The kindergarten students have been extending their understanding of moving to a beat this week. We listened to an extract from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. In the ballet the toy soldiers march and the toy mice scurry around. Each child had to listen and identify when each character moved. Students were then given the task of choosing instruments that would compliment the characters.
Moving like the mice in the story.
For the soldiers, students chose the drums and rhythm sicks. The shakers were chosen to play the role of the toy mice. I was impressed how the students could listen to each part of the ballet and and move independently.
Kindergarten students are taking care of each other and respecting the instruments. 
The students are keeping the beat using the drums and shakers.
Students studying the ukulele in Grade 4 were able to play a song using the open strings of G C E A. The song is called My Dog has Fleas and was a lot of fun to pay.
Grade 5 wrote some great lyrics for a blues song. We learnt the 12 bar blues structure and how to rhyme certain words. Grade 6 enjoyed the rhythms of Samba by taking part in a call and response activity.
Have a great week,
Mike