Aquarium Idea

This is an idea developed by my friend Laurie and I. We are presenting in a couple weeks at a workshop and had originally wanted to use slinkies but they are kinky and can be expensive for a classroom set. The solution? Dollar Tree paper plates! Cheap and colorful! Ask your art teacher to have the kiddos cut these into spirals. Hold the middle part and let the rest of the spiral fall.. I know, I should've taken a picture but if you try it you'll get the idea! Use Carnival of the Animals "Aquarium" music. Tell the students you are going to take a trip today under the ocean; share pictures of octopus, coral, whales, jellyfish, etc. Tell them today they are going to be a jellyfish; ask them how jellyfish move; can they move their hand like a jellys? Legs like jellys, head like jellys, bodies like jellys? Now, standing and holding their paper jellyfish (aka spirals) play the music and move to the music; no jellys touching each other because they'll sting each other and die (you'll come tap on their shoulders and they'll sit). Parts of the music have lots of descending passages, demonstrate to the class how to move your jellyfish from high to low. This is a fun, easy activity.. turn the lights out and use one of those rotating ocean animal nighlights.. a true "hit"! Enjoy!

Sing-Off

For all of you out there (haha) I have to put a little plug in for the show "Sing-Off"- I'm actually watching it while I blog right now and truly LOVE it.. it makes me stay up an hour later than I want, but it reminds me of WHY I love music.. pure vocals, amazing talent! It is awesome; if you haven't watched it you really need to- my favorites at the moment are the all girl group Delilah- powerful voices, gorgeous harmonies and no gimmicks! It makes me want to sing in an a capella group!!!

You Tube Videos

I did a search on the MusicK8 archives and found some really awesome videos on there that I have used in the classroom- a couple of my recent favorites that students REALLY loved watching- this one is the Hallelujah Chorus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_749068&src_vid=Htkx5LNm3SE&v=JtoNHnR_WhE

Bach's Toccatta & Fugue (by the same animator)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATbMw6X3T40&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_78634&src_vid=ipzR9bhei_o

Another thing my third graders loved watching was a clip on youtube by the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" program.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiSW6LPchSc
Enjoy! PLEASE leave a comment or two- wondering if anybody is actually reading this???

Workshop Links

For all of you who attended the PNCC-AOSA Best Practices workshop this past Saturday, here are the links Janet shared:
http://piedmontorff.org (PNCC-AOSA website)
http://isselementarymusic.pbworks.com
http://ncteacherevaluationrubricmusic.pbworks.com

NC DPI (Department of instruction) check out the artswiki

Book Ashley shared: Farmyard Beat by L. Craig http://www.amazon.com/Farmyard-Beat-Lindsey-Craig/dp/0375864555/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314622472&sr=8-1

Upcoming workshops:
September 23/24 in Statesville: Gretchen Wahlberg and Sandy Lantz http://www.piedmontorff.org/Workshops.html click on pdf for the workshop info.
March 2/3 Donna Marsello-Chiacos at Charlotte Latin School (South Charlotte)

workshop today!

Our local AOSA chapter, PNCC (Piedmont North Carolina) had a "Best Practices" (AKA Sharing Session) today and several people shared. We all had a great time and I will be posting some notes in the coming days from that session. Check back and SIGN UP (button on the right) to receive email updates when we post. If you have a BIG thing to share just email me (go to "About Me" and you will either see an address or you will find a way to contact me). Hope to hear from all of you soon!

Third Grade Recorder Lesson

This is our second week back at school (!) and my third graders play recorders. They will get their recorders tomorrow and are so unbelievably excited! I used a new lesson to teach Hot Cross Buns (oh that infernal song!) and it was so fun. First I taught the song with solfege, then with words, then added an overhead clap on "hot", a crossed arm snap (at chest level) on "cross" and a pat on "buns". On "one a penny..." they turned around in place. We did this several times, adjusting the tempo each time. The next class we reviewed the song and then partnered up. Each partner group was given a 24" x 3" piece of laminated black posterboard. This will become 8 beats of rhythm the students will develop. Each group is also given a plastic ziploc bag containing quarter notes, paired eighth notes, and quarter rests (each a different color) on laminated 3" by 3" construction paper. On 6" by 3" pieces you can have half notes and half rests. We reviewed the notes and the note values on the board (draw quarter note and an equal sign with 1, half note = 2 beats, etc.). Directions were to work with their groups to develop a rhythm and practice their rhythm. I travelled around the room, making suggestions here and there and once everyone had practiced together a few times, students then were joined up with other pairs to make a group of four. Each partner pair was responsible for clapping and saying their rhythm, not the other pair.
Each groups rhythm became the "B" section for the song. Groups were numbered and the final form was A (song), B (group 1), A, B (group 2), etc. Students then were given an instrument (we kept it simple with groups each receiving tambourines and maracas/shakers) and we performed it again. Truly fun and the kids loved it AND it was a great way to review rhythms, create in groups, easy assessment, and perform a new song that we will transfer next week to recorders! Wahoo!

Song Material

This is a great site I happened upon today- full of song material, not necessarily "Orff" processed, but a lot of good material.
http://judyanddavid.com/Songbook/A.html