Summative Week

It's hard to believe that 7 weeks have gone by already!

I have observed growth in the children's ability to reflect on how music makes them feel and express the images that come to their minds. I have seen an a developing interest in music from other cultures.

The Summative Activity is an opportunity for your child to express what they've learned and understand from the unit of inquiry. The children listened to 3 songs and chose 1 to work with. They talked about how the song made them feel, what it made them think about and then they decided how they wanted to express their thinking: art, drama, or dance.

I've included the links so you can listen to the song your child chose.
Vivaldi - La tempesta di mare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVljpDIPQ0s&feature=related

African Tribal Orchestra - Sundown in Madagaskar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrq6Rcq0F8c

Raven Hart-Bellecourt and Lisa Muswagon - Strong Woman Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHVAzmfZAy4&feature=related

Today I worked with Byron, Hao Hao, and Kai who all chose the First Nations song; The Strong Woman Song. They each chose to paint and decided on which colours best represented the music and what colour they wanted to paint on. Debbie will continue with the other children the rest of the week.

Group Time October 18

Teacher Question: What is music like in other parts of the world?

Child's Question: What is music like in Trinidad?

Rocco's family is from Trinidad, he still remember the house and all the toys he had there. Rocco described what it was like to live there as we watched a video showing scenes from rural Trinidad. The children noticed the trees were very different there.

We watched a video from a Children's Festival in Trinidad. The children thought the costumes were beautiful. Adyson expressed that the music made her feel happy and the others agreed. Natalya wondered who was singing. Byron started dancing in his seat which initiated the idea for everyone to get up and dance to the music!

Next, we watched some street musicians playing on the streets of Trinidad. The children identified some of the instruments that were being played; a guitar, maracas, and rhythm sticks

The children were given maraca's and rhythm sticks and played along with the street musicians!

The children are familiar with the song Hot Cross Buns. I introduced the idea of 'beat' and we used the rhythm sticks to show our understanding of beat. We watched a video of a young girl playing Hot Cross Buns on the clarinet. The children saw links to other instruments and we listened to Hot Cross Buns on the saxophone, recorder, guitar, tuba, and trumpet. The children noticed some sounds were high and some were low.

At the end of group time I took some time to write this blog while the children played and they've all expressed that they want me to send this blog to all of you "Even Nana and Papa", said Julia. Sharing these blogs with your child at home is a wonderful way to snuggle up together and talk about their day!

Group TIme October 17

Teacher Question: What is music like from around the world?

The children used the Smart Board today to play two online games.

The first game required the children to match instruments to sounds.

Everyone was eager to check their answer!












The next game introduced the children to various instruments from around the world and rhythms from Africa, Brazil, China, and the Middle East. Everyone chose a sound and rhthm to lay on one of the three tracks. The sounds were recorded and then we were able to hear their composition!
The children enjoyed the games so much that I've included the links so you can extend their learning at home! http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/english/games/globalgroovin/game.html

 

http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/games/game_music_matchem.html

Group Time October 11

Teacher Question: How does music make us think and feel?

We've explored Irish fiddle music, Chinese ehru music and today we listened to some cello music. 

The children's eyes grew wide. Adyson identified with her body that the music made her feel scared.

It was interesting how some children have difficulty separating how the music made them feel with how they identify themselves. For example, "I'm a happy boy!" Rocco said. And all music makes him happy.

We listened to the music again and most of the children's facial and body language showed they felt scared. We checked this in the mirror. We discussed what scares us. What images come to mind when we listen to this music? What scares you? This brought on an energetic conversation! We looked at some Halloween books and I read The Ghost Eye Tree. The children were captivated!

The children worked on a group mural. I drew the ghost eye tree in the middle and the children drew scary images all around. This activity held their attention for 15 minutes and they talked about what was scary for them.

Images of a tiger, scary children, sharks, ghost trains, people with pointy chins and many others were drawn by the children.

Group Time October 4

Teacher Question: how does music make us think and feel?

We listened to the Irish Fiddle music again and reflected on how it made us feel. The fiddle is a string instrument. The music we listened to today was also played on a string instrument from China; an Erhu. First we listened to the music and then we watched the video clip. The children were entranced and wondered aloud why the man was sad. "Maybe he got a cut," Rocco offered.

The children reflected on how the two pieces of music made them feel and recorded their answer on a chart.

Using a colour chart the children selected a colour that represented the feeling sad for them and used it to paint a "sad picture". Just like the man in the video who was obviously thinking sad thoughts while playing the Erhu, I asked the children to think of what makes them sad while they painted.

Here's the link if you'd like to listen with your child and talk about this very important feeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omc6zROf7q4&feature=related

What makes you sad?
"When someone pushes me." - Adyson
"When I bumped my lip today on Byron's head." - Rocco
"When Charlie pushes me down on the kitchen floor." - Julia
"When I broke mommy's door." - Byron
"When Adyson pushed me I get sad." - Chloe
"When I fight with Adyson." - Hao Hao
"I can't remember what makes me sad." - Natalya

Group TIme October 3

Teacher Question: How does music make us think and feel?

We've been exploring how sounds make us feel, today the children explored a piece of music and thought about how it made them feel. After a few seconds of listening to the Irish jig had the children began bouncing and laughing. They wanted to move and dance! Ribbons in hand, the children danced and twirled in time to the music. Indeed the music made us all feel happy! Have a listen too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yknWUhpJfDI

Exploring how music makes us feel through art!

It's been my experience that certain materials bring delight to children and it is these that the children used to create "happy pictures" as they listened to the jig. A blizzard of sparkles, feathers, pompoms, and shiny paint occurred as they intently created and bounced to the music!