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!
Showing posts with label General Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label General Stuff. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
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.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Onto the 2nd Week!!!
Oh man!! I can't believe that we are already starting our second week of school! Last week flew by and we did lots of different things. On our first day at school we had an all-school assembly to talk about "The Wheatlands Way" and really focused on leading the pack and excellence being a habit here at school.
Mr. Gerard Making Sure We Understand The Wheatlands Way!
During the first week in music class we do a few things. On the first day, I always like to play a game of some sort and ask the kids their favorite thing they did that summer. It is always fun when they get to share things like that with me!
On the second day that week, each class got to watch the Miss Rains expectations video. To save my voice I made a video with a tour around the music room and my recorded voice to remind kids about the expectations in music class. There were even guest appearances in the video by a few Wheatlands celebs like Mr. Gerard to model what not to do with problems like finding trash on the floor or having a broken pencil. They helped us learn how to be a problem solver and not a problem maker! Overall, it's looking like it is going to be a great start to the year in music!!!
Watching the Tour of the Music Room!
Our video also includes a song about Not Tattling!!
Saturday, August 16, 2014
FIRST POST OF THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR!!!!
Welcome Back Wolves!!I am super excited for another year of music to start up at The Wheatlands!! Can you tell??
I have a confession to make... Sunday night, I will be a mess... an absolute mess... I won't be able to sleep, I won't be able to think straight, and it's all because I'm SO EXCITED!! I love starting out a new school year and love getting to meet new wolves! Several of you, I met at sneak peek, and I look forward to having you in class.
That first week back is one of my favorites, getting to see old faces of kids that I've known since first grade, being back in my favorite place in the world, and getting to share my love of music with all these little crazies! First grade may be my favorite this first week because it is siblings of families I've had for years and new students who haven't experienced the craziness of Miss Rains. I love the smiles on all of their faces when I ask them what they did this summer and they get to tell me about trips to grandparents, walking around Disney World, and my favorite... sleeping in.
Please check back as the year goes on for more information about what we are doing in music class and about the curriculum here at TW. I am currently working on transferring all of the curriculum data from my site on the old Oswego page, so the goal is to have all the curriculum information on here for you before Curriculum Night in case you are curious about anything! As always, please let me know if you have any questions, and please let me know if you want to come in and help in any way and you are musically inclined!
Get ready to LEAD THE PACK... because Excellence at TW... is habit!
Friday, April 4, 2014
An update for Music!
My head is EXPLODING with the 3rd grade musical stuff, but that doesn't meant that we aren't doing awesome things in other grades right now at The Wheatlands. I'll be back to posting pictures and videos soon, but I thought I'd still let you know what we are doing!
1st Grade
These little guys are having a BLAST in music right now because we are doing some of what is called MALLET MADNESS!!! This is basically the loudest, most fun, most crazy thing that we can do in music. It is a rotation where all the kids are playing instruments at the same time. Then when I say "1-2-3-4", they follow with this chant... "Put your mallets on the floor... 5-6-7-8, hurry up and don't be late!" That lets them rotate to a new instrument. We are learning how to play drums and xylophones and how to hold out mallets, and now we are getting ready to play different rhythms on the instruments using our new found mallet techniques!
2nd Grade
I am soooo proud of our 2nd graders here at TW because we are researching in 2nd grade music and creating a Powerpoint about a culture different from our own. Groups are researching Hispanic, Indian, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, and African cultures to learn about the culture in general but most specifically the dancing, music, instruments, and celebrations in these cultures. I can't wait to post some of the great Powerpoints up here for you to see because they have been doing some great work!
3rd Grade
The musical is NEXT week!!! April 10th and 7P.M. get ready to hear the awesomeness that is the 3rd graders!!
