Math in Music Song

Mathematics in Music

(To the tune of “This Land is Your Land”)

CHORUS:

If you like math, you might like music

If you like music, you might like math

They are related in many ways Z

Music and math are so much fun!

VERSE 1:

In mathematics, you find some patterns

Like you can skip count, counting by twos

2, 4, 6, 8,  Z 10, 12 and so on

This is one pattern in math

CHORUS:

If you like math, you might like music

If you like music, you might like math

They are related in many ways

Music and math are so much fun!

VERSE 2:

Also in music, you look for patterns

An example is rhythm patterns

Each phrase is different

Or it is the same

That’s how the song takes its form.

CHORUS:

If you like math, you might like music

If you like music, you might like math

They are related in many ways

Music and math are so much fun!

VERSE 3:

Here’s an example of abab 

The first phrase is ta ta ti-ti ta

The next phrase is ti-ti ta ta Z

Then ta ta ti-ti ta

Ti-ti ta ta Z

CHORUS:

If you like math, you might like music

If you like music, you might like math

They are related in many ways

Music and math are so much fun!

Music and math are so much fun!

Grades 3, 4

Instruments of the Orchestra

On February 6, 2018, the grades three and four students from CJFS went on a field trip to a Calgary Philharmonic Concert at Jack Singer Hall downtown.   

In preparation for the field trip, the students studied four composers:  Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms and Benjamin Britten.

They also studied the four families of the orchestra:  string, woodwinds, percussion and brass.  The instruments are grouped in families because the instruments in each family have characteristics that are the same (in common).  The instruments in the string family all have strings.  Most are played with a bow or they are plucked.  You blow the instruments in the woodwind family and they used to be made out of wood.  Now only the mouthpiece is made out of wood.   Although you blow over the mouthhpiece of the flute and the piccolo, they do not have wood in their mouthpiece.  They are the only exceptions in the woodwind family.  The instruments in the brass family are made of brass.   You play the brass instruments by vibrating your lips.  You play the percussion instruments by hitting them or shaking them or scraping them.

We learned even more about the composers and instruments when we went on the field trip.  Check out more information about our unit on the CJFS website.

Jan.25, 2018

For part of October and November, the grade one to six students of CJFS were in the Learning Commons practicing the correct technique for playing the xylophones.  

We then connected the playing of xylophones to melody by playing songs.  The grade one and two students would play one note each of a five - note (pentatonic) song. The grade threes, fours, fives and sixes learned to play a simple melody.  The grade fives and sixes also learned 4 different parts to "Purcell's Canon".  Some of the grade fives and sixes performed "Purcell's Canon" at the Remembrance Day Assembly.  The students also connected singing, rhythm pattern and beat with the playing of xylophones.

In December, the students from grades one to six were in the Learning Commons for two weeks before the break.  Each grade group was building their skills on different musical instruments.

The grade one and two students played tone educator bells.

Grade three and four students played tone chimes.

Grade five and six students played handbells.

Each grade group learned the proper technique of playing their respective instruments as this is the basic idea of playing any instrument. They also played and sang Christmas songs.

 In the classrooms in January, some of the students memorized how to correctly play each of their respective instruments because they consistently referred to the rubric on a sheet of paper as they hclped and coached each other.

One new concept the students learned while they were playing each of the above instruments was the concept of harmony.  Harmony is when two or more notes of a chord are sung or played at the same time.

The grade one and two students mainly just learned to watch the conductor and play when they were signalled to play.

The grade three to six students learned which note to play on a specific number chord that was cued by the director.  (See below) 

The grade five and six students also began practicing the harmony  by singing sol-fege notes like do-mi-sol. 

On the instruments, we practice it by chording in the key of C.

I chord:     C chord (CEG=dms)
IV chord:   F chord (FAC=fld)
V7 chord:  G7 chord (GBDF=strf)

The students are connecting the understanding of harmony by chording with singing, melody (the tune), rhythm pattern and beat.

The  djembes (drums) are being rotated from class to class in grades 1, 2.  They are learning how to hold the drums, and basic patterns of playing them.

1. Palm -- Go, do hit in the middles
2. Fingers--on outside of drum goon, doon
3. They also played some simple patterns on them.

