Hi everyone! Our wonderful student teacher, Ms. Hiemstra has made a vocal exploration video. Watch and sing along!
I hope you are all well. Watch for some fun ideas for the last few weeks of school. Hint: get your jump ropes ready!!
This Spring, our 4th and 5th grade classes, along with Ms. Adriance’s class began participating in “Link-up” with the Seattle symphony. This year’s theme is Swinging With The Symphony. When we closed school for Covid-19, these classes had all begun learning to play the recorder, learned the history of Blues and Swing in the United states, and done some Instrumental Listening Lessons. All 4th and 5th Grade classes entered a composition competition. They worked alone, in small groups, and ultimately as a whole class to put together 8-12 measures of rhythm based on an E Blues Scale. While all of the compositions were fantastic, Mr. Perez’s class won the competition, which was open to schools across the state. Their composition PNW Peeps won the privilege of being arranged to orchestra by a professional composer, and performed by Seattle Symphony members at Benaroya Hall.
Then…Covid-19.
The Sad News:
Obviously, we are not going on our field trip to Benaroya, and our piece will not be played this year.
The Happy News!
First, I’ve been told that PNW Peeps will still be arranged, and will be played on the Link-up concert next year. I will work to keep families informed of when that will happen. Hopefully, we can find a way for those students who will be 6th graders next year to hear the piece performed.
More Good News:
Link-up will be presenting some live events next week, including a Link-up event in-which students can play along with their recorders at home. I will make the Link-up student guide available in your music course on Schoology. Due to copyright restrictions, I cannot share it on this blog. If there are any students in 4th or 5th grade who would like a recorder at home, please email me at: lamillerklei@seattleschools.org. I have some recorders here, and would be willing to do porch drops. Below is the schedule for the Seattle Symphony live events over the next weeks:
MEET THE INSTRUMENT: BASS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, AT 11 A.M. PDT
****LINK UP: THE ORCHESTRA SWINGS ONLINE
THURSDAY, MAY 21, AT 11 A.M. PDT****
TINY CLIPS FOR TINY TOTS: THE BASSES
FRIDAY, MAY 22, AT 11 A.M. PDT
MEET THE INSTRUMENT: BASSOON
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, AT 11 A.M. PDT
TINY CLIPS FOR TINY TOTS: THE BASSOONS
FRIDAY, MAY 29, AT 11 A.M. PDT
Links to watch these live streams and other information can be found at: Seattle Symphony Live
Now, just for fun, watch this cool clip or the Robert Eaglestaff Marching Ravens, Directed by Mr. John Aguilar. You can see some former Bagley Bees having a great time!!
RESMS Marching Ravens play “Juice” by Lizzo
Enjoy!
Hello Bagley Bees!! I am going to start putting up music assignments on Schoology. What’s Schoology, you ask? It is the District’s Online Learning Management system. If you have family members in middle school or high school, they have probably been using Schoology for quite awhile. Every student in Seattle Public Schools has access to this system through the SPS website, using their SPS login information. It can seem a little overwhelming at first. Trust me, I REALLY understand. What I am going to do here is give you instructions to find the music information. You will need: an internet connected device and your SPS student login information. If you need your login information, please contact your classroom teacher.
How to get to your Schoology Music Course:
I will also continue putting music info up on this blog, but I wanted to begin using Schoology also. Schoology offers kids a way to respond to assignments online, wheras this blog does not. Below is a link to the special movement video. This Move-it was created by Dr. Missy Strong. Dr. Strong is a Master Music teacher, and has created some expressive movement to go along with the Star Wars Imperial March. This video will only be available through May 8. Hope you enjoy it.
Dr. Strong- Imperial March Move-it!
Hello Bees! I hope you all had a restful Spring Break. I know things are really weird right now, and I hope to get to see your beautiful faces again sometime soon. In an earlier post, I spoke a bit about Song Tales. These are folk songs that tell stories. One of our favorites (K-3) at Daniel Bagley is “Had a Little Rooster”. I recruited some students and friends to illustrate the song for us. Below is the video. I hope you will all sing along.
