10-10-14
Practicing “Stick” Notation
5th graders have been practicing reading and writing rhythms since the school year began! In this activity, they had to listen to short rhythm patterns and figure out how to write them using stick notation and popsicle sticks!
4-2-14
3rd Quarter Update!
In 5th grade music class, most of the 3rd quarter was spent preparing for the 5th grade choir concert. Along with working on singing technique, 5th graders continued to reinforce their sight reading skills as we learned our songs. The songs on the 5thgrade concert were partner songs or canons, so students were focusing on singing in 2 or 3 parts while maintaining their own pitch and steady beats. Our focus this year is on music from around the world, so our concert music featured traditional folk songs from Ireland, Korea, Holland, and South Africa. The students sang these songs in their original languages and learned the meanings of each word. In the art room, they studied the art of each country and worked to complete a project to match a song in the concert. Some of this art was even displayed at the concert. If your child’s artwork did not make it over to the high school, fear not! Our Art & Music night is right around the corner on May 1st! In the weeks since the concert, the 5thgrade has been working on a mini-unit on rhythm and is getting ready to break out their recorders!
1-1-14
Dear 5th Grade Parents,
I am very excited to tell you that our 5th Grade Choir Concert is quickly approaching! Your children are having a great time preparing their music, and they are very excited to share all of their hard work with you. We can’t wait to wrap up winter with students, family, friends, and lots of wonderful music!
5th Grade Choir Concert Information:
Date: March 12, 2014 (Wednesday)
Time: 6:00pm (students should meet in the MS Choir room at 5:30pm)
Place: Granville High School Auditorium
Dress: Nice clothing (No jeans/athletic wear, please! Dresses, skirts, or pants are acceptable!)
Students will be discussing appropriate concert attire in class.
In order to have a successful performance, attendance is very important. As we begin to practice our speaking parts and standing formations, it is imperative that I know of any conflicts your child might have on the evening of the concert as soon as possible. Stay tuned – as our concert approaches, I will send home more reminders containing all important details. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to e-mail me at Ehartman@granvilleschools.org.
Thank you so much,
Emily Hartman
1-12-14
5th Grade Drumming
Last spring, the GIS music department was lucky enough to receive grant money from the Granville Education Foundation and The Granville Music Boosters which helped fund our brand new set of world percussion instruments. (You can see the entire set of instruments in a previous post on the main page of this blog.) Through playing these instruments, our students have the opportunity to learn about people from around the world through one of the most defining characteristics of any culture: music. Through the “Roots of Rhythm” curriculum by Craig Woodson, GIS’s 5th graders have been learning all about the people of Guinea and their rich musical traditions. Our main focus of this unit has been the Djembe – the goblet shaped drum which has origins in Guinea but is found in most West African drumming traditions. When it came time to drum, we focused on the “Aconcon” rhythms, and students have all had the chance to play the djembe, kenkeni, djun djun, gankogui (double bell), shakere, and clave parts of the drum ensemble. Another focus of this curriculum is the science behind drums and how they produce their sound. This unit culminated with students building their OWN drums out of aluminum cans (very generously donated by Crenos Pizza), tape, and dowel rods. They had a GREAT time building these instruments and using them in our drum circle.
Here are some pictures of the 5th graders enjoying drumming and building their instruments!
5th Grade Music News:
5th grade is off to a running-start this year in music. We spent some time reviewing solfege and notes on the staff as we learned some new songs and practiced our scales. Students enjoyed discussing different ways composers can express emotion in their music, and they listened to a variety of famous pieces and analyzed different choices the composers made that helped express emotion. We also reviewed rhythm concepts from 4th grade and quickly moved on to more complex rhythms and polyrhythms. We are just beginning our drumming unit in which we will cover the Djembe from Guinea and working in a drum circle setting. Students will also be building homemade drums from cans (donated from Crenos pizza) and other supplies.
The GIS Music Room 