December in Kindergarten Music brings lots of opportunities for creative movement. Children enjoy acting out being toys in a toy shop, being a jack-in-the-box,and using scarves to move to the "Sugar Plum Fairy" by Tchaikovsky. They have to be so gentle and delicate! Children continue to improve their singing skills with lots of echo singing, vocal exploration and call and response songs. Full-day kindergarten children are learning songs for the annual Winter Sing, including "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Esta es la Navidad." "Ten in a Bed" is a great song, especially as the holidays approach and family comes to visit. Maybe there won't be ten in your bed, but it is fun to sing the counting song. Half-day kindergarten students are singing some of the winter sing songs, as well, while they continue to focus on their singing skills and creative movement.
First Grade music classes are gearing up for the Winter Sing. Singing together as a school is a wonderful experience that builds a strong feeling of unity. Something special happens when people make music together, and the children feel the profound experience, while they have a great time. Students continue to explore their singing voices, with call and response songs, echo songs, and opportunities for individual singing. First graders can be terrific models for each other. The other main focus for December in first grade is our study of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky. The children have been toy soldiers while they learned about "March," and have heard the story behind the ballet. We will explore Tchaikovsky - the composer - this week, and hear and dance to more of the songs. Terms we will be using are BALLET, COMPOSER, TCHAIKOVSKY, SUITE. This is one of our favorite units!!
Second Graders are preparing to be the leaders of the Winter Sing. They take great pride in knowing ALL the words to ALL the songs! This year we are singing, "Esta es la Navidad" in addition to our standard songs, "Rudolph," "First Snowball of the Season," and many more. December is not complete without "The Chipmunk Song," from the Alvin and the Chipmunks. Silly but fun. Second grade has been playing "Sol-la-mi," a game of echo singing, except if I lead with 'sol-la-mi.' Then they earn points by staying silent. It's a great listening game, and the children love to beat me - and I love that, too, because they are developing crucial listening skills. The second graders have also been playing a game in our xylophone forest. The children rotate through the instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels, metallophones and drums), copying rhythms I clap. Then, we bump things up a notch. Depending on my delivery (snap, clap, pat or stomp) different instruments respond. Again, a great activity for really honing in on listening skills and reinforcing the aural timbre of the different instruments. So much to do!!!!
First Grade music classes are gearing up for the Winter Sing. Singing together as a school is a wonderful experience that builds a strong feeling of unity. Something special happens when people make music together, and the children feel the profound experience, while they have a great time. Students continue to explore their singing voices, with call and response songs, echo songs, and opportunities for individual singing. First graders can be terrific models for each other. The other main focus for December in first grade is our study of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky. The children have been toy soldiers while they learned about "March," and have heard the story behind the ballet. We will explore Tchaikovsky - the composer - this week, and hear and dance to more of the songs. Terms we will be using are BALLET, COMPOSER, TCHAIKOVSKY, SUITE. This is one of our favorite units!!
Second Graders are preparing to be the leaders of the Winter Sing. They take great pride in knowing ALL the words to ALL the songs! This year we are singing, "Esta es la Navidad" in addition to our standard songs, "Rudolph," "First Snowball of the Season," and many more. December is not complete without "The Chipmunk Song," from the Alvin and the Chipmunks. Silly but fun. Second grade has been playing "Sol-la-mi," a game of echo singing, except if I lead with 'sol-la-mi.' Then they earn points by staying silent. It's a great listening game, and the children love to beat me - and I love that, too, because they are developing crucial listening skills. The second graders have also been playing a game in our xylophone forest. The children rotate through the instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels, metallophones and drums), copying rhythms I clap. Then, we bump things up a notch. Depending on my delivery (snap, clap, pat or stomp) different instruments respond. Again, a great activity for really honing in on listening skills and reinforcing the aural timbre of the different instruments. So much to do!!!!