Upcoming Events
- Wednesday, January 17th: 4th Grade Orchestra/5th Grade Orchestra Winter Concert, 7pm @ Twin Groves
4th Grade
What we did this week:
- Reviewed our bow hold with a pencil
- Learned how to care for our bows!
Assignment:
- p. 10-12, pencil bow hold,
*Students should be practicing note naming at home via Staff Wars! This fun note naming game is a great way for our students to learn their notes.
Practicing Expectations:
Students should be writing down their assignment at each lesson. Our goal is to practice every day that we eat! We should be aiming to take our instruments out every day and practicing. There is NO time limit at this point. Students should be practicing each day for however long they are able to. Students should record their minutes for each day and get their practice record signed. If a student has practiced every day and has it signed, they receive a sticker! (This will be very important later this year...)
Parent Signatures on Practice Record:
Please make sure you are reviewing your child's practice record at home as well as writing your signature each week. We have some students who have been writing in their parents' initials themselves. Thanks for your support on this!
Lesson Schedules:
4th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule
Orchestra Lost and Found Box!
If your child is missing their books, accessories etc., please have them check the lost and found box on the stage at Prairie. If it is not in the box, please have them check around the room, since it is a shared room. Thank you!
5th Grade
What we did this week:
- Worked on Maiden's Rescue and Ode to Joy for our Blue Ribbon Assembly performance
- Continued to work on F natural and C natural
Assignment:
- p. 32-34, Crystal City March
Practicing Expectations:
Our goal is to practice 15-20 minutes each day for 6 days. Students should record their minutes in the practice record and get it signed each week.
Students should practice each song in small parts at least 5x-10 every day.
Below are the steps on how to practice our songs in the book:
- Name the notes in rhythm, making sure to tap your foot to a steady beat beforehand.
- Name the notes AND finger the notes, making sure to tap your foot to a steady beat.
- Play the song pizzicato (plucking) making sure to keep a straight wrist.
- "Shadow bow" while fingering the note names to help practice our bowings
- Play the song with the bow, making sure to bow from your elbow.
Lesson Schedules:
5th Grade Prairie Orchestra Lesson Schedule
Topic of the Week:
Practicing Over Breaks:
If students are going out of town for any of our long breaks or any weekends, practicing can still happen even without our instruments! Students can do the following in order to keep up the practicing:
- Go through the assigned songs in the book and name their notes in rhythm as well as fingerings in the air. (5x-10x)
- Practice pencil bow hold
- Play Staff Wars
Students should do any of the above for at least 10-20 minutes. Please note that if students are home for a break or weekend that they should be practicing on their instruments in addition to doing any of the above.