This week (12/12-12/16)

This week in...

Kindergarten- my classes were in slightly different places. Some us learned to play "The Snowman Song" on xylophones. Ask your student to sing this song for you with the motions- so cute! We also read the story "Jingle Bell Ball" and heard some new instrument sounds. We sang "We Will Jingle" and "Mittens and Gloves."

1st/2nd grade- we read the story "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell." We also did a lot of fun activities with the SMARTboard- each student got to come up to the board at least twice to participate in the lesson. Students had to hear high and low, do math with music notes, and match a picture to a melody. We also watched "Peter and the Wolf", a story that has specific instruments playing to match each character.

3rd/4th grade- we added a new note (E) to our Mad Minutes, in which students have one minute to identify the letter names of as many notes as possible out of 30 on their paper. We also learned about Hanukkah and the musical traditions associated with the holiday. We sang "I Have a Little Dreidel" and learned about the dreidel game.

5th grade- this week was busy as we finished a project. We discussed the major elements of music and performing (harmony, melody, rhythm, mood, style, etc.) We have been watching the film Sister Act 2. This week students compared two performances of the song "Joyful, Joyful" that happen at the end of the film. Students wrote about the similarities and differences of the two performances on a venn diagram and also wrote about which they preferred and why.

I hope you all have a wonderful break! I'm headed off to San Diego for a friend's wedding and then to Hawaii for a week! Parents of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders: please encourage your child to practice his/her recorder at least twice. They may go to the "Recorder Music" page on this blog to find music to work on. Thank you!

This week (12/5-12/9)

This week in...

Kindergarten- students learned the winter song "Mittens and Gloves" and played along with the song on jingle bells. We also learned movements to match the song. Students learned "The Snowman Song" and some movements to go with it as well.

1st/2nd grade- students learned the song "Mittens and Gloves" as well as "Hip Hop Reindeer." We sang/read "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell" and compared it to "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." I introduced the half Spanish, half English version of "Wavin' Flag" to students that I will be teaching after break.

3rd/4th grade- we reviewed the song "Winter Again", "Celebramos Juntos", and "Wavin' Flag" (half in Spanish.) We also learned "Fantasy on an Old French Carol" on recorders using the notes B, A, and G.

5th grade- students learned "Fantasy on an Old French Carol" on recorders and reviewed Recorder Karate songs. We finished learned the song "A Hawaiian Christmas" (in honor of my upcoming winter holiday to Hawaii!) We watched the last part of Sister Act 2, in which the choir performs "Joyful, Joyful." We learned that the "Joyful, Joyful" melody is adapted from "Ode to Joy", which is a melody in Beethoven's 9th Symphony. This created a nice segue for us to learn about Beethoven and hear a couple of his other pieces and write about them on our music logs.

I also had the pleasure of taking my Honors Choir (5th, 6th, and 7th graders) on a field trip Wednesday to 3 local nursing homes. The students sang beautifully and interacted so well with the senior citizens. It was such a fun day! Pictures coming soon.

Sing along tomorrow at 10am! Hope to see you there.

This week (11/28-12/2)

This week in...

Kindergarten- students were assessed on their ability to hear fast versus slow in music. Students circled a picture of a tortoise if they heard slow and a hare if they heard fast. (We read "The Tortoise and the Hare" before break.) We read "The Story of Empaminondas" to learn about music becoming faster or slower. We also played Simon Says with the mallet instruments and played the instruments along with the chant "Jack and Jill."

1st/2nd grade- we played the "Acka Backa" game and did an activity with so, mi, and la in which students had to identfy which of 3 melodies they heard. Students learned two holiday songs- "Celebramos Juntos" (part in Spanish!) and "We Will Jingle." We also played the steady beat and rhythm of the song "Rain, Rain, Go Away" on mallet instruments.

3rd/4th grade- we learned two holiday songs- "Celebramos Juntos" (part in Spanish!) and "Winter Again." Students worked on their ability to match pitch while singing. We also played part of the melody of "Winter Again" on mallet instruments.

5th grade- we played syncopation on mallet instruments to go with the song "Funga Alafia." Students took a quiz on syncopation in which they had to identify which of a set of four rhythms they were hearing. Students reviewed songs on recorders, learned a new note on recorders, and learned the fun song "A Hawaiian Christmas." We also continued to watch the film Sister Act 2.

Students, reminder: If you wish to be entered into the drawing for Recorder Karate tests, you must complete the test(s) by Friday, December 9th. The drawing will take place on Monday, December 12th and the winners will get a special prize!

Happy break!

I hope that everyone has an enjoyable week off! Parents of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students: encourage your child to practice his/her recorder once or twice over break using the 'Recorder Music' page on the blog. As for me, I will be enjoying music by playing my clarinet for my family back in Minnesota. Happy Thanksgiving!

This week (11/14-11/18)

This week in...

Kindergarten- we will be learning about slow, medium, and fast speeds in music through listening, singing and playing instruments. Students will learn 3 songs about trains to work on hearing fast and slow speeds: "Engine, Engine, Number Nine", "Git on Board", and "Little Red Caboose."

1st/2nd grade- we will be creating the sound of a rain storm with body percussion and with instruments since we have been working hard on the song "Rain, Rain, Go Away." We will learn to write the pitch "la" on the music staff erasable white boards, and we will learn a new song/game called "Acka Backa."

3rd/4th grade- students will be assessed on their ability to hear equal versus unequal sounds in music. We will continue developing our note reading skills through doing Mad Minutes as well as playing songs on recorders. We are also working on learning the song "Wavin' Flag" in Spanish!

5th grade- students will continue to learn about syncopation (unexpected rhythms that include stress on a normally unstressed beat) through singing and playing instruments. Students are also having fun dancing with the song "Mango Walk." Students will learn "Merrily We Roll Along" on recorders and continue to watch the film Sister Act 2.

Let's have a great week and enjoy your week off next week! Happy Thanksgiving!

This week (10/31-11/4)

Monday was Halloween and I loved seeing all the great costumes at the parade! This week is also the end of trimester 1 and grades will be given out soon.

This week in......

Kindergarten- my 4 classes are in slightly different places. In two of them, we finished up Halloween songs, and we also learned about loud and soft in music by listening to different examples and talking about loud/soft movements. In the other two classes, we learned further about loud and soft and took a quiz to see how well we could identify loud versus soft.

1st/2nd grade- again, my classes are in slightly different places. Some classes worked on matching pitch with the song "I'm a Little Ghost." We also learned more about rhythm- reading rhythms, how to draw notes, and composing rhythms- with the song "Rain, Rain, Go Away." We played the composed rhythms on rhythm sticks.

3rd/4th grade- students continued to identify notes B, A, and G on the music staff and play songs on recorders. Students performed a self-assessment which required them to evaluate their recorder playing in four categories- tone, rhythm, fingerings/posture, and tonguing. We also learned about equal and unequal sounds in music by examining two songs: "Charlie" and "Bate, Bate."

5th grade- students began watching the film "Sister Act 2", which will help us learn about the development of choirs. We also played songs, new and old, on recorders and continued to work on identifying B, A, and G on the staff.

Have a great, extra long weekend!

This week (10/24-10/28)

This week in....

Kindergarten- students sang and acted out "I'm a Little Ghost." We listened to several songs and decided whether walking or jogging fit best with each. We sang and danced to the "Hokey Pokey", learned a Halloween poem, and moved to show music getting louder and softer.

1st/2nd grade- students were assessed on their knowledge of the musical opposites. We also followed a listening map to go with the spooky piece "In the Hall of the Mountain King." Students sang "Pick a Pumpkin" while patting the strong and weak beats.

3rd/4th grade- students played "Hot Cross Buns" on recorders and learned to play "Gently Sleep." Students worked on matching pitch with singing part of the song "Hey Jack!" We continued to learn to read notes on the staff with Mad Minutes and practiced singing and doing sign language with the song "Sing."

5th grade- students played "Gently Sleep" and other songs on recorders. We also began learning "Wavin' Flag" in Spanish and began watching part of the film "Sister Act 2."

Sing along tomorrow at 2:45pm!
Happy Halloween!

This week (1018-10/21)

We broke 1,000 views! Thank you so much for helping me to make this blog a success and useful tool for you. PLEASE feel welcome to leave comments on the posts.

This week in...

Kindergarten- students were assessed on their ability to hear high and low. They circled a picture of mountains if they heard high sounds, and a picture of a submarine if they heard low sounds. Students also began to learn about walking and jogging to match music.

1st/2nd grade- all of my 1st/2nd grade classes are in slightly different places because of having Monday off from school. Some classes reviewed musical opposites and practice identifying which of a pair of opposites they were hearing-steady and not steady, fast and slow, loud and soft, long and short, and finally, high and low. Students were given a quiz to assess their ability to identify each musical opposite.

