October 10-14, 2016
Kinders: No doubt the highlight for all the kids has been singing Halloween songs! (Ask your kindergartener to explain who dances by the light of a harvest moon...) From pumpkins to scarecrows to leaves changing and helping on the country farm, the kinders are learning abut melodies as well as the many facets of Autumn!
First Grade: The first graders also LOVE their Halloween songs! This week they also created their own rhythms (Ta's and Titi's) using fall leaves, roosters or apples!
First Grade: The first graders also LOVE their Halloween songs! This week they also created their own rhythms (Ta's and Titi's) using fall leaves, roosters or apples!
October 3-7, 2016
The Kindergarteners have been learning basic rhythms through echo clapping. We have been focusing on "ta" (quarter note) "titi" (8th notes) and "didi-didi" (16th notes) as we sing and demonstrate "Grandfather's Clock." During September we also drew quarter notes and 8th notes. In October we started writing more rhythms such as "ta-ah" (half note), and demonstrating quarter and half rests ("sh" and "sh-sh") as we sing Wake Me, Shake Me (Don't let me be too late!) and a Native American folk song called Ushkana.
First Graders learned a new song about forte (loud) and piano (soft)... ("...then there is fortissimo--very loud fortissimo, also pianissimo--very soft indeed!”)
First Graders learned a new song about forte (loud) and piano (soft)... ("...then there is fortissimo--very loud fortissimo, also pianissimo--very soft indeed!”)
September 19-23, 2016
The Kindergarteners are learning many ways to say Hello! Ask your first grader how they say "Hello" in Africa ("Jambo!"), Spain ("Hola!"), Mexico ("Buenos Dias"), Israel ("Shalom!"), France ("Bonjour!"), Hawaii ("Aloha!") and a few other places across the globe! They are also learning basic rhythms through echo clapping. We have been focusing on "ta" (quarter note) "titi" (8th notes) and "didi-didi" (16th notes) as we sing and demonstrate "Grandfather's Clock."
The First Graders also continue to explore rhythms through movement, rhythm cards and songs. At the end of the week, ask your first grader about the different rhythms that go with the Old Gray cat song (sleeping, nibbling, creeping, scampering).
The First Graders also continue to explore rhythms through movement, rhythm cards and songs. At the end of the week, ask your first grader about the different rhythms that go with the Old Gray cat song (sleeping, nibbling, creeping, scampering).
September 12-16, 2016
The Kindergarteners have learned a couple of "Hello" songs (using Kodaly) and some fun song about Grandpa's Farm! They are learning how to speak in rhythm with our name game, "Let's Go 'Round in a Circle." Kindergarteners love to move and get lots of opportunity to do so by finding the steady beat in different ways. Ask your child to show you how Johnny Works With One Hammer...
The First Graders are mastering rhythms and rests in their name game, "Hey! Children! Who's in town?" This week we are playing instruments to the rhythms that happen All Day Long...
The First Graders are mastering rhythms and rests in their name game, "Hey! Children! Who's in town?" This week we are playing instruments to the rhythms that happen All Day Long...
October 29-September 9, 2016
These first two weeks the Kinders learned a new name game with a steady beat, sang the "Peanut Butter" song followed by "Brush Your Teeth," marched to the beat and learned what a melody is! Ask your kindergartener which songs have different words but sound the same...(Hint: The stars, apples and the alphabet all have something in common!)
The First Graders also learned a new name game with a steady beat, reviewed a couple of rhythms ("Ta" and "Titi") and put them into a new song ("All around the kitchen....cocka-doodle doodle doo...") We also sang about "Farmer Brown's 5 Green Apples..."
The First Graders also learned a new name game with a steady beat, reviewed a couple of rhythms ("Ta" and "Titi") and put them into a new song ("All around the kitchen....cocka-doodle doodle doo...") We also sang about "Farmer Brown's 5 Green Apples..."