December Music Blog
The month of December has flown by in music class. In the primary classes, we’ve learned about snow, trees, and holiday traditions. We’ve practiced holiday songs for the classroom sing-a-longs, and danced with snowflakes. We’ve pretended that we were going on a winter hike by putting on our snow pants, boots, jackets, hats, scarves, and mittens, followed by making footprints in the snow. We also fell down and made snow angels!
The lower elementary classes put on wonderful performances for their families and friends. Thank you to Ms. Kim and Ms. Sydney for helping me when I was so ill. I wasn’t able to be there for the dress rehearsals, but with the help of these two amazing teachers, we were able to practice in preparation for the actual plays. The children were well prepared and did a great job! I really appreciate Danna Etyemezian, Kini Tan, and Olha Chao for helping prepare props, and the set!
Upper elementary and middle school have been working on creating their own music and accompaniments for the poem Good, Better, Best. We are also learning more notes with the recorders.
I hope everyone in our school has a wonderful holiday break and come back ready to create, dance, sing, and play in music class!! Happy Holidays!
I want to add a big thank you to all of you for the generous and thoughtful gifts!

November is a shortened month due to holidays and teacher in service; however, the primary classes had a special visitor…Hooty the Owl. He hooted some songs that we have learned in class and the children guessed what they were. I was so pleased to see that they knew almost every single song, including some the teachers didn’t recognize! Children are amazing with their ability to learn and retain information.

The lower elementary classes have been working hard on learning all of the music for their Winter Program. We have been practicing how to get on and off of the stage when our group is performing their dance numbers and how to ensure each person will be seen by their families. I’m feeling confident that we are going to have an unforgettable program. Thank you to Danna, Kini, and Olha for helping prepare the set and props. Our community support from parents is one of the true treasures of our school.

Upper elementary classes concluded Halloween by playing Only In October and Old Tom White on barred instruments and un-pitched percussion, accompanied by singing and soprano recorders on the melody lines. We video taped our performances and watched ourselves. It is exciting to see the students beginning to make music! We also learned about the woodwind family of instruments used in orchestras and bands. I brought my clarinet and played a short piece in class so the students could see what an actual instrument looks and sounds like. Some students were excited to share they have family members who play these kinds of instruments, as well.

Middle school students are working on finishing the Good, Better, Best section. They have made up hand games, dances, percussion rhythm compositions, and have now made up a group melody to sing to the poem. We will be putting barred instrument accompaniment with our melody. Finally, we will be performing the final arrangement as a rondo; playing, dancing, and singing each part we’ve created.

Another month has passed by quickly! This month in music the Primary grades (ages 3-6) have learned songs related to:

• anatomy with songs and games such as Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Put Your Little Foot, and Hinges.  
• mammals using different colored cards to move like various animals, and playing games like Drop the Handkerchief and My Pony Macaroni.
• continents singing The  Continent Song, and Hello to All the Children of the World, then singing songs and playing instruments from various parts of the World. Each class focused on the area they were going to be for International Children’s Day.

This past week we have also played and sung some Halloween songs and games. A favorite is Black Cat, Black Cat Where are you Hiding? We use dynamics to help the seeker find where the black cat has been hiding by singing louder when they are closer, and quieter when they are far away. This has been a fun and exciting month for Primary students.

Lower elementary students (1sr – 3rd grade) are working hard to learn all of the songs for our Winter Program in December. They amaze me with their ability to remember! Each grade has also learned a dance for the program. The third grade students are really excited to perform the Sword Dance, the second grade the Hora, and the first grade the KinderPolka for their families. We have interspersed all this practice with fun musical games, songs, and activities. We are going to be ready when our performances come.

