Hello TES Families,
Greetings from the music room! As always, we have some exciting updates to share with you all–there are lots of fun events coming up and the kids have been hard at work learning new skills while making music!
Our insights classrooms have continued building our musical skills–learning to follow along with simple movement activities and dances, practicing singing skills in ways that work for us (singing, tracing melodies with our fingers in the air, using velcro strips to show melody, etc.), and of course, using lots of fun instruments. Recently, students practiced their gripping and playing skills with castanets and egg shakers. Many students have also begun taking an interest in strumming my ukulele and using the class piano!
Our younger grades have excitedly made the switch to some spring-themed learning activities. Grade K and 1 students continue to refine their singing skills and have even begun to read basic music notation while singing (I have been VERY impressed with this work). We continue to work on our movement skills, learning folk dances and creative movement. Finally, we have explored several new instruments in the last few weeks including rain sticks, ocean drums, hand drums, temple blocks, and more!
Grade 2 students have also continued to build on previous movement, singing, instrument, and music literacy skills, but we have been laser focused on our upcoming spring performance: The Day The Crayons Quit. I will be sending paper reminders for this event, but in the meantime, please mark your calendars if you have not: The show will take place during the day at 2:30 on May 8 in the TES auditorium. We can’t wait to show you our hard work!
Grade 3 students have likewise been preparing for our upcoming May 20 field trip to Veterans Memorial Auditorium where students will get the chance to hear The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Students have been preparing songs like O Fortuna and Let’s Twist Again to sing with the orchestra and other schools from all across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. They will even get the opportunity to play recorders with the ensemble! Permission forms will be coming home within the next week!
*** One quick note–because this is an educational concert with many schools in attendance in the audience seats, it is unfortunately not an event where parents can chaperone due to spacing constraints. Please know this is the decision of the RI Philharmonic and the Veterans Memorial Auditorium staff.
Finally, Grade 4 students have really been impressing me as we head into the final stretch of their time here at Thacher. Grade 4 students are wrapping up their listening unit, where students describe musical traits within a song like tempo, dynamics, texture, timbre, and meter. They have also been building their singing skills. We have moved from singing all the same part, to singing in rounds, and even singing in full-fledged harmony at times. We have also developed our instrument skills to such an extent that we have had several activities where we can successfully divide student groups into thirds with some playing recorders, while some play a xylophone part, and others sing or do a movement activity. It is impressive to see it all come together!
One quick, important note: Grade 4 students are ALSO preparing for a concert. I sent a message to all grade 4 families, but as a reminder, this performance has been rescheduled. It will now take place on May 21, 2026 at 6:30 PM. The music for this program is some of my favorite I have ever prepared with any students–they sound amazing and have so much fun singing these songs. You won’t want to miss it!
Thank you all so much. Please enjoy some photos below and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.
All my best,
Mr. Chippo
