Carnival of the Animals

I don't know about you, but sometimes I struggle with Kindergarten.  I have them for 55 minutes once a week, which is too long for them to focus on any one thing, so I need lots of activities for each class.  I have been working on a unit for Carnival of the Animals for them, and it is going really well.  Each week, we have an "Animal of the Week".  We listen to the music for that animal and learn about the instrument(s) represented in the piece.  I have several activities that I am using in each week's lesson.

1.  Movement:  move like the animal represented while listening to the music, or copy the teacher's movements during the music.
2.  Read a book from the library featuring the animal of the week. (can be fiction or non)
3.  Sing a song related to the animal (ex:  "Here Comes a Bluebird" for the Aviary)
4.  Play a game with the song.
5.  Watch a video of the selection (I've found great ones on YouTube!)
6.  Color a picture from this awesome coloring book:

I am keeping their pictures each week, and we will compile them into a book at the end of the unit. Periodically, I will interject a different lesson to break up the pattern, but most kids love the predictability of it all.  They come in asking for the new animal each week! 

If you would like a sample lesson for The Aviary, just shoot me an email at ckmusicmom@ymail.com, and I'll send you a PDF file.  Thanks for reading!

Classroom Management 101

This is the time of year when things begin to slip.  Cabin fever, early spring, full moon--blame it on whatever you want, but the kids seem more.....energetic, perhaps?   That's a sure sign that it's time to revisit your rules and procedures.  We've had a lot of new students move in at my school, and that always changes the dynamic of the classroom.  So pretend it's for the benefit of our new friends, and take the time to review what you expect from your students.  Consider it a condensed version of the first week of school.  I promise, it will be worth your time!

As music teachers, we want our classrooms to be free, creative, and expressive, like we are.  But too much freedom and creativity can lead to chaos, so how do we keep the balance?  It's a question I ask myself every day.  Really.  EVERY DAY.  So there's nothing wrong with you if you feel the same way!  Even as a 20-year veteran of the classroom, I find reminders and tips very helpful.  I highly recommend getting on the email list for Smart Classroom Management.  You'll get a weekly tip in your inbox to help you keep on top of student behavior. They have the best tips and ideas to keep your classroom flowing smoothly, which makes for a happy teacher and, as a result, happy classes! 

FREE online music activites!

This week at our district music meeting, we shared ideas for using technology in the music classroom.  It was so much fun!  I love finding new ways to present materials to my students, and they get excited about technology.  I am blessed to have a projector, document camera, and ActivSlate in my room, and I try to use them whenever I can.  I would LOVE to have an interactive white board. I'm even thinking about applying for a grant to get one.  That's new territory for me, so we'll see....

With those resources in mind, here are some of my current favorite websites to use in my class:

The Blob Chorus - awesome ear training practice.  Each blob sings a pitch, then King Blob sings.  You click on the blob that sang the same note as King Blob.  If you're wrong, the blob you chose explodes! You can choose from 3 to 8 pitches in the set, so the challenge increases with your skills.  My kids LOVE this game!

The Music Interactive - these games are designed for interactive white boards, but you can use them with a mouse, too.  You have to download the games to your computer to play.  There are many free downloads to choose from.  My faves are Rhythm Blocks, Staff Wars, Speed Note, Rhythm Adding and Rhythm Dictation.

I use these games with the whole class, using the projector.  There are lots of ways for the students to participate:

1.  Show of hands:  everyone holds up fingers to show their answer choice; majority chooses answer. Works well with Blob Chorus.
2.  Give students answer cards to hold up.  Could be laminated/dry erase writing, numbered, or color coded.
3.  Divide the class into teams and let them take turns answering.  Award points for correct answers.
4.  In speed based games, teams could have an individual answer until they miss one, then the next team member steps in or play goes to the other team. (Staff Wars)

This is a great way to inject some new energy into your class this time of year.  I hope you have fun with these ideas!  And when you're just playing around, check out Quaver's Marvelous World of Music.  I haven't figured out how to make this work for a group setting yet, but it is on my list of links for kids to try!

Why Music Teachers Should Stay in Shape

I know, that title makes me cringe too.  But this week, my body betrayed me.  I have been teaching elementary music for 15 years, and I have always been right in there with the kids, singing, dancing, jumping, hopping, skipping, whatever!  Lately my classes have been really wiggly, so I've been starting class with 5 to 10 minutes of movement (especially on rainy days).  Sometimes it's structured, "follow the leader" type stuff, and sometimes we just cut loose and DANCE!  My newest dance song is the Kidz Bop version of "Party Rock Anthem".  It's really fun!  It's great watching 7-year-olds shuffle! 

So there we were, dancing our hearts out in first grade.  We finished the song and sat down to begin the lesson.  Moments later, I stood up and...............ouch!  My ankle hurt with every step.  "No biggie," I thought.  "I've had minor twists a million times.  I'll just walk it off."  Yeah, right.  For the first time in my life, I sprained my ankle!  No joke!  I'm offically too old for hip-hop.  Dang.

Aunt Pearlie Sue leads the way...

