Welcome to Music at St. Francis Xavier School!

Kindergarten has enjoyed a wide variety of music.  While we still sprinkle in some familiar rhyming songs (which are great for body movement and creating rhyming lyrics), we spend more time on steady beat, rhythm patterns and dynamics while singing.  Instrument days are indeed favorites!  They are experiencing their "star rewards" parties for good behavior and are pretty excited.

First graders have begun reading songs. We spend lots of time on rhythm patterns and are now writing and clapping these, as well as making up their own themes. We are learning our Lent songs by reading and clapping rhythms as opposed to echoing; they have had wonderful attentiveness this month!

Second graders can be heard telling one another, "Pianissimo!" to urge their neighbor(s) to quite down. We are focusing on dynamics (loud and soft, or fortissimo and pianissimo for you Italian speakers).  They really enjoy music and often request to sing their favorite of the day to Mrs. Bearson, as a surprise.

Grade three has delighted both themselves and me by learning a German folksong...IN GERMAN, singing it as a round, and remembering all of the words and parts a week later. 

Fourth grade is spending time on syncopated, or uneven, rhythm patterns, accenting weak beats and dotting (elongating) note patterns.  They are getting pretty good at identifying these patterns.

The theme for the fifth grade is beginning harmony.  We are doing several, "partner songs," which stand alone, but sound great when sung together, or are overlapped.

Recorders have been the sixth grade rage in music.  We have accomplished learning the entire scale (encourage them to bring them home, even five minutes a day!), which is no small feat.  they are sticking with it and we are now learning familiar tunes.

Overall, our "star rewards" days have been a huge hit.  As behavior continues to improve, the stars are piling up faster and the rewards are coming more quickly.  Our reward days, or "Star Party Days" always include a learning game regarding aspects of music- rhythms, genres, note names, etc... The students encourage each other to behave in order to accumulate points.  My goal is that every eight days, each class gets their good behavior reward- it's good, fun learning for the students!