It's true! Studies have found that singing in a group can provide so many benefits. It's an ancient activity that has happened for various reasons in every corner of the world, in all cultures. What comes to mind initially when thinking about communal singing, group singing for religious reasons. But just take a moment and think about all of the other times humans sing together--sporting events, celebrations, stadium concerts, campgrounds, birthday parties, etc. Do you ever see people looking sad when singing together? Rare. That's because singing in a group creates so many side effects within our bodies. Singing has been proven to help memory, speech and language skills, mood and feelings of happiness, health, and a sense of connectivity and belonging.
After choir rehearsal kids leave the music room happy, bonded, awake and ready to start their school day. The students really seem like a large group of good friends after singing together, even though they don't all know one another, They are a team. Choir is a group activity where everyone is equally important., With the new late start time at our school, why not come early one day a week and do something for yourself by singing together? Chances are, you will be a happier and healthier that day! If you want to know more about the science behind singing together click on the box below to read an interesting article: complimentary recorders for all 4th Grade music students, and 5th graders new to the district6/23/2019
The first thing new 4th graders say when they walk into music class is, "when do we get our recorders?" It's like everyone's birthday at once on the day recorders arrive. Every 4th grade student in the Mounds View School District receives a free recorder-- compliments of the school district--and it is theirs to keep and use throughout 4th and 5th grade. Recorders are inexpensive and easy to play. They are a vital part of our 4th and 5th grade music curriculum to teach students how to improvise on an instrument, read notes on a music staff, and add new parts to ensembles we play in class. It is a great precursor to playing band instruments in 5th grade and also helps new 4th grade orchestra students practice their music literacy skills. Playing the recorder also helps students to comprehend pitch better, and how the organization of pitch can form melodies. Fourth and fifth grade students... you are required to bring recorders to every music class. It is good to learn to be responsible for this and remember what day music class is. I'm sharing a great video with you to help learn and practice your new instrument at home! Please take time to watch it once you have your recorder. It's a great review for 5th grade students too! Most students at Turtle Lake are very excited for 4th grade music class in the fall because that is when they get to start learning the recorder. All 4th grade students in the Mounds View School District are given a brand new Yamaha recorder, purchased by the district. The recorder is theirs to keep and is used in the music curriculum all through 4th and 5th grade. New students entering 5th grade who do not have a recorder from their previous school, are also given a recorder to use for the year. Students are expected to be responsible for this instrument gift, and bring it to every music class. It is a good to keep it in their backpacks so they are able to play it at home, but also to have it with them at school when music class rolls around. If students lose their recorder that was given to them, they are able to purchase a new one from me for a very minimal price, or may choose borrow a used one that was donated by previous students. The recorder is a requirement and part of our curriculum in 4th and 5th grade music class. Recorders are used in most elementary music classes because they are a very easy and accessible instrument to play, regardless of skill level. Even physically or mentally disabled children sometimes can have fun trying to breathe into a recorder and make sounds. Recorders are used as a hands-on tool for for learning music literacy (reading notes on the staff) and also for children to use improvisation to create their own melodies and explore their own imaginations. This is a primary philosophy of the Orff Schulwerk approach developed by the German composer, Carl Orff and his colleague Guild Keetman. This is the primary approach used in my classroom. I will discuss it more in depth in a future blog. For now, let's just focus on these new instruments! Here is a list of beginning tips to remember when starting to play the recorder: 1. Posture: Sit up straight and make sure you can flap your wings-- in other words, don't rest your arms on your legs.
2. Hand Position--left hand on top, right hand on bottom. 3. Fingers--use your finger print to cover the holes, not finger tips. 4. Breath--soft, continuous breath--like a sigh. Separate notes by saying the syllable "do", so your tongue touches the roof of your mouth behind your teeth. 5. Embouchere--rest on your bottom lip and put just a tiny bit of mouthpiece in your mouth, keeping lips relaxed. Don't puff cheeks. |