WGN CLASS NOTES: 2025/10/28

TO: WONDER WGN MEMBERS
MEMO: WGN CLASS NOTES: 2025/10/28
DATE: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

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MEMORY VERSES (SEE ALL)

  • Scripture of the Month: Psalms 71:17-18 – God, You have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wonders. Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don’t forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come. – Psalms 71:17-18
  • Character Scripture:
    • Proverbs 2:1-5 – My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands within you, by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding…Then you will understand how to fear the LORD, and you will discover knowledge about God. – Proverbs 2:1-5 NET (New English Translation)
    • Isaiah 28:23 – Listen, and hear my voice! Listen attentively, and hear my word! – Isaiah 28:23 LEB (Lexham English Bible)
    • Proverbs 4:20-22 – My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22 ESV (English Standard Version)
    • Matthew 7:24 – Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. – Matthew 7:24 World English Bible (WEB)
    • 1 John 3:11 – For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. – 1 John 3:11 New King James Version (NKJV)

ALL ENSEMBLES (BAND/ORCHESTRA/DRUMLINE/FLAGS/RECORDER/CHOIR/DANCE)

  • Practice Plan (written assignments to be turned in to Welcome Table upon arrival – if not completed last week)
    1. When are you going to practice? Give specific times and days.
    2. When are you going to do passive listening of an hour per day?
    3. Do you have your practice space set up?
    4. Can you easily access videos and listening assignments?
    5. Is your metronome, tuner, stand, mirror easily accessible?
    6. Are your supplies in the space and easily accessed?

MUSIC FOUNDATIONS

PIANO 1

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 10m/5d
  • Clap the Rhythm Drills on page 14
  • Practice pages 15 and 17.
  • -Clap the rhythm then play the song while saying the finger numbers.
  • -On page 17, remember that p means “soft” and f means “loud.”

PIANO 2

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 15m/5d
  • **Every time you sit at the piano remember to sit tall, keep your wrists up, and curve your fingers as you play**
  • If you haven’t already, complete pages 37-39, 44, and 58 this week.
  • Practice pages 56-57 and 59-60

BUCKETLINE

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 20m/5d
  • You now have 4 sheets of music to practice. Go through each one working on proper form with loose wrists, equal stick height, and proper grip.
  • -Practice the sticks out/in procedure (come out 2 counts before the first note, come in 2 count after the last note) using the first four measures of “”Legatos””
  • -Finish learning the rest of “”Legatos”” (m. 19-36)
  • -Look ahead at “”Count-Up Legatos”” (no variations)
  • -Practice these exercises at a variety of tempos and stick heights:
  • – TEMPOS: 88 bpm, 104 bpm, 112 bpm, & 120 bpm
  • – STICK HEIGHTS: 3″” (piano), 6″” (mezzo-piano), 9″” (mezzo-forte), & 12″” (forte)”

DRUMLINE

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 20m/5d
  • Wonder Drumline Book
    • Practice the sticks out/in procedure (come out 2 counts before the first note, come in 2 count after the last note) using the first four measures of “”Legatos””
    • Finish learning the rest of “”Legatos”” (m. 19-36)
    • Look ahead at “”Count-Up Legatos”” (no variations)
    • Practice these exercises at a variety of tempos and stick heights:
    • TEMPOS: 88 bpm, 104 bpm, 112 bpm, & 120 bpm
    • STICK HEIGHTS: 3″” (piano), 6″” (mezzo-piano), 9″” (mezzo-forte), & 12″” (forte)”
  • Bring to next class: Bucket drumsticks or general drumsticks, music stand, pencil, practice pad (use pad and stand at home, as it provides a better setup for playing with better posture.)

FLAGS

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 20m/5d
  • Drop spins
  • Windmills
  • Flourishes (what we did in the circle) Remember to count each section in 4
  • Mark Time
  • Drop spins, Windmills and any other trick while Marking Time
  • Glide step marching
  • Glide step marching and tricks!
  • Here’s a great video for the glide step. Adjust the speed if you need to in the settings on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gii0wgqyRU
  • Flags https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMABHeJupi8&t=1202s

