Hello G1 students! Welcome to Music Home Learning. You have two music teachers at HKIS Lower Primary: Laura Lorentzen and Danielle Solan. Every week we will greet you with a musical activity to enjoy at home! We look forward to teaching you this year!
Dear Parents: Lesson links on SafeYouTube are provided below each video. Recently, there have been technical problems with the SafeYouTube website that are outside of HKIS’s control, and so we have added lesson links to YouTube. Go there by clicking the lesson image under each activity. If you access lessons through YouTube, please supervise your children’s viewing, as we cannot control what videos are suggested for them to click on next. Thank you for understanding!
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Week of December 7th – December 11th
Enjoy watching your teachers dance! You can dance along!
SafeYouTube: https://video.link/w/NIN6b
LET’S SING! LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
Today let’s sing a classic Christmas song, The Little Drummer boy. This song was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941 and it was first recorded in 1951 by the Trapp Family Singers (have you seen the Sound of Music?). This song tells the story of the Little Drummer Boy — a poor young boy who came with the Magi to see the newborn baby Jesus. Without a gift for the Infant, the little drummer boy played his drum for the baby. This song teaches us that the best gifts come from the heart and from YOU!
SafeYouTube link: https://video.link/w/vUt6b
LET’S SING! MARY HAD A BABY
Today we will sing the Christmas song “Mary had a Baby.” This African-American spiritual is a call-and-response song that originated on the South Carolina coastal island of Saint Helena in the last century. Sing along with us!
SafeYouTube link: https://video.link/w/6JE3b
LET’S SING! FELIZ NAVIDAD
“Feliz Navidad” is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer and songwriter José Feliciano. It has a simple Spanish chorus, “Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad,” which means “Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness.” Sing along and try playing along to the rhythm!
SafeYouTube: https://video.link/w/jXt6b
LET’S SING! RUDOLPH THE REDNOSED REINDEER
“Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is a song that teaches us to just be ourselves. You are unique in your own very special way. Join in with our actions
SafeYouTube: https://video.link/w/ZVt6b
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Week of November 30- December 4th
LET’S SING! TAKE GOOD CARE OF EACH OTHER
Today we will sing “Take Good Care of Each Other.” This is a song by songwriter Marcy Marxer that encourages us to take good care of our friends and neighbors and share what we have with them.
SafeYouTube link: https://video.link/w/hO93b
LET’S SING! FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
“For the Beauty of the Earth” is a Christian hymn by Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917). This is a lovely song that praises our beautiful world. We are so grateful to live on our beautiful earth with the sky and heaven above us.
SafeYouTube link: https://video.link/w/aQ93b
LET’S DANCE! I WILL SURVIVE ~ TURKEY STYLE!
It’s time to dance! Join us in dancing along to this parody of “I Will Survive” about a turkey trying to escape from the chef who wants to eat him.
SafeYouTube link: https://video.link/w/JL93b
Week of October 12-16
LET’S SING! SHE’LL BE COMING ROUND THE MOUNTAIN!
Today we will sing, “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain.” This song was first sung by the African American community in the late 1800s as a religious spiritual. If you have ever wondered who the song means when it says, “She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes,” it was actually intended to refer to the chariot lead by white horses that may appear with the Second Coming of Christ. Like many spirituals, this song was probably also a coded anthem for the Underground Railroad. Please join us and sing along!
SafeYouTube: https://safeYouTube.net/w/vc4fb
LET’S DANCE! OLD TOWN ROAD
It’s time to dance, cowboy style! Join us dancing to the song, “Old Town Road.”
SafeYouTube: https://video.link/w/7Vhmb
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Week of October 5-9
LET’S SING! THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
This week we will sing the energizing gospel song “The Little Light of Mine,” a song that became popular in Black churches in America in the 1930’s and now is sung all over the world. You might have heard this song before with different verses because people love to add new lyrics to this song!
SafeYouTube: https://safeYouTube.net/w/o82fb
LET’S SING! SIYAHAMBA
Now it’s time to sing “Siyahamba,” a South African spiritual hymn. “Siyahamba” means “we are marching” in the Zulu language. This is an exciting song that repeats the same phrases in a cycle. Make sure to follow our actions!
SafeYouTube: https://safeYouTube.net/w/M1Tib
LET’S SING! HERE I AM TO WORSHIP
Up next is “Here I am to Worship,” a chapel song that we love to sing together at Lower Primary. This song was written by Hillsong Worship. This is a lovely song with special actions. Join us in singing!
SafeYouTube: https://safeYouTube.net/w/vqTib
LET’S DANCE! WONDERFUL LIFE
Enjoy this upbeat and fun song called “Wonderful Life (Mi Oh My)” by Matoma.
SafeYouTube: https://safeYouTube.net/w/Y5Tib
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Week of September 28-30
LET’S SING! AMANI UTUPE
This week we’re celebrating International Dot Day! Today we will sing a song called “Amani Utupe Na Ustawi” with lyrics in English and Swahili. “Amani utupe na ustawi” means Give Us Peace and Well-Being. The song reminds us that we can find the peace and courage to keep trying even when we’re unsure of ourselves. Say, “Hallelujah!” and find the courage to keep going!
