Hi everyone!

I hope our school community had a nice Spring Break! I certainly did!

We will shift units again now after the break, though most groups are finishing up work from March. Here is where we stand in music classes at Armstrong:

Divisions 2, 3 and 5 are finishing guitar work by learning the theory behind what they were playing. Mostly we were playing chords on the guitar. Chords are made up of three pitches and there are specific formulas to find the 3 pitches of a major chord and 3 pitches of a minor chord.
After we finish that up, these groups will be staring the Evolution Project. This project is to research the evolution of an artist, a genre of music, an instrument or some technology around music. They will create a timeline and then a powerpoint presentation to share with the class.

Division 4 is finishing up their Evolution Projects and then they are the next learning group to use the guitars and learn about chords.

Division 6 will be working on a piece using a variety of instruments for the upcoming virtual concert in May.

Divisions 7, 8, 9 and 10 are finishing up the Black History Month research about Black musicians. After that is finished, they will be starting recorders and xylophones. Please see their grade page for the protocols we will follow around using these instruments.

Division 11 will be using the djembe drums this term.

Divisions 12 and 13 are doing a dance unit.

Divisions 14, 15 and 16 are continuing to explore Laban’s Eight Efforts of movement for dance and music articulation.

Divisions 17, 18 and 19 are finishing up work on the xylophones to explore the concepts of high and low and to play a simple melody on the xylophones. Then they will be learning about the other percussion instruments in the music room.

We are set to have a lot of fun in music this month!

As we wind our way towards Spring Break, we are finishing up units in music class.

Divisions 2, 3 and 5 are still playing the guitars and learning about chords (harmony) in music. They are learning to hear the chord changes in the background music of the songs we are playing in class and to tune in to those changes in harmony. We are still learning the basic chords on guitar, and some kids are even taking up the challenge of learning chords on keyboard or learning simple drum patterns and playing along that way! Altogether, we will play through the songs on the grade 6/7 page playlist and have a fun time with more complex and modern music in class. Ms. Karlson encourages the members of these divisions to come to music with a positive attitude and to put a good amount of effort into learning these instruments. It is more fun if you approach playing songs with a good, strong, can-do attitude.

Division 4 is finishing up their “Evolution Projects” and presenting their findings to the class through March.

Divisions 6-10 are finishing up research on various Black Musical Artists and they will also share what they have learned about these amazing contributors to modern popular music with their individual classes.

Division 11 is learning a line dance in music class through March. A video of their dance will be shared at the next online assembly.

Divisions 12 and 13 are learning djembe drumming. They will be creating rhythm patterns, songs and improvising on drums until Spring Break.

Divisions 14, 15, 16 and 17 are continuing to learn about dance, movement and articulation this month.

Divisions 17, 18 and 19 are continuing to explore high and low pitches and are working on the xylophones now. They are starting to learn to read 2 pitches on staff lines and then play them on their xylophones! They can read music! Division 16 is reading music as well! The kindergarten classes are also doing some creative and developmental movement and working on reading and playing rhythms too.

February is black history month, and some of the classes will be studying black composers and artists.

Divisions 6-10 have been studying classical composers. They are now researching a modern black artist or composer to find out about their lives and what influenced them in music, and how they influenced and developed the popular music that is being produced today.

Division 4 is doing a project called “The Evolution Project”. They are researching the evolution of an artist, a genre of music, an instrument or technology around music. Many students have chosen an artist, and black artists at that!

The other grade 6/7 classes are continuing to learn guitar.

The grade 2/3s are looking into their personal heritage and bringing in songs from their ancestral culture. We are listening to those songs and experience a wide diversity of cultures and celebrations through music.

The grade ones are learning to move their bodies in various locomotor and non-locomotor ways. We are composing movement pieces to music and then we will be again looking at rhythms through improvisation and a speech piece.

The Kindergartens are also moving to music through improvisation, creative movement and locomotor movements. They are learning to use their inner hearing and also continuing with rhythmic reading. I am introducing them to the concepts of high and low, and we will be playing the xylophones this month to solidify that concept.

To see our January Talent Show, click on the Talent Show tab above and enjoy watching our playlist on YouTube!

Take a look under the grade tabs for new units we will be exploring in music class this winter! We are going to have lots of fun! We still need to keep covid safe, so Ms. Karlson is trying to plan units that keep us distanced or keep us from sharing materials with other learning groups. I really appreciate the students who are helping to keep each other safe and are understanding about the limitations on music and shared materials this school year. It can be a drag, but we need to work together to keep each other as safe as possible in this unique pandemic year.

