• Hello welcome to Miss. Day's Music room!

    		  
         
    Teacher Name:
    Miss Day

    Email Address: Jennifer.Day@Monroe.k12.nj.us 

     

    Music                                    instrument
     

     

    *****IMPORTANT NOTICE******

    Hello Families and Students. I will continue to teach remotely once we start the new Hybrid model. There will be a substitute with the in person class, projecting the live zoom session. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

    Welcome students, families, and staff

    Hello,

    Welcome to our Music Class page! I am including an abbreviated list of concepts (at the bottom of the page) that your child will learn through out the year. In our class we focus on learning through discovery. You may hear them talk about a "Mystery note." This is because they are listening to and singing music with these new notes, but have not yet identified the name. I work with your children to extract information from their songs to discover the new notes and concepts. We use a variety of songs, games and activities to reach each child on a variety of levels. They will hear, sing/play, move and compose in order to learn each concept. 

     

    Your child will be asked to sing both in a group and with others. They will use percussion instruments through out the year to help them to feel and practice reading different rhythmic notes.

     

    They are expected to:

    • Do their personal best

    • Follow classroom rules

    • Be kind to one another

    • Participate

    • Allow themselves to make mistakes (It is a natural part of the learning process)

     

    I am often asked

     

    Q. What can I do to encourage my child in music?

    A.

    • Allow them to sing and practice. By telling a child to stop singing, their inner voice may be silenced or they may feel that you do not like their voice.

    • Allow them to be creative.

    • Encourage great audience habits (Quiet listening, no electronics, and eyes on the performer.) They will learn this by example.

    • If they take private lessons, then make practice a priority. 30-60 minutes a day is standard.

     

    Q. Why does my child have to sit up straight?

    A. Correct posture is vital to a healthy voice. Years of slouching can lead to undue vocal pressure, leading to long term damage. Also, any instrument they play down the road, will require certain postures, in the same way that holding a baseball bat requires exact positions.

     

    Q. My child would like to take voice lessons, who do you reccomend?

    A. Unless the teacher specializes in young voices, then I do not reccomend it. Children should sing like children and not try to force an adult sound, this could lead to long term vocal damage.  As someone who has had training as both an opera singer and as a music educator, I know what should and should not be done with a child's voice. You want someone who has that kind of knowledge. FYI The male voice matures in the teen years, while the female voice takes until the age of 24 to fully mature. 

     

    Lessons for singers typically begin in their early teen years, but again, know the qualifications of the teacher!

     

    Feel free to email me with more great questions!

     

     

     

     

     

    Concepts by Grade Level

    In First Grade:

    -Beat vs. Rhythm

    -The musical opposites 

    - Staff

    - G clef 

    - Quarter note

    - Eighth notes

    - Quarter rest

    - La, Sol and Mi with their hand signs

    - Phrase

    - Forms: AB and ABA

    - New Rhythmic notes

    - March vs. Lullaby

    - Wood Instruments vs. Metal instruments 

    In Second Grade

    - Tied Quarter notes

    - Half rest 

    - Re

    - Low Do 

    - Verse Refrain form: They will even create their own dance to go with it!

    - Barlines

    - Time signature

    - Repeat sign 

    - World Folk

    - Cultural Performance

    - Instrument families

    - Pentatonic scale 

    - Vocal Timbres 

     

    Third Grade

    -  Sixteenth note

    - Whole note/ Whole rest 

    - High do

    - Rounds 

    - Absolute note names on the staff

    - Sight Reading

    - Recorder

    - Largo

    - Andante

    - Allegro

    - Baroque music period

    - Form: AABB and ABAC

    - Dynamic Markings 

     

     

     

    Recorder basics:

    • They will receive their recorder the second half of the year.

    • They will be expected to practice (15-30 minutes 5 evenings a week) and will be graded on their performance each class.

    • If they loose their recorder, you can purchase a new one through the school.

    • They must have their recorder and music in their bags for every music class. Their daily grade will go down if they forget their recorder. 

    • Yes the Left hand really does go on top! 

    • Sitting up straight on their chair is mandatory, so it is great if you encourage them to sit up straight at home. Sitting up straight helps the health of the vocal chords as well.  (Handy tip for you) If you talk all day at work and find yourself getting hoarse, try sitting up straighter or standing straighter. I will help the air flow and place less pressure on your vocal chords through out the day! 

       

       

      If you have any questions feel free to contact e-mail.

    "Whistle a happy tune!"

    ~Miss Day

     

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     xylophone            piano