Monday, August 2, 2021

August 2021 Welcome Back!

Hi everyone! Mrs Boswell here!

I will be on FMLA for the first part of this school year. Ms. Jordan Bamburg is the K-2 Music Substitute in my absence. Jordan is a fantastic musician with a beautiful singing voice and is a natural when it comes to working with K-2 students. She joined our Lincoln team last year as Mr. High's TA in 1st grade. The students from her class absolutely ADORE her and I know they will be thrilled to spend more time with her this year. I am confident that Ms. Bamburg is up to the task and I am looking forward to seeing what the students have learned while I'm away. Please join me in welcoming her with open hearts.... and try not to miss me too much! 😊

See you soon!

Warmly,

Rachel Boswell

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Hello!
My name is Jordan Bamburg and I am the substitute teacher for Mrs. Boswell’s K-2 Music class while she is on FMLA. I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and studied abroad in Sydney, Australia for 4 ½ years, receiving my degree in Theology and Advanced Diploma in Music & Ministry. As a recently new member to the Archway Lincoln Faculty, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of your students as a TA for 1st grade and for Kindergarten in Summer School. A few of my hobbies are singing, playing piano, photography, traveling, and going to parks with my dog Mia. I am excited to welcome back our young scholars and meet the new additions to our great school. In music class, students will explore and navigate the wonderful world of music. These early years are an essential time in your student’s development to introduce foundational musical concepts. My goal is to provide a rich environment that engages them in singing, playing, listening, creating, performing and responding to music. I look forward to our correspondence and a wonderful year ahead.

Sincerely, Jordan Bamburg
jbamburg@archwaylincoln.org


Monday, August 3, 2020

Hello!

Hello everyone!

My name is Rachel Boswell and I am the K-2 Music teacher at Archway Lincoln. I have a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. My husband and I moved to the valley from Rochester, NY in 2015 and recently celebrated our 11th anniversary. We fell in love with Arizona and don't plan on leaving any time soon (to the dismay of both our families). This past year, we made the decision to grow our family through adoption. We are currently waiting patiently (most days πŸ˜„) to be matched and are so excited.

I am a member of the founding faculty and since the very beginning, Lincoln has felt like home. I didn't know much about classical education, but I quickly realized that it aligned with my educational and moral philosophy. If you are choosing to send your scholars to Archway Lincoln, you have probably read up on classical education. If you have not, I would encourage you to read the brief overview of Great Heart's philosophy here. The spark notes version is this:


We seek to cultivate the hearts and minds of our students in the pursuit of



Now here is the part where I try to explain what music might look like this year.* 


Our music curriculum is three-fold: singing & choral performance, music history, and music theory. Under normal circumstances we have 2 mandatory performances per year (Winter and Spring). This year, we will not have a Winter concert because of the current gathering and singing restrictions. Spring is undecided and we will abide by the guidelines in place at that time. While this is extremely disheartening for many of us, I have to believe that someday we will once again be able to provide this experience to our students. Regardless, we will be employing creative solutions to maintain singing in the curriculum while upholding health and safety guidelines.

First and Second graders will have a Composer of the Month. They will learn facts and anecdotes about these great composers and become familiar with a few of their essential pieces. Kindergartners will hear a variety of these great musical works as well however, the focus is on exposure, exploration and experiencing the music. I usually introduce the term "composer" during the second semester but I may move things around this year because of remote learning.

In regards to music theory, the students are introduced to foundational musical concepts and "music vocabulary" so they are able to begin to listen with understanding.**

The online learning experience will not be identical to having a normal, in person music experience. Flexibility is essential for all parties this year, myself included! We will be utilizing creativity to bring as much authentic learning to our students as possible. Additionally, we will be continually practicing grace- grace towards each other, and towards ourselves knowing that this year will be challenging for everyone.

