IP 20/30 iDVD instructions

Hi girls! If you have no yearbook work to do today, you can make your iDVD project so that we can burn your video contest submissions early next week. I know many of you said you didn't remember how to use iDVD, so here are a few guidelines to get you going:

1. Open iDVD from your dock, or your applications folder (it looks like a blue DVD icon).

2. Create a new project file with your name and the title of your video submission.

3. Choose your template using the options on the right side of your screen (under the drop down box that says 7.0 Themes - you can also use 6.0 Themes if they're there).

4. There are 3 buttons in the centre on the bottom of your iDVD window. The one on the right, a dotted box with an arrow going into it, is the box that shows your "drop zones." You can enter pictures in here that will appear on your iDVD menu.

5. Double click on the text of your iDVD menu to change it - the font options will pop up here as well so that you can change the size, font, etc.

6. To add your iMovie, click the + button on the bottom left corner of your iDVD menu. Choose "add movie" and then just drag your video into that space. You can change the file name, font, size, etc. the same way as you did for your title.

7. Once your video is on your iDVD menu, click on "Buttons" (the middle button in the bottom right corner of your screen). You can choose here what button will accompany your video when you play it on your TV.

8. If you want to change the music that is playing underneath your iDVD project (you can check it by pushing play and watching how your project will appear when played on the TV), click the "i" button (beside the + button in the bottom left corner). You can then choose a different song from iTunes or elsewhere on your computer, and drag and drop it into the section where the music appears in the "i" menu screen. You can also slide the toggle over to change the duration of the music loop.

Watch the video below, or leave a comment here if you run into any snags. Have a great day, and see you on Monday!

Updates for March 28th

It's time for an update, to make sure that we're all on the same page with everything at school, in all classes, bands, choirs, etc. Here we go!

- All band practice charts for March are due BEFORE the Easter break. Please have them to me, with your minutes totalled at the top and a parent or guardian signature, by Wednesday, April 4th @ 3:30pm

- We have been joined by several of our Japanese students in senior music classes. In Senior Choir we have been working on the Japanese children's folk song, Hotaru Koi. I would like to look at Seasons of Love shortly in Senior Choir... stay tuned (no pun intended).

- Jazz Choir is working on Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King, in 4-part SSAA a cappella. It will be beautiful! And, for something completely different, get ready for a toe-tappin', knee slappin' good time with our newest piece, The Pop Bottle Hoedown. Yeehaw!

- IP 20/30 is submitting our Work2Live and SaskEnvironment video contest submissions before the Easter break. We will be putting them onto a DVD (using the iDVD program) next class so that we can mail them with the release forms, etc. before their respective deadlines (April 20th for Work2Live and April 29th for SaskEnvironment).

- IP 10 will be beginning a new project today.... the long-awaited MUSIC VIDEO! This will be a major project and will take several classes to complete. Given the time allotted to this assignment, it will also be worth a substantial portion of this term's grade. It's also going to be a lot of fun - and of course, there will be a "movie night" at the end of it all!

- Computers 9I are compiling the video footage for their news broadcast, which is due on Monday, April 23rd. We have had many class periods to plan, film, and edit this project, so no extensions will be permitted (unless extenuating circumstances require one, in which case, see me to make a plan).

- We have been doing some African drumming in Music classes this week. Rivier students have got rhythm! Our theory classes will turn into African drumming classes as we get closer to the end of the school year. That being said, those that have theory to do will need to use that time to complete all assignments and quizzes before the final June report card. Stay tuned for an African drumming ensemble sign-up sheet for the final concert!

- Rivier is in charge of putting together a choir for the Celebration of Life mass on Friday, April 20th (evening). I will be there to sing and play the piano, and I need as many of you with me as possible. It is a great opportunity to represent our school and our music program, and our talents are always so appreciated by everyone. There will also be a pizza party for all singers who are involved in this mass..... added bonus! I will be posting a sign-up sheet on my homeroom door asap.

- We (the IP 20/30 class and I) are looking for yearbook photos from ALL grade levels. We want candid shots of you and your friends and classmates, either on the outside school grounds or in the classroom, hallways at lunch, etc. If you want to be represented in the yearbook, please submit photos to us asap! We will do our best to represent everyone, but it is difficult to do without the help of the student body.

- Computers 8M is almost finished the photo editing unit. Soon it will be time to develop our photo editing e-portfolio by compiling our best work into an iMovie presentation, complete with titles, transitions, and background audio. When this assignment is complete we will be having a "movie night" class where we can see each other's work (maybe we'll even watch the iMovies that you made in Grade 7 Computers class that we ran out of time to watch!).

- Just a reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews are tonight (Wednesday) from 4-7pm and tomorrow (Thursday) from 4-6pm. There are no interviews on Friday!

