Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!
All my students and I are having a great time in music class. What a wonderful, busy music learning took place in September!
I love Fall! Teachers are rested, students are excited for learning, and possibilities for growth and artistic expression seem open and beckoning. At least that is the fantasy I have when the weather turns a little cooler and fall colors come on to delight our senses.
I cannot wait to celebrate the Fall season and Halloween with music! Autumn Leaves and Harvest, Apples and Pumpkins, Owls and Squirrels, Scarecrows, Skeletons and Witches...to name a few.
Please ask your child what he/she is learning in music class and sing/perform a song or two for you!
Toward the end of October, the excitement of Halloween fills the music room. Halloween is a good time to talk about element of “Expression” in music. We learn about the high/low, loud/soft. fast/slow, major/minor, and how music and sounds affect our mood and ambience. Many opportunities are available for students to demonstrate musical expression through speaking, singing, moving, and playing instruments in October.
One way to ensure that the students are actively engaged in learning is to incorporate different Folk Dances and Musical Games in daily lessons. Movement with music is vital to children’s social and emotional learning, and is an important part of the whole-child curriculum. Multiple Intelligences Theory in our school also values the kinesthetic learning along with the musical intelligence to optimize the acquisition of musical concepts and skills. Incorporating dances and musical games is in alignment with the National Core Arts Standards' Anchor Standards #10 - Synthesize and personal experiences to make art and #11 - Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, Cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
Grade Level Highlights in October
Kindergarten First Grade
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Fairies and Giants #2
We are Scary Skelton What will you be on Halloween
Old Mrs. Witch Legs and all
The Witch Has an Itch Spider on the Wall
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Dance Itsy, Bitsy, Spider with Xylophone
Fairies and Giants Big Black Cat
Pumpkin Time (Book) A Very Busy Spider (Book)
Third Grade
Ghost of John (adding xylophone)
Owl and The Moon
In the Pumpkin Patch
Halloween is a Very Unusual Night
Shake Dem Halloween Bones (Book)
BA Dancing Monsters (Recorder)
Kindergarten First Grade
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Fairies and Giants #2
We are Scary Skelton What will you be on Halloween
Old Mrs. Witch Legs and all
The Witch Has an Itch Spider on the Wall
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Dance Itsy, Bitsy, Spider with Xylophone
Fairies and Giants Big Black Cat
Pumpkin Time (Book) A Very Busy Spider (Book)
Third Grade
Ghost of John (adding xylophone)
Owl and The Moon
In the Pumpkin Patch
Halloween is a Very Unusual Night
Shake Dem Halloween Bones (Book)
BA Dancing Monsters (Recorder)