Rowland

Welcome to a new year!

Welcome back to a brand new year of music here at Varner Elementary. This quarter will be filled with many exciting music- making opportunities.

These are the standards to be assessed this quarter:

K- pitch- echo sings so-mi patterns in the head voice

k rhythm- echoes rhythm patterns using body percussion and instruments

1st- pitch- performs call and response songs

1st- rhythm- reads quarter notes, paired eighth notes, and quarter rests

2nd- pitch- reads 2-3 note melodic patterns on the the treble staff

2nd- rhythm- improvises rhythmic patterns w/ a variety of sound sources

3rd- pitch- reads letter names of notes on the treble staff

3rd- descriptionand analysis- identifies form in music (AB, ABA, and rondo- ABACA forms)

4th and 5th- pitch- reads and plays notes on the treble staff

4th and 5th rhythm- reads, notates, and creates, rhythmic patterns using whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes adn rests.

Additional standards will be taught as well as the ones assessed. The 3rd and 4th grades will be presenting the February PTA performance of music through the ages. This performance will feature music of the 50's, 60's 70's, and 80's.

Music class news for quarter 2:

Hello all! Music class here at Varner is getting very exciting as all students are currently playing melodies and rhythms on Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, adn glockenspiels). They are also singing, and moving to music of various cultures and historical periods.

All students will be assessed on the following skills this quarter:

K- rhythm- performs the steady beat
K- pitch- describes and sings high, low, fast, and slow

1st- rhythm- performs simple rhythm patterns using quarter notes, quarter rests, and paired eighth notes.
1st- pitch- sings melodies in the head voice

2nd- rhythm- reads and plays rhythm patterns using quarter notes, quarter rests, and paired eighth notes.
2nd pitch- plays 2-3 note melodic patterns

3rd- rhythm- reads and plays rhythm patterns using half notes and rests, quarter notes and rests, paired eighth notes.
3rd- pitch- Plays pentatonic (5-note) melodies using correct technique.

4th and 5th- rhythm- reads and plays rhythm patterns using whole notes and rests, half notes and rests, quarter notes and rests, paired eighth notes, and sixteenth notes.
4th- 5th- pitch- plays melodies adn bordun harmony using pentatonic and major scales.

The recent weeks have been very productive in music class.

Grade k is learning to echo in many types of voices and imitate the steady beat.

1st graders are learning to echo sing on so mi and la and play the steady beat.

2nd graders are learning to sing their best and to perform repeated rhythmic patterns called ostinato. (oooo fancy music word!)

3rd graders are leaning to sing their best and describe the tempo and dynamics of music using musical terms.

4th and 5th graders have been using all the elements of music in performance as they sing, move, and play instruments.

Students will be assessed this quarter on these standards but will also perform many others as well.

Welcome to music class!

Welcome to the Varner Elementary School music classroom blog. Each student at Varner will be attending music every 6th school day. Every student will be participating in musical learning experiences which will include listening, singing, moving, playing games, and playing instruments. All Varner mini-musicians are encouraged to follow the music room expectations which are:
1. Respect the fellow musicians
2. Respect the instruments
3. Listen
4. Follow directions
5. Participate
6. Make music (not noise)

Check this blog for information throughout the year regarding current musical activities and assessments. I am looking forward to making music with all of the Varner students!

Music Class News for April and May

These last months in the music classroom we will be reveiwing and practicing all of the skills we have learned this year. Each grade level will be practicing pitch and rhythm skills by listening, reading notating, singing, playing instruments, and moving to music.

4th and 5th grade students may contiue to pass off recorder karate songs on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

All grades will also have the opporunity to particiapte in musical learning centers as they perform and practice the music standards we have learned this year.

Finally- Remember that the Varner Vocaliers Chorus will perform the "Star Spangled Banner" for the May 3 Braves game and the Varner Second Graders will perform for the May 5 PTA meeting.

Have a wonderful spring, everyone!

A Star Spangled Challenge!

Here is a challenge to all Varner students especially the 4th and 5th graders. Learn/memorize the words to our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.

Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Of say does that star spangled banner yet wave?
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

Bonus points:
Look up these words in the dictionary:
banner, spangled, perilous, rampart, twilight

Learn more about the Star Spangled Banner at:

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/spangle.htm

Vocaliers will perform this week!

Our performances for the Varner students and staff will take place on Wednesday, March2 and Thursday, March 3rd at 1:30 for our Varner students.
Please bring or wear the costumes to school those days. Parents and friends are invited.

Animals, Mrs. Glover is making you an animal head dress to wear. Wear the color clothes that match your animal. You may add spots, fur, etc.

All other singers and speakers just wear something that looks like jungle attire. It can be green, tropical, African prints, khakis, safari hats, etc. Make sure the costume is comfortable enough to wear standing on stage. Animal print shirts are fine, also.

Our evening performance is Thursday, March 3.
Schedule for the evening:
• Art show- 5:00-8:00 p.m.
• Spaghetti dinner- 5:00-6:35 (pre- order with forms that came home by Feb. 18.) Proceeds to benefit the Patty Lilly fund.
• PTA meeting- 6:45
• Vocaliers perform- 7:15

Meet in the music room at 6:45 Thursday, March 3. Wear your jungle attire.

Finally, to avoid being over tired for the performance:
WE WILL NOT REHEARSE THURSDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 3RD.

If you have any questions regarding any of the performances, please contact me at Deborah.rowland@cobbk12

Happy New Year everybody!

Quarter 3 music news:

This quarter in music class my students in k-3 will learn and be assessed on the following Georgia music standards:

K-pitch- sings teh pitches so-mi inthe head voice
rhythm- echoes rhythm patterns using body percussion and instruments

1st- pitch- performs call and response songs
rhythm- reads quarter notes, quarter rests, and paired eighth notes

2nd- pitch- reads 2-3 note melodic pattern on a treble staff
rhythm- improvises rhythmic patterns using a variety of sound sources

3rd- pitch- identifies and reads letter names of line and space notes on the treble staff
analysis- identifies AB, ABA and rondo form in music

4th and 5th grade- pitch- reads and plays the letter names of line and space notes on the treble staff
rhythm- reads, writes, creates and performs rhythm patterns using half notes and rests, quarter notes and rests, paired eighth notes, 4 sixteenth notes

Also- 4th and 5th grade will be beginning recorder playing in class soon.

Varner Music Room News

The Varner music room is very busy learning and practicing rhythms.
Grade k is performing the steady beat.
Grade 1 is playing rhythm patterns.
Grade 2 is reading and performing rhythm patterns.
Grades 3-5 are creating, notating, and performing rhythm patterns for each other.

All grades continue to perform melodies by playing and/or singing.

IN December, students will be singing, playing, and moving to popular holiday songs.

Vocaliers to perform this week!
It is time for the final details of our 2010 performances. We have worked hard to present an entertaining and inspiring holiday program for all to enjoy. We will present our program on the following days/times:

Friday, December 3 12:40 Varner Elementary- perform for grades 3,4,5

Friday, December 3 1:20 Varner Elementary – perform for grades k,1,2

Meet in the gym at 12:15 for Friday performances.

Saturday, December 4 10:00 am Varner Winter Festival
Meet in the music room at 9:30.

Please wear your Varner Vocalier shirt and blue jeans for all performances.
Also, you may wear a holiday hat (or antlers) if you wish.
Parents and friends are invited to any and all performances.

Vocaliers will not meet on December 9th or December 16th.
We will resume rehearsal on Thursday, January 6, 2011.

If you have questions, please e-mail them to Deborah.rowland@cobbk12.org

I’m looking forward to wonderful performances!