Ms. Zarin - Music

November Notes

This month has been full of music-making, performance practices, and a feeling of non-stop momentum.  I am looking forward to the rest, relaxation, and regrouping that I am sure our week long vacation will bring.  Please remember that the Cobb County Internet, blogs, etc. will also be taking a break, and will be back in service, along with teachers and students, on Monday, December 1st.

In kindergarten,the children have been learning about the concept of high and low through movement and stories, and recently had a rollicking good time a they experienced these sounds with the lively assistance of several personable puppets.  They have explored hand drums while adding sound effects to a seasonal poem, and created a mysterious atmosphere through the use of a poem, pitched and unpitched instruments, and a surprising visit from a......snake (fake, that is---phew!)

1st grade students have had great fun as they used 'human notation' to create rhythm patterns while reviewing known notes.  During this activity, they also discovered the need for two sounds on one beat (eighth notes) and were introduced to its symbol.  The Eensy Weensy Spider was further developed as the children aurally represented the little arachnid's encounters with the water spout by playing his upward and downward movement on the xylophone.

In 2nd grade, the children have used their 'musical ears' to figure out and then play a pentatonic pattern from a known song.  They thoroughly enjoyed playing against moi in a contest where they demonstrated their rhythm reading skills.  Movement and instrumental activities have provided them with the opportunity to internalize and perform eighth, quarter, and half notes. 

Congratulations to our 3rd graders who cooked up some mighty tasty music at their November 6th programs!  Not only did they sound and look great as they gave us a top-notch perfomrance, but they also reaped the benefits and rewards that come from practice, perseverance, hard work, and effort.

Many thanks to our parent volunteers, who played an important role in the success of our program!  I truly appreciate the time, talent, and creativity that you shared, and enjoyed having the opportunity to work with you.

4th and 5th graders have been drumming up a storm on the tubanos (tall, thin drums) while creating question and answer phrases about one of my favorite topics---food.  They are now in the midst of using a well-loved playground chant/game as the basis for a piece where they will explore several playing techniques and create their own drum version that utilizes these techniques.  They have also enjoyed a bean bag game that has required cooperation and concentration.  As each class is ready, more challenging levels of the game are being presented.

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Chorus, Of Course!

Dear Parents,

Here is a copy of the letter that was sent home with your child on Wednesday, November 12, 2008...

Due to October’s Early Release Day, this week’s case of laryngitis, and our upcoming Thanksgiving break, we are missing a significant number of chorus rehearsals.  Since our December 4th PTA performance is fast approaching, I have scheduled some make-up practices for the children.  Please note that there are changes in our regular dismissal times, as well as a few practices on days other than Wednesdays.  Here is the schedule for the next few weeks.

Garrison Mill Chorus Rehearsal Changes

•         Monday, November 17, 2008:      Make-Up Rehearsal (2:30-4:00)

•         Tuesday, November 18, 2008:      Morning Rehearsal (7:20-7:50)

•         Wednesday, November 19, 2008:   Rehearsal (2:30-5:00)

•         Wednesday, November 26, 2008:      NO REHEARSAL (Thanksgiving   

      Break)

•         Monday, December 1, 2008:         Make-Up Rehearsal (2:30-4:00)

•         Tuesday, December 2, 2008:         Morning Rehearsal (7:20-7:50)

•         Wednesday, December 3, 2008:   Rehearsal (2:30-5:00)

•         Thursday, December 4, 2008:      Rehearsal (2:30-3:30)

*Please feel free to provide your child with a snack for any of the afternoon rehearsals.  As always, a bottle of water is a good idea.                       

All of our remaining rehearsals are extremely important, so please make every effort possible to have your child at each of them for the entire allotted time. This will insure that he/she will feel secure with the music, and it will also influence the overall success of our chorus!   

December Chorus Performances

•         Thursday, December 4, 2008:        8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, and 7:00 PM

      (after   PTA meeting)

•         If any additional December   performances are scheduled, I will   let you know ASAP.

Concert Outfit

Some uniformity of dress at performances is important to the appearance of our group, and instills a sense of pride and responsibility among members.  Therefore, unless notified otherwise, please provide the following:

•         Boys and Girls

º       Solid black pants

º       White long-sleeve, button-down dress shirt (oxford, if possible)    

º       Dark shoes (no tennis shoes)

•       Boys

º       Dark socks

I will let you know more about these performances within the next few weeks.  Please remember that you will need to arrange transportation for your child to and from all December performances that occur after regular hours or off campus.

