Music
Stories, Symbols, Science, Song-writing and Saving the Earth!
STORIES - Kinder
This term, the Kinder children have been learning about Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales, guided by music that explores relevant concepts, and is super fun to sing! Musical elements such as rhythm, melody, time signatures and movement have been examined through Nursery Rhymes such as Sing-a-song of Sixpence, Lavender’s Blue, Hickory Dickory Dock and Little Jack Horner. The children have enjoyed listening to The Three Bears Rap, and have had opportunity to consider the impact of musical scores or chants used in Fairy Tales such as the Gingerbread Man, King Midas and Cinderella. This week, in response to Cinderella, we dressed up in Royal outfits and created our own Castles!
SAVING THE EARTH – Lighthouse Keepers
Through music and dance, the Lighthouse students are investigating ways in which we can care for the planet. We are singing songs relevant to the issue, as well as composing our own, to unpack thoughts, feelings and beliefs regarding taking care of the Environment, Animals, Recycling, Travelling and Humans (E.A.R.T.H.). This term, the children have created a number of original music pieces; from environmental ambient soundscapes to animal syllable beat-box patterns. Singing, body movement and activities have guided our discovery of creative ideas that inspire positive action to benefit our lives, our relationships, and the future of the world!
SYMBOLS – The Lofties
Linking in with the class inquiry, Maths is a Language, the Lofties have been exploring the value of signs and symbols that are used in music. In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg has been our focus piece for investigating the many different terms, symbols and elements of music that composers have used for centuries to co-ordinate and express a wide variety of sounds. In the Hall of the Mountain King has been recreated and featured in many different ways; the Lofties have enjoyed watching an orchestra perform the piece live, a cleverly constructed Line Rider video, listening to a storybook of the same name, as well as various cartoon depictions of the piece, expanding their perception of the use of ‘language’.
SCIENCE – Sunroom Students
Sound energy has been explored in the Sunroom, using a variety of visual material and hands-on activities. We began the term by observing the workings of the human ear, followed by conducting a number of experiments, such as ‘cup-string phones’, observing mobile sound vibration, and even creating the ‘middle and inner ear’ using a cake tin, plastic wrap, straws and a ping pong ball in water, in order to ‘see’ and understand how sound energy moves through solid objects and the air. Recently we played with an online sound wave simulator to create the effects of pitch and volume on sound waves. Starting from this week, the Sunroom students will have the opportunity to express their understanding of sound creation by collecting and manipulating a mixture of carefully determined home-made sound recordings.
SONG-WRITING: The Peppercorns
This term, the study of Protest Music has provided the Peppercorns with an opportunity to better understand the issues of historical times and analyse the impact that activist artists can have upon societal change. Songs such as Treaty by Yothu Yindi and Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come have been examined with respect to their connection to Civil Rights issues. To assist the development of their own Protest song, the Peppercorns are currently exploring compositional techniques including chord progressions, tempo, mood and style in order to build knowledge and skills that aid the creation of intended music material. Vocabulary will also be analysed, to sharpen persuasive lyric writing skills.
Michelle Berner
Music teacher