Wayne Thomas Music

Read on to find out about a few of the things each grade level learned in music this week!

Kindergarteners in Ms. Waller’s class listened to a story called So-me and the Dance.  This book taught them the Solfege syllable “la,” which is the highest pitch they have learned so far.  They also sang a song called “Icha Backa,” played hand drums and maracas, and did a rhythmic dictation activity.  Students in Ms. Tepper’s classes watched a the second half of a video featuring the members of the Stomp percussion group.  They really enjoyed this!

First graders played xylophones to a song called “24 Robbers.”  They also did creative movement activities with “Naughty Kitty Cat” and “24 Robbers.”  They reviewed the concept of form and played a singing game called “The Penny, Key, and Paper Clip” to learn about Question and Answer form.

Second graders learned a song called “Daisy Chain” to help reinforce quality singing this week.  They played a singing game with this song.  Every second grader was recorded singing “Mouse, Mousie.”  The students are in the process of listening to their recordings and filling out a rubric, rating their performance on the recording.  Each student then has a short conference with me, where we compare the rubric the child filled out about his own recording to the rubric I filled out.  During this conference, we set a goal for the student to work towards.

Third and fourth graders brought in many costumes for their Spring Sing this week.  The students are finding that the costume pieces make them even more excited to perform their music!  Next week, both the third and fourth grades will have their full grade level rehearsal in the music room.  This will give them a better idea of what the actual performance will be like.

Fifth graders watched “Stomp Out Loud” this week.  They loved this movie!  ”Stomp Out Loud” is an Off-Broadway production that shows audience members how ordinary objects can be used to make music.  The percussionists in the group are some of the most talented musicians in the world.

Music Fact of the Week

In honor of  “International Museum Day,” which is May 18, the Music Fact of the Week for this week and next week will be devoted to fun websites about museums dedicated to music.  Check out The Smithsonian Folkways website, which has wonderful streaming audio through the Folkways Radio Link:  http://www.folkways.si.edu/

Congratulations to the fifth graders for a fantastic Spring Sing concert this past week!  They worked very hard and gave an incredibly energetic performance on Wednesday evening.  See the “Spring Sing Music” section of the blog for some pictures from their assembly on Monday.

Kindergarteners in Ms. Tepper’s classes learned a song called “The Tugboat,” and did a movement activity with the song.  They also played the gathering drum with this song and acted out the lyrics.  Students in Ms. Waller’s class watched a video featuring the members of the Stomp percussion group.  They loved this!

First graders sang and moved to a song called “Teddy Bear.”  They then analyzed the rhyme scheme of the song and composed their own new lyrics for the song, based on the original rhyme scheme.  They also focused on the difference between rhythm and steady beat by playing the gathering drum and the rhythm sticks.

Second graders focused on singing the correct starting pitch in a given song this week.  They worked on this concept using the songs “Mouse, Mousie” and “Rocky Mountain.”  They worked in groups to see if they were able to make the group’s puppet match the starting pitch that the group sang for it.  They really enjoyed this activity!  They also sang “Mouse, Mousie” for their classmates and received feedback about the pitch accuracy, tempo, and starting pitch.

Third and fourth graders have been doing an excellent job with their concert music so far!  Some students are still having trouble with the words in a couple of the songs, so they should be working on this at home.  All flashlights and any costume pieces that students plan to bring in should be brought to school by Monday.  The students need to have time to practice with costume pieces and flashlights before their performance.  Please do not go out and buy a new costume for this!  Many families have old Halloween costumes or accessories that students plan to use, which is great, but I am not asking you to purchase something new for the concert.  More information will be coming soon about what students should wear to the performance on Tuesday, May 22.

Fifth graders did an excellent job with their concert on Wednesday evening!  They should be extremely proud of all of their hard work.  See the “Spring Sing Music” section of the blog for some photos from Monday’s assembly.

Music Fact of the Week

May 6 is “International Tuba Day!”  Take a look at the website of the world’s most famous tuba, Tubby!  http://www.tubbythetuba.com/

Because it is expected to be hot tomorrow, fifth grade students may wear capris or khaki shorts that are longer than their fingertips to the Spring Sing if they choose.  They should still dress nicely, meaning no t-shirts with large logos, ripped pants, etc.  Please contact Mrs. Crutchfield if you have any questions.

Attention fifth grade parents:  Please see the note that will be sent home on Monday regarding attire for this week’s Spring Sing concert.  Instead of wearing their fifth grade t-shirts, students voted and decided to dress “nicely” for the event.  This means that they should not wear jeans with holes, sweat pants, or t-shirts with large logos.  Thank you for your cooperation!

