A little bit about the music classroom:

In music class students will sing, move, listen, imitate, explore, experience, analyze, classify, create, share, perform, notate, read, improvise, cooperate, and most importantly HAVE FUN!!!! We strive to create innovative, engaging lesson plans which include singing, playing instruments, and moving in each of our lessons. Music is important here at Dolvin Elementary. Studies show that students who receive music perform better on tests involving reading, math, problem solving, and logical thinking.


Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first grade. Show all posts

Monday, November 4, 2013

This month in music!

This month, students in K-5 are talking about fall and Thanksgiving, but most importantly FORM.  What is form?  Check out the instructional website that 4th and 5th graders will be working on over the course of the next few weeks to test your knowledge! 

Form Instructional Website


Check back next week for pictures and videos of our music students hard at work!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

October music....

This month we have focused on pitch, timbre, and connections of music and literature.


 Kindergarteners:  Kindergarteners reinforced their classroom concepts with pumpkins, bats, and spiders in music in addition to music concepts.  Students learned about two new pitch syllables so and mi, hand signs for the new notes, and where they live on a staff with a fun song, "Pumpkin, Pumpkin".  They focused on high and low pitches with the Five Little Hoot Owls in which they sang high pitch and acted out the song.  They all wanted to be the black cat.  Then they transferred high and low vocal pitch to instrumental pitch and accompanied a bat and pumpkin story.  The ended their unit with a fun ball game of singing and tossing high and low pitches to one another.  They ended the month with an interactive story of "The Very Busy Spider".  Students learned about quarter notes (beat) and 8th notes (beat and).  They added instrument timbres as sound effects for animals, the song "Little Spider Spins All Day", and acting to the classic Eric Carl story.  Kindergarteners had fun describing how music enhanced the story and made it even more interesting.

1st Grade:  First graders began their month with pitch as well.  They played an instrumental accompaniment to "Pumpkin Stew" and added melodic direction on the glockenspiels.  We were able to rotate until everyone had an opportunity to play each part.  Then first graders were able to "make" their own pumpkin stew and add any ingredients they wanted.  I was glad that we didn't have to eat their creation!  We moved into instrument timbre with a poem "Someone" and exciting song "The Thing That Isn't There".  Students added various instruments they felt best fit the song to make it sound "creepy".... Then students were able to experiment with enhancing literature with music by choosing their own instrument sound effects to the story of "The Vanishing Pumpkin", song "Off We Go in Search of a Pumpkin", and actors.  They had fun trying to act like a 700 year old woman and an 800 year old man!  We ended the month with a discussion on melody and melodic direction.  We discussed how to predict instrument pitch as high and low based on size and played notes moving upward and downward on barred instruments with the story, "Mortimer".

2nd Grade:  Second Graders have been hard at work on their musical, "Spaced Out" in which they performed Monday evening.  They did a fantastic job.  We hope to spend some time watching their peformance and create music critiques.  We had fun focusing on tempo and form with our show tunes.  In addition to the their hard work on their musical, 2nd graders found time to work on discussing incidental music with Edvard Grieg's music, "In the Hall of the Mountain King".  Students were able to discuss how Grieg's music added background to the story of Henrik Ibsen through the use of a book I created based on Henrik Ibsen's adult drama.  We listened to the first part of the story and left off the ending.  Then after listening to the music, students were able to create their own ending based what the music told them happened at the end.  They had a great time getting to know the story and creating their own ending.  It is always fun to allow the students the opportunity to create without there being any wrong answers.  To end the month, we had a little fun adding instrumental accompaniment, instrument timbres, and actors to the story "The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything." 

3rd Grade:  Third Graders started the month off by talking about form and ostinatos with "The Creature in the Classroom".  Students were able to perform a 2 part vocal ostinato under the poem.  We even included a teacher and creature actors!  In addition, students focused on two new forms with "Old Abram Brown" and "Old Roger".  First "Old Abram Brown" was a round, then when adding "Old Roger" was transformed into a partner song.  Third graders had a blast playing the "Old Roger" game.  Third graders also got their hands into enhancing literature with music through the story, "Caps for Sale".  Students were able to add their own instrument timbres to words, sing and play the peddler's song, and add a peddler and monkey actors.  They had a blast discussing how music changed the story.

