Our Weekly Info: | This week, we continue a VERY Special Composer of the Month unit! Instead of honoring one composer for February, I'd like to open the floor to the students to help me celebrate Black History Month and salute all of the wonderful contributions African Americans have made to the world of music! For February, students may choose ANY African American composer or musician to compete their Composer of the Month Project! Student work will be displayed don the music website and on a bulletin board outside of the music room :) Congratulations to Luella J. (3) for being the FIRST star student this week and bring in their "Composer of the Month" sheets?????? Who will join her this week??? I can't wait to see what you have learned! I learned about another wonderful Black History Month resource this weekend in one of my Music Education Facebook Groups! Did you know that the Minnesota Public Radio has a whole entire FREE streaming playlist dedicated to Black History Month? Well now you do :) You can listen along with me by CLICKING HERE Happy Listening!! Check your child's go home folder for this month's composer fact sheet as well as the directions for how to become a "music detective" and have their work featured on the Music Website! |
General Music:
The Amagansett School Students students will be busy singing, dancing, and exploring different instruments in music class! 'm happy to report that we have been able to continue music class with all of the fun and excitement we had pre-COVID!!!
This month, students will continue their journey through the world of music...highlighting special seasonal events including a celebration of Black History Month to honor African Americans and their contribution to the world of music, and celebrations for Valentine's Day (February 14) and President's Day (February 24)!! WOW this is going to be a BUSY month in the Music Room!!
There will be lots of new songs, dances, musical facts, and more being explored in each area of the General Music Program, so be sure to check HERE to find out specific February! All of the Monthly Music Curriculum Guides for all of our grade levels and performance areas have been posted as of the end of last week. Be sure to check in and see what fun and exciting musical learning your child will be participating in in February!
**Pre-K 3 and 4 continued using our "Hello Routine" songs and many of us can already sing along! We're working on rhythmic and melodic passages and echoing them when Mrs. Kamp goes first. So far, we've explored "do," "mi," "sol," and "la" and are continuing to experiment with "re" and "fa" in our singing echoes and ta (quarter note), ti-ti (eighth note), shh (quarter rest), and alligator (sixteenth note) in our rhythms but we're adding more all the time! We're getting back into Prodigies Music with Pre-K 3 spending time meeting all of the different bells (and musical pitches) through some simple songs and PRe-K 4 continuing their work with C and G (do and sol). We're hoping to complete a few more workbook pages this week, too!
**Kindergarten continues to use our "Hello Routine" songs and many of us can already sing along! We're working on rhythmic and melodic passages and echoing them when Mrs. Kamp goes first. So far, we've MASTERED "do," "mi," "sol," and "la" and are continuing to explore "re" and "fa" in our singing echoes. We can even sing the patterns if Mrs. Kamp only gives us the first sign!!!!! We're continuing to work with: ta (quarter note), ti-ti (eighth note), shh (quarter rest), and alligator (sixteenth note) in our rhythms but we're adding more all the time! We're getting back into Prodigies Music as we finish up Chapter 4 and begin Chapter 5. Chapter 5 will introduce a new bell sound to the mix AND a new bell mat!! Be sure to ask your child what new sound they started using in their songs this week!! We'll also be playing a little Blues music through Prodigies and working on some scat singing as we incorporate Black History Month into our music classes :)
**First Graders are back to diving into note reading and playing in two parts as we return to our studies with Pre-School Prodigies this week! We'll be finishing up chapters 6 this month....working with all different pitches, melodies and rhythms, AND learning to play in two parts...having some students work on the melody while others add a percussion line to the song!!! We're having fun with songs, games, instruments, dancing, and some pretty cool surprises as we build our music vocabularies and learn to speak the language of music. We'll also be playing a little Blues music through Prodigies and working on some scat singing as we incorporate Black History Month into our music classes :)
**Second Graders will be back on schedule finishing up their work on our Green Belt song, "It's Raining, It's Pouring" Students have been working with the same three notes: B, A, and G...BUT we will also be adding a new note...E!!!!! We'll be reorganized all of the pitches into different patterns and adding in some new rhythmic concepts including eighth notes (ti-ti) to play a completely different song! Parents, you can find more information about the recorder program HERE along with some helpful links for at home practice :) We're hoping to take our Green Belt test next week (Monday, February 14th) so we can begin our next level immediately after returning from February Vacation! I'd LOVE to be able to give the gift of a Green Belt for Valentine's Day :) We'll also be learning the famous "Second Grade Recorder Blues" this week as we incorporate a study of the blues including 12 bar blues form, call and response playing, and improvising with our General Music Class in honor of Black History Month!