4th Grade
These guys have been working hard at learning how to read the notes on the staff to prepare them for.... wait for it.... 4th grade parents are about to kill me.... RECORDERS!!!! By next week, the 4th graders at TW will have recorders in hand and so will begin the last weeks of school with me hearing over one hundred children come before me to play "Hot Cross Buns". If you at any time feel like you would like to experience the most loud, joyous, crazy, insane thing you've ever heard... all fourth grade classes are in music from 12:35-1:35. Feel free to join us... if you've taken some Advil and have invested in earplugs! They love them though, so get excited for 4th grade.
5th Grade
5th grade has entered my absolute favorite part of the year because we are getting to the practical applications of music. This unit we are doing right now has us listening to popular music and really talking about it. For example, we listened to the song "Roar" by Katy Perry today in one class. Now you can say "oh, that's the song 'Roar' by Katy Perry" and yeah... that's okay, but I want the 5th graders to be able to say things like... "The song 'Roar by Katy Perry is a female vocal solo. During the chorus of the song, she is joined by people singing harmony under the main melody line. The instrumentation of the song includes guitars, drums, and various electronic instruments. I like the song because of its fast tempo in the background and because it is part of the pop music genre." Wow... could you imagine if all of them could talk this intelligently about what they are listening to? That is our goal with the main project we will be doing with the classes for the next month!
Anyways, I hope you have an awesome weekend and I hope you all had a GREAT first week back after Spring Break!
1st Grade
These little guys are having a BLAST in music right now because we are doing some of what is called MALLET MADNESS!!! This is basically the loudest, most fun, most crazy thing that we can do in music. It is a rotation where all the kids are playing instruments at the same time. Then when I say "1-2-3-4", they follow with this chant... "Put your mallets on the floor... 5-6-7-8, hurry up and don't be late!" That lets them rotate to a new instrument. We are learning how to play drums and xylophones and how to hold out mallets, and now we are getting ready to play different rhythms on the instruments using our new found mallet techniques!
2nd Grade
I am soooo proud of our 2nd graders here at TW because we are researching in 2nd grade music and creating a Powerpoint about a culture different from our own. Groups are researching Hispanic, Indian, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern, and African cultures to learn about the culture in general but most specifically the dancing, music, instruments, and celebrations in these cultures. I can't wait to post some of the great Powerpoints up here for you to see because they have been doing some great work!
3rd Grade
The musical is NEXT week!!! April 10th and 7P.M. get ready to hear the awesomeness that is the 3rd graders!!
4th Grade
These guys have been working hard at learning how to read the notes on the staff to prepare them for.... wait for it.... 4th grade parents are about to kill me.... RECORDERS!!!! By next week, the 4th graders at TW will have recorders in hand and so will begin the last weeks of school with me hearing over one hundred children come before me to play "Hot Cross Buns". If you at any time feel like you would like to experience the most loud, joyous, crazy, insane thing you've ever heard... all fourth grade classes are in music from 12:35-1:35. Feel free to join us... if you've taken some Advil and have invested in earplugs! They love them though, so get excited for 4th grade.
5th Grade
5th grade has entered my absolute favorite part of the year because we are getting to the practical applications of music. This unit we are doing right now has us listening to popular music and really talking about it. For example, we listened to the song "Roar" by Katy Perry today in one class. Now you can say "oh, that's the song 'Roar' by Katy Perry" and yeah... that's okay, but I want the 5th graders to be able to say things like... "The song 'Roar by Katy Perry is a female vocal solo. During the chorus of the song, she is joined by people singing harmony under the main melody line. The instrumentation of the song includes guitars, drums, and various electronic instruments. I like the song because of its fast tempo in the background and because it is part of the pop music genre." Wow... could you imagine if all of them could talk this intelligently about what they are listening to? That is our goal with the main project we will be doing with the classes for the next month!
Anyways, I hope you have an awesome weekend and I hope you all had a GREAT first week back after Spring Break!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Back to Music in January!!!
Wow!! The year is already half over!! I can't believe how fast the first part of the school year goes every year, but now we are here. I wanted to give you all an update for what is happening in music at The Wheatlands now that we're back in school. I can get back to posting fun pictures and songs as we get back into this fun part of our learning for the year!
