Marimba

During my fourth and fifth grade classes today, Mr. Huestis (percussion teacher at Griffin, Lakeview and TCHS) brought over one of his very talented marimba students to perform. The students were so well behaved and had great questions.  Tyler performed a few pieces: Étude #1 and Land.

Students were shown proper mallet technique as well as how to hold four mallets. They were shown the difference between a marimba and the xylophones that they play in class.  In fact one marimba costs the same amount as our entire class set of 25 xylophones!!

Tyler and Mr. Huestis stayed for about twenty minutes in both classes.  Students were very interested in all that was shared and taught.  It was a great morning!

Thankful Eagle Lunch Day Two

Yesterday we had three grade level performances: first, third, and fifth.

Mrs. Tucker's Golden Music Note Day

Every class works hard to earn points in music class.  They have the opportunity to earn five points each class in the following areas:

1 - How they enter the room
2 - How they behave
3 - How they handle supplies and instruments
4 - How they participate as a class
5 - How they exit

The class in each grade level that has the most points at the end of each grading period earns a Golden Music Note Day.  The class then chooses what they want to do during that class and they have the following choices:

1 - Music Technology Day: iPods, iPads and Computer stations
2 - Centers
3 - Song and Game Day:  singing and playing music games that students have learned during the year or years
4 - Computer Lab Day

The students in Mrs. Tucker's class earned the Golden Music Note for the first nine weeks and voted to use their iPads in class tomorrow as their reward day.  Students will have choices in using music apps only and downloading new apps to experiment with.  Everything from composing to listening to music theory, notes and much, much more.  I'm excited to see what I can learn from students as well as what they think about the class.

Below is a fantastic link that another music teacher put together that lists great music class apps.  And from what I can tell, they are free!!  (at least, the ones I checked and clicked on):

http://musicwithmrsdennis.blogspot.com/2013/01/110-free-music-education-apps.html

Thankful Eagle Lunch Day One

Today Kindergartners, Second Graders and Fourth Graders performed for families and friends.  It was so great to see them so proud of the music that they created and performed.

Kindergarten is always a guess as to what will happen.  We practiced several times as to where to stand, how to walk, where hands go, voices quiet between songs, and of course learned the songs and material in class.  I love that they are so energetic and that they were so proud of how they did.  One of the highlights for me was when a student called out to his parent to see if his lunchbox was brought for him.

Second Grade learned a short poem and then performed several songs.  They were so well-behaved and did a fabulous job as well.

Fourth Grade performed a two-part song using The Pledge of Allegiance and America the Beautiful.  Each class performed their own xylophone piece.  Students had control as a class over the order of the song, who performed each part, how it ended and the overall design of the piece.  I found out afterward that our zone leader Mrs. Macdonald was at the performance.  I was thrilled to find out that it was a great way for her to hear how we are incorporating student driven learning and for her to experience the huge amount of work that students put into their pieces.

It was my first time ever to direct any sort of instrumental ensemble.  I was quite worried as it is very much a new thing for me and out of my comfort zone.  Thrilled to do it and very excited.  Pushed me so much as a teacher and I'm so thankful to have run with it.  Has been a great year of learning for my students and myself.

Thankful Eagle Lunch

Fourth and Fifth Graders - Click on the link and share your thoughts!

https://docs.google.com/a/staff.lisd.net/forms/d/1dEaJvbFAMb_afLAn1eg7LktfwcZufJ4MMRN0rzAcxxE/viewform

Fifth Grade Arguments

The title of this post indicates what happened at the end of my fifth grade class today.  But not in a way you might think!  I'll explain how amazing our class was today and what students accomplished and the post title will make much more sense.

I had Mrs. Childer's class today.  A very musical class with high energy.  They love to do anything and everything and they are passionate about it.  We are working on our piece "Xylophone Rhapsody" for our performance coming up in a few weeks.  The students have learned three parts with challenges in each one.  Best part:  the students have risen to the challenge and are conquering all of them with impressive musicianship.  So thankful to get to teach them!

The beat is a steady beat throughout the song, but is a moving bass line that moves by intervals of 4ths and 2nds with large jumps at the end.  In other words, it moves a lot and students must concentrate not only on counting the beat, but remembering where the next note moves to.  It is not a typical steady beat on the same two notes and that presents a new challenge!

The harmony portion must also be a steady beat.  But instead of each note holding for three beats, each note is one beat that plays while moving down the scale in thirds.  And students must keep their mallets in distances of a 3rd apart.  This is also a challenge.

The melody line is fast and moves quickly up and then down again.  There are very large leaps at the end and students must have their mallets in the right places or it creates a very off-putting sound.

The piece of music is also in 3/4 time with three beats in every measure.  Another challenge because it is much easier to have students feel and count when there are 4 beats in every measure.  A lot different for them to count dotted half notes (bass line) and eighth note pairs, quarter notes, rests (in melody) and steady quarter notes and dotted half notes (in harmony line).

Every student in class has learned all three parts.  Today's class was similar to the 4th grade class I just blogged about.  They are in the same spot where they are putting the parts together and making choices as to how many times each part is played, when parts leave or enter and so on.

I guided the students to where they are now and we had a discussion about the intro (Bass Xylophones play it), how many times the harmony plays (a student chose that) and how many times the melody should be played (another student chose that).  Then came the intense portion of the class:  creating an ending.  Which instruments should drop out first and which part should play the last sixteen measures?

We tried it three different ways.  Students had SO many ideas it was incredible.  And their terms were so musical: "Mrs. Grant, I don't think the bass xylophones should end the song.  We need to end the song with the glockenspiels because the higher sound and the melody will end the song so much nicer than the beat."  "I think the bass xylophones should end the song because it is always best to end with the bass and the lower sounds."  "Could we fade their part out?"  "Could we all play together and then we end because we didn't get to play as long as the other parts?"  "Mrs. Grant, we could all end by playing this pattern (student plays the pattern) because it would sound amazing."

So we tried playing the piece and the ending in particular several ways.  And students still had ideas.  It was a complete bummer that students had to leave as they were so involved and excited about what they had created.  And there were so many hands in the air with students wanting to share their ideas.  We ended by voting for which ending was their favorite and it was almost a tie with 13 voting for the bass xylophones to end the song and 11 votes for the glockenspiels to end the song.

The students were truly thinking like musicians.  I told them that they were thinking of the things in the song that I think through when we are doing any piece in class - tempo, dynamics, parts, etc...  It was truly a great class.

Now for the argument:

As we lined up to leave, a student came to me and said "Mrs. Grant, there are three boys arguing in line."  I had heard them talking animatedly so I walked over to listen to their conversation.  Only to find that they were arguing about their version of the best way to end our song and very adamant about it.  It was so incredible hearing the students each share how they wanted the song to end, what the instruments should sound like, which part would sound best and using musical terms that we have used in class.  They described their ideas in detail and had fantastic thoughts.

It was the best "argument" I have ever heard from fifth grade students about music!  I can't wait to see what ideas they bring to our next class together.

Ah-ha moments

Today was one of the best days of my teaching career.  And I truly mean it.  There have been moments in class where students faces light up from understanding a new concept.  Moments where students fall in love with a piece of music and sing it from the depths of their hearts.  When students work together to create their own song and stay after class to sing it for me with pride.  When we laugh at a funny moment in class or discover that a teacher can make mistakes too (and not on purpose!).

There were so many moments from today that I will always remember and look back on with pure joy inside.  The day started with Mrs. Lewis' class.  They are a group of 4th graders and a great group to teach.  We have been working on a piece of music called "Shepherds Song."  It is actually a piece of music that some of my piano students work on when learning the pentatonic scale (five note scale).  I loved the melody of it and decided to add a bass line, change a few things around and create a canon out of the piece.  It's a really beautiful song.

The students have all learned each part (bass line, melody line).  Today we added it in a canon using two parts.  Students practiced with fingers first to make sure they had it.  Then added the mallets.  I loved watching their faces as they enjoyed the process and counting of making sure they were playing on the right beats to create a beautiful piece.

We then had a discussion in class about who should start first.  They decided the bass should go first.  Then a student chose how many times we all play the melody together.  They agreed on 8 times.  *** I must admit I thought this was a long time to play the melody, but when we practiced it, the students loved it.  And being that they are in charge of the piece and played it so nicely, they voted afterward as to if they wanted to keep it or change it and every student agreed that it was so beautiful that they should play it eight times.  So eight times it is!**

Another student was asked to decide how many times they should play the canon.  Then we chose how to end the song together.

The students played through the song.  When their version was finished, they stopped playing and looked around with sparkles in their eyes.  It was so amazing to hear their comments:  "Wow... that was amazing."  "That was SO cool!"  "I loved that!"  "Can we do it again?"

This was definitely a class period I will remember and one of the reasons I love my job!!!

What exactly it is that I do

When I was in music class as a kid, I remember sitting and listening to "The Hall of the Mountain King" and imagining what was happening in the music.  I remember singing patriotic songs and performing.  I remember walking in a parade at my elementary school while holding the American flag.  Music class was a place where you sat, you sang, you listened and you might have even gotten to play a small tambourine or jingle bells if you were lucky.  Or of course the recorder.  Mine was yellow in third grade and I loved it.  (though to be honest, I was terrible at it when I was younger.  Embarrassing to admit, but true!)

My role as a music teacher is so incredibly different than what it was when I was a kid.  We still sing.  We still listen.  But there is so much more to it.

By the time students leave Ethridge, they should have a numerous amount of information and skills that will help them in middle school, high school, college and beyond.  If they choose not to participate in music after elementary school, it still affects them as music is everywhere and I hope that what they learn here at Ethridge helps them appreciate it.

Here are some skills we work on throughout the year in each grade level:

Kindergarten:
pitch (high/low)
dynamics (students confuse that music getting louder is higher and music that gets softer is lower... BIG one to teach in kinder)
tempo (speed)
steady beat (another HUGE one that is reinforced in as many ways as can be thought of)
voices (singing, talking, shouting, whispering)
movement (self-space, group space, moving in a circle, in, out, back and forth, and moving with a partner)
patterns (AB, ABA form)
listening skills (can you hear ____?)
instruments (four families of instruments, what they look like, sound like)

First Grade:
Reinforcing Kinder skills
Quarter Notes - what they look like, what we call them, finding them in patterns
Eighth Note Pairs
Quarter Rests - what does a rest do, why do we have rests, how many beats does a rest have
Repeat Signs
Writing note patterns from our songs
Finding notes and rests in songs we are singing
Beat vs. Rhythm -  beginning stage - one group keeping beat, one group keeping rhythm
Instruments - in the four families, identifying key instruments in each family

Second Grade:
Reinforcing previous skills
Half Notes
Half Rests
Tied Quarter Notes
Whole Note
Whole Rest
Ties - what does a tie do, how do we show it and how does it change the way the words are spoken
Ostinatos - adding repeated patterns while another group keeps the beat or speaks the poem
Melody and Harmony - what are they?

Third Grade:
Reinforcing previous skills
Sixteenth Note Patterns
Sixteenth note rests
Introducing the Music Staff - lines/spaces
Treble Clef
Reading basic patterns on the music staff
Forms:  Rondo form, ABA form, Canon/Round
Instrument Families - learning how the orchestra developed through the music time periods

Fourth Grade:
Reinforcing previous skills
Dotted Quarter Notes
Tempos (learning Italian words for six key tempos and practicing how they feel)
Dynamics (learning more than just forte and piano)
Crescendo and Decrescendo
Forms: Theme and Variation

Fifth Grade:
Reinforcing previous skills
Sixteenth and Eighth Note combinations (tika-ti and ti-tika)
Minor/Major sounds
Scales
Reinforcing Solfege and Hand Signs
Playing and singing in three and four parts  **Our fifth graders this year do an AMAZING job at this!!
Teamwork as an ensemble

Book Character Day

One of my favorite days of the year is Book Character Day at Ethridge.  The staff and students dress up as their favorite book characters.  There is a parade where students walk the halls to show their costumes.  Students are always excited throughout the day.