4th Grade:  Fourth Grade students started the month off by discussing dynamics in music and the importance of dynamics.  They experimented conducting each other reading poems and singing songs.  They also disucssed the role dynamics play in scary music.  Students learned how to identify dynamic markings in music with our song "Come and Sing Together" and added instruments as well as sang the song in a round.  4th graders have begun working on a huge project to fully grasp how music can enhance literature with the story "Where the Wild Things Are".  Students first experimented with percussion sound effects and percussion instruments by categorizing instruments and playing each instrument.  I think we all needed ear plugs on that day!  Then students chose instruments they felt best described particular words in the story.  We added a song and accompaniment along with some actors and presto.... we have a master piece.  It is fun to see how each class tells their own individual story.  I video tape each class perform. This month we plan on watching each performance and critique the differences found.  We wrap up the unit by playing a professional version and allowing time for student discussion.



5th Grade:  Fifth Grade students started the month off by discussing meter in 6/8 and learning a new note, the dotted quarter note with the song "Bats".  Students had to use their knowledge of fractions to understand how meter works and how to divide beats.  They had some fun with our song by adding balloons on the rests and adding our song to the story, "Bats at the Beach." They also had fun playing with Carl Orff's mixed meter piece, Tanz, and peacock feathers!  Later, 5th graders moved into discusssions on dynamics in music and their importance.  They experimented conducting each other reading poems and singing songs.  They also disucssed the role dynamics play in scary music.  Students learned how to identify dynamic markings in music with our song "The Scarecrow's Dance" and added instruments as well as sang the song in a round.  5th graders have begun working on a huge project to fully grasp how music can enhance literature with the story "The Scarecrow's Dance".  Students first experimented with percussion sound effects and percussion instruments by categorizing instruments and playing each instrument.  I think we all needed ear plugs on that day!  Then students chose words they wanted to accent and instruments they felt best described particular words in the story.  We added a song and accompaniment along with some actors and presto.... we have a master piece.  It is fun to see how each class tells their own individual story.  And like 4th grade, I video tape each class perform. This month we plan on watching each performance and critique the differences found. 

Friday, September 28, 2012

Marvelous Music Creations...

Music Room Business!  This is a long one... I promise to post at the end of October to cut down some length next time.

A lot has been going on in the music room since we started in August.  All students began the school year learning the ins and outs of steady beat.  Students moved to music with and without a steady beat with the song "All in One", and played the steady beat on various classroom instruments.  They even had fun taking turns leading their classmates in dance moves to a steady beat with the "Steady Beat Montage"; a compilation of a large variety of genres and tempos.  With the help of a new class "friend" Quaver, students connected the steady beat to their heart beat.  Older students were able to turn their own beat into a challenging math quest for free music tickets! 
      The heart beats about 130 times per minute in newborn babies and about 70 times per minute in teenagers.  The heart muscle contracts to push blood to the lungs and the body.  By checking the pulse, the number of heart beats per minute can be determined.  Check your pulse by counting the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6.  What happens after you do 20 jumping jacks.  Compare your heartbeat to the newborn baby and the teenager.  Where do you fit in?
  
4th - 5th Grade Students:  These students have been working hard to prepare for their recorder unit.  We began by taking what we learned about the steady beat and moved into a discussion on meter.  Students found that most music is grouped in sets of 2, 3, and 4.  Through the bounce catch patterns of tennis balls, rhythm stick passing games, and conducting patterns, students began to feel the different meters and the impact it has on music.  They were able to transfer their knowledge to a new computer program, "Quaver's Marvelous World of Music" and create a backbeat using rhythmic percussion.  The objective was to create at least 2 measures showing that beat one is strongest followed by 3 weak beats.  Students were able to compose any variety of instrumentation as long as there was the obvious downbeat.  They really had fun completing this task!  To continue our studies of meter; students have been preparing for a performance of "Tongo" in class.  "Tongo" is a song in duple meter.  Students were able to sing and perform 3 ostinati under the vocal line!  I could see the surprised looks in their faces and sense of accomplishment when listening to their class perform.    Finally, we have began our study of the staff to prepare for recorders.  The staff has five lines.  Students have learned that the space names are easy to remember (FACE) while the line notes are more difficult (EGBDF).  Through the use of mnemonic devices, students are able to remember the line notes.  (Every Good Boy Does Fine).  We held a brief discussion on mnemonic devices and their uses and how they could be helpful in everyday life. (Spelling test!) Students were challenged this week to create their own mnemonic device for EGBDF and draw an interesting picture related to their sentence.  On the back side they are to use their name OR a friend's name and create either an acronym or acrostic.  They will recieve music tickets for completion!  (See below for a video of Ms. Stansbury's class and Ms. Townsend's class performing "Tongo")