SafeYouTube link: https://safeYouTube.net/w/zm4gb
LET’S DANCE! TRY EVERYTHING!
Dot Day is all about “making a mark” and going for it. Just try it… try everything! Enjoy this song sung by Shakira from the film “Zootopia.”
SafeYouTube link: https://safeYouTube.net/w/vn4gb
SEPTEMBER LISTENING CALENDAR FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
During the month of September, families can discover a new musical performance every day with the Listening Calendar below. Each musical selection includes a link to YouTube (so please watch together with parents). This month features music from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and India. Next month will feature other countries!
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Week of September 21-25
This week we are celebrating Dot Day! This special day is based on the book “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds. Try out these exciting dotty activities below!
LET’S SONG DOT!
In the video below, students will explore song dotting and try tapping the rhythm of lots of different songs. You can song dot anything! After watching the video, turn on a radio or your favorite album and try our Song Dotting Challenge!
LET’S DANCE!
Enjoy this dot day dance to the tune of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” Find your inner dot and make a mark!
SafeYouTube links for this week:
Song dotting: https://safeYouTube.net/w/4Kbeb
Dot day dance: https://safeYouTube.net/w/uLbeb
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Week of September 14-18
LEARN BODY RHYTHMS!
Today we will learn a story about my black cat Tabitha. The song goes, “Ding Dong, Digga Digga Dong! Digga Digga Dong, the Cat She’s Gone!” Uh-oh! We will use clues in the song to figure out what time my cat Tabitha went missing! By the end of the lesson, you will get the chance to sing in a round, try body rhythms, and improvise your own!
LET’S DANCE!
Come on, it’s time to celebrate! And the funnest way to celebrate is by dancing! Today we’re going to move and groove to the song “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang from 1980. Did you know the idea for this song came from the Muslim holy book, the Quran? The songwriter was reading the story of God creating Adam. All the angels were celebrating and singing praises. That inspired the songwriter to write the line, “Everyone around the world, come on, it’s a celebration.”
SEPTEMBER LISTENING CALENDAR FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
During the month of September, families can discover a new musical performance every day with the Listening Calendar below. Each musical selection includes a link to YouTube (so please watch together with parents). This month features music from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and India. Next month will feature other countries!
SafeYouTube links for this week:
Ding Dong Digga Digga Dong: https://safeYouTube.net/w/9vDbb
Celebration Dance: https://safeYouTube.net/w/kpDbb
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Week of September 7-11
PLAY A SONG GAME! MAKE TUME
Today you will learn a catchy song with some fascinating words and fun actions. Our song “Make Tume” is a bit mysterious because no one can say for sure where it comes from. (Some say Cameroon or Mozambique in Africa). We know you will love singing it together with us and in a two-part round!
DANCE WITH US!
It’s time to dance with us! Follow our moves and dance along to this rock n roll classic, “I’m a Believer” performed by Smash Mouth (originally recorded by The Monkees in 1967). Invite your whole family to dance together!
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Week of August 31 – September 4
DISCOVER A MUSIC MAP!
Remember when we learned to play the game “Lemonade, Crunchy Ice?”(If you haven’t learned the game yet, please scroll down to last week’s blog post and watch the game video first!) Well, now that we’ve learned how to play, we’re going to read a music map. This week we will also practice song dotting the rhythm and we will read rhythm rotation for this song! Enjoy.
READ YOUR OWN MUSIC MAP
LET’S DANCE!
Join us as we dance to the song “High Hopes” by the band Panic! At the Disco. Get ready to use turbo energy and jump around at the end of the song!
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Week of August 24-28
LET’S PLAY!
This week, Grade One students will learn one of our favorite song games — all about lemonade and crunchy ice! Follow our moves and create your own pose at the end of the song. After watching, you can invite a partner to play with you.
You can keep practicing singing and playing “Lemonade, Crunchy Ice” by listening to this music track below!
LET’S DANCE!
It’s time to dance! Follow our moves and dance along to this Meghan Trainor song, “Better When I’m Dancing.” You can invite your family to come dance together.
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Week of August 17-21
LET’S SING!
Let’s sing a welcome song together: Funga Àlàáfíà! This song has expressions from the Yoruba language and culture primarily from Nigeria. Àlàáfíà” means “Greetings! May you have peace and good health.” The response,”Àṣẹ Àṣẹ” means “Let it be so.” When we sing this song, we recognize the spirit that flows from you to me, connecting us all.
Challenge yourself! Keep singing Funga Àlàáfíà by playing the recording below as many times as you would like. Can you remember and add the actions?
WATCH A PERFORMANCE!
Now enjoy a performance of Funga Àlàáfíà at the Kennedy Center by the singer Nana Malaya. What parts of her performance do you recognize?
LET’S DANCE!
Now it’s time to DANCE! Get off the couch, because now we’re going to get our body groovin’ and dance along with Justin Timberlake’s pop song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” You can invite your whole family to dance together!