PRELUDE BAND (Beginner Students)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 20m/5d
  • Ensemble
    • Essential Elements Book 1 aka Yellow Book
      • Please practice what your coaches have given you. Work on your best sound on each note!
  • Rhythms (clapping https://photos.app.goo.gl/nrxnCqvWbuBghF7x5)
    • Huckleberry Jello
    • Gooseberry, Gooseberry
    • Pineapple, Pineapple
    • Huckleberry, Huckleberry
    • Jello (shh) lo
  •  Clarinet
    • Nice, strong sound today! Keep up the good work.
    • Note Theory Topics — Today’s Lesson
      • Cut Offs standards-meaning when do we end that note? Using exercise 18, page 6:
      • > When the half note beginning on count 3 is followed by a breath mark, we play until the downbeat of 4 and take a breath between that and the downbeat on 1 of the next measure-this half note doesn’t get a full 2 counts.
      • > When the half note is followed by a rest or the end of the song, it will be given 2 full counts.
    • Breath Marks:
      • > Refer to the Cut Off standard above.
    • Half Notes & Half Rests:
      • > Each get 2 counts. (For every type of note there is an equal rest.)
    • PRACTICE:
      • > Page 6, exercise 19. Write the notes on the staff where they should go.
      • > Continue where we left off in the book-top of page 7, unless you need to go back and review.
      • > Make sure to read and understand all of the YELLOW BOXES
      • > Practice counting and clapping a few of the exercises like we did in class
      • > We will play exercise 22, to make sure everyone is counting correctly.
      • > Give extra attention to exercise 23, the notes are not just a step apart, but are skips! This is a great finger and brain exercise-conquer it!
      • > Exercise 23, has step and skip note patterns and breath marks! Combine them well and you will be playing music-not just playing notes.
    • Your goal is 100 minutes of practice this week. That’s just 20 minutes for 5 days, but it’s ok to spread it out to 6 days-please practice in chunks of 10 minutes or more.
    • Look what we forgot to do from last weeks notes!
      • Notes are the most important things to know after knowing how to make sounds on your instrument. Know these 3 things about notes:
        • 1. the name of the note
        • 2. how to finger it
        • 3. where it lives on the treble clef staff
        • These 3 things are basis of being able to understand what looking at and the putting action in to it.
  •  Flute
    • Practice breathing. Lay on on the floor and fill you belly with air and slowly let it out.
    • Practice playing a B flat and holding the note as long as you can.
    • Practice high EFlat. All fingers. Finger chart in the back of book.
    • It was nice to work with you both today. Keep working on the things that Ms. Lizzie had you doing. The items that I worked with you on were mostly posture and embouchure.
    • Posture points:
      • > Make sure to stand or sit tall and bring the flute to you (don’t dip your head).
      • > Keep your shoulders even, refer to the picture in your Essential Elements book on page 2.
    • Embouchure:
      • > Make sure the smile muscles at the corner of your mouth are firm and your lips are moved by the air coming out of your mouth-think “”pooh”” for air flow. Use “”doo”” for the articulation (tonguing) to start each note.
    • You did well playing page 6 for not knowing you were going to do that. Use the Yellow Box at the top to learn these 3 things about your notes:
      • 1. Name of the note
      • 2. Where it lives on the treble clef staff
      • 3. What fingers are needed to make that note
      • Happy Practicing!
  •  Horn:
    • I had the privilege of having both the horns and trombones this week. Please practice pg. 7 #23 March steps for speed and accuracy. And pg.8 #28-31. And most important is to breath through your mouth not your nose!!
    • Practice breathing, then buzzing, then producing notes. Sure you’re paying attention to her red-handed position and relaxed but upright posture, so you can breathe well.
    • Work on getting a good breath and listen for good tone and correct pitches.
    • Practice the under lined songs in your essential elements book.
  •  Percussion
    • Work on Exercises #31-40 for both snare drum and mallets. Review Exercises #1-30 as needed. Continue working on C, F, Bb, Eb Major Scales with Half-Quarter-Quarter-Quarter-Quarter-Quarter-Quarter-Half format (from the book), focusing on accurate LH lead sticking patterns. Concentrate on proper set-up and playing position/grip for snare drum.
  • Saxophone
    • Nice work saxes! You are really controlling your sound well, keep it up!
    • That being said, I can’t always hear everyone, so you will need to be accountable to yourself.
    • Watch & Listen for these things:
      • > You are making a strong but controlled sound because your embouchure is firm at the corners of your mouth, your cheeks are not puffed and you are pushing air with a firm & steady core (body muscle).
      • > Test yourself of ability to READ the music-can you point to a note & know its name and fingering? Can you recognize a note a play it without extended thinking or counting the lines or spaces on the staff? Are you fast enough at note recognition to play without hesitation?
      • > Police yourself so that you do not fall behind.
    • Note Theory Topics — Today’s Lesson
      • Cut Offs standards-meaning when do we end that note? Using exercise 18, page 6:
        • > When the half note beginning on count 3 is followed by a breath mark, we play until the downbeat of 4 and take a breath between that and the downbeat on 1 of the next measure-this half note doesn’t get a full 2 counts.
        • > When the half note is followed by a rest or the end of the song, it will be given 2 full counts.
      • Breath Marks:
        • > Refer to the Cut Off standard above.
      • Half Notes & Half Rests:
        • > Each get 2 counts. (For every type of note there is an equal rest.)
    • PRACTICE:
      • > Page 6, exercise 19. Write the notes on the staff where they should go.
      • > Continue where we left off in the book-top of page 7, unless you need to go back and review.
      • > Make sure to read and understand all of the YELLOW BOXES
      • > Practice counting and clapping a few of the exercises like we did in class
      • > We will play exercise 22, to make sure everyone is counting correctly.
      • > Give extra attention to exercise 23, the notes are not just a step apart, but are skips! This is a great finger and brain exercise-conquer it!
      • > Exercise 23, has step and skip note patterns and breath marks! Combine them well and you will be playing music-not just playing notes.
      • Your goal is 100 minutes of practice this week. That’s just 20 minutes for 5 days, but it’s ok to spread it out to 6 days-please practice in chunks of 10 minutes or more.
  • Trombone & Baritone (Low Brass)
    • I had the privilege of having both the horns and trombones this week. Please practice pg. 7 #23 March steps for speed and accuracy. And pg.8 #28-31. And most important is to breath through your mouth not your nose!!
    • Begin warmup by laying on floor to concentrate on deep belly breathing. Continue warmup by buzzing in the mouthpiece. After placing the mouthpiece back in the trombone, focus on playing a note and holding that pitch without letting it wobble up or down. Then try a different note. If you have someone who can play a Bflat or F on the piano for you, see if you can match that pitch in first position. Remember to have fun with it! All of this practice will help build your lip and mouth strength.
  • Trumpet
    • Continue to work on buzzing without the mouthpiece as often as you can working on changing pitch (going up and down)
    • Work on buzzing with the mouthpiece, also trying to change pitch (this is first part of warm-up)
    • Work on playing a C and a G

