Journal #2

Journal #2 (9/21-10/16)
In this unit, we learned about note names and note values, half step and whole step, the C major scale, solfa, hand signs for solfa, rhythmic duration syllables, the fingerings for the notes on the recorder, melodic icons, and teaching a lesson plan. Notes can be described by the value of the note such as a half note and by the letter that corresponds to the note such as C. A half step is from one note to another note that is the closest note higher or lower than it, such as E to F. A whole step is notes that has a half step in between it, such as C to D. The C major scale starts on C and goes to C. Solfa is the tones: do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do and there are hand symbols we learned for each tone. Rhythmic duration syllables give a syllable to each beat in a note, such as a half note being ta-ah. We learned the fingerings to the notes: G, A, B, C, and D on the recorder. Melodic icons are pictures that are drawn for the words of the song and the size of the images are based on the value of the note and the height is based on the pitch. We taught a lesson plan to the class using all that we learned in class up into that point, such as rhythm and pitch.
We learned these concepts by using singing, drawings on the board, playing the recorder, and being the teacher. We use notes on staffs to learn how to read the note and music. We learned the C major scale by having students being the letters of the scale and we learned the notes to a song by a student jumping from note to note. Solfa was taught by singing it and by learning hand signs for each tone. We learned to play five notes on the recorder and with those notes we can play songs on the recorder.
It is important for me to learn these concepts, especially teaching the lesson plan because it will be helpful to me to know how to teach because I will be able to feel comfortable teaching a lesson and it is good practice. These concepts broaden my understanding of knowledge and music and then I can help to spread my knowledge of music to others. I think that all that we are learning is widening my appreciation of music and will influence me when I am a teacher to incorporate music into my classroom.
It is important for the children in elementary school to learn these concepts because it will give them some background information on music and will help to excite their interest to learn more over time about music. They need a foundation of music to begin with. Their knowledge of music will expand more as they continue to learn more about music in school and it might be beneficial to them later in life.