Good morning and happy December!!!!!!
Welcome back to all of my students this past week. I heard tons and tons of turkey dinner stories and all that did was make me hungry! I hope you got great deals on Black Friday.
This week we worked on inflection, rate, stamina, articulation, and volume. We all did an experiment on holding our breath. We did find out that when we breathe in normally, without warm-ups and take the air from our chest, the stamina is shorter than if we take the breath from our diaphragms. Stamina is important for projection, proper articulation, and being able to move on stage while speaking and being understood by audience members from rows A-Z. We worked on articulation as well and recited a Shakespearean passage from Hamlet. We also worked on inflection and recited a phrase with changes in inflection to show how the meaning of the phrase can be altered.
During our "Do Now" time the students read chapter 8 and wrote summaries, for a grade, of that chapter. I find that when the students summarize what they've read, they do much better on tests.
Speaking of tests, I was able to invite 9 students this week for a pizza lunch with me and Mr. Albanese. I called these students members of the "300" club. How do they become a member? If the students get 100% for each portion of the Unit test, they get in. This week I have a test that is a chapter (8) test that will be given on Friday. Any student who gets all three parts correct for that, I will invite them to my breakfast club. The test will include vocabulary, an essay, a graphic to be labeled on voice production, and general questions from the text. I sent the summaries home with the students so that they can study. Please ask you child if they are looking these summaries over at home.
Next week we will be reviewing chapter 8 and doing some more stamina exercises. We will also be going over scenes for the students to look through and choose which one they would like to work on.
I'm sure you students told you I've begun showing the Disney movie of the Broadway show, "Newsies". After the break we'll be starting musical theater and many of the student haven't been exposed to these types of movies. They are enjoying so much, many of them have been renting it and watching it at home, or so they tell me. Since it is recorded from a live performance, I am able to point out some nuances for them to get acquainted with. In fact, some of them even included these things within their essays.
I will be emailing a flyer of the show "HAIRSPRAY". My son's company, Next Level Performing Arts in Parkland is putting that show on December 15th & 16th. Some of my students are starring in it. Ticket information is on his website, nextlevelperformingarts.com. If you have a chance, try to come and see it. It's a wonderful production and the kids will have a great time...you too!!!!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at: [email protected]
Dec 6:
IB Parent Night: Intro to the IB & the Learner Profile 6 PM
Dec 8:
Middle School Winter Dance 6 PM
Welcome back to all of my students this past week. I heard tons and tons of turkey dinner stories and all that did was make me hungry! I hope you got great deals on Black Friday.
This week we worked on inflection, rate, stamina, articulation, and volume. We all did an experiment on holding our breath. We did find out that when we breathe in normally, without warm-ups and take the air from our chest, the stamina is shorter than if we take the breath from our diaphragms. Stamina is important for projection, proper articulation, and being able to move on stage while speaking and being understood by audience members from rows A-Z. We worked on articulation as well and recited a Shakespearean passage from Hamlet. We also worked on inflection and recited a phrase with changes in inflection to show how the meaning of the phrase can be altered.
During our "Do Now" time the students read chapter 8 and wrote summaries, for a grade, of that chapter. I find that when the students summarize what they've read, they do much better on tests.
Speaking of tests, I was able to invite 9 students this week for a pizza lunch with me and Mr. Albanese. I called these students members of the "300" club. How do they become a member? If the students get 100% for each portion of the Unit test, they get in. This week I have a test that is a chapter (8) test that will be given on Friday. Any student who gets all three parts correct for that, I will invite them to my breakfast club. The test will include vocabulary, an essay, a graphic to be labeled on voice production, and general questions from the text. I sent the summaries home with the students so that they can study. Please ask you child if they are looking these summaries over at home.
Next week we will be reviewing chapter 8 and doing some more stamina exercises. We will also be going over scenes for the students to look through and choose which one they would like to work on.
I'm sure you students told you I've begun showing the Disney movie of the Broadway show, "Newsies". After the break we'll be starting musical theater and many of the student haven't been exposed to these types of movies. They are enjoying so much, many of them have been renting it and watching it at home, or so they tell me. Since it is recorded from a live performance, I am able to point out some nuances for them to get acquainted with. In fact, some of them even included these things within their essays.
I will be emailing a flyer of the show "HAIRSPRAY". My son's company, Next Level Performing Arts in Parkland is putting that show on December 15th & 16th. Some of my students are starring in it. Ticket information is on his website, nextlevelperformingarts.com. If you have a chance, try to come and see it. It's a wonderful production and the kids will have a great time...you too!!!!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at: [email protected]
Dec 6:
IB Parent Night: Intro to the IB & the Learner Profile 6 PM
Dec 8:
Middle School Winter Dance 6 PM