"Orientis Partibus" B Section Part 5

Here's the final phrase. Make sure you have enough air to play that 6 count G at the end.

"Orientis Partibus" B Section Part 4

Phrase 4...

"Orientis Partibus" B Section Part 3

And the 3rd. Two phrases to go!

"Orientis Partibus" B Section Part 2

Here's the second phrase.

"Orientis Partibus" B Section Part 1

Hi Recorder Ensemble -- here's the recorder part from the pieces we started learning on Wednesday. I've broken it into 5 phrases for you to learn. Remember it is triple meter.

Song 3 -"I Sing the Body Electric" from "Fame" Soundtrack

I'm listing this as song 3, but it is likely that this will be the next one we learn.

I Sing the Body Electric
Lyrics by Dean Pitchford
Music by Michael Gore

I sing the body electric.
I celebrate the me yet to come.
I toast my own reunion
When I become one with the sun.

And I’ll look back on Venus;
I’ll look back on Mars.
And I’ll burn with the fire
Of ten million stars.
And in time,
And in time,
We will all be stars

I sing the body electric.
I glory in the glow of rebirth.
Creating my own tomorrow
When I shall embody the earth.

And I’ll serenade Venus;
I’ll serenade Mars.
And I’ll burn with the fire
Of ten million stars.
And in time,
And in time,
We will all be stars

Culmination Song 2 - "We Are The Champions" by Queen

Hi fifth graders. Although it will be a couple of weeks before we get to the rest of our musical program, I thought it would be useful to put all the music now so you can give it a listen. Most of you probably know the chorus here, but check out the lyrics for the verses.

We Are the Champions
By Freddie Mercury

I’ve paid my dues,
Time after time.
I’ve done my sentence
But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes,
I’ve made a few.
I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I’ve come through.

And I need to go on, and on, and on, and on.

We are the champions, my friend.
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end.
We are the champions; we are the champions.
No time for losers, cause we are the champions
Of the World.

I’ve taken my bows
And my curtain calls.
You brought me fame and fortune
and ev’rything that goes with it,
I thank you all.

But it’s been no bed of roses.
No pleasure cruise.
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain’t gonna lose.

And I need to go on, and on, and on, and on.

We are the champions, my friend.
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end.
We are the champions; we are the champions.
No time for losers, cause we are the champions
Of the World.

We are the champions, my friend.
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end.
We are the champions; we are the champions.
No time for losers, cause we are the champions.

Culmination Song 1 -- "In My Life" Original Recording

Hi Fifth Graders -- here's the first of the songs we will be learning for culmination. I would like you to give a listen to the original recording from 1966 and begin memorizing the words (note -- there's a few subtle changes to the lyric in this recording, "I love you" instead of I"ve loved you." We will be singing the words as written below):

"In My Life" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed.
Some forever, not for better.
Some have gone and some remain.

All these places had their moments,
with lovers and friends, I still can recall.
Some are dead and some are living.
In my life, I've loved them all.

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you.
And these mem'ries lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new.

Tho' I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before.
I know I'll often stop and think about them.
In my life I've loved you more.

Precorders, Dance, Body Percussion and Culmination

Seems like the last few weeks I only have had time to post here on the weekends. Overall it was a very good week with kindergarten beginning to learn their precorders, more dancing in second grade, this time to "Ayelivi," a fun song from Ghana.

First grade, flush from the success of "The Little Red Hen" -- continued delving into chicken-related music with the fun counting game/song developed called Mrs. Hen. Fourth grade magnet was away, but in Ms. Salazar's class we learned a body percussion canon. Finally, in Fifth grade we began learning our culmination songs. A very full week!

Also this week -- Dancing in 2nd Grade!

Our first week back from Spring Break was an eventful one. On Monday we started precorders in the kindergarten classes, while second grade learned the Russian spring planting dance "Khorovod." In third grade we focused on keeping the beat in triple meter and fourth grade learned a three part round "Himmel und Erde (All Things Shall Perish).

On Thursday beside the first grade sharing (see video) the fifth graders had an abbreviated session to accommodate the incoming kinder orientation in the MPR. Starting next week, however, we will be focused pretty exclusively on the songs the kids will be singing for culmination. It's hard to believe that is just 10 weeks away!

More from the "Little Red Hen"

Here's part two of the video. You'll notice that even with scripts in our hands not everything goes according to plan (anyone who would like to donate a new pair of cymbals -- come see me). Overall, though, I was very pleased with how well the kids kept their concentration...and how much fun they had.

A Classroom View -- "The Little Red Hen"

Here's some video of this week's first grade sharing of the "The Little Red Hen." For the last several weeks the first graders have been discussing the story and developing music and movement "illustrations" as a way of deepening their understanding of the sequence in which the story is told. This week was the first time we put it all together.