Favorite Halloween Books

There are so many wonderful childrens books for this fun time of year- for many ages!  

1.  Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters

I fell in love with Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters recently, such a cute monster book with wonderful illustrations and very adorable monsters! 

2.  Skeleton Cat

 

Another favorite is Skeleton Cat!  This oh-so-groovy book is filled with rhythms - play your favorite drum or rap track (I play mine from garage band) and read the book in a rhythmic way- once you have read the book you will see all the places you can swing the rhythm. There is a frequently repeating rhyme that begins with, "Rattle. Rattle. Clink" and all other words following this part up to "ka-plink, ka-plink, ka-plink".  Speak the first three words, have students echo, then the next sentence, etc. up to the final "ka-plink". Have students add improvised body percussion, then bring out the bucket drums!  Practice playing the first three words on top, then next sentence as rims, then a fast roll on "Purrrrrr", Add the final three words with drumsticks tapping and Skeleton Cat will be jamming!

3. If you're a Monster and You Know It

 


This delightful book is so much fun to sing and play with your itty bitties - to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It".
The illustrations are fabulously fun and students would love to cut and glue paper to create their own monsters, then sing about them - as in my previous post, "Sing Me A Monster".

4.  Nightsong 

I posted about this beautiful book and song before - here is the original post with the song and activities. 

 

Hope you have enjoyed the post! Leave a comment with your favorite books for fall or Halloween!

 

 

 

 

In the Hall of the Mountain King.. Part 2!

When I published this post last week about the piece of music, "In the Hall of the Mountain King", I had so much great response on facebook and pinterest - many other music teachers chiming in on how they use this piece of music, particularly at this time of year. I had to look back at some other ways I have used this music also - and quickly decided I needed a "Part 2"!  First, this piece has such a wonderful rhythm that is repeated 18 times - yup - 18, and then of course it is great for talking about tempo, dynamics, and rhythm!
First, a few videos to get you in the mood...

 If you haven't seen this yet, it is AMAZING!!!

Hair Up from Trolls- rap set over In the Hall of the Mountain King

In the Hall of the Mountain King -Dubstep Remix

Hall of the Mountain King cartoon by Mel O Toons

Not really appropriate for the kiddos (one is labeled "hungover" but funny! Voice Orchestra

Boomwhacker Play Along

1.  This is Quite An Eerie Place (original post lyrics and 2nd part):

From J. N. Moore on facebook, written by Lois Fiftal, used with gracious permission:

This is the second part that goes with the previous post:  "Should I quickly turn around, sneak away without a sound? Or should I be courageous and move on to victory?" 
Coda: "Oh no! Oh no! Something's coming after me and quickly gaining ground. Repeat
 I yi, yi, yi,.......I'm........Caught!!" 

2. Apple Tree

From Sally Utley: 

Turn Apple Tree phrases around:  Will your apples fall on me, Apple Tree, Apple Tree, Will your apples fall on me and will they knock me out?

3.  King of the Trolls Hand Jive

Patsch - 4 beats

Clap - 4 beats

Scissor hands (fingers spread apart, both hands to left, one hand crosses on top of the other for 2 beats, switch to right side for 2 beats) - 4 beats

Hitch Hiker - R thumb to R shoulder 2 beats, L thumb to L shoulder 2 beats - 4 beats

You can get an idea for how to perform movements by watching the Hand Jive Dance from Grease:

As the speed increases, see who keeps up, those who perform it correctly all the way through are dubbed, "King of the Trolls".

4.  Bucket Drumming

After analyzing rhythm, students (or teacher) creates a percussion pattern (could be the Hand Jive one transferred to floor, sides of drum, rim, then top) to be played on parts of the drum.

5. Student Created Body Percussion, thanks to Emily for this one!

a.  After analyzing rhythm, small groups create body percussion for quarter and eighth notes; quarter notes could be clap or patsch or ___, eighth notes become snaps or claps or _____.  Practice and perform.

b. After analyzing rhythm, small groups create body percussion patterns using the rhythm - endless possibilities!

c.  Transfer to UPP or add scarves and ribbon wands - create a dance!

6.  Head and Shoulders

Speak or sing to the rhythm/melody, "Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, knees and toes. Head and shoulders, knees and toes and eyes, ears, mouth and nose."

7. Mary Had a Little Lamb by J. Chambless

".

Hope you enjoy using some of these in your classroom and drop a comment for how you use "In the Hall of the Mountain King">

In the Hall of the Mountain King - Manipulatives and More!

I love social media - especially facebook. I will be starting a facebook page for ofortunaorff in the very near future and will let you know when that is "up and running". I would like to post facebook live videos there that are easily accessible as well as other goodies!

I was recently on one of the music teachers facebook groups and ran across this fabulous lesson idea from M. Allred. (used with permission).

This is a great follow up to a lesson or activity to "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and a great lesson on tempo. Also, the recurring rhythm of the piece is titi titi titi ta, titi ta, titi ta, titit titi titi titi titi titi ta rest.  Great to display or have students create using those fun erasers available at Target Dollar Spots - and they are perfect for quarter note composing - bat, cat, skull, etc. and for eighth notes - pumpkin, candy, etc. or for your older students - sixteenths and eighths combinations- candy corn, skeleton, creepy cat, Frankenstein, purple bat, jack o'-lantern, etc. 

Or you can use these awesome monster rhythm magnets - I made these a while ago and love them. Apparently I needed stronger glue though as my eyeballs pop off- funny to find little eyeballs all over the floor after a few classes use them! :) A fabulous idea from my friend Elizabeth at Organized Chaos.

I also love to use a book - the one I love must be out of print - it is on amazon now for $50.00!! There is another, though - look here on amazon. 

These lyrics to accompany the music were written by Lois Fiftal and are used here with her gracious permission.  See this post for "In the Hall of the Mountain King "part 2 with a second lyric part and even more activities. :)

 I have created them here with one page without rhythm and another with in case you want your students to write the rhythm of each line and then check their answer on the following page. You can either save the images and import into a ppt or email me at musicquilt@hotmail.com for a pdf. 

I love this video of the Body Avlaia Group performing this amazing body percussion piece

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

I have always loved "Pumpkin, Pumpkin" and the many ways music teachers play the song/dance/game.  Some teachers teach is as eighths and quarters and others hear it as sixteenths.  Whatever you choose, have fun with this one! And if you play it a different way, please leave a comment.

 

Nightsong Book, Song, and Movement

Nightsong by Ari Berk is a beautiful book about a bat flying off on his first solo adventure. Mama Bat tells him to, "Sing, and the world will answer". 

Several times in the book Chiro, the little bat, sings his song.  When I first read the book I loved it and the sense of quiet determination little Chiro has.  Of course, I loved that he "sang" although you will need to explain to your students that bats do not truly sing, but what a great opportunity to talk bat facts and echolocation! 
The paperback version is available from amazon for about $6.00.  This is perfect for Halloween if your students cannot celebrate Halloween or if you are looking for a song in minor or a song for recorder to introduce E.

 

 

The orchestration is simple; feel free to add whistling tubes, thunder tubes and other sound effects to create a sense of mystery. Ask the children for suggestions of instruments to use instead of the shakers and chimes. Perhaps you have a gong - would the sound be as effective?  Help them make musical choices about timbres.

 

As an extension activity, small groups of students could create a movement piece using black scarves.  Consider turning the lights off and use battery operated tea lights inside hand drums as moons.  The effect is very exciting! 

Enjoy!