4th grade has "Something to Say!"

After attending their LINK UP concert, I asked the 4th graders to do some reflective writing about their experience. As we begin our JUST WRITE celebration this week, I thought this was a perfect time to showcase some of their written responses. I was thrilled to read some of their responses! Here is what they had to say about their LINK UP concert field trip:

What was it like to visit the Frauenthal Theatre?
"I felt like I was in the center of a whole other planet"
"I thought that the Frauenthal Theatre was so pretty inside. All the carvings in the walls and the sculptures"
"I felt so fancy."
"It was unwordable! I couldn't believe that I was really there! The theatre was so beatufiul! It had so much detail! It was just awesome"
"It was exciting and fun. It was a great experience for me and my friends"
"It was very cool and seeing all of the other kids play and the orchestra and the end song was the best"
"I have never been to anything like that and I never will get to again!"
"It was awesome to visit the Frauenthal Theatre. It was something different that I had never done before"
"It was very cool- the orchestra did an awesome job! And the big light in the ceiling was very cool!"
"It was just amazing"
"Big and beautiful. I wish it was part of my house!"
"It was really cool. I have never been in a theatre like that. I really liked the light show"
"It was amazing. I really had a good time there!"
"It looked just as pretty as the state capitol only a little bit smaller!"
"It was like living in the olden days in England. The place was historic and AWESOME!"

How did it feel to perform by singing and playing the recorder?
"Even though I messed up a few times, I still felt like I could take on the world!"
"I felt special, like someone needed me!"
"I wasn't nervous at all! But all I know is that it felt like I was the star of the show being there!"
"It felt great knowing how to play the recorder and that we were chosen out of millions of kids to do this!"
"It felt like I was a movie star!"
"It felt very scary at first, then it was cool!"
"It was so much fun that I could have played one more song!"
"I felt good all over. I felt like I had just eaten an ice cream cone!"
"I was scared at first, but then I got brave"
"Nervous and excited... once in a lifetime feeling"
"I felt pretty cool to play my recorder and sing during the orchestra"
"All the work paid off!"
"It felt weird just having thousands of people in their seats."
"It was pretty cool to get to do that. I really liked the orchestra playing with us."
"It felt so awesome that I wish every kid in America could do it"
"It felt great to get that off my shoulder!"
"I felt a little nervous. But it was awesome!"
"It felt exciting that we got to sing and play the recorder"
"It was awesome. I have never been to a concert in my whole life. I was so excited when I took my first step into the building!"
"I thought it was so so cool to see and hear everyone playing their recorders at the same time."
"I felt amazing.... like a dream"
"It felt like I was in heaven"
What did you notice about the sound of everyone playing and singing together?
"It was like we were pros! It was a wonderful harmony!"
"Happy people playing with eachother"
"It sounded like nothing I have ever done in my life!"
"It sounded really good because if you messed up, you wouldn't notice"
"Loud and smooth as everyone played the right notes together."
"It sounded like we were professionals"
"I noticed that when everyone was playing together there was no squeeks or no one messing around. It was just great"
"It felt like the roof was going to pop off it was so loud!"
"I noticed that when many people sing and play together, we make harmony"
"I noticed that it was like we were all one orchestra"
"It sounded loud and powerful compared to when we were practicing just in the music room. Because there were only 27 kids doing it in our music room"
"I noticed that it was awesome because we played at the same time!"
"That everyone had different voices and different sounds of the recorder."
"It was all one melody"
"It sounded a lot better than I thought!"
"I noticed that you couldn't tell when someone messed up. We all sounded good!"
"It sounded very cool and loud!"
"It was awesome. Really loud and like an echo!"
"Cool and beautiful"
"It was cool to do it with other kids and other schools besides our school."
What did you enjoy most about the LINK UP concert?
"Singing and playing the recorder"
"I LOVED the end of the concert where the confetti shot out and the stars pranced around the room."
"I liked playing the Simple Melody with the orchestra. I thought it was cool having over 3000 people playing together!"
"Listening to all of the orchestra's music"
"Seeing everyone play the recorder"
"The song When the Saints Go Marching In"
"I enjoyed the orchestra's pretty and different sounds"
"It was so cool just to go there and see everything there."
"I enjoyed the last song when all the lights were all over. I also like the confetti!"
"Stars and Stripes Forever"
"When we all did it together"

How did you feel about your own performance?
"I think that I did really good. And I'm proud of myself"
"I felt so happy that I was smiling a smile a mile away!"
"Good because I didn't mess up!"
"I felt like I was in a real concert"
"I thought it was a little shaky, but my friends backed me up!"
"I felt like I was a movie star! I thought I was good!"
"Happy and nervous"
"I felt good about it. I was positive"
"Wonderful"
"I think I did a really good job!"
"I felt like I could actually play a real instrument!"
"It was hard, but it was fun and it was really AWESOME!"
"I felt good, but I think I messed up a few times"
"I felt ok- there was more than probably 200 people there!"
"I thought I did pretty good!"

Which part of the concert would you want to do again?
"The part where we sang"
"Watch the orchestra play their instruments"
"The singing- I LOVED that part!"
"The entire light show!"
"When the orchestra played songs that we learned before"
"The last song- that was soooo cool!"
"The whole thing!"
"I want to do the last song again- that was the best!"
"I would want to play simple melody with the orchestra again"
"To go to visit there again"
"Every single bit of it including the ending!!"