Our school is full of students who excel in every way possible. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 crisis, we did not have the opportunity to showcase some of our most outstanding performers in our annual Manatee Talent Show this month.
However....now's the time for you to shine! This week, bring out your microphones, your tap shoes, your drums, your gymnastics mats! Show us what makes YOU unique by sharing your talent with us! Mrs. Dunne would LOVE to see your musical talents (singing, dancing, or playing an instrument) but ANY other talents are welcome as well. Have you learned a new skill over the last two months? Created something you're proud of? Now's your change to show it off! Siblings and parents are invited to participate with you in your performance!
Take time this week to practice your talent. Record a short video or take a picture showcasing your performances or creation. Attach your picture/video when you log your Manatee Activity Participation for the week, or simply e-mail it to Mrs. Dunne ([email protected]). Since you've worked so hard, I encourage you to choose 3 close friends or family members to send your video to as well (with your parents' permission). I can't wait to see what you come up with, because I know...MANATEE'S GOT TALENT!!!
Need a little confidence boost or just want to rock out to an awesome song? Listen to the song below to remember how special you are...actually, how very YOU-NIQUE! Mrs. Dunne will be thinking of you all summer and can't wait to see your fabulous faces and hear your outstanding voices next year! <3
WEEK 7: MAY 11-15
CHROME MUSIC LAB
This week, we will be checking out SONG MAKER in CHROME MUSIC LAB! This free online platform allows kids and adults to explore music in many unique ways. You have 2 lesson options:
OPTION 1: ORIGINAL COMPOSITION Follow this link to Chrome Music Lab and compose (create) your own song. You many choose any instruments or notes (colors) that you like! Save your song when you're done and share it with Mrs. Dunne.https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/
OPTION 2: STAR WARS CHALLENGE Complete a Challenge below using the Main Theme from the Star Wars movies!
LEVEL 1 PADAWAN (BEGINNER): https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/song/6670532683497472 -The main melody has been provided. -Add in percussion (drum) parts using the dots at the bottom left of the screen. -Select playback instruments by clicking the instruments on the bottom left of the screen. Once you have finalized your choices, click SAVE. On the next screen, click COPY LINK and send your song to Mrs. Dunne via e-mail ([email protected]). You may also save your song in a different format or take a picture/video and upload the song on the Manatee Activity page.
LEVEL 2 JEDI KNIGHT (INTERMEDIATE): https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/song/6387954973933568 -Part of the main melody has been provided. -Fill in the missing parts of the melody to the best of your ability. -Add in percussion (drum) parts using the dots at the bottom left of the screen. -Select playback instruments by clicking the instruments on the bottom left of the screen. Once you have finalized your choices, click SAVE. On the next screen, click COPY LINK and send your song to Mrs. Dunne via e-mail ([email protected]). You may also save your song in a different format or take a picture/video and upload the song on the Manatee Activity page.
LEVEL 3 JEDI MASTER (ADVANCED): https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker/song/6313448062320640 -Part of the main melody and a bass line have been provided. -Fill in the missing parts of the melody (main tune of the song) to the best of your ability. -Continue a bass line (lower notes) that compliments the melody above. -Add in percussion (drum) parts using the dots at the bottom of the screen. -Select playback instruments by clicking the instruments on the bottom left of the screen. Once you have finalized your choices, click SAVE. On the next screen, click COPY LINK and send your song to Mrs. Dunne via e-mail ([email protected]). You may also save your song in a different format or take a picture/video and upload the song on the Manatee Activity page.
WEEK 6: MAY 4-8
QUAVER'S MARVELOUS WORLD OF MUSIC
This week, we will be exploring Quaver's Marvelous World of Music, our online music curriculum. Click the link to find your music lesson for the week (look for Brevard Music: Grades 5-6: Lesson 2). https://docs.google.com/document/d/13LQRZKOIucpvwqpfkh3xvg6gpNULQesFHZY89YkUFbQ/edit 2. Complete the lesson and submit a picture/video of ONE of the following (optional): A. Post a picture of your highest score in Note/Rest Grab: Level 2. Good luck! B. Choreograph dance moves to your favorite part of Happy or Lean On Me. Teach a friend (virtually) or family member and send me a video of you dancing together! C. Send in a video of yourself singing your favorite part of Happy or Lean on Me. For a challenge, sing one of the harmony parts to Lean on Me (from Slide 6). I can't wait to hear you! 3. Log your activity participation for the week here: https://manateeactivity.weebly.com/ Don't forget to attach your picture or video...I can't wait to see my awesome students! (Parents- If you have trouble attaching the video, go ahead and select "Music" and submit without an attachment. While I'd love to see what your students are doing and give them some positive feedback, we don't want to cause you any extra stress. Thanks!)
WEEK 5: APRIL 27-MAY 1
(SCROLL DOWN TO FIND PAST WEEKS' LESSONS)
12-BAR BLUES: PUTTING IT TOGETHER
If you have completed the music lesson over the last 2 weeks, you should have lyrics to a 12-Bar Blues song along with a 12-Bar Blues backing track. This week, we will combine them together!