Socrates said, "Wisdom begins in wonder." Here's hoping that this year we can replace our fretful wondering with the beauty of wisdom and awestruck wonder. See you soon,



*Subject to changing health and safety guidelines
**A great book on this subject (for adults) is What to Listen for in Music by Aaron Copland








Monday, May 4, 2020

Week 7: Percussion Family (May 4-8)


Percussion instruments are possibly the oldest instruments. They were fashioned out of whatever was around: sticks, logs, clay vessels, or gourds filled with seeds. They provide the heartbeat that drives the music forward and makes you want to move. There are so many percussion instruments that I can barely scratch the surface in this simple lesson. I hope you find time to do some "research" and find out ones you like best, or better yet, play around with what you have in your house and start making music. I'm not a dancer by any means, but when I hear a good beat, I can't help but move! I hope you get those toes tappin, fingers snappin, and move your feet to any beat! πŸ˜„





Week 7: Percussion Family (May 4-8)



1. Eastman Percussion Ensemble: Fandango 13 (Video)

  • This is a great watch. The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY is one of the top music schools in the country. This piece features the versatility of what it means to be a percussionist. You will see xylophones, marimbas, chimes, cymbals, snare drums, bongos, and more!


2. Fanfare For the Common Man by Aaron Copland

  • This piece is unique in that it only has Percussion and Brass represented. You will hear timpani drums and lots of horns.



3. Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

  • This piece is long (around 10 mins) but it was written to showcase each instrument family


OPTIONAL: Design your own percussion instrument! Use recycled objects in your home. Feel free to decorate it, name it, and show me how it's played (shake, scrape, strike). 

Additional Optional Resources

Backstage With Bleeckie- Meet the Orchestra A puppet gets to go backstage and chat with some of the musicians. It's a little cheesy but kinda cute. 

Percussion Family Coloring Sheet

Another fantastic watch is the Marimba Quartet Live at PASIC performing the Finale from Carnival of the Animals. These percussionists are very talented. It takes a lot of hard work to play a piece on percussion instruments that was written for piano and orchestra. If you are interested, I would listen to the original Finale first and then watch it played by the Marimba quartet. Amazing.

Toccata for Percussion Instruments by Carlos Chavez is a piece that was composed specifically for percussion instruments. I like the 3rd movement the best.

Monday, April 27, 2020

Week 6: Brass Family, Sousa, and Parades!

Happy Monday! 

I hope you are all doing well and staying healthy! I have to admit, I've been a bit lax on the chores this week. My sister introduced me to a new series and I have been devouring it. It's making me remember summers when I was growing up. Some days, I'd start a book and not stop till I'd finished it! I've always been a book worm. I hope you are finding ways to enjoy these last few weeks. 
That's one of the reasons Mrs Zimmermann and I wanted to try something a bit different this week. Hopefully, all your scholars can work together and come up with something fun for their parade. I'm at a loss for what to do with mine....maybe I'll uses my books...it's either that or pull from the spice rack! hahaπŸ˜„


Usually, in class I'm able to talk about Louis Armstrong and highlight the trumpet. If you find yourself in need of a pick me up, check out his music. My favorite is when he teams up with Ella Fitzgerald. πŸ˜ I've included a link to my *very short* playlist of the few songs I usually find a way to work into music class. I hope these activities have been bringing joy to your families. And thank you to the ones who have humored me and sent me video clips of the kids singing or dancing around.

This week, Mrs Zimmermann and I are teaming up. We wanted to do an activity that the whole family could do together! 
First, a few notes on the Brass Family:
  • They are made of metal (brass)
  • They are played by using a mouthpiece and buzzing air through your lips
Activity 2: Create your own parade with your family! It can be:
  •  A drawing you all do together of what your parade would look like
  • A photo/video clip of your family having a parade around your house (don't forget your pets!)
  • A picture of items you have at home lined up like a parade (legos, stuffed animals, books, coffee mugs, action figures, etc.) The idea is to have fun with it and be creative. 
  • Stay tuned! Some teachers may be sharing their parades with you too!


Optional Resources


American Composers Coloring Sheets

Brass Family Coloring Page

Louie and Ella Spotify Playlist

Monday, April 20, 2020

Week 5: The Woodwind Family (April 20-24)


Good Morning!

Not too much on my mind this week. I've been reading a book on and off called "The Connected Child". Some of it lines up with the Love and Logic method we use at Lincoln. 
One of the sections I was reading about yesterday was talking about handling  BIG emotions and how to help littles deal with them. It seems a little silly but as adults, a lot of what we do to model for our scholars is thinking out loud. We "pull back the curtain" so to speak on our thought processes. 

