RDS Music Notes
Ravine Drive School Music Newsletter #3, June 2016
First Grade folk songs!
Ms. Fico's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/oy2jetdz7c8lmjc/3_Fico_Punchinella.m4a
Mrs. Barry/Mrs. Fisco's classes: http://www.mediafire.com/download/7ayumj9n4x3qv7q/3_Barry_Punchinella.m4a
Mrs. Kapadia's class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/b457hx0dog9ybm9/3_Kapadia_Punchinella.m4a
We also learned the song "Bluebird, Bluebird", which helped us to learn to identify and sing skips in music, including high "do." Each student chose a different bird to act out while they flew through the "windows" (student arms) as we sang.
Mrs. Buchannan's Class singing "Bluebird": http://www.mediafire.com/download/1ehte1i16lv1toc/3_Buchanan_Bluebird_.m4a
Mrs. Fico's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/v18yzz8g5fjkg37/3_Fico_Bluebird.m4a
Our third song was, "Hunting We Will Go," about a little fox we caught in a box "and then we let him go." Students worked with small groups or partners to create fun rhyming verses that we eventually sang while we played the circle game.
Ask your child to teach you each of these three songs and the games that accompany them. We had a great time practicing our pitch matching and learning while having fun!
Mrs. Fico's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/k5bb4a3hdj8c0a2/3_Fico_Hunting.m4a
3rd Graders Meet The March King!
Kindergarten students are music reading ready!
In "Hey Hey Look at Me," we practiced the song with three versions. Our favorite one was, "Hey Hey Look at Me, Make yourself look just like me" as we took turns creating funny movements for our classmates to imitate.
Mrs. Doyle's Class "Hey Hey": http://www.mediafire.com/download/v7v77osi9r637ye/3_Doyle_Hey_Hey.m4a
Ms. Lenihan's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/digzx66vbvr2rsx/3_Lenihan_Hey_Hey.m4a
We made a rain storm with body percussion (and lights) when we learned "Rain Rain" and we played a duck duck goose style singing game while we learned "Bee Bee Bumblebee". We had so much fun learning our new songs!
Once we learned the melody of each memory song and were able to sing it well, we learned how to read and perform the steady beat, read and perform the rhythms, and finally, to sing the song while reading notation on the music staff using our solfege hand signs.
Click the link below to hear classes singing!
Mrs. Morrissey's class warming up: http://www.mediafire.com/download/pstce62xanhci6f/3_Morrisey_warmup.m4a
3rd grade Closet Key
Click the links below to hear 3rd grade classes singing!
Mrs. Bruder's Class warming up: http://www.mediafire.com/download/rf30g29rb5owpga/3_Bruder_Warmup.m4a
Mrs. Bruder's Class singing "Closet Key": http://www.mediafire.com/download/8waa2kzchpj8pmi/3_Bruder_Closet_Key_game.m4a
Ms. Schultz's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/e4aht9rdc55vzqd/3_Schultz_Closet_Key.m4a
Mrs. Thomson's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/puxmn4kxl76h2db/3_Thomson_Closet_Key.m4a
Instrument families of the orchestra
Grades 2 and 3 are classifying instruments into families; brass, percussion, woodwind, and string. We listened to various instruments and their sounds and discussed similarities and differences of each. Second grade computer students completed the free website, "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," an interactive website and game to help students to better learn about the instruments of the orchestra. Second graders are also learning about Russian composer, Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," a story told though the orchestra in which each character has a different motif played by a different instrument.
Grade 3 classes enjoyed a scavenger hunt game called "Write the Room" as they searched the classroom to find various hidden instruments before naming them and placing them in their correct instrument families.
