Class #45--6th Age Music

Monday, April 4, 2011, 2011, 1:20 P.M. 6th Age Music Class. Class #45 on my “50 Classes or Bust!” voyage. It is “Opening Day” for the Orioles, and we are celebrating with a black and orange dress down day in the Lower School. Could there be a prettier day for the O’s home opener? I think not! The 6-D students walk into Mrs. Elliott’s music room and take their place on the carpeted risers. Their chatter immediately stops as Mrs. Elliott begins playing on her keyboard. The class sings the following lyrics several times to get them in the music mode: “Good afternoon to you. How do you do? Nice to see that you are doing fine. Now it is music time.” Mrs. Elliott transitions the class to several other songs, including the Calvert classics “Funiculi, Funicula” and “Silhouette Child.” How do these young children know all these verses? I am impressed by their knowledge and attentiveness. In the spirit of the baseball game today, Mrs. Elliott teaches the class “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The students first “clap” the sound to understand its rhythm before singing it. Then, the class members keep the rhythm going by tossing a gigantic tennis ball back and forth to Mrs. Elliott. What a fun, productive class!