Yesterday our fine arts team dressed up as the Pinkilicious series with each of us taking a color - Pink, Gold, Purple and Silver.  It is great fun to work with such fabulous teachers!

In class, students participated in a few activities.  We learned a dance to the song "Monster Mash" and I performed a song on my guitar for students.  The students smiles were contagious and it was fun to take three minutes out of class away from the theory, rhythm reading and focused musicianship to do a fun dance with the students.

Kindergarten students learned a movement activity where they acted out various characters as well as a poem with rhyming words.  They also learned a poem:

With my little broom I sweep,sweep, sweep
With my little toes I creep, creep, creep
With my little eyes I peep, peep, peep
In my little bed I sleep, sleep, sleep

We act out the motions, talk about the rhyming words and experiment with what the words mean.

Star Spangled Banner Responses

Yesterday students used QR codes in three centers around the room to learn about our National Anthem.  One QR code led students to a site where they learned interesting facts about the Star Spangled Banner.  Another QR code allowed students to view what is considered one of the best - if not the best - performance of the Star Spangled Banner.  The last QR code led students to the site history4kids and students read an article about what happened when the Star Spangled Banner was written as well as who wrote it and why it was written.

Below are responses that fourth grade students sent in on their Google doc telling about what they learned:

"I learned that the Star-Spangled Banner was made by Francis Scott .he was inspired by the American flag to write the national anthem.i found out that there is 13 stripes in the flag.i learned that the athem was made during the war .the flag has 50 stars. The Star-Spangled Banner is usually used before games or in front of veterans."

"I learned that the Star-Spangled Banner was a poem that a person wrote,but got turned into a song in 1931.The Star-Spangled Banner was built in Britten on a ship in 1814.The Star-Spangled Banner has a lot of verses,but we mainly use the first verse.The Star-Spangled Banner stands for the time of war,and when the people saw the American flag and knew that the war was over."

"I learned that the Star-Spangled Banner was not known by a lot of people.  I learned that the same people who shot cannons burnt down the White House.  The people shot cannons from miles so the Americans couldn't get to them."

"I learned that most adults don't know about the Star-Spangled Banner.Britsh burned down the state capital in1814.Baltmore harbor was pertected by Fort Mchenry.The next moring British stoped fireing."

Star Spangled Banner

Fourth and Fifth Grade students are learning about our National Anthem this week and next week in class.  Students will be using iPads to scan several QR codes that are located throughout the room and discover the story behind the song as well as interesting facts and key people involved in the War of 1812.

Students will respond in the google doc as to what they have learned and I'll be giving an update as to what students now know about our National Anthem that they didn't know before.  Be sure to check our blog next week as students share what they have learned.

Students:  Click on this link to respond and share what you learned!

https://docs.google.com/a/staff.lisd.net/forms/d/1WzVv4Ht6uTGcGgUun2Px5lZ3Mtx3Y0k8TLNTv617FAg/viewform

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Kindergarten students learned about pitch this week.  We've been working on identifying the difference between our four voices: singing, whispering, talking and shouting (we use this one in class rarely when identifying it because not only can they damage their voice, but they have used it much on the playground and know it well).  Students have been doing several songs to help them hear how their voice can move up and down.

This week we did a dance to the song "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," then sang the song and finally played our first instrument all year (besides rhythm sticks) - the xylophone!  They were very excited.

We talked about the sizes of the bars, the different sounds the bars make (long bars have low sounds, short bars have high sounds) and how you can use a mallet to walk up the bars to make the sounds get higher or you can walk down the bars to make the sounds get lower.

Students played using mallets moving up and down the bars to the song.  Moving up when the spider moves up the water spout and moving down when the rain comes and washes him out.  And back up again.