Also, we have a Talent Show coming up! It will be virtual again this year. So, get your videos to Ms. Karlson by January 15th so she can put together a playlist for the Show. It will be streamed live during school time near the end of January. Date and Time are still TBA, but will be announced soon.

We have a lovely December planned for the students of Armstrong this year. We are trying to stay cheery and positive during this pandemic and have fun activities for the children.

On December 11th, we will have a “Winter Wonderland” experience for the children as the walk through the upper hallway. The classes and teachers will be decorating and lighting up the hallway in very special ways. The we will stream “The Nutcracker” brought to us by Dance Victoria.

Our monthly assembly will be hosted by Division 11 and will be on December 16th.

There will be performances by a grade 6 group from Division 4, either Division 7, 8 or 9 on the djembe drums and Division 11 on the xylophones.

Each grade is working hard on music projects that lift their spirits. Click on the grade levels in the tabs above for more details on their lessons and learning in the music room in December.

Hello everyone in our Armstrong community!

All of the classes have visited the music room and Ms. Karlson has gone over the current expectations for safety in the music classroom.

At this moment, the recommendations are for:
-frequent hand washing – before coming to music and when students return to their classrooms
-body space between each child to discourage physical contact
-If you require your child to wear a mask to school in the common areas, they should wear one in music as well
-All grade 6/7 students will wear a mask during music as it is a common area
-Ms. Karlson will wear a mask and will only take it off in the “Teacher Zone” (2 meters distanced from the children) and only if she needs to demonstrate something with her face/mouth
-cleaning/disinfecting of shared supplies between classes
-limited singing to reduce aerosol particles
-limiting using touchable materials such as instruments
-limiting dance that causes physical exertion to limit aerosol particles
-the window and/or outside door will be open at all times to circulate the air and vent aerosol particles. Your child may need to bundle up in an extra sweater on music days

Ms. Karlson is impressed with the children’s patience and understanding during this time. It is not the ideal way to run a music class, but we will adjust and cope with the limitations to keep us all as safe as possible during this pandemic.

Hello Armstrong Elementary Community!

Music classes are resuming this fall! Yay!

Things will look a little different in the music room however.

We will be seated in chairs for quite a bit of the music classes and be as physically distanced as possible.

Each student, except for Kindergarten students, will need to bring a music duotang and a pencil to each music class.

We will be doing some playing of instruments and body percussion this year. We will be doing a lot of music appreciation lessons this year – more so than usual.

With a postive attitude and working together we can make music as fun as ever. Let’s keep everyone safe in this shared space and create music in whatever way we can this year!

*Studies have shown that music improves mood and overall emotional health. During these stressful times, it is important that children participate in activities that lessen their stress and improve their psychological health. Music class is important and can be conducted safely during this pandemic.

Thanks for zooming with us and supporting our super talented kids at Armstrong Elementary!

If we need to use this format for our Talent Show again, hopefully we’ll have more participants! It was so nice having our 9 brave and talented students perform for you, and I want to thank them all again, and their families for their hard work at home putting together their acts.
Thank you to:
Megan Palma
Chaevez Dunbar
Sophia Zaenker
Ella Chan
Leo Zhou
Owen Kerr
Kelsey Kelly
Peighton MacDonald
Khloe Anderson
Sierra Joaquin

Because I couldn’t get Kelsey Kelly’s video working yesterday, here it is along with all of the other performers!

And Sophia Zaenker’s here on SafeYouTube
https://safeyoutube.net/w/NOtK

Hi everyone!

We are putting on our Talent Show this year – virtually!

The show will be streamed live on Zoom on Thursday, June 18th at 1:00pm.

The Zoom code is 582 644 1638

It’s June and some of us are back in the building. Because I am back at Armstrong, I will have more time to help you with your music endeavours. Just email me at sonja.karlson@burnabyschools.ca or leave me a comment on your Teams, Class Dojo or See Saw platforms. And check out the tabs above for lots of music activities you can do at home or in your class!

There are some very important notices for some of you – read on!

Grade 6s – an email went out to your parents. There is an online survey about taking band next year in grade 7. I highly encourage you to take band while you are still in elementary school! This is a great way to have an elective already under your belt before you reach high school. That way you can make a more informed choice in your electives next year. Here is the poster that our band teacher put out.

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Also, anyone in any grade who is interested in participating in our year end Talent Show, “Armstrong’s Got Talent” please email me videos of your audition. I will review them and then we will stream a live talent show later on in June. Date TBA. Submit your videos to sonja.karlson@burnabyschools.ca