1st Grade | Mysite

Class Schedule

8:40-9:35 5th Grade

9:40-10:35 4th Grade

10:35-12:05 Prep/Lunch

12:10-1:05 3rd Grade

1:10-2:05 2nd Grade

2:10-3:05 1st Grade

First Grade

In first grade music students will:

Sing alone and with others
Perform on instruments alone and with others
Improvise melodies, variations and accompaniments
Compose and arrange music
Read and notate music
Listen to, analyze and describe music
Evaluate music and music performance
Understand music in relation to history and culture

Music Lesson

Character Counts

Students will sing Character Counts

Solfege/Notation

Students will review So and Mi by singing, hand signs and singing patterns of So/Mi
Students will review So and Mi visually on the musical staff
Students will learn and start to notate So and Mi on the musical staff

Ebeneezer Sneezer

Students will review and sing the song Ebeneezer Sneezer
They will review the two body percussion patterns - steady beat with a rest and clapping the rhythm
Students will divide into two groups and perform their assigned pattern while singing the song
Students will add unpitched percussion (claves and drums) to their patterns and perform the song
Students will learn a xylophone part to go with the song

Gaelynn Lea Violin Performance

Monday, November 12th

Yesterday the 1st graders had a fantastic opportunity through One Note, a program through MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) that sends musicians into the community, and experienced a concert with a violinist named Gaelynn Lea. Gaelynn was born with Brittle Bones Disease and because of her physical limitations she had to adapt how to play the violin. She learned to hold the violin like a mini cello. Not only is Gaelynn an accomplished violinist, she is also a local performer, singer, songwriter and composer who hails from Duluth! She recently won the Tiny Desk Award, a national contest held by NPR (National Public Radio), that allows contestants to submit a video concert and an opportunity to win trips to perform. She has been to 47 states and several countries over the past year performing her music and positive outlook on life!

The students experienced a concert by her that also had them involved! She asked for volunteers to dance a waltz, they sang in two of her songs, and they were asked on several occasions to shut their eyes and let the imagery play in their mind. Afterwards they were asked to share and discuss what they saw. At the end of the concert they asked her many questions that ranged from her age to how she felt about her disability and music. They were greatly inspired by Gaelynn's positive and sunny outlook on life.

Below is a recording of the students participating in one of her original compositions called "Bird Song", which was written about her disability. They sang along beautifully while Gaelynn sang and played.

The words are: Bird, why do you sing? Fate has cut your wings.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pNQjnQJWX1UKWKpvNZmgcKKk-SxEEzQe/view?usp=sharing

Thank you for such amazing, thoughtful, and compassionate students!