Finishing Touches

Mrs. Von's class is in the final stage of getting ready to perform the North Skelton Sword Dance.  Students were in four groups and worked together to help their group run through the entire dance from beginning to end.  It was great to see them using critical thinking skills to figure out what to do when things didn't work out correctly with the star shape at the end.  Students were thrilled with the results and so was I!

Students working out how to finish the star

Bow Wow Wow

First graders in Mrs. Park, Ms. G and Mrs. Keller's classes learned quarter notes, quarter rests and eighth note pairs yesterday and in class today.  They were singing all through class and excited to work together in groups to draw their notes on the dogs.

Somebody is excited about learning notes and rests!

Love that the boys helped each other out!!

Mrs. Park and Mrs. Keller's classes hard at work!

These two girls finished their papers and then read all three pages
reviewing beat, rests and then the rhythm of the song.  They
sang it many times and had smiles on their faces the entire time!

Found a very quiet space to work!

Great job Ms. G's class!!

What is Music?

I posted a Google Doc in the tab "Students" and used it with our Fourth Graders to allow them to share their thoughts about what music means to them.  The topic was very broad.  They were simply to share what they thought about when they heard the word music as well as to share favorite singers/composers/songs and information about music.  Here is what they wrote:

“Orchestra and the sound of peace, relaxing, beautiful and sweet. That’s what I like about music.” – Sophie

“I like music because to me singing is my life!” – Jordan

My favorite artists are Cher Lloyd, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus. Music to me is my everything.  My favorite thing about music is the lyrics. I like music because if it gets stuck in your head then you know it better.” – Evelyn

“A growing period of rhythm, beat and style” – Zeke

“To me music is sounds of life. I hear music everyday. Music is a place that you could feel sad or happy. I like anytime of music. Sometimes I listen to English artists. I really like to listen to Indian music. Indian music has a nice feeling to listen to. Other types of Indian music can have a party flow to it. This is what I think music is. To me music is like peaceful beautiful sound to my ears. Its waves are like the waves of life. Music just goes with the flow.” - Stephy

“My favorite artist is Taylor Swift because she sings some country and country music to me is calming. Music to me is sounds and beats put together. All I like to do is sing whenever I’m in the car. All I do is sing sometime my family gets annoyed I sing so much!” – Zoey

“I like music when I am stressed out. Music is a beautiful sound to me. I like all kinds of music, country, classic and so much more.” – Anisah

“My favorite music guy is Leonardo.” – Levi

“It is the taste of good sound.” – Carlos

“I think music is instruments and voices.  My favorite songs are Roar by Katy Perry and Royals by Lorde.” – Arabella

“Music is a beautiful sound to relief pain in your body. It helps your stress, makes peace to all minds” – Zoha

Learning Quarter Notes, Eighth Note pairs and Quarter rests

Mrs. Townzen, Mrs. Keller and Mrs. Shield's classes (First Grade) learned about quarter notes, eighth note pairs and Quarter rests today.  They were beyond excited to learn their first music notes!!

We sang the song "Bow Wow Wow" and used an incredible resource created by two of my friends and colleagues Debbie Anderson and Phyllis Thomas.  The resource is called "Interactive Now!"  There are a variety of places to get it.  Here is one link if you want to order their materials.  SOOO worth it!

http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=3240#.UlRqzxY2_zI

The students love seeing the dogs and tapping the dogs.  Using the SmartBoard, students came up to write lines to show that there was one sound on each beat when all the dogs were the same.

They were excited to write their first notes.  As one student said "Hey!  It's like writing the letter d and then coloring it in!"  The students were very successful in writing their notes and finding where there was a rest in the song.

I always start them out learning rests as the letter Z (since the dog is sleeping and when you sleep, you make zzzzz's).  Though we talk about how this letter Z doesn't snore.  It's just silent!  No sound, but there is still a dog (beat).

So proud of all of their hard work!