1st Grade
These kids are about to start learning about rhythms. They are learning to write and dictate basic rhythm symbols in first grade, and I like to do it in a different way with different centers for the kids to work in. Rhythm is something that you learn a bit about and then it is really about practicing what you learned, so students are going to get a chance to work a lot independently and with a group or a partner doing different games with rhythms. They are going to have a blast. If you don't understand what rhythm symbols are or don't have a music background, check out the School Website link to see what 1st grade rhythms are going to look like!
2nd Grade
We are going to start off the semester learning about Patriotic Music. They are going to learn about different marches that represent our country, learn about the history behind the Star Spangled Banner, and also catch a glimpse into different parts of our country while we learn about Patriotic music. Goals they have for this unit include being able to tell what makes a song Patriotic (words said, familiar melodies), where and when patriotic songs are most likely heard, and what to do during the Star Spangled Banner.
3rd Grade
African American Spirituals are what we are talking about in 3rd Grade right now. This is definitely a unit that brings up a lot of good discussion, and I encourage you to talk to your child about some of the things that are brought up in music class when we are learning about these songs. For example, the first activity that we did was that I had students write on a post it note, something that they think is different about them from everyone else in their class. They didn't put a name on the post it, but I read them out loud and generalized the statement (if one said my brother Bob and I like Disney Infinity, I just said who likes Disney Infinity) and had students raise their hands to show that they had this "difference" too. They learn that the things they think make them different aren't as different as they think they are... leading to how people are similar in so many ways. This unit brings up a lot of talk about learning from people who are different from us and embracing the history of different groups of people.
4th Grade
SEA SHANTIES!!! This is a favorite unit of mine because the students get to explore a group of songs and a lifestyle (shipboard life) from the 1800s. We talk about how songs are passed through generations, how songs can tell stories, and so much. Sea Shanties were work songs that were created a long time ago, so in the end, the students get to pick a random topic to create a silly sea shantey and perform it for the class. I love showing kids how music fits in our history!
5th Grade
Fifth Graders are working on reviewing their rhythms and note names from previous years. This is a huge undertaking because they have been working on these things since first grade, so they have a lot of knowledge in their heads! We are going to add one new rhythm symbol and do lots of games and fun activities to remind us of what each symbol means. The best thing you can do to help your child with this unit is to help them remember how many beats each symbol receives. You can find a handy chart on the school site above to help your child study!
Honor Choir!!!!!!
My favorite thing every year!!! Honor Choir starts up this week!!! If you can't already tell... I'm a little excited to have my 126 kids come and sing with me each week. I will be sending out an e-mail to Honor Choir parents reminding about dates and attaching a calendar if you lost it. It is also attached below for you to print out as well. 1st-3rd grade parents, this is something you can look forward to in 4th and 5th grade for your student to be a part of!
Honor Choir Calendar
That's it for now, I hope you hear plenty of stories and learn tons from your student when they tell you about the fun things we are doing in music class this month!!
1st Grade
These kids are about to start learning about rhythms. They are learning to write and dictate basic rhythm symbols in first grade, and I like to do it in a different way with different centers for the kids to work in. Rhythm is something that you learn a bit about and then it is really about practicing what you learned, so students are going to get a chance to work a lot independently and with a group or a partner doing different games with rhythms. They are going to have a blast. If you don't understand what rhythm symbols are or don't have a music background, check out the School Website link to see what 1st grade rhythms are going to look like!
2nd Grade
We are going to start off the semester learning about Patriotic Music. They are going to learn about different marches that represent our country, learn about the history behind the Star Spangled Banner, and also catch a glimpse into different parts of our country while we learn about Patriotic music. Goals they have for this unit include being able to tell what makes a song Patriotic (words said, familiar melodies), where and when patriotic songs are most likely heard, and what to do during the Star Spangled Banner.