February is Black History Month, so I like to use this time to explore the music that has evolved in America thanks to the African-American culture.  My favorite way to start this unit with my 3rd graders is with an interactive website lesson (points for using technology!).   We are fortunate to have a computer lab at my school, so this week my 3rd grade classes are meeting in the lab.  You could also do this with one computer and a projector, with the teacher leading the class through the material.

So, first go to www.knowitall.org/gullahmusic.  You should see a page like this:

See the lady on the left?  That's Aunt Pearlie-Sue.  She narrates this whole adventure, so make sure you have the sound turned on.  She has a pretty thick gullah accent, so the words are also printed on each page. When you move your cursor over the four circles, you can hear her laugh....the kids said it sounds like a chicken! LOL!  Anyway, start with the "Secret Code" section.  Aunt Pearlie Sue tells all about how the slaves used music to communicate and help guide others to the underground railroad.  There are even examples of some of the music to listen to. 

At the end of this section, we recap and I ask questions to make sure they were paying attention. Then we go on to explore the other three sections, which are about making music.  Click on different sounds to create your own arrangement, listen to children sing with Pearlie Sue, and compose your own blues verse (I use that one for a separate lesson the following week). 

As if that weren't enough, you can click on "The Journey" to follow the evolution of music from African drums all the way to Hip Hop, with examples of each along the way.  How cool is that? The kids are loving it!

Do you have a favorite lesson for Black History Month?  Please share! 

Bass Hall Field Trip

Today I took my second graders to Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth to see the FWSO.  They do a great children's performance every year.  They presented "Peter and the Wolf" by Prokofiev, complete with ballet dancers acting out the story.  The kids LOVED it! This year we sat in the Upper Gallery...read "nosebleed section"...but even from there, the view is great. 

It's one of my favorite events of the year.  We make a big deal out of getting to go to a symphony concert.  We discuss proper etiquette for attending a concert, and what to wear--the kids show up on field trip day dressed to the nines.  A 7-year-old in a suit and tie is ADORABLE!  They learn about the Hall beforehand, so as soon as they get inside they are looking around, identifying the art on the ceilings and marble staircases that they saw in pictures.  The staff and volunteers at Bass Hall are fabulous--they love what they do and they are good at it.  They escort you from the bus to your seats and back again. It's almost impossible to lose anyone on this trip! ;)

If you ever have the opportunity to take students to Bass Performance Hall, DO IT.  It will be the best music field trip you've ever done!

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year!  I hope your holiday was restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating, and that you are ready to jump into 2012 with both feet!  Let's sing, dance, and play our hearts out!

Merry Christmas!

As musicians, December can be the busiest time of the year.  It's easy to get caught up in the stress of concerts, parties, and other commitments, and lose the fun that they are intended to be.  So take a moment to stop and remember why you started  doing this in the first place.  For me, it's JOY.  Music brings joy to my heart, and sharing it with others multiplies it exponentially.  Let go of your inner critic, and let yourself enjoy the spirit of the season and the heart behind the harmonies.   I hope you enjoy a restful, rejuvenating break with your family and friends.  Have a very Merry Christmas!

The Beiber Flip

Today my first graders and I learned the orginal "Twelve Days of Christmas" song.  After singing it, I asked them if they thought they would like to receive those gifts...yeah, NO!  So we wrote our own version, with gifts they wanted to get for Christmas. After putting our list together, we created movements for them and performed the finished song for their teacher when she came to pick them up.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, dear Santa gave to me:

12 toy swords

11 iPods

10 Monster High dolls

9 blue flutes

8 PS3s

7 Skylanders

6 new computers

5 ballerina dolls!

4 3DS

3 chihuahuas

2 toy cats

and 1 Justin Bieber doll!

The best part was when we got to the Justin Bieber doll.  I asked what we should do when we sing that, and a little boy (with total Bieber hair) said, "I know!  The hair flip!"  Then he did it.  Perfectly.  So we ended our performance with 27 first graders doing the Bieber flip and singing into imaginary microphones.  It was awesome.

The Nutcracker Ballet!

This is one of my FAVORITE units to teach.  The story, the music, the activities are all so exciting for the kids...and me, too!  I have traditionally taught this unit in second grade, but it is easily adapted to other grade levels as well.

First, we learn about ballet.  What is it? A story told through movement, without words.  Then we learn some basic terms and a few simple steps.  We plie, passe, pirouette, and chasse around the music room! 

After the introduction to ballet, I introduce Peter Tchaikovsky, and how he did not like The Nutcracker Suite when he completed it.  The kids are always surprised to learn that famous composers were regular people with regular quirks (see Lives of the Musicians: Good times, Bad times, and what the neighbors thought). 

Finally, we get to learn the story.  I read the story of The Nutcracker Ballet, right up to the point when the Nutcracker turns into a live prince and invites Clara to visit his kingdom....."Do you think she'll go?" I ask the class.  They don't all agree on their answer.  But darn, we're out of time! We'll have to find out next week!  (Hee hee!  I love leaving them with a cliffhanger!)

Next week, we'll act out the party scene as we identify the form of the Overture: ABAB with coda.  They're gonna LOVE it!