We had a great time getting ready for our sing along at the year end assembly. If you would like to sing those songs at home this summer the words and the links for the music are right here:

This week try the UP/DOWN game on Musicplay. It is a bit confusing as the reward you hear when you get the answer right is a sound that goes up! After a few tries you will figure it out.

As usual the games on the right side of the page and the UP/DOWN GAME is about halfway down the list. https://musicplayonline.com/

Other Games:

• Have a look at the game called the HIGH AND LOW GAME. To find it follow this link: https://musicplayonline.com/

All the GAMES are on the right side of the screen. Go down to the bottom to find the HIGH LOW GAME. It may take you a few tries as you have to decide if it is high or low! Just play again until you have it! Enjoy!

• I really like the sfskids website (San Francisco Symphony) . I particularly had fun playing around with the perform and conduct options. Enjoy! http://www.sfskids.org/

• The Musicplay website has some great on-line music games. I have been having fun playing them!

• See how you do on the Beat or Rhythm Game. You have to listen very carefully to see if you can tell if they are playing the beat or playing the rhythm. Remember: Beat always stays the same, beat never changes. Good luck!

• Click on this link: https://musicplayonline.com/

• Games are always on the right hand side. The Beat or Rhythm Game is about halfway down.

Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin is one of my favourite pieces of music. It starts with an amazing solo clarinet and has amazing piano parts. George Gershwin wrote really cool piano parts because he was a great piano player and he liked to write fun stuff to play.

The talented animators at Disney added animation to it which perfectly fits the music. Enjoy!!

http://www.viewpure.com/ie-TS-BitnQ?start=0&end=

Other activities:

• Give this music writing game a try. It starts with so mi that we already know and moves on to so, mi and our new, grade two note, lah.

https://musicplayonline.com/activities/melody_compose/exercises/staff_composition/menu/menu.html

It allows you to actually write music on a staff and then listen to it being played. Start with the LEVEL ONE, so and mi songs and work your way up to the LEVEL TWO songs. Enjoy!

• I loved watching this story! I hope you do too. It is a good reminder of what we learned this year about the four families of instruments in the orchestra. You can imagine me pointing to the instrument pictures on the wall in the music room. It is all about finding the way to make music that is perfect for you. Enjoy!

• Here is a really fun one! Make sure you figure out some way to MOVE while you are watching this. Keep the beat in your lap or cross clap in your lap or make up your own dance! http://www.viewpure.com/BPWk3SjKRAs?start=0&end=0

• This is another great version of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Don’t forget to move your body!! https://www.facebook.com/269232951571/videos/564113197846799

• I hope you like this song and video as much as I do! Please remember to sing along. What does Pete the Cat do when things happen that he wasn’t expecting? http://www.viewpure.com/fj_z6zGQVyM?start=0&end=0

• We learned in music class that rests are beats that are silent - they have no sound on them. Mrs. Evans thinks that they should be called ‘thinks’ instead of rests because you have to think about staying silent and you have to count them.

• Enjoy this video about rests: http://www.viewpure.com/vo-PBf_WH54?start=0&end=0s:

• Pete the Cat is back again! This time we aren’t singing about his shoes - this time it is his groovy buttons!

• Enjoy!! http://www.viewpure.com/2JrFDPwNDMY?start=0&end=0

Week Two Activity — Thunderer March 🥁

Some of you will remember that we started our listening this year with The Thunderer March by John Phillip Sousa. Yes, the guy that invented the sousaphone! For kids in Mrs. Alexander’s class and Mrs. Ireton’s class this will be brand new. It will take you a bit longer to learn the songs but it is still fun!

Click this video to hear the song:

Now, play it again and get up and march while you listen!

Do you remember our directions? First we marched facing north, then facing east, then facing south, then facing west and finally north again. We face each direction for sixteen beats. Make sure you count to sixteen as you march.

Here is the form (the order) and the notes for the introduction:

The introduction is tricky because it goes VERY quickly!!! Try singing along with me in this video:

Remember we sang: do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do do!

Now go back to the video of the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRmRrKB6yXE&feature=emb_title) and see if you can sing along to just the introduction —you'll have to pause it after only a few seconds!

Now we are ready for the rest of the song! Some of you will remember singing these themes with me and for some of you they will be brand new. If they are brand new, you will need to play the video many times to learn them.

Follow along with me in this video:

Now, play the song again (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRmRrKB6yXE&feature=emb_title), but minimize it and try and sing along with these words for the three themes and the bridge:

Did you remember all the words? Did you remember the order (form)?

Week Three Activity — Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks 🐣

Some of you will remember that one of our favourite activities this year was the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks by Modest Mussorgsky (it came from his bigger piece of music called Pictures at An Exhibition). If you are in Mrs. Alexander’s or Mrs. Ireton’s classes this song and activity will be brand new! I hope you like it.

