This Week in Music Class - Elementary Edition!

This is part two - scroll down to see what's been happening in the primary grades this week!

GRADE FOUR
This week in grade four we have been working on the elements of music. We listened to two different versions of "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder (one was the original, the other was a cover version recorded by the publisher of our music textbooks). We created a chart listing our observations. From the chart, we derived a list of major categories that can be used to describe music (Voice, Instruments, Style, Dynamics, Tempo, Form). 

Then, we focused on just the 'voice' element. We listened to "Manana Iguana" by Bobby McFerrin. Bobby McFerrin can do all sorts of incredible things with his voice! Ask you child to explain it to you! We created this anchor chart to remind us of some of the ways we can describe voices:

GRADE FIVE

This week in grade 5 music we have been reviewing rhythms from grade 4. We have been using these rhythms to compose our own ostinati (an ostinato is a repeating musical pattern). Our ostinati will be used as a base to an accompaniment to the song, "We Go Together." We've used non-pitched percussion instruments to begin practicing our ostinati.

We also listened to a piece of music (Jamaican Rumba!) in which the entire accompaniment is built on different instruments playing different ostinati. Later in the year we will learn this tune and write our own accompaniment for it!

GRADE SIX

This week in grade 6 music we have been reviewing rhythms from grade 4 and 5. We have been using these rhythms to compose our own ostinati (see grade 5 section for explanation). Our ostinati will be used as a base to an accompaniment for the song, 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight." We have been using glockenspiels to play the different pitches that create the 3-part chord struture. We will be expanding on this accompaniment using different instruments in the days to come!