Dear families,

The teachers at Vista Heights School are thinking about you. Our hope leading up to Spring Break is that you take this time to focus on your health and well-being. Focus on spending time with family, enjoy the spring weather, stay active and well-rested!

For the time being, your child has access to Raz Kids and Mathletics. In addition, CBE has emailed all parents a great list of learning activities that families can do together at home.

You can also continue to receive updates and information here at the CBE website.

Miss you guys already! Stay healthy and safe!
Mrs. Lim

Mid March Update

Kindergarten is marching and dancing to some Irish dances in celebration of St. Patrick's Day.
We are learning song forms (in our Connaughtman's Rambles song's case, it is AABBAA) and choreographing appropriately for each section.

Grade 1/2 is playing rhythmic patterns using alternating hands on the xylophones, and they are also practicing accurate note-playing. We also listened to some soundtrack music to decide what kind of movie we see playing in our head when we listen to this music.

Grade 3/4s are working on perfecting their songs. Students can practice through youtube videos:
It's Raining
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
O When the Saints Go Marching

Grade 5/6s are still in the midst of Genre Presentations using Google Slides and learning new songs.
Students can find links to practice videos here:
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
This Little Light of Mine

March 3, 2020 Music Update

Kindergarten continues to learn disciplines around how to behave while sitting in front of an instrument. They are also practicing orchestration for a song that requires wood block, tambourine, metallophones, bass xylophone, and glockenspiels. Students work on glissandos, rolls, double stops, and maintaining steady beat. They also are required to sing while playing and waiting for their cues! 

Grade 1/2s are also practicing playing as an ensemble with orchestration for a song. They also continue to work on waiting for their turn to play, and playing the correct rhythm at the right time!
We also are playing a listening game that requires one student play a beat on the bongos and the class guessing which posted rhythmic pattern it corresponds to.

Grade 3/4s are steadily progressing in their note reading abilities and their speed at playing the correct notes on their recorders alongside an accompaniment. It means a lot of brain processes happen at the same time, and it requires steady hard work and practice! Most students have now earned their orange belts for our recorders! We will be continuing to earn our green, purple, and blue belts this week and the next.

Grade 5/6s are starting to present their Google Slide Genre Presentation. So far some classes have learned about Broadway music, K-pop music, Jazz, and Disco! We have some very interesting genres coming up, and I"m excited to be hearing about them!
Grade 5/6s are also working on mastering reading unlabeled notes D, E, G, A, & B to play certain songs. Our next few songs we will work on will include high C and high D.