Using iconic or rhythmic notation, various voices, elemental forms, movement, non-pitched percussion, barred percussion, movement, and improvisation, this is a "kitchen sink" lesson using everything in the classroom you CHOOSE to use. You can use this with your first graders to upper elementary, varying the complexity included in the lesson. You can get the full slide set with all of the visuals on my Patreon community. Add your favorite book about winter and voila! A lesson with no prep!
On a recent poll, music teachers were asked what they struggle the most with and melody and melodic contour was the top answer. So, I spent my morning while home sick with Covid, yup, it has finally arrived - gave it my best shot - 3 in fact, but it hit my family this week and you know me, I can't sit still. I have been working on this for a while and this is a Patreon exclusive. This is a 24-page mini-book available for less than the cost of Starbucks. You also get access to everything already posted there and I continue to add new material weekly. There are monthly mini-workshops and opportunities to work with me 1:1 to delve deeper into organization, lesson planning, behavior management, or anything else you might be interested in.
So, this mini-book includes lessons, activities, and ideas about teaching Melody and Melodic Contour. There are twelve children's books listed with several lessons from my Playful Possibilities and Painted Music books. Ideas on using manipulatives, songs, games, and instruments and many other things are part of the mini-book.
So many lovely songs to sing, books to read, and games to play! I always struggle this time of year to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, starting September 15, the Chinese holiday Mid-Autumn Moon Festival September 21st, fall, and Halloween.
So let's start with Hispanic Heritage Month! My next post will be about Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15
Songs
Click this link to make a copy of the Google Slides with 8 songs.
Sol solecito - check it out here at my Patreon community. This is a member exclusive.
Children's Literature
The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) has an article of their "must-reads" for this month. Click the picture to go to their site and read a short description and age range for each book on the list.
I created an activity to go with the beautiful Tito Puente book and it's another Patreon exclusive. Check it out here!
Mmmm... pumpkin pie. Mmmm... pumpkin bread. Mmmm... pumpkin spice. A few weeks ago we were still in the 90 degree temps and I came across this fabulous pic:
Seriously, I do love everything pumpkin! I also love using the word pumpkin (a perfect eighth note pair) in many ways in the music classroom in the fall. It is also a very inclusive way to celebrate fall if you have students that do not celebrate Halloween. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Pumpkin Chant
I just found this one yesterday and am already in love with this for my littles! It has such a cute ending and ties in nicely to the Lynn Kleiner song "Peek a Boo" to use with scarves. I also love this as a lead in to the book, Pumpkin Soup (see below).
2. Pumpkin Stew Song/Pumpkin Stew Book
I love this musical book-the cat plays bagpipes, the squirrel plays banjo, and the duck sings. Insert the song, Pumpkin Stew after each page. Click on the book to see it on Amazon. Here is a video with an idea for a game with solo singing to play with the song. I use this song with Kindergarten and First Graders:
I have a homemade fabric pumpkin with a zipper in the side and my students go on a hunt through the music room to find something small they can put in the pumpkin- mini containers of playdough, shaker eggs, castanets, finger cymbals, plastic spider and skull rings, markers, etc. have all made their way into our delicious stew!
3. Pass the Pumpkin
Check out the previous post here with the full activity and song. My kids LOVE this one!
4. Pumpkins and Ghosts Game
This one uses foam ghosts and pumpkins (Dollar Tree or Wal Mart has these). Perfect for eighth and quarter note rhythm exploration! Original post here.
5. Five Little Pumpkins
This is a well known chant and fingerplay. It is wonderful to act out, add scarves and movement, too! Click on the book to link to amazon.
This one is great for adding sound effects for each character.
8. Big Pumpkin Book
I have long loved this funny story of a witch who wants to make a pumpkin pie and can't get her pumpkin off the vine. Along comes a ghost who tries, and then a vampire and several other characters. Of course, it is the bat who finally gets it off the vine. Each time another character comes along students decide on an instrument sound for their character. Of course it is great for adding scarves, movement, and dramatic play also.
What are some of your favorite pumpkin activities?
I love this book and the beautiful illustrations. I also find this to be a purposeful way for us to make connections with our students about the often confusing messages they receive about race and hate.
Though I have used a minor pentatonic set to create a melody, you could certainly use another pitch set in which to create a melody. I have also included multiple rhythmic choices for both the words, "Peace" and "Salam".
This is a resource I created to help students go from vocal exploration to notation. Use the individual colored slides for younger students and ask - where does it move, high to low, low to high? Does it go up and down, etc. You could also use these for movement pathways. Notice there is no clef so you can use them right side up or upside down. If you would like to have the full pdf with 113 slides, please send an email to musicquilt@hotmail.com.
Each slide begins with a colored vocal exploration or movement pathway:
