3/24/20

Hello Musical Friends – I miss making music with you all very much! Here are some suggestions to engage your child at home with music, family music history and music engagement. Hope you and your family are well during this difficult time – Musically yours, Mrs. Renauld

Online Suggestions for this week:

PK – 6        Chrome Music Lab – Try out the first two

CHROME MUSIC LAB: SONG MAKER

To make a song, add notes by clicking the grid. Then, share your song with a link. You can also use a MIDI keyboard or sing a note into your mic.  You can also use your computer keys. Press the arrow keys to move, enter and backspace to add and remove notes, and spacebar to play.

CHROME MUSIC LAB:RHYTHM

Rhythms are sound patterns in time. The most common rhythms repeat every four beats but it can also be every three, five, six or more. Click on the grid to build your own rhythms and experiment with the three different sounds offered for rhythm.

 

Here are some off line ideas for all student ages for this week::

• Interviews: Have students interview family members about their musical backgrounds and interests. What is their favorite song right now and why? What instruments do they play? What does music mean to them? Who are their favorite artists? Students can record the responses they get and also answer the questions themselves.
• Instrument invention: Have students invent a new instrument. They could draw a picture of it and describe how it is played, how it’s constructed, and what it sounds like, or they could make one out of recycled materials.
• Hand-washing dance choreography: Have students choreograph a short dance routine incorporating the different ways we’re recommended to wash our hands (scrubbing nails, between fingers, etc). Check out this one for inspiration.
• Listening log: Have students write down music that they hear each day. Depending on the age, they can also record information about the songs, like the title/artist, genre, mood, time signature, tempo, instrumentation, etc., or they could draw a picture in response to the music.
• Singing log: Have students write down songs that they sing each day. They can sing along with a recording, sing by themselves, or sing with their family.
• Soundtrack of my life: Have students create an imaginary album that shows who they are. They can make a list of song titles, and for each song describe the music—this could be done either by asking students to come up with their own imaginary songs or by having students find existing songs that would describe aspects of their personality/life. Students could also design an album cover to go with it, write liner notes, etc.
• Instrumental / choral practice: Of course, if students have sheet music for choir songs, instrumental method books, recorder music, etc., then they can practice their music! Include tips for independent practicing, fingering charts, etc., to help students maintain productive practice.