Welcome San Francisco Montessori Academy!
I've so enjoyed working with your amazing musicians! They are eager and engaged students and we have a great time together every Tuesday morning. Below you'll find the pieces we have been listening to in class. Before listening to each movement, we sing a song that relates. Ask your child to teach you the songs that go with each movement as a way to reinforce what he or she is learning during music time and also as a way to connect with your son or daughter in a fun and musical moment.
We are learning about sound waves and vibrations and how various instruments work. Our bodies are instruments too! Talk with your child about the different sounds our bodies can make. We are especially interested in the vibrations we can feel as we gently place our fingertips on our throats - can you sense the difference between high sounds and low sounds?
We're talking about John Philip Sousa's famous marching bands and the instruments found in his bands. Practice stepping to the beat.
The descending piano theme guides your children deeper and deeper into the ocean of their imaginations where they will put on their scuba masks and tell you about what they see.(Cue: Slippery Fish)
Listen for the lion's roar made by the ascending and descending piano scales -- kids LOVE to show off their lion's claws and silent roaring faces along with the music. (Cue: This Train)
How many times can you hear the clarinet imitate the cuckoo bird while it is hiding in the forest?
The xylophone brings to mind the silly sound dancing skeletons might make. If you listen to this piece closely, you'll hear some old favorites tucked in among the melodies. (Cue: Dem Bones)