Kindergarteners in Ms. Waller’s class learned a song called “The Tugboat,” and did a movement activity with the song.  They also played the gathering drum with this song and acted out the lyrics.  Students in Ms. Tepper’s classes watched a video featuring the members of the Stomp percussion group.  They loved this!

First graders watched “Peter and the Wolf” this week.  Many of the students said this was their new favorite movie!  They discussed how the composer, Sergei Prokofiev, used specific instruments to play the theme for each character.  For example, Peter’s theme was played by the string family, the duck’s theme was played by an oboe, and the cat’s theme was played by a clarinet.  Several students requested that I put a link for the specific version we watched, in case you are interested in purchasing a copy:  http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Wolf-Kirstie-Alley/dp/B00008EY6W/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1335721406&sr=1-3

Second graders sang a song called “Mouse, Mousie” and played a singing game with the song.  They focused on pitch accuracy and keeping a steady tempo this week.  They also became the “judges” when they rated several recorded singing samples on the accuracy of the pitches and compared their ratings to the ratings of the teachers who had previously listened to the recordings.

Third and fourth graders continued piecing together their songs, movement parts, instrument parts, and speaking parts this week.  They really enjoy seeing how their show is coming together.  Some of the classes are still having trouble with the words on particular songs, so that is something they should be working on.  Many students have brought in costume pieces or accessories from pirate costumes, so if you have anything at home that you would be willing to let your child use, please send it to school with him!

Fifth graders had their rehearsal with all three fifth grade classes in the music room this week.  They enjoyed performing their songs with all of the classes, and they are getting very excited for their performance next week!  They will perform an assembly for the Wayne Thomas students, staff, and only those parents who are unable to attend Wednesday’s concert on Monday.  Their evening concert is on Wednesday at 7:00.  They should dress nicely for this event.  For additional information, please see the “Important Dates” section of the blog.

Music Fact of the Week

For the final week of our Jazz Appreciation Month celebration, we honor Ella Fitzgerald.  Enjoy exploring this Ella Fitzgerald website to learn more about the jazz great!  http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/

Just a reminder that the fifth grade Spring Sing is coming up on Wednesday, May 2 at Wayne Thomas.  The information sheet that was sent home can be accessed under the “Important Dates” section of the blog.

Kindergarteners learned to play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” on the xylophones this week.  They really enjoyed this!  They also began learning the “Counting Song,” which they will do more with next week.

First graders learned about instruments in the woodwind family this week.  This was a difficult family for many students because they found it hard to tell the difference between the clarinet and the oboe just by looking at them.  Still, when they listened to the instruments, they were definitely able to hear the difference!

Second graders learned a song called “Red Rover,” which helped them work on their sight-singing skills.  They played a singing game with this song based on the playground game of the same name that reinforced sight-reading.  They also began analyzing exactly what goes into good singing.

Third and fourth graders began to piece their songs, instrument parts, and speaking parts together this week.  They are beginning to see how the whole show fits together, and they are very excited!  Some students still need to bring in flashlights.  Many students have said that they have pirate costumes or accessories that they would like to bring in to use for the concert.  If they have something they would like to use, they should bring them in early next week so they can begin practicing with them!

Fifth graders worked extremely hard on their songs, instrument parts, movements, and speaking parts this week!  They are getting very excited for their concert.  They will have a rehearsal with the entire fifth grade next week.  If you need another copy of the information sheet that went home last week, you may access it under the “Important Dates” section of the blog.

Music Fact of the Week

This is the third week of our Jazz Appreciation Month celebration.  Take a look at the phenomenal jazz music section of the PBS Kids website:  http://pbskids.org/jazz/  There are many fantastic activities for students to enjoy!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, I sing with a group called the BG Singers, and we perform our big concert on Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 3:00 at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  If you are interested, tickets may be purchased here:  https://www.ticketturtle.com/index.php?ticketing=bdp  (They are slightly cheaper if purchased ahead of time.)  If you would like more information, you can either email me or see this flyer:  Goin’ Places!

This week, Kindergarteners learned about ABA form using a simple song.  They then came up with movements to perform on the A and B sections to see if they could distinguish when the music changed.  They reviewed high and low sounds and looked at a guitar to see if they could predict which string would make the highest sound and which would make the lowest sound.  All three classes correctly predicted that the thicker string would make a lower sound!

First graders learned about instruments in the percussion family this week.  They realized that all of the instruments we use in first grade are percussion instruments.  Students were able to differentiate between pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, as well.

