First Week Fun!

Since school started, there has been a lot of learning going on in the music room! Here are some of the things that students have been doing in each grade. I probably won't get this detailed most of the time about what we are learning, but I just thought I'd share some of the fun things we have been doing during the first week of school . . .

KINGERGARTEN: Since school began, I have enjoyed hearing what beautiful voices our Kindergarteners have. So far in music class, we have done some finger chants and sang "Open Shut Them" and "Where is Thumbkin?" As I guessed, many students already knew these songs and were very excited to sing them with everyone! We also were introduced to my friend Kiki the Koala who talked to us about our different kinds of voices and did some silly rhythmic chants with us. We also got to hear a story about a little birdie that Ms. Ritter met, and even see his picture. We then sang his song with sign language all by ourselves. We have had fun singing some action songs where students get to follow what the leader is doing, and explore keeping the beat in different places on their bodies. Lastly, we got to take our Ms. Ritter's new scarves and move with them around the room.

FIRST GRADE: First grade music has gotten off to a great start! So far, first graders have learned a fun echo hello song where we got to sing hello with many different emotions and voices. We also sang a song called "Are You Happy" where we were able to catch my yarn ball and sing our answers on the resting tone (we especially like the yarn ball!) We then got to do a silly popcorn chant ("my feet love the rhythm of the popcorn") where we were able to keep the big beat in different places of our bodies. Ms. Ritter then turned us into popcorn kernels and we were given a chance to be popped and jump up and sing our names! This week, we learned some silly songs and chants about fish and were able to dance as well. Over all, first grade music has been a blast and I look forward to what the year will bring.

SECOND GRADE: I have really enjoyed teaching our second graders here at Bryant (especially since I get to see them 4 days a week!) Since school has started, we have learned a lot. Here are some of the things we have done. . .

• Learned a song from Ghana called "Kye Kye Kule" 
• Done some "jazzercise" body warm-ups to get our muscles loose
• Learned about and played glockenspiels
• Done some body percussion echoes ("stay 4 beats behind me. . .")
• Learned about how a djembe is played and the song "Salaam Aleikum"
• Done rhythmic echoes with rhythm sticks
• Felt the macrobeat and chanted with our stretchy band ("Engine Engine #9")
• Learned about how our voices produce sound (what our vocal chords do, how sound travels in waves and is made up of vibrations. . . )
• Done some vocal exploration exercises and learned about the difference between our head and chest voice. 
• Had some fun with bean bags!