6th Grade General Music
General Music Class
Note Names Practice -- Choose Your Level
Progress Report Form (Time to show my progress.) -- Use this form to share your progress report with Mr. Helgerman.
Treble Clef Only - Newbie Part 1 (You told me I could do this, but I'm not so sure.) -- Just the space notes, please, with helpers.
Treble Clef Only - Newbie Part 2 (That wasn't so bad, let's try the next step.) -- Mostly line notes, please (may contain some space notes), with helpers.
Treble Clef Only - Beginner Level (Who, me? Are you sure about this?) -- Lines and spaces, D to G, with helpers.
Treble Clef Only - Developing Level (I think I'm starting to get this. Let's add a little more challenge.) -- Middle C to High A, without helpers.
Treble Clef Only - Pre-Expert Level (I'm ready for the highest challenge, but without the timer) -- Low G to High E without helpers, including accidentals, no time limit.
Treble Clef Only - Expert Level (Do your worst! I know this staff.) -- Low G to High E without helpers, including accidentals, 3 minute time limit.
Bass Clef Only - Beginner Level (Uhh, not too fast. I'm not so sure about this Bass Clef stuff.) -- Low F to High B with helpers.
Bass Clef Only - Developing Level (Challenge me, if you dare.) -- Low E to High C without helpers.
Bass Clef Only - Pre-Expert Level (I'm almost ready for the expert level, but without the timer) -- Low A to High G without helpers, including accidentals, no time limit.
Bass Clef Only - Expert Level (I am a Bass Clef boss!) -- Low A to High G without helpers, including accidentals, 3 minute time limit.
Grand Staff Refresher with Helpers (Time to put it all together. Let's start slow.) -- E to A with helpers.
Grand Staff Pre-Expert Level (I'm almost ready for the ultimate challenge, but without the time limit.) -- Low A to High E, including accidentals, no time limit.
Grand Staff Expert Level (You call this a challenge? I am a master of ALL the notes.) -- G to F without helpers, including accidentals, 3 minute time limit.
Alto Clef Only - Beginner Level -- Low E to High A with helpers.
Alto Clef Only - Pre-Expert Level (Violists Unite!) -- Up to three ledger lines above and below.
Enrichment Level (I have already demonstrated Grand Staff Mastery, and desire a greater challenge.) -- Design your own exercises. Add clefs. Extend note ranges. Change time limits. Go nuts!
Note Construction -- Opposite Direction
Grand Staff Practice Level -- Full grand staff available. They supply the note name, you put it on the staff with appropriate accidentals.
What's New in Music Class?
This year in music class, we are continuing to enjoy the return of many of our normal in-person music class activities, while maintaining a safe environment. We will remain moderately socially distanced in music class, while adding in some of our favorite activities in a sensible way. We will continue to sing with prudent modifications to limit the spread of aerosol droplets.
As always, we will continue to work on our skills with reading standard music notation, performing on a small scale during Talent Time, listening to great music, learning about musical instruments, and becoming more skilled composers with composition exercises. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 in the community as this remains a fluid situation. Our plan is to safely perform our annual musical production on the evening of November 8, 2023. With thoughtful planning and careful action, we can enjoy many of our most rewarding musical activities.
Music Rules
Listen carefully.
Always try your best.
Be kind to people and things.
2023-2024 Musical Production Notes
November 1 Update:
We are in the home stretch for our November 8 musical production. As I shared in my September letter, all 6th grade students are required to perform. If your student will be unable to perform with us, please complete the Google Absence Form to report the conflict and request the alternative performance assignment. Please see the latest production notes below.
Practice Resources:
Individual practice resources can be found in our Google Classroom. Students will need to be logged into Google with their school Google accounts (not a personal account) to access these files. The easiest way to reach this folder is for students to log in to Google Classroom, then follow the link from there.
Costumes:
Students will come dressed in school-appropriate clothes that represent their sense of style as a jazz performer. Please, no big hats or high heels. Also, choose lightweight materials. It's hot under those lights!
Production Week Schedule:
Tuesday, November 7 -- Dress Rehearsal in HS Auditorium @ 9:00-12:00.
Wednesday, November 8 -- Call Time for Performers: 6:35 p.m. for all cast members (including chorus).
Wednesday, November 8 @ 7:00 p.m. -- Showtime!