Thank you to:

1. Grade 1, 2 students in rooms 4, 5, 9 and 11
2. Grade 3, 4 students in room 6 
3. Grade 5, 6 students from room 16 

...for contributing to this blog.


Grades 1, 2 (Rooms 4, 5, 9 and 11)
In September, and in the beginning of October, the grade one and two students have also been singing, "Hello," in different languages.  They have played singing games and action songs.  They have been practicing the beat and are beginning to understand the difference between rhythm pattern and beat.  They have begun to learn some specific rhythm patterns and to construct them with hearts and sticks.

The grade one and two students discussed why Canada is such a wonderful place to live.  Now they are learning to sing "O Canada" with enthusiasm and "from their hearts".

1.  Canada is a safe place to live.  (It is not as dangerous as it is in some countries.)  The following reasons make it a safe place.

• No tsunamis
• No wars
• No earthquakes
• No bombs
• Clean water
• Shoes to wear-so we don't get cuts or worms in our feet

2.  Canada is a rich country.

• Lots of food
• Money to spend
• Clothes to wear
• Cars
• Houses
• Bikes
• Toys
• We only hunt if we want to.  We do not have to hunt for food.

Because we are so thankful to live in Canada, we want to sing "O Canada" from our hearts and with much enthusiasm.  We are learning to sing it.

Grades 3, 4  (Room 6)

The grade 3 and 4 students have been learning about the beat:

1. If the beat stops, the song dies.
2. It is like a clock that goes tick, tock, tick, tock, except the beat can go at different speeds.
3. It is like your heartbeat.
4. You have to feel it.
5. You cannot hear it or see it or smell it or taste it.

They learned about rhythm patterns:

1. It is not like your heartbeat.
2. It is not like a clock.
3. It is what you hear.

We practiced the beat and rhythm pattern in songs that move in 3's and in 4's.

Grade 5, 6 (Room 16)

The grade five and six students have been improvising in music.  Improvisation means to "perform without planning".

When they improvised they experimented with body percussion, voice inflections, rhythm instruments such as metals, skins(drums) and woods.

They also experimented with beat, making long and short sounds on the instruments and with different rhythm patterns.

Thank you to grade 3, 4 students in rooms 12, 13, 15 and to grade 5, 6 students in rooms 18 and 19 for contributing to this blog.

All students from grades one to six learned how to say and sing, "Hello," in different languages.  One student commented, "I like that idea because after we have learned "Hello," in different languages, maybe we can start learning more new words to the song in those same languages.

Grades 3, 4 students learned new games.  "It was fun."

They practiced the beat in different songs and are beginning to understand how to find it in songs better.

Grades 5, 6
From a video they watched of a pianist playing variations of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,"  one student commented, "You can change a song by adding extra short notes."

The grade five and six students were asked to fill out an interest survey.  One of the questions that a grade six student liked to answer was, "Who is your favorite recording artist?  Name two or three songs or raps by the artist."  She wanted to do the beat to some of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDMvvelPXj0

Thank you to the grade 3, 4, 5, 6 students in rooms 7, 8, 14, 18 and 20 for contributing ideas for what they learned this week in music.


Some of the activities that we learned and/or reviewed are:a get acquainted song where they learned each others' names.

• singing techniques
• rules of respect 
• rules of safety in moving the music cart  We are particularly concerned about the safety of each student as they are moving the cart.
• singing games

As one student commented, "It is good to see you again."  It was good to connect with each other.

The last 2 weeks of November, the grade five and six students chose their own inquiry question to research on computers.  The grade three and four students prepared to go on a field trip to hear the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra perform "Peter and the Wolf" and upon return they did some follow up activities.  The grades one and two students worked on beat and rhythm pattern.

In December, the grades one - six students had music in the Learning Commons.  It was an opportunity to practice playing the following instruments:
Grades 1, 2:  Tone Educator Bells
Grades 3, 4:  Tone Chimes
Grades 5, 6:  Handbells

They learned the technique of ringing the instrument, playing the beat and/or rhythm pattern on the instruments.

A questions posed to all grades was, "What is harmony?"
To grades 3 - 6, they also answered, "What is a chord?"  (They also chorded on the instrument.)