Recorder Karate

Welcome back from Thanksgiving break, everyone! Fourth grade has been working to learn the soprano recorder with various B,A, and G melodies. Before break, we talked about karate and how to earn belts. The students summarized it best as you have to master a set of skills and demonstrate that you can perform them. This is precisely how recorder karate works!

Starting this week, students will be able to test for their belts starting with white and making their way through the following 8 belts over the course of 4th and 5th grade. By the end of 4th grade, all students will have achieved at least white, yellow, orange, and green belts. In order to earn a belt, students will independently figure out pre-selected songs to showcase skills we work on as a whole class and then play it as a solo for me.

Each student is given a copy of the test songs and encouraged to make whatever marks needed to help them be successful. Write in the note names. Color code it by note. Write the fingering patterns. Students are welcome to use the sheet music during the test. There will be specific "test days" on which students can earn belts they have prepared. Scores will adhere to the following rubric.

White Belt

Yellow Belt

Orange Belt