Kindergarten Archives (previous years)

February 2016:

The kindergarten classes were busy preparing for the Valentine Music Share! Here is K-C/S singing "I Love You Little" in class in early February:

January 2016:

The kindergarten classes are busy preparing for our Valentine's Day Concert, which will be held in the Common Room on Thursday, February 11th at 11:00am.

We also excited to be joining the 5th grade classes between Jan. 15-22 for some ukulele 'playdates.' These playdates will take place during the 5th grade music blocks. Each kindergarten student will sit next to a 'big kid' and sing along with some well-known nursery songs, such as "Baa Baa Black Sheep," "I'm a Little Teapot," "Ring Around the Rosie," "Home on the Range," and many more! The kindergarten students will also have the opportunity to hold the ukulele and strum a 'C Chord,' with a little help from the 'big kids.' Everyone is very excited about this cool 'first-time' event at Royle! The 'playdate' is part of our new ukulele curriculum at Royle: FunMusicForBeginners.com. Our 4th and 5th students (and even 2nd and 3rd grade classes!) have LOVED this program and have learned so much this fall and winter! The 5th graders can't wait to share what they've learned with the kindergarten students.

Ukulele Playdate Schedule:

Friday, January 15, "B DAY" - 1:15-2:00 block - Mr. Satter's 5th Grade/Mrs. Martin's Kindergarten

Tuesday, January 19, "C DAY" - 1:15-2:00 block - Mrs. Rosen's 5th Grade/Ms. Boeglin's Kindergarten

Wednesday, January 20, "D DAY" - 1:15-2:00 block - Mr. Squeo's 5th Grade/Mrs. Cerabino/Mrs. Smith's Kindergarten

Friday, January 22, "F DAY" - 8:45-9:30 block - Mrs. Rosen's 5th Grade/Mrs. Roesing's Kindergarten

Fall 2015:

This has been an AMAZING FALL for the four kindergarten music classes! They have learned so much already! Please join us on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30th at 2:00 PM for the KINDERGARTEN HALLOWEEN PARADE AND CONCERT!

Please join us outside near the garden for the Kindergarten performance! They will be singing our two Hello Songs, the Royle School Song, Scary Animals, I’m a Little Ghost, Pumpkin on the Ground, the “Music ABC” song, I Can’t Wait ’til it’s Halloween, and Five Little Pumpkins.

Please take a look at the VIDEO POSTCARD page on this blog for some cool videos of our kindergarten classes!

Spring 2015:

The kindergarten classes have been busy playing drums, xylophones, dancing, learning solfege (the do-re-mi language), and so much more! We will have a SPRING MUSIC CONCERT on Thursday, June 4 at 1:45PM in the COMMON ROOM. All parents are invited to come to school to hear us sing our favorite songs!

Here is a short video of one Kindergarten Class improvising at the end of a song called 'It's Spring.' Students were encouraged to play on any notes on the xylophone to match the rhythm of "It's Spring" at the end of the song. Their playing was actually an 'echo' to the words in the song. Students are still working on mallet technique, such as how to hold the mallets, staying close to the 'keys' (tone bars) and more. Here is our short video: https://youtu.be/Kcc8yfPYghM

Here is another Kindergarten activity that goes with the rhyme, "2-4-6-8, meet me at the garden gate..." Students hear the words, or join the teacher in chanting the words, and then play their own melody using that very same rhythm. I encourage students to use alternating hands (one hand after the other), which is a big step for our 5 and 6 year olds! Students are learning to 'improvise' their own melodies here on a C Major Pentatonic Scale (C D E G A) so that everything they play sounds good together. Here is our short video: https://youtu.be/8QvyLY0Z_Cs

Fall 2014:

Our Kindergarten classes are getting settled into their new school & having a great time in music class. We have been singing, playing drums, playing xylophones, dancing and so much more! The students are excited about their FIRST PERFORMANCE of the school year, which will be on OCTOBER 31st at 1:30pm at Royle. We will be performing a program of Halloween Songs! Click HERE - HalloweenProgramRoyleK2014 - for a PDF of the program for the Halloween show!

Songs for the HALLOWEEN SHOW:

Halloween

Five Little Pumpkins

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

I've Been Working on My Costume

Town Hall Halloween Ball

Hello Song

Royle School Song

2013-2014 School Year:

Kindergarten Spring Music Show!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 @ 1:30 PM.

View our performance video: http://youtu.be/_QcA4phTmmo

All of the kindergarten classes will join together to perform a variety of favorite songs from throughout the year, including some favorites from the Halloween and Valentine Programs, as well as other pieces from music class. The program is open to parents and family members.