3rd/4th grade- again, my 3rd and 4th grade classes are in slightly different places. Some classes learned to play the first song for Recorder Karate, "Hot Cross Buns." We also played drums and rhythm sticks to accompany phrases (short musical ideas) for the song "Hi! Ho! The Rattlin' Bog!" Students learned to play a song on recorders called "B A Dancing Zombie" and learned a rap called "Hey Jack" in the spirit of the approaching holiday.

5th grade- I missed a couple of 5th grade classes this week because of the field trip. We are continuing to listen to different musical styles and track our reactions on music logs. We are currently learning about and listening to Mozart and his music. Students also reviewed "Hot Cross Buns" and learned a song called "B A Dancing Zombie" on recorders. Students also learned a Halloween rap called "Hey Jack."

There is a sing along NEXT Friday (the 28th) at 2:45 pm in the auditorium. All are welcome to stop in and sing along. Thanks!

This week (10/10-10/13)

This week in...

Kindergarten- students learned about high and low in music. We listened and compared pitches, deciding which of two pitches was higher. We also moved to show high and low sounds in music- twinkling like stars for high, and sliding our feet across the floor like starfish for low.

1st/2nd grade- students continued to discover long and short sounds by listening to the sounds of different unpitched percussion instruments. Students also learned about high and low and made predictions about which of two instruments would make the lower sound (it's always the larger instrument!)

3rd/4th grade- students wrote out the rhythm of foot puzzles, continued to develop note reading skills, and learned to play the white belt song for Recorder Karate, "Hot Cross Buns." Students also learned about form with the song "Hi! Ho! The Rattlin' Bog" and worked on matching pitch while singing.

5th grade- students transformed their composed rhythm from last week into a melody with notes on the staff. Students then learned to play their melodies. Students played several melodies written by their classmates and learned about the music of Mozart.

Happy long weekend!

This week (10/3-10/7)

This week in...

Kindergarten- students learned about high and low sounds through the song "Twinkle, Twinkle" We also played to match the first part of the song on metallophone instruments.

1st/2nd grade- students were assessed on concepts learned this year, including so and mi. We learned about dynamics, which means the volume of the music and developed our skills with hearing loud and soft. We learned about long and short  and what kind of rhythms we can play to make long and short sounds.

3rd/4th grade- students began playing recorders! We learned how to hold them, what kind of air pressure we use to play (not very much air!), and we learned our first two fingerings to play notes. We also moved our feet to match sounds we heard- walk, jogging, skate.

5th grade- students began playing recorders! We reviewed how to hold them and began playing simple songs using our first two fingerings. Students composed their own 8-beat rhythm using half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests.

This week (9/26-9/30)

We broke 500 views!!!! I'm so glad that students and parents alike are using this new resource.

This week in....

Kindergarten- students learned to sing "This Little Light of Mine" and explore long and short sounds. Students also got to practice making many different animal sounds and showing the steady beat.

1st/2nd grade- students played the rhythm of the song "Bee, Bee, Bumblebee" on mallet instruments. Students were also assessed on concepts discussed so far this year, including identifying so and mi patterns.

3rd/4th grade- students played the rhythm of the song "Rocky Mountain" on mallet instruments. Students also learned an African singing game and played rhythms on rhythm sticks.

5th grade- students learned about the composer Handel and played different pitches on mallet instruments to accompany the song "Sing."

Sing along tomorrow at 10am!

This week (9/19-9/23)

We broke 400 views on the blog today!

This week in...

Kindergarten- students learned a game in which one person who has their eyes covered has to guess which of their classmates sang, whispered, or spoke to them . We also learned to play mallet instruments for the first time! Students discovered how to hold mallets and play a steady beat on the xylophone with "Twinkle, Twinkle."

1st/2nd grade- students learned to write the notes so and mi on individual music staff white boards. Students also played mallet instruments to match the steady beat of the song "Bee, Bee, Bumblebee."

3rd/4th grade- students continued to improve their skills in note reading with Mad Minutes, an activity in which students identify as many as possible notes out of 30 that they can in one minute. Students played mallet instruments along with the steady beat of the song "Rocky Mountain."

5th grade- currently each 5th grade class is in a different place in their music curriculum because of scheduling madness. The field trip this week further complicated that. As a result, some 5th graders improved their skills in note reading through the use of Mad Minutes (described above in 3rd/4th grade) and began to learn the song "Sign of a Victory." Other students worked on music logs and learned about the composer Handel from the baroque era.

**Honors Choir will begin rehearsing next week on September 28th!

Honors Choir!

Attention 5th grade students!