Three Part Round

Today in Mrs. Childer's class, the fifth grade students worked on a three part canon called "If the people live their lives."  It is a gorgeous melody in a minor key.  The students love it.  We began by singing it together as a class.  The next class I sang the second part of the canon while they did the first. During today's class, they performed it as a two and three part canon.  I loved hearing their response as they finished.  Most amazing was the fact that they were all able to hold their parts and to keep balanced in their parts.  They are such a joy to teach!!

Here is a snapshot of what they were able to do in the three part round:
(having trouble downloading it in www.wevideo.com - will be here soon!!)

North Skelton Sword Dance

North Skelton is a village in the UK. Sword dancing is a tradition in this village that has been around for years. Groups of six men would meet to practice routines with real swords. The students are truly amazed that they would use real swords as the moves that they do involve holding both ends of the swords and moving in different formations. 

There are different troupes from the village would go out to perform. This occurred more commonly in the early 1930s but has declined. There is a new beginning of teams at the Lockwood Beck Primary school. 

Our fifth grade students are working on a sword dance routine that was popular in North Skelton. We are using yard sticks covered in silver duct tape with black electrical tape for the handle. Students are in groups of six and working together on some intricate moves. It involves students in counting the beats in the music, working together in small groups and practicing various sword moves. I will post pictures soon of students working on it! Students will perform the routine at our annual Thankful Eagle Luncheon in November.

Researching

One of our challenges as teachers this year was to incorporate roles for students. In class students have been rotating the roles of videographer, photographer and researcher. In Fifth grade yesterday, a student had a question about the meaning of the phrase "mutton stew." I didn't have an answer so I handed him my iPad and told him to look it up using Safari. It took him about two minutes to find the answer. We paused after speaking the poem again and he shared with us what he had learned about it.

Another student in the same class asked who the composer of our new song was. It is a beautiful melody and I knew it was a folk song, but didn't know the name. Again this student was handed my iPad to look it up while we worked on pitch. He found it and was excited to share the name of the composer, that it is a Russian folk song and has different text in some versions. He read the new text to the class and then shared that he had found it was also the basis of an opera. As well as sharing that  the entire song is over ten minutes long! Love the impact and learning that is going on in the classroom with our technology.  Students are asking great questions and giving great feedback!!

Second Grade

Mrs. Ward's class rocked it out today as they practiced moving up and down the xylophone together as well as playing a steady beat.  Their enthusiasm is contagious and they concentrated so well.  It was beautiful to hear them play!

Xylophone Rhapsody

Fourth Graders have been working hard on learning different ways to play beat on the xylophone (hands together, alternating hands, playing on high and low pitches).  Since this is the first year that Ethridge (and I) have started more Orff-based lessons, it is all very new to the students.  We have played the xylophones in years past, but not to the depth that we are doing it now.  And it is incredible!

The Fourth Graders have worked on a basic melody and playing in two parts together.  Today we began a new song called "Xylophone Rhapsody."  Students worked hard to keep their part together and to listen while playing correctly.

Here is Mrs. Tucker's class:

This Old Man - Mrs. Park/Keller's class

Today Mrs. Park and part of Mrs. Keller's class came to music.  They did a great job focusing on playing a steady beat to "This Old Man."

This Old Man

First grade has been working on performing "This Old Man" on the xylophones.  Mrs. Townzen's class did a fabulous job keeping a steady beat while they sang.

Tricky Thursday

A coworker once pointed out that students are the most tired on Thursdays. (or in the case of Kindergartners, most tired while also missing Mommy, needing lots of hugs and reassurance that they can do it and just plumb worn out)  After having it pointed out to me, I'd have to agree.  It is often the day of the week that I am also the most tired which means I must truly be on my A game and ready with more than enough energy to keep the day upbeat and exciting.  I have to say that what students produced today was quite spectacular.  And Tricky Thursday ended up being Terrific Thursday in so many ways!!  Here is a small snapshot of what students did today:

Fourth Grade students demonstrated a fabulous job on their creativity in creating their own rhythm patterns when clapping a section to a poem.  The students also began working on a Xylophone Rhapsody.

