Creepy Crawly Spider

This is one of my first graders FAVORITE things to do!  It takes a little instruction in order to get them to understand that when they make the yarn web they have to hold onto the string with one hand and roll/gently throw it to another student AND continue to hold on, but once they get it they BEG to do it again. Be sure to keep the beat once they have it.  I have also used it where we sing and roll the yarn.  When the yarn ball reaches a student, I sing, "What will you be for Halloween" on Sol and Mi if major, Do and La if minor (see notes and music on slides 4 and 5) and the student sings back "I will be a witch" or "I will be a dragon", etc., then I sing to someone else  "What will you be for Halloween", that student sings their answer and the game continues with the creepy crawly spider song.  Enjoy!  If you want the pdf, email me at musicquilt@hotmail.com

Sixteenth Note Halloween Cards

I use these cards with my fourth graders to create B sections to Halloween songs.  Once small groups have created and practiced (with body percussion) four beat word chains, they transfer the body percussion to unpitched percussion.  Sometimes we have even had "class challenges" where they put al the rhythms side by side and say the WHOLE thing without stopping.. very fun! 
Hope you can use these!

Favorite Fall Activity

I have posted about this before, but I REALLY love the Pass the Pumpkin song/activity.  This year, I came up with a new powerpoint for my first graders and I used it just this morning and am really happy with how well the students sang and played.  One thing I love about this song is that it is "safe" for schools that do not celebrate Halloween; there is the word "spooky" but that is, technically, NOT a Halloween word.
I hope you enjoy the slides below.. save each one and put into a ppt. or email me at musicquilt@Hotmail.com and I'll send you the pdf!  The directions and song are on slide 2, slide 3 is a beat slide and then subsequent slides show the progression from iconic rhythms to actual notation.
The final slides show what instruments play on the various parts of the song.
Happy Fall!