Kindergarten students are learning new games to help them find their singing voice. Many children 'speak' sing, and we are trying to help everyone discover their singing voice. Copying the sound of a slide whistle, making sounds to mimic our movement when we toss beanbags, and having 'whale' conversations - best done holding stuffed whales and 'talking whale talk' to a partner. Echo and call and response songs have been another good way to practice our singing voices. Children continue to use this singing voice to celebrate the 100th day of school. We counted to 100 in the hallway to the beat of the drum! We also learned "100 Days of School" sung to The Farmer in the Dell, and "Happy 100 Days of School" which fits to Happy Birthday. February also has Valentine's Day, so students are exploring the steady beat of their heartbeat versus rhythm. That's fun with sticks and drums. Children may come home serenading you with "You Are My Sunshine," "Fiddle Dee Dee" or teach you a dance, "Heel, Toe."
First Graders finished their "Carnival of the Animals" unit with their own compositions about an animal. The kids did a great job - and some even acted it out! The classes really enjoyed guessing which animal the groups were performing:) LAMP night was also a great success! Thanks too all the families who came out and participated with their children. It is a wonderful opportunity for our first grade families.
February is also Black History month, and our first graders are enjoying a taste of jazz - a truly American art form. Ella Fitzgerald's version of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" is always such fun, and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is the subject of "Rap-A-Tap-Tap". That book sets us up for a great day of tap dancing. Don't be surprised if your first grader asks for quarters taped to their socks! Cheap and easy tap shoes:) Students are always exploring their singing voices with lots of call and response songs and echo songs, including "DId You Feed My Cow". The answer is always, 'yes, ma'am' with a smile:)
Second Graders are also exploring finding their singing voice. Games like "Find Your Family," "whale conversations" and pipe-cleaner sounds are making this experience fun. The kids really liked, "My Aunt Came Back" - a book that's also a song with lots of crazy motions - but a great opportunity for singing, too. Second graders are also taking a look and listen at contributions by jazz musicians in tribute to Black History Month. THe kids love reviewing, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" by Ella Fitzgerald, and singing "When the Saints Come Marching In' followed by a Louis Armstrong version. Especially well-timed right after the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the kids really knew about the Saints! Valentine songs and games are around the corner, and then the kids will be heading into Peter and The Wolf, along with lots of songs in foreign languages. Our first is in Spanish, "Tu Me Gustas" and it sounds great, thanks to many children who have recorded their voices for us to copy!