Modest Mussorgsky (pronounced ‘muzz or ski’) lived in Russian. He loved art and he saw the picture below at an art exhibit that had come from Paris and he wanted to create music that matched the picture.

Now have a listen to the music he wrote to go with the picture:

Now to the fun action activities that goes with this!

The first thing we hear is the peck that we do with our heads.

Then comes the kicking! Please remember not to kick anything or anyone and to make sure your feet stay in the air and don’t touch the floor. Then the last is the scratch and the push. As soon as you finish, it starts again as there is a repeat sign! After that comes some rolling around - be careful not to roll off of anything or into anything!! At the end we will do the pecking, kicking and scratching one last time. See if you can spot where Mrs. Evans makes a mistake!!!

EXTRA ACTIVITY!

You will notice, at the start of each line, that there are instruments that are suggested that you could play the rhythm on while you say the words. They suggest temple blocks, hand drum and guiro. You may be lucky and have some of these instruments at home but most people won’t . If you don’t, it is easy to find some things at home that would work.

For the temple blocks you could use any hard thing like a mug and a spoon.

For the hand drum you could tap the table.

For the guiro you could use a comb and a pencil.

I am sure that you will come up with even better ideas than I have. If you come up with something really fun, take a video and send it to me at gevans@sd61.bc.ca. I would love to see your great ideas!!

Week Four — Two Songs!

In the Hall of the Mountain King

By Edvard Grieg

I was going to do a different activity this week but I was lucky enough to run into Adam Ross while I was walking my dog and he requested information about this one so here we go. It was a real FAVOURITE this year! If you are in Mrs. Alexander’s or Mrs. Conrod’s class this activity will be brand new to you. I hope you like it!

Edvard Grieg wrote this music to go with a play about the adventures of Peer Gynt. Peer Gynt was a famous story book character in Norway where Grieg lived. If Grieg lived now, he would probably have been asked to write the soundtrack to the movie about Peer Gynt so this music is basically a movie soundtrack. This music is to go with a SUPER exciting part of the story. Peer Gynt has been captured by the trolls and taken to the hall of the mountain king, deep inside a mountain. He is to be thrown in jail but the Troll King offers him one chance at freedom - he has to marry the Troll King’s daughter. Sadly, the Troll King’s daughter looks like a troll (and besides, Peer Gynt has his lovely, patient girlfriend waiting for him at home)! Let’s see what a troll looks like:

So when everyone was asleep, Peer Gynt decided he would take his chances and try to sneak out of the hall of the mountain king. At the beginning of the music there is a long, held note (a fermata) - I think that is when Peer Gynt was looking around to see if he should go or not! He decides to sneak away - he is sneaking, so the music is very soft and slow as he tiptoes. Of course, the trolls notice that he is sneaking away and the chase is on! The music becomes fast and loud as he starts to run and the trolls crash around following him - this is when it gets really exciting!

In music class we came up with some great words to describe the music: sneaking, creeping, mysterious, spooky, scary, threatening. Can you pick a favourite? (teaching idea: Marcelline Moody)

Sneaking around your house!

Click this link to put the music on and have fun moving forward and backward to match your favourite word. 15 beats forward, then freeze, then 15 beats back and freeze. Make sure you count to fifteen while you are moving and freeze when you get to 16. Maybe try one word, then try another! If you don’t want to get up from the computer see if you can match those words while sitting down.

Now let’s notice the instruments this time.

When you first go to start the video the picture you see is of two people playing the bassoon. That is the instrument you will hear the most from in this music. It is in the woodwind family.

As you watch, please notice that the violin players were plucking the strings of their instruments sometimes. This was to make it sound like someone talking on tiptoe? (That is called pizzicato)

Watch it again to notice the instruments this time!

After we got used to this piece we had fun adding some silly words that were written by someone named Richard Perlmutter (not Grieg, he wrote this for instruments only).

Here is the link to the video where he sings the silly words. Enjoy! http://www.viewpure.com/foGcM60oZqQ?start=0&end=0

And here are the silly words so you can sing along!

