Orff-Schulwerk
All students, Kindergarten through 8th grade, have been incorporating and using the Orff Approach in their music learning this year. This developmental approach to studying music combines music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to child's world of play. We have been exploring barred instruments, such as the xylophone and glockenspiel, as well as adding unpitched percussion instruments along with our voices, movement of our bodies, and even body percussion.
Recorder Karate!
Upon returning from Christmas break, 3rd grade students will be taking on a new adventure in music class: the recorder! By working with this woodwind instrument, third graders will begin to gain musical skills that will ease their transition into the SJS band as fourth graders, and develop instrumental note reading skills.
We will be using the "Recorder Karate" system. At the heart of this method is a positive reward system in which students receive colored "karate belts" to hang from their recorders for each progressively more difficult tune. Students may work at their own pace to achieve these goals.
We will be using the "Recorder Karate" system. At the heart of this method is a positive reward system in which students receive colored "karate belts" to hang from their recorders for each progressively more difficult tune. Students may work at their own pace to achieve these goals.
Boomwhackers!
Boomwhackers Tuned Percussion Tubes are lightweight, hollow, color-coded, plastic tubes, tuned to musical pitches by length. They are used as musical instruments in the percussion family. They were first produced by Craig Ramsell in 1995.
Boomwhackers have been taking the music room by storm this year! Upon entering music class, students of all ages continue to ask, "Can we use the Boomwhackers today?" Students have been learning about pitches, solfege, and rhythm using this tuned percussion tubes. Students have played familiar and unfamiliar songs, used them in games, practiced new scales and chords, performed ear-training exercises, and have even written their own original music compositions using the Boomwhackers!
Boomwhackers have been taking the music room by storm this year! Upon entering music class, students of all ages continue to ask, "Can we use the Boomwhackers today?" Students have been learning about pitches, solfege, and rhythm using this tuned percussion tubes. Students have played familiar and unfamiliar songs, used them in games, practiced new scales and chords, performed ear-training exercises, and have even written their own original music compositions using the Boomwhackers!
Conversational Solfege
by John M. Feierabend
"Conversational Solfege is a dynamic and captivating general music program that enables students to become independent musical thinkers with the help of a rich variety of folk and classical music.
With the Conversational Solfege approach, music literacy starts with great literature and an "ear-before-eye" philosophy that correlates with the National Standards. Great songs are broken down into their component parts and then reassembled so that students can bring greater musical understanding to everything they do.
The ultimate goal is to create fully engaged, independent musicians who can hear, understand, read, write, compose, and improvise." (http://www.giamusic.com)
"Conversational Solfege is a dynamic and captivating general music program that enables students to become independent musical thinkers with the help of a rich variety of folk and classical music.
With the Conversational Solfege approach, music literacy starts with great literature and an "ear-before-eye" philosophy that correlates with the National Standards. Great songs are broken down into their component parts and then reassembled so that students can bring greater musical understanding to everything they do.
The ultimate goal is to create fully engaged, independent musicians who can hear, understand, read, write, compose, and improvise." (http://www.giamusic.com)