THIS WEEK'S GOAL: Combine Blues lyrics + at least 1 background track to create a Blues song!
Watch the video for a tutorial by Mrs. Dunne on how to create your Blues melody: (Scroll down to Week 3 if you want to use my Blues lyrics or create your own by following that lesson)
If you did not have the chance to either write lyrics or create a backing track, no worries! You can scroll down one week for instructions on creating a backing track, or go back two weeks for instructions on writing lyrics to a Blues song.
If you would like to use a pre-recorded background track, click the top left video below and begin singing after the 4 clicks! Record yourself singing along to the music and upload a video to the Manatee Activity page.
Video 1: Play along on the piano or ukulele by using the 12-Bar Blues progression and switching chords every 4 beats. Video 2 (top right): Check out Duke Ellington, famous jazz artist, and his band performing the C Jam Blues! Video 3: This is a great play-along track for guitar (or you may sing along as well!) Video 4: Check out this video to learn how to play the Blues on piano (multiple levels available!)
RECORD YOUR SONG, AND YOU'RE DONE! GREAT WORK!
BONUS: Can you sing and play multiple instruments? With your parents' permission (and supervision), download the Acapella app (the one with the symbol below)! This app allows you to film yourself performing multiple tracks. For example, for your 1st video you could include the recording you created in Quaver, then sing along in a 2nd track, and add in ukulele or guitar in a 3rd track. Just follow the 12-Bar Blues note/chord progression in the Week 4 lesson below.
If you don't have many traditional instruments, find some items around your house that can make percussion type sounds (A hollow container as a drum? A smaller box to shake like a maraca?). You can even include a dance video or background singers. Involve your family, siblings, or pets! Have fun!
WEEK 4: APRIL 20-24
12-BAR BLUES
This week, you will be creating a 12-Bar Blues background track to accompany last week's lyrics. I've included a bunch of information below...if it's confusing, don't give up! Just read through it quickly and then watch the video below. I'll walk you through the process...and there's a funny blooper, too! Haha!
If you missed last week's lesson (where students wrote lyrics to their own Blues songs), feel free to scroll down to Week 3 and follow the instructions to write your own lyrics. But you can also do this week's lesson completely without last week's lesson completed.
In order to complete this lesson, here are a few definitions you need to know: chord- a group of notes played simultaneously form- the way music is organized bar- a measure (in this case, 4 beats) of music And a few roman numerals: I (one), IV (four), and V (five)
12-BAR BLUES Twelve-Bar Blues is the most basic form of the Blues. Simply put, it is an arrangement of 3 chords played over 12 bars (or measures) of music. If you do a little math... 12 bars (or measures) x 4 beats in each bar= 48 beats total So you will be composing (or at a more basic level, performing) a song in a 12-Bar Blues form.
In music, we use roman numerals (see above) to represent chords. Look at the piano below:
If I start on the left and assign each white key a number, then the first white key (C) would be one, the second (D), would be two, etc. For 12-Bar Blues, we need chords based off of the following numbers: I (1), IV (4), and V (5). So, if you start from the left and count, you will find that... I (1)= C IV (4)= F V (5)= G How does this relate to 12-Bar Blues? Well, here's the form of 12-Bar Blues:
-Each box above stands for one measure (of 4 beats). As you can see, there are 12 boxes (or bars/measures). On the left is the form of 12-Bar Blues using roman numerals. On the right is the same form using the notes we chose above.
There are 2 options for completing this week's lesson: OPTION 1: Use QGrooves (in Quaver's Marvelous World of Music) to create a digital background track. OPTION 2: Use an instrument you have at home to learn to play 12-Bar Blues and record yourself live! Choose the way you would like to create your 12-Bar Blues background track. There are 2 choices, and each choice has additional information below. When your track is complete, upload it to the Google activity folder. *More details for Option 2 coming your way on Tuesday.
OPTION 1: CREATE A BACKGROUND TRACK IN QGROOVES (in Quaver's Marvelous World of Music) -Follow the video to create your song:
OPTION 2: CREATE A BACKGROUND TRACK USING YOUR OWN INSTRUMENTS Learn how to play either the notes C, F, and G or the chords C Major, F Major, and G major on an instrument of your choice. Follow the 12-Bar Blues form above (next to the roman numerals) and for each box, play each note or chord 4 times (once on each beat). Emphasize beat 1 by playing it a bit louder, so the rhythm feels like: 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4
So...as an example, the first 3 boxes (or bars/measures) are labeled "C." That means that you will play the note (or chord) "C" for each box 4 times....meaning for the first line: 3 boxes (measures) x 4 beats per box = 12 "Cs"
Be sure to keep a steady beat throughout the song and emphasize the first beat of each measure.
WEEK 3: APRIL 13-17
I GOT THE BLUES: LYRICS
Throughout history, Americans have used The Blues to help them express their emotions and get through difficult times. Now it's your turn! Today you will compose (write) the lyrics to a 12-Bar Blues song. 12-Bar Blues refers to the 12 bars, or measures, of music in a basic blues song. Each bar lasts 4 beats, so each line of your song will need to be sung over 4 steady beats. For this first week, all you have to worry about is writing the lyrics to your song. Basically, you will be writing a 12-line poem in which the even lines rhyme. Here's an example created by some of our 6th grade students this year: https://safeYouTube.net/w/uY04 Great job, boys!
