Making Listening Visible

The 100 Languages of Music:

IMG_20150226_103627911_HDR On this page students document through words, pictures, drawings, photographs, objects, and music the various projects and activities we are working on in music class.

Class blogs reflecting on music learning experiences:

Division 19: Ms. Taylor & Mr. Yanko

Division 18: Ms. Brolin

Ms. Yap’s City of Burnaby Project 2018

The students in Ms. Yap’s class have been exploring and learning about landmarks. We first started globally and explored the landmarks in the world that were either special to us, or rooted in our thoughts. We then took a look at landmarks within our community and explored why those landmarks are important to us and the people in Burnaby.

We began to compose soundscapes for our landmarks, which expands on the work of Murray Schaffer. Our collection of soundscapes can be seen as ‘sonic events’ or ‘sonic compositions’ that bring to life the different ways in which the children in Ms. Yap’s class perceive and understand their selected global and local landmarks.

To read more about our exploration, research, and learnings, or to hear our Burnaby soundscapes please click here.

Division 11 Multicultural Song Exchange with Student’s in Greece 2018.

This year students in Ms. Walji/Ms. Basso’s class are partaking in a cultural song exchange with elementary school students in Greece. Division 11 will be sharing and teaching those students a traditional Canadian Folk Song, and will be taught a traditional Greek Song from the students in Greece. To access the posts about our exchange please click here.

Winter musical Reflections:
Synopsis: This year’s winter musical was written and arranged by Mr. Yanko & Mr. Turpin. Set in a world with eight kingdoms trying to rule the winter, we take you on a magical journey to discover who comes out on top to rule the icy throne. This story unfolds as the actors and classes reveal how they survive the never ending chilly season. Come and join us as we take you on an adventure through the essence of the holiday spirit, but be warned, “Winter is coming!”

program with songs

Yap (grade 2) Concert reflection

Who was scared last year, but not this year while performing?
2 kids raise their hands and answer:
“I was last year but this year I was brave.”
“I wasn’t scare, I don’t know. Maybe it was an easier song.”
Another student cuts in, “She’s just tougher I guess.”

What is the difference between singing on stage and in class?
Various kids reply:
“You’re not singing with us Mr. Yanko.”
“No ones watching us in class.”
“There’s no words on the stage for us to read.”
“The song has to be memorized.”
“We’re not wearing costumes in class.”
“We sing louder on the stage.”

Things we liked about the concert this year:
Various students reply:
“I like singing on stage.”
“I like the disco elves.”
“I like the finale song, cuz its fun to sing.”

What were some things that were challenging?
One boy answers, “I couldn’t do actions during the finale because I was squished on the stage, but I still singed.”
Another boy answers, “A kid was distracting me in the middle of the performance by acting silly with the actions and was hitting me with her arms.” concert-6

Taylor (kindergarten) concert reflection
“No one looked at the choir.”
“We all used our loud singing voices.”
“I smiled when I was dancing.”
“We gotta sing louder and with a clear voice.”

What have we learned from our performance this year to make next year even better?
“Next year will be easier because when you’re older you get smarter.”
“Maybe we can sing other songs and get better and better at singing. With more songs to learn they will adore us.”

What have we learned from our concert experience this year?
“We learned to not look at the choir.”
“We learned how to sing loud.”
“We learned how to get on and off the stage.”

Taylor (Kindergarten) Class discussion on dress rehearsal.
After watching a video of us performing at the dress rehearsal we all shared ideas of how to make our performance better.

“Maybe we can do better, sometimes I stare at the choir. Today I can try looking at the audience and not the choir.”
“Maybe we can sing louder than we ever singed before.” concert-1

Mr. Yanko asks, “Is louder singing, speaking, or shouting?”
A student replies, “Singing,” and the class starts singing their song.
“We can do better actions.”

Mr. Yanko asks, “How can we do it better?”
A student replies, “by concentrating and better.”

Mr. Yanko asks, “Are we all doing the actions at the same time?”
Many children reply, “Yes!”

Singh (grade 2/3) Class discussion on dress rehearsal
After watching a video of us performing at the dress rehearsal we all shared ideas of how to make our performance better.

“I think we have to do it a little more louder and the actions more sharp sometimes.”
Mr. Yanko asks, “Does everyone know what she means by sharp?”
Various students answer, “Better, higher, clearer.”

“I think we should look at the audience and not each other.”
“We should put our hats on before we go on the stage because some students make too much noise putting them on on the stage.”

“When we do the actions we need to put more energy into them.” – This is followed by a class discussion on the actions and how to make them better.

“We need to be more energetic with moves because we look tired.”
“We need to fix our chair move because the chair we point at isn’t where we are pointing.”
“I think we need more bounce and energy.”

Davis (grade 5/6) Class reflection on concert
Mr. Yanko asks, “how did we feel about our signing volume on the stage, since singing loud was an issue in the dress rehearsals?”
“I think we did well. Most of us were singing loud.”
“Some students were mumbling a bit at the beginning, but then it got better.”

Mr. Yanko and the class have a discussion on some of the things students enjoyed about the concert.
“I liked the old school music.”
“I like the tree and elf songs because I like their singing and my sister is in the tree class.” cocnert-3

Many students responded that they liked the elf song.
“Because it was funny.”
“Because the costumes were silly.”
“Their song was great.”
“Their performance was hilarious.”
“I like the trees because they make great back scratchers for us bears.”

Some students discuss ideas for next year:
“If were bears again, I think we should be fat bears and not skinny ones.”
“A different theme next year.”
“A mcHammer song”

Davis (4/5) Gives feed back on video recording of their dress rehearsal
“More clearer singing and better movement.”
“Be louder and smile.”
“Louder. Some people weren’t wearing black like they were supposed to. Our actions are good.”
“Mr. Yanko should choose people to go down because we don’t know who is going down to sleep.”
“We need to sing louder and better movements. Some people aren’t seen in the back.”
“Maybe the taller people stand at the back and the smaller people stand at the front. We need to sing louder and keep up with the music. More detail on the costumes.”
“Too many people going down to sleep.”
“A little louder. People learn the actions a little more. We need to sing more. Some people were kicking people while singing.”
“Sing louder.”
“Louder and more clear.”
“Don’t look behind you and goof around.”
“Choose people to go down. Do more actions. Don’t just fall down when going to sleep.”
“I see taller people in the front. To look at the audience more. To not look at the choir too much. I see that we are too quiet and change it to be louder and more clear.”
“Our voice needs to be clearer and louder. Mr. Yanko should choose people to fall down.”
“To not kick someone when they are sleeping. Sing more.”
“Speak louder and choose people to fall down.”
“Less people to go down and should go down slower. We need to speak louder and in sync.”
“Costumes should have more details. We need to sing louder and clearer.”
“We aren’t doing the right actions sometimes together. Sometimes we are very quiet. Mr. Yanko should choose people to go to sleep. We need more details in our costumes.”
“Maybe we could improve on not goofing around and move more slowly.”
“We could try to improve on singing louder on some parts of the song.”
“We should try to get the actions right. We should not be goofy on the stage. We need to be a little louder. People shouldn’t kick others when they are sleeping.”