Recent ActivityClass Announcements Westridge Chorus performanceWestridge Chorus Musical
Our Westridge 4th and 5th grade chorus will be performing the musical, “Mr. Bell’s Magnificent Ringing Machine,” on Tuesday, June 7th at 7:00 PM. This musical is an upbeat, humorous, and informative presentation of the history and impact of the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell began his work to help the people who were hearing-impaired, but his telephone invention literally changed the way we communicate. We hope you can join us for an evening of good musical entertainment. PLAYING THE RECORDERImportant Reminders for Playing the Recorder 1. Left hand always goes on top (closest to your mouth) 2. Flat, straight fingers cover the holes better (not covering the holes completely will cause squeaks) 3. Use good posture when playing (sit up with a tall back) 4. “Flicker the flame” (gently blow so you don’t blow too hard; If you need help with fingerings (remembering where to put your finger for each note), check out this website: RECORDER TIMERecorders have arrived in the music room. Students have been asking since the beginning of the school year when we would start with recorders, and the time has finally come.
Students received their recorders the second week of January, but the snow days and delayed openings have slowed us down a bit. All students should have received some music to take home and practice if they would like. We will continue to work our music reading skills in the classroom, but some students may require a little extra work on their own time. I have begun testing some classes for the Recorder Karate program this week. Students who participated in the program last year will resume the level they were working on at the end of last school year. In the “Class Files” on this page, you can find and download the music for our Recorder Karate Level 1 songs. Due to copyright laws, I cannot post the music for the Level 2 songs, so students will have to get that music from me in class. Students are allowed to take their recorders home; HOWEVER, they have been told that they must bring their recorders to class each week because we will be focusing much of our instructional time on reading music and playing the recorder. When the students do not have a recorder to play, they cannot make adequate progress. One aspect of a student’s education is learning responsibility. Bringing their recorders to music class is one way they can show responsibility. When they forget their recorders, I will give them a practice recorder with no mouthpiece so they can practice the fingerings while reading music. They will still be learning, but their progress will certainly be hindered without being able to produce the sound to go with the fingerings. Please let me know if you have any questions. Welcome to Music Welcome to the Westridge Elementary School music web page. This 2010-2011 school year begins my 5th year at Westridge Elementary. I have taught at schools in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Washington state, but I have to say that teaching at Westridge has been a highlight of my career. Teaching music is my passion and the students at Westridge make it even more enjoyable for me. They are eager to learn and experience music in a variety of ways. I count it a privilege to be a part of their music education.
Students in kindergarten through 5th grade come to music each week for one 45 minute music lesson. Students always come to music (and other special classes, such as art and P.E.) on the same day of the week, so you will know which day is music day. This is especially important when the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders begin lessons on the recorder, a flute-like musical instrument.
In music class, your child will experience a wide array of learning activities to reinforce music concepts. Simply put, we will sing, play instruments, respond to music through creative and patterned movements, listen to a variety of musical styles, and learn to read rhythms and notes on the staff. Please look in the Class Files at the bottom of this page for the Prince William County Music Curriculum strands for grades K-12. The strands provide a fuller description of what the music programs across the county hope to acheive with your students. Discussion Topics Class Files
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