WOH for Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018
Creating Music by Thaddus Franklin, Music Director
In 2nd – 5th grade, we started the year listening to music from the middle ages called Gregorian chant. Many students described the music as VERY boring which was expected. Gregorian chant is monophonic music so it only uses one note at a time and has no harmonies. However, once we put the music in context and talked about what life was like around 500 A.D. many students decided the music was significantly more interesting. Many students were surprised to find out people in the middle ages didn’t have fancy items like cars, electricity, or even Taylor Swift. I have to admit I found it adorable when one class became concerned with how people in the Middle Ages were able to charge their iPads without electricity.
The second week our classes spent time playing chords (groups of notes that sound nice together) on hand chimes. As students worked together to play chords, I slowly incorporated rhythms. The students were asked to read and play different combinations of rhythms like whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes. Music requires a lot of teamwork and many people would be pleasantly surprised by how great our students sounded. The third week we worked on ear training with solfège (do re mi fa sol la ti do). Several students felt excited about solfège once they realized it will help them score more points in their favorite game, musical baseball.
Our younger students are having a lot of fun singing songs like The Name Game where we change the first letter of everyone’s name, or The Combination Song where students tell me their favorite food and animal and we combine the words together to create a bizarre food/animal hybrid. Some of my favorite combinations are broccoli/spider = broccolider or chocolate/llama = chocollama. The students have many other favorite songs including The Monkey Song, Sunday Funday, and The Lullaby. I’m sure they’d be happy to sing them for you if you asked.
In middle school, Handbell Choir has been learning fundamental rhythms and how to count each as well as a few sophisticated rhythms like syncopation. We also have been learning rehearsal etiquette and how to treat handbells with respect. I estimate our handbells are at least 40-50 years old with each one costing anywhere from $200-$2000 to replace. Our handbells should last 50 more years if properly taken care of. We have a very good group and I am excited about the music they will be performing. Chapel Band/Choir has been rehearsing playing instruments as well as singing as a group. We have many talented young musicians in this group and have recently started rehearsing All the Poor and Powerless by All Sons & Daughters.
Wed. 10/10: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Grade 6 / Noon Dismiss – District Teachers Conference / ESC “XTRA” Open with Pre-Registration
Thursday & Friday Oct. 11 & 12 No School – District Teachers Conference / ESC “XTRA” Open with Pre-Registration
Mon. 10/15: Deadline to Turn in Chinook Book Orders
Wed. 10/17: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Grade 8
Fri. 10/19: Free Dress Day
Upcoming Events
Kindergarten Information Night – Tuesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m.
Standardized Testing October 29 – November 9 for 1-8 Grades
Chinook Book Fundraiser – Ends Oct. 15
Reminder that our fundraiser ends Monday, Oct. 15th. Return envelopes with payments to the school office no later than Monday, October 15th. We are asking each family to raise $ 25 – $50 and our school keeps 50% of all sales! Make checks payable to Hope Lutheran School. Questions? Contact Heather Leaman at heatherleaman@icloud.com or call 206-419-2158.
Kindergarten Information Night – Tuesday, October 23, 6:30 p.m.
Is my child ready for kindergarten? We invite you to attend our Kindergarten Information Night which will provide information regarding kindergarten readiness and what to look for in a kindergarten from our Preschool Director Mrs. Figgins, hear more about our kindergarten program from our highly experienced teacher, Mrs. Neafcy. Please call the school office at 935-8500 or email admissions@hopeseattle.org for more information.
School Clubs at Hope – Click Here
Classes canceled this week, Wed., Thurs. & Friday.
Parent Involvement Program or PIP Opportunities
First Communion Class – Begins Sunday, October 28, At 9:30 A.M.
Children in 5th grade and older are invited to learn the basic teachings of our Lutheran Christian belief about the Lord’s Supper. One or both parents (or a close relative) are expected to join their children in the class. Beginning Sunday, October 28, this class will meet for four weeks at 9:30 a.m. in Room 212, on the 2nd floor of the school. Pre-register by contacting Deacon Dan Jackson at djackson@hopeseattle.org. You may also contact the church office at 206-937-9330. If you have questions or wonder if your child is ready for this class, please contact Deacon Dan. First Communion for the children who attended these classes will be on Sunday, November 18, at the 10:30 service.
Hope School Savings Day News: Thank you to those who have recently opened Young Investor accounts with the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF). As of October 1, 2018, the state of Washington has made it prohibitive for LCEF and other church extension funds to allow LCEF to accept any new investors. All current investments, including those who started investing in September 2018, are still in place and will continue to earn interest. Until further notice, Hope School Savings Day is cancelled. We apologize for this short notice change. For more information, a copy of the letter that was sent to churches from LCEF is available in the school office.
Screening of Like – Monday, October 15 @ 7:00 pm
On Monday, October 15, 2018, at 7:00 PM, Seattle Lutheran High School will have the first showing in the area of the screening LIKE a documentary about the impact of social media on our lives. Click here to watch the trailer. This free screening is open to the community for adults and students both!
Open House for Seattle Lutheran High School – Thurs., Oct. 25, 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Seattle Lutheran High School has a unique and successful approach to education. Join us for our Open House to discover what makes us uniquely better. It will feature a tour of the facility, as well as interaction with Seattle Lutheran’s faculty and administration. We are located at 4100 SW Genesee Street, Seattle, WA 98116. For more information contact Rachel Bigliardi at 206-937-7722 or visit our website at www.seattlelutheran.org
Student visitations for prospective students are on Tuesdays from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm. Sign up for a campus visit at www.SeattleLutheran.org. Lunch will be provided for all visiting students.