 Lesson #12  No class next week because of Spring Break! Parents come the following week and final payment is due! If you are unsure if you are caught up on your payments or not, please just ask. All entries for the Spirit Month drawing are due this Saturday by 8:00pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST fill out this form if you wish to enter the drawing. You can text me a picture of your BINGO card if you didn’t bring it to class. I will be printing each child’s composition in a book that I will present each child at the recital. I will need to finalize their compositions this week so they are exactly the way the students want them, and so they have time to practice them. I want them to feel confident playing them in front of an audience. If any changes need to be made, please let me know ASAP! In class this week we got to experience harmonic dictation. We listened to more than one note played at a time and wrote it in our books. The students are getting really good at knowing the difference between how the red, blue and yellow chords sound! 
Our compositions are coming along great! Please be sure your student is introducing their piece (as it is written in their homework book) each time they practice it so they can be well prepared for our recital! The introduction should be memorized, but their composition doesn’t need to be… although it will help them feel more confident if they do! 
We are getting so good at playing our scales in F Major, G Major, and A minor. Check out this fun video to see what it would look like to play your scales with your feet!!! Have a musical day! -Ms. Bethany ๐  |
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<!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" -->Blue Bugs Newsletter<!-- InstanceEndEditable --> 
Lesson #12
No class next week because of Spring Break!
Parents come the following week and final payment is due! If you are unsure if you are caught up on your payments or not, please just ask.
All entries for the Spirit Month drawing are due this Saturday by 8:00pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST fill out this form if you wish to enter the drawing. You can text me a picture of your BINGO card if you didn’t bring it to class.
Next class we will choose what your child will be playing in the showcase. I’ll give you each a few options. I’d like all the kids to have a couple opportunities to shine. Remember, we are not a performing group, but we do like to showcase what we’ve learned, so please have them practice their part. They don’t need to have it memorized, but they will feel more confident if they do.
Online Fun:
Practice identifying chords: Chord Identification – Ear TrainingThe Ants Go Marching
Marching to this fun song helps us learn to keep a steady beat. We also reviewed the cadence pattern SOL LA TI DO. Repetition is key to training the ear!
Baby Butterfly
This song is hard to get out of your head once you start singing it. This activity is designed to help the students identify bug rhythms and rhythmic patterns in the songs they are singing. In class we went on a bug hunt!Do, Re, Mi
For help with the 2nd verse of Do Re Mi, click here to check out our skills video.
DO, RE, MI 2nd Verse Jungle Rhythm
For a review of Jungle Rhythm, click here for our skills video.Jungle Rhythm Review The Staff
For extra fun staff practice at home, create the major scale using solfege magnets. Then point to the pieces in the red chord. Repeat for the blue and yellow chords. Click here for our dry erase student magnet board and 1st year magnet set to create your own balloons, scale, or footprints on the staff.
Homework theory answer key, all skills videos, and make-up videos for missed classes:
(tap, click or scan) We have been using solfege for a while now. If your child needs more exposure to help them remember the hand signs, click here to read a very helpful article on the LPM blog. Also, I made my own quick videos of how you can remember the signs.
Turn on this fun video of the “Ants Go Marching” and have your kids act out the catchy nursery rhyme! An added bonus…it’s great exercise!Go marching with Shelle and the ants in this fun video.
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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<!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" -->Yellow Arrows Newsletter<!-- InstanceEndEditable --> 
Lesson #12
No class next week because of Spring Break!
Parents come the following week and final payment is due! If you are unsure if you are caught up on your payments or not, please just ask.
All entries for the Spirit Month drawing are due this Saturday by 8:00pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST fill out this form if you wish to enter the drawing. You can text me a picture of your BINGO card if you didn’t bring it to class.
Next class we will choose what your child will be playing in the showcase. I’ll give you each a few options. I’d like all the kids to have a couple opportunities to shine. Remember, we are not a performing group, but we do like to showcase what we’ve learned, so please have them practice their part. They don’t need to have it memorized, but they will feel more confident if they do.
Celebrate Connection
A few ideas to bring playfulness to practice time!
- Duet with your parent (octave higher/lower OR they play LH while you play RH)
- Play the melody with just your index (pointer) finger.
- Make up your own words to a song and sing your version while you play.
