Symphony Concert and Writer’s Workshop Turns School Day into Fairytale

The Jacksonville Symphony transformed Jacoby Hall into a fairytale kingdom known as “Jacksonvillia” on Tuesday, October 11. Beaches and St. Mark’s Campus second grade students experienced how instruments can be used to transform everyday stories into fairytales using major and minor keys. The Symphony’s Assistant Conductor took the audience on a musical journey depicting princes and princesses, dwarfs and giants, and even underwater merpeople swimming in the river! Students were encouraged to imagine their own ending to the story based on the music played in the last song.

Students from both campuses had a chance to get to know one another and enjoy snack time together prior to the concert. They were thrilled to walk in downtown Jacksonville to their bus following the concert. One student even exclaimed, “This is like New York City!”

When St. Mark’s Campus students returned to campus, they related what they learned about “Jacksonvillia” in a special fairytale Writer’s Workshop. Mrs. Middlekauff, Second Grade Instructor, encouraged her class to include elements including a hero (good character), villain (bad character), magic, problem or conflict, and setting (when and where). They also talked about the beginning (“Long ago” or “Once upon a time”), middle, and end of a story.

A truly fairytale day for second grade, indeed!