Welcome to the
2004 -2005
Music Home page

March 2005

Mrs. Doris Shifflette

I am an “Orff Schulwerk Specialist.” The “Orff” process is an elementary method of teaching music that involves total class participation. It also focuses on teaching musical theory through the means of singing, moving, dancing, playing instruments,composing, creating, and improvising.

March is
“Music in our Schools Month”

All parents are invited to visit your child’s
music class during the weeks of :
March 21 - 24
March 28 - April 1

Please come, watch, and for the daring: participate in musical activities that your child is
experiencing in music!


“Classroom Updates”

Fifth Grade: I am very pleased to announce
that our fifth graders are reading
traditional melodic notation! I
very excited about this
accomplishment!
Fifth graders have recently
earned their purple belt. They
are now learning a duet that is
called “Silly Duet.” The first
part plays a melody using the
high C. The second part plays
a countermelody using the low
C. They will play this song for me in order to earn their red
belt.

Brass and Woodwinds: We
have also been studying about
the wind instruments. Fifth
graders will have a very impor-
tant decision in a few weeks.
They will need to make a choice of being either in band or chorus at Houston Middle
School. If they choose band,
they will then have to decide
on which instrument to play.
Most students want to play flute, clarinet, trumpet, or drums. Parents, there are other options!
Trombones, tubas, french horns,
oboes, bassoons, and saxophones
and baritones are also needed.
Being in the band is be fun and
can be very helpful in obtaining
college scholarships!

Fourth Grade: Your students are really doing
great on beginning recorder!
They have learned their first
song, “Hot Cross Buns,” and
have earned their white belt.
They are now learning their
next song, “All Through the
Night,” of which they will play
for their yellow belt. They are
also slowly learning to read
the notes B, A, and G from the
musical staff. Way to go 4th
grade!

Third Grade: The third grade has been learning
a song with pitched instruments
that contain the three notes B,A,G. The song “I Love
Pizza,” has a simple melody in
which the students can play on
the xylophones, metallophones,
and glockenspiels. In Music Smart, the composer of the
month has been “Dolly Parton.”

Second Grade: In Second Grade, the students
have learned a very simple song
“Rain, Rain, Go Away,” They
are learning to read music by
using the symbols and hand
signs of So, Mi, La. After the
students sing the visuals that
on the board, they are learning
to play the notes of the song,
G, E, A on the xylophones,
metallophones, and glockenspiels.


First Grade: In first grade the children have
just learned a speech, “Two, Four, Six, Eight.” They played
the pitched instruments using the rhythm of the speech and learned how to play a “glissando.”

We will be performing at the “Germantown
Performing Arts Center” (GPAC) with the Germantown Chorus on April 3, 2005. We will have a rehearsal on Saturday, April 2, at 9:00 a.m. at the GPAC. Parents, I will need for you to help me supervise the children, so please plan to attend this rehearsal. (You may bring work or a magazine.) If you can not stay, please find a parent “buddy” who can watch your child. This will really help me out, because I am going to need to focus on the rehearsing of the songs and dances. Also, please try to find some kaki or cream colored slacks for your child to wear with the Dogwood Chorus T-shirts. This will look nicer than blue jeans. Shirts tucked in please!

I can’t wait to see your children on the big stage. They are awesome!

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