Online Fun:
Practice identifying chords: Chord Identification – Ear TrainingDon’t Put Your Trash
Harmony happens when we sing our designated part AND listen to those around us! What a skill! As a family, each person can choose their favorite part and with the cd sing their part all 3 times! All 3 parts begin on the same pitch and the actions will help you stay on your part.
Tinga Layo
This week we drew in the ‘bulls eye’ and ‘arrow feather’ to create a stylized calypso accompaniment on page 23. (Please help your child finish if they didn’t get it done during class!) First, sing, chant, or clap Ting-a-layo with each chord while practicing with your child then sing the lyrics of the song while your child dazzles you with this exciting accompaniment!
Hickory Dickory Dock
Tick, tock let us rock while playing in parallel motion! This is tricky business, playing the same note together with both hands at the same time. Physically rock back and forth with your child to feel the rocking motion their hands will play. Once they get this down enjoy playing the melody while they play the parallel 5ths. What a dynamic duo!
Homework theory answer key, all skills videos, and make-up videos for missed classes: (tap, click or scan) World renowned pianist Vladimir Horowitz shares an inspiring perspective of practicing!
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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Document 
Lesson # 12 
No class next week because of Spring Break!
Next week’s songs: - Days of the Week
- Name the Instruments (clarinet, French horn, bass, trumpet, triangle)
- Jack and Jill
- Acka Backa
- Lady with the Alligator Purse
- Button You Must Wander
- This Little River
- Six Little Ducks
- Il Court Il Court Le Furet
- Celebration Dance (Horn Concerto #4)
- The Water is Wide
Parents come the following week and final payment is due! If you are unsure if you are caught up on your payments or not, please just ask.
All entries for the Spirit Month drawing are due this Saturday by 8:00pm. NO EXCEPTIONS. You MUST fill out this form if you wish to enter the drawing. You can text me a picture of your BINGO card if you didn’t bring it to class.
I hope you and your children have learned some fun songs you will continue to sing together. Singing is not only enjoyable, it has is beneficial in the following ways:
- boosts the immune system
- lowers stress levels and is a natural antidepressant
- broadens communication skills
- boosts confidence
Chants & Rhymes
Chants and rhymes expose children to the rhythm and sounds of language that improve communication skills and build vocabulary. Rhythm & Rhyme, General BenefitsImprobable Storylines
Besides being fun, reading books with improbable story lines engages a child’s imagination, curiosity, and creativity. Humorous Books
Solfege is a centuries-old method used around the world and widely taught at all levels of music instructions. It utilizes syllables and hand signs to develop and strengthen the understanding of pitch relationships and teach sight singing. Understanding solfege also aids in transcribing (writing down) music and improves improvisational and composition skills. Optional Home Fun Activity:
Make the duck puppets on page 33 in the workbook.Here is a short video series I made for you that can help you remember the solfege signs! 
Cause & Effect
Your baby’s primary interest is making things happen. So when your little one shakes a bell or rattle and then hears the sound, this helps make the first—of many—learning connections about cause and effect, or "what happens when I do this?"
Sound Beginnings is education through musical play! It prepares children for success in Kindergarten and Let’s Play Music. Sound Beginnings provides research-based elements that stimulate growth in the areas particularly crucial to the development of the young child. These elements make up the foundation of the Sound Beginnings curriculum. Here is just one: 
Our classes teach intelligent listening and understanding of classical form in a fun and interactive way. Each semester we study the timbre (tam’-ber) of various instruments and our ‘smart moves’ dances involve the whole body in an enjoyable, classical music experience. Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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Bridge Lesson 
Lesson #13B
Here is what we did in class this week:
Online Fun:
Bridge Symbols & Terms (just Set 1 for now) – Matching or Memory GameWe learned about Franz Joseph Haydn and his Surprise Symphony. You can listen to it here with your child and see if you can hear the surprise! Be sure to turn up your sound!
We have new flashcards to practice now. We reviewed them in class, but the students need to go through them at home as well. I even made an online game with the same flashcards to change it up a bit!
We’re going to transpose a Christmas song, even thought it’s March! We will be able to play Joy to the World in C Major, F Major, and G Major. And if your child wants to play "Woe to the World" in the key of a minor, then let them go for it! (They just need to be sure to use the chord progressions with that tricky G-sharp in the yellow chord.)