TRAINING BAND (2nd Level Students or Above)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 30m/5d
  • Ensemble
    • Scales, arp & 3rds, 2 octaves (Use a metronome)
      • Bb concert scale #1 And #2 on page 40 of Book 1
    • Review (Use a metronome)
      • Essential Elements Book 2 aka Red Book
    • You have been given the the concert books. Please take care of them as they need to be handed in at the end of the year. Practice in those books Refried beans. Become familiar with the notes and rhythms. And practice whatever you have been assigned by your coaches.
  • Bass Guitar –
    • Work on warm-up routine, include scale work in the warm up
    • Continue to practice numbers 1-6 in the red book, use a tuner if needed to help ensure hitting the right notes
  • Clarinet
    • > Page 34, 175. Egyptian Dance
    • > Scales from class-Use these to make sure you are reading the music. Tell yourself the names of the notes in your head and see/memorize where they live on the staff as you play.
    • > Use the Concert Bb Major scale (your G Major scale) and the rhythm exercises on page 42-43 and play one note per measure with the correct rhythm. Do this ascending & descending. You can pick where to start.
    • TUNING your instrument:
      • 1. Use a tuner (phone, computer or a stand alone) to tune your instrument using C
      • 2. Now that your instrument is tuned, you will use the Concert Bb Major scale-Clarinet C Major scale to learn how each note on your instrument tends to go (# or b) and what you can do to fix it while playing it.
      • 3. Start on C and play long tones. Is the note # or b? Using your embouchure and/or air stream pull each note into tune as closely as possible. You will not adjust your mouthpiece on these notes, only the tuning note for your instrument.
      • 4. Play each note in the scale that way, twice a week. This should only take about 2 minutes.
    • Your practice goal in minutes is 150 minutes (2.5 hours) this week.
    • Your purposeful practice goal is to conquer the challenges you have personally. What might challenges look like?
      • > Reading the music instead of playing by ear.
      • > Using a controlled airstream to create a warm or strong, but not necessarily loud sound.
      • > At this point in your instrumental journey, you have recognized your own personal challenges, purposeful practice is practicing with these in mind and improving and finally overcoming.
      • I know you can do it! Happy Praciting!
  • Electric Guitar
    • Work on warm-up routine, include scale work in the warm up
  • Flute
    • Make sure you understand you posture; where is you head, neck, spine and feet. Practice breathing. Lay on on the floor and fill you belly with air and slowly let it out.
    • Scales, arp & 3rds, 2 octaves. Practice pages 20-21 and 24 and 25
  • Percussion
    • On Snare Work on “Hugga-Hugga-Burr” roll exercise (taught by rote) for both open and closed rolls. Also the “Rhythm Tree” exercise (taught by rote) and Timing Exerise (from Drumline Book). Practice Sticking Patterns focusing on “hiding” the sound change between sticking transitions. For Mallets, review C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab Major scales, adding Db & Gg/F# Major. For both snare and mallets, practice the Essential Elements #21-30.
  • Saxophone
    • Scales from class-Use these to make sure you are reading the music. Tell yourself the names of the notes in your head and see/memorize where they live on the staff as you play.
    • Use the Concert Bb Major scale (your G Major scale) and the rhythm exercises on page 42-43 and play one note per measure with the correct rhythm. Do this ascending & descending. You can pick where to start.
    • > Page 34, 175. Egyptian Dance
    • > Scales from class-Use these to make sure you are reading the music. Tell yourself the names of the notes in your head and see/memorize where they live on the staff as you play.
    • > Use the Concert Bb Major scale (your G Major scale) and the rhythm exercises on page 42-43 and play one note per measure with the correct rhythm. Do this ascending & descending. You can pick where to start.
    • TUNING your instrument:
      • 1. Use a tuner (phone, computer or a stand alone) to tune your instrument using F#
      • 2. Now that your instrument is tuned, you will use the Concert Bb Major scale-alto sax G Major scale to learn how each note on your instrument tends to go (# or b) and what you can do to fix it while playing it.
      • 3. Start on G and play long tones. Is the note # or b? Using your embouchure and/or air stream pull each note into tune as closely as possible. You will not adjust your mouthpiece on these notes, only the tuning note for your instrument.
      • 4. Play each note in the scale that way, twice a week. This should only take about 2 minutes.
    • Your practice goal in minutes is 150 minutes (2.5 hours) this week.
    • Your purposeful practice goal is to conquer the challenges you have personally. What might challenges look like?
      • > Reading the music instead of playing by ear.
      • > Using a controlled airstream to create a warm or strong, but not necessarily loud sound.
      • > At this point in your instrumental journey, you have recognized your own personal challenges, purposeful practice is practicing with these in mind and improving and finally overcoming.
    • I know you can do it! Happy Praciting!
  •  Trombone
    • Bring pencil to class! Begin warmup by buzzing in the mouthpiece and then move to lip slurs. Continue your warmup by playing with tonguing then slurring as you move from first to third position on any pitch. Especially work on these pieces in the yellow method book emphasizing speed:
      • 74, 78 and 79. Try 83 too and see how fast you can get it
      • On page 40, work on key of Bflat 1-3
      • Page 47 (chromatic scale) low Bflat to high Bflat – again emphasizing speed (without sacrificing pitch)
      • Work on the sheet music Swing Fever (using recording listed for midpoint band)
  •  Trumpet
    • Work on warm-up routine, include scale work in the warm up
    • Continue to practice numbers 1-6 in the red book, use a tuner if needed to help ensure hitting the right notes