**Third Graders are trying something new this month...something we're FINALLY able to bring back after putting it on hold due to COVID.....the Third Grade will be building an "Orffestra" in their General Music Class starting this week. Students will be assigned an instrument for the rest of the month and we will work towards mastering one or two songs on that instrument for the month. Then, in March, we'll rotate so that students have a chance to learn one or two more songs, but on a different instrument!! We're going to be putting together everything we have learned in music class since Pre-K and performing on: Recorders, Desk Bells, Percussion (mostly drums, but maybe some other non-pitched percussion instruments) and Xylophones / Metallophones!!! This is going to be AMAZING!! We'll be playing songs from previous chapters of Prodigies as we start this project using the color coded music staff to help us gain familiarity on the different instruments...but then....later in the Spring...we hope to move away from the color coded staff and start playing with the REAL BLACK ND WHITE MUSIC NOTATION!!!! You can read more about our "Orffestra" and what I hope to accomplish HERE We'll also be learning a variation the famous "Second Grade Recorder Blues" (I'm calling it "The New Orffestra Blues") this week as we incorporate a study of the blues including 12 bar blues form, call and response playing, and improvising with our General Music Class in honor of Black History Month!
Performance Music
Band Classes:
We will also be continuing work on the Band Karate Challenge ORANGE BELT in our lessons this week. Try and complete the vocabulary and notation portions of your White Belt and Yellow Belt Sheets before your lesson :) Students who have already completed their Yellow Belts will be receiving their sheets to begin the Orange Belt level this week!!! Be sure to ask your child what that's all about! They're going to be excited to share!! We'll also be trying out a Blues warm-up in band class this week as we work to incorporate Black History Month into our instrumental music studies!!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO COMPLETE YOUR MANDATORY WEEKLY PRACTICE TRACKER GOOGLE FORM. Forms are located in your Music Google Classroom and are due EACH SUNDAY NIGHT (although you can submit whenever you are ready.) YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PRACTICE FOR A TOTAL OF 40 MINUTES PER WEEK and should aim to practice AT LEAST 3 Days a week. THESE FORMS AND THE MINUTES WE ARE TRACKING ARE PART OF YOUR GRADE!!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO COMPLETE YOUR MANDATORY WEEKLY PRACTICE TRACKER GOOGLE FORM. Forms are located in your Music Google Classroom and are due EACH SUNDAY NIGHT (although you can submit whenever you are ready.) YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PRACTICE FOR A TOTAL OF 40 MINUTES PER WEEK and should aim to practice AT LEAST 3 Days a week. THESE FORMS AND THE MINUTES WE ARE TRACKING ARE PART OF YOUR GRADE!!
BEGINNING BAND (FOURTH GRADE)
CONCERT BAND (FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES)
Chorus Classes:
We're building our teamwork skills as we work together to become STAR Singers and fill Mrs.Kamp's class pom-pom jars! How long will it take your class to earn another "STAR Singers Day??" Remember.....the challenge gets harder each time now that I know what AMAZING work you can do!
I thought it might be fun to explore the singing and its importance to people around the world as part of this year's Choral Program in grades 3 - 6. Each week, the children will be watching a SHORT youtube video of a different singer or singing group from somewhere in the world or somewhere in time. We'll be watching, listening, and then pairing and sharing with a partner to discuss our thoughts about the performance. Older students will also be keeping a "listening journal" to express a few short sentences about their throughs on the performance.
Interested in seeing where this exploration will lead us?? Check out the "action" as HERE as I'll be adding the video of the week each week :) Can you figure out how this choral work connects with our larger focus on Black History Month this month????
String Classes:
As we begin our journey through learning to play the violin, I thought it might be fun to explore the violin (and other string instruments) "in action." Each week, the children will be watching a SHORT youtube video of a different string performer from somewhere in the world or somewhere in time. We'll be watching, listening, and then pairing and sharing with a partner to discuss our thoughts about the performance. Older students will also be keeping a "listening journal" to express a few short sentences about their throughs on the performance.
