We had a great time performing our new variation of a Irish Dance with our students in the Special Ed program. Most of the montessori classes also learned various Irish style dances this week.

To tie in the them of Super Hero for March is Reading Month our montessori students had fun creating rhythmic ostinatos (patterns that repeat over and over again) by using Super Hero Icon Cards. Everyone had an opportunity to be the composer for their respective team and all students in the team performed the composition. Shazam! Pow! Super Music Powers Activated!!

Dear Parents of Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students,

Our Spring Concert is May 18 at 1:00 and I would like to begin selecting students for the speaking parts. The students can access the songs and speaking parts at home to practice for the concert by doing the following:

1. Click on Student Portal on https://dearbornschools.org/
2. Click on Clever
3. Scroll down to locate QuaverEd and click on it.
4. Click on the red A+ located on the student dashboard.
5. Click on “Pet Show Kinder, 1, 2, grades” 
6. Click on “Launch located to the right of the assignment box.
7. Each song is a slide – to change slides just click on the slide titles at the bottom of the screen.

If you know your child will not be here for the concert on May 18 please send me an email and I will not assign a speaking part for your child.

Come join us for a FREE concert on Sunday, March 12, 3:00 pm.

(Mrs. Reed plays in the flute section)

Here is an event link

In celebration of March is Reading and also March is Music In Our Schools I hope youwill enjoy this video I made with another teacher friend and one of our shared classes quite a few years back.

Here is a sample of the Valentine Heart melodies that were created by the 3rd grade students.

Montessori Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students learned a dance this week. Here is a video of the 1st graders performing the dance.

This past week all of my students who are able to each Chocolate Kisses received a chocolate kiss form me. Montessori students received “Conversation Kisses” and used the words or phrase on the base of the kiss to created rhythms with body percussion. The 3rd grade class took this a step further by writing their various phrases inside each heart. Then the students chose either B, A, or G to write beneath each heart on the worksheeT. After the worksheet was filled out the team or students practice their melody and performed it for the class.

Videos will be posted very soon.

Who is your twin for the day? Mine is our wonderful art teacher, Mrs. Hmayed. 😍

Did you do anything fun on your Snow Day??

Do you want to build a snowman?

We have a lot going on in the music room this month. Our Sped students have been experiencing Orff Barred instruments. Our goal is to demonstrate a steady beat to the music we are listening to. We use an assortment of instruments to demonstrate this with: a variety of shakers, woodblocks, drums, and xylophones of all sizes. Some of our instruments are adaptive and have enabled students to play an instrument without the aid of hand-over-hand. This has been very exciting to see.

Montessori students in grades 3, 4 and 5 are focusing on reading music notation and translating that into beautiful music through the use of a soprano recorder. All of the students are in a Recorder Karate Competition and can earn their belts by playing the required songs for me. The songs are posted in their Music Schoology Course and they can also play for me through schoology video to pass on songs. Students can also play for me before or after school. The students are also going to create 4 beat compositions and then perform their compositions for the class. The 3rd grade students had the opportunity to do that today and I have posted photos.

Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade have begun work on learning their Spring concert songs. We are also experiencing steady beat, rhythm, and tempo through the process of movement and listening to music.