Class Activities

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! Fifth graders sing several songs, as well as play recorders. I usually try to have some 5th graders play ukulele as well. Singing is definitely the focus, though.

Winter - Ukulele - All 5th graders play the ukulele starting in January. They learn how to play simple chords and melodies. It is a great introduction to stringed instruments.

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter - 5th Grade Symphony Trip - We may have a Grand Rapids Symphony trip this year, pending Covid! We will hopefully continue to go on this trip! We spend time in class learning about instrument families and becoming familiar with the concert repertoire.

Winter/Spring - Bucket Drumming - Fifth Grade students also become more advanced at bucket drumming. We usually begin supplementing ukulele with some bucket drumming in late January/early February and continue through the rest of the year.

Spring - Instrument Introduction/Discussion - We take a class period to discuss what middle school music looks like and options that are open to 6th graders. I show a video made by the middle school music teachers. I am always happy to discuss what I can with parents as well!

Spring - Group Composition Project - We will use bucket drums and other percussion instruments to write group pieces of non-pitched percussion music. Groups will perform them for the class! Because of the coronavirus, kids will work together with their pods.

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! Fourth sing several songs, as well as play recorders. Singing is definitely the focus, though.

Winter - Recorders - Though we usually begin playing recorder in the fall, we go quite a bit further in the winter! Playing a recorder is an amazing opportunity to study a woodwind instrument that is easy to play. Kids will learn simple recorder fingerings and how to control their breath.

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter/Spring - LinkUp! - Hopefully this trip will be able to happen again in 2022! Throughout the winter and spring, fourth graders spend time learning how to play, sing and move with the concert repertoire that the symphony will be playing for them! This unit usually takes most of our time from January until April.

Winter/Spring - Bucket Drumming - Fourth graders will be learning to play bucket drums later in the school year. This is a great introduction to playing percussion or even playing a drum set!

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! Third graders sing several songs, often getting the opportunity to sing in harmony using partner songs or rounds. Singing in head voice is the main focus.

Winter - Instrument Families - Each year, third graders participate in an in-depth study of instruments and their families. We spend one class period each on strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. Then, we learn about pitch changers and vibration starters. After that, each student designs and draws their own instrument based on what they have learned!

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter/Spring - Rhythm -Third graders also do a more in-depth study of rhythm. They will be learning to count quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, half notes, dotted half notes and whole notes as well as various rests! They will play these rhythms on percussion instruments!

Winter/Spring - Rhythmic Poem Writing Unit - Each year, students from PreK to 3rd grade work together as a class to write a rhythmic poem (a rap). Then, we put the poem to a background track in garageband and record the kids performing the song! We will share these songs as they are finished on this website and also to my google classrooms!

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! Second graders sing several songs. I often try to mix a serious song in along with some silly songs! Singing in head voice is the main focus.

Winter - Rhythmic Poem Writing Unit - Each year, students from PreK to 3rd grade work together as a class to write a rhythmic poem (a rap). Then, we put the poem to a background track in garageband and record the kids performing the song! We will share these songs as they are finished on this website and also to my google classrooms!

Winter - Rhythm and Ostinati - Second grade students learn about quarter notes, quarter rests, eighth notes and sixteenth notes. They learn how to count and tap these rhythms. We also learn how to perform an ostinato, which is a repeated pattern that helps to organize a piece of music. We will also learn how to write and perform melodic ostinati, which add pitches to the pattern.

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter/Spring - Singing and Pitch Matching - Utilizing the First Steps in Music Curriculum, second graders learn how to match pitch in their head voice. We sing song fragments and short songs. Watch for students to come home with a certificate awarded when they sing a solo for the class.

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! First graders sing several songs. I often try to mix a serious song in along with some silly songs! Singing in head voice is the main focus.

Winter - Elements of Music - First grade students learn about the elements of music: melody, rhythm, harmony, timbre and form.

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter - Rhythmic Poem Writing Unit - Each year, students from PreK to 3rd grade work together as a class to write a rhythmic poem (a rap). Then, we put the poem to a background track in garageband and record the kids performing the song! We will share these songs as they are finished on this website and also to my google classrooms!

Winter/Spring - Singing and Pitch Matching - Utilizing the First Steps in Music Curriculum, first graders learn how to match pitch in their head voice. We sing song fragments and short songs. Watch for students to come home with a certificate awarded when they sing a solo for the class.

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!

Fall - Holiday Program - We start preparing in August! Hopefully, we will be back to an in-person program this Fall, 2021! Kindergarten students sing several songs. I often try to mix a serious song in along with some silly songs! Singing in head voice is the main focus. PreK students do sing some holiday songs, but, Hudsonville Public Schools has decided that students will begin to participate in the Holiday Program in Kindergarten.

Winter - Rhythmic Poem Writing Unit - Each year, students from PreK to 3rd grade work together as a class to write a rhythmic poem (a rap). Then, we put the poem to a background track in garageband and record the kids performing the song! We will share these songs as they are finished on this website and also to my google classrooms!

Winter - Black History Month - In February, each grade level learns a song for Black History month. We look for opportunities to discuss the history of the song and why it is significant.

Winter/Spring - Singing and Pitch Matching - Utilizing the First Steps in Music Curriculum, Kindergarten students learn how to match pitch in their head voice. We sing song fragments and short songs. Watch for students to come home with a certificate awarded when they sing a solo for the class. We spend lots of time with this curriculum!

Spring - The Music Olympics - Every grade finishes the year with a unit called "The Music Olympics." We use fun olympic style games to review concepts learned throughout the year. We keep track of the medal count across grade levels!