MIDPOINT BAND (3rd Level Students or Above)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 45m/5d
  • Ensemble:
    • Scales, arp & 3rds, 2-3 octaves (Use a metronome) – pick a scale
    • Review (Use a metronome)
      • Essential Elements Book 3 aka Green Book
    • Repertoire (Use a metronome)
      • Continue to work on Swing fever paying attention to your articulation and dynamics. And practice whatever you have been given by your coaches.
  • Electric Bass
    • Practice scales you know and sight-read some personal choice pieces
  • Electric Guitar
    • Practice scales you know and sight-read some personal choice pieces. The Essential Elements series doesn’t include a guitar book so use your private lesson method book.
  • Percussion
    • Work on “Hugga-Hugga-Burr” roll exercise (taught by rote) for both open and closed rolls, and look ahead at “Timing” exercise (from Drumline Book). Practice the “Rhythm Tree” and “Trading 8th” (taught by rote in class). Practice Sticking Patterns focusing on “hiding” the sound change between sticking transitions. Review all flat major scales (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb) and their corresponding relative minor scales (a, d, g, c, f, bb, eb). Add Pentatonic and Hexatonic scales.
  • Saxophone
    • Practice with Rhythms in mind this week.
    • > Be specific about your rhythms.
    • > Count them with the number of the beats in the measures.
    • > Say the counts aloud and even finger the rhythm while counting.
    • > Rhythm recognition is a great skill, but learning how to count them by the numbers and &s will help you when you run into a more complex rhythm, down the line.
    • Bring your personal music and the after band band (what’s that called?) music if you’d like to go over any of it.
    • The youtube channel I showed you today is Brian Hayes, if you’d like to see what he has to offer up on Saxophone Technique.
    • Have fun practicing and don’t forget to bring your practice record.
  •  Trumpet
    • Continue with warm-up routine to include all scales and working on increasing range

