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Grades 1 and 4 are preparing for their music program in March. This involves building our singing voice to sing well together, playing xylophones (grade 1), and recorders and ukuleles (grade 4.) We are especially enjoying the song Ear Worm.

Grades K and PK sang, played, and moved around the music room with music relating to snow and winter. We are thinking about high/ low and long/short.

Grade 2 played a fun rhythm game called Swat, sang a game song called El Floron, and figured out the rhythm of the song All Around the Buttercup. The highlight of grade 3 was dancing along with a song called Carima Rusa. We've learned a new rhythm where the beat is divided into three parts. We are learning how to read these new rhythms. Grade 5 worked on learning the song La Bamba in connection with our featured musician - Flor De Tolorache.

Fifth grade is working on a unit connecting the science of sound to musical instruments. Third grade will continue to work with rhythm as well reading pentatonic melodies. Second grade is learning about Native American culture through their musical traditions.

We welcome Ms. Morgan Brown to the music. Ms. Brown is a JMU music education student and will be student teaching at JCMES until March 7. Please check class newsletters and the school website for information about the dates of our March music programs. Our first and fourth grades dividing into two groups to present the program on two nights to allow enough room for our audience. Wednesday, March 20: Green, Boyer, Hatcher, and Clifford Thursday, March 21: Clarke, Bazzle, Grix, Shifflett A group of about 20 fifth graders have chosen to participate in our school musical which will be presented on April 18. Finally, we have learned about Flor De Tolorache, a mariachi based in New York and Sihasin, a brother and sister rock band from the Navajo Nation as we continue to learn about featured musicians.