Our 4th graders have been so excited to finally begin learning recorder. They are doing an amazing job! In just 3 short classes, they have learned how to play a number of songs and are working to produce a consistent, gentle and musical sound. Their excitement is contagious and we have decided that they will perform a few recorder songs at their concert on May 23rd at 8:15 am in the Pierce School Auditorium!
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5th graders have been exploring form in music through a piece called "The Viennese Musical Clock" by Zoltan Kodaly. This piece of music is in rondo form. This means there is a repeating "A section" of music after each new section is introduced. Students experienced this pattern through tap charts (see below) that had an icon for every beat in the music. This visual map is really helpful for giving students a more concrete view of an abstract idea. Students worked in small groups to create original choreography for each different section of music. Their movements were inspired by mechanical, automated and robotic machines. Putting this all together required a lot of collaboration and cooperation. I was so proud of the final results!
After completing their movement project as a class, they began to work in pairs using the xylophone to decode the main theme of "The Viennese Musical Clock" piece by ear. We introduced notation and began playing it as an ensemble. This week, they are composing original music in pairs to create a class composition in the rondo style. Looking ahead, students will begin learning the notation program "Noteflight". This program is free and will allow our students to create scores of their compositions to print our and bring home!
Kindergarteners have been decoding quarter note and eighth notes patterns. They really enjoyed using the animals of the Chinese Zodiac to create these rhythmic patterns. You can see some students "building" these patterns with popsicle sticks below. In addition to this rhythm work, we have been singing, dancing and sharing some special stories around celebrating Lunar New Year as well.
Students in 2nd grade have been busy learning about Lunar New Year traditions and studying traditional Chinese instruments. They have been comparing and contrasting Western and Eastern orchestras. Through careful listening, they have been finding the differences and similarities in each instrument family: Woodwinds, Brass, Plucked and Bowed String Instruments and Percussion. They have learned about the Guzheng, Erhu, Suona, Pipa, Dizi, Gugu Drum, and Hulusi. Ask them about any of these beautiful instruments!
In addition, they have been playing, singing, dancing and creating dragon masks. Our 3rd graders continue to work on reading music and playing recorder. Here, they are performing a song called "Gingerbread Jazz" which features our new note "E". They have been excellent about remembering their instruments which makes learning so much easier. In addition to our regular warm-ups and recorder work, they have been learning a new dance called "Little Shoemaker". Our 4th graders have been building their ensemble skills, reviewing how to read treble clef and playing a lot of music together this past month. Each piece that we learn and arrange is composed of small, repeating patterns. Each student learns every part and gets to practice each one alone and with the group. Once it's time to create a final arrangement of a song our students gravitate towards a part that they feel showcases their best playing. Here, a class is learning a 3-part arrangement of Viva la Vida by Coldplay. They make it look easy but putting the syncopated part together with the drums is quite challening!
First graders have been singing so many new songs this month! They have learned "Pierce is For People", "Five Fat Turkeys", "The Owl and the Pumpkin", "Peace Like a River", "I Love My Rooster" and a beautiful song about gratitude called "Deep and Wide". They've also been enjoying two song-stories in class: "Bear Snores On" and "Over the River and Through the Woods". Ask your child to sing one of their favorites from class for you. They have worked so hard to learn these new songs and sing them so beautifully. This video clip shows a class working on "Deep and Wide". They have mastered the chorus and are learning the verses below.
Students have also been honing their decoding skills with rhythmic patterns. They have been matching speech with rhythm and writing "mystery phrases" for partners to decipher. On this day, the theme was the weather. "I got struck by lighting" becomes a four beat pattern using eight notes and quarter notes. "Last weekend felt like summer" becomes ta ta-di ta--di ta-di.
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