So, So Spooky

This week, we start with a wonderful, easy-to-do-at-home dance performed by our 4-year-olds, called Superman!

Save the date for the Holiday Concert:

Wednesday, December 17 at 6:30 p.m. 

Every student is imperative to our concert so we look forward to seeing everyone there. Meanwhile, students should be striving to practice their songs once per day if possible.

Holiday Concert Practice Videos

Holiday Concert Practice MP3s & Lyrics

This week was exciting for many reasons: Drama Club 3rd & 4th graders and all Middle School students received the audition packet for Annie, Jr. Each student was given a hard copy as they have to fill-out the back page (front & back) with parents and bring it to their audition. The packet is also available online, as are helpful links for practice:

Annie, Jr. MP3s & Audition Packet

Annie Audition Songs (YouTube Playlist)

The links will also remain on the right side of the blog in a column called, "Annie, Jr."

Middle School students receive audition packets.

Students are still busy preparing songs, instruments and dances for the holiday concert, but we DID manage to find some time for fun Halloween songs. These songs included Monster Mash, The Addams Family, Ghostbusters and the song-of-the-week (dance song), Thriller. Some of them were sing-alongs, dance videos or cartoons. We also studied some of classical music's spookiest pieces including, Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens and The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas. They also enjoyed a scary musical story rendition of Dark, Dark, Night set to In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg.

In library, students celebrated Spooky Story Week in the dark. Using only a book-light, they read some fascinating spooky tales like 5 Little Pumpkins and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat.

The older students listened to even spookier stories, some of them classics, including The Hairy Toe and The Ghost with One Black-Eye. We even had a visit from our middle schoolers this week, so they could get in on the fun.

In drama club, students learned about Annie, Jr. auditions and finished by playing one of their favorite drama games, "Scratch Murder." Students close their eyes while a leader picks a murderer. The game begins and the students go around shaking hands, as if they are meeting people at a party. If the murderer secretly scratches your hand during a handshake, you must wait 3 seconds and then die. At any point, someone can yell "freeze!" and then state, "I accuse ______," pointing to the murderer. If they are wrong, they have to die, too. We added a fun drama element to this game by pretending to be in different party situations, like a Cowboy Hoedown and a delegation of British Aristocrats.

Stay tuned for more from our PRIS Students and don't forget to check out the library and music YouTube page (and subscribe)!

PRIS Music & Library YouTube Page

Note: Comments are moderated and for privacy reasons, cannot include students' names. Please direct specific inquiries via email.

Back at it!

I overheard one of the 3-year-olds singing this song a couple months ago. I love anything and everything under the sea, so I was excited to learn a new song. With the help of YouTube, we found the tune and lyrics, learning the song as a whole class.

The 4-year-olds love this song, too. Thanks to the 3-year-old who suggested it!

We've jumped right back in this week, further preparing for our Winter Concert. Each class is working on one instrument and several songs (some with movements). It is suggested that kids try to practice their songs at least once a day at home (should take less than 15 minutes, sometimes only 4-5 minutes) so that they can memorize lyrics. Kids can practice their songs two ways:

YouTube Lyric Videos by Class: Winter Concert Practice (Playlist)

Download the tracks to a device and/or view the lyrics in a PDF: Winter Concert MP3s & Lyric PDF

The students are also practicing the following instruments:
Pre-K Classes-- Maracas & Claves
Kindergarten/Grade 1 Class-- Drums, Tambourines & Triangles
Grade 1/2 Class-- Bells
Grade 3/4 Class-- Recorders
Middle School-- Ukulele

Usually, we spend one class working on the singing/movement songs and the next working on instrumental progress.

In other news:

Audition packets for Annie, Jr. will go home next week. All middle school students will audition. Also, any Grade 3 or 4 student who is in drama club can audition. The remaining Grade 3/4 students will not audition, but WILL be in the show.

Students in Grades 3-8 are invited to audition for a special solo on the Winter Concert. This is completely voluntary. Students should learn the first 1.5 minutes of the song and have been told the details in class:

All I Want for Christmas MP3s

All I Want for Christmas YouTube Playlist

Singing and clapping to one of our Winter Concert songs.

The students really enjoy "Hip-Hop Reindeer." 

Drama club students practice their songs for audition practice. 

Grade 1-2 students learn folk songs on the bells.

Students will begin learning a Christmas song for performance next week.

Kindergarten- Grade 1 students practice their Winter Concert songs.

In library, we are focusing on responsibility. The younger students read a version of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and discussed the importance of honesty and responsibility in one's work. A different version of this famous tale can be found on the Book Read Aloud playlist. The Grade 3-4 class read another story from Short Stories for Kids: Fun Stories for Children by Karen Cossey, entitled "Survival Class" about a soft-spoken student who speaks up and takes responsibility for a group of younger students.

The shepherd boy thought his job was "so boring!".

Students listen to "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

Students are excited to share the lessons learned from the story. 

Grade 2s enjoy reading independently at the end of class.

The Pre-K 3-year-old class also enjoyed "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." 

Students learn a handshake taught in a book they found on the shelf.

Next week is "Spooky Story Week" in the library!

Stay tuned for more from our PRIS Students and don't forget to check out the library and music YouTube page (and subscribe)!

PRIS Music & Library YouTube Page

Note: Comments are moderated and for privacy reasons, cannot include students' names. Please direct specific inquiries via email.