April is Jazz Appreciation Month!

In the spirit of celebrating Jazz Appreciation month and recognizing Jazz as music that originated in the United States, I'd like to share one of my favorite pieces, "Take Five" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.  It has a time signature that is a bit unusual in that it has five beats per measure (5/4), rather than the more standard four beats (4/4).  Dave Brubeck (1920-2012) worked hard as a musician and educator to promote cultural diplomacy around the world through his music.  I hope you enjoy this piece, too!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHdU5sHigYQ#t=302

Fascinating Rhythm

I've Got Rhythm!

Students in Ms. Basra's class did a great job practicing and performing quarter note and eighth note rhythmic patterns for their individual assessments. Students read selected rhythms by speaking them and showing what the patterns looked like with their hands.

There's a Little Wheel A-Turning in My Heart

Second graders in Ms. Casey's class had a fun time expressing themselves through song and movement to this traditional African-American spiritual. Enjoy the first verse! Can you create other verses that would match the style and mood of this song?

Writing and Reading!

First graders were working hard to notate and read some of their original compositions using quarter notes, eighth notes, and quarter rests. They then took turns performing in front of their peers!

ABCs

Students in Ms. Lund's class did an awesome job singing, moving, and finding the first letters of their names to different versions of "The Alphabet Song" in music today.  

Line Dances!

Here are some fifth graders from Ms. Hart's class showing off their fancy dance moves to "Galopede," a piece of English folk music. We moved the dance from the music room to the hall to create two long parallel lines for fun and for extra space to move safely. We look forward to trying it again with another folk dance in the next few weeks!