For this week's lesson, write your song about how you feel about life right now! Here are a few song title ideas to get you started: The Stay-At-Home Blues...The Who Ate All the Snacks Blues...The Miss My Friends Blues...The Too Much Rain Blues...The Internet Is Down Blues...if you're feeling good and nothing has you down, ask your family members for ideas! You may use a title above or come up with your own. Your song may be as serious or comical as you'd like to make it. bet that after a few weeks together, your family could write a song that you will remember for years to come!
Here's a 12-Bar Blues song that I wrote from the perspective of my cat, who is slightly annoyed with having us home all day: TITLE: The Bailey Blues (Bailey is my cat!) SECTION A: 1. We had a nice weekend, 2. my family and me. 3. I got some extra treats 4. But now you see... SECTION B: 5. They're still home! 6. What am I supposed to do? 7. I usually sleep the whole day through. 8. But now I'm feeling really blue. SECTION C: 9. I can't sleep! 10. They're bothering me! 11. Instead of peace and quiet... 12. There's Spongebob on TV. (There really is Spongebob on tv, in case you're wondering. Haha!)
Use the form below to compose (write) your Blues Song lyrics . Follow the directions on the form to guide your writing. Keep your lines short and simple. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PUevGb3LSQ2FKoBiaP-oQ9eWTttyLEvC/view?usp=sharing You are also welcome to write your Blues song on your own paper. Just make sure you have have 12 lines and follow the format above.
When your song lyrics are completed, use this link: https://safeYouTube.net/w/e9v5 to sing along (start after the 4 "clicks" at the beginning). Listen to the videos above and try to create a similar melody. If you get lost, no worries...the track starts over at 0:26....just try again! If this is totally confusing to you this week, you can skip this step for now.
CONGRATULATIONS! ONCE YOUR BLUES SONG IS WRITTEN AND UPLOADED, YOU ARE DONE!
Next week we will take our songs to the next level, & you can use your own instrument if you have one at home! Check out the info. below for a sneak peek of Week 4:
WEEK 4 (APRIL 20-24): SNEAK PEEK Want to know what's coming up next week? We will be learning to compose, play along with, or independently play the 12-Bar Blues progression. Here are 2 things you can do to prepare for next week: 1. Play around with Q-Grooves in Quaver's Marvelous World of Music. Use a computer (not a tablet or phone) if possible so you can change the style of your song to The Blues! 2. Pull out any instrument you play or have played in the past (recorder, anyone?) and learn how to play the notes C, F, and G for next week. If you are playing an instrument that can play multiple notes at one time (piano, guitar, ukulele), try and learn a C major chord, F major chord, and G7 chord. If you're taking virtual lessons, ask your teacher how to play the listed chords, or look them up online with your parents' permission. See you (sort of, haha) next week! -Mrs. Dunne
WEEK 2 (April 6-10):
I GOT THE BLUES
PART 1: INTRODUCTION Have you ever had THE BLUES??? When I was a kid, all I knew about The Blues came from this tv commercial: https://safeYouTube.net/w/KZx4 But now as a music teacher I know that THE BLUES has a rich history and has influenced so many styles of music, such as rock, soul, rhythm & blues, and more! This week, you will learn the History of the Blues and write the lyrics to your own Blues song.
PART 2: HISTORY OF THE BLUES* Listen and read to familiarize yourself with The Blues...a uniquely American style of music! Check out this quick video featuring some outstanding musicians from The Lincoln Center in NYC: https://safeYouTube.net/w/zU04
Then, follow the directions below to learn about The Blues using our district music curriculum: A. Log in to BPS Launchpad B. Click the Quaver app (White app with a green Q....if you don't see it, add it by pressing the + at the top and searching for "Quaver") C. Select "With Flash" if possible ("Without Flash" will also work but may limit a few activities) D. Select "Quaver Books" and then "Blues." Click "Advanced" and read/listen through the book. E. Complete the quiz at the end of your book to earn your "Quaver's Advanced Blues Diploma!" (100% correct required to receive diploma) You can always scroll back in the text to find answers you may have missed.
PART 3: Submit ONE of the following along with your Music Activity Form this week: a) Scan or take a picture of your "Quaver Advanced Blues Diploma" screen (bonus points if you're in the picture as well!) OR b) Can you name all of the instruments found in the jazz ensemble in the video above? Bonus points if you can name your favorite instrument in the group and describe its' sound, or "timbre" (some words to get you started...smooth, squeaky, sharp, loud/soft, low/high, etc.). Write the instrument names down and circle your favorite (take a picture of your list) or film a short video of yourself naming the instrument and let me know which one is your favorite! UPLOAD HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVhrRuFGub1GKzgrCYJ_R5Luybk4211IiCaObf4zIwRvDQeQ/viewform and have a GREAT week!