It’s The Same Every Verse

By Richard Perlmutter

Here’s a piece that’s quite perverse, it’s the same every verse


So for better or for worse, we’ve 17 to go

One by one we’ll count them all, it might seem off the wall 


Just in case you don’t recall, we’ve 16 more to go

If the end seems far away, there’s no need for dismay 


We’ll give you a play by play, 15 to go

Note that this recurring tune, is performed by bassoon 


It will be repeated soon, 14 to go

Next the cello and the bass, ceaselessly keep the pace 


Just in case you lost your place, we’ve 13 more to go

But before we can proceed, as it was guaranteed


The bassoons again play lead, we’ve 12 more times to go

Finally something new begins, hear all those violins 


Underneath those chinny chins, 11 more to go

Now we get the clarinet, playing in a duet


With the oboe don’t forget, we’ve 10 more times to go

While the violins repeat, please remain in your seat


We are nowhere near complete, 9 more to go

Here’s a bit more of the same, there’s just one man to blame


Grieg is the composer’s name, 8 more to go

Now it’s time to move along, to the end of the song 


Things are gonna finish strong, we’ve 7 more to go


First the volume will increase, ’til the end of the piece

Building to a big release, we’ve 6 more left to go

Now the trumpets start to blow, double fortissimo


I’ll remind you so you know, just 5 more times to go

Now we’re building up some steam, it’s so loud it would seem


Pretty soon we’ll have to scream, 4 more times to go

Still we haven’t hit the top, faster now do not stop

At this pace I’m gonna drop, 3 more to go

Keeping up is getting tough, making me huff and puff 


I think I’ve had enough, 2 more to go

Now we’re almost at the end, oooh yeah my friend


All that lies around the bend,Is 1 more time to go

Last verse! Hip hooray! 
Oooh, don’t go away


Now the orchestra will play finale number 1 Hope you can stay


Now the orchestra will play finale number 2 One more delay


Now the orchestra will play finale number 3
 The end

Yes, indeed, Grieg repeated his melody 18 times! What did he do to keep it from getting boring? If I told you I was going to sing you the same song 18 times you would run away. What makes this song so fun to listen to even though he plays the same thing 18 times? If you said that he gets louder, gets faster and changes the instruments you got it right!

I found a fun rhythm activity to go with this song. See if you can sing the rhythm names with it - There will be a new note for some of you and that is a two-o. That is the one where the circle is empty at the bottom of the note and it lasts for two beats. http://www.viewpure.com/Wk43IDUQmTk?start=0&end=0

Here is a fun one just to watch! It gets more fun toward the end when it gets faster! I don’t know why they turn Peer Gynt into an old wizard but they got the cave thing right!

http://www.viewpure.com/e6XxTGXly-M?start=0&end=0

Oops! I almost forgot your favourite video to go with this song! Here is the Line Rider video: http://www.viewpure.com/RIz3klPET3o?start=0&end=0

High Low Chicka Low

Here is a fun, clapping song called High Low Chicka Low.

Listen to it once to learn how it goes: http://www.viewpure.com/cckK5e2Hj6M?start=0&end=0

This song has ti tis and tas with a rest at the end. See if you can sing the rhythm names instead of the words:

There is a fun clapping pattern that goes with this. You will have to watch this short video many times in order to learn it! You will need a partner so see if someone in your family will play with you. http://www.viewpure.com/0by84mYteaw?start=0&end=0

I like that when the song goes higher, your hands are higher and when the song goes lower, your hands are lower. Did you notice that?

Good luck!

Week Five — William Tell

Another one of our favourites this year was the overture from the opera, William Tell. For Mrs. Ireton and Mrs. Alexander’s kids this activity will be brand new. Willliam Tell was a real life person who lived in Switzerland. An evil Baron made William Tell try to shoot an apple off of his son’s head from a great distance just because William Tell and his son didn’t bow to the Baron’s hat! William Tell became a hero because he had the skill and courage to make the shot and because he helped his people to get rid of the evil Baron. Here is an animated version of the story. It is fun to watch!

Of course, we know that many people call this piece, the theme from the Lone Ranger tv show, but we know that Rossini wrote this piece years before anyone had ever heard of the Lone Ranger or a television! It does, however, sound so much like galloping horses that you can understand why they used it for the tv. show!

Let’s remind ourselves how it goes. See if you can spot the triangle, the cymbals and the trombone:

Here is a fun video to watch. They are trying to show you the rhythm of William Tell. See if you can figure out what shape and colour they use for a ticka, a ti and a ta.

Week Six — Icca Bacca Soda Cracker

Now here is the rhythm and melody to go with it.

Week Seven - Tony Chestnut

You may remember Tony Chestnut from Valentine’s Day. It is really fun and fits into our so, mi and lah songs.

Now try to sing the rhythm names (the tas and ti tis) instead of the words. Now try to read the melody (the so, mi an lahs) instead of the words.

Week Eight — Bluebells

If you aren’t in Mrs. Alexander or Mrs. Ireton’s class then you should remember playing Bluebells. If you are in one of those classes then this is a fun new one for you!

Bluebells is a partner clapping game. If you are at home you can find a partner in your house. If you are at school then you can pretend to clap someone else’s hands.

In grade two we have been busy learning the note ‘lah’. This song counts as a so, mi and lah song even though it only has one lah in the whole song!

Just a reminder of what bluebells and cockle shells are:

Week Nine — I'm A Nut

Week Ten— Egg Beater!

Click on the link then go to the bottom where it says MOVIES. To learn how to do it click on KID DEMO and when you figure you know what you are doing, click on LYRICS. https://musicplayonline.com/?s=swimming&meter_stat=