The section was titled "Get a Handle on Feelings". It prompts you to give the child permission to identify and ask for what they are needing and gives them permission to process their feelings. Saying things like "It's okay to feel angry. Sometimes I feel angry, too. What are good ways we can deal with anger?"
And then, you help them make a list: taking deep breaths, taking a walk, talking to someone, using their words, punching a pillow, squeezing a stress ball, etc. 


Now, I do not claim to be perfect at any of this and I defer to the experts. It's easier said than done. Honestly, at this point all of my knowledge is theoretical having not been around any children in WEEKS (aside from facetimeing my 4 yr old niece who btw has BIG emotions). haha  But maybe it's a reminder to do something you already knew. Again. And again. And again. Aaannnd we might need some new pillows next week. 😊





Week 5  (April 20-24)
Activity 1
This week features the woodwind family. Woodwind instruments are made of wood and metal. To create sound they use “wind” (air), keys, and reeds. This week you have a choice of which piece you want to listen to. Here are your choices:
1. "Aviary" from Carnival of the Animals by Mr Saint-SaΓ«ns. An aviary is a place where you can see lots of birds! You might have learned in Latin class that "avis" means "bird" and been able to guess what it meant. You will hear the flute. Many people think the flute sounds just like a bird!
2. "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks" from Pictures at An Exhibition by Mr Mussorgsky. The original was written for piano but another composer (Mr Ravel) arranged it for the orchestra. That is the version we are listening to. You will hear the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. I think you will have fun dancing around like a chick hatching from an egg.
1st Time Listening: Choose a position (sitting, standing, laying) and listen with your thinking voice while moving.
2nd Time Listening: Move to the music. Change your movements with the music.
Activity 2
3rd Time Listening: Move to the music.
4th Time Listening: Fill out your Music Listening Log

Extra Optional Resources


Monday, April 13, 2020

Week 4 April 13th-17th: String Family & A Little Night Music

Good Morning everyone!

Week 4. Man. It's hard to believe we've been doing this for almost a month!
I'm finally starting to get in a groove...somewhat. I hope you had a restful weekend and were still able to make some good memories even though it was not the usual kind of Easter weekend. Last week I found a poem that seemed very a propos to this time. I actually liked it so much I read it during one of our team zoom meetings. :)
In the poem, the emperor recites arithmetic to himself when things don't go well. It's his silly little mantra. It just reminded me that we should find the activities and things we like to do, or things that help us feel "normal" or as normal as possible when things are not going the way we want them to. I hope this week finds you with some new rhythms and perhaps some of the old ones too. 



From Now We Are SixThe Emperor’s Rhyme:
**********************
THE EMPEROR’S RHYME
Poem by A. A. Milne
The King of Peru
(Who was Emperor too)
Had a sort of a rhyme
Which was useful to know,
If he felt very shy
When a stranger came by,
Or they asked him the time
When his watch didn’t go;
or supposing he fell
(By mistake) down the well,
Or he tumbled when skating
And sat on his hat,
Or perhaps wasn’t told,
Till his porridge was cold,
That his breakfast was waiting –
Or something like that;
Oh, whenever the Emperor
got into a temper, or
Felt himself sulky or sad,
He would murmur and murmur,
Until he felt firmer,
This curious rhyme which he had:
Eight eights are sixty-four;
Multiply by seven.
When it’s done,
Carry one,
And take away Eleven.
Nine nines are eighty-one;
Multiply by three.
If it’s more,
Carry four,
And then it’s time for tea.”
So whenever the Queen
Took his armour to clean,
And didn’t remember
To use any starch;
Or his birthday (in May)
Was a Horrible day,
Being wet as November
And windy as March;
Or, if sitting in state
With the Wise and the Great
He happened to hiccup
While signing his name,
Or The Queen gave a cough,
When his crown tumbled off
As he bent down to pick up
A pen for the same;
Oh, whenever the Emperor
Got into a temper, or
Felt himself awkward or shy,
He would whisper and whisper,
Until he felt crisper,
This odd little rhyme to the sky.
“Eight eights are sixty-four;
Multiply by seven.
When it’s done,
Carry one,
And take away Eleven.
Nine nines are eighty-one;
Multiply by three.
If it’s more,
Carry four,
And then it’s time for tea.”
**********************





