Thursday 31 October 2013

Hungarian Dance #3

Students in Grades1-3 are pleased to present their final products for Hungarian Dance #3! It is amazing how different each of the stories are! Enjoy!

Room 1

Room 9

Room 10

Room 11

**Room 4's project is still to come! :)

Thursday 24 October 2013

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything

Kindergarten students have been using classroom instruments to enhance storytelling. In anticipation of Halloween, our most recent story was "The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything" by Linda Williams.

Students had a lot to remember during their performance! They tried very hard to keep their instruments quiet when it was not their turn to play. They also had to concentrate so that they would be ready to play when it was their turn! We hope you enjoy!


Saturday 12 October 2013

Hungarian Dance #3 by Brahms

Students in our grade 1/2/3 multiage classes have learned all about Beethoven and his famous Fifth Symphony. Now we have started to learn about the composer Johann Brahms and his composition, Hungarian Dance #3.

First they listened to the music and discussed what images and stories it brought to mind. Next, while looking at a chart showing the FORM of the music (the musical pattern or recipe), the class made up a story to act out while the music was playing. Our final piece was to illustrate the story and share it with you! Enjoy!


Wednesday 9 October 2013

Recorder Hero

Yes...you heard right...Recorder Hero! This year grade 4 and 5 students are working on their recorder skills and hoping to earn the ultimate title of "Recorder Hero".


Students progress through a series of levels individually, with each level becoming increasingly difficult by adding more notes and varying rhythms. For most of the levels students are given a choice as to which song they want to play out of a group of choices. Each group of choices offers pieces that vary in difficulty to ensure that all students have an opportunity to succeed and move on to new levels.


Each time a student passes a level, he/she earns a badge on a certificate.


Students who have achieved Recorder Hero status gain access to the "Unlocked Songs".

Song choices are as follows:

Fan (Notes: BAG)

Hot Cross Buns
Sleep, Baby Sleep
Merrily We Roll Along
Au Clair de la Lune
All Through the Night

Groupie (Notes: AGE)
Lucy Locket
Acka Backa

Backstage Pass (Notes: BAGE)
Who Has Seen the Wind?

Roadie (New Note: High D)
Mary Had a Little Lamb

Opener (New Note: High C)
Lightly Row
Ding Dong Merrily On High

Record Deal (New Note: F#)
Skip To My Lou
Paw Paw Patch
Polly Wolly Doodle

#1 Single (New Note: Low D)
Down By the Station
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Hush Little Baby
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Touring Artist (Notes: C'BAGF#ED)
Happy Birthday
Yankee Doodle
Aura Lee
'Tis the Gift To Be Simple (D'C'BAGF#ED)

Sold Out Show (Any Combination of: D'C'BAGF#ED)
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Ode To Joy
Alouette
Home on the Range

Recorder Hero (New Note: Low C)
Frere Jacques
Auld Lang Syne

Unlocked Songs
He's a Pirate (from Pirates of the Caribbean)
Pirates of the Caribbean 2
William Tell Overture
Call Me Maybe
Hedwig's Theme (from Harry Potter)
Donkey Riding
O Canada
My Heart Will Go On (Titanic Theme)
Wake Me When September Ends
Dynamite




Friday 4 October 2013

Sounds Can Go Up, Sounds Can Go Down

Kindergarten students have been learning about high and low sounds, as well as learning to tell the difference between ascending and descending sounds. They have practiced responding to high and low through movement, verbal description and drawing.
Students sorted pictures on the Smartboard into things that were up high and things that were down low. They also listened to the piano and decided if the sound was high or low by placing leaves on the tree on high or low branches.



Students also listened to music and decided whether or not the sound was ascending or descending. If it was going up, they placed the package in the plane, and if it was going down they placed the package in the train. Students also practiced drawing lines to show the patterns of sound.

And finally, the moment all of the kindergartens have been waiting for....
The BARRED INSTRUMENTS! We used the book "Up, Up, Down" by Robert Munsch and demonstrated how the characters climbed up and fell down by playing ascending and descending patterns on the barred instruments. Here are some photos of the proud kindergarten students playing their instruments!



K1 - Ms. Barnabe's Class

K1 - Ms. Barnabe's Class

K2 - Mrs. Thorsteinson's Class





Wednesday 2 October 2013

Composing Melodies!

Students in our grade 1/2/3 classes are working on composing and playing their own melody to go with the poem "Legs and All".

Check out these photos of Room 10 students working on their compositions!