Week of October 9th, 2017

ANDONG MASK FESTIVAL!

What a fun time we had today in music class learning about one of Korea's harvest festivals in Andong, the Andong Mask Festival! It was a great opportunity to talk about our emotions, and what faces look like making those expressions.

We learned that Korea holds the festival to celebrate the bounty of their harvest, bring good fortune for the coming year, and enjoy dancing, music, poetry, and fireworks.

Part of the fireworks celebration includes listening to poets that speak in between the fireworks, which are more like "showers of fire" according to sources that say that sparks actually rain down on the crowd's shoulders after poems when the crowd starts shouting "drop the fire!!"

We had fun chanting a Korean children's rhyme that is just nonsense words, and then shouted "Drop the Fire", followed by our fireworks fingerplay!

Younger students also sang "Clap your Hands" and our autumn leaf songs. An additional highlight of the day for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds was dancing with the masks and drums! Four-year-olds also played the "Mouse Mousie" game. Ask your child about it! (And check out the extender questions below!)

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD

1.) What does a happy face look like? What does a sad face look like?

2) Do you remember hearing about the fireworks for the mask festival? Can you tell me about them?

Week of October 10th, 2016

ANDONG MASK FESTIVAL!

This week in music class we learned about Andong Mask Festival of Korea!

This vibrant annual October tradition of Korea explores not only art and music, but also emotions and humanity through facial expressions of masks and dancing. Our younger children also enjoyed rocking and bouncing songs, and moving to the beat of a drum while expressing facial emotions.

The children listened to traditional Korean folk dance music as they explored Andong mask replications on popsicle sticks, and we also talked about facial expressions and emotions (as well as managing emotions.) Older students brainstormed on what their faces look like while expressing feelings, and how they might manage their feelings, as well as what causes them to feel a certain way!

Check out the pictures below for some of the mask play as well as the reproduction of facial expressions--happy, sad, scared and surprised! 

I'd also like to introduce you, if you aren't already familiar, to our assistant teacher, Miss Holly (included in the pictures below!) Miss Holly is a very musical member of our staff who has been at Joyful Noise for almost 4 years. 

Holly has been shadowing and assisting me in music class to prepare for my substitution when I leave for maternity--that's right, my husband and I are expecting a baby in February, if you haven't already heard! =) We're overjoyed to be welcoming a new addition and students have been very interested in my growing belly over the last few months. ;) I look forward to spending as much time as possible this fall and winter with our kiddos until it is time to take a break, and I know Miss Holly will do a great job executing the lesson plans we will have prepared in advance--a continuing blend of instrumental and music theory experiences along with culture and diversity!

Thanks for viewing the blog this week, and don't forget to ask your child some of the extender questions below!

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD

1) What country celebrates Andong Mask Festival? Korea

2) What does your face look like when you are feeling happy, sad, angry or scared?