Grab a copy of your Music Listening Log. You will need it for Activity 2.
Listening Log Reminders:
-use your music words (piano/forte/largo/presto) to describe what you hear
-write down or draw instruments you hear
-use at least 2 colors in your drawing
-include a copy of your Listening Log in your packet

Activity 1
This week features the string family. String family instruments are made of wood and strings. The strings are bowed or plucked to create sound. This piece is a familiar one and you most likely have heard it before. This version in played by a string quartet (2 violins, a viola and a cello).
  • 1st Time Listening: Choose a position (sitting, standing, laying) and listen with your thinking voice while moving.
  • 2nd Time Listening: Move to the music. Change your movements with the music.

Activity 2
  • 3rd Time Listening: Move to the music.   Forte- jump    Piano- tiptoe




Additional Optional Resources
  • My favorite recording of "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik" is by the Hagen Quartett. If you love it as much as I do, you can listen to the ENTIRE thing on my spotify playlist here.
  • If you want to hear what plucking (pizzicato) sounds like, look up "Pizzicato Polka" by Johann Strauss II. It's a fun little piece to dance around to.
  • Create a Mozart Facts Flip Book  If you like to Print/Cut/Color things
  • String Family Coloring Sheet This doesn't have ALL the string instruments but it has some common ones. 
  • And of course feel free to share your musical experiences with me if it does not cause you any stress or add another tedious thing to your to-do list! I love hearing from you and seeing your home videos/ hearing your voicesπŸ˜„

Monday, April 6, 2020

Week 3 (April 6-9): Beethoven and Fur Elise

Good Afternoon!

What a week it was. I confess I was on the cranky side for the majority of it. I had to take so many walks to keep myself in check. I also made sure I spent some time playing instruments and reminding myself why I love music. However, I can definitively say, the best part of my week was seeing some of your beautiful faces on Saturday at the pickup! 😍😍😍

I know that this week brings the challenge of beginning Google Classroom. Remember to be kind to yourself as you navigate this with your students. As faculty, we are at least a week ahead of you. We understand the time and effort it takes to figure it out because we went through it as well! None of us are asking for perfection. Take your time, and when you feel frustrated, take a break! The work will be there tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after.

I've been frustrated with wanting to do more on my end to bring your scholars even half of the beautiful content that this classical education provides. However, with so many variables (online, offline, internet, no internet, and every type of compliance!!!) I am severely limited at what I can offer. 

So with this in mind, I have decided to keep it simple. My main goal and deepest desire is that you simply take the time to enjoy these Great Works. I have kept the K-2 assignments the same because of the encouragement I received. A few of you have contacted me and stated that the music assignments have become a family affair. This is amazing! Listen to it. Move to it. Talk about it. If that is all we can accomplish in this time, then I will be satisfied. 

Here is my Beethoven playlist on spotify for additional optional listening.

I know that you have been receiving a lot of emails lately so I will discontinue email blasting for now. Know that my blog will continue to be updated weekly with a few personal remarks, the week's assignments, and additional optional resources.

Be well!





Here are the week's assignments:

Week 3 (April 6-10)
Music
This week we are going to start our Music Listening Log. Please fill out one of these each week and keep them so that you will have a musical journal at the end of the year! Make sure you use your music words (piano/forte/largo/presto) to describe what you hear and use at least 2 colors in your drawings.


Day 1


  • 1st Time Listening: Choose a position (sitting, standing, laying) and listen with your thinking voice while moving.
  • 2nd Time Listening: Move to the music. Which matches the music: marching or swaying? Try both. Swaying matches the music. Count 1, 2, 3 while you move around the room. 


Day 2


  • 3rd Time Listening: The form is ABACA. 
A section- swing your arms back and forth or in a circle
B section- spin around on your tiptoes
C section- curl up and roll around the floor
Listen with me