Songs include: The Hello Song, School Song, Five Little Pumpkins, Skinnamarink, You Are My Sunshine, The Alphabet Song, Yankee Doodle, When You Eat a Chocolate Bunny, Summer Vacation, and Mr. Sun.

February 2014:

The kindergarten classes are continuing to prepare for their Valentine performance on February 13th. They are very excited to be performing six songs with the help of Miss Theisen and Miss Kozlowski, their two music teachers! Here are some videos of Miss Martin's class singing all six of the songs that we will perform on the 13th!

We have also been working on other songs in class, including our traditional Hello Songs, Little Snowflakes, The ABC Song, a cool tune called Alphabet Fun that encourages the children to make the different shapes of the letters ("I can make the letter U.... E I E I O...") and much more!

January 2014:

The Kindergarten classes are having a BLAST preparing all of their Valentine Songs for the performance on February 13th! We combine singing with actions and movement to keep them fully involved in the learning process. Some of our other favorite songs this month have included Silly Winter Song, Apples and Bananas, Grizzly Bear, Clap Wiggle Stomp, and Doin' the Penguin. (The classes REALLY love the movement for the Penguin song!) The K classes have also been working on rhythms by copying me as I speak the rhythms, improvising an answer back to me, and then by reading patterns built of Ta and Ti-ti (Quarter Note and pair of 8th notes). Mrs Pagliaro's class was also playing our old favorite song, Ebeneezer Sneezer, using the BOOMWHACKERS! So fun!

October/November 2013:

We open every music class with two "hello" songs. One is a call-and-response song where the students repeat after the teacher. The students have been taking turns BEING THE TEACHER and are having a great time leading the class in song! The other hello song was written by my friend and colleague, Eric Bluestine (author of "The Ways Children Learn Music'), and is in dorian mode. This different type of 'sound' is very appealing. The students usually keep a steady beat on their lap or on drums or rhythm sticks as they sing along.

We end every class with a goodbye song in phrygian mode (very cool sound!), which was also written by Mr Bluestine, and a 'line-up' song to get in line at the door to go back to the main school building.

It's been a busy autumn already for the kindergarten students in our Royle School music program! All of our Kindergarten classes have been busy preparing for the Halloween Parade. They will be singing five songs at the parade:

Halloween

Five Little Pumpkins

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

I've Been Working on My Costume

Town Hall Halloween Ball

One of the other 'favorites' this year is Ebeneezer Sneezer by Lynn Freeman Olson. The students have learned how the music moves from low to high and from high back to low. They have also played this on the xylophones! Here are two videos:

one video

another video

Some of our other favorite songs include:

• Apples and Bananas
• When the Saints Go Marchin' In
• Six Little Ducks
• Juba
• The ABC Song
• Mama Don't Allow

The kindergarten music classes have also listened to a beautiful narration of the book, "Mama Don't Allow," which was read and performed by the folksinger Tom Chapin. This book, which is about a young lad who gets a saxophone for his birthday and then goes on to form a band, features two songs: When The Saints Go Marchin' In and Mama Don't Allow.

<blockquote><strong>June 2016:</strong>

Two 4th graders stopped by a Kindergarten music class to share a couple of pieces on the recorder! Thanks so much, 4th graders! We really enjoyed your playing! <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/snAw6_yW_28" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></blockquote>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>February 2016:</strong></p>

The kindergarten classes were busy preparing for the Valentine Music Share! Here is K-C/S singing "I Love You Little" in class in early February:

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aQ66HmIALKM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

January 2016:

<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>

The kindergarten classes are busy preparing for our <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Valentine's Day Concert</span>, which will be held in the Common Room on <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Thursday, February 11th at 11:00am</span>. </strong></p>

<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>We also excited to be joining the 5th grade classes between<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> Jan. 15-22</span> for some ukulele 'playdates.' </strong>These playdates will take place during the 5th grade music blocks. Each kindergarten student will sit next to a 'big kid' and sing along with some well-known nursery songs, such as "Baa Baa Black Sheep," "I'm a Little Teapot," "Ring Around the Rosie," "Home on the Range," and many more! The kindergarten students will also have the opportunity to hold the ukulele and strum a 'C Chord,' with a little help from the 'big kids.' Everyone is very excited about this cool 'first-time' event at Royle! The 'playdate' is part of our new ukulele curriculum at Royle: <a href="http://www.funmusicforbeginners.com">FunMusicForBeginners.com</a>. Our 4th and 5th students (and even 2nd and 3rd grade classes!) have LOVED this program and have learned so much this fall and winter! The 5th graders can't wait to share what they've learned with the kindergarten students.</p>

