Week 3: Accompaniment Accomplishments!

First - Fifth Grade

Time to shake the summer dust off the xylophones!

This week, children got the opportunity to play the xylophones. First, Mrs. Shore talked about proper care and instrument handling. These instruments are precious resources that need to be treated with up most respect. I then taught the children appropriate posture and mallet technique so that they are able to produce a quality tone. 

This week, we learned the word accompaniment. This word comes from the word: accompany, meaning to go with. An accompaniment in music is when you play along with other instruments or voice. Body percussion is even considered an accompaniment.

For this lesson, children played a basis ostinato, or repeated melodic or rhythmic pattern. (Yes, your children are learning vocabulary in a wide variety of languages!) Each child had a turn in groups accompanying the class while they sang songs. Third through Fifth grade students sang "A Ram Sam Sam," and First through Second grade students sang a song from Brazil, "Mama Paquita." The students played a variation of notes C, D, and G. Each grade level increased in complexity. You should hear them play! WOW! 

Do you have a smart phone??

Check out free apps for xylophones. Your child can practice their ostinatos at home! Let them express their creative side and come up with their own accompaniments to different songs. You'll be amazed at what they can do. You may even find yourself playing along in your free time. 

Kindergarten Fun

This week, Kindergarten students are enjoying singing a variety of songs in different voices. We are having fun exploring our whispering voice, speaking voice, shouting voice, and singing voice. The children love when Mrs. Shore plays her guitar! I do a lot of songs that require the children to dance and move. We are learning our left from our right as well as how to follow specific directions. The children do a phenomenal job of echoing Mrs. Shore. We are also learning how to keep a steady beat, how neat!

Kindergarten students are also learning "so" and "mi" hand signals and pitch. Mrs. Shore is practicing the hand signals with the students while they sing the specific pitch. Refer to the hand signals chart below and practice at home! 

Just for laughs...