3rd Grade Students:  Third grade students each year participate in a county wide assessment.  These students completed their pretest the second week of school and performed better than I expected.  They really retained information from last year and seemed to be clued into third grade material.  Way to go!  Following the assessment, our focus has been on melodic direction and studying pitch and melody.   Students have had fun moving to melodies that go upward and downward with the parachute to Tchaikovsky's Chinese Dance from the Nutcracker and "I Don't Care if the Rain Comes Down" as well as dancing and playing melodic direction with "Flight of the Bumblebee" and "Rocky Mountain".  To help visualize matching high and low pitches we played a fun ball game where students sang and tossed the ball to match their pitch choice.  I was surprised to see how many tackled the really high pitch just to have the chance to throw a really high toss!  Speaking of high pitches... Did you know an opera singer can break glass by singing a loud and high-pitched note?  Fact.  If a sound wave resonates with a glass at a certain pitch called resonant frequency, a glass can vibrate and smash!  Third graders learned about sound waves, resonant frequencies, and harmonics in a brief discussion with the "Myth Busters" to solve the myth.  Of course you would need to use a particular glass to pull off this type of stunt... 

2nd Grade Students:  Second grade students have begun work on their musical.  We are currently finishing up auditions now.  Please look at the tab labeled "Spaced Out" at the top of this page for lyrics so your child may begin practicing their songs at home.  To kick off our musical, I was pleased to show the students pictures of some of the famous and influencial people in our musical as well as share stories about each individual.  It was a treat to see how each student reacted to seeing what some of these people looked like.  Especially the ones from 190 BC!  Relating to students that there were NO cameras back then is shocking to them.  And their favorite of course was the discussion of Newton and how he created the law of gravity.  Each week I hope to teach students about their musical which will aline with their classroom curriculum.  The students had fun sharing their knowledge of the sun and moon before we confirmed their answers correct as it is stated in their new partner song, "We're As Different As Day and Night".  As most popular music, our musical song selections have a verse refrain form; therefore, our music concept has focused mostly on form. (organizing music into sections).  Students had fun connecting form to music outside the classroom with "September" from Earth, Wind, and Fire.  They had so much fun creating a parachute movement, that some of them told me they bought the song on iTunes!

1st Grade Students:  First grade students focused mostly on steady beat and played the barred instruments (xylphones, glockenspiels, and metallophones) with story, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" by Eric Carle.  Following their performance of singing and playing "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", students created our own version of the song through the use of finger puppets.  It was fun being able to take the time to allow each child to sing their own sol-mi pattern. The kids really enjoyed it too!  We played steady beat on various unpitched percussion instruments.  Students focused on learning how instruments fit into the percussion family and how the percussion family was by far the largest family.  So with the simple 3 S rule (strike, scrape, shake), students could identify percussion instruments.  But how do we classify instruments within the percussion family?  Students were given a wide variety of instruments they have played before and some that they have never seen before and were asked to classify instruments into 4 hula hoops based on their own observations.  Each student had the opportunity to share why they placed their instrument in the hoop.  I found it interesting to hear why students placed instruments in particular hoops.  Some said, "Because most of the instruments in this hula hoop are metal", while others said "I picked this hula hoop because red is my favorite color"!  With more guidance students categorized instruments into metals, woods, membranes, scrapers/shakers.  We were even able to create a large "hula hoop" Venn Diagram to show those instruments that could fit into more than one group.  Following this activity, students were able to use the hula hoops and conduct each group by simply jumping in and out of the hoops showing rhythm.  They had a blast!



Kindergartners:  Kindergarten students have been really focusing on steady beat.  I find that it is a process that takes time to really feel.  We have played instruments to the steady beat with "Johnny Works with Hammers" and "Two Little Apples" as well as moved to the steady beat with the "Steady Beat Montage" and "One Green Jelly Bean".  We have even taken stories and made them musical to practice singing and playing steady beat with "Rumble in the Jungle" and "Fall is Here".  We have added form to our lessons.  As students in class are learning about fall, scarecrows, and weather, so are we!  We have taken a song "Autumn Leaves" and had students create a beatiful movement to match the words to the song.  I then had students play a steady beat bordun on the barred instruments and a separate group play the finger cymbals on the rhyming words.  We then played with the form and created a rondo form (ABACA).  Students were able to sing and play on the A section, move and play on the B section, and improvise movement and instrumentation on the C section.

