Lower School
Music Class Takes a Twist This Year
Music teacher Ellen Baer has tackled the challenges of teaching during coronavirus with the kind of creative problem-solving that New Canaan Country School students are encouraged to practice. The Lower School music curriculum is typically based around singing which involves a high level of aerosol emission. So, this year our Lower Schoolers will instead focus on improving their rhythm and listening skills in their general music classes.
In order to avoid sharing instruments, Ms. Baer spent a portion of her summer making instrument kits for each student in Grades 1-3. Every student has their own Ziploc bag with a "scraper" cut from pool noodles, rhythm sticks made from candy apple dowels, egg shakers made from plastic Easter eggs filled with beads, jingle bells on a chenille stem, a tulle scarf and a plastic plate for movement activities, and a little tambourine complete with the NCCS logo. The instrument kits are stored in 5-gallon buckets from Home Depot which will later be turned upside and used for drumming. In addition, third graders each received their own recorder which will only be played outside and only one at a time. Fourth graders typically select a band instrument to study for the year but this year they will all learn how to play ukuleles and each student will have their own to use.
“The plan is that if we need to go virtual, the students can just take their instrument kits home with them,” said Ms. Baer. While it will take some adjusting to this new curriculum, Ms. Baer is embracing it as an adventure she will take side-by-side with her students. “We are all going to learn so much!”
New Canaan Country School
New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.
