Upcoming Events
-TODAY Friday, February 1st: Deadline for the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp Scholarship application (5TH GRADE STUDENTS ONLY). Please refer to my previously sent email or on Schoology.
-Wednesday, February 7th: IGSMA Recital Night, 7pm-8pm (with reception to follow) @Twin Groves. (THIS IS ONLY FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE IGSMA SOLO/ENSEMBLE CONTEST)
-Saturday, February 10th: IGSMA Solo/Ensemble Contest @ Antioch Upper Grade School. Please refer to the email sent today with more detailed information (THIS IS ONLY FOR STUDENTS WHO REGISTERED IN NOVEMBER)
4th Grade
What we did this week:
-Continued to work on Mozart Melody and playing with both our left hands and bows
-Worked on our note names
Assignment:
- p. 15 and 18, Staff Wars, Monkey Song (with the bow)
*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...)
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:
-Learned about whole notes and how to play them with slow bows
-Practice our E string and C string notes using Staff Wars
Assignment:
-p. 37 and 39, Practicing with SmartMusic, Storm, Staff Wars (C string/E string ranges only)
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:
1. Name the notes in rhythm, making sure to tap your foot to a steady beat beforehand.
2. Name the notes AND finger the notes, making sure to tap your foot to a steady beat.
3. Play the song pizzicato (plucking) making sure to keep a straight wrist. 4. "Shadow bow" while fingering the note names to help practice our bowings 5. 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:
SmartMusic! (5th Grade Only!)
This week, our 5th graders experimented with SmartMusic, a new practice and assessment tool we have implemented in the district. This tool is great way for students to practice assigned pieces at home with some helping features such as a metronome, showing how to play a note, etc. It also allows the students to be recorded and then shown how they played. Please click here to learn more about SmartMusic.
Please have your child show you what we did this week! We are excited to start using this more and more!