Now we’re cooking! This was our final music class of the term and the children put all of their hard work into one, exciting lesson. We pulled from their experience with working as a group, knowledge of vocabulary and rhythm, as well as tone and rhythm colors. Starting with a simple text, we defined the rhythm and clapped both the beat and the rhythm. Next came the written accompaniment! Using rhythmic notation, the children were able to read what instrument would play when, independent of other instruments. They took turns playing triangle, guiro, hand drum and tambourine. After those parts were secure we added an ostinato on woodblock under it all.
After stacking our theoretical music building blocks for 11 weeks, the children are READING musical notation and performing it with vocal text. Please give them all a huge hug when you see them next, and tell them, as I have, what an accomplishment this is!
Last week in PE was volleyball. We practiced setting the ball, and serving the ball. We worked on being a team, setting the ball up for each other before it went back over the net. But, most, we worked on making contact with the ball!
