February 19, 2013

Grade 6:
Our goals for this week are to continue our singing of the Quebec folk song "J'entends Le Moulin" and add a multi-layered ostinato to it.

During our first class of the week, students will complete any remaining performances of solos for "Mei Ming". Marks will be shared with students. We will review "J'entends Le Moulin" and work on singing in tune with a light head tone. We will discuss the types of sounds which might be used as an accompaniment. Students will take turns improvising ostinati and singing the first 4 or 5 verses of the song.

During our second class of the week, students will begin a new choral song (which is a spiritual) called "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel". We will discuss the social and historical context for this song.

Grade 7:
This is practise week 4 in term 2.  Students should be practising twice this week outside of class and have 6 signatures on their Practise Record Sheet. Our goals for this week are to complete performances of duets and pentatonic groups, and to begin learning about the elements of music. We will focus on texture, tempo, dynamics, and timbres/tone colours.

During our first class of the week, students will receive a packet of information about the elements of music. Referring to their information packet, students will be asked to describe the texture tempo, dynamics, and timbres/tone colours of "Terpsichord Musarum" which was composed in the 1400s. They will perform song 46 in their book which was composed in the same era. For homework, students will answer the following question in their journals:
     Using musical terminology about the elements of music, describe the differences between 
     Renaissance dance music and the dance music we hear today.

During our second class of the week, students will be asked to share their journal question with the class, and the will review song 46. Any remaining duets or pentatonic performances will be performed.

Homework: Song 46 and journal question #2 above.

Grade 8:
This is practise week 4 in term 2.  Students should be practising twice this week outside of class. Our goals for this week are to demonstrate our musicianship by performing "Crusade" for a mark, and begin our incidental music composing project.

During our first class of the week, Students will be introduced to the incidental music composing project  by watching a short youtube video, They will discuss the message and elements, and then experiment with creating incidental music using a drone, rhythmic riff and melody.

During our second class of the week, students will continue any testing not completed during our first class.

Homework: prepare for the Crusade test.