I am so glad that your child is in chorus, and appreciate your continuing support!

Sincerely,

Laurie Zarin

Music Specialist

Musical Request

THIRD GRADE PARENTS......  
If your child has a Mr. Potato Head or you have a potato masher, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send it/them to school with your child ASAP!  Please label these items inconspicuously with your child's name and teacher, and I will return them to you in approximately two weeks.

   Laurie Zarin

October Onnouncements

Aaaaah...October! 

In Kindergarten, the children have been continuing their experiences with steady beat through a variety of activities, including several very appealing songs that have offered opportunities for creating steady beat motions and accompanying words.  Using high and low hand and body levels, student conductors have led the class in the use of their high and low voices while all spoke the poem in the specified vocal registers. This activity will be extended to high and low sounding unpitched instruments.

Ist grade students were recently introduced to the silent beat and its symbol, and have begun to read patterns that incorporate it. They have also begun to work on upward-downward melodic direction through the ever-popular Eensy Weensy Spider.  So far, they have used little spiders to accompany the movement of their singing voices, but they will also be using puppets and glockenspiels with this song to visually and aurally reinforce the concept.  In addition, a singing game with creative movement has provided reinforcement of the steady beat.

2nd graders have been reviewing quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests, and are about to participate in a rhythm contest where their class plays against---you guessed it---myself.  Hmmm...I can just imagine the gleeful look in their eyes each time their team earns a point!  They have also been participating in movement activities that will lead to the introduction of the half note and rest.  Melodically speaking, the children have just learned a pentatonic song that is going to be transferred to the Orff instruments. (Pentatonic refers to songs that use five different pitches).

Our 3rd grade performance will soon be here!  The children have been busy "getting their act together" so they can do their very best for you on Thursday, November 6th, and our much appreciated parent volunteers are in the process of visually dressing things up.  Soon, you will be receiving a letter with important information, including what time your child will need to be at school for our PTA performance, and a requested outfit for your child to wear.  (I will print these letters on colored paper so they will be easier to spot when your child brings one home).

4th and 5th graders have created dances to show the form of a folk song that they learned. They then shared them with their class, and their audience had the opportunity to critique their performance by making positive comments, observations, and possibly suggestions.  (Critiquing musical performances is one of their music standards). This project also included a group and self-evaluation.  Also, a challenging bean bag game has made use of their steady beat skills while promoting cooperation and teamwork. Some classes have done the game with more difficult variation, and some have been creating their own version of the game.

September Salutations

As I am writing this and thinking about what we have been and are presently doing in music, it just doesn't seem possible that we are already well into the month of September. Let's 'note-ice' what the children have been learning about in music...

In kindergarten, we have had great fun with vocal exploration through the ever-so-silly-sounding slide whistle, the magical musical microphone, and a tasty little tale about ice cream. We have been experiencing steady beat by moving with poems and recorded music, and by playing percussion instruments. We have also been learning about singing, speaking, calling/shouting, and whispering voices.

1st grade students have been practicing steady beat and were recently introduced to its iconic representation. They are now learning what to call this symbol when they read it in rhythm patterns. The children have also been 'monkeying' around with high and low sounds through poems such as Five Little Monkeys, movement activities including a Handy Dandy game that requires differentiation between high and low sounds, and playing around on the glockenspiel as they learn about the relationship between size and sound. You might want to see what happens if you ask your child if he/she 'must pay the rent'.

2nd grade has had both their coordination and their ability to focus challenged through music. Physically speaking, this was achieved through a rather silly and very fun steady beat activity with cumulative motions. Mentally, their concentration and musical independence have been stretched as a result of performing one part while another was going on at the same time. This concept (ostinato) will continue to receive attention throughout the year.

3rd graders are in the process of preparing for their November 6th music performance. Your child will be bringing home an informational letter with details about this program. Please fill it out, sign it, and return it to me by the requested date.

In 4th grade, the children have been working on their singing skills through a folk song and a drum piece. They have also been learnng about repetition and contrast, have created variations for a song, and have used manipulatives to represent the song's form and demonstrate recognition of each of its sections.

5th graders have been playing a partner game that utilizes drum technique, expressive speech, cooperation, and teamwork. This game will also provide opportunities for improvisation. The children have also enjoyed a Jamaican folk song whose form will be reinforced as they perform and then create a dance or set of movements that reflects the song's repetition and contrast.