Upper El and Middle School Students (4th – 8th grade) have continued to work on learning to play the Soprano Recorder. They can now play lower E, which expands our ability to play melodies. We used our barred instruments to accompany ourselves while recorder playing.  We’ve also done some work with movement. The Middle School students have created and performed their own tableaus to favorite quotes from A Midsummer’s Night Dream. All grades are working on a rhythm movement lesson called Good, Better, Best which has allowed them to create and perform their own hand games and dances. This lesson will culminate with the students working together to create a song and accompaniment to the poem. October has been a full and creative month.

Our year in music is progressing at a fast pace. In the primary grades, we’ve explored weather, seasons, safety and community building, and land and water forms. In Kindergarten, we’ve been learning about different animals that can be found on a farm. Each animal has a unique sound associated with it, and we have learned nursery rhymes, songs, and games that help us learn musical concepts. After one nursery rhyme, George told me that we should be using high voices on the part where the pig goes up, and low voices when Mr. Brown brings him down. I told him that he must be a musician to recognize that. George then told his teacher in class that I had told him he must be a musician, but he wants to be an engineer! I think he can do both! Another student shared with me that she had tried to teach her parents the “cow” song, but they didn’t understand. We had been playing “Hunt the Cows,” which is a song game that demonstrates fast, slow, and anticipation.

In Lower Elementary, classes have been learning about what a steady pulse is by playing various games that allow them to keep the pulse in their feet as they play. First graders now know that the steady pulse is called ta.

It is so much fun to play, move, sing, and create in our music classes. Each class participates in various song games, movement activities, melodic training, and instrument activities that build the child’s understanding of musical concepts, as well as how to interact and create with others.

We played the song game “Draw a Bucket of Water”. The children are learning to keep the pulse by pulling each others arms back and forth. As the game progresses they get closer and closer as each child gets let under the other children’s arms. Eventually they are in a tight group jumping to the beat of the song.

Upper elementary and middle school students have started learning to play the Soprano Recorder. It is challenging; however, they are beginning to actually play melodies! Parents, please be patient with them as they practice at home. I promise that soon the sounds emanating from their recorders will actually start to sound like music! Natalie (upper el student) is so excited to learn, that she asked if she could meet me after school to learn B, A, and G on her instrument. As a teacher, It is so fulfilling to have students be so engaged and excited to learn.

Welcome to the FMS Music Blog! We have had an exciting beginning to our new school year! I am Ms. Melissa Martin (and because there are three Ms. Melissa’s on campus, my last name becomes important.) I am the new music teacher at FMS and I am so excited to share my love of music with our students. However, I am not new to Foothills, as I have taught here for the last 16 years, the last 13 in Lower Elementary with Ms. April.

Also, I am not “new” to music. I have played the clarinet since I was in 7th grade and I have also sung in numerous choirs over the years. I have an elementary major with a music minor, and have also completed two levels of Orff training. I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to use this knowledge with the students at Foothills Montessori School.

If you are wondering what in the world Orff is, here is quick synopsis of the Orff Shulwerk approach to teaching music.

“The Orff Schulwerk, or simply the Orff Approach, is a developmental approach used in music education. It combines music, movement, drama, and speech into lessons that are similar to the child‘s world of play. It was developed by the German composer Carl Orff (1895–1982) and colleague Gunild Keetman during the 1920s. Carl Orff worked until the end of his life to continue the development and spread of his teaching method. The Orff Approach is now used throughout the world to teach students in a natural and comfortable environment. The term “schulwerk” is German for (literally) “school work” or “schooling”, in this regard in the area of music.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orff_Schulwerk (follow the link for more information about Orff Shulwerk)

Orff Schulwerk follows developmental levels by teaching to children’s ability range according to their ages. We use games, songs, movement, rhythmic training, and playing of barred and unpitched instruments to create music and understanding of musical concepts.

We begin with imitation (the most natural place to start) and move through exploration, improvisation, and visualization. This month every grade level has had to opportunity to play some kind of instrument, and participate in varied games, songs, and movement activities. I love to see the children’s concentration, and cooperation as they work together to accomplish creating music in our classes. It is going to be a wonderful year in Music at FMS!