September Lessons
- It Was Such a Shock… “Worms!”– chanted a riddle (about worms hiding inside a peach) that we notated through whole-class rhythmic dictation, added 3 speech and body percussion ostinati to the chant (with notation) that we transferred to unpitched percussion instruments, in small groups we arranged a small composition using the existing patterns and new ones with our own instrument choices that we performed for the class
October Lessons
- Recorder Karate Session 1– reviewed recorder procedures and how to handle materials (same rules and routines from last year) and taught new students how to properly care for our instruments; reviewed proper technique, fingerings, and notation on the 5-line staff with C scale and F#; played through first 4 tunes of our 5th grade packets (as well as many simpler tunes from 4th grade) and analyzed them for key (what notes are sharp), meter (how many beats in a measure), difficult rhythms, and new forms (endings, repeat signs, etc.); tested students on progress for their particular skill level
November and December Lessons
- Robert Frost “Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening” Composition Project– working in small groups, students are using inspiration from the poem above and from several illustrations provided in class to compose original music to set the scene/soundscape for the poem; students are notating the melodies and sketching out the forms during their work time; at the end of each class, students share their work for other students to critique
- Eventually, these smaller pieces will be fit together like a puzzle to create one large work they will share at the winter concert
January Lessons
- Recorder Karate- testing session 2! GOOD LUCK!!