Second graders played a singing game with “Miss Sue,” which they worked on last week.  They also learned a song called “One Small Musician” that helped to reinforce microbeat, macrobeat, locomotor movement, and stationary movement.  Each student improvised four-beat body percussion phrases during the “One Small Musician” activity.

Third and fourth graders began lunch and recess rehearsals this week.  Students have been doing a great job during their extra practice times.  Some students are still having a difficult time with the words in their songs; they should be practicing their songs at home to help with memorization.  If your child has not yet brought in a small flashlight (or one with a strap that he can wear during the entire concert), please have him do so as soon as possible.  They have been working on the song that uses flashlights, and some students have not been able to have the full practice experience with the lights yet.

Fifth graders began to add their speaking parts and more instrument parts this week.  Students were able to see the concert beginning to come together during their music classes this week.  It is exciting to watch the enthusiasm that so many students have when they practice!

Music Fact of the Week

Continuing with the Jazz theme for the month of April, take a look at the National Museum of American History’s Jazz Appreciation Month page.  Under the “Online Activites” link, there are several games that students would enjoy!   http://americanhistory.si.edu/events/programdetail.cfm?newskey=43

Students were excited and tired when they came back to Wayne Thomas this week after Spring Break!  Read on to find out about a few of the things they learned in music this week.

This past week, Kindergarteners discovered that “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” has the same tune as the “ABCs” and “Ba Ba Black Sheep.”  They listened to a story called The Star Story to reinforce high and low sounds, and then they did a creative movement activity with a song called “Star and Starfish.”  They also looked at several instruments and predicted which ones would sound higher or lower based on the sizes of the instruments.

First graders reviewed the instruments in the brass family and then began learning about the instruments in the string family this week.  They were surprised to discover that there are so many string instruments!  Some of the string instruments are not typically found in a symphony orchestra, but they still belong to the string family.  Examples of these would include the banjo, ukulele, and guitar.

Second graders worked on their sight-reading skills this week.  They also learned a song called “Miss Sue.”  This song helped them differentiate between the macrobeat and the microbeat.  They began learning a game to play with this song, and they will continue this game next week.

Third and fourth graders were very excited to learn their parts for the Spring Sing this week!  They also found out their spots on the risers, which they were looking forward to, as well.  Third and fourth grade students should be practicing their concert pieces at home to ensure that they have the basics of the songs learned, as we will now be adding many parts on top of the songs, so it is important that they have the songs learned well!  Some students still need to bring in their flashlights to use in one of the songs.  The flashlights should be small enough that they can fit in the students’ pockets for the entire show, or they may have straps or clips that would allow the lights to be worn.

Fifth graders began recess rehearsals this week.  The students who came in to practice during recess did an excellent job!  Fifth graders should be practicing their songs at home to make sure that they know all of their words, movements, and instrument parts!  Many instrument parts are being added, so it is important that the basic aspects of the songs are learned well.

Music Fact of the Week

April is Jazz Appreciation Month!  Celebrate one of the most influential American art forms by listening to as much jazz music as you can this month.  Some jazz favorites include Dave Brubreck, Wynton Marsalis, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Dianna Krall – to name a few!  Each week in April, I will be recommending a jazz website.  The first one has lots of information about Jazz Appreciation Month and lots of listening samples.  Visit  http://smithsonianjazz.org/  to learn more.

Students took part in an entire afternoon of creative learning on Thursday in the second ever Wayne Thomas Arts in Action afternoon.  The afternoon began with an assembly featuring a performance by the Northwood band and a speech from Mayor Nancy Rotering.  See the “Important Dates” section of the blog for some pictures from the afternoon!

This past week, Kindergarteners in Ms. Waller’s class sang a song called “Cobbler, Cobbler.”  They played egg shakers and hand drums along with this song and did creative movement exercises, as well.  Students in Ms. Tepper’s morning class played freeze dance, tried to see how many different ways they could move to the steady beat, and learned a song called “Silly Dance Contest.”  Students in Ms. Tepper’s afternoon class did not have music due to Arts in Action.  Instead, they took part in an instrument petting zoo session as a part of the Arts in Action event.

First graders continued learning about the brass family of instruments this week!  They loved watching brass instruments players performing in different types of ensembles, including a symphony orchestra, concert band, marching band, and brass quintet.  They watched performances of many kinds of music, ranging from John Williams’ “Star Wars” to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

Second graders worked with partners to create rhythm stick compositions for the song “John Kanakanaka.”  Once they had their rhythm stick compositions complete, they added a do-si-do section on the “call” part of the song, and then they performed their compositions for the class.

