"All Aboard the TEMPO Train! Choo! Choo!"

TEMPO

the speed at which music is performed

This week we learned all about Tempo (Fast or Slow).  We put the beat in our hands and feet and practiced changing tempos.

JKs practiced going as fast and as slow a we could go.

The SKs learned:
Andante = Walking Speed (Medium)
Largo = Slow 
Allegro = Fast 

The Grade 1s learned:

Largo = Slow

Andante = Walking Speed

Moderato = Moderate/Medium Speed

Allegro = Fast

Vivace = Quick & Lively 

Once we learned tempo, we put it all together while performing all the songs we've learned so far.  We have learned a lot and have had so much fun singing at different tempos, dynamics, and pitches.

Today the Grade 1s also became conductors.  Each student will be getting the chance to conduct the class as we make music.  The conductor is in charge of keeping the beat, and changing the tempo and dynamics.

"Peanut ... Peanut Butter ... JELLY!"

"Peanut .. Peanut Butter ... Jelly!

Peanut ... Peanut Butter ... Jelly!"

You may be hearing these words being sung around your house this week.  This is one of our new songs we learned while working on our new musical element - DYNAMICS - and it has proved to be quite popular.

(I tried to find a YouTube link to share with you but the only versions of the song I could find have been change and, frankly, aren't near as fun.  Looks like we are going to have to make our own!)

DYNAMICS are the levels of volume in music (Loud & Soft)

JKs explored the difference between loud and soft and brainstormed ideas of different things that made loud sounds and soft sounds.

The SKs learned four of the Italian
Dynamic Terms:

Piano = Soft

Mezzo Piano = Medium Soft

Mezzo Piano = Medium Loud

Forte = Loud

The grade 1s learned a couple more terms:

Pianissimo = VERY Soft

Fortinissimo = VERY Loud

The grade 1s also became Conductors this week.  We learned and practiced the conducting pattern for 4/4 time (ie. Down - Left - Right - Up) and some great risk-taking volunteers shared this new knowledge by keeping the beat and conducting the class while we sang.

We have been busy musicians this week; we learned TWO new musical elements!

We also learned about PITCH - the notes we sing/play - and practiced echoing pitches and sliding up and down as high as we could go and as low as we could go.

Up Next?
ALL ABOARD THE TEMPO TRAIN! Choo-Choo!

"We Got the Beat!"

This week we started our unit on Musical Elements.

Musical Elements are the basic building blocks of making music and, because we are all musicians in our music classes, we are going to learn about each one according to the grade level.

Beat is the rhythmic movement of music.  It is how we measure the movement of the music.

Beat is like the heartbeat of the music.  

It keeps the music steady and helps us all sing/play/move together.

We all learned the game "Keep the Beat" (ask your child(ren) if they can teach it to you).

We are practicing paying attention to the leader and keeping the beat steady when we play.

We learned a fun new song, Johnny Works With One Hammer)

(I am still trying to figure out how to take some video to share. It's a real challenge to record video while playing guitar or clapping out the beat!)

We worked on the first entry for our Music Journals which we will be adding to throughout the year as we learn new things and create new music.  This week we worked on "Beat Hearts" to cut out and add to our journals.  We also each decorated small hearts which we will use for a "Beat Display" in our new music room when it's all ready (We are getting very excited about our new room!).

UP NEXT: Our new Musical Element - DYNAMICS

"If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands"

Clap! Clap!

We certainly are happy about our first week of Music Lessons with the JKs, SKs, and 1A!  We were clapping our hands, stomping our feet, jumping up and down, spinning around, and shouting "Hurray!".

This week was all about getting to know each other. We learned the song Willoughby Wallaby Woo to help learn all our names.  

We've learned a little bit about being musicians.  We've warmed up our instruments (our voices) with the song Apples and Bananas - and what beautiful instruments they are!  

We've learned that being a musician isn't just about making sounds but also about being a good listener so we practiced our listening when learning new songs.

We've learned that being a musician also means using our eyes and looking at/watching the conductor/learner.  Today we learned our first conductor's sign: The Cut-Off. This is how we know the leader wants us to be quiet. (Ask your child if they can show you what the cut-off looks like).

Finally, sometimes (lots of times) being a musician means having fun and being a little silly so we shook our sillies out while singing Shake Your Sillies Out!

Next week we are going to start learning the Musical Elements (the basic building blocks of music).