If you plan to participate in Honors Choir (see additional information on the Honors Choir tab under "pages") your form must be turned in to me by this Friday! The first rehearsal is next Wednesday, September 28th from 3:20-4pm. The $10 fee is due at that time. I look forward to beginning choir next week, and hope to see many of you there!

This week (9/12-9/16)

PLP day changed our week up a bit, but here's what we did this week in....

Kindergarten- students continued to explore long and short sounds on percussion instruments. Students also learned the story "A Circle of Friends" with many different characters, including a rabbit, snake, butterfly, and fish.

1st/2nd grade- students learned the song "Bee, Bee, Bumblebee." We talked about matching pitch when singing, steady beat, rhythm, and the music staff. We even placed the rhythm of the song on the music staff and learned a fun game to go with the song.

3rd/4th grade- students learned to write out the rhythm of part of the song "Rocky Mountain" using music notes. Students continued to learn about identifying notes on the music staff, especially the notes B, A, and G. Students got to practice drawing notes on the music staff using erasable white boards.

5th grade- we begun to learn about/review reading notes of the music staff. Students filled in the missing parts of a story by reading notes on the staff to tell them the missing letters and words. We also learned about the percussion family of instruments and played jam rhythms using the four categories of unpitched percussion (drums, woods, metals, and shakers/scrapers.)

**Honors Choir forms due by next Friday, Sept. 23rd.

This week at school and announcements

This week in.....

Kindergarten- we learned about long and short in music class. We sang songs with long and short sounds and we moved our arms to show long and short sounds. We played different types of percussion instruments, ranging from drums to maracas to tambourines.

1st/2nd grade- students learned some singing and hand clapping games, one of which is from Africa called "Kye Kye Kule" (pronounced Chay Chay Coolay.) We also played rhythm sticks to learn to feel the difference between the steady beat and the rhythm of a song.

3rd/4th grade- we learned about melody shape with the song "Rocky Mountain." We also learned a dance to go with that song to help remember verse/refrain form. We had a drum circle and improvised a group call and response.

5th grade- we performed our class rhythm composed by the group last week on percussion instruments. We also talked about active listening and began our music logs which keep track of our thoughts and reactions to different styles of music. Students learned about Bach and heard some of his baroque style music.

Announcements
***Recorder order forms (for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students only) are due by next Friday, September 16! If you already have one or have already turned in the form you are set.

***5th grade students wishing to participate in Honors Choir- see the tab on the right for more information- must return their form to me by September 23rd.

First sing along!

Our first all-elementary sing along will be this Friday at 2:45pm in the auditorium. Parents, you're welcome to park the car and head in to watch this amazing event! It will likely be standing room only, but please feel free to come watch, listen, and even sing with us. Your kids love seeing you there, and so do I. For those who may not know, sing alongs are fun once-monthly (approximately) events that I began to get our school singing together. Classroom teachers can elect to bring their class, schedule permitting, and we all sing songs for about 25 minutes with lyrics projected onto a screen. Usually these songs have been taught in at least one grade level in music class, and sometimes they are "classics" we all know and love. If you can't make it, there will be many others this school year. Hope to see you there!

First full week

The first full week of school is nearly complete, and in spite of already acquiring a head cold (a new record for me), it has been an excellent start to the year. 

Kindergarteners have already begun playing instruments through the introduction of hands drums and are learning to keep a steady beat. They have also explored the four ways we can use our voices. First and second graders have honed their skills in identifying music with and without a steady beat, and have also played on drums to accompany steady beat songs of different styles. They have also learned about tempo by experiencing music with slow, medium, and fast beats. Third and fourth graders have learned about the music alphabet, as well as the names of the lines and spaces of the music staff. Fifth graders jumped right into rhythms by writing out the sounds in their first, middle, and last names with music notes. It has been great to catch up with students from last year and meet some new faces that will be a wonderful edition to our music program. 

Don't forget to keep checking back for updates- other features of the site will be updated in addition to new posts. Always feel welcome to leave comments!

Welcome!

Welcome to the classroom blog for Ms. Buckley's elementary music class! This will serve as a communication tool for families so that I can share the goings-on and upcoming events in music. This will include information about our sing alongs, recorders, the spring concert, honors choir, and other classroom updates. Please feel free to check the blog frequently (add it to your bookmarks!), comment, and enjoy. If you wish to become a follower of this blog, you can easily create an account and receive notifications when it is updated, or you may enter your email address into the bar at the top of the page. Thanks, and I look forward to a year of great music making!