This is the fifth song that I'm composing in 14EDL, our main scale for January and February. And it's the first 14EDL song in the ABC format, with verses, a pre-chorus, and a chorus.
As I explained in yesterday's post, today I give the Chapter 5 Test to my fourth period Math I class. It's the rare test that I don't give on a Friday -- indeed the rare test given on a singing day. Therefore the song summarizes the contents of the test. The pre-chorus mentions solving equations because two of the sixteen questions on the test are review from Chapter 1.
Since this is also one of the few tests given on a blogging day, let me discuss how the fourth period kids are doing on the test so far. Naturally, most students are getting the first two questions right -- these questions simply ask for the generator of an arithmetic or geometric sequence and are designated "Level 1" on DeltaMath.
The two most difficult questions both involve geometric sequences with common ratio less than 1 -- for example, a sequence like 32, 16, 8, 4, ... (the bouncing ball sequence from a couple weeks ago). And it's understandable -- students are more likely to think in terms of dividing terms by two than multiplying by one half. They might even have trouble identifying this as a geometric sequence, since the rapid increase associated with geometric sequences isn't visible.
Here's a link to today's Mocha code:
https://www.haplessgenius.com/mocha/
As usual, don't forget to click on Sound before you RUN the program.
This song omits Degree 13. I'm much more likely to interpret Degree 11 as B (as opposed to Bb) in a no-thirteens song like this one, since there's no need to make 13/11 sound as a minor third. (I do the same in most of my 12EDL songs where there is no Degree 13.)
And indeed, in the verse I play the riff Bm-D7, since the first three notes sound like B minor (provided Degree 11 is interpreted as B). For the pre-chorus I play the riff Am-D7, while for the chorus I play a ringing F# major chord. The chorus melody goes (low)F#-E-C-B-F#(high), but only the F# notes stand out in the melody.
There are ways to chord this song if we are more consistent in interpreting 14EDL. Recall some of those chords that I mentioned in previous posts -- F#m7b5 (the half diminished chord F#-A-C-E) and F#7alt (which usually means F#-A#-C-E, provided Degree 11 is Bb or A#). The former chord fits in the pre-chorus and the the latter in the chorus.
In fact, if we consider the half diminished chord to be the "tonic" (or "home") chord of 14EDL, we even might reverse the pre-chorus and chorus melodies so that we can end the song on that chord. The rhythms of the pre-chorus and chorus are identical, so there's no need to change the lyrics here.
Only Math I classes are getting this song. Math III classes will hear a different but familiar song:
The six months are done so let's
See how much we know, know know!
It's some new stuff on Benchmark Tests.
If we don't know it, we take a guess.
'Cause there's still time to grow, grow, grow!
The teacher sees our Benchmark Tests,
Knows what to teach now more or less.
That's the way to go, go, go!
Today is Elevenday on the Eleven Calendar:
Resolution #11: We follow all protocols for COVID.
But for me, Elevenday means it's time for me to focus on communication. I wrote a little about my efforts to communicate with my students in yesterday's post.
As for communicating with my fellow teachers -- well, today I was hoping to speak during third period conference to the lone other math teacher with the same prep period. (I've mentioned her a few times on the blog before -- she teaches only Math I.) But unfortunately, she's out today.
There's also an upcoming Math I teacher meeting, led by the TOSA. So perhaps I can communicate with others during that meeting (including perhaps my prep period buddy).
Notice that today's post is labeled "Days 111-112," covering only today and tomorrow. That's because Friday is the seventeenth -- my monthly posting day for "A Day in the Life." Therefore my next post is scheduled for Friday.
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