Music Notes from Ms. Matthews

Hi, McKenny Families!  We're in the home stretch!   Here's what we've been up to in music class.

It has been so much fun seeing so many McKenny students at "Anastasia" and "The Hobbit!" I love when our families get to experience all the performing arts Olympia has to offer.  Please reach out if you are looking for music or theater camps or classes for your student this summer - I have great recommendations!

All classes have been enjoying exploring our piano lab. Enjoy these pictures of our kindergarteners and 3rd grader Lucca teaching his classmates how to play a song on their pianos using our SmartBoard to demonstrate.
Kindergarten has been busy getting ready for their very first concert!  They will perform at their promotion ceremony on June 11th at 10 a.m.  Families are welcome!
First Grade has been working on rhythmic clapping games and partner songs - we reviewed "Bobinski Waten-Taten" and learned the clapping game "Miss Mary Mack." I was also SUPER impressed that they successfully sang a partner song on the first try!  (A partner song is two compatible songs sung at the same time; half the class sang  "Rocky Mountain High" while the other half sang "Walking Home." It was awesome!)

Second Grade has begun working on learning note names for the Treble Clef - you might have seen their first test come home and WOW. Most made 100%!  We are going to rock on xylos and recorder next year and read music like champs!

Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades worked on more complicated rhythmic notation while learning bucket drumming, had a short musical theater unit, and fourth and fifth grades watched the musical Anastasia in class so we could compare it to the stage show starring McKenny's own Ms. Bustetter!  

Please be on a lookout for a final note from me with musical resources you can use with your child during the summer. The year has flown by so quickly!

Yours in song, 
Ms. Matthews