Starting the year off with instruments!

Music makes learning so much fun!  This week, the students in our Early Development Center (EDC) found different parts of their body in our “Wiggle Song” and then practiced their colors and counting while singing “Five Little Fish” together. Then we finished our time together by playing our drums while walking, jumping and dancing!

Kindergarten students began the new year by exploring J.E. Keats’ book “The Snowy Day”, about a boy’s many adventures in the snow. As we read together, we heard many interesting sounds and decided to perform the sounds with our many percussion instruments. Guiros sound just like boots crunching in the cold snow, and the boom whackers were perfect for a snowball fight!

Ta         Ti Ti            Ta         Ta  

Grade One students continued to learn “Come in, my Friend”, a song that celebrates how our family’s culture is reflected through the food that we eat together. Students also learned their first two rhythm notes!  After performing the rhythm of text ( or “clapping the way the words sound”) students learned how to write a “ta” (one sound on a beat) and a “ti ti” (two sounds on a beat). From now on, we will be using the same symbols and language as all the other musicians!

Grade Two and students have been practicing these same rhythmic notes of “ta” and “ti ti” by reading short “phrases” and performing the music on percussion instruments.  Grade Two students have also begun work on their next project, in which they’ll create their own movement pattern to perform the beat of a song written by J. P. Sousa called Semper Fidelis. 

A Melody Chime

Grade Three students shared a magical moment this week when they played a new instrument for the first time – the Melody Chimes. Each chime plays just one note, so many musicians have to work together to perform a piece of music. So far, the students learned how to hold their chime safely and played a few different combinations of notes. It’s early in our learning, but already the air is shimmering with beautiful sounds!