Fourth and Fifth Graders and Ms. Adriance’s class, we are working to start putting up some recorder instruction for you. If you have your recorder at home, keep practicing B-A-G. Next week, I’ll put up a video to help you along. For now, enjoy the video above.
Student Teacher!!!!!
Exciting News! We have a part time student teacher this Spring. Ms. Hiemstra (HEEM-struh) or Ms. H is a Junior at the University of Washington. Ms. Green’s class got to see her on the day she came to visit. She would have been spending mornings with us at Bagley. Since we are learning at home, she and I are talking every week, and she will start putting some videos up here as well. Here is an introduction:
Please check back every week. It is taking me a little longer to make quality videos for you than I had hoped. Plan for a new music post to be up every Thursday evening. Ms. H and I will do our best to give you some fun music activities.
Hi there Bees! As you know, SPS is working to improve our distance learning in all areas. I will be attending a virtual meeting tomorrow to learn and help plan what this means for our music classes. For now, I’d like to share some of the resources that have been created by District Arts Team Leaders.
Videos: Each week, a video lesson will be posted on the SPS Youtube channel. These will be taught by wonderful members of our elementary music team from throughout the district. I will post them on the blog each week. Here is Lesson 1:
District Arts Extension Ideas, Big Thanks to Our Seattle Public Schools Elementary Music Team for Compiling these activities:
All Grades
General Music
General Music
Play a game to practice note reading!
https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/notation/name-that-note
As we continue our learning, I will post some specific activities around the suggestions about. Most of all, please use music as an enjoyable activity. These ideas are meant as starting points. Please do what you need to care for yourself and you family, both physically and emotionally.
Hi Bagley Bees! While we are not in school, I will update the music blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (More often, if I’m feeling really creative). Check in for new music activities regularly.
Show us what you’ve got:
I would love to share some photos or videos of Bagley Bees enjoying music while we are away from school. First, Ask your parent or guardian for permission. Then have them email the file to me at: lamillerklei@seattleschools.org. Parents and Guardians: In the email, please specify what information I can share. Let me know if I can share, student name, grade, and/or class. If you don’t specify, I will just say, “Bagley Student”. Here is a great example of Zosie from Ms. Cole’s first grade class:
Zosie Sings “Somewhere over the Rainbow”
Here are some fun activities for today:
Just Dance Videos:
Sing Along With Harris J:
Salam alaikum (Peace Be With You)
Note Identification Games – Ideal for older kids, or those who already know treble clef note names
Treble Notes Rally Race-Flash Player Required
Treble Notes Sports Blaster-Flash Player Required (This is Camden’s Favorite)
I hope you are all staying healthy at home. I miss getting to sing, move, play, and make music with all of our wonderful Bagley Bees. I made a little video to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. You can find it here on YouTube:
Ms. M-K’s St. Patrick’s Day Message
Here are some links to other songs that are appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day:
Bing Crosby, Milo O’Shea and, Dermot O’Brien sing “MacNamara’s Band”
Bing Crosby sings “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”
Mo Ghille Mear (My Gallant Hero) Sung in Irish Gaelic
I’d love to hear about songs from your family’s tradition! Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day
I hope this post finds you all reasonably healthy both physically and emotionally. I’m going to begin posting some music activities to do at home. There are some resources that I will need to share by email or another way yet to be determined. Due to copyright issues, certain things cannot be shared on a public blog, and I’d like to allow this blog to stay public.
Song Tales
Kids in Grades K-3 have been listening to an singing a variety of song tales. These are exactly as they sound, stories told in song form. We have been using some that have been published through GIA publishing and can be found in audio form on Spotify. Many can also be be found on Youtube; however, the YouTube videos are really just the same recordings with a photo of the album cover. Don’t expect a full video showing pages of the books.
Please check back regularly for more ideas. I can porch drop hard copies of activities that do not require technology on request. If you or someone you know needs this, please email me: lamillerklei@seattleschools.org
What an adventure, moving into a new building! It’s been exciting getting to work in a new space. Our music room is quite different from where we were last year, and we’ve been working to use our space to the fullest. Below you will find descriptions of what we’ve been doing.
