Learning the Love of Music

It’s been a bustling and busy half-term in the Music Room. The children have been learning to play different instruments, how to read and write music, and exploring how to move to music. 

Every Toddler Music class includes 3 key elements: singing, exploring musical instruments, and moving to music. Each lesson includes circle songs, where students copy actions and can join in singing back to Ms. Liz, and “songtales,” where they listen to a musical story. Songtales are a great way to wind down after an energetic class! The children have also enjoyed being introduced to a variety of different instruments, and are starting to develop favourites. We have also been exploring movement through steady-beat songs (pictured above as the children use a hula hoop to move together), action songs, and dancing. We certainly have a lot of fun listening and moving to music from all over the world. 

Kindergarten students have just begun learning how to read and write using musical notation. They have been having lots of fun creating their own rhythms to perform with their friends and to show to the class.  

Grade One students have been learning about the instruments of the orchestra, through the story of Peter and the Wolf. They have enjoyed getting to know the characters and the instruments, and even acting it out with stick puppets.  

Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary students have been excitedly preparing dances for a special Folk-Dance Event on March 19^th. Please watch out for it; we hope families and friends will be able to come and learn how to do some of the dances! The students have really enjoyed this unit and are eager to share what they have learned with others. Some classes have deftly balanced this study of folk-dance with their concurrent unit on instruments, as they explore African Drumming, Steel Pan, recorder, and keyboards!