2nd & 3rd

Music notation is made up of symbols that represent sound.

We used an app from QuaverEd.com called Furcussion to create original rhythms, then 

students got to share them on the big board. 

Furcussion represents:

 one measure of music

each turtle shell is one beat

Each animal represents how beats can be subdivided into sounds, and also uses different timbres

Vocabulary words:

timbre (tone color) = the unique sound of a voice or instrument

measure = how beats are grouped (see duple and triple meter for Measuring Music below)

beat = the pulse of the music

rhythm = patterns of long/short, sound/silence in music

quarter notes = one sound per beat = Beaver (Drum) and Squirrel (Woodblock)

paired eighth notes = two sounds per beat = Snake (shaker) and Bunny (stomping)

sixteenth note sets = four sounds per beat = Raccoon (clapping)

quarter rests = Any animal sleeping = one beat of rest

tempo = the speed of the beat

largo = slow

andante = walking speed

moderato = medium

Measuring Music

An activity to prepare for division, which includes 

finding the strong beats and weak beats in music and grouping them into measures 

Students observe that some numbers are not evenly divisible and have remainders

Students drew 10 dots on their paper, then listened to examples 

from Quaver's Find that Beat to determine the meter of each selection.

1. meter = groups of beats
2. duple meter = groups of 2 (the prefix du = 2, duplex, dual, etc.)
3. triple meter = groups of 3 (the prefix tri = 3, triangle, triceratops, tricycle, etc.)
4. strong beat = the first beat in a measure
5. weak beat = any beat after the strong beat

                                  

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Many families at SPARK celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival that originated in India,

 which falls on October 20 this year.

We observed patterns of beats and movement (Math) and Elements of Dance 

to learn this song and dance in AB form (two distinct sections that repeat)

MGSE2.OA.3 Determine whether a group of objects (up to 20) has an odd or even number of members, e.g., by pairing objects or counting them by 2s; write an equation to express an even number as a sum of two equal addends.

For this activity we counted movement patterns in quadruple meter (groups of 4s), 

then determined how many sets occur before the second pattern begins.

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2024-2025

Second graders discussed hibernation, migration, and why leaves fall, then created an autumn scene with their team representing different events of the season.

S2L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the life cycles of different living organisms. a. Ask questions to determine the sequence of the life cycle of common animals in your area: a mammal such as a cat, dog or classroom pet.

During STEAM week my friend ASO bass player and composer Michael Kurth came during Music class to talk to the kids about how he uses technology in composition and showed some instruments he's invented.

   

From spring 2024 Dynamics Lesson using Growing Up by The Linda Lindas For Administrative Assistants' Day (Mrs. Dease and Mrs. Taylor)