On November 8, 2023, we will present our annual musical production on the West Lafayette Jr/Sr High School stage at 7:00 PM. Our show this year is titled "Jazz," composed by Teresa Jennings. We sent home important information in a hard copy letter with students on or around September 15. That letter is also available online here in PDF format. Because each sixth grade student plays an important role in our production, all students must perform (attendance is a required part of music class). If you know that your student will be unable to attend due to an unavoidable conflict, please complete the prearranged absence form online to arrange for the alternative assignment in lieu of the live performance. If transportation will be a challenge for your student, please reach out to me (Mr. Helgerman) as soon as possible. We can often help students find a ride to the performance with another 6th grade student when we know well ahead of time.
2022-2023 Musical Production Notes
On November 29, 2022, we presented our annual musical production on the West Lafayette Jr/Sr High School stage at 7:00 PM. Our show this year was called "We Haz Jazz," composed by John Jacobson and Kirby Shaw. We sent home important information in a hard copy letter with students on or around October 7. That letter is also available online here in PDF format. Because each sixth grade student plays an important role in our production, all students must perform (attendance is a required part of music class). If you know that your student will be unable to attend due to an unavoidable conflict, please complete the prearranged absence form online to arrange for the alternative assignment in lieu of the live performance. If transportation will be a challenge for your student, please reach out to me (Mr. Helgerman) as soon as possible. We can often help students find a ride to the performance with another 6th grade student when we know well ahead of time.
2021-2022 Musical Production Notes
On March 24, 2022, we performed our annual musical production. We were glad to be able to return to a live in-person performance this year. Our show was called "Gotta Be Jazz," and it was written/arranged by John Jacobson and John Higgins.
Students found practice resources through our Google Classroom. Parents, looked for a letter home during the week of February 14-18 (you can find the letter in PDF format here). We performed at 7:00 p.m. in the Howenstein Auditorium at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High School. Because each sixth grade student played an important part in our production, all students must perform (performing is a required part of music class). Students who were not present for the group performance must complete an alternate individual assignment (unless medically excluded by the school nurse).
March 9 Update:
We are in the home stretch for our musical production. As I shared in my February letter, all 6th grade students are required to perform. If your student will be unable to perform with us, please complete the Google Absence Form to report the conflict and request the alternative performance assignment. Please see the latest production notes below.
Practice Resources:
Individual practice resources can be found in our Google Classroom. Students will need to be logged into Google with their school Google accounts (not a personal account) to access these files. The easiest way to reach this folder is for students to log in to Google Classroom, then follow the link from there.
Costumes:
Students will come dressed in school-appropriate clothes that represent their sense of style as a jazz performer. Please, no hats or high heels. Also, choose lightweight materials. It's hot under those lights!
Production Week Schedule:
Thursday, March 24 -- Dress Rehearsal in HS Auditorium @ 9:00-12:00.
Thursday, March 24 -- Call Time for Performers: 6:40 for all cast members (including chorus).
Thursday, March 24 @ 7:00 p.m. -- Showtime!
As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
2020 Musical Production Notes
As our response to COVID-19 continues to evolve, our annual musical production will be cancelled. Group singing in music class for preparation, and public performance in general, is unlikely to be safe enough in the near term. We mourn the loss of this performance, but believe it is the right decision for the safety of our community.
2019 Musical Production Notes
November 23 Update: Bravi Tutti! Congratulations to our performers, thanks to our sixth grade classroom teachers for going above and beyond the call of duty, and thank you to all who came out to support us as audience members. Post-production of the video is complete, and we are watching it in music class to further refine our skills for future performances. Students will be able to view the video through our Google Classroom to allow individual analysis and reflection.
November 3 Update: Casting for solos is completed. We will have our mass rehearsal in the music room on the morning of November 6. Our one and only rehearsal on the high school stage is the morning of November 13. Most cast members should dress as a metaphorical giant who inspires them to greatness. Feel free to use the script and lyrics as inspiration for your choice of giant. As you make costume decisions, please remember it is very hot under the stage lights. We will perform our show in the WLHS Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13.
October 20 Update: Casting for speaking parts is completed. You can find the current script, casting list, and 2:10-2:25 scene rehearsal schedule in the shared Google Drive folder.
October 11 Update: We have completed speaking part auditions during music class, and will soon begin auditions for soloists. Students can begin to work on their memorization at home, using the shared resources in our Google Drive folder (you'll need to be logged in with your WLCSC Google account to access this folder).
September 16 Update: We will perform John Jacobson and Mac Huff's musical review "On the Shoulders of Giants" in the WLHS Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2019. Because each sixth grade student plays an important part in our production, all students must be present for the performance (attendance is a required part of music class). We will send home a hard copy letter about the production this week. Watch this space for periodic updates as we get closer to our show.