Check out one of our Dolvin kindergarten classes as they perform "Autumn Leaves".  I had a kindergarten student volunteer video tape... I'm amazed at how well they know their technology!

4th and 5th graders had fun playing a 3 part ostinati with song Tongo.  I love seeing their facial expressions after they finish a performance.  One student said, "That was awesome!"

Friday, October 28, 2011

October Music!

This month in the music room....

All students have learned about our new vocabulary word TIMBRE.  Timbre is the special sound an instrument or voice makes.  With an exciting song from the Plank Road Music K-8 series, "Did You Hear That Sound", students have been playing instruments from crash cymbals to boomwhackers to demonstrate matching action words to instrument timbres.

Grade Level Concepts This Month
Kindergarten and first grade classes have been continuing their study of steady beat verses rhythm.  We have also begun to work on distinguishing between high and low pitches in music with exciting songs about pumpkins.

Second grade students are continuing their work on their musical "Spaced Out"; learning about space through music.  We did have time for a quick break and discussion on famous composer Edvard Grieg and how he composed music to add atmosphere to a story.  Ask your children to tell you about the story of "In the Hall of the Mountain King!"

Third grade students have been working on a very complex concept of playing multiple contrasting parts during a piece of music.  Test your child's knowledge on ostinatos and partner songs!  They will surprise you with their brillance!

Fourth grade students have been working the use of dynamics (volume changes) to make music more interesting.  This topic peaked their interest and transformed our discussion to other musical changes to add interest and excitement to music.  See how many your child can list:  dynamics, \register, tonality (major / minor), timbre)

Fifth grade students have been discussing beat division in music through the use of time signatures with an unlikely instrument source... balloons!!!!  They are excited to FINALLY learn what the bottom number means in a time signature.  Ask your child to teach you about time signatures.  Soon, they will even be able to tell you the time signature of a song on the radio through listening!

SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE MUSIC ROOM:
We have been working on incorporating instrument timbres, movement, song, and acting into well known children literature.  Be on the look out for videos of students finding creative ways to enhance literature through music and movement!

Kindergarten:  Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider

First Grade:  Arold Lobel's Frog and Toad All Year "The Surprise"

Second Grade: Linda Williams's The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything

Third Grade:  Tony Johnston's The Vanishing Pumpkin

Fourth Grade / Fifth Grade:  Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are

Check out Ms. Hemmann's kindergarteners playing, singing, and moving to "Autumn Leaves" (anonymous) from our McGraw Hill, Share the Music - Kindergarten Series.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Music this week!

This week in music....

Kindergarten and first graders have been learning songs about fall and creating their own movements to depict the story the music tells using scarves.  They have also added instrumental accompaniment on barred instruments.

Second graders have been auditioning in class for Spaced Out as well as playing with partner songs!  Ask them about it; they think it is exciting!

Third graders have been continuing their study on melodic direction through movement, song, and instruments.  Be on the look out for video postings soon of your children making music!

Fouth and fifth grade students have begun their recorder study.  In preparation students have been playing with Music Ace, a computer game on the ActivBoard to review the note names on lines and spaces.  So far Mr. Weigand's 4th grade class is leading with 2,030 points (all notes) and Mrs. Rivera's class with 2,150 (FACE).  Parents, please make sure your child remembers to bring their recorders to class!  This is part of the music participation grade.  Please refer to the recorder letter on the right column of this blog for specifics.  And as always, feel free to e-mail me with any questions you may have!

Thank you!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

First Weeks of Music at Dolvin

We have had a great first few weeks in music.  Our focus has been finding the steady beat and discussing the difference between steady beat and rhythm.  How many of you have seen your children look around your house for items with a steady beat and without a steady beat, or even found your child testing your knowledge of distinguishing between the steady beat or rhythm in the car to your favorite songs! If you haven't yet, be ready... it's coming! 

What are we doing in class?
  • K and 1 have been playing beat and rhythm on drums and tambourines
  • 2nd graders have already begun work on their musical, "Spaced Out".  Parents, be on the look out for information about the musical coming your way soon! 
  • 3rd graders have been improvising rhythms on instruments. 
  • 4th and 5th grade students have been playing chords on boomwhackers and tranferring them to barred instruments. 
Check back to see what we are learning next!

Also, a BIG thank you to Dolvin principle, Laura Zoll, for our brand new instruments! The kids have already begun having fun with these new items!