Happy note wristbands
Listen as a "Happy Note" 3rd grade student from Mrs. Bruder's class leads the class in analyzing Solfege Karate before singing it as a class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/vd1vxlsrd9dg9k3/3_Bruder_student_leader.m4a
1st Grade Composers
3rd Grade Meter and Alabama Gal
Mrs. Thomson's Class "An Old Austrian": http://www.mediafire.com/download/o3gwo2xggpfy35r/3_Thomson_An_Old_Austrian.m4a
3rd graders also learned an American folk song and dance, "Alabama Gal." After learning about the song, the lyrics and practicing it, we performed it in a Virginia Reel Line Dance. We had a great time learning this song!
Mrs. Thomson's Class "Alabama Gal": http://www.mediafire.com/download/7h0dajzxxh4eqk6/3_Thomson_Alabama_Gal.m4a
Our final 3rd grade activity of the year will be "Fooba Wooba John" where students will learn about whole rests and will compose their own lyrics to this funny rhyming song.
Here is Ms. Wetjen/Ford's class learning "Fooba Wooba John" (they did a great job considering how tired they were after their Luau!): http://www.mediafire.com/download/bjrz34ugsl5p3lc/3_Wetjen_Ford_Fooba_Wooba.m4a
3rd Grade Students continue to work on Solfege Karate. All 3rd grade classes are currently on Level 4.
Mrs. Bruder's 3rd grade Class practicing Solfege Karate level 3: http://www.mediafire.com/download/60zabfe02dzo25t/3_Bruder_Solfege_Karate_Level_3.m4a
Mrs. Thomson's Class singing black belt in level 3 Solfege Karate: http://www.mediafire.com/download/g34agaj4obccvog/3_Thomson_Black_Grade_3.m4a
Mrs. Thomson's Class green belt level 3 Solfege Karate: http://www.mediafire.com/download/zovjz8mik03fyog/3_Thomson_Green_Level_3.m4a
Mrs. Thomson's Class student warmups: http://www.mediafire.com/download/mxedapx7kj63jsd/3_Thomson_individual_Warmups.m4a
Composers, Composers!
Grade 1 students studied Mozart's "Variations on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," which put us in a sad mood with its minor key. We moved with scarves to the "Moonlight Sonata" to demonstrate it's largo (slow) tempo.
Grade 2 students studied Mozart's "Symphony No. 40" and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5", and enjoyed a parody on the 5th Symphony called, "Beethoven's Wig," a cartoon song designed to help us to remember the theme of the 5th Symphony.
Grade 3 students listened to and analyzed Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9", which he wrote when he was entirely deaf. All classes had great discussions about the composers' music and lives.
1st and 2nd Grade Form
1st graders learned all about form in music. We learned that form is just a pattern. We learned and played the singing game to "Gilly Good Morning" and decided it was in ABA form since the beginning and end were the same. We learned about call and response form with the songs, "Ham and Eggs" which we sang while we popped up and down when it was our turn to sing, and the fun movement song "Oh My Aunt Came Back." Then, it was our turn to lead the class in the African game song, "Kye Kye Kule." We took turns singing the "Call" parts while the class sang the "Responses" and we each took a turn playing a drum rhythm which the class echoed during the response.
Ms. Fico's Class singing "Ham and Eggs": http://www.mediafire.com/download/af45oqybe3byh54/3_Fico_Ham_And_Eggs.m4a
Mrs. Barry's Class warming up with Mr. Feirabend's Sound Story, "The Airplane Ride": http://www.mediafire.com/download/14rdg7tcspggi09/3_Barry_Airplane_Ride.m4a
Mrs. Buchannan's Class Kye Kye Kule student solo: http://www.mediafire.com/download/a9ke6uxhd6g6dau/3_Buchanan_Kye_Kye_Kule_student_leader.m4a
Mrs. Buchannan's Class Kye Kye Kule student solo 2: http://www.mediafire.com/download/kp225ndz1eeowt1/3_Buchanan_Kye_Kye_Kule.m4a
Mrs. Pisano's Class: http://www.mediafire.com/download/nj439vuo1q213gb/3_Pisano_kye_Kye_Kule.m4a
Mrs. Pisano's Class student solo 2: http://www.mediafire.com/download/yhp8bj7v4cjcsia/3_Pisano__KyeKye_Kule2.m4a
2nd graders learned about form through Kodaly's "Vienese Clock." We already had a good grasp on form from our study of the "Nutcracker" back in December, but this song helped us to learn about Rondo form, an ABACADA pattern. Students took turns leading us through movments during the various sections of the song and we played the cup passing game to demonstrate each section. We also learned about introduction and coda (beginning and end of a song, respectively).
