Kindergarteners explored keeping the steady beat while playing, "Walking On the Green Grass," and "Here Sits a Mouse." The students explored various ways to move while using a steady beat. Some of these movements included: skipping, jumping, hopping, running, tip-toeing, crawling, rolling and marching. Of course, anything that you could do in the green grass! They are making huge progress keeping the beat!
1st Graders: All About Clocks!
First graders explored different types of clocks, different parts on a clock, and different noises that clocks make. Students got to perform on xylophones, glockenspiels, and triangles while singing "Hickory, Dickory, Dock" and exploring so, la, and mi solfege hand signals. When the mouse ran up and down the clock, the glockenspiel players ran their mallets up and down their instruments. When the clock struck one, students chimed their triangles. Last, but not least, students kept a steady beat, replicating a clock with the xylophones on C and G, all while singing! Students also learned "question and answer" with this song.
For example:
- Teacher: Why did the mouse run up the clock?
- Students: The cat was chasing it there!
- Teacher: Why did the mouse run down the clock?
- Students: The sound gave her a scare!
2nd Graders: Singing in Motion with Orff Instruments
Second grade students learned a dance that involved moving around the room and singing to the steady beat. The children worked with a partner to perform the dance while they sang using so, mi and do. Students took turns playing in an ensemble with the xylophones to accompany the song. This activity took active listen skills, fine motor skills and ultimate teamwork and cooperation, all while using self-control. I was very impressed with the children's abilities to work together as a class.
Have your child teach you the song and dance! If you grew up loving "Miss Mary Mac," then you'll love this nursery rhyme!
3rd Graders: Two- Part singing, dancing and Orff Instruments
This week, 3rd grade students performed "Hickety, Pickety, My Black Hen." For this activity, students learned a circle dance that required them to move quickly in various directions while keeping a steady beat and singing the song. Another group of students sang a vocal ostinato using solfege hand signals, (mi, re, do). I then introduced the class to the word ensemble. Together, they played the xylophones to accompany the singers and dancers. Each group got many turns taking part in each activity.
4th & 5th Graders: Improvisations Using Rhythm Sticks and Drums
"We've come together to sing. We've come together to dance. We've come together to create, and play and celebrate the day, to spirit and mind enhance."
Students learned the above song that used body percussion and drumming technique. They also explored singing the song in 3-part canon form. Students then got to improvise 8 counts of drum beats using rhythm sticks and hand drums. The students really got creative with their improvisations. I also had the children write to reflect when they can use improvisations in their day to day lives. Some creative examples included:
- Creating new recipes
- Dancing at a school dance
- Singing or rapping songs to make them your own
- Writing a fictional story
What are ways that you use improvisations in your own life?
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