Celebrating the year past, and looking forward to new adventures!

Another exciting year of music and learning has come and gone, and what a year it was!  As I tidied up the classroom and my laptop this week, I came across reminders of flower poems, Robert Munsch stories, animal rhythms, boom whackers, drumming circles, melody chimes, xylophone pieces, and of course the singing and acting and moving and all the silly moments in between.  We have worked very hard and learned a lot -  and had so much fun in the process!

On a personal note, these memories have been especially dear to me this year because I have accepted a position at another school next fall.  It was a difficult decision to make.  I have so much enjoyed being a part of the Panorama Hills community, working with the students and families and the wonderful staff at this school.  Sometimes I think I have had just as much fun, and learned just as much, as the students I have worked with over the last five years.  Five-year-olds can be powerful teachers!

I want to extend my deep gratitude to all of the students for their trust and enthusiasm, and to all of the families for their support and commitment.  I also want to express my sincere appreciation to the staff of Panorama Hills School - it has truly been a pleasure to work with such dedicated and talented people!

Time brings change to all of us in big and little ways.  Whether we’re moving to a new grade or to a new school, the wonderful memories of where we have been and what we have done will provide a strong foundation for the new adventures that await us.  Best of luck to everyone as you take your next steps in the journey of learning!

Best wishes!

Ondrea Mann

Listen to the Animals!

About 150 years ago, the French composer Camille Saint-Saens wrote a collection of musical jokes called “Carnival of the Animals”.  In this work, you can “hear” a “picture” of thirteen different animals.

Last week, students in Grades Two and Three listened to three pieces of music from this suite, and identified the tempo (speed of the music), the instruments, and the mood for each one.  As well, students connected our work in the Music Room to our “Reading Power” work in the homeroom by visualizing an image inspired by a fourth piece.  Before responding, students were also challenged to consider how the composer used dynamics, instrumentation, and tempo to inspire that image.

The students’ response papers will be sent home on Tuesday, and you are invited to reflect on the music with your child(ren) using the links below:

1. Mules 

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtU9tzcOpqc

2. Birds

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOuHfhXz-eE

3. Swan

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_niWfQEGvk

4. Kangaroo 

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae_Obzv0XeI

Video for Ms. Bereta and Ms. Matsumoto's Afternoon Students

After presenting our version of the classic story The Great Kapok Tree, students in Ms. Bereta and Ms. Matsumoto's Afternoon Classes with sing our version of Raffi's song, Ever Blue, Ever Green.  Click on the link below to sing along!

Kindergarten and Grade Three Spring Concert!

Spring has sprung, and the Kindergarten and Grade Three students have been working hard to prepare for their Spring Concert on Thursday, May 5th!  As this is also Arbor Day in Calgary, we will be celebrating trees and the natural world in which they grow.  

Below you'll find a link to songs that all Grade Three and Kindergarten students will be performing together, in addition to the pieces presented by their individual classrooms.  Sing along, and be inspired to care for dear old Mother Nature!

Kindergartens will be singing This Land is Ours (adapted from J. Jackobson and J. Higgins):

Grade Three students will be singing "I am the Earth" (by G. Lehmann) :

And just for Mr. Kinsman's and Ms. Jacque's class, a song about a Lollipop Tree (by J. Darion and G. Kleinsinger)!

One Piece, So Much to Learn!

Edvard Grieg

Students in Grade Two have been studying a piece of music called “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg.  It’s a famous tune, often included in movies, commercials, video games and now, perhaps, even being sung in your very own home!  It is a rich piece of music, and we listened to it over and over.  On each repetition, we peeled back another layer of understanding, examining a new concept or practicing a new skill.  Here’s how our learning unfolded . . .

1. We began by learning a new note called too, which is a rhythmic note that is sustained over two beats.  We practiced clapping, speaking and playing it on instruments. 

Too, a hungry rhythm
that eats up two beats!

2. We learned a rhythmic piece, and noticed that it was in an ABAC form, in which the first and third phrases were the same.  We also noticed that each phrase had four beats, and there were 16 beats altogether.

3. We noticed that this rhythmic piece was repeated over and over again in the song we have been listening to.  We counted 18 repetitions, followed by some different music at the end, which we labeled as the “coda”.

4. We reviewed the term “tempo”, and noticed that the this piece begins slowly and grows faster and faster.

5. We reviewed the term “dynamics”, and noticed that this piece begins quietly and grows louder and louder.

Shaker Eggs

6. We listened again, playing the rhythm on shaker eggs and the triangle, this time very aware now of how the composer changed the tempo and dynamics to create excitement in the music.

7. Finally, we wondered what story was being told by the music and represented our unique ideas with a quick sketch and a few words, and then shared our thoughts with a classmate.

How exciting that one piece of music can hold so many interesting ideas, and how exciting that one piece of music can teach us so very much!  A good piece of music – like a good story – is worth revisiting again and again.  Here is the link to “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edward Grieg:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLp_Hh6DKWc

A New Language

Students in Grade One have been exploring the inherent rhythm of the English language all year, clapping and playing instruments to reflect the syllables of their spoken language.  At the same time, they have been building their sense of steady beat through movement, body percussion and playing instruments.  

This month, these two skills came together as the students began manipulating words that had one- and two-sounds on a beat.  We began by building musical phrases using the common words "chicken" and "egg".  Students learned how to compose a phrase as a group, and then perform it in unison (all at the same time).  Small groups then composed a rhythmic phrase using their own words that had one and two sounds on a beat.  They recorded their music with pictures and words, and then performed it on a percussion instrument.  The final step was learning how to write their ideas using musical notation.  

Ti Ti has two sounds on a beat.

Ta has one sound on a beat.

Grade One students have just learned that one sound on a beat is called "ta", and two sounds on a beat is called "ti ti", and that these rhythms are written like this:





This is our Grade One students' first foray into the language of musical notation!  Now that they understand how the symbols represent sound, they can read and perform new music, and even write their own!  

Benefits of the Arts for Kids!

Excerpted from The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family’s Life with Art & Creativity, © 2013 by Jean Van’t Hul. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston, MA.

Educators tell us that art encourages fine motor skills, neural development, and problem-solving abilities and that it can be used effectively to teach and understand other key subjects such as reading, writing, math, and science. 

Therapists tell us that art is valuable because it allows children to process their world, to deal with sometimes scary emotions in a safe way, and because it gives them critical sensory input. 

Artists tell us that art is important for its own sake—as a source of beauty and expression, as well as simply for the process of creating. 

Kids tell us that art is fun, an activity they enjoy. Parents tell us that art is vital to their families because it keeps everyone engaged and happy and helps with the sometimes difficult transitions of the day. 

Art is naturally linked to creativity, an attribute that is increasingly being touted as one of the most important factors for the success of individuals, organizations, and cultures.

Want to read more?  See the full article at:

http://artfulparent.com/2016/01/the-benefits-of-art-for-kids.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheArtfulParent+%28The+Artful+Parent%29