- Choral/Vocal Jazz 30 - there has been talk about doing a Grade 12 number for the final concert. At this point it is looking like "For Good" from Wicked. I may have a lead on an SSA version so that we can get a bit of extra harmony in there vs. the duet music that I have currently. We will work out a time to get together and learn it. It shouldn't take long at all.

- I will not be here on Friday, so Mrs. Moon is subbing for me. Choral 10/20/30, she will be teaching the music for Celebration of Life with you during your 3rd period rehearsal. Please consider signing up for the mass. I know it is a Friday evening which is a lot to ask, but your leadership and talents are so appreciated. (Plus, free pizza!) :o)

Whew! Lots to think about. I'm glad we are getting things organized. We only have a couple days left until Easter break! Time is really flying by. Before you know it, we'll be tightening up loose ends for our June concert, and then it will be Grad.... YIKES!

I'm thinking about an "Around the World" theme for our final concert. What do you think? So far we have:

- 3 Russian Folk Songs (Russia, of course!) - Senior Choir

- Pop Bottle Hoedown / Can You Feel the Love Tonight (USA) - Jazz Choir

- O'Leary's Ceili Band (Ireland) - Senior Band

- Walkabout (American swing jazz) - Level 3 Band

- Sakura, Sakura (?) (Japanese folk song) - Level 1 Band

- Cha Cha Del Sol (Spanish) - Level 2 Band

- African drums (Africa, of course!) - Various students

- Hotaru Koi (Japanese children's folk song) - Senior Choir

- Seasons of Love (American Broadway) - Senior/Jazz Choir

- The Steppes of Russia (Russian folk) - Senior Band

- The Happy Wanderer/Val-de-ree (USA) - Senior Band

- She's Like the Swallow (Canada) - Chandra, Quinn, Rebecca, Miss Campbell

- Prayer of the Norwegian Child (Norway) - Cassidy and Shea

This could be a lot of fun! Your thoughts? Any song suggestions?

*Edit* - I just thought of some more good ideas. O Canada for band (any level), plus possibly Pokarekare Ana (New Zealand) for any number of voices. It's easy, I've taught it to most of the senior students already (3-4 years ago, mind you), and it's a song near and dear to my heart, as I learned it when I was teaching on my internship in NZ in 2007. Also, when I was interning and singing with the Wellington Youth Choir, I did a really cool arrangement of O Canada with God Defend New Zealand, their national anthem. I arranged them as partner songs, meaning that they're both sung at the same time.... AND it would give us an opportunity to sing in the Maori language! That might be kind of cool for senior choir I'm thinking.

So many ideas! :o)

2 year old dancing the jive

Why, you ask? Because who doesn't need a good laugh on a Wednesday?

IP 10/20/30 plans for March 22nd-23rd

IP 10 assignment for Thursday and Friday, March 22nd and 23rd:

Create an April bathroom reader to hang up starting the week before Easter. Try a new template, a new topic, and find some new and exciting material that you can share with the school. You can use Pages or Microsoft Word to create your 1-page project (newspaper template). If you finish early, you may either post to your blog (a school-appropriate topic of your own choice), or construct another bathroom reader. There are many stalls in this school, so the more, the merrier! When you are done, please label them with your last name first, April bathroom reader, and hand in to the IP 10 drop box.

IP 20/30 assignment for Friday, March 23rd:

Go through your yearbook pages and add an appropriate "infinity" quote to each of your pages (or wherever is appropriate - candid pages, spirit days, etc.). Do any finishing work you can on the pages containing events that have already happened (i.e. Blessed Marie Rivier page, school portraits and class pictures, Sound of Music, sports, student retreat, Mexican Week, etc. Can Sr. Basketball be done now?). Continue to add photos, scan grad pics (Keisha), upload photos that you've been taking or collecting from students, add your text, etc. If you can't do much with your pages at the moment, look up infinity quotes that may be used on other pages and save them in a Microsoft Word document.

Musical Theatre fix for your Friday!

I just ordered the Hal Leonard "Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology" for Mezzo Soprano/Belter Vol. 1, 3, and 5 (now I have all 5 volumes!), and I have discovered that Volume 3 is AMAZING. There are so many great little-known solos from far underrated shows... my new favourite is "Stars and the Moon" from Songs for a New World. I think I will probably sing this as my ballad solo for next year's Music Festival.

SO GOOD!

Post-pepper pain....

Hi IP 10! I am updating my blog from the staff room, where I am currently horizontal on the couch after our SLC pepper-eating contest in the auditorium. Unfortunately my stomach is not agreeing with the habaneros and so to avoid any computer room drama (oh boy), I am sending you this message remotely. :o)

If you have all of your blog posts done and published, continue commenting on each other's blogs until you've posted one comment on each person's site. Once you've finished that, you can start an April calendar using the templates on Microsoft Word.

Hopefully I'll be up in a few minutes to join the class.

Ole!

My golden retrievers were cute, but they weren't musicians!

I give them a 10 for pitch recognition, but their rhythm could use some work....