The class decided they want to play their compositions at the end-of-year recital. So please send me anything they have worked on in its raw form (Musescore file, if you can) and I can help the girls get them finished up. I will be around during Spring Break, so please schedule a time for a private lesson so we can complete their compositions.
Here’s this week’s homework assignment sheet and we’re doing the BLUE highlights! (You can click the image to open a PDF!)
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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<!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" -->Orange Roots Newsletter<!-- InstanceEndEditable --> Lesson #11 Notice that this week your child will be practicing most of the same things as Lesson #10. Here’s a video that covers some of the songs they will be practicing this week. PLEASE have your child watch it if they are struggling with the songs in the homework this week!
Be sure your child practices any new changes we have made to the composition. We have almost all finished our compositions and they sound great! I’m so proud of all my Orange Roots! Please make sure that your child practices their composition EVERY DAY. Use theory assignment #11 to help your student introduce their recital piece. They should practice saying it out loud EACH TIME they practice their composition. I want them to be prepared and confident at our recital.
Let’s Play Music BRIDGE is the next step for LPM graduates who want to keep growing as full musicians with a strong piano focus. Students build on everything they learned in Let’s Play Music while diving deeper into theory, technique, creativity, and performance. Bridge students gain confidence, fluency, and readiness for private lessons or any musical path. The two‑year format gives them time to grow steadily and feel successful without overwhelm. Register for Bridge today!
Online Fun:
Have you played this game yet?
Mystery Bug
The progress that we have made in developing our compositions has been exciting. Our homework is preparing us to perform our composition at our recital. Look how cute this spider is as he introduces his composition!
Homework theory answer key, all skills videos, and make-up videos for missed classes: (tap, click or scan) Your student will enjoy these clips of the winners from our National Composition Contest introducing and performing their compositions.
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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<!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" -->Blue Bugs Newsletter<!-- InstanceEndEditable --> Homework theory answer key, all skills videos, and make-up videos for missed classes: (tap, click or scan) Baby Bumblebee
Sing this well known song with your child this week. I will be asking them about it in class the next week and I want them to be familiar with it. Baby Bumblebee
Those little frogs LOVE to go “a-hoppin’!!” Want to make your own hoppin’ frog? Watch this video.Watch this video to see how our frogs LEAP across the bells! You can play along too!
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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<!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" -->Yellow Arrows Newsletter<!-- InstanceEndEditable --> Lesson #11 Here is a really great technique idea you can try at home! It’s a video made by a Let’s Play Music teacher in Ogden. Please watch it and try it with your child, especially if they are having trouble keeping their “bubble hand” shape! This will help keep fingers from “flying away”. Give it a try! (Add "Mr. Rest" between each note on "Scale In and Out" while keeping bubble hands the whole time!)
Registration for next year is open for current students and we are at the final stages! You have until April 22nd to register and enroll your student for 3rd year. If you register by March 20th, you won’t have to pay the $20 registration fee! I realize some of you are waiting on other details before finalizing your class time. Just be sure you watch the deadline so you don’t get a late registration processing fee.
Celebrate Connection
A few ideas to make practice time more playful!
- Tap the rhythm of your RH while tapping the rhythm of your LH on the keyboard cover (Or just tap one hand if the song is hands alone).
- Pick a measure to play, then close your book and try it from memory.
- Face Time (or call) a family member and play for them.
Online Fun:
Need to review finger numbers?
Finger Number MatchingScale In and Out
This technique is teaching contrary motion where the same finger numbers are played together moving in opposite directions. RH pinky (5) begins on Treble C and LH pinky (5) begins on Bass C. Play and sing IN the major scale with fingers 5 4 3 2 1 POP 3 2 1. Both thumbs will land on Middle C. Then play back OUT using fingers 1 2 3 POP 1 2 3 4 5.
Oh, When the Saints
March 2, 3, 4! We can march with our feet AND our fingers. A marching chord is a type of stylized chord that will make this song sound much more like a march. To play a marching chord, play the bottom note of the chord alone and the top two notes (interval) together and the fingers are MARCHING! Feel free to march around the house as your child plays marching chords with this energetic song!