Fifth Grade students were really excited to learn the end of the North Skelton Sword Dance! I loved the "Ahhh's!" when they saw the final pose and what the swords create at the end of the dance.  I can't wait to watch them put it all together and perform it at our Thankful Eagle Luncheon!

Third Grade students floored me with their understanding and demonstration of beat vs. rhythm.  Yes, I realize that they have learned this the past few years.  However, the fact that EVERY student could demonstrate it and stay on their part is amazing.  When asked to speak a poem and keep the beat, everyone did the beat.  And no one did the rhythm.  YES!  And vice versa.

Their song "I don't care if the rain comes down" is coming along well.  Students have learned three (or in some classes, four) parts and practiced singing the song while playing the parts.  This includes the beat, a crossover part from G-C'-G, part of the melodic line and an introduction.  Next week we put them altogether and students help create the piece of music by determining how many times the introduction is played, who plays it, who plays the melodic line, how many times we repeat the melody and so on.  At one point, I even jumped up and down while clapping my hands.  They were quite impressive!!!  Began working on dotted half notes.  Whew - it was a jam packed class!

Second Grade students reviewed Tideo and practiced inner hearing (audiation) skills with the song.  It was neat to see them perform the body percussion patterns without the words.

Kindergarten students are working on identifying their four voices:  singing, speaking, shouting and whispering.  We've used a short poem that they love as well as learning a few songs to identify their singing voices in particular.  They are also listening for high and low sounds in one of their all-time favorite games: Giants and Elves.

**Materials for Giants and Elves as well as other amazing movement activities with kids are found in the Musikinesis books by Monica Dale.  I LOVE her movement activities and the kids respond well to them!  They can be found many places, but here is a link if you're interested in learning more:

http://www.musikinesis.com/books/

Frozen in statues so that the elves can move!
Great job Mrs. Morse class!

First Grade students worked on playing the steady beat on C and G to "This Old Man."  We had read the book the last two classes and practiced finding the beat.  They also played the Museum Game (an Orff movement activity I learned this past summer).  Students are incredibly creative!

What a fantastic day!

Choir Auditions

Wow!  What an amazing turn out for our choir auditions today!!  The students were organized into groups and auditioned in front of a few of their peers.  I was impressed with the desire of students to be a member of our choir this year!  Over 100 students auditioned!!!!  We have 99 students in fifth grade alone which means that just over 50% of our fifth and fourth graders auditioned.  That's an amazing thing!

I'm so blessed to have so many students that love music and choose to spend time outside of music class involved in musical activities.  This year is going to be amazing and I can't wait to get started next Monday!

The list is posted outside of my door and it will be fun tomorrow to see many happy and excited students!

Kindergarten Week 2

Every year I'm amazed at how little and young the kindergartners look!  By the end of the year, they have grown and matured so much!!

Our kindergarten students are working on beat with the song "Johnny works with one hammer" as well as learning to move in self-space (a toughie for some as they like to hold hands and aren't as aware of their space at first) and group space.  It's important for students to know how to move to music musically!  And figuring out how wide, tall and low they can make themselves helps.

We are doing a folk dance called "Les Saluts."  The students learn basics: walking left, right, into the circle and back out of it.  There are no words and it's a very gentle song with a good pace.  The students like the clapping part and the pauses in the music.

We also do a direction song that they ask for every class so far!  It's called "If you're a kid" and it's on Youtube.  Check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw6z94wJsWI

It's another great way to have them practice self space, follow directions and have some fun!

We read the book "Ten in the Bed" and practice using our singing voices on the "Roll over" part.

Our first few lessons we work on following directions (how we walk into class, how we exit class, how we make a circle, how we stay in a line) by using songs and clapping patterns.  We also learn about our self-space/shared space and how to sit on the blue lines.

In the month of September, we'll be learning about our four voices (shouting/singing/talking/whispering).  We'll also learn about beat and pitch (high and low sounds).