One of the great things about how our district is evolving is the new technology for different things, like the new sd308.org website. I have chosen to discontinue this blog here, and switch all information over to the new sd308.org site under The Wheatlands and my name. Go there for any more information and the new blog app that still allows me to show you the great things we are doing in music class throughout the year!
Miss Rains' New Site!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Parent Teacher Conferences and Updates to What's Happening!
Hello!!
We have been so busy at The Wheatlands in the last few weeks that I haven't gotten a chance to update you all on what we have been working on or let you know about Parent Teacher Conferences.
Report Card Hint:
First, however is a hint about the report cards. We are aware of a glitch in the system and if you can't see your child's music grade, please make sure you go to Marking Period 1 (MP1). Apparently the system was defaulting to the wrong quarter, which is why some of you couldn't see your child's grade!
Parent/Teacher Conferences:
I am certainly available if you have any questions about what we do in music class here at The Wheatlands during Parent/Teacher Conferences. I will be available the following hours to talk to you:
Wednesday: 7:30-8:15 A.M.
3:45-5:30 P.M.
Thursday: 7:30-8:30 A.M.
2:00-5:00 P.M. and 6:00-7:30 P.M.
Friday: 8:30 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
What Are We Working On?:
Here's a bit about what we are working on in music class for each grade level...
1st Grade: VETERAN'S DAY!!!! We are so excited to present our 11th Annual Veteran's Day performance next Tuesday at 9:30 and 2:00 in the gym at The Wheatlands.
2nd Grade: Right now we are learning a bunch of things in 2nd grade about the String and Percussion families of instruments. We are also working in centers about lines and spaces on the staff, Solfeg, reviewing rhythms, AND learning about skips and steps on the staff.
3rd Grade: We are about to be embarking on a look at the Woodwind family, and we are finishing up learning about the spaces on the staff. We are also looking at the symbols that make up written music as well.
4th Grade: We have mastered our space notes on the staff, have been reviewing the Brass and Woodwind Families, and are currently playing some improvisations on the xylophones and glockenspiels.
5th Grade: MUSICAL!!!! As all the 5th grade parents should know, we are working on our 5th grade musical, Snow Biz! right now and having an absolute blast getting to know it!
So there is music at The Wheatlands. I'm sure that I'll see some of you this week sometime, so have a lovely first week of November!
We have been so busy at The Wheatlands in the last few weeks that I haven't gotten a chance to update you all on what we have been working on or let you know about Parent Teacher Conferences.
Report Card Hint:
First, however is a hint about the report cards. We are aware of a glitch in the system and if you can't see your child's music grade, please make sure you go to Marking Period 1 (MP1). Apparently the system was defaulting to the wrong quarter, which is why some of you couldn't see your child's grade!
Parent/Teacher Conferences:
I am certainly available if you have any questions about what we do in music class here at The Wheatlands during Parent/Teacher Conferences. I will be available the following hours to talk to you:
Wednesday: 7:30-8:15 A.M.
3:45-5:30 P.M.
Thursday: 7:30-8:30 A.M.
2:00-5:00 P.M. and 6:00-7:30 P.M.
Friday: 8:30 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
What Are We Working On?:
Here's a bit about what we are working on in music class for each grade level...
1st Grade: VETERAN'S DAY!!!! We are so excited to present our 11th Annual Veteran's Day performance next Tuesday at 9:30 and 2:00 in the gym at The Wheatlands.
2nd Grade: Right now we are learning a bunch of things in 2nd grade about the String and Percussion families of instruments. We are also working in centers about lines and spaces on the staff, Solfeg, reviewing rhythms, AND learning about skips and steps on the staff.
3rd Grade: We are about to be embarking on a look at the Woodwind family, and we are finishing up learning about the spaces on the staff. We are also looking at the symbols that make up written music as well.
4th Grade: We have mastered our space notes on the staff, have been reviewing the Brass and Woodwind Families, and are currently playing some improvisations on the xylophones and glockenspiels.
5th Grade: MUSICAL!!!! As all the 5th grade parents should know, we are working on our 5th grade musical, Snow Biz! right now and having an absolute blast getting to know it!
So there is music at The Wheatlands. I'm sure that I'll see some of you this week sometime, so have a lovely first week of November!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
2nd Graders are GREAT composers!