<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> Ukulele Playdate Schedule: </strong></span>

<strong>Friday, January 15, "B DAY" -</strong> 1:15-2:00 block - Mr. Satter's 5th Grade/Mrs. Martin's Kindergarten

<strong>Tuesday, January 19, "C DAY"</strong> - 1:15-2:00 block - Mrs. Rosen's 5th Grade/Ms. Boeglin's Kindergarten

<strong>Wednesday, January 20, "D DAY"</strong> - 1:15-2:00 block - Mr. Squeo's 5th Grade/Mrs. Cerabino/Mrs. Smith's Kindergarten

<strong>Friday, January 22, "F DAY"</strong> - 8:45-9:30 block - Mrs. Rosen's 5th Grade/Mrs. Roesing's Kindergarten

<hr />

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>

Fall 2015: </strong></p>

<strong>This has been an AMAZING FALL for the four kindergarten music classes! They have learned so much already! Please join us on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30th at 2:00 PM for the KINDERGARTEN HALLOWEEN PARADE AND CONCERT!</strong>

Please join us outside near the garden for the Kindergarten performance! They will be singing our two Hello Songs, the Royle School Song, Scary Animals, I’m a Little Ghost, Pumpkin on the Ground, the “Music ABC” song, I Can’t Wait ’til it’s Halloween, and Five Little Pumpkins.

Please take a look at the VIDEO POSTCARD page on this blog for some cool videos of our kindergarten classes!

<hr />

&nbsp;

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Spring 2015: </strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;">The kindergarten classes have been busy playing drums, xylophones, dancing, learning solfege (the do-re-mi language), and so much more! <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">We will have a SPRING MUSIC CONCERT on Thursday, June 4 at 1:45PM in the COMMON ROOM</span></strong>. All parents are invited to come to school to hear us sing our favorite songs!</p>

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_537" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7167-12joo2z.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-537" src="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7167-12joo2z-300x224.jpg" alt="Kindergarten Music at Royle" width="300" height="224" /></a> Kindergarten Music Class[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_538" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7165-19owo2j.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-538" src="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7165-19owo2j-300x224.jpg" alt="Kindergarten Music at Royle" width="300" height="224" /></a> Kindergarten Music Class[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_539" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7163-24z3l8t.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-539" src="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_7163-24z3l8t-300x224.jpg" alt="Kindergarten Music at Royle" width="300" height="224" /></a> Kindergarten Music Class[/caption]

Here is a short video of one Kindergarten Class improvising at the end of a song called 'It's Spring.' Students were encouraged to play on any notes on the xylophone to match the rhythm of "It's Spring" at the end of the song. Their playing was actually an 'echo' to the words in the song. Students are still working on mallet technique, such as how to hold the mallets, staying close to the 'keys' (tone bars) and more. Here is our short video: <a title="Kindergarten: It's Spring" href="https://youtu.be/Kcc8yfPYghM" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Kcc8yfPYghM</a>

Here is another Kindergarten activity that goes with the rhyme, "2-4-6-8, meet me at the garden gate..." Students hear the words, or join the teacher in chanting the words, and then play their own melody using that very same rhythm. I encourage students to use alternating hands (one hand after the other), which is a big step for our 5 and 6 year olds! Students are learning to 'improvise' their own melodies here on a C Major Pentatonic Scale (C D E G A) so that everything they play sounds good together. Here is our short video: <a title="Kindergarten: 2-4-6-8" href="https://youtu.be/8QvyLY0Z_Cs" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/8QvyLY0Z_Cs</a>

<hr />

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fall 2014: </span> </strong></p>

<p style="text-align: left;">Our Kindergarten classes are getting settled into their new school &amp; having a great time in music class. We have been singing, playing drums, playing xylophones, dancing and so much more!<strong> </strong>The students are excited about their FIRST PERFORMANCE of the school year, which will be on OCTOBER 31st at 1:30pm at Royle. We will be performing a program of Halloween Songs! Click HERE - <a href="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/HalloweenProgramRoyleK2014-1dyuonx.pdf">HalloweenProgramRoyleK2014</a> - for a PDF of the program for the Halloween show!</p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Songs for the HALLOWEEN SHOW:</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="Halloween by Olson" href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABPqOaC4FsA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=PL666477190724D771" target="_blank"><strong>Halloween</strong></a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Five Little Pumpkins</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Pumpkin, Pumpkin</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>I've Been Working on My Costume</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Town Hall Halloween Ball</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hello Song</strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Royle School Song</strong></p>

<hr />

<hr />

<p style="text-align: left;"><strong> </strong></p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>2013-2014 School Year:</strong></p>

&nbsp;

Kindergarten Spring Music Show!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 @ 1:30 PM.

