Orchard Eagles Music

Students are loving this fun version of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edward Greig.  You can pick any body percussion or instrument to match with the symbols. 

I'm looking forward to a great 2018-2019 school year at Orchard Elementary!  We're going to start the year with some Disney tunes.  Here is a preview: SEIZE THE DAY ZIP A DEE DOO DAH

As school closed this past month, we finished off learning this fantastic song on the hand bells:

This was a fun play-along for all grades this week:

A favorite song from this week - featuring the tin whistle.

Right now, Orchard's 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes are learning this bucket drumming routine.  You can click below to watch primary schools from New Zealand perform: This is a rhythm sheet showing the different rhythm patterns used.  This is a song map showing all three verses and the numbers of repetitions in each:

Music classes can earn reward days (20 minutes) with good behavior.  One of the options available to them is to watch music-based YouTube videos.  Several students have requested links to their favorite selections.  I've included some below: Beep Beep Like a Sheep: Trombone Joke: Star Wars cast with Jimmy Fallon: Minecraft Rap: The Duck Song: OK GO - Needing/Getting OK GO - The One Moment

Orchard 3rd and 4th graders are learning I Saw Three Ships.  Here are the different versions we've listened to: I Saw Three Ships by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir I Saw Three Ships by Sting I Saw Three Ships by Nat King Cole

The 5th and 6th graders are learning the French carol, Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella.  Here are the different versions we've listened to: Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella by Callie Moore Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella by Matthew Curtis

In addition to learning about Christmas music and traditions, we've been learning about Hanukkah.  I Have a Little Dreidel Here are the game instructions (you can purchase dreidels online and at many major retailers): RULES: Note:  You can use beans instead of chocolate (but it's not as fun!)

Here are some of the different versions of The Little Drummer Boy that 1st & 2nd grades have been listening to: Little Drummer Boy by the Harry Simeone Chorale Little Drummer Boy by Meannheim Steamroller Little Drummer by Toby Mac And this is the track that we're singing with: Remember to wait 2 times 8 counts at the beginning and between each verse!

This week we've learned a bit about the Peer Gynt Suite, specifically the story of "In the Hall of the Mountain King."  Here is the Line Rider Video: This is the version we heard in class.

Here are the three versions of Itsy Bitsy Spider from our music class this week.  We talked about the different characteristics of the music (fast/slow, piano/forte, staccato/legato?) and then the students expressed their opinions about which was their favorite and why. Go Fish: Carly Simon: Little Richard:

I've had several requests for this one.  This week, we've done scarf movement to The Syncopated Clock by LeRoy Anderson.  We specifically learned about the difference between staccato and legato. Here's a clip from youtube:

During the week of August 22 - 25, we had experiences with the following songs: All Grades: We found the "heartbeat" in the song, Can't Stop the Feeling.  We used body percussion to show that we could hear/feel the heartbeat.  Then we used classroom instruments to show that we could find the heartbeat. I have 600 names to learn.  The children  helped me out as we learned, "Here We Are Together" in grades 1 through 3.  Jump in, Jump out (below) was a fun way to learn more about the 4th through 6th grade students.