Hello everyone and welcome to the 2014-2015 school year!
There will be lots of exciting things happening in the music department at Parkside Elementary this year.
In addition to making music in class, students also have the opportunity to join various extra-curricular musical groups. This year we will begin with choir (grades K-6) and show band (grades 5-6). Stay tuned for more information about these groups!
This week, grades 4-6 students were introduced to this video:
Then, students used their hands/feet/bodies to create new rhythmic patterns to accompany our song of the month (Stompa by Serena Ryder). Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the above video. Skip to 2:30 if you want to see their tutorial on how to perform the hand clapping routine.
Over the last week, students in grades 3-6 have started each music class time with a 5-minute video about how various instruments are made. We've learned about the electric guitar, snare drums, drum sticks, cymbals, and the flute. Feel free to explore other "How It's Made" instrument videos at home!
Students in grade 6 have also been practicing a song to perform at their closing ceremony. Grades 4-5 students have been participating in various musical stations around the music room (composing, note naming, music ace, instrument memory match, fly swat rhythms, Busted rhythm game).
Students in grades K-1 were introduced to Ethan and his musical friends on Melody Street using this short video clip. Feel free to explore the other videos at home.
Kindergarten students have also been exploring various percussion instruments and have also become composers using symbols and shapes to represent their instrument sounds. They have also been working on pre-rhythm activities using animal names, rhythm sticks, and various other manipulatives.
Students in grades 1-3 have been learning various "campfire" songs & other silly songs. Even though the weather wasn't very nice, we sang around a (fake) campfire in the music classroom over the last two days. Below is a list of the songs that we have learned. Ask your child to sing them for you!
This
is a reminder that Parkside’s Show Band students will be performing in the
Parkside gymnasium on Thursday, June 12
at 6:00PM.
·Doors
will open to the public at 5:30PM.
·Students
involved in the concert should arrive at school at 5:30PM and meet in the music
room.
Admission
to the concert is free, although there will be a donation jar at the door. Any
proceeds collected will go directly towards purchasing musical instruments/equipment
for Parkside students.
If
your child (show band member) is unable to attend the concert, please contact Miss Gallant ASAP.
Students in grades 1 and 2 have been learning about the instruments of the orchestra over the last week. Here are some great videos that explain the 4 families of instruments and allow you to listen to each one!
Students in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 have been learning about various composers. Ask you child to tell you about their composer. We've also been looking at one major work by each composer:
Grade 3 - Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No. 9)
Grade 4 & 5F - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (The Magic Flute opera)
Grade 5A & 6F - Franz Liszt (Hungarian Rhapsody)
Grade 6A & 6F - Antonio Vivaldi (The Four Seasons)
Congratulations to the cast & crew of "The Jungle Book KIDS" on their
fabulous performances last week! We would like to send out a huge "Thank you" to
all of the students and staff who were involved. Thank you also to parents and
volunteers who helped to make things run so smoothly. Stay tuned for more
information on the upcoming cast party. Bravo to all!
Congratulations to the cast & crew of our Jungle Book production on 2 amazing performances yesterday! Only one show left! Come check it out tonight at 6:30PM!
