Assignment for the week of March 30-April 3

Hello everyone!

The assignment for ALL Grade Levels this week is Orchestra Bingo! Complete 5 activities (or more if you want!) throughout this week to make BINGO! The "N" line going straight down was designed for students who do not have instruments. 

Please follow directions in the assignment sheet here: Orchestra Bingo

You should have a received an email from us for ZOOM Chat sign ups this week for anyone who would like to participate. Here are the links for those: 

6th Grade ZOOM Sign Up

7th and 8th Grade ZOOM Sign Up

Cut Time is now back up and running, so I should finish those last few playing tests & feedback today! YAY! :) Mr. Crosby and I have enjoyed "seeing" you all in the tests and the photos from last week!  We will upload more teaching videos, so stay tuned for that. Please reach out if you need any additional support.

3/27 FUN Friday Assignment :)

We've made it through Week 2 of Digital Learning! Thank you all for doing such a great job on your assignments!

Today, our Fun Friday assignment is to watch the video below and practice using the skills you reviewed. Those of you without an instrument, find more videos of the artist you researched last week that plays your instrument and listen to a couple more of them!

Have a great weekend!

3/26 Thursday Assignment

Students with instruments should practice for 15 minutes and complete the practice reflection form. Practice Reflection - March 26

ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT - If you do not have an instrument or prefer to do this assignment instead, please use the link in the form to watch the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Live Stream and complete the form after watching. The Live Stream comes on at noon. ASO Live Stream and Form

Keep the pictures coming!

We are loving the photos!

Here are some fun practice pictures of our own. Of course, my daughter Claire had to be a princess as she works on Twinkle. Happy Practicing!




Stock orchestra position for strings...and drumset!

3/25 Wednesday Assignment

Hello Students,

You should practice your instrument for at least 15 minutes. Instead of doing a reflection, I would like you to submit a picture of yourself practicing, and make the picture fun/funny! Play to your stuffed animals, get a family member to do something silly in the background,  wear a crazy outfit, etc...just make it FUN! :)

You were all added to an Orchestra Class Notebook yesterday. I will put links to your class notebook below. You need to use your Office365 account to log in (typically firstname.lastname and computer password). Submit the picture to your Class Notebook (click on your name, then put the picture in Assignments or Homework, depending on what your tabs say). If the Class Notebook doesn't work. email the photo to durhamorchestra@gmail.com.

ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT: If you do not have your instrument, go to https://tonesavvy.com/music-practice-exercises/ and click on paced note names for your clef and do the exercise. Submit a picture to the Class Notebook link below under Assignments or Homework, or email it to durhamorchestra@gmail.com

Class Notebook Links
1st Period - 1st Period Orchestra Class Notebook

2nd Period - 2nd Period Orchestra Class Notebook

4th Period - 4th Period Orchestra Class Notebook

5th Period - 5th Period Orchestra Class Notebook

6th Period - 6th Period Orchestra Class Notebook

7th Period - 7th Period Orchestra Class Notebook

3/24 Tuesday Assignment

Tuesday's Assignment: (3/24)

Kahoot Elements of Music PreTest 

This is a PreTest on Elements of Music.

1. Click the link to go to the pretest. 
2. At Join The Game: Under nickname, type the number of the block you are in 

then your First Name Last Name (example 8 Bobby Crosby) (example 6 Jennifer Aikey) 

3. Click Ok Go 
4. Play the game. 
5. When finished just X out. 
6. 
   
7. This Pre-Test counts as a completion grade. We want to see where you are in your knowledge of these terms so we can create video teaching content based on what you need to learn! Don't cheat and do your best!

3/23 Monday Assignment

Hello everyone! All of you should have been sent a link through email on to watch a BrainPop video on how string instruments are made and complete the quiz that goes along with it! It’s a fun little video that will hopefully give you more perspective on exactly how your instrument works.  You may need to access the Cobb Digital Library first.  When accessing the Cobb Digital Library on a device through the MackinVIA app, or at home using https://cobb.mackinvia.com, use your Office 365 login (typically firstname.lastname and computer password). CCSD staff should use email address and computer password.

You can view the video here: https://www.brainpop.com/artsandmusic/makingmusic/stringinstruments/

Attached are the assignment links in case you didn't receive the email.  

1st Period - https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e38040c18b0b8b87/periods/8366db1ae4a6a51c 

2nd Period - https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e38040c18b0b8b87/periods/f0d2d536a43fe834 

4th Period - https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e38040c18b0b8b87/periods/59dcf7350a4f7850 

5th Period - https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e38040c18b0b8b87/periods/ab6d8ddcedf8673a 

6th Period- https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e38040c18b0b8b87/periods/717625856108b38b 

7th Period - https://www.brainpop.com/dashboard/assignments/e8bc9a01e535555c/periods/add0fc1dc8625ebc

Spring Trip Canceled

Dear Durham Families,

As you know, the school district has canceled all field trips. Understandably, we have been getting a lot of questions regarding refunds. At this point, we are unable to guarantee anything because the payments were all made to travel companies and they have already paid the vendors.

We have reached out to our travel company and they are doing everything they can to secure refunds from the vendors. This process could take some time (6-8 weeks), and the travel company says that they cannot guarantee anything at this point.

