Week of 11/2 - 11/6:

3rd grade - This week, we will begin learning our spring program music.  After warming up with vocalises, we will discuss the rhythmic figures, form, and words included in our performance pieces.  Be ready to sing!

4th grade - Congratulations on a fabulous performance at our program Tuesday night.  I am so proud of you!  This week, we will continue our musical studies by learning, counting, and clapping common-time rhythmic figures.  These rhythmic figures will include whole, half, dotted-half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes, as well as whole, half, and quarter rests.

5th grade - This week, after warming up with vocalises, we will continue studying musical concepts associated with our December concert music.  We will focus on learning the words and instrumental portions of "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "Where Are You Christmas".  Make sure you bring a flashlight to music class a.s.a.p!  Also, your recorder money ($2.50) was due Friday, October 30th.  If you have not yet brought your money to class, do so a.s.a.p.

Pegasus - 3rd and 4th grade Pegasus students meet from 9:35 - 10:35 on Wednesdays in the music room.  This week in Pegasus, we will continue constructing our "If You Give A....." personalized books.  We will be using our typed text and pictures to form the pages of our books.  This assignment coincides with our descriptive writing unit.

Rebel Clef Honor Choir - We will rehearse this Tuesday, November 3rd, from 3-4 in the music room.  We will be rehearsing music for our upcoming Veteran's Day and Retired Teachers Banquet performances.  Please return your Veteran's Day performance permission slip to me by Tuesday, November 10th.  If I don't receive your permission slip, you will not be allowed to perform!!

Honor Choir Dancers - We will have dance practice this Thursday, November 5th, from 3-4 in the music room.  Make sure you have a ride at 4:00.

08/17/09 - Welcome to Music at West Elementary! It's going to be a great year! We will be learning many special musical skills, and will be studying lots of fun and diverse musical subjects. My hope for my students this year is that I instill in them not only a love of music, but a desire to participate in musical groups at the middle and high school settings.

Every student will be involved in a music program. This year, the fourth grade students will perform Tuesday, October 27th, the fifth grade and Rebel Clef Choir will perform Thursday, December 10th, and the third grade students will perform Thursday, March 18th (mark your calendars now!!).  This year, we will also have a 5th grade recorder concert Monday, May 10th at 6:00 p.m. in the high school field house.  All other above mentioned programs will be held in the West Elementary White Gym, starting at 6:00 p.m.  I will be sending home memos regarding these performances at a later date.  Each student will have a very special role in the performance, for participation in programs will be included as part of your child's semester music grade.

As mentioned above, we will have a select, audition-only honor choir, the Rebel Clef honor choir. This choir is going to consist of a select group of fourth and fifth grade students who enjoy and have a strong interest in music, and who are leaders both in and outside the music classroom. Membership of this choir requires the student to audition; this audition will occur within the first few weeks of school. Interested students can complete their audition both before and/or after school, as well as during recess time. Membership of this choir requires members to attend a one-hour, after school rehearsal once a week. Tentative performances of the choir include an appearance at the Veteran's Day Banquet, Leadington Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, fifth grade music program in December, December performances at local nursing homes, and performing at the elementary choir festival at Mineral Area College this Spring.

If enrolled in a third or fourth grade Pegasus (gifted)class, we will complete many enrichment projects, including an "About Me" pamphlet demonstrating our personal interests and/or hobbies, a "Million Dollar Project" that requires us to determine how we would each spend one million dollars, budget our money, and rationalize our spending decisions, as well as many other projects that enrich the elementary curriculum.

Again, welcome to my music classroom. This should be a very memorable and rewarding year for all. If there are any questions or concerns, feel free to call or email me. I look forward to working with each and every student here at West Elementary, and to teaching the joys of music.

~Ms. Parks~