PRELUDE ORCHESTRA (Beginner Students)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 20m/5d (NOT 30 this week)
  • 1st Year String Expectations: It is said that Twinkle Twinkle requires the student to learn more than 42 skills. Therefore, we take the majority of the first year to learn Twinkle, breaking down smaller sets of skill into isolated exercises. This means students will not put the bow to the strings (or play their instruments) right away. The exercises they do are important to practice because they help build muscle memory with proper form. Once one has attained a level of mastery on the individual skills, building upon and joining them together becomes much easier. Please be patient and take seriously the exercises in each week’s Class Notes.
  • Bass and Cello
    • Listen Daily: Suzuki 1 (Playlist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgjRQfXvXDg)
    • Parts of the Instrument
      • Bass: Afterlength, Bass bar, Belly, Bout, Bridge, C Bout, Dowel, Endblock, Endpin, F-Hole, Fingerboard, Flatback, Gmba shape, Headstock, Upper and Lower bout, machine heads, Mensur, Neck, Nut, Overstand, Peg box, Ribs, Romberg Bevel, Saddle, Scroll, Shoulders, Sound hole, Sound post, Table, Tailgut, Tailpiece, Tuning Keys, Violin Corner
      • Cello: scroll, pegs, peg box, nut, strings, neck, fingerboard, bridge, f-holes, tail piece, fine tuners, tail-chord, end-pin, front, back, purfling, sound post, bass-bar.
      • Bow: Tip, stick, horse-hair, ferrule* (I thought the spelling was ph, I was wrong), frog, screw, thumb leather, silver winding.
    • Rhythms (clapping https://photos.app.goo.gl/nrxnCqvWbuBghF7x5)
      • Huckleberry Jello
      • Gooseberry, Gooseberry
      • Pineapple, Pineapple (strawberry, strawberry)
      • Huckleberry, Huckleberry
      • Jello (shh) lo (or “”cello – bow””)
    • You can use any of these rhythms for a scale; we did huckleberry jello (aka Mississippi Stop Stop, aka makin’ bacon pancakes).
    • BOW ASSIGNMENT
      • 100 bow holds! Each day, if your house has stairs, practice bow hold on the bottom stair, and go up one stair, do a new bow-hold, shake out hand and take a step.
      • Up Like a Rocket
        • Up like a rocket, down like the rain,
        • Back and forth like a choo choo train.
        • Round and round like a great big drum,
        • Land on your head curved pinky and thumb.
    • Hovering fingers
    • Rock’n’roll
    • Grass hoppers
    • Left hand pizzicato (each string, every finger)
    • D Major Scale
    • ski jumps (each string, every finger)
  • Violin & Viola