2nd Grade Naughty Kitty Cat, Mouse Mousie and I love the Mountains!
Mrs. Ferrara's Class partners: http://www.mediafire.com/download/4d95t059417vnpl/3_Ferrara_Naughty_Kitty_partner_1.m4a
Mrs. Ferrara's Class partners: http://www.mediafire.com/download/gauy5rtomyvtjs5/3_Ferrara_Naughty_Kitty_partner_2.m4a
Mrs. Kapner's Class partners:http://www.mediafire.com/download/jwxxhc4gz5n9xc9/3_Kapner_student_partners_1.m4a
Mrs. Kapner's Class partners:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/4eub9unb7nitbmf/3_Kapner_class_partners_2.m4a
Mrs. Kapner's Class partners: http://www.mediafire.com/download/iro863cm3f8mc91/3_Kapner_class_partners_3.m4a
Mrs. Kapner's Class partners: http://www.mediafire.com/download/jwbdlz3dpdp1ayz/3_Kapner_class_partners_4.m4a
Mrs. Kapner's Class partners: http://www.mediafire.com/download/9ie30oc8d7xx7ld/3_Kapner_class_partners_5.m4a
2nd graders also experienced singing in a round with the song "I Love the Mountains." We had a lot of fun with this song but realized that it could be tricky to sing independently when there are 3 different parts being sung around us! We challenged ourselves and sung "I Love the Mountains" in 2, 3, and even a 4 part round!
Click the links below to hear 2nd grade classes warming up:
Mrs. Donovan's Class warming up: http://www.mediafire.com/download/z38wu9dj7kpo911/3_Donovan_Warmups.mp3
Mrs. Donovan's Class singing Naughty Kitty Cat: http://www.mediafire.com/download/xx94c5dh33xvjjv/3_Donovan_Naughty_And_Warmups.m4a
Mrs. Donovan's Class singing "I Love the Mountains" in a 4 part round: http://www.mediafire.com/download/w777m8g4gubpxjp/3_Donovan_I_Love_Mountains.m4a
Mrs. Sullam's Class singing "I Love the Mountains" in a 4 part round: http://www.mediafire.com/download/mraiy766ehgeduy/3_Sullam_Mountains.m4a
First Grade Doggie doggie
Ms. Fico's Class singing "Doggie Doggie": http://www.mediafire.com/download/8cfselv3t73v36l/3_Fico_Doggie.m4a
Mrs. Buchannan's Class singing the final black belt in Solfege Karate level 2: http://www.mediafire.com/download/qegyza7oob69i3l/3_Buchanan_Black_belt_level_2.m4a
2nd Grade Peter and the Wolf
2nd grade students have been studying Sergei Prokofiev's piece, "Peter and the Wolf." We used interactive listening maps while we watched an orchestra perform the piece, then we retold the story using an interactive electronic felt board. We enjoyed "Peter and the Wolf" because each character is represented by a different instrument in the orchestra. We knew when that character was around because we heard his instrument! This tied in nicely with our instrument family lesson. Students are now watching the video Peter and the Wolf and are doing a great job identifying instruments by character!
Kindergarten Celebration
Click the link below to hear Mrs. Doyle's Class practicing "One Small Voice": http://www.mediafire.com/download/to1gwk60a9ovgd0/3_Doyle_One_Small_Voice.m4a
Mrs. Alvarez's class learning "Whacky Do Re Mi": http://www.mediafire.com/download/69q22q92wysutin/3_Whacky_Do_Re_Mi_Alvarez.m4a