3rd Grade
African American Spirituals are what we are talking about in 3rd Grade right now. This is definitely a unit that brings up a lot of good discussion, and I encourage you to talk to your child about some of the things that are brought up in music class when we are learning about these songs. For example, the first activity that we did was that I had students write on a post it note, something that they think is different about them from everyone else in their class. They didn't put a name on the post it, but I read them out loud and generalized the statement (if one said my brother Bob and I like Disney Infinity, I just said who likes Disney Infinity) and had students raise their hands to show that they had this "difference" too. They learn that the things they think make them different aren't as different as they think they are... leading to how people are similar in so many ways. This unit brings up a lot of talk about learning from people who are different from us and embracing the history of different groups of people.
4th Grade
SEA SHANTIES!!! This is a favorite unit of mine because the students get to explore a group of songs and a lifestyle (shipboard life) from the 1800s. We talk about how songs are passed through generations, how songs can tell stories, and so much. Sea Shanties were work songs that were created a long time ago, so in the end, the students get to pick a random topic to create a silly sea shantey and perform it for the class. I love showing kids how music fits in our history!
5th Grade
Fifth Graders are working on reviewing their rhythms and note names from previous years. This is a huge undertaking because they have been working on these things since first grade, so they have a lot of knowledge in their heads! We are going to add one new rhythm symbol and do lots of games and fun activities to remind us of what each symbol means. The best thing you can do to help your child with this unit is to help them remember how many beats each symbol receives. You can find a handy chart on the school site above to help your child study!
Honor Choir!!!!!!
My favorite thing every year!!! Honor Choir starts up this week!!! If you can't already tell... I'm a little excited to have my 126 kids come and sing with me each week. I will be sending out an e-mail to Honor Choir parents reminding about dates and attaching a calendar if you lost it. It is also attached below for you to print out as well. 1st-3rd grade parents, this is something you can look forward to in 4th and 5th grade for your student to be a part of!
Honor Choir Calendar
That's it for now, I hope you hear plenty of stories and learn tons from your student when they tell you about the fun things we are doing in music class this month!!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
A Little About Crazy Miss Rains
I'm sure you all wonder a little bit when your child comes home and tells you the stories from music class... "Mom!! Miss Rains totally disco danced in music today!!", "Dad! Miss Rains was telling us this story today about her band director jumping off the bleachers in marching band!!", or my personal favorite "Mom! Miss Rains is Crazy.... but I like it." I thought that I would take this opportunity to tell you all a little about myself, the woman your kids spend an hour with each week!! Enjoy and laugh at the pictures below, and I hope that it helps you understand a little bit more about me as a teacher!
I think that it is most important for you to understand why I do what I do. I will openly admit to anyone that I absolutely have the best job in the universe. My day consists of sharing music with children who could potentially grow up to become the next big musician, the next tech guru where music is concerned, the newest Tony Award winner, or (and this is the most important one) a person who genuinely loves music and all it has to offer! This is why I share some of the things that I do with your children. Yes... we do occasionally spend some of our music time watching youTube videos like "Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth performing Defying Gravity at the 2004 Tony Awards" or "The Ohio State Marching Band's Halftime Show". The reasoning behind this is that I want them to experience these things and enjoy music in so many different ways so they can see where it can fit in their lives. My favorite way of doing that is to show them some of the coolest things that I can find! The other thing that you must know is that I absolutely love each and every child I have ever taught. While there may have been struggles along the way, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of your kids while teaching here at The Wheatlands. If you have more coming, I can't wait to have them in my room!
And now for some Miss Rains Facts... told in pictures of course!!
I think that it is most important for you to understand why I do what I do. I will openly admit to anyone that I absolutely have the best job in the universe. My day consists of sharing music with children who could potentially grow up to become the next big musician, the next tech guru where music is concerned, the newest Tony Award winner, or (and this is the most important one) a person who genuinely loves music and all it has to offer! This is why I share some of the things that I do with your children. Yes... we do occasionally spend some of our music time watching youTube videos like "Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth performing Defying Gravity at the 2004 Tony Awards" or "The Ohio State Marching Band's Halftime Show". The reasoning behind this is that I want them to experience these things and enjoy music in so many different ways so they can see where it can fit in their lives. My favorite way of doing that is to show them some of the coolest things that I can find! The other thing that you must know is that I absolutely love each and every child I have ever taught. While there may have been struggles along the way, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of your kids while teaching here at The Wheatlands. If you have more coming, I can't wait to have them in my room!