We have been learning all sorts of things at The Wheatlands this year, and I wanted to share with you something that we did in 2nd grade!
We have been learning about So and Mi, which are words that help us sing pitches in music. The cool thing we did was combine rhythms, words, and So and Mi to create some songs! Our first step was picking a topic, then creating some sentences to go with that topic. From there, we figured out the best rhythm to fit our sentences. Then the kids split into groups and decided which So and Mi patterns fit with our song the best! Here are a couple fun examples for you to see and hear:
Click on the class name to hear their song!
We have been learning about So and Mi, which are words that help us sing pitches in music. The cool thing we did was combine rhythms, words, and So and Mi to create some songs! Our first step was picking a topic, then creating some sentences to go with that topic. From there, we figured out the best rhythm to fit our sentences. Then the kids split into groups and decided which So and Mi patterns fit with our song the best! Here are a couple fun examples for you to see and hear:
Click on the class name to hear their song!
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Man, We Have Fun in First Grade!!
In first grade we have been singing away... getting ready for our Veteran's Day performances and also working on other musical concepts. The first graders have mastered the concept of echoing in music, and now we are looking at something called "Call and Response". "Call and Response" is a form of music where one person or a group sings one thing and the other person or group sings a response to what they are singing! You can tell that Mrs. Mann's class had a lot of fun with this...
Listen to a recording of Mrs. Mann's Class and one of Mrs. Ross' Classing singing our song called "Lemonade" by clicking on the links below. The boys were singing the Call and the girls were singing the Response!
Mrs. Mann's Class
Mrs. Ross' Class
Listen to a recording of Mrs. Mann's Class and one of Mrs. Ross' Classing singing our song called "Lemonade" by clicking on the links below. The boys were singing the Call and the girls were singing the Response!
Mrs. Mann's Class
Mrs. Ross' Class
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Mozart... The Awesome Dead Dude...
You see, when I made my beginning of the year video for the kids about rules and tattling and things that were new this year... I made a mistake. Well, not a mistake per se, but I referred to Mozart as an awesome dead dude... and that is how we know him at The Wheatlands. However, the statement is factual: he is an awesome composer, he is dead (for over 200 years now), and he's a dude. We've been learning so much more about him though!
This handsome guy's full name is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and we have learned that he was born in 1756. We also found out that he wrote over 600 different pieces. That is CRAZY considering he died at age 35. Several students have also been finding Mozart facts online and by checking books out at the LRC, which is awesome. We learned from one student that Mozart started composing when he was just 5 years old!
We have also listened to a few of Mozart's most famous works, "Dies Irae" from his Requiem Mass, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", and the "Queen of the Night" aria from his opera The Magic Flute. It has been amazing seeing the kids get into learning about this amazing composer. Every two months, we will be switching to a different composer or famous musical artist, so stay tuned to what we are learning! Next month begins our glimpse into the awesome Jazz artist, Louis Armstrong.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Learning How to Play an Instrument is Hard Work!!!
.... but we are having soooooo much fun doing it in 3rd grade!!
I'm trying to emphasize really learning about reading music from the staff for our kids at The Wheatlands. One of the ways that we can do that is by learning some parts of the staff, and just using those notes to work on our xylophones and glockenspiels. 3rd grade was working hard trying to figure out how to play different examples on the board after we reviewed the letter names of the spaces on the staff today! Check out how much fun we were having trying to learn how to read music:
I'm trying to emphasize really learning about reading music from the staff for our kids at The Wheatlands. One of the ways that we can do that is by learning some parts of the staff, and just using those notes to work on our xylophones and glockenspiels. 3rd grade was working hard trying to figure out how to play different examples on the board after we reviewed the letter names of the spaces on the staff today! Check out how much fun we were having trying to learn how to read music:
That mallet is in mid strike as these boys are working on figuring out the example!
Clearly.... we have too much fun in music class!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
5th Grade Ostinato Fun!
In fifth grade, we are getting back to things by creating rhythmic ostinatos!! The basic idea is that it is a repeating rhythm, and with these guys, they had to create it and layer it one on top of another. I've included a link to some that are already done, and be on the look out for the rest of 5th grade to be coming your way soon!!
The Crazies
The Loco Animals
The Crazies
The Loco Animals
Hard at Work Coming Up With Ideas
Writing Out Rhythms
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