Mrs. Abouav’s
Fermata Monster Bulletin 
Issue #3, February 2019 --- sabouav@sjusd.org 
 
March is ​Music In Our Schools Month​!  
Look out for the MIOSM Calendar posted outside the Music Room 
that has some of the ​many​ benefits to music education. Also, 
5th grade students will be reading some of these facts and 
leading a school-wide sing-along at every flag salute in March! 
 
Here’s what’s happening in Music Class: 
TK students are working on becoming tuneful, artful, and beatful musicians. They are continuing to 
TK  explore musical concepts through story songs, movement, finger plays, & steady beat motions. 

K 
Kindergarten students are working on identifying the form of simple songs by listening for sections 
of music that sound the same or different. We have been dancing to “Rig a Jig Jig” where students 
dance with partners and change their movements each musical sections. 

1st 
I​n first grade, students are now able to read So and Mi on the five line staff, as well as notate it 
themselves! They can also use quarter note, paired eighth notes, and quarter rests to read and write 
their own rhythms. Some of their favorite songs include N ​ aughty Kitty Cat ​and ​Star Light, Star Bright​. 

2nd 
Second grade musicians are now reading the full pentatonic scale- Do, Re, Mi, So, and La. They can 
read and write these pitches on the staff, and are learning to sight read within the pentatonic scale. 
Students were able to decode ​Hot Cross Buns​ using puzzle cards, & enjoy singing P ​ eace Like a River​. 

3rd 
Third graders are playing the recorder! By the end of this unit they will know the notes C, B, and A 
and reading them on the staff in treble clef. They learned how to improvise on the recorder by each 
student leading a small group. We have been playing movement games like R ​ ound de Doo Bop​. 

4th 
In fourth grade, we are working on reading music with better accuracy. Our main focus is decoding 
the note names on the staff for recorders. Their favorite song seems to be ​Lean On Me​. Students 
just started a new recorder song, L​ ightly Row​. 

5th 
Fifth grade is continuing to learn the complicated concept of syncopation, by playing ​The Lion Sleeps 
Tonight​ on the recorder. We also analyze this song’s chord progression (I-IV-I-V) and played it with 
boomwhackers. 

Students are enjoying using rhythm sticks with different upbeat oldies music. We are playing 
SDC  musical games like A
​ pple Tree, Lucy Locket Lost Her Pocket, Here Comes the Bluebird,​ and B
​ ee Bee 
Bumblebee.​ Students enjoy singing the scale using solfege terms (Do Re Mi, etc.) while stacking ice 
cream scoops on a toy cone.  
 What is the hand staff?
Grades 2-5 have been using their hand as a tool to understand the music staff. Our
hand has five lines (fingers) and four spaces (in between the fingers) just like the music
staff. We use it to decode the melody of a song and to identify notes on the staff.

Growth Mindset in Music 

Students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades have been focusing on identifying when they have a
negative thought about their music ability (like “I’m not good at singing” or “This song is
too hard for me”) and replacing it with a positive one (like “I’ll get better if I try” or
“Challenging songs help me learn”).
 
It’s a common misconception that musical ability is a talent.   
In fact, all areas in music (singing, instruments, choreography/movement) are learned
skills - not natural talents. But when we like how someone performed, it’s common to
say “He’s so talented!”. This can make students think that some people are great at
music, and some people are bad at music. This is far from the truth! Even adults who
think they “can’t sing” can learn skills and techniques to improve up their instrument.

Please encourage students to use their growth mindset (in class we call it “positive self
talk) in regards to musical training by reminding them that learning is hard work, never
give up, and build upon what you can already do well.