Term 2 2016

For Term Two our focus in Music is pitch and tone colour. We will use tuned percussion instruments (glockenspiels, resonator bells, chime bars, metallophones, xylophones, and marimbas) to start recognising pitch changes following on from using the Boomwhackers last term.

We will be turning all our beat and rhythm learning into simple melodies as well as creating soundtracks to well known or made up stories and short compositions. We are so lucky to have our awesome marimbas, including the bass and two sub contra bass chime bars, and a number of alto and soprano xylophones so there is plenty for everyone to play.

We will also look at Solfege (Do, Re, Mi) singing with Curwen/Kodaly hand signs. Some classes have already started this and it will help us so much with our pitch work that it will be something for us to concentrate on.

Our aim is always to make a beautiful sound whether singing or playing. We will maintain our expression through movement, dance, speech, and drama, continue our music appreciation, and expand our repertoire of shared songs.

Singing with Hand Signs

Room 3 sing a greeting each time we have Music together. We use Curwen/Kodaly hand signals to match the sol, mi, re, do descending pitches we sing. They are excellent at singing the correct pitches and are always telling me that they don't need me to do the hand signs with them anymore...they know them and have been practising!

Room 4

Room 4 have been practising ta, ti, and za rhythms on the Boomwhackers. Some people felt confident to tap a four beat rhythm on the board for a colour group of Boomwhackers to echo.

Boomwhacker Improvisations

Room 12 have been playing four beat rhythms on the Boomwhackers. They can record the rhythms and use the correct rhythm names. We had different conductors come up to improvise a piece by pointing to the different coloured circles in order to get the corresponding groups of Boomwhackers to play.

Room 11

Room 11 have been working very hard in Music and are always keen to create their own music. Before I had even sat down to do their afternoon roll this week they were all humming, beating, and bopping to an improvised ostinato someone had started. Recently they have chosen to prepare, practise, and perform either a soundscape or a series of four beat rhythms.

They also participated creatively in a "Boomwhackers Challenge". They had five minutes to prepare and practise a rhythm ostinato to play on the Boomwhackers that made up a C Major pentatonic scale. They included the bass sound tubes and performed for each other.

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4