Music K8 resources

Do you? I DO!
Use Music K8 magazine/CD's/teacher resources, etc. I've sent in a few teaching ideas, too and really love all the info/helps/etc. other teachers have.. such a good resource! I've also used the online teacher forum which is so great when I'm in need of a resource or looking for program ideas or songs. Other teachers are so quick to reach out and respond!
Our program for "Jivin' in the Jungle" is May 4th so it's right around the corner and I was so excited when my recent issue of Music K8 came and there was a lovely (and very different) arrangement of It's Raining for singers and recorder players. Perfect for our jungle theme- so of course I had to use it and I re-recorded it with Orff instruments and lots of percussion so it sounds a bit more "jungle-y" and the kids LOVE it! Easy to teach in a single class as they already know the 2 songs used; It's Raining and Rain, Rain, Go Away! Give it a whirl!
I'm leaving you with a little quote today that I love.. hope you enjoy!

Rainforest Songs Part I

So I really need to put some of these rainforest songs on here- these are rough ideas, certainly not finished products, but very fun to play and sing!
The first is an Arachnid Canon- you'll recognize the melody as "Toembai". VERY fun- my third and fourth graders LOVE the spookiness and we always love a good canon. Simple arrangement, too, which is always nice to play around with. Add some theatrical expressions while using hand spider puppets (or just your hand) and very fun!

A caiman is a small alligator who lives mostly in the Amazon jungle- google it and you'll find lots of fun pictures!
More to come later!

Randomness

I know, I need to update- for all 5 of you looking at this blog! But seriously, here is another adorable music blog with some fantastic ideas! Check it out!
http://aileenmusic.wordpress.com/

A couple of other favorite places and spaces on the web:


www.Pinterest.com

I LOVE THIS SITE!!! Yes, for those of you already on here, it's AWESOME!! Think of it as a global pin board where you can find people who like things you like or can give you inspiration. Recipes, fashion, crafty stuff AND TONS of educational ideas from fellow teachers and techie teachers and music teachers, too!!! If you are not a member, go sign up- it can take a few days to get your first email and start using it, or you can sign up through a friend who is on facebook or go through facebook to sign up. So many wonderful things to see/look at/get inspiration from/find amazing ideas! Go, Go, Go!!

www.Dropbox.com

Have you ever had to send an email from home to your school with your lesson plans when home sick? How about you needed the document on your home computer but forgot to send it to yourself? Go to dropbox.com and get thee signed up!!!
This application allows you to save files to your personal dropbox, and then you can open it on any computer. Hours saved searching for flash drives and nothing to bring/remember/send to yourself!

I'll be updating over the next week or two with a couple of songs I've recently written about the Jungle as for our spring concert we are "Jivin' in the Jungle".

new music to come soon!

I am in the middle of song writing for our upcoming spring program "Jungle Jive". At our school which is junior kindergarten through twelfth grade, we have a HUGE celebration of the arts in the May which kicks off with the Lower School (only first through fourth) performing. I am writing about 4 songs for this performance and changing the songs that are already written to fit our theme a little more. As soon as I get them put into Sibelius I will post a couple on here- easy to use for other programs about the rainforest or Earth Day or any other animal themed concert! See you soon!

Chinese New Year Song

Here's a song I wrote for Chinese New Year- easy peasy! Simple level bordun for accompaniment- add unpitched percussion (UPP) for the percussion line- lots of gongs, drums, etc. to "scare away" evil spirits. Very nice with a big, low gong at the end. Good for your upper level recorder players, too- those who have a solid low "C".
Look on youtube for pronunciation guide - Xin = Shin, Nian= like it sounds, Kuai= kwahee, Le = luh Yi (number 1) = eee, Er (number 2)= are, San (number 3) = sahn, "Jia You" (Let's Go! as in cheering people on) = jya yo.
Enjoy!

Chinese New Year Music and Assembly

We have an upcoming Chinese New Year Assembly that I've been planning with our librarian at school and I'm truly so excited! We're doing some relay races (with "dragon eggs") and brooms (sweeping the old year out) and I'm teaching the fourth graders a fan dance and lantern dance to perform. We're also having a couple contests; orange peeling contest (who can peel the longest peel), a Chinese fortune cookie eating contest and a firecracker contest ( 4 kids stomping on bubble wrap). We have a song that I've written and we're going to read a book with a repeating stanza that I'm going to add a melody to and I am truly so excited to do something that will not only be meaningful and memorable but fun, too! Not always an easy combination!

Concert Program a HUGE hit!

Songs of Night, Songs of Light was a great program and I didn't hear from one parent any negative comments; they really enjoyed the theme and as the theme was stars, moon, light, jingle bells, "light sounds" there was none of the typically negative comments about "too much Christmas", "not enough Christmas", etc. It was truly a lovely mix of songs about stars, moon, darkness, light, etc. Kids did a great job and I figured we had about 140 different kids playing Orff arrangements and unpitched percussion at various times.. fun!