September 2-6

We have officially entered the fourth week of school! Congratulations! Your Griffins are getting reacquainted with school routines, good study habits and practicing Scholarly behaviors. They are also soaking up all kinds of new information and learning lots of fun songs and playing a few games from last year!

Take a look at some of the upcoming plans for the very first week of September! A few students have even asked me when we get to start learning concert music. Well, never fear! Concert music is here!

Kinder:

• Continue to practice daily body/voice warm-ups
• Learn to distinguish between the five voices 
• Learn to count and show how many phrases are in a song 
• Learn how to play an improvisation game
• Begin learning Concert Piece #1

First: 

• Review how to perform repertoire with loud and soft dynamics
• Review how to perform repertoire with fast and slow tempos
• Review how to perform repertoire with high and low pitch
• Show a visual representation of melody using unifix cubes
• Begin learning Concert Piece #1

Second:

• Review 2/4 meter and be able to perform strong and weak beats vocally
• Identify basic note values
• Read simple rhythmic patterns from the board
• Use Curwen hand signs for so, mi and la
• Begin learning Concert Piece #1

Sixth: 

• Practice reading rhythmic patterns
• Sing traditional folk songs in canon
• Practice formal vocal warm-ups
• Demonstrate leadership skills by fulfilling classroom roles and responsibilities
• Begin learning Concert Piece #1

I'm looking forward to a very full week of teaching, singing, practicing, playing and learning from your students. They have already taught me so much!!! They all know my name, and I almost have everyone's name memorized!

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or helpful comments about your student. I'm getting to know everyone's needs, strengths and areas for improvement. 

Brightly, 

Ms. Widdowson

kate.widdowson@greatheartsnorthernoaks.org

August 14-16

Welcome back to Northern Oaks! The school has missed its Griffin Musicians over the summer and is ready to make some wonderful music again.

Your student can expect to make some new friends, learn about our classroom expectations, practice their scholarly position and sing some fun songs in the first few days back at school!

This list gives a snapshot of what your students will cover over the next two weeks. I'm so excited to get started!

Kinder: 

• Learn to raise hands and ask for tissues or restroom
• Learn how to sit and stand in Singer's Position
• Learn about Johann Sebastian Bach
• Practice echo singing
• Engage in creative movement

First: 

• Remember how to raise hands, ask questions, and sit in Singer's Position
• Review some favorite songs and games from Kindergarten
• Learn about Francois Couperin
• Echo singing, showing the phrases in a song and tapping the beat

Second:

• Remember circle formation and how to "close the gaps"
• Review ta, ta-di, and quarter rest
• Listen to harpsichord compositions by Domenico Scarlatti
• Review the Musical Staff
• Practice singing with Solfege Syllables 

Sixth: 

• Review the Musical Staff
• Formal vocal warm-ups
• Stance and Breathing
• Ensemble Etiquette and Technique

Our first week together will be short, but I am so excited to get to know each one of our brand new Griffins and learn the names of each one of our returning students! See you on the First Day of School!

Brightly,

Ms. Widdowson