March 2025

Access recordings of class performances:

• Chester Elementary School
• New Hingham Elementary School
• R.H. Conwell Elementary School

PreK & Kindergarten: The focus for this trimester was for students to identify fast and slow rhythm patterns using basic music notation symbols, and then play those rhythms on percussion instruments. As part of this objective, students composed their own rhythms using the Draw Your Own Rhythms Worksheet, and then they performed their compositions for the class. In addition, students continued to practice their listening skills with a guess the sound game, and practiced responding to music with movement during a “dance party” segment of class. Along the way, students learned to sing various songs, including  I’m a Little Snowflake, Five Little Snowmen. Little Bunny Foo Foo, and Polly Wolly Doodle. 


1st & 2nd Grade: The focus for this trimester was for students to practice identifying, drawing, and playing music notation symbols, including quarter notes, quarter rests, and double eighth note. As part of this objective, students composed their own 4-beat rhythm patterns and then performed them for the class, and also created their own body percussion compositions to interpret sound using hand clapping, knee slapping, and foot tapping.  In addition, students learned to sing a variety of songs, including To Grandmother's House We Go, Bee Bee Bumble Bee, Bug on a Rug, Magic Penny, Chicken Wing Chicken Wing (1st grade), and Welcome to My Morning (2nd grade).

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3rd & 4th Grade: The two goals for this trimester were 1) for students to be introduced to music from around the world, and 2) to learn the basics of playing the recorder. For world music, students heard music from Australia, China, Russia, Jordan, and Peru, identified the countries on a map, and learned about culturally significant instruments from each country, including the didgeridoo, erhu, balalaika, mijwiz, and quena. For the recorder, students played along to videos such as the pirate adventure to get used to identifying notes on the music staff and playing the notes B, A, and G, and then they moved to working from the Recorder Karate Book to earn White, Yellow, and Orange belts by playing Hot Cross Buns, Gently Sleep, and Merrily We Roll Along. Along the way, students also learned to sing a variety of songs, including Al Citron, It’s a Marshmallow World (3rd grade), My Favorite Things (4th grade), and Tum Balalaika.


5th & 6th Grade: The focus for this trimester was for students to learn how to construct major and minor chords on a keyboard, and then practice playing these chords as part of a chord progression, using The Axolotl Song as a case study. Along the way, students also learned a variety of songs to sing, including Auld Lang Syne (5th grade), Jingle Bell Rock (6th grade), If You Want to Sing Out (5th grade), and The Axolotl Song. 

In addition, 6th Grade at New Hingham and the 5/6 cohort at RH Conwell have been given some choice in their song selections. They were given a criteria to select music that is appropriate for their grade level: including vocal range, rhythm patterns, language, and topic. 

At New Hingham, students chose Fein, and Popular. Fein was a questionable choice, but by focusing only on the first verse and chorus, it became doable for them. Popular was even more of a challenge because each verse had its own melody and rhythm patterns, and each chorus was different. Students overcame this challenge by focussing on only one section of the song, and dividing the class into groups responsible for singing their own part.

At R.H. Conwell, students chose I Am Not Okay and Tough People. I was surprised by their choice in songs, because while both songs are a good fit melodically—and while both have an overall uplifting theme of resilience and hope—they both deal with heavy themes. Musically, students did an excellent job working on these songs, however, moving forward, I will be steering them towards songs that are not as “heavy.”

Meanwhile, at Chester Elementary, 5th grade students just finished learning all the music for their production of Willy Wonka. Next, after another table read, they will begin working on the choreography for each scene.