All Aboard the Freedom Train!

February is Black History Month. Several of the music classes have been studying the importance of music during the fight for freedom. Together, we are creating a Freedom Train that will be displayed in the hallway. Here are a few of the projects the classes have completed so far.

5th Grade: On President's Day, we talked about the impact Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. had on the fight for Civil Rights. We learned two freedom songs that would have been sung during the marches and protests led by Dr. King. We also created a Rhythm Train, where we not only practiced our complex rhythms, we also learned about the Underground Railroad and the secret code songs that were used to help slaves escape to freedom. Finally, the 5th graders decorated their boxcar with phrases about what freedom means to them.

Standing around the rhythm track getting ready to play. Each color represents a different station.

3rd Grade: The 3rd graders also made a Rhythm Train, they just had easier rhythms to play. Students took turns being the conductor and helped keep the steady beat. Later this week, we will be learning a song titled, "Hallelujah, Get on Board" and read the book "Henry's Freedom Box". Then we will discuss the secret meanings of songs such as "Follow the Drinking Gourd". The 3rd grade boxcars will be decorated with different drawings of the Underground Railroad.

Orange Stations playing the maracas.

Chugging along the track.

Kindergarten: The Kindergarteners talked about what slavery was and learned about Harriet Tubman. We then learned a song about Harriet Tubman and read a book about her. The Kindergarteners thought she was very brave for going back to save people after she had already escaped. Their train cars show pictures of Harriet Tubman escaping to freedom.

Rondo Sound Compositions

The 6th graders have been doing a lot of composing this year. We are currently studying all of the different forms in music: AB, ABA, Rondo, and Theme and Variations. To help study rondo, each of the students composed their own sound composition using the classroom instruments and body percussion. They then performed their composition for the class. The rondo could be either ABACA or ABABA in form, needed to have 4 beats per section, and used pictures and labels to show what instruments or actions were being performed. Here is what a rondo composition could look like.

Here are a few of the students performing their rondos for the class. They loved getting to use the different instruments! The vibraslap, thunder tube, and bass drum were the most popular.

Music Festival

This month, 11 members of the 5th and 6th grade choir competed in an elementary music festival. Each student spent several weeks before and after school rehearsing a solo for the contest. They performed their solos in front of a judge and received feedback on their performances as well as a ranking (Blue-I, Red-II, or White-III). Singing a solo in front of an audience and a judge can be a very difficult thing. I am so proud of each of my students for a job well done!

9 Blue Ribbons and 2 Red Ribbons!! Way to go!!!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

There are so many great ways to celebrate Valentine's Day in music class. Here are a few of the things we did this year.

The 5th graders learned a Valentine Line Dance, the "Cupid Shuffle", and created Secret Valentines using the notes on the staff. 

"Kiss Me" and "Text Me" using a treble clefs for 's' and the line note 'E'.

The 1st graders made Sweet Rhythms with candy hearts. 1 heart represented a 'ta' and 2 hearts represented a 'ti-ti'. I would clap a rhythm and they notated it on their lap packs. Afterwards they created their own patterns and shared them with a partner.

Ti-ti, ta, ta, ti-ti
Ti-ti, ta, ta, ti-ti

Foamie Rhythms

The Kindergarteners have just transitioned from long and short-short to ta and ti-ti (in 1st grade, they will learn that these are quarter notes and eighth notes). To help practice our new rhythms, we notated 4-beat patterns on our lap packs using foamie shapes. I would clap a rhythm and then they notated it. They got to improvise their own 4-beat pattern for the last four beats and clap it for the class. What a great way to notate and compose music!

100th Day of School

Hooray! We have survived 100 days of school! To celebrate, we did several activities in music that had to do with 100. We notated 100 notes, danced for 100 seconds and then froze in silence for 100 seconds (which seemed like a REALLY long time!), and learned a song called "100 Days of School."

The Kindergarteners made 100 tas, ti-tis, and rests.

The 2nd graders used quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, whole notes, quarters rests, half rests, and whole rests!

Dancing for 100 seconds...



Freezing for 100 seconds.