And now for some Miss Rains Facts... told in pictures of course!!
I was born in Royal Oak, Michigan and moved to Illinois when I was 5. I spent all my school years in Mundelein, Illinois, graduating from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. Here I am in the middle of my cousins Kathy and Devynn when I was just a little Miss Rains!
I love to sing! I have been in too many choirs to count and absolutely love being a part of a group that can create amazing music. Here I am with one of my college choirs, third from the right in the front row!
I graduated with a Bachelors in Music Education from Millikin University in 2006. This is one of my directors and professors, Ted Hesse on graduation day.
I started teaching at The Wheatlands during the 2006-2007 school year and this is my 8th year at the school. This was on our 80s day at school... and you can tell that I very obviously work with the best group of teachers in the universe.
I LOVE to run. Running is one of my favorite hobbies. Mrs. Manny and I can sometimes be seen running around the neighborhood after school. Some of your children have even chased me on my weekend runs! I have 3 full marathons and 10 half marathons to my name, and can't wait to do more!
One of my other favorite hobbies is art. I especially love working in colored pencil and you can find me at Blick Art on the weekends frequently buying new stuff!
I have two CRAZY cats, Gilmore and Bella... of whom I know you have heard, because the kids frequently ask for stories!
I will clearly do ANYTHING for my students, include taking a pie to the face (2013) or putting a snake around my neck (2011).
The kids all know of my various obsessions, including Dunkin Donuts iced coffees, all things Wicked, random cool videos, etc. One obsession that we have talked about is Tony Award winner Idina Menzel. She was in the original cast of Wicked as Elphaba and was recently the voice of Elsa in FROZEN. I was fortunate enough to attend her concert this summer and got to meet the idol of mine and have her autograph my Wicked soundtrack!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Wearing Pie...
Some of you may know that I will do just about anything for the kids... which turned on me this week on Tuesday. :) With our school meeting and exceeding our goal for the Market Day pie contest, I got to help Mrs. Richmond's first grade class celebrate selling the most pies in a classroom by taking a pie in the face. Has anyone ever had cool whip up their nose?? Not pretty, but I'll do anything to see the joy on their faces, encourage them to help our school, and more importantly... to have every student in the school repeatedly ask me "So, Miss Rains... do you like pie?" on a regular basis now. So, here we are, me and Mr. Gerard takin' it for The Wheatlands team!!
Yeah... I still can't open my eyes for fear of whip cream blindness!!! But the smile is still there!!
Monday, November 4, 2013
Fall Conferences
Fall Conferences are upon us, and you may not know this, but Specials teachers are here during that time each year as well! I have gotten several compliments on the blog this year and parents finally getting to see some of the things we are doing in music class, which I know can lead to even more questions!! One of the best resources for the music room is to click on the School Webpage link above, where you can find information about the curriculum and testing and everything we do in music.
However, I know that some of you would also like to see these things in person and be able to ask questions about what your child is doing. For that reason, here are my Fall Conference times where I will either be in my room or helping Mrs. Seiple in the LRC with the book fair!! Feel free to stop in and say hi and ask questions! I will be putting some of our blog pictures up in my room for you to check out as well!
However, I know that some of you would also like to see these things in person and be able to ask questions about what your child is doing. For that reason, here are my Fall Conference times where I will either be in my room or helping Mrs. Seiple in the LRC with the book fair!! Feel free to stop in and say hi and ask questions! I will be putting some of our blog pictures up in my room for you to check out as well!
Thursday: 2:00PM-5:00PM and 5:30PM-8:00PM
Friday: 2:00PM-4:30PM
Friday, October 25, 2013
Veteran's Day!!
