Welcome to our music site! Music is an integral part of education. There are many studies that show students who study music score better on standardized tests. Students who study music are better at reasoning, and high order thinking. Here in Plainfield we understand that music is important to our children's growth as learners.
Music at Shepard Hill includes general music. All students grades K-3 receive general music instruction. This general music includes singing, instrument playing, dancing, listening, games as well as instruction on music reading. You can check this page each month to see what we are learning! .
Kindergarten children are working on keeping the beat. We have been keeping the beat with our bodies as well as on several music instruments. We have been echoing tone patterns and rhythm patterns. Children sang a part of the Bus Song by themselves! We just started talking about brass instruments. This week we learned our first music sign. Genny G clef! We are on our way to reading music
First graders have been echoing tone patterns and rhythm patterns but we use the grown up names for them. We are also working on the brass family and look forward to seeing some in person. We know how to read several music signs and keep adding more. We can clap music rhythms written on the board. WE recently took a test on the difference between steady beat and no steady beat.
Second grade students worked on keeping the beat in our heels so that our hands are free to clap a rhythm. We will be taking a test on the beat verses the rhythm. We can hear the difference and see the difference. We can keep the beat so we are working on playing patterns on instruments while we sing.
Third grade students have been working on ostinato. An ostinato is a repeated pattern that can be sung or played while the song is going on. Using an ostinato is a way to create harmony. The students played ostinatos and they are writing their own to play. We are working on being able to identify the tone color. Tone color is the special sound that is made by the object, it is what you hear! We are becoming independent musicians and reading the music to be able to perform it. No more having a recording or a person sing it first, we can read it!