Thursday, February 17, 2011

Class Updates

Kindergartners are getting pretty good at the play-party "Alabama Gal" and now are learning to "wring the dishrag" and play "I Let Her Go-Go" and "Jump, Josie".

First-graders continue to practice singing, hearing, reading, and writing the pitches "G" and "E", and are preparing to learn "A".  They enjoy using their rhythmic reading skills and hearing about J. S. Bach.

Second-graders are identifying the sound of "mi-re-do" and writing it in different places on the treble staff (B-A-G, A-G-F and E-D-C).  Recently they learned proper hand drum technique.

Third-graders have been performing speech canons, movement canons and of course singing canons.  They are adding sixteenth notes to their classroom rhythm repertoire.

Fifth-graders have studied the harmonic progression of 12-bar blues and played it on the Orff instruments.  They've discussed the history of blues and gone on to jazz and George Gershwin, hearing "Summertime" from his opera Porgy and Bess and singing his "I Got Rhythm".  After Midwinter Break they'll begin a drumming/composition unit.

The winners of the trophy for Best Audience were Mr. Goodman's Fourth Grade and Mrs. Spadoni's Second Grade.  Earlier I listed Ms. Rawson's First Grade; I regret the error.