<p style="text-align: center;">View our performance video: <a href="http://youtu.be/_QcA4phTmmo" target="_blank">http://youtu.be/_QcA4phTmmo</a></p>

<p style="text-align: center;">All of the kindergarten classes will join together to perform a variety of favorite songs from throughout the year, including some favorites from the Halloween and Valentine Programs, as well as other pieces from music class. The program is open to parents and family members.</p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Songs include:</strong> <em>The Hello Song, School Song, Five Little Pumpkins, Skinnamarink, You Are My Sunshine, The Alphabet Song, Yankee Doodle, When You Eat a Chocolate Bunny, Summer Vacation, </em>and<em> Mr. Sun.</em></p>

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_288" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<a href="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_8824-1x07zfp.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-288" src="http://blogs.darienps.org/ktheisen/files/2013/10/IMG_8824-1x07zfp-300x87.jpg" alt="K Classes prepare for Spring Music Program" width="300" height="87" /></a> K Classes prepare for Spring Music Program[/caption]

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<strong>February 2014:

</strong>The kindergarten classes are continuing to prepare for their Valentine performance on February 13th. They are very excited to be performing six songs with the help of Miss Theisen and Miss Kozlowski, their two music teachers! Here are some videos of Miss Martin's class singing all six of the songs that we will perform on the 13th!

http://youtu.be/v94ORzQvKxw

We have also been working on other songs in class, including our traditional Hello Songs, Little Snowflakes, The ABC Song, a cool tune called Alphabet Fun that encourages the children to make the different shapes of the letters ("I can make the letter U.... E I E I O...") and much more!

<strong>January 2014:</strong>

The Kindergarten classes are having a BLAST preparing all of their Valentine Songs for the performance on February 13th! We combine singing with actions and movement to keep them fully involved in the learning process. Some of our other favorite songs this month have included Silly Winter Song, Apples and Bananas, Grizzly Bear, Clap Wiggle Stomp, and Doin' the Penguin. (The classes REALLY love the movement for the Penguin song!) The K classes have also been working on rhythms by copying me as I speak the rhythms, improvising an answer back to me, and then by reading patterns built of Ta and Ti-ti (Quarter Note and pair of 8th notes). Mrs Pagliaro's class was also playing our old favorite song, Ebeneezer Sneezer, using the BOOMWHACKERS! So fun!

&nbsp;

<strong>October/November 2013:</strong>

We open every music class with two "hello" songs. One is a call-and-response song where the students repeat after the teacher. The students have been taking turns BEING THE TEACHER and are having a great time leading the class in song! The other hello song was written by my friend and colleague, Eric Bluestine (author of "The Ways Children Learn Music'), and is in dorian mode. This different type of 'sound' is very appealing. The students usually keep a steady beat on their lap or on drums or rhythm sticks as they sing along.

&nbsp;

We end every class with a goodbye song in phrygian mode (very cool sound!), which was also written by Mr Bluestine, and a 'line-up' song to get in line at the door to go back to the main school building.

&nbsp;

It's been a busy autumn already for the kindergarten students in our Royle School music program! All of our Kindergarten classes have been busy preparing for the Halloween Parade. They will be singing five songs at the parade:

<a title="Halloween by Olson" href=" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABPqOaC4FsA&amp;feature=share&amp;list=PL666477190724D771" target="_blank"><strong>Halloween</strong></a>

<strong>Five Little Pumpkins</strong>

<strong>Pumpkin, Pumpkin</strong>

<strong>I've Been Working on My Costume</strong>

<strong>Town Hall Halloween Ball </strong>

One of the other 'favorites' this year is <strong>Ebeneezer Sneezer</strong> by Lynn Freeman Olson. The students have learned how the music moves from low to high and from high back to low. They have also played this on the xylophones! Here are two videos:

<a href="http://youtu.be/MMXEQ-S65QM">one video</a>

<a href="http://youtu.be/MCTC_ruVjdM"> another video</a>

&nbsp;

Some of our other favorite songs include:

<ul>

<li>Apples and Bananas</li>

<li>When the Saints Go Marchin' In</li>

<li>Six Little Ducks</li>

<li>Juba</li>

<li>The ABC Song</li>

<li>Mama Don't Allow</li>

</ul>

The kindergarten music classes have also listened to a beautiful narration of the book, "<strong>Mama Don't Allow</strong>," which was read and performed by the folksinger Tom Chapin. This book, which is about a young lad who gets a saxophone for his birthday and then goes on to form a band, features two songs: <strong>When The Saints Go Marchin' I</strong>n and <strong>Mama Don't Allow</strong>.