Tinga Layo
To practice Tinga Layo, play the block chord as written with the calypso rhythm. An example of how to play this rhythm is at the bottom of the page in the songbook. Follow the chords and CHANT in rhythm Shoo-oot the Bug Bug or Ting-a Lay-O while playing!C Major Scale In and Out Homework theory answer key, all skills videos, and make-up videos for missed classes: (tap, click or scan) With Spring in the air, your blooming musician can hop on this life-size keyboard practicing the music alphabet in the sunshine!
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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Document Lesson # 11 Lesson 15 is called “Instrument Day” and gives families a chance to share an instrument or vocal talent. Of course, performing is optional and you are welcome to just listen, but we would enjoy hearing from you, your child, or another family member or friend who plays an instrument or would like to sing a solo (a song from this semester would be fabulous). We welcome any and all performers! Let me know if you have any questions. Next week’s songs: - The Shape Song
- Acka Backa
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Jack and Jill
- DO Pentatonic Scale
- Lady with the Alligator Purse
- Celebration Dance (Horn Concerto #4)
- Il Court Il Court Le Furet
- Six Little Ducks
Days of the Week
Calendaring skills are an essential part of daily life. Learning the days of the week is foundational to understanding other concepts about the passage of time. Simple Tips, Benefits and TipsMusic & Movement
The brain develops musical comprehension through voicing and dancing. To get the full benefits of music, children need to sing along and move to it. Move to Learn Music Smart Moves dances enhance children’s muscle strength, balance, and hand-eye coordination development. Dancing requires greater range of motion, coordination, and endurance than most other physical activities. In addition to the physical benefits of dance, moving creatively fosters emotional development, social awareness, and cognitive development. And you thought we were just having fun! Optional Home Fun Activity:
Color the ‘Celebration Dance’ on page 17 in the workbook.Here is a reading of “The Lady with the Alligator Purse” so you can see the fun pictures! It’s not quite as exciting as our song, but there’s no reason you can’t sing along! Vestibular Stimulation
When your baby moves back and forth or side to side while rocking or swaying, the vestibular system is stimulated—the system of fluids in the inner ear—which is so important to balance and coordination. Don’t just listen to the class music… move to the music! Sound Beginnings is education through musical play! It prepares children for success in Kindergarten and Let’s Play Music. Sound Beginnings provides research-based elements that stimulate growth in the areas particularly crucial to the development of the young child. These elements make up the foundation of the Sound Beginnings curriculum. Here is just one: 
Little hands need to be strong in order to perform life and learning skills such as dressing oneself and writing. In class, students gain finger dexterity and hand strength as they participate in finger plays to favorite nursery rhymes and manipulate tactile props and instruments. Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐
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Bridge Lesson Lesson #13A
Here is what we did in class this week:
Online Fun:
Fun games to add to your homework!
Interval Identification – Ear Training (Level 2)Build a Scale (Natural & Harmonic minor)
We reviewed how to know which interval we are listening to with a few easy tricks! And we have some fun visuals to go along with them! Don’t forget, we also have a fun way to practice listening to those at home (because I have this fun game on my website)!
6th: "You’re Welcome" from Moana - the heart of te Fiti (but the swirl in the middle looks like a "6")
- the same notes are used as in the blue chord, but in a different order!
- 7th: We don’t have a song that goes with this, but just remember it sounds AWFUL!
- NO! We don’t want to hear this sound, so we think of a "no" symbol that sort of looks like a "7"
- NO! We don’t want to hear this sound, so we think of a "no" symbol that sort of looks like a "7"
- Ocatave (8th): "Some-where over the rainbow"
- a rainbow
- our tone bells have 8 notes ant they are rainbow colored
- Prime (1st): same note
- the bottle looks like a "1"
We practiced drawing red, blue and yellow chords.
We reviewed the difference between natural minor and harmonic minor.
- Natural minor: DO, RE ME, FA, SOL, LE, TE, DO
- Harmonic minor: DO, RE ME, FA, SOL, LE, TI, DO
We reviewed our notes, rests, and the counting that goes along with them.
Here’s this week’s homework assignment sheet and we’re doing the RED highlights! (You can click the image to open a PDF!)
Please send me any composition music your child has made. So far I haven’t seen any modifications from any of the students. If they don’t want to do their own compositions, we can have them just play one of their favorite Bridge songs at the recital. We will be making compositions next year as well, so there’s no pressure to do it this year if they don’t want to.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Have a musical day!
-Ms. Bethany ๐