Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras / Carnival (Tuesday, February 9, 2016, Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent began).

We spoke about Mardi Gras, how those words were French and translated to “Tuesday Fat”, and how you will find this festival in many Christian-based communities around the world (including Germany, where our O Tannenbaum song had come from). Our focus was Trinidad/Tobago - Caribbean, and New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. We listened to music from both areas, the Steel Pan sounds of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Jazz/Blues of New Orleans. We compared the parades, and the costumes, of these communities (looking also at costumes from sub-parades in less prosperous communities, and homemade costumes). We talked about why food was such a significant component of the festivities (based on the need to use up all cooking fats before the fasting of Lent began). We created masks similar to those we had explored, and ended our day dancing to a combination of Jazz and Steel Pan music.

"O Tannenbaum"

“O Tannenbaum”, Christmas song with German lyrics, sung at our Christmas Concert Dec./2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4wTuvR7Ik

Students learned about the significance of the Christmas Tree to Germans. We spoke about how this tradition started in 16th century Germany, and how it burst into popularity after the English Queen Victoria, and her German Prince Albert, were sketched with their family standing around a tree. We learned common pronunciations of letter groups, (example, ie makes a long-e sound, whereas ei makes a long-i sound), and then looked to see if any of the words looked similar to English words, French words, or words spoken in their home. We talked about how language evolves, and how some words in different languages are all rooted in one word from previous language, and we journaled about this. This was to help emphasize that our roots are all very similar, if not the same. Much practice listening, and then singing, turned quiet uncertainty into loud, joyful sound. The final performances on stage were very successful, and it gave the students more confidence to try out new words and sounds in French class as well!

Dance Around the World

Students in grade 4 and 5 researched dances from around the world on http://fitforafeast.com/dance_cultural.htm

They then worked with a small group to learn how to do a dance and performed it

for their class.  Dances performed included Japanese Geisha, Bavarian Slap,

Cuban Salsa, Hawaiian Hula and Lilo as well as folk dances from Portugal, Italy and

Jamaica.

Chinese Water Dragons

Chinese Water Dragons (November 13-24, 2015, 4 half days) with Diana Tso, Performing Artist.

Diana took my Grade 2 students through a series of activities related to a Chinese folk tale about a kind, young woman who made lace, and a greedy emperor who tried to empower himself through her talent. The half-day (mornings) would begin with physical and vocal warm-ups, discussions about the tale and about good performing practices, rehearsals, and the creation of water dragons (from recycled fabrics and materials) to be used as props in our final performance. The dragon creation followed a step-by-step process, but was open-ended in that they chose the colours, fabrics, and features of the dragons. The performance was not based on a script, although an outline was created as the scenes were put together, and this outline was provided to the narrator. A lot of practice, and a few warnings about “over-the-top” performing, and how it negatively affects a performance, and we had a spectacular play that told the tale of the Lacemaker, and how the water dragon came to her rescue.

Uniquely Canadian perspective: First Nation and the Arts

Throughout the year at St. Nicholas School, students in the intermediate grades have been exploring the elements of music and researching a topic that is of a uniquely Canadian cultural perspective in order to create lyrics and develop a melody using GarageBand or choose an instrumental piece to which they can add their lyrics.  

The primary/junior grades have been focusing on First Nation music, drama and dance as well as music and dance from a variety of countries.  All examination and learning of the specific performing arts within a particular country’s culture are researched by the students so they develop a better understanding of and appreciations for the diversity of arts in Canada and around the world.

The following image is taken from An Aboriginal Carol, seen on https://youtu.be/J_XTwr7qnl0.

Drumming Ubuntu

Authentic Cultural Experiences Through Arts and Technology

Build students’ understanding and appreciation of various cultures through real-life experiences with, and inquiry into, music dance and drama.  Use iPads to explore, document and share student learning.

November 2015   Babarinde (drumsetal) kicked off our year of looking at various cultures with an enthusiastic day of drumming at Mother Teresa Catholic School.  Students and teachers enjoyed drumming on djembes and singing African songs as they learned about Ubuntu (we are who we are because of people).