking back often for more exciting news from the music room.
it's been a while since I've given you an update about what is going on in the music room here at Jefferson, so hold on to your hats:
1st Grade
are having a great time learning new songs and poems and using the instruments to accompany their singing. They have just learned about a quarter rest so be looking for an assignment coming home soon with this new bit of knowledge in it.
2nd Grade
are busy learning about high, mid, and low which will turn into Mi, re, and do of the pentatonic scale very soon. We are using the song "let us chase the squirrel" to make this conscious. Be looking for a short assignment coming home that will address this song.
3rd Grade
have just learned low la to add to our pentatonic knowledge. Low la is central to songs in the minor mode (sad sounding) and many other great songs that we have in the music room. They are busy learning a xylophone piece that uses the new note in triple meter.
4th Grade
are busy playing up a storm with their recorders. They have learned A C' and D' and are playing many of the songs they learned in 1st and 2nd grade because A C' and D' are also mi sol and la of the pentatonic scale. Soon I will be handing out their recorder "books" so they can study at their own pace.
5th Grade
a very exciting week for 5th grade as well. We are video taping movement pieces that we created using a xylophone song, recorder improvisation, and a dance that they made up themselves...be looking for it on the website soon!
Phew, that's a lot of stuff going on. Keep checking back often for more exciting news from the music room.
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