Welcome Back!

Here we are, back at school already!  My summer break was most excellent, and I hope yours was too!  As much as I love my time off, it was so nice to see all of the children again!  Our first week in music was noteworthy, and I am looking forward to a great year with our GM students.  More to come before the month is through.....

Chorus, Of Course!

Dear Chorus Parents,
In case you've heard your child talking about there being no chorus practice this coming week, what he or she is saying is correct.  We will not be meeting this week on Thursday, April 24th. 
Rehearsals will resume the following week on Thursday, May 1st. 

On May 1st, please be sure that your child is picked up promptly at 3:45 p.m., since I have to set up and get ready for the first grade PTA performance which is that same evening.

With a song in my heart,
Laurie Zarin

March Memos

Aah...Spring is in the air!

In Kindergarten the children differentiated between sound and silence in an instrumental/speech piece that was shared through the urging of an insistant little leprechaun.  They have also experienced fast and slow through an action song whose tempo changes ranged from ridiculously slow to impossibly fast.  We are now learning about vibrations and the relationship between size and sound.

In 1st grade....Well, I can't say too much about that, since I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. Suffice it to say that the children have been working on their skills through the music that we are preparing for our upcoming PTA performance, which is on Thursday, May 1st, at 7 P.M.  Many thanks to all of the parents who have volunteered to help out!

2nd graders have been working with AB form, ostinati (repeated patterns that occur while something different is occuring), pentatonic pitch patterns, and instrumental technique through several fun and silly songs.  They have also performed rhythm patterns from notation, and improvised some of their own.

3rd grade students have learned about rondos and codas through a piece for big and small drums. They also figured out how to notate this entire piece rhythmically, and then did a great job performing it with rhythm syllables.  They have also begun to sing rounds.

4th and 5th grade students determined where repetition and contrast occurred in a challenging drum piece, and labeled its form.  This piece was based on a Benjamin Franklin saying and a playground chant, and required concentration, cooperation, teamwork, timing, and pacing. 

The children have also recently begun to play the recorder!  It is very important that they have their instrument at each and every music class.  Please support your child's progress by encouraging at least 10 minutes of daily practice at home.  With consistent practice, your child (and you) will notice an improvement in his/her playing skills, and this will further motivate the desire for continued development.  Ask your child about 'Practice Bugs'! 

February Footnotes

   

Kindergarten has enjoyed vocal exploration with pathway cards and soft sculpture creatures. Pitch-matching skills have been reinforced while playing several singing games, and also through a vocal improvisation game. The children have also had great fun learning about mallet technique while exploring a variety of pitched percussion instruments. This improvisational activity required a great deal of focus, since they had to watch for signals that guided them on when and how to play. When we do this again, more signals will be added.

1st Graders have been focusing on the elements of rhythm, melody, and form. Rhythmically, they are becoming increasingly skilled at deciphering notated patterns, and have identified notated patterns that they have performed in songs. Melodically, they have learned about line and space notes, and have used manipulatives to 'notate' patterns heard aurally.  In the area of form, they have selected shape cards to represent sections of a song that are the same or different.

In 2nd Grade, the children have performed repeated rhythmic body percussion patterns as an accompaniment to a song (ostinati), and used their listening skills to aurally locate repeated melodic patterns. They have decoded rhythmic patterns in unfamiliar songs and on flashcards, and used their higher level thinking skills to determine the connection between a song's melodic direction and its accompanying body percussion motions.

3rd Grade students have had fun with a cup-passing game which incorporated a repeated rhythmic pattern. This game will be revisited, providing the children with progressively more challenging variations. The children also enjoyed a partner-changing game whose song provided the opportunity for careful listening. They are presently working on a hand drum piece that will be used to highlight AB, ABA, and rondo form.

4th Grade students recently performed four different speech patterns simultaneously (vocal ostinati), which was great for their concentration and musical independence. They are now involved with aural and visual recognition of melodic and rhythmic notation.

5th Graders have been learning about major scales through the use of pitched percussion. They have also been participating in a variety of movement activities to help them with the concept of meter and strong beats.

4th and 5th graders will be starting the recorder in March! At that time, they will need to bring their recorder, a pocket folder, and some notebook paper to each music class. 4th graders will also need a shoelace that can be attached to their instrument so it can be worn around their necks. More recorder-related info will be coming your way in future blogs.