5th grade "Graduates" from Recorder Karate

For the last two months, 5th grade has been developing their record playing skills. We have been learning new notes, playing songs together, and participating in a curriculum called "Recorder Karate."

Like most martial arts, students pass skills to earn belts. The same goes for Recorder Karate. Students work at their own pace on different songs of varying difficulties. Once they mastered the song, they "tested" for their belt by playing it for me. If they passed the song, they received a colored piece of floss to tie to the bottom of their recorder. There were 9 songs that increased in difficulty all the way to black belt.

The students worked really hard and many of them received their black belts and were awarded last week with their black belt certificate! For those students who didn't receive a black belt, I still gave them a blank black belt certificate and copy of all of the songs. All they have to do is master the songs, play the songs for an adult and fill in their name on the certificate! This gives everyone a chance to continue to strive to reach black belt "status"!!

Also, as a music graduation present, all of the students were able to take home and keep their recorders that they received last year. I hope many of them continue in band next year- we have some wonderful musicians!!