May in the *virtual* music room

Kindergartners studied the meaning of loud and quiet in music, exploring how the volume of the music, also known as the dynamics, changes both the situational appropriateness and the mood of what we hear. Students practiced using different voice choices, (whisper, talk, shout or sing) and reviewed which one to use when and where. They also heard the pop singer Caspar Babypants sing about loud and quiet, and observed how friends from Sesame Street work out differences when they don’t agree on how loud or quiet one should be!

Second graders reviewed rhythms from past years and applied their knowledge to a new song called “Quaver’s candy-making machine.” They were challenged to come up with actions to correspond to different note durations and create a movement sequence to show the rhythmic patterns. Second graders learned to recognize and perform accents, and even had an opportunity to engage in a little “accent art.” More lengthy rhythmic composition was a foundational element of this month’s activities. In May we will build on student skills when a melodic component is added and 2nd graders will begin to experience the full range of composition.

Fourth graders also reviewed rhythms during the month of April and were introduced to dotted notes, tied notes, and syncopation, a rhythmic phenomenon that places emphasis on the weak beats in order to make for more interesting music. A traditional American folk tune, “Alabama gal,” served as a great example of syncopation and one that is fun to sing along to besides. To keep up recorder practice, the sound track “Baby Shark” was included in this month’s resources. Syncopation is part of why this tune has become an ear worm for so many! It is indeed a catchy tune!