Faith in humanity = restored

Click here for 20 awesome examples of people with excellent character.

These photos fit perfectly into our Health 8 discussions, and should be seen by everyone regardless of what classes you're in, how old you are, or how you stumbled across this blog post!

IP 10K Dream Travel Destination Blog Post Assignment

Hi IP 10K!  Here's the information you need to complete your Dream Travel Destination blog post:

1. Minimum of 4 relevant photos
2. Minimum of 1 relevant video
3. Flight costs and information (flight times, airlines, flight numbers, arrival times, layovers, etc.)
4. Accommodation information (name of accommodations, cost, etc.)
5. Length of vacation
6. Minimum of 3 profiled tourism opportunities (including cost, description, etc.)
7. Travel appeal rationale (why should somebody choose this destination?)
8. Any other relevant information and/or appealing additions

Defining our character

We have been discussing in Health 8 how our actions define our character, and how to live a life of integrity (doing the right thing).  The video below is a Guinness commercial; forgive me for posting a beer commercial but the message is so powerful and relevant.  We watched it in class today and the reaction was the same pretty much across the board: Wondering where the commercial was going, and then a gasp at the moment of realization at the end.  Watch and enjoy.

Music testing updates

We have been doing playing and singing tests in Band, Choir, and Jazz Choir recently.  Here are the updates on where we're at with these tests:

Level 1 Band - Song to test: "Lightly Row" (#25 in Essential Elements 2000 Book 1)

7 students tested, 14 remaining to be tested - Tests will continue Tues. Oct. 29th and finish Thurs. Oct. 31st

Level 2 Band - Song(s) to test: "Cossack Dance" (#74) and/or "Basic Blues" (#75)

9 tested, 21 remaining to be tested - Tests will continue Tues. Oct. 29th (students in 7-2 must be tested first!) and will finish Thurs. Oct. 31st with the remaining 8(2)s being tested during theory class

Level 3 Band - Songs to test: "Thailand Lullaby" (#3 in Essential Elements 2000 Book 2) and "Wearing of the Green" (#7)

11 students tested, 8 remaining to be tested - Tests will be completed on Tues. Oct. 29th

Senior Choir - Songs to test: "Kom!" (entire song) and "She's Like the Swallow" (m. 64-82)

14 students tested, 8 remaining to be tested - Tests will be completed on Wed. Oct. 30th

Jazz Choir - Songs to test: "Orange Coloured Sky" and "Good Morning Heartache" (first 1.5 pages each)

10 students tested, 5 remaining to be tested (Gr. 10-12 only) - Tests will be completed Wed. Oct. 30th

Friday updates... and an LED laugh :)

Bands have been in full swing with playing tests over the past couple days, Jazz Choir started singing tests yesterday, and Senior Choir will be doing singing tests starting on Monday.  Here are the selections to be tested:

Level 1 Band - Lightly Row
Level 2 Band - Cossack Dance or Basic Blues
Level 3 Band - Thailand Lullaby and Wearing of the Green
Level 4 Band - We are learning secondary instruments!  Testing will be done at a later date.
Jazz Choir - Good Morning Heartache (until "what's new?") and Orange Coloured Sky (until "I got a look at you")
Senior Choir - Kom! (whole song), She's Like the Swallow (m. 65-84 roughly - "How foolish, how foolish this maid must be" / "Cruel man, I am shamed" until end of verse)

And now, with this business out of the way, I would like to share with you a video that can't help but make you smile.  This is such a clever costume idea - this toddler looks like a little animated stick drawing walking around! :)  HAPPY FRIDAY!

PS - I looked into that music wall in Minneapolis - It's the Schmitt Music Mural and it is not only one cool portion of a wall.... one WHOLE SIDE OF THE BUILDING is painted like sheet music!  So amazing!  Check this out: I definitely need to go here.

Cool brick wall photo background

Hey everyone!  I just found the COOLEST thing!  Check out this brick wall with sheet music printed on it.  It is apparently in Minneapolis, although I'm not sure where specifically.  I have a couple friends in the city and I would love to take a trip down there to visit and find this wall!  Here's a picture of my friend Mara (a Rivier graduate!) standing in front of the wall looking super cool:

Essential Elements 2000 Book 1 playalong

I was so impressed to find this resource tonight when I was looking for playalong tracks to Essential Elements Book 1.  The CD we have goes up to Track 58 but there are many more in the book.... and here are all of your play along tracks that you can download and use for practicing!  This would apply to Level 1 and Level 2 bands mostly, or some of the Senior Band students who are taking up a secondary instrument.

Click here for play along tracks!

Happy Wednesday!