As many of you know from having student here at The Wheatlands for years, we do a special Veteran's Day assembly featuring our first graders. The first grade team is AMAZING at putting this whole thing together, and I get to help them with some of it by working on some of their songs during music class. Click below to hear a preview of one of their songs:
The Veteran's Day assembly is at 9:30AM and 2:00PM on November 11th. A note was send home via the newsletter, but I thought I would post it here on the blog about inviting Veteran's to view our celebration. If your child has a friend or family member that is a Veteran, we would like them to come be our guests of honor! AM Kindergarten, 4th, and 5th Grade students will be doing the assembly at 9:30AM and PM Kindergarten, 2nd, and 3rd grade will be attending the assembly at 2:00PM. If you would like to attend, please fill out the form linked below and have your student bring it back no later that November 1st to their teacher. Also, if you would like to support our troops in a different way, we always collect no perishable items for our Veteran's to send out on behalf of The Wheatlands Community. Suggested items include: Candy, treats, packaged snacks, hygiene items like deodorant and toothpaste, baby wipes, and small entertainment items like paperback books. Send these items with your student on that day or bring it when you come to the performance!
The Veteran's Day assembly is at 9:30AM and 2:00PM on November 11th. A note was send home via the newsletter, but I thought I would post it here on the blog about inviting Veteran's to view our celebration. If your child has a friend or family member that is a Veteran, we would like them to come be our guests of honor! AM Kindergarten, 4th, and 5th Grade students will be doing the assembly at 9:30AM and PM Kindergarten, 2nd, and 3rd grade will be attending the assembly at 2:00PM. If you would like to attend, please fill out the form linked below and have your student bring it back no later that November 1st to their teacher. Also, if you would like to support our troops in a different way, we always collect no perishable items for our Veteran's to send out on behalf of The Wheatlands Community. Suggested items include: Candy, treats, packaged snacks, hygiene items like deodorant and toothpaste, baby wipes, and small entertainment items like paperback books. Send these items with your student on that day or bring it when you come to the performance!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Teacher Wish Lists!
The PTA mentioned a great new website called Teacherlists.com. Click the link below to get to my wish list for the music classroom. We can post things that we need for our classrooms much like the apple trees during curriculum night. The music room can always benefit from these things as well, since we see all the students at The Wheatlands. Please check out the list online and pledge some items if you would like to be so generous!! You can send any items in with your child on their music days (these are listed on the right if you don't know your child's music day) if you have chosen to pledge something.
I appreciate your support!!
I appreciate your support!!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
An Update on the Academic Side of Music
I know that so many are reading these posts and checking out all the fun pictures of what we have been doing in music class, so I wanted to let you know where we are headed next with our your for the grade levels! Please remember that you can always click on the School Music Page tab above to get more information about the music curriculum!!
1st Grade
These guys have been working hard at learning about the steady beat and are now working more on learning about the opposites in music: Fast/Slow, High/Low, Going Up/Going Down, Speaking/Singing, and Loud/Soft.
2nd Grade
After a successful reminder of the steady beat, the second graders are tackling two new rhythm symbols this year: the half note and half rest, which both receive two beats each. Check out the rhythms we know!
3rd Grade
After finishing their group "raps" to review our old rhythms, these guys will soon be learning about three new rhythm symbols: the whole note, whole rest, and dotted half note.
4th Grade
Showing off their dance moves, fourth grade proved that they had a good handle on the steady beat. Now we are moving on to the hardest rhythm symbols at The Wheatlands: the syncopation and the triplet. These two symbols are the hardest to learn, but the 4th graders have already proven that they are up to the challenge. We have already been exceptionally impressed by a few classes!
5th Grade
You are in for a treat when I post what fifth grade has been working on. They are finishing up a project and reviewing their facts before moving on to what is probably the most exciting musical unit of fifth grade..... the MUSICAL!!
As always, please let me know if you have any questions about things you see here or things having to do with our curriculum in the district. Enjoy keeping up with what we are doing at The Wheatlands!
1st Grade
These guys have been working hard at learning about the steady beat and are now working more on learning about the opposites in music: Fast/Slow, High/Low, Going Up/Going Down, Speaking/Singing, and Loud/Soft.
