Rhythm Sticks, Djembes and Garbage!

Kindergarten students explored a new instrument this week - rhythm sticks!  They may just look like two little rods, but they can make some interesting sounds. Students explored tapping them, scrapping them, playing on the floor and on the carpet - we even played them on our shoes! We discovered that these instruments can make both "quiet" and "loud" sounds, and decided to make our singing voices the same.  Finally, after all this exploration, each student celebrated their favorite sound by choosing how to play their own instrument.  It was exciting to see each of these young musicians make their own musical choice!

The highlight of Grade One music this week was their performance at the Terry Fox assembly on Friday! The students sang with energy and passion about Terry's strength, pride, kindness and caring. What a great way to inspire our school community before the big run!

Grade Two students had the opportunity to use the djembe this week, which is a drum

originating from the countries in West Africa.  They learned to hold the instrument using only their feet and knees, keeping the "mouth" of the drum open by tilting it slightly away from them. Once the drums were steady, we played a rhythmic pattern which will eventually be used to accompany our song about Liza Briggs. I was so proud to see many students helping their peers with kind hands and words. We are lucky to have such a cooperative learning community!

Finally, Grade Three students began their "Garbage Project" today, learning a rhythmic pattern on the xylophone to accompany that old campfire song "Don't Throw Your Junk in My Backyard." Again, the students themselves became the teachers, spreading their understanding of mallet technique and "what notes to play when" with their peers. It promises to be some beautiful "garbage" when we're finished!

Terry Fox, Chickens and the Beat!

CLICK HERE to practice singing our Terry Fox song!

Grade One students have begun the year by studying heroes in our community.  One important Canadian hero is Terry Fox, a young man who committed to run across Canada to raise awareness and funds to support medical research.  His heroic efforts have resulted in increased life expectancy and quality of life for countless people who have been touched by cancer.

In response to this inspirational story, the Grade One students have learned their very own Terry Fox Song which they will perform at our Terry Fox assembly next week!  Click on the link to the left to sing along.

Meanwhile, Kindergarten students took their first visit to our imaginary "Musical Farm", dancing and playing instruments with our chicken friends. As well, students in Grade Two and Three have been wresting with the difference between beat (the steady pulse) and the rhythm (sub-divisions of the beat), and enjoyed their first assessment of beat.  

Yes - enjoyed!  It is always exciting to share what we know and find out what the next steps in our learning are!  And to top it off, our assessment was based on the hit song, Me, Oh My from the Angry Birds movie.  Ask your student to teach you the beat pattern, and then HERE to test your skills!

Our First Week of Music!

Can you hear it?  
    Can you feel it?  
       Music classes have begun at Royal Oak School!

Kindergarten students have begun the year with their first musical story, Tic and Toc.  The students all worked together to tell the tale of two friends who had to travel "up the hill and down the hill" for a play date.  It was an opportunity to explore the wide variety of sounds we can make, especially with high and low voices.

Grade One students have begun developing their sense of beat, that steady pulse that underlies most music.  Whether singing about bees or preparing a salad together, we noticed how exciting it was to perform as a team, keeping the beat together.  We've also begun learning a song about Terry Fox, the Canadian hero who raised awareness and funds to support cancer research, and we are hoping to sing it at the upcoming Terry Fox Assembly!

Grade Two students have begun to differentiate between the beat and rhythm (sub-divisions of the beat) this fall.  We have reinforced our sense of steady beat by moving with poetry and recorded music, noticing that the "beat is always the same, never faster, never slower."  In contrast, students have also begun to learn a rhythmic pattern to accompany our song about Liza Briggs, which is "slow, slow, fast, fast, slow."  It has been exciting to watch the students begin to notice and think about the sounds they are creating!

Grade Three students have begun with a spooky song about the teeth of sharks.  Each class composed their own unique movements to illustrate the lyrics as they sang, relying on each other (not the teacher!) for support. We then added a piano accompaniment and the mysterious sound of the Ocean Drum to create the illusion of waves in the background.  

I encourage you to ask your student(s) to teach you what they've learned.  After all, music is for sharing!