Classroom Music with Miss Lloyd and Mr. Schweiss

 

First Grade:
Hi! In first grade so far, students have been learning a lot about “keeping the beat” and have been using many things to keep it steady with: our voices, hands, feet, instruments, rhythm sticks, balls, and even a shoe! They get a lot of practice using their singing voices, with their classmates and even by themselves. Also, children have been exposed to different tempos (how fast or slow the music is performed), recognizing the same vs. different sounds, and even clapping and recognizing a “magic rhythm.” The most exciting news from first grade so far is that each class is learning music to put on a musical performance of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” I’ll keep you posted when we are a little closer to being ready with this.

Soon, students will begin to see, write, and understand quarter notes and eighth notes. The first graders are very smart and eager to learn music, so I suspect they will be great at this. I can’t wait!

Second Grade:
Hello! In second grade so far, students have been doing a lot of music interpretation. Students listened to a variety of music and decided which animals were represented, what feelings and actions were portrayed, and even took the tale “The Tortoise and the Hare” and used instruments to show the characters and actions of the story. They have also been moving to music and continuing to develop their singing voices, and are beginning to learn a little more about reading rhythms.

Now, they are learning to find the pitch “Do,” as well as understanding the other notes of the solfege scale. Later, they will learn the different musical instrument families—woodwind, brass, strings, percussion—as well as the names, pictures, and sounds of the instruments in each family.

The second graders this year are a lot of fun, and I’m so excited to keep watching them grow as musicians!

Third Grade:
The third graders are doing such a great job with their recorders!  Keep encouraging your kids to practice at home, as the songs continue to get more challenging.  We are learning through Recorder Karate, where children get a different color “belt” added to their recorders for successfully playing music.  The more difficult the song, the higher the belt level!  Please do try to remind you children to bring their recorders to class on music days, as it is the best way to participate.  In case you forget which day your child needs to remember his/her recorder, here it is: J

Monday:  Miss Leonard   Tuesday:  Mrs. Bento   Wednesday:  Mrs. Dugan   Thursday:  Mrs. Bernard.  Fridays rotate on this schedule, depending on whether it is the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th Friday of the month.

Great job so far!

 

Fourth Grade:
Fourth grade music students continue their study of music through performance on the recorder.  Students begin to learn songs by reading music as well as hearing and feelings music.  They will get the chance to not only perform on drums, but compose their own drum piece.  They will also continue learning to read music through the recorder and our new music words and hand signals.  Fourth grade students will also get a chance to learn about the instruments in an orchestra and decide if they want to play one themselves!

 

For information related to the Symphony Orchestra try the following:

The New York Philharmonic

 

New Hampshire Philharmonic

 

New Hampshire Symphony

 

 

Fifth Grade:

Fifth grade students will take everything they learned about music in elementary school and take it to the next level through performance in drums and keyboards.  They will be able to play the drum by themselves and in drum ensembles as well as create a structured, professional piece of music with their peers.  They will also play a variety of songs on the piano from the beginner to the traditional to the radio!  By the end of fifth grade music, students will be able to play complicated rhythms and know enough about a piano to play a couple tunes for mom and dad!  Fifth grade students also learn about Baroque composers and have the opportunity to create an electronic presentation about one for their classmates.

 

 

Sixth Grade:
This year in sixth grade, students will have four major units they will work on. The first is using words to create rhythms, and they have a group project in which they will write and perform a rap and ostinato. The next unit is where students learn all about jazz music!  Jazz is both exciting and extremely important, as it was the first musical style to be “born” in America.  After the jazz unit, students begin learning how to read music. They start with rhythms and work into knowing all the pitches on both the bass and treble clef. Finally, the term is ended in a group project that has students build their own instruments, write their own music, perform for classmates, and enjoy watching their peers.  This is a very fun way to end our time together.

In addition to the units, most classes will begin with listening to music of many different styles, cultures, and time periods. Students will listen carefully to which instruments and musical qualities are heard, as well as letting the music evoke images and feelings to share with the class.

 

Seventh Grade:

Seventh grade students get to have all the fun.  This year focuses on more advanced rhythms with drums, more advanced music on the keyboard, and an introductory unit on how to play the guitar.  Students have already left seventh grade music with enough knowledge and enthusiasm to begin teaching themselves!  Students will also be professional composers this year.  Every student will leave seventh grade music an instrumentalist!