Third and fourth graders continued working on instrument parts for their Spring Sing this week.  Those students who are interested in having singing singing solos in the spring concert performed their “test of courage” in front of the class.  This is their opportunity to make sure they are comfortable singing one of the Spring Sing solos in front of an audience.  A couple of the classes also filled out the questionnaires this week to let me know what parts they are interested in for the concert.

Fifth graders were very excited to find out their Spring Sing parts this week!  Those students who have speaking parts or singing solos received copies of their speaking parts or singing solos to take home and practice.  They should be working on these at home.  They will have a copy in front of them during the performance, but it is better if they can have it memorized and only use the card as a back-up!  Recess rehearsals for fifth grade students will begin after spring break.

Music Fact of the Week

Austrian composer Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732.  Watch a performance of one of his most best known symphonies, Symphony No. 94, better known as the “Surprise Symphony,” here:  http://quietube2.com/v.php/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw_2AI5w-Vo&feature=related  It has been said that Haydn composed this “Surprise” because he was frustrated that the noble family he worked for kept falling asleep in his performances, so he wanted to compose a piece that would be sure to keep them awake.

It was nice speaking to those parents and students who stopped by during conferences.  We have a very exciting week ahead!  On Thursday afternoon, students will celebrate Music in Our Schools month and Youth Art Month by experiencing an afternoon of Arts in Action.  The afternoon will begin with an opening assembly and will continue as students attend three pre-selected workshops of the twenty-one that will be presented!

This past week, Kindergarteners in Ms. Waller’s class learned about eighth notes and used quarter notes and eighth notes to rhythmically dictate “Closet Key.”  They also looked for patterns in the song and discussed the form.  Students in Ms. Tepper’s classes did not have music due to conferences.

First graders discovered that, like people, instruments also have many characteristics in common with the members of their families.  They began learning about the brass family.  The San Francisco Symphony for Kids has a great website that we will be using during our instrument unit, in case you would like to take a look at it with your child:  http://www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3  They also watched a short video about how trombones are made.  They loved this!

Second graders began learning a song called “John Kanakanaka” this week.  This song is in call and response form.  They did several rhythm stick activities with this piece, and they are in the beginning stages of working with partners to compose movements to the rhythm using the rhythm sticks.

Third and fourth graders began learning instrument parts for their Spring Sing this week.  They also filled out their questionnaires letting me know whether they would like to play instruments, have speaking parts, dance parts, singing solos, etc. in the concert.

Fifth graders began playing guitars this week!  Many students were surprised how difficult this was.  They thought the guitars looked small to begin with, but when they actually began playing them, they were surprised at how much it felt like they had to stretch their fingers.  They are working very hard so far!

Music Fact of the Week

Thursday, March 22, which happens to be Arts in Action Afternoon at Wayne Thomas, is also National Sing Out Day!  Celebrate National Sing Out Day by having an “Opera Day” in your home.  See if you can sing everything!

Congratulations to the 1st and 2nd graders on a fantastic Spring Sing performance!  They worked very hard and did a great job in their concert on Thursday evening.  See the “Spring Sing Music” section of the blog for a some pictures from their concert!

This week, Kindergarteners in Ms. Waller’s class sang “Closet Key” to differentiate between forte and piano singing.  They played a game with this song, as well.  Students in Ms. Tepper’s classes learned a song called “Cobbler, Cobbler,” with which they played instruments and rhythmically dictated.

First and Second graders had their Spring Sing performance this week!  They did a fantastic job and should be very proud of their hard work.  See the “Spring Sing Music” section of the blog for a few pictures from Thursday evening’s concert.

Third and fourth graders began learning their sixth concert piece this week.  They especially like this song because it is a Calypso piece!  Only a couple of students in each class have brought flashlights in so far, so please keep them coming!  Each student should bring a small flashlight to use during the Spring Sing.  It should be labeled with his name and class.

Fifth graders began working on their most difficult Spring Sing song this week.  Although it is the most vocally challenging piece and has the most difficult movement, they were incredibly excited to jump right in and begin work on this piece.  They learned about the history of the song and its cultural impact.

Music Fact of the Week

Enjoy the fun of St. Patrick’s Day by listening to an Irish jig!  Here are some song samples that you might enjoy listening to with your child:  http://www.musick8kids.com/kidtunes/holidays_k8.php?subcats=20.  Also, “Riverdance” is currently in its final days in Chicago.  This is a great show that features traditional Irish step dancing.  If you are interested in getting tickets, visit http://broadwayinchicago.com/shows_dyn.php?cmd=display_current&display_showtag=riverdance12