Traditions with a Twist!

I love traditional folk songs and use them daily in my classroom.  I also love when I re-discover some of these and also find twists on the original!  If you want the full pdf with each slide, send a request to me at musicquilt@Hotmail.com

Enjoy!

Rhythm Stick Song

Most of us teach multiple grade levels. I teach 4 year olds through 94 year olds.  I skip 12 year olds through somewhere in the 60's, though. I think that probably needs explaining, right? I teach Junior Kindergarten through fourth grade and also facilitate music and drum circles at an assisted living center every 2-3 months.
The youngest were probably my most difficult age to plan for starting out as a brand new teacher and I continue searching for great material to add to my "collection".  We all know how it is - in a singular 30 minute lesson with the younger kiddos we might go through 10-15 activities!  Interestingly, my oldest sometimes seem the same!
I seek materials from various sources; blogs, bools, fellow teachers, and websites. Several years ago I found a childrens music performer named Nancy Stewart. Each month she posts a Song of the Month!  You can search by category, year/month, and alphabetically, and even better - all her songs are downloadable, some have visuals to download, and most have the sheet music to download - all for FREE! YES!  There are songs for Eid, Christmas, St. Patirck's Day, Diwali, Valentines, seasonal songs and everything in between. Most of the music is original and I have found some really wonderful material! 
One of my favorites is the Rhythm Stick Song.

 Nancy so kindly gave me permission to share the song with you here - the mp3 is available on her site - click the link above.  

Hope you enjoy it - my kiddos do!  We also make up additional verses - "With my sticks I run...", walk, hop, etc.

My favorite rhythm sticks are the Basic Beat Combination Sticks pictured below. I love these - perfectly sized at 8" long, no splintering, and one is smooth and the other ridged.  They are about $3.00 a pair, and an awesome investment!  You can get them here from West Music.

Have fun with these!
Happy New Year!

Movement Resources, Two Songs, Hula Hoops, and Ocean Animals!

Short post today- if you haven't already been to my facebook page - check it out- I have several videos posted there and some special info not posted here on the blog! Today I am posting the video here.

Search for @ofortunaorff  and you will be able to like the page and follow! :)

 

Frosty Weather and book, The Bear Snores On

First- if you haven't checked out my O For Tuna Orff Schulwerk Music page on facebook, I just posted a video about a lesson using "The Chubby Little Snowman" and googly eyeball finger puppets you can get right now at Dollar Tree in the Valentines Day section!  I will be posting extra teaching ideas and lessons there, so go check it out and follow! 

While on the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA) facebook page recently I stumbled across a great lesson using the song, "Frosty Weather" and the book, "The Bear Snores On".  I absolutely love this book.  My daughter loved it, too, when she was little. I can still hear her making the funny bear noises! If you would like the pdf with all the pages below, send a request to musicquilt@Hotmail.com

 

Stretchy bands are available here - these are fabulous!!  I have also made MANY in the past out of white pantyhose - here is a video tutorial!

 Bjornen Sover is available here and the sheet music and several videos of children singing the song in the original Norwegian are available here from Mama Lisa.