Music can warm your heart during a cold winter! First grade and kindergarten have been acting out the children’s story, “The Snowy Day,” accompanied by the music “Forgotten Dreams” by Leroy Anderson. Yes, you can make snow angels in the classroom! These students have also enjoyed an old song by Woodie Guthrie titled “Mail Myself to You.”
The second graders are hard at work on music for their spring program, “BUGZ!” Be sure to save the date, May 2
nd, to enjoy a program of lively lady bugs and marching army ants, a stink bug, and lots of other insect characters.
Third graders are learning in depth about instruments around the world and about instruments in the orchestra. They are beginning to identify instruments both by their families and by their sound.
Fourth graders are quickly mastering the beginning notes of the recorder. They are working hard to decipher those black and white markings called music notes.
The fifth and sixth graders are recorder experts by now. Fifth graders are moving ahead on Recorder Karate and we will see black belts very soon. This week they played their first duet. Sixth graders are using Recorder Karate for review and to bring new players up to speed, with the goal of doing some ensemble playing and some composing.
Seventh and eighth graders spent January learning more ukulele skills. Now they have moved on to some music technology, experimenting, composing, and mixing with the GarageBand program on our school MacBooks.
FAITH CORNER How do our children learn to know God? Students here at St. Benedict have regular Religion classes. We gather for weekly Mass and pray in our classrooms. But did you know that the real foundation for faith begins at home? Talking about God with your children has a huge influence on them. Worshipping together as a family on the weekends brings lifelong blessings on everyone. Asking each child what they learned in Religion class and showing interest – beautiful!