December 2023 & January 2024

  


Erickson Elementary School 

Music Class Newsletter 

December 2023 & January 2024 Edition 

Dear Erickson Families: 

December was an eventful month in music class! Students spent a lot of time in music class practicing songs in preparation for the Winter Sing Along, which took place on December 22nd. At this assembly, students in grades 1-5 had the opportunity to sing with their classmates. Everyone did a wonderful job of performing and showcasing their work in music class! 

Here is a link to recordings from the Winter Sing Along: Winter Sing Along Recordings
                                                  

It has been a pleasure to be back in music class with students throughout the month of January! Some of the highlights have included: finishing up a ukulele unit in grades 3-5, starting a xylophone unit in grades K-2 and 4-5 (3rd grade will be having a xylophone unit later in the school year), starting a classroom instruments unit in 2nd grade, and starting an instruments of the orchestra unit in grades 3-5, where students have been able to see some incredible examples of the orchestral instruments being played by professional musicians!  

Each month, the music class newsletter will highlight a different grade level. I will include general information at the beginning of each newsletter for all, and highlight a grade level after that. For December, the newsletter will be highlighting Kindergarten, and for January, the newsletter will be highlighting 1st grade! 

Did you know that the Bloomingdale Public Library allows you to check out a wide variety of musical instruments to use at home? A lot of the instruments offered are used in our music class, and checking them out through the library allows your child to use a musical instrument at home without having to buy it! 

To learn more, visit the Bloomingdale Public Library website at the following link, and click on "Science & Music Kits": https://www.mybpl.org/node/511

See a flyer of the musical instruments offered at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I2m2KNbVG71z1bbNbTIzLS-uLMo2QjqO/view?usp=sharing

Kindergarten Music - December 2023

Singing
Kindergarteners learned to sing a song called "Snowflakes, Snowflakes", which is actually set to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" !


Playing Instruments
Kindergarteners were introduced to the boomwhackers, pictured below. Students learned to play "Rain, Rain, Go Away" on the boomwhackers. 

Kindergarteners were also introduced to the xylophone, pictured below. Students learned to play "Play and Stop" on the xylophone. 

Body Percussion
In body percussion videos, students perform actions including clap, pat, snap, stomp, and others, in synchronization with music and notation. Here is an example of a body percussion video in case you are curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix9DNAkPUIU&list=PLjGyHWmQZiJHXbD_J9bCcMgY8PWu_JGU7&index=18

The body percussion routines that kindergarteners practiced included: 
- "Minecraft Body Percussion" 
- "Mario Body Percussion" 
- "Zoo Animals Body Percussion" 

1st Grade Music - January 2024

Singing
1st graders learned to sing the following songs: 
- “Star Light, Star Bright” 
- “The Ants Go Marching” 
- "Bounce High, Bounce Low" 


Playing Instruments
1st graders were introduced/reintroduced to the xylophone, pictured below. Students learned to play the following songs on the xylophone:
- "Rain, Rain, Go Away" 
- “Snail, Snail” 

Body Percussion
In body percussion videos, students perform actions including clap, pat, snap, stomp, and others, in synchronization with music and notation. Here is an example of a body percussion video in case you are curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTJnNPvLydc&list=PLjGyHWmQZiJHXbD_J9bCcMgY8PWu_JGU7&index=21&pp=iAQB

The body percussion routines that 1st graders practiced included: 
- "Basketball Body Percussion" 
- "Soccer Body Percussion" 
- "Touchdown at the Zoo Body Percussion"
- "Dance Monkey Body Percussion"
- "You Got a Friend in Me Body Percussion"


Thank you for reading! 

​​​​Best wishes,

Mr. Welch (mwelch@sd13.org)

​​Music Teacher | Erickson Elementary School​

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