Classroom News:

K: In kindergarten, students are learning to follow a steady beat by passing objects to the beat of familiar and unfamiliar songs. They are also dancing to and singing songs they’ve been introduced to earlier in the year. We’re all about movement in kindergarten right now!

1: In first grade, we are learning to read and write rhythms. We play rhythm wars, where students race to see who can write a rhythm correctly the quickest. We also play RITMO, which is Miss Ortega’s version of rhythm bingo. Emphasis is on self-correction and peer assistance. Another focus is on maintaining a steady rhythm by playing an African stick-passing game.

2: In second grade, we are learning to read the music notes of the treble clef. FACE in the space, and Every Good Boy Does Fine are a few ways to remember which notes go where. Homework will include completing stories by filling in letters using the musical alphabet. We are also learning to maintain a steady beat by playing an African stick-passing game.

3: In third grade, we are learning how to play recorder. We’ve already learned B, A, and G (mi, re, and do in solfege), and now we’re working on moving between the notes and playing songs with correct rhythm. We are learning a song called “B A Superhero”, which has some really groovy background music. There are a lot of difficult things about this song, but if we keep working, it is going to sound great!

4: In fourth grade, we are reviewing recorder. Many students remember a lot of what they learned last year, and are putting it to good use by learning songs on their own, with no direction at all in class! We are also working on “B A Superhero”, which has multiple measures of rest and a coda - a weird way of repeating some music but not all of it, while tacking on a different ending. It only uses two recorder notes, but the rhythm and repeat patterns promise to be a challenge!

5: In fifth grade, we are learning to identify the notes on the treble clef. Homework will often be stories supplemented with words using the musical alphabet, or worksheets designed to help with sight-recognition. Soon we will begin looking at songs in our books and identifying notes and reviewing the rhythms.

Special Events:

There is a music concert coming up!!! On Thursday, February 21, the band, chorus, and strings will be performing in the Parker-Varney auditorium. The performers are all very excited, and nervous, of course. It promises to be a wonderful show.

Other:

As always, if any parent or student needs to get in touch with me, I can be reached at the school’s number, or electronically at kortega@mansd.org.

Don’t forget to sing today!!!