TRAINING ORCHESTRA (2nd Level Students or above)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 30m/5d
  •  Ensemble:
    • 1. Scales, arp & 3rds, 3 octaves – G Major
    • 2. Review – Suzuki B1-Your current book
    • 3. Practice Play Boil ’em Cabbage Down Variations 1, 2, and 3.
    • 4. Beautiful Skies: Learn for next week.
    • 5. Oh! Susanna: Learn for next week.
    • * PRACTICE POINTS:
      • choose 1 practice point every time you practice a small section
      • always work on tricky sections
      • 1. correct rhythm, steady tempo
      • 2. correct notes
      • 3. bow direction
      • 4. intonation
      • 5. dynamics
      • 6. slow to fast with metronome (work on this LAST!) 🙂
  •  Cello
  • Viola and Violin
    • Listen Daily: Suzuki 1
    • Watch Pre-twinkle: Setup Exercises Videos: https://a-musician-is.com (password: amusicianis)
      • Please watch the videos if you are behind or don’t remember the pieces. They are in the video playlist bk.1
    • Review (Use a metronome)
      • Twinkle B1 to Allegro
    • C Major Scale
      • 1st exercise- play scale degrees 1,4,5,8
      • 2nd exercise- play scale degrees 1,3,4,5,7,8
      • 3rd exercise- play scale degrees 1,2,3,4,,5,6,7,8
    • I Can Read
      • Lesson 1 and 2 rhythm snd pitch
    • Table top exercise
    • Cat Cow

MIDPOINT ORCHESTRA (3rd Level Students or above)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 45m/5d
  • Ensemble:
    • 1. Scales, arp & 3rds, 3 octaves – G Major
    • 2. Review – Suzuki B1-Your current book
      • – concert goal: 140 per quarter
    • 3. Variations on an Irish Tune – measures 1-69
    • ***PLEASE measure all pieces for rehearsal purposes. Just need measure number at beginning of each line
    • * PRACTICE POINTS:
      • choose 1 practice point every time you practice a small section
      • always work on tricky sections
      • 1. correct rhythm, steady tempo
      • 2. correct notes
      • 3. bow direction
      • 4. intonation
      • 5. dynamics
      • 6. slow to fast with metronome (work on this LAST!) 🙂
  • Cello
  • Viola and Violin
    • Listen Daily: Suzuki 2-3
    • Review (Use a metronome)
      • Suzuki B1-beginning of B2
    • Practice everything from Suzuki Bk 1 and B2 up to
      Lully gavotte
    • C Major Scale through 2 octaves
      • 1st exercise- play scale degrees 1,4,5,8
      • 2nd exercise- play scale degrees 1,3,4,5,7,8
      • 3rd exercise- play scale degrees 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
    • Get your introducing positions book

CONCERT ORCHESTRA (4th Level Students or above)

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 60m/5d
  • Ensemble:
  • * PRACTICE POINTS:
    • choose 1 practice point every time you practice a small section
    • always work on tricky sections
    • 1. correct rhythm, steady tempo
    • 2. correct notes
    • 3. bow direction
    • 4. intonation
    • 5. dynamics
    • 6. slow to fast with metronome (work on this LAST!) 🙂

RECORDERS 1

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 10m/4d
  • During your practice, please work on:
    1. Posture
    2. Reading Music (Remember = Middle line B! Second space A! Second line G!)
    3. Fingering for the B, A, and G notes. Make sure you cover up the entire hole and blow softly.
    4. Play the practice lines on Pages 5 and 6, from #1 on Page 5 to #3 on Page 6. Clap out the rhythm and say the note names before you play each song for extra pracitice. Also listen to your CD if you are able, following along in your book. Record your time for Air Control (#4 on Page 6).
    5. If you would like more to practice, you may get a head start on the three 3 Lines for Smooth Fingers songs.
  • Instrument Care: Don’t forget to “blow” out your recorder after every practice section! Make sure to cover the window so it’s not too loud. (Check out the diagram on Page 2 of your book if you’re not sure where this is. Also take note of the air channel for cleaning.) Some more instructions on how to clean your instrument: You can rinse your instrument under running water with a small amount of soap, or let it soak in a tub or sink with warm water for no more than 10 minutes and again only a little bit of soap. Either way, be sure to rinse it very well and leave it out of its case until completely dry. Overnight is the best time so that it gets plenty of time to dry out. I would also recommend asking your parents if you can use an appropriately sized bottle brush and clean the air channel every now and then. These recorders don’t come apart so its important to wash and dry them thoroughly.
  • Next class, don’t forget to bring: your recorder, recorder book, a pencil, stand, and practice record
  • You guys are doing great! Happy practicing!

