Dear Las Lomitas Families,

My first Evening with the Principal is scheduled for this Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. Several parents asked to have an evening gathering since day meetings conflicted with work schedules. I plan to share information about our Conflict Resolution programs and fill you in on plans for a Young Fives (Transitional Kindergarten) for next year. This evening will be open forum to hear your questions, too. I hope you can join us.

Below is an article from music teacher Martha Lampert. Mrs. Lampert is the only teacher on campus who sees all 673 students every week! This week you will have an opportunity to see a music class in person; it won't be a "per-formance", but an "inform-ance." I encourage you to come and see what your children are learning in the Music Room.

Until next time,

Sue Sartor

Principal

Tip:  Please keep the cross walk at Barney Avenue clear so students are easily seen by oncoming traffic.

 

MUSIC NEWS AT LAS LOMITAS

Melody: Students have been learning to identify and sing the notes in songs. I teach my students to use solfege, a scale containing the notes do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. (Yes, just like the Sound of Music song.) Students are learning songs that use these notes; they are also combining the notes in different orders and with different rhythms they have learned; and they are figuring out how to play these notes on xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels. And the older classes are learning to write and read notes and melodies on a staff.

Rhythm: All the music classes spend time distinguishing between the beat (a steady pulse), and rhythm (the number of sounds heard on each beat). Students are learning to read, identify and use different rhythms.

Part work: Students have learned a mix of songs, and now we are accompaniment to our music. Some songs we sing are rounds. Other songs have an ostinato accompaniment, a rhythmic pattern we sing or play over and over as we sing. And some songs have two parts, a melody and a melodic accompaniment.

Instruments: We have been playing on the instruments in music class, too. We have an assortment of xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels and students play them almost every week. We also use drums for rhythmic work and dynamics, which means how loudly or softly we perform our music. And we have a variety of instruments to shake, scrape, rattle and whack as we sing.

Movement, Literacy and Fun:  Music makes you want to move and students are definitely moving in music class.  Second and third graders have been working on a lot of clapping games.  Kindergarten and first grade always end with a story we can sing, and I encourage the children to find these books at the library.

Informance Week:  You are invited to come watch your child's music class the week of November 14-18 in room 41.  This is an opportunity to see what we do in music class - what songs we sing, how we learn, what skills we practice.  All informances are held in the music room, room 41.  To see your child's specific time, please visit the Las Lomitas Music website at https://sites.google.com/site/lampertmusic/

Questions?  Contact Ms. Lampert at mlampert@llesd.org or 650-854-5900 x 289   

The Lion's Roar is published every Monday. To submit items for inclusion in the newsletter: 

· Email submissions by noon, Wednesdays, to Carol Clark at cclark@llesd.org.