2nd Grade
After a successful reminder of the steady beat, the second graders are tackling two new rhythm symbols this year: the half note and half rest, which both receive two beats each. Check out the rhythms we know!
3rd Grade
After finishing their group "raps" to review our old rhythms, these guys will soon be learning about three new rhythm symbols: the whole note, whole rest, and dotted half note.
4th Grade
Showing off their dance moves, fourth grade proved that they had a good handle on the steady beat. Now we are moving on to the hardest rhythm symbols at The Wheatlands: the syncopation and the triplet. These two symbols are the hardest to learn, but the 4th graders have already proven that they are up to the challenge. We have already been exceptionally impressed by a few classes!
5th Grade
You are in for a treat when I post what fifth grade has been working on. They are finishing up a project and reviewing their facts before moving on to what is probably the most exciting musical unit of fifth grade..... the MUSICAL!!
As always, please let me know if you have any questions about things you see here or things having to do with our curriculum in the district. Enjoy keeping up with what we are doing at The Wheatlands!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Technology is AMAZING!!
I love all the positive feedback that I've been getting about the music blog! Parents have told me that they are super excited to get to see what their students are doing in music class, and they like that connection to the school. I am especially excited that technology can bridge that gap between the classroom and the home. Every day I'm trying to add more games, videos, activities, etc. to the blog for you and your children to explore, and they are super excited about sharing it with you.
One thing that I came across was an idea that would help us out in music class for a lot of our projects... more technology!! Do you have an old iPhone 3 or above sitting in your home? Or are you planning on getting the newest iPhone 5S coming out this fall? If you have one sitting at home, we can use it in music class!
This technology would allow the students to more easily:
1. Audio record their projects and compositions.
2. Play games for review in small groups or with a partner for differentiation.
3. Listen to music in small groups.
4. Compose and create music through various music apps.
5. Research different music and cultures that we study throughout the year.
If you have an old iPhone sitting at home please consider donating it to music! You can erase all data and all account information on the device or bring it in and I'll show you how, to protect your privacy. The Sim card can be taken out and it will work just like an iPod touch and will be used on the school's secure wireless network.
Contact Miss Rains if you would like to donate!!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
First post of 2013-2014 School Year!!
Welcome to Music at The Wheatlands!! This blog will serve to be a great form of communication for you to see what we do in music at TW. Hopefully you'll have fun learning about what your child(ren) are doing each day. If you click on the link above for School Music Page, you will find out more information about the curriculum for the district. You will also find many different study guides and ways that you can help your child in music class. I will do my best (this is a new endeavor) to keep you updated on what we are doing in music as the school year goes on! With that in mind... here's what is up first for all grade levels!
1st Grade: Steady Beat
2nd Grade: Steady Beat (culminating in composing their own rhythm band project!)
3rd Grade: Steady Beat (culminating in a very awesome Rap Project!)
4th Grade: Steady Beat (Ending with some serious dance moves created by the kids!)
5th Grade: Songs of the American Railroad (We get to learn about work songs from the mid-1800s while listening to totally random music and talking about history. This unit ends with the kids creating a song about something they don't like to do... or just plain don't like. The idea is that the Railroad workers sang many of these songs to make light of the bad situation that they were in!)
Look up the units on the school music page and stay tuned for pictures and fun to be posted on the music blog!
1st Grade: Steady Beat
2nd Grade: Steady Beat (culminating in composing their own rhythm band project!)
3rd Grade: Steady Beat (culminating in a very awesome Rap Project!)
4th Grade: Steady Beat (Ending with some serious dance moves created by the kids!)
5th Grade: Songs of the American Railroad (We get to learn about work songs from the mid-1800s while listening to totally random music and talking about history. This unit ends with the kids creating a song about something they don't like to do... or just plain don't like. The idea is that the Railroad workers sang many of these songs to make light of the bad situation that they were in!)
Look up the units on the school music page and stay tuned for pictures and fun to be posted on the music blog!
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