RECORDERS 2

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Practice Time: 15m/4d
  • During your practice, please work on:
    1. Posture
    2. Reading Music (you can write the note names in if that’s still helpful, but we will try to phase that out by the end of the year! Remember to check for sharps (F# or C#). Also listening to your CD and following along with the music can be very helpful!
    3. Fingering from low C up to high E. Make sure you cover up the entire hole and blow softly.
    4. Please work on “It’s Me O Lord” on Page 2 several times.
    5. Please work on the Tonguing and Slurring activites, as well as your part in This Old Man on Page 3. Look on the fingering chart in the back of your book for the F# note. This is the F note that is played in This Old Man. If you need help, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT7321Rk54o
    6. If you would like something more to practice, you can practice Winter Good-Bye on Page 3. We won’t cover it in class, it’s just for fun and optional.
  • Instrument Care: Don’t forget to “blow” out your recorder after every practice section! One time this week, please wash it with warm water and a tiny bit of soap, rinse thoroughly and make sure it dries.
  • Next week, don’t forget to bring: your recorder, recorder book, a pencil, stand, and practice record.
  • You guys are doing great! Happy practicing!

PRIME CHOIR

JUNIOR/SENIOR CHOIR (YOUTH CHOIR)

SIGNS AND WONDERS: ASL SIGNING CHOIR

  • Practice the alphabet, try spelling names in addition to the alphabet. For experienced signers, work on your accuracy and speed, and teach your family or friend how to sign their name.
  • Continue working on spelling names
  • Practice Signs: My, Your, Name, Wh words (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How – REMEMBER EYEBROWS DOWN WITH THESE),
  • Advanced students: Practice your speed and fluency, as well as reading someone elses sign.

DANCE

  • See ALL ENSEMBLES notes above and complete assignment
  • Block 4 – 2pm-3pm – Practice Time: 10m/3d
    • Attire
      • There a still some dancers who do not have the required attire/shoes for class.
      • Long skirts are a tripping hazard and I cannot check for proper alignment of legs/ankles which can result to improper training and future injuries. Socks are very slick on the dance floor and don’t have the support of a dance shoes. Bare feet stick to the floor and dancers cannot properly execute steps.
      • Dancers should be in black leggings with a ballet skirt and black ballet shoes, their wonder t-shirts and hair in a pony tail/bun.
      • Dancers can put hair ties in their bags and I am happy to assist them with getting their hair up.
      • Recommended Black Shoes (https://us.blochworld.com/products/ladies-dansoft-leather-ballet-shoes-black-leather?_pos=10&_sid=9c1cfcee7&_ss=r&variant=31741301260387)
    • Practice 10mins/3days
      • Review ballet terminology
      • * Plie – to bend
      • * Tendu – to pointe and stretch
      • * Battement Glisse – beating, gliding movement
      • * Rond De Jambe – circle of the leg
      • * Grand Battement – large beating movement
      • * Saute – to jump
      • * Passe – to Pass
      • * Pas de chat – step of the cat
      • * Coup de pied/coupe – cupped
      • * Avant – forward
    • Movement
      • Releve walks around your house with arms in 1st position
      • Skips with pointed toes/knees high
      • Leap over stuffed animals
      • Pas de chat – from 1st position (passe/pass) pointe 2nd toe
      • When listening to music this week see if you can find the beat count to eight and and start over – we will work on this next week
  • Block 5 – 3pm-4pm – Practice Time: 15m/5d
    • Body facing positions
    • En face
      • – a la quatrieme devant
      • – a la quatrieme derriere
      • – a la seconde
    • Croise
      • – croise devante (front)
      • – croise derriere (back)
      • – Ecarte
    • Ballet terminology
      • *Plie – to bend
      • *Tendu – to pointe and stretch
      • *Battement Glisse – beating, gliding movement
      • *Rond De Jambe – circle of the leg
      • *Frappe – to strike
      • *Grand Battement – large beating movement
      • *Saute – to jump
      • *Passe – to Pass
      • *Sous Sous – over/under
      • * Pas de chat – step of the cat
      • * Cambre – means “arched” and refers to a graceful, controlled bending of the upper body, which can be performed forward, backward, or to the side
      • * Port de bras – “carriage of the arms” in ballet, referring to both the graceful, flowing movement of the arms and specific exercises designed to improve arm quality
      • * Pas de cheval – step of the horse
      • * Tembe – “fall” from one leg to the other, or from two legs to one, landing with a bent knee
      • * Develope – developed or unfolded
    • Movement
      • Bouree – sous sous – front leg is the same as your moving direction
        • *remember back together, front foot does not open, back foot leads
      • 16 releves for ankel strength
      • Stretching – splits – Right, Left, Center (please always warm up before stretching to prevent injury)

GUIDED PE

  • You guys did awesome this week!
  • Beginners-
    • Practice your foot hand crawls- keep low and narrow and use opposite foot to hand movement (move right foot up with left hand)
  • Advanced- work on your EMPHASIS
    • JUMPS
    • single leg jump, double forward jump, split sideways jumps. work on precision and soft landings “

ART (DRAWING & WATERCOLOR)

  • No notes for this week.

