"We Will Jingle" by Teresa Jennings is a HUGE Hit!

Playing the Jingle Bells with it is a lot of fun!!

Mrs. Mohns' class demonstrates!

The Role Music Plays in Movies....2nd Grade

2nd graders participated in a great discussion about how music has a starring role in movies and can even give us clues of what is going to happen!  We then experienced Igor Stravinsky's Firebird as background music for Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are, and how it is portrayed in Fantasia 2000 in a very different story.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice in First Grade

The First graders have had a wonderful time watching the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" from Fantasia 2000, and then acting out the story taking on the roles of the Sorcerer, the Apprentice, the main Broom, and the Broom Army! They have enjoyed learning how music can "tell the story" with the images and no dialogue.

Music Fun This Week

The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas is one of my very favorites. I am excited to share it with the 1st Graders (and 2nd graders who didn't experience it last year). I will read the story from a book that was my dad's (when he was a little boy) and play the music in the background. Then we will watch the video clip on Fantasia 2000 and even act out the story with the music.

Kindergarten Kids are finishing up the Carnival of the Animals with a video set in a zoo with live orchestra and animals.  2nd Graders are moving on to Stravinky's Firebird Suite with the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and video clip on Fantasia 2000.


Music That Tells A Story is such a fun unit for me to teach!  :)

Music That Tells A Story

During the month of December all LLE music students will be experiencing how music can be used to tell a story.
Kindergarten will be exploring the Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens. It is a collection of short pieces that represent animals. Children will learn about Camille Saint Saens, recognize the animal from the music played and even move like that animal! They will also be bringing home a coloring book so that they can show off their new knowledge!

First Grade will have two selections:  Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg and The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas. Activities will include books, videos, recognizing instruments by sound, and movement.

Second Grade will experience Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. It will be a great review of the instruments they learned about in September, and activities will include books, videos, a word search, and an analysis of the music. Second Graders will also learn how Stravinsky's Firebird can tell the story of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and be depicted in Fantasia 2000 as well.

"This is America" video clips

 This banner was created by Mrs. Michelle Klopp and 2nd grade Art students!

I am so incredibly proud of my 2nd graders!  They gave me, as promised, two awesome performances of "This is America" a musical revue by Teresa Jennings (added songs by Teresa Jennings and John Riggio) Plank Road Publishing Company.
All images and music intended for educational purposes only.

Please enjoy the video clips of each program song!

 

This is America by Teresa Jennings
Special thanks to Mr. Ron Buttchen and Mr. Ron DeKelver for presenting the colors.

I Love My Country by Teresa Jennings
Mrs. Bjugstad's class

All American Me & You  by Teresa Jennings
Mrs. Beedle's class

Abraham by Teresa Jennings
Mrs. Wade's class

American Tears by Teresa Jennings
Mr. Marty's class

Everyday Heroes by Teresa Jennings
Mrs. Sendelbach's class

Mighty United by Teresa Jennings
Mrs. Jeremiason's class

Lady Liberty by John Riggio
Mrs. Ross' class

 

Agents of Change by Teresa Jennings

Mrs. Oakeson's class

The Lights of Freedom by Teresa Jennings

Mrs. Mohns' class

We Are the People of the 21st Century by Teresa Jennings

With Heartfelt Thanks!

A version of this video will be shown during the song "American Tears" by Teresa Jennings in our program "This is America" Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 1:30 and 7:00 PM.
It is to honor 2nd grade families with loved ones who have served, or are serving our country in one of the branches of the military.

This is the final revised version for families to access as much as you'd like! 

Final Sneak Peek Video before Performance Day!

Video has proven to be a wonderful tool in preparation for this program!
I hope you enjoy this final sneak peek and we can't wait for the real performances on Thursday, November 17 at 1:30 and 7:00 PM!  Join us in the Evansville High School Performing Arts Center!

More 2nd grade Sneak Peeks

This is the graphic (designed by our talented art teacher, Mrs. Michelle Klopp) that will be on the t-shirts for "This is America".  Excitement continues to build as we are nearing the final rehearsals and performances! Many hours of dedicated practice go into these productions. The students memorize all eleven songs and the actions that accompany them. They work hard on speaking parts and vocal solos. I am so very proud of all of them, and am thrilled to be able to use video to track their progress and growth!

Slideshow for "This is America"

My father in law, Vernon Kellen, served in the Navy during WWII. I have always been thankful that he and so many others serve our country to protect our freedom.
Many of the 2nd graders have told me that they have family members who have either served in the military in the past or are serving now. I thought it would be especially meaningful to make a slideshow featuring those students and their family members to be included in our program.
I sent an email through the message center to all 2nd grade families and have already received a few photos digitally!  I'd like to have all the photos by November 7 if possible, to give me plenty of time to put the slideshow together!  :)

"This is America" 2nd Grade Program is in Rehearsals!

2nd graders from Mrs. Beedle's class are working hard on our program songs!

EXCITEMENT is building for the 2nd grade program "This is America"by Teresa Jennings. The program will have two performances, both on November 17, 2011 at 1:30 and 7:00 PM in the Evansville High School Performing Arts Center.  T-Shirt order forms will be sent home and we'd like to have them back before October 24. The t-shirt is part of the "costume" for our production, will cost $5 and be your child's to keep.  Scripts and solo parts will be sent home soon for students to be practicing outside of music class.
I have gotten goosebumps on a number of occasions during rehearsals... the talent and hearts of these singers are wonderful to experience!
Here is a sneak peek at Mrs. Sendelbach's class song, "Everyday Heroes" by Teresa Jennings. Enjoy it and mark your calendar for the November 17 performances!

Music Critics

The 2nd grade classes role-played as music critics, listening carefully to three songs from last year's 2nd grade program and determining how well they could understand the speakers' and singers' words.
We then talked about how we can improve OUR upcoming performance by using good enunciation (new word we discussed). We are in the early stages of preparation for the Nov. 17 program "This is America".

I will be having the kids experience auditions for speaking and singing roles in their featured class song. This connects to real life experiences for the kids, and has been successful in previous years. Enthusiasm is running pretty high!