Interested in seeing where this exploration will lead us?? Check out the "action" as HERE as I'll be adding the video of the week each week! Did you notice a connection between this video and our larger celebration of Black History Month this month????
** First Grade Violin will continue learning their new warm up song! We'll also be working towards moving our violin hand off of the shoulder of the instrument and back to the scroll so we can add our fingers to the strings and learn even more songs! We're continuing working on "Elephants and Frogs" on the E string using the open string and finger number 1 and are learning that the pitch of the string changes as we add each finger. You can play along on your box violin at home if you check the class violin page HERE. We're also hoping to try out a brand new song...."The Kangaroo Song!" We've added some color coded stickers to help us with fingering on the strings....we're super familiar with the colors of Mr. Rob's desk bells, so Mrs. Kamp thought it might be interesting to see what happens when we combine those colors with our violin studies....stay tuned to see our progress as this little finger experiment plays out :)
** Second Grade Violin will be busy working on adding your fingers to the E string to play The Kangaroo Song and Elephants and Frogs. We will be continuing to work out of the Strictly Strings Violin Method Book this week as we start looking at the written notation to accompany our earlier Suzuki style training!! We're looking at pages 8 and 9 in the book combining note reading and finger moving on the E string :) Be sure to get out those practice pets and work with them to build your violin skills and fill in those practice journals! You can practice at home if you check the class violin page HERE You might have noticed that we've added some color coded stickers to help us with fingering on the strings....we're super familiar with the colors of Mr. Rob's desk bells, so Mrs. Kamp thought it might be interesting to see what happens when we combine those colors with our violin studies....stay tuned to see our progress as this little finger experiment plays out :)
** Third Grade Violin This week we'll continue working inside our Strictly Strings Method Book. We'll review open string notes and our CRAZY string jumping this week! We're working on pages 18 and 19 in the book.....learning to read the notes of the treble staff while we add our fingers to the D string. We're continuing with the Four String Warm Up, but have also added a new warm up working with different rhythms and patters on the open strings! You can help us with some at home practice HERE We're also embarking on a new journey with our violins...VIOLIN KARATE!!! This week, we will continue on our Karate journey and begin to build towards earning our Yellow Belts!!!! You might have noticed that we've added some color coded stickers to help us with fingering on the strings....we're super familiar with the colors of Mr. Rob's desk bells, so Mrs. Kamp thought it might be interesting to see what happens when we combine those colors with our violin studies....stay tuned to see our progress as this little finger experiment plays out :)
** Fourth Grade Violin This week we'll continue working inside our Strictly Strings Method Book. We'll review open string notes and our CRAZY string jumping this week! We're working on pages 18 and 19 in the book.....learning to read the notes of the treble staff while we add our fingers to the D string. We're continuing with the Four String Warm Up, but have also added a new warm up working with different rhythms and patters on the open strings! You can help us with some at home practice HERE We're also embarking on a new journey with our violins...VIOLIN KARATE!!! This past week, the Fourth Grade earned not one but TWO belts completing both the White (Hot Cross Buns) AND Yellow (Merrily We Roll Along) Levels!!! Now we're on to working towards that Orange belt!! Can we master the new song??? You might have noticed that we've added some color coded stickers to help us with fingering on the strings....we're super familiar with the colors of Mr. Rob's desk bells, so Mrs. Kamp thought it might be interesting to see what happens when we combine those colors with our violin studies....stay tuned to see our progress as this little finger experiment plays out :)
** Fifth Grade Violin will be continuing on inside the Strictly Strings Method Book. We'll review open string notes and our CRAZY string jumping this week! We're working on pages 18 and 19 in the book.....learning to read the notes of the treble staff while we add our fingers to the D string. We're continuing with the Four String Warm Up, but have also added a new warm up working with different rhythms and patters on the open strings! You can help us with some at home practice HEREYou might have noticed that we've added some color coded stickers to help us with fingering on the strings....we're super familiar with the colors of Mr. Rob's desk bells, so Mrs. Kamp thought it might be interesting to see what happens when we combine those colors with our violin studies....stay tuned to see our progress as this little finger experiment plays out :)
Stay tuned for more information right here each week :)
Mrs. Kamp :)