I'll Be Bach

We have began to dive right into our composer of the month in music at CFES.  This month we learned about one the most famous composers of all time, Johann Sebastian Bach.  3rd-5th grade students listened and watched Bach's music being performed.  Students knew a lot more of Bach's compositions than they previously thought. They were familiar with pieces such as Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor," which they often think is spooky movie music but was actually composed for church services.

Many students were also familiar with Bach's wonderful "Cello Suite No. 1."

In class I often like to show students other ways that artist have taken classical composer's music and turn it into something new and exciting.  One artist who does an amazing job with that is Bobby McFerrin. Bobby McFerrin is known for his hit "Don't Worry Be Happy," but he is actually a very accomplished musician in many other aspects.  He performs all his music a capella and the only instrument that he uses is the human voice.  This is a video of him performing a Bach motet with the audience's help. 

And as always the Piano Guys. 

Ask your child what they learned about Bach.  Where was he from?  How many kids did he have?  What period of music did he compose in?  

Calypso!

Calypso!

The beautiful island of Trinidad. 

In our 2nd-5th grade classes we have been learning about calypso music.  We discussed how this style of music has it's roots on the beautiful islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  We found these islands using Google Earth  and learned about where it is located.

2nd grade learned a calypso song called, "Cookie."  This was a fun call and response song that they enjoyed dancing and singing to. 3rd grade calypso song is "Gypsy in the Moonlight."  In all our classes we learned about the steel drum or as some people call it the steel pan.  This instrument originated in Trinidad and Tobago when the islanders discovered they could bang on steel oil barrels and create different pitches.

We watched someone play, Under the Sea, on the steel drum. 

We also watched how they make steel drums by hand. 

In 5th grade the students learned about the King of Calypso: Harry Belafonte. He had many hits in the '50s and we learned one of the most famous, Day-O (The Banana Boat Song). 

Harry Belafonte, The King of Calypso.

One of our favorite things we saw was Belafonte's appearance on the Muppet Show, where he sang The Banana Boat Song. 

Harry Belafonte performed his hit song on the Muppet Show.

We loved learning our calypso music and we have many more to learn over the coming year!

Grab Your Partner!

In third grade we have just discovered the fun of square dancing.  I even made boys and girls dance together (they acted like they hated it but they secretly loved it.)  Fun was had by all as we danced to an old American folk song named, "Alabama Gal."  

Come through 'na hurry

Ain't I rock candy?

I don't know how how!

I showed you how how!

Grab your partner!

Oh, Say Can You See!

    

    In concurrence with Veteran's Day our 3rd through 5th grade students learned about our national anthem the "Star Spangled Banner."  We not only learned the words and how to sing the anthem, but also the incredible story behind the words that we sing.  Francis Scott Key wrote the words as he watched Ft. McHenry in Baltimore being bombed for twenty-six hours. The video below tells this incredible story.

    We used several different activities to learn the lyrics to our national anthem.  Below is the Smartboard activity that the class used to quiz themselves on the words.  Try and see if you can guess the hidden words. 

Now lets see how well you did. 

    We also watched several different performances of the "Star Spangled Banner,"  from Beyonce to the Military Academy Choirs to see which group performed it most closely to the original version.  The overwhelming favorite performance of the anthem was from a group of young girls from Texas named the Cactus Cuties.  Enjoy the performance below and if you would like take the "Star Spangled Banner" quiz on Sporlce by clicking this link. 

The Music of our Planets

    Over the last month students from 2nd to 5th grade have learned about one of the great orchestral suites in music and the  solar system.  In 1915 Gustav Holst composed the orchestral suite, "The Planets."  Each movement of the suite is named after a planet in the solar system and it's corresponding Roman God name.  All the planets are represented except Earth and Pluto (It wasn't discovered until 1930.)  Each music movement has it's on title and mood.  We listened to each movement along with facts and pictures of each planet.  After we were done listening the students described each piece.  Mars the Bringer of War was described as scary, doom like, forte, and many thought it sounded like Darth Vader's theme music.  
    Mars was a special planet to learn about since NASA just landed the Curiousity Rover on Mars in August.  Below is the incredible video that NASA put together so we could get a taste of what it is like to land a robot on another planet.  NASA's soundtrack for the video was of course Holst's Mars.  

Take a listen for yourself and have your kids tell you a few planet facts.  Below I have linked all the planets with the corresponding movement from Holst's "The Planets."  Just click the name of the planet and enjoy!

I.   Mars, The Bringer of War 

II.  Venus, The Bringer of Peace

III.  Mercury, The Winged Messenger

IV.  Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity 

V.  Saturn, The Bringer of Old Age

VI.  Uranus, The Magician

VII.  Neptune, The Mystic