September 10, 2012
Boom Whackers have arrived! Boom Whackers are plastic tubes of various lengths that are pitched to the notes of the scale. They are played by whacking them, on your hand, on the desk, on the floor, but NEVER on another student! Students have enjoyed playing the Boom Whackers along with the song "When the Saints Go Marching In". We will be using them frequently throughout the year.
Seventh graders are learning about famous Illinoisans such as Ray Kroc, Jack Benny, Ernest Hemingway Dorothy Hamil and Ernie Banks, to name just a few. They are preparing 2 minute oral reports and slide shows about their famous Illinoisan and are linking a video to their presentation so we can all enjoy what it is that made these people famous!
We will begin reviewing at lunchtime for the Constitution Tests that will be coming up in 3 to 4 weeks. 8th graders can come in with Mrs. Wayer during recess on Tuesdays to review and 7th graders can come in on Thursdays.
August 21, 2012
It's been a busy first week. My bulletin board says "Welcome Bach". No that's not a typo, but a play on words as the bulletin board highlights Johann Sebastian Bach. Did you know that Bach was a skilled mathematician in addition to an outstanding musician? Or did you know that he came from a family that boasts 300 years of musicians? Some other interesting facts we learned about Bach this week are that he had 20 children and that a Duke put him in jail so he could not accept a position working for Prince Leopold.
We enjoyed listening to Bach's famous "Brandenburg Concerto" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".
Recorder letters went home yesterday. As I told the fourth graders, the sooner everyone responds, the sooner I can send the order in. We started some fun note reading lessons on the Star Board yesterday.
The study of the Illinois Constitution in7th grade Social Studies and the U.S. Constitution in 8th grade Social Studies is well underway. Please remind your student to look up the answers to the questions following the lesson. All of the answers are in the workbook, some just take a little more time to find!
August 13, 2012
Greetings OLMC Parents!
Welcome to a new school year! As the 2012-2013 school year begins, I look forward to many exciting activities in both music and social studies.
Seventh and Eighth Social Studies classes will begin the year with a unit on the Constitution, Illinois Constitution for seventh grade and United States Constitution for eighth grade. Illinois law requires that all students pass a test on each of these constitutions before eighth grade graduation. We will spend most of the first grading period preparing for these tests and I am confident that all students will do well. I strongly recommend that students keep up with making flash cards for optimum success.
In music we will begin the year with activities centered around beat and rhythm on various levels. We are very fortunate to have access to "Music Express" magazine which the students greatly enjoy. The pop songs are always a favorite but lessons on music from around the world as well as "classical" music, among other topics, can also be found in every issue. Fourth graders will, as always, study the recorder, letters will go out with information very soon. Around the beginning of November we will begin preparing for our annual Christmas programs.