We are sorry for the inconvenience but hope that you will bear with us as we are all dealing with these extraordinary events.

Sincerely,

Andy Bristow, PhD

Principal

Durham Middle School

Assignments for the rest of the week are posted!

Hello Orchestra Students and Families,

The assignments for the rest of the week are posted on the OneNote. Here is the link to the OneNote again: Durham Orchestra 2020

Happy Playing! Again, if you need help with anything, whether it's CutTime, tuning, etc, please let me know. i am happy to video chat or electronically troubleshoot anything you need! Mr. Crosby and I look forward to "seeing" you play Friday!

-Mrs. Aikey

Tuesday, March 17 Assignment

Please complete the following music listening quiz. The piece you will listen to is in the quiz description. You can also practice today as well if you'd like. :) Here is the link to the assignment:

March 17 Music Listening Quiz

Monday, March 16 Assignment - Reposted Here

Since there are issues with office365, I have reposted the assignments here:

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT, please look at the alternate assignment below. If you do have your instrument, please read below. **There is not an assignment due on CutTime yet. i will et you know when that changes.**

8th Graders, your assignment for Monday, March 16 is to for all of you to download the music in the sheet music link tab and follow the directions below. You should see Harry Potter and Havana.

7th graders, your assignment for Monday, March 16 is to for all of you to download the music in the sheet music link tab and follow the directions below. You should see Rock Riffs and Beauty and the Beast.

6th Graders, your assignment for Monday, March 16 is to for all of you to practice your Jamboree music if you have an instrument and follow the directions below.

DIRECTIONS:

If you do have your instrument, your assignment is to practice the parts listed above on your instrument and complete the practice reflection.  
LINK: Practice Reflection - March 16 

You should practice/sight-read for at least 15 minutes.  

ALTERNATE ASSIGNMENT: 

If you do not have an instrument with you, please complete the alternate assignment. 
LINK: Alternate Assignment - March 16 

Assignments

Dear Orchestra Students and Parents,

Please see the blog post below this one if you have not yet logged into CutTime before or have had trouble uploading assignments in the past. The first couple of assignments will not involve CutTime yet, but I want to make sure everyone can access the system when we do an assignment in CutTime later on.

ALL ASSIGNMENTS while we are not physically at school will be posted into the Durham Orchestra OneNote. The OneNote has sections for each grade level. Here is the link to the OneNote: Durham Orchestra 2020

The assignment for Monday, March 16 is posted there already for each grade level. I have also reposted the CutTime video there as well, in addition to a video about tuning and using the TonalEnergy app (which is recommended if you able to pay $3.99 for the app).

VIOLINISTS, please read so you know what parts to print:
8th Grade Violins: You will consistently play the same parts for the new music that you have for Pirates. Ex: If you are 1st on Pirates, stay 1st for Harry Potter, Avengers, and any other music.
7th Grade Violins: Play the same violin part for Rock Riffs that you have for Avatar, and play the opposite part for Beauty and the Beast. Ex: 1st on Avatar and Rock Riffs are 2nd for Beauty(left side of the room closest to the Orch office); those who are 2nd on Avatar and Rock Riffs are 1st on Beauty (right side of the violin section, closest to violas)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me or Mr. Crosby or send a Remind text. If you have not joined Remind, please join.
8th Grade Remind: text the message @8grorch to the number 81010
7th Grade Remind: text the message @7grorch to the number 81010
6th Grade Remind: text the message @6grorch to the number 81010

Email addresses:
jennifer,aikey@cobbk12.org
bobby.crosby@cobbk12.org

Thank you,

Jennifer Aikey and Bobby Crosby

CutTime Instructions

Please view the video below if you have had issues with CutTime or want to know how to do assignments. We will be using CutTime this week!

While We Are at Home

Dear Orchestra Families,

Please make sure you check the blog as we will be posting updates as we go along during our time off. I have sent registration emails to the 71 people who are in the system that are not registered for CutTime, so please click on the registration link in the email from CutTime if you received that today. Thank you,

Jennifer Aikey and Bobby Crosby

LGPE

Dear 7th and 8th Grade Parents,

Thank you all so much for your support and for sending your child prepared for LGPE! Both groups received ALL Superior ratings, with particularly high marks in sight-reading (8th grade receiving straight 1s in EVERY category of sight-reading - WOW!). I am so proud of them! They were well disciplined and focused, and that showed in their performances, which had improved from their concert last week. The listened to their professional recordings from LGPE today and yesterday, and I am grateful they were able to evaluate their performances as well. It has been awesome seeing the growth from where they were at the start of the year to now. 

I want to give a special shout out to our chaperones for their hard work and flexibility. It simply could not have happened without you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I want to say another special thank you to Dr. Bristow for making time to attend both LGPE performances and to Mrs. Thorpe for being at the Pre-LGPE concert. It is truly wonderful to have administrators that are so supportive of the music department! 

Thank you again to Mr. Crosby for assisting and playing percussion, and to Mrs. Ivy Pirl for piano accompaniment.

Now that this busy time is complete, we can look forward to some fun music and activities for the spring to help enhance their skills and have a lot of fun! Thank you again,

Jennifer Aikey