Mrs. Paynes Music Notes

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Mrs. Paynes Music Notes
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Kindergarten Music Activities
Welcome to Jack Barnes Elementary. The music
curriculum here will have your child singing,
dancing, trying out musical instruments, and
keeping time with the beat. Your child will
start the year off moving to the beat at
different tempos, try playing different rhythm
instruments, and begin working on good breath
control and posture for singing. Your child will
learn traditional folk songs, musical games, and
many poems.
You can help reinforce the lessons your child is
learning by drawing attention to the sounds you
hear throughout the day. For example, really
listen to your windshield wipers, a train passing
by, and music on the radio. Is the tempo fast or
slow? How can you and your child move to keep a
steady beat with that sound?
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1st Grade Music Activities
The sounds of music are all around. Does your
child enjoy imitating voices, tea kettles, and
train engines or does your child enjoy rhyming
and singing? This year, the 1st graders will
learn to distinguish between long and short
sounds. They will learn to recognize the
variation of these sounds in their environment
for example, the long sound of the trains
choo-choo versus the short sound of fingers
snapping. Your child will also learn the
difference between high and low sounds, how to
describe sounds and match them to pictures. They
will learn about tone color, and will perform
different voice functions speaking, singing,
whispering, and calling. Encourage your child to
identify the different sounds heard at the
playground, in your home, on the radio, or while
shopping. Ask questions about the sounds, such
as Is that sound long or short, loud or soft,
high or low? Help your child have fun as he or
she explores the music and sounds around you.
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2nd Grade Music Activities

• Your 2nd grader will continue to
• learn new skills and concepts to
• form the foundation for a lifetime
• of musical enjoyment.
• Your child will start the year off
• learning some basics about
• beat, rhythm, and melody,
• including the pitches mi and so.
• We will also explore loud and soft
• sounds and the tone colors of
• different instruments.
• I am here to help your child find his or her
  place in a musical world.

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3rd Grade Music Activities

• Your 3rd grader will continue to learn new skills
  and concepts to form the foundation for a
  lifetime of musical enjoyment.
• Your child will start the year off learning to
  play a movement game with music. We will also
  explore the concepts of rhythm
• and beat, learn how rhythm is written in
  musical pieces by using a staff with measures,
  notes, and rests.
• Listening to and singing melodies from different
  cultures will serve as an introduction to pitch
  (do, re, and mi) and to the special sounds of
  various instruments.

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4th Grade Music Activities
Your 4th grader will continue to learn new skills
and concepts to form the foundation for a
lifetime of musical expression and
enjoyment. Your child will start the year off
learning about the beat, rhythm, pitch, melody,
and meter signatures. We will also learn about
melodies and will be able to recognize phrases
and forms in songs from around the world.
Attending concerts and listening with your child
to different types of music will reinforce key
concepts.
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Jack Barnes Choir
We will be starting our after school choir this
year on Monday, September 14th. The choir will
rehearse every Monday starting at 300 p.m. and
ending at 400 p.m. All 3rd and 4th grade
students are invited to participate in the choir.
If your child is interested in being a member of
the Jack Barnes Choir, please make sure to fill
out a Choir form. This year the choir will be
performing a Christmas Concert at the annual
Queen Creek Lighting of the Tree. We will also be
performing a musical on May 4th at the Performing
Arts Center. I hope to see everyone there. Have a
great year!