Happy Semester 2!!

January 20, 2015 By

As usual, time goes by so fast!! Here we are at a new and exciting semester!! Welcome to all the new students!! I’m very much looking forward to a new semester and lots of music making!!

This first term, we’re learning about music through playing the piano! The second term we use guitars… Check out his video to get us started…

For extra credit this week, please bring in a box of tissues or bottle of hand sanitizer… Approx. 250 students come through the classroom every other day… Tissues are VERY helpful!

Mrs. Kelley

Filed Under: Announcements, Music Class, Piano, This Week In Music Class

This Week in Music Class – February 10

February 10, 2014 By

The snow day last week slowed us down, but just a little bit! We got a late start on our composers, so we’re working on that this week.  Each grade is assigned a different composer, this week we’re learning about:

Grade 6-George Frederic Handel 1685-1759

Grade 7-Antonio Vivaldi 1678-1741

Grade 8-Hildegard von Bingen 1098-1179

There are PowerPoint presentations for each composer which includes biographical information, images, and a video link for music that they wrote. Students then complete a worksheet (and can look up the answers in the PowerPoint).

This week we are also practicing notes on the treble clef, and putting the C-major scale together with both hands.

Thursday and Friday this week will be our first “Folder Check.” Students need to have a folder that they keep here in class which holds all the reference sheets that I give them in class.  On Thursday (for blue day) and Friday (for white day) I will be going through the class bins and checking for folders and papers. Please be sure that students have brought in their folders by then.

This week we’re listening to movie soundtrack music.  Click the picture below to go to a story about a modern-day composer (who just won an Annie Award for his work on the movie Frozen).

DisneyComposerInterview

Filed Under: Composers, Music Class, Music History, Piano, This Week In Music Class Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

This Week in Music Class – February 3

February 3, 2014 By

We’re having so much fun getting to know the pianos in class!! This week we’re tackling the C major scale, with both hands (separately at first, then we’ll put them together). We’re also learning about our first composers of the term.  Each grade learns about different composers throughout the semester. There are PowerPoint presentations on the computers that I’ve created. Students view the presentations which include a video of music written by the composer, and then fill out an online worksheet answering questions about the composer and what they heard. Students can use the PowerPoint and look up the answers as they complete the worksheet, so it’s a great way to boost their grades while listening to great music and learning about influential Western composers.

Remember, if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. School email is the easiest and quickest way. julie.kelley@wpsk12.com

Check out this video on playing the C scale on the piano, it’s not super exciting, but you can see how we go about playing the scale.

Mrs. Kelley

Filed Under: Music Class, Piano, This Week In Music Class Tagged With: , , ,