Weekly Review 1/9-1/13

In first grade students learned a fun little song with movements called, "A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea," Each time we sang the song, we replaced the word "sea" with hands, chop, knee, toe, and Oo- was- she was." We came up with movements to reflect those words. We also began our  "Peter and the Wolf" unit which is a story and musical piece by the Russian composer.  We read the book first, then started a listening map in the second class.  As the students listened to the story and orchestral music (narrated by Patrick Stewart), they completed the activities in each box.  We will be finishing this activity next week!

The second graders  started a new unit on instrument families.  The four main instrument families are: brass, woodwind, string, and percussion. This week the students learned about the percussion family. In order for an instrument to be categorized in the percussion family, the instrument needs to be shacked, struck, scrapped. Some instruments from the percussion family include: maracas, timpani, piano, triangle, hand drum, and xylophone. 

The third graders had a VERY exciting week!  Four members from the Lexington Symphony Orchestra visited Memorial to help prepare the students for next January 27th's field trip. There is still time to turn in your money for the field trip. It is only $1! Recorders are $6 each and they are due next week.

Here is a video and some pictures from the visit this week:

Our fourth and fifth grade students got the opportunity to review how to play the tone chimes with the correct technique. We played an accompaniment using various chords to two different songs. The fourth graders played chordal accompaniments to, "Auld Lang Syne" while the fifth grade students played chordal accompaniments to the famous 80's hit, "Take On Me." Here is a video of Mrs. Harlow's class performing, "Auld Lang Syne"

This week was our first chorus rehearsal for 2017. We began the class with a fun warm up of the folk song, "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Every time we sang a word that began with a "B," we had to stand up or sit down. Our theme for our spring concert is, "The Elements of Music." Fourth graders learned a fun song tongue twister song with tempo changes called, "Peter Piper" while the fifth graders learned "Fast Food for Fugue." Many of us started getting hungry and craved for hamburgers and fries while singing the song.

Have a wonderful long weekend!