Principal Denise Schwartz welcomes you aboard the H.R.R. Downes: Honesty, Respect, Responsibility
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Music
Each 3rd grader will receive a recorder to keep forever! The recorder is a member of the woodwind family and closely related to flutes. In class we will learn recorder playing technique and how to fix common playing mistakes and of course, we will also learn songs. Parents, please encourage your child to practice 3 times each week for about 10-15 minutes per practice. Please remind them that the recorder is a soft sounding instrument. Please do not allow them to make loud, squealing, whistling sounds with their recorder. They should practice their fingerlings and songs. Please help your child be responsible and remind them to practice and bring the recorder on music day. Your child must take care of it and keep it safe. They will play it in 4th and 5th grade too. The first recorder is free. If your child loses his or her recorder, you will be expected to buy another from a local music store. If your child forgets his or her recorder on music day, they will receive a consequence equal to their homeroom consequence for not bringing in homework. If it happens more than 3 times, there will be an additional consequence and a parent contact. I hope your child enjoys learning to play this fun instrument. I hope you will encourage your child to play for you. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at ambrosinoj@christina.k12.de.us. Musically yours, Mr. Joe Ambrosino 
Create and share your own interactive stories, games, music, and art with Scratch (parent permission required to download) http://scratch.mit.edu/. Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art — and share your creations on the web. As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, with financial support from the National Science Foundation, Microsoft, Intel Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Google, Iomega and MIT Media Lab research consortia.
At the beginning of the school year, these students were given materials to review and/or learn, including a recorder fingering chart and a study paper that shows the pitches (letter names of the notes) of the treble staff. Many fourth and fifth grade students did not accept the responsibility to review or learn this material. This is creating problems in music class. Here is a list of responsibilities for all students in my fourth and fifth grade general music classes. Please review this with your child. Remember that each child signed an Excellence Pledge and agreed to try his or her best.
The Music ProgramIn general music class, my students sing, play instruments, listen to music, move to music, and learn about music history and the music of other people and places. In 1st grade, students learn how to develop their singing voice. They learn the names of every percussion instrument in the music room, and how to play them. They learn about music fundamentals like high/low, fast/slow, beat/no beat, and others. They learn about different styles of music from different cultures and countries around the world. In 2nd grade, students build on the knowledge they learned in first grade. They learn how to use the different instruments to create their own musical compositions. They learn about musical form and style. They learn how to create musical sound effects to enhance stories, folk tales, and poems. They learn how to create simple melodies and ways to accompany these melodies. They also learn to read and write rhythmic patterns in "blank" notation. In 3rd grade, students build on the knowledge learned the previous years and they begin their formal training in music reading and notation. Each 3rd grader receives a recorder (song flute) and learns the rudiments of the instrument. This helps to prepare them to play a band or orchestra instrument in 4th grade, if they choose. They also learn to read and write rhythmic patterns using traditional musical notation. To comply with accountability, I have developed a 3rd grade music achievement test. The test is designed to measure multiple intelligence. Students must demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of musical facts. They must apply and synthesize this knowledge into several examples of musical composition. In 4th grade, students continue to develop their knowledge of music. They continue with more advanced lessons on the recorder. They can participate in small and/or select groups both vocally and on instruments. (Separate programs directed by other teachers are available for small group instruction in band and orchestra instruments). They continue to develop composition skills in a variety of styles, including the blues. 4th grade music students also learn to develop research questions about other cultures around the world. Working in teams, the students "adopt" a theme song from a world culture. They use classroom resources and the Internet to learn about the culture. They may correspond with another class using e-mail. Some 4th grade students will participate in a "Special" performance group. Members are invited to join this group if they have demonstrated exemplary musicianship on written musical tests and recorder performance test. Each fourth and fifth grade student should have a recorder from previous years at Downes. If your child is new this year to Downes, he or she was given a free recorder early in the school year. If your child loses his or her recorder, it is your responsibility to get a new one (information is available, please e-mail me). Note about 5th grade band or strings: I do not teach the band or strings program for 5th grade. If you need information concerning these programs please contact the 5th grade band teacher Brian Williams at williamsb1@Christina.k12.de.us or the strings teacher Mrs. Kiss at kisse1@christina.k12.de.us. Recitals and Other Musical EventsAll grade levels participate in recital programs throughout the year. In the fall, we study the music of Native Americans, the American harvest, and American Folk Music. This study culminates in the annual Barn Dance in the cafeteria. The barn dance is usually held the last week in October. It features square dancing, singing, and story telling. In December, we present the "Winter Sing-along". This informal program of cheery holiday songs has gotten so popular that it must be presented at the local High school. In February, I do a unit on Multicultural music, including the music of Africa, India, and the Far East. The students present the annual Chinese New Year parade complete with music and a 15-foot dragon. This alternates some years with a program of African Folk Tales brought to the stage with music and movement. In Spring, the students present a more formal recital of songs and instrumental pieces. Last year's program featured the debut of the Downes Blues Express, a mixed group of recorders, band, and orchestra instruments which played the 12 bar blues, compete with cool sunglasses.
More Music SitesChildren's Music Web
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John R. Downes Elementary School • 220 Casho Mill Road • Newark, DE 19711 • Tel. (302) 454-2133 | |||
