RHYTHM STICKS!!!

What a week at BSLK! The kids are doing AWESOME! We are dancing to "Feel the Music Play" and singing our Patriotic Music: "My Country Tis of Thee," "This Land is Your Land," and "Yankee Doodle." Next week we will begin working on "You're a Grand Ole Flag" and "America the Beautiful." The kids are singing beautifully. This week we are continuing to use the rhythm sticks and practice the "rest postion" and "ready position." The students also learned a new Kodaly hand sign, "la." So now, the BSLK kiddos know "so" "mi" and "la." WOW! :)

At APS, the students will be reviewing music concepts such as: treble clef, bass clef, quarter note, etc. We will also be singing to "Elephants Have Wrinkles" and "Blackbird." The APS kids will also be singing to our new friend, Forte-the lion. We will be playing the rhythm sticks to "Tap Your Sticks" and reading and singing Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons.

If your child attends APS, please remember to ask them about Marvelous Musicians. Your child may just be one. :)

Tap Twirl and Twist

This week at BSLK the kids sang to Solfegio, the clown, while using the Kodaly hand signs "so" and "mi." We then sang through "My Country Tis of Thee" and began learning "This Land is Your Land." We read Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons. Even though Pete lost all of the buttons on his shirt he still had his BELLY BUTTON and went right along and sang his song. We then learned about Rhythm Sticks. We talked about "rest position" and "ready position." We then used the rhythm sticks while singing "Tap Twirl and Twist." The students did an amazing job!!!

I will continue with the same lesson plan at APS because I still haven't seen this weeks students. The kids will continue to use all of their Kodaly hand signs, sing to Solfegio, review music notes, and finish learning "Blackbird" by the Beatles.

Makin' Music

What are some different ways we can music? The kids at BSLK know! We can not only use instruments, but also our hands and feet. This week in music the kids watched a brief clip of STOMP: a percussion theatre performance group that uses the body and objects to make music. The students watched the group use their hands, feet, garbage cans, garbage can lids, pipes, and sticks to make music. We discussed that no matter where you are or what resources you have, you can make music. We also danced to "Feel the Music Play," read and sang to Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, and reviewed "My Country Tis of Thee." WE MADE MUSIC!

This week at APS we are continuing to learn "Blackbird" by The Beatles, (or Beetlejuice as the kids sometimes say HA!) We are also singing to Solfegio, the clown, and using all of our Kodaly hand signs. The first graders will also begin to learn about the treble clef (where the girls sing) and the bass clef (where the boys sing.) This week we are starting to choose MARVELOUS MUSICIANS. Marvelous Musicians are students who come to music and do exactly what they are instructed to do. That special person will get to come to the front of the room at the end of class and play the "GOODBYE DRUM" while the students sing the "GOODBYE SONG." The Marvelous Musician will then get a special card to show their teachers, family, and friends. So be looking for your child's Marvelous Musician card.

If You're Happy and You Know It

What a short, but awesome week! Even though I didn't get to see 10 of my music classes because we were out on Monday, we had a fun time at BSLK! We reviewed our Kodaly singing hands "so" and "mi." We also sang to Solfegio, the clown, and danced to the Hip Hop Tooty Ta. We reviewed the song "My Country Tis of Thee" and began learning "You're a Grand Old Flag." We also practiced some echo rhythms using body percussion. But the kids absolutely loved "If You're Happy and You Know It." Now, keep in mind, we aren't talking about the regular song. This one is a spiced up version of "If You're Happy and You Know It." We got to chomp our teeth like the crocodile, wag our tail like the dog, giggle like the hyena, pound our chest like the gorilla, plus many more.

At APS, I'm finishing up today seeing all the kiddos. I have over 1300 students here and because I'm only here 2 1/2 days out of the week I only get to see the students every other week. I am proud to say my 2nd grade kids remembered the Music Staff (5 lines, 4 spaces) quarter note (1 beat) eighth note (1/2 beat) half note (2 beats) and whole note (4 beats.) They also remembered the treble clef, bass clef, and the repeat sign. WOW! I was super impressed. I also talked to the students about the tuning fork and how it tells us what note to sing.

It's been a great week!