Skip to main content

October post


Week of 10/27

This week 3rd-5th graders listened to the BTS song "Permission to Dance" while reviewing the 8 Laban Efforts (movements) we learned last week. 3rd graders used percussion instruments to learn about our new rhythm, the dotted half note. 4th graders explored their new rhythm (eighth rest) through the Jamaican song "Biddy Biddy" and played Orff xylophones to accompany the song. 5th graders are learning their new rhythms (dotted quarters and dotted eighths) through the song "Weevily Wheat" and also played Orff xylophones.

1st graders had centers this week focusing on ta and ti-ti (quarter note and 2 eighth notes). They read, played games, played instruments, and even colored during the various activities. Here is an example of a drawing a 1st grader did. The rhythm written below matches the color names of the leaves.




Fun video to share! Whittier Elementary Graduate Iman Shupert (NBA player) did a horror themed dance (based on "Us") on Dancing with the Stars this week.  



Kindergarten will be learning about the difference between rhythm and steady beat next week!

Popular posts from this blog

March 2024 Newsletter

 

Welcome

Hello Whittier! My name is Anjali Asokan Karia. This is my 14th year teaching in District 97 and I am so honored and excited to be joining the Whittier family! I do not post a lot of general messages on this main page. If you click on your child's specific grade, I do an update at least once a month on what's going on in your child's classroom. It may be a general update or a picture or recording of a specific activity. As a mother of a third grader at Mann school, I know how nice it is to see and know what's going on in the specials classrooms when possible. I believe one of the most authentic signs of mastery in a skill is if you can create something of your own. I expect students in class to be able to share rhythms, melodies, and dances they create with the rest of their class and eventually with an audience. However, as an adult sometimes it is harder for us to be as open with our creations. Over the course of my teaching career students have inspired m

Rocking out to Rhythms

All the classes focused on rhythm this week by playing our West African tubano and djembe drums.  The 2nd graders-5th graders learned new rhythms which they then played along with pop or rock songs (for example "Take Me Out" for 4th grade shown in this link ). The kindergarteners experienced the drums for the first time and 1st graders reviewed their quarter note and eighth note rhythms.   We also started handing out the top banana award to classes who demonstrate excellent behavior as a whole. So far, Ms. Heide's 5th grade and Ms. Park's kindergarten have received the trophy which will travel around the school.  SPECIALS SURVEY LINK The specials teachers have put together a survey to find out more about your family's experiences. In music class we teach and sing about holidays and cultures around the world. If their are any types of songs that your child cannot participate in, make sure to fill out the survey  so that we are aware. We've had a blast this week