John Kanaka

1st graders this week are learning the Sea Shanty called "John Kanaka." They do a double circle partner dance where the inside circle rotates after each verse!

Classroom Photos

It has been a while since I posted some photos of the music room. Here are some fresh photos!

Valentine's Day Rhythm Stations

1st graders are doing Valentine's Day themed stations this week in music. Each station helps them practice their rhythms (beat, beat-t, beat-e-t-a, rest). We did 5 stations total and had lots of fun!

Mrs. Dorazio's students clapping a long rhythm

One student plays the secret Valentine rhythm and others guess what number it was.

Students roll the rhythm dice and then notate the rhythm using popsicle sticks.

Students draw a Valentine word and students decide what rhythm matches it.

Grade 2 Cultures

Grade 2 recently learned about many different cultures in their classrooms. Now they are learning about the music in those cultures in music class!

First students learned about Brazil, then Greece.

Below is a video from a Greek Children's Game we played called, in English, "Where is the Ring?" A student walks around the circle during the song and secretly drops the ring into a student's hands. Then someone must guess who has the ring.

DeLuca's Class

Sleigh Ride Grade 1

1st graders have been learning about the American composer Leroy Anderson. He was born close by, in Cambridge, MA!

Last week we danced to Bugler's Holiday.

This week we learned a cup game to Sleigh Ride and played the rhythm sticks after.

Staulcup's Class Rhythm Sticks

McEachern's Class Rhythm Sticks

Yurick's Class Rhythm Sticks

Winter Concert was a Blast!

What a fun concert! Students shined bright last Thursday, December 7th, at the annual Mitchell School Winter Concert. Grades K/1 performed their concert “One Snowman, Two!” and grades 2/3 performed their concert “Spirit of the Season.”

We had a great turnout with Shapleigh’s gymnasium stuffed to the brim! Thank you parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and more who made it out to celebrate music in our school.  Thank you Mitchell staff for all your help making this concert possible!

Grades K and 1 performed three songs together. One of the songs, “Hanukkah is Here,” featured one soloist from each 1^st grade class. Kindergarteners performed “Mittens and Gloves” all by themselves and enjoyed their first Mitchell Concert experience! 1^st graders performed two songs by themselves: “Red and Green” using red and green plastic plates, and “Listen to the Jingles” using the jingle bells.

Grades 2 and 3 also performed three songs together, two of which are from the popular holiday movie, The Polar Express. Grade 2 showcased the boomwhackers in two holiday songs. Grade 3 performed two pieces that were quite difficult- they sounded wonderful! The first was “Christmas Wish” featuring two soloists from each 3^rd grade class. The second was “Rock the Hall” which had lots of words and dance moves. Many students’ favorite piece was the last song of the concert- “Hot Chocolate.” 2^nd and 3^rd graders got to “compete” back and forth singing and dancing to the opposing grade. So much fun!

Here are the video recordings of the concert!

GRADES K/1:

One Snowman Two

https://vimeo.com/246960080

GRADES 2/3:

Spirit of the season

vimeo.com/246961376

Happy Holidays!

Mrs. D’Arezzo

Winter Concert Tomorrow!

Our Winter Concert is tomorrow: Thursday, December 7th! Grades K/1 at 6 PM and grades 2/3 at 7 PM in the Shapleigh Middle School gymnasium. Shuttle busses running from the Kittery Trading Post starting at 5:30 PM and running throughout the evening.

Here's my festive door this year, featuring the Kindergarten song, "Mittens and Gloves." Come and see it performed live tomorrow!