ART (TEXTILES – NEEDLE PUNCH)

  • No notes for this week.

ART (PHOTOGRAPHY)

  • 1st Year Students
    • Take Pictures of a meal, sandwich, food…
    • Experiment with your camera and have fun with it!
  • 2nd+ Year Students
    • Repeat the homework to take pictures of food.
    • This week, include table accessories like salt & pepper shakers, cups, place mat, etc..
    • Consider adding lights (desk lamp, LED flashlight, mirror bounce).
    • Experiment with angles, as if the viewer is sitting in the chair and the food has been set in front of him.
  • Wonder Student Photography 25-26 Folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AA9Lot8NgFikQ1gPnG49q3-STs4nDSAj?usp=drive_link

THEATER

  • Thanks for all of your hard work today. This week, practice your assigned tongue twister to perform for the class next week!
  • History I: Creation to the Resurrection: Covers the period from 4004 B.C. to c.A.D 33

LITTLE MOVERS & LITTLE SHAKERS

  • Remember to listen to recordings and check out your books daily this week.
  • Draw me a picture of your very favorite weather!! Remember if you do the homework you get a sticker!!

LITTLE CYCLES

  • Remember to listen to recordings and check out your books daily this week.
  • For homework this week, make a snowflake to bring to class! You can use any material you like, such as paper, yarn, or sticks! Remember, anyone who brings a homework assignment in gets a sticker 🙂

MUSIC MAKERS 1

  • Great class and a great bunch of quiet, obedient children. Thank you parents! Not a class full of “Chatty Cathy’s and Carls!” Most everyone had their bags with them. Thank you! Be sure to keep everything together in the Binder and bag…Ask to see their work sheets and see if they remember what the rhythm is. Before you walk out the door on Tuesdays ask if they have their bag with their binder in it!!! Some children are not at the writing stage yet so be understanding and help them with these triple patterns.

MUSIC MAKERS 2

  • WE spent a lot of time with 5 lines and 4 spaces on the floor.
  • Look at Listen For Bells Song Page
  • Where is “Do” Can you sing the song in sol-fedge?
  • Show Mom and Dad the Twinkle Song Page – Where is Do? Can you sing it with Sol-fedge? Tell them your story to the variations on Twinkle
  • Show them your rhythm patterns. Can you read them?
  • Draw me a picture From the story “The Bremen Town Musicians”
  • Parents: We use the Edwin Gordon method of reading rhythms…Du is always the main pulse. I will send home a hand out next week that will explain this.

DISCOVERY

  • No notes for this week.
  • Dance
    • No Practice Records required
    • Review ballet terminology
      • – Plie – to bend
      • – Tendu – to pointe and stretch
      • – Degage/glisse – beating, gliding movement
      • – Rond de Jambe – circle of the leg
      • – Pas de Chat – step of the cat
    • Show your family how to do a Pas de Chat
      • – set out three struffed animals
      • – feet togheter in 6th position/hands on hips
      • – the leg closest to the stuffed animals lifts first
      • – passe/passe over the stuffed animal and end in 1st position
      • – slide to the next stuffed animal

PLAYROOM WITH HELPING HANDS

  • After Lunch Check-in: Please be sure to check your student in room 212
  • Check-out: Please be sure to quietly check your student out in room 212 or (playground) with the Playroom Helping Hands

COMPUTER SCIENCE (STANDARD APPLICATION)

  • Topics Covered: Our First Program. For further review, you may reference https://learnpythontherightway.com/chapter/chapter-3.html

COMPUTER SCIENCE (FUNDAMENTALS OF EMBEDDED PROGRAMMING)

  • Topics Covered: Managing Input and Triggering Events.

JUNIOR HELPER

  • No notes for this week.

STUDY HALL

  • No notes for this week.
Wonder Memo

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