This week, the year 3/4 students learnt the difference between percussion and tuned percussion instruments. Students used Glockenspiels and Xylophones to explore high and low pitch and used the notes within a C chord (C E and G) to create a tune to perform to the class! Here are some pictures of 3/4DP busily creating their tune!

This week in Music, R/1 students practiced singing the Australian National Anthem. They focused on the words of the song and discussed why we sing it at important events. Students practiced how to project their voices and the correct way to stand when singing. The students from R/1R and R/1ET sang beautifully and made a big effort to stand correctly!

R/1 students also spent some time learning about body percussion and how to make Music using different parts of their bodies! Students were able to use body percussion to create their own 8 beat rhythm as a class and in smaller groups. Students from R/1R and R/1ET came up with the following ways to use body percussion in their 8 beat rhythm:

Click

Clap

Left foot stomp

Right foot stomp

Right knee tap

Left knee tap

Elbow tap

Head pat

Here are some of the students having a go at using body percussion in their 8 beat rhythm…

This week, the year 3/4 students combined their knowledge of the 4 concepts they have been focusing on for the past couple of weeks: Staccato, Legato, Piano and Forte. Students worked together in small groups to create a rhythm that included these as seen below…

3/4CJ and 3/4MN were very happy with their performances and commented that different groups found creative and unique ways to incorporate Staccato, Legato, Piano and Forte into their rhythms!

This week the R/1 students learnt an Easter song and played a game using Egg Shakers. Students needed to pass the Egg Shaker around the circle to the beat of the song. When the song finished, everyone needed to put their hands behind their back and the “Easter Bunny” in the middle had to guess who had the Egg Shaker!

The “Easter Bunnies” from R/1EC and R/1DT used their listening skills to try and hear where in the circle the Egg Shaker could be! Below are the words to the song so that you can have a go at singing it at home.

The Easter Bunny Song:

The Easter Bunny told me,

He hid an egg for me,

I think I know where to find it,

Now it’s time to see!

ONE… TWO… THREE!

This week, the students from 3/4CP and 3/4ZS learnt about staccato and legato (short and long sounds) and how to use different instruments to create these sounds.

Staccato = Music that is “detached” or “separated” (short sounds)

Legato = Music that “ties” or “flows” together (long sounds)

The students from 3/4CP and 3/4ZS worked together to find ways to incorporate staccato and legato into their music using many different types of instruments!

This week, the year 3/4 students have continued learning how to incorporate dynamics (piano and forte) into their music.

= LOUD

= SOFT

Students from 3/4EH and 3/4CM had a go at playing rhythms that were created by other groups. The students commented that it was a challenge to try and learn another groups rhythm however they enjoyed watching other groups play their rhythm!

Below are some of the rhythms that the students created – can you see how each group used piano and forte differently?

The year 2 students have become very confident in their ability to create rhythms using “Ta” and “Ti-Ti”. They have now began incorporating dynamics (loud and soft) into these rhythms and have been using coloured ‘radio cards’ to help visualise this.

Large blue radio = Loud music

Small orange radio = Soft music

Students arranged these cards to represent loud and soft within their rhythm:

Here are some students from 2RN and 2HQ practicing and performing their rhythms using dynamics!

This week the year 3/4’s have started learning about dynamics in Music. Dynamics tell us whether to play Music loud (forte) or soft (piano). Without dynamics, all Music would be the same volume!

= LOUD

= SOFT

Students from 3/4DP came up with creative ways to use piano and forte within a rhythm and were able to carefully select percussion instruments to perform these rhythms to the class!

This week, the R/1 classes had a go at playing a rhythm as a class. Each group joined in one at a time with a focus on timing. Students had to really concentrate to make sure they were playing their rhythm in time with their group!

Classes have been using percussion instruments such as Castanets, Egg Shakers, Guiros, Finger Cymbals and Rhythm Sticks to play different rhythms over the past couple of weeks. Students from R/1MR and R/1JM focused on the rhythm “Ti-Ti Ti-Ti Ta Ta” this week and some students even had a go at leading the rhythm on the Drums!