Kindergarten
At the beginning of the year in Kindergarten music, we do a lot of singing. We play singing games. We move A Lot! We’ve been working on feeling music in our bodies, singing with our voices, and keeping a steady beat. We learned the Italian musical words for Loud and Quiet:
We’ve played the following musical games:
We’ve tried out a few musical instruments:
We even sang Five Little Pumpkins in front of the school at our October Community Assembly. As we move through the Fall, we are beginning to recognize that music moves up and down. We are reading the book Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert.
We will then use fabric leaves to work with partners and use our bodies to move the way the leaves move from high to low. Below are some Kindergarten students enjoying this activity.
Ms. Cole’s Class
Ms. Cole’s first graders have done all of the things Kindergarten has done. In addition to these items, they have begun learning introductory rhythm reading and writing, including quarter notes and paired eighth notes. They are working to match these up with one and two syllable words. They have sung and played the game Apple Tree, and worked with the rhyme Meet Me at the Garden Gate.
Ms. Filep, Montessori 1-2-3, and Ms. Rassmussen
These classes have either begun or reviewed basic rhythm reading and writing, including Quarter Notes, Quarter Rests, and paired eighth notes. They have worked with matching one and two syllable words with corresponding rhythms. They have also worked with Apple Tree and Meet Me at the Garden Gate, including learning the rhythmic device Ostinato. Ask them what an ostinato is. Classes have worked as ensembles to put together two-part rhythmic speaking pieces, and enjoyed some time playing rhythm bingo. In addition to this, we have begun a unit that focuses on musical form and movement. Watch for Family Musical Moments coming home with your kids.
Ms. Adriance and 4-5 classes
These classes have reviewed the rhythms they learned in previous years. We’ve begun discussing how music can be used to communicate emotions and messages, and listened to some motifs from movies to identify what character traits they convey. In November, we began a unit that focuses on movement and musical form. These classes also had the opportunity to create an artistic representation of Rondo Form. Examples can be seen below:
In the Spring, these classes will be participating in Link Up with the Seattle Symphony. Look for more information on that later.
.
Welcome to the beginning of a new year in music! I’m excited to begin my 4th year here at Daniel Bagley. In music class, students should expect to participate in singing, playing classroom instruments, moving (dancing), and listening activities. In alignment with the Washington State Arts Learning Standards, we will create, perform, respond, and connect through music. We will explore the music of many cultures using the Orff and Kodaly philosophies of music education. For more information on these philosophies please check out:
https://aosa.org/about/what-is-orff-schulwerk/
and
https://www.oake.org/about-us/the-kodaly-concept/
We move and sit on the floor often. Students should wear comfortable clothing, and may wish to wear shorts or leggings under skirts on music days. Comfortable, soft-soled footwear, that is safe for movement should be worn.
Patriotic and Secular (non-religious) holiday and celebration songs are part of our curriculum. I work to include music from many cultures in the most authentic ways I possibly can, and welcome students sharing their cultural experiences, particularly in how they relate to music and vice-versa. If there is a conflict with your child participating in these cultural experiences, please notify me in writing as soon as possible.
As we begin our music making this year, students in grades 1-5 will be reviewing rhythms, body percussion, and classroom instruments that they have previously experienced, while we work to have a common understanding of classroom procedures and expectations. Kindergarten students will begin the year singing, moving, and listening to songs with Farm and Animal themes, as they learn to feel music in their bodies, and understand music room expectations.
As part of SPS Policy #0030 regarding Welcoming School Environments and Recognizing Diversity, I am also incorporating Community Talking Circles into our music classes. “Community circles help educators create a welcoming school environment through the development of deep relationships that honor the uniqueness of each person, staff, student, and their families.” At least once a week, each music class will participate in a Talking Circle in which each student is given the opportunity to speak uninterrupted. Each circle will have a unique focus. Sometimes this focus may be related to a musical theme. Sometimes it will be an opportunity for each child to share a hope or experience. Sometimes we will share appreciations from our music class that week. By participating in these circles we can help develop trust that is necessary for students to learn together, perform as musical ensembles, and allow all voices to be heard.
I’m looking forward to a great year! Here are some conversation starters to get your kids talking about their music class:
If you have any questions, please contact me by email: lamillerklei@seattleschools.org
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