End of Year.. Now What?

I've seen several posts on FB pages about what to do at the end of the year.  If you've been here before you know I started a tradition a few years ago singing camp songs. Picture on bottom is kids reaction when we get ready to start camp songs!

 

 They are the PERFECT finish *ta da* at the end of the year. It keeps the kids singing, clapping, and they are just plain FUN!!
This is a previous post I had that has several including tons of variations to "A Sailor Went to Sea" that my kids can't get enough of! This is the expression I usually see when I tell them it's time for Camp Songs!

In addition to these my students also love:

 "Highland Gates" from the Amidons book Down in the Valley- get the book.. you won't regret it!! http://www.dancingmasters.com/store/books-cds-dvds/down-in-the-valley  I use this with First Grade on up through about third.

Jump Jim Joe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1m-DIa5QTA GREAT for littles- PreK/ Kinder/First Grade

And I see this from the older kids when we are doing camp songs:

 


Sashay the Donut also from the Amidons book of the same name (grades 3 and up) They LOVE this one!!

These are some of the youtube videos I watched to learn how to sing/perform the songs and chants and then personalized them.  I don't use these with the kids.  We actually put a crackling fire on the screen to watch and turn the lights out so we have a campfire atmosphere. 

Wisconsin Milk is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mr0ccX7RCc
Mac n Cheese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV46eduDyTY
Go Bananas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFXitbTQ0-E
Ricky Ticky Toomba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCmvCJU6v6E&list=PL9738E2086220EEBA&index=4
Tarzan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w1aREkMnwY&list=PL9738E2086220EEBA&index=8
Herman the Worm:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCgwV-iI80E&list=PL9738E2086220EEBA&index=9
Singing in the Rain also called Chili Bop:  (LOVE this one!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bbHVrtx0Ow
Pizza Hut:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ctjeZD0c0A
Humpty Dumpty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYY7JHl_nFw  HYSTERICAL! instead of the pelvic thrust on "huh" I have the kids clap and jump as high as they can go.
Found a Peanut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOh6tnceO3Q
Froggy:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VoLaQV8aE8
Baby Shark:  MUST DO!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da2IgWbkvI0  Start at 1:15

And a couple more:

Have fun and keep the music going until the bitter (or sweet) end!

Frog In Yonder Pond

This is a lesson I did just this morning with kindergarten and we had great fun with it! Hope you enjoy!

What Sound Do You Hear Now?

My kiddos love this game and BEG to play it again and again.  The beauty of it, well.. it's also a great informal assessment!  I use this with my Junior Kindergarten (ages 4 and 5) up through first grade.  This is based on a similar one in Gameplan.  The song and graphics are my own and so I am not stepping on Jeff and Randy's toes by sharing it with you but will give them all the credit for the game!! :)

 

NEW BOOK!!! Arriving mid-May!!

Well, it's official!!! Yee-haw!  My book, Hands to Hands, will be ready to ship mid-May! 

You can pre-order it directly from Beatin' Path Publications here: http://www.beatinpathpublications.com/ACP/home.html


I began to look at clapping songs and games after an end of year conversation about how kids of our digital age don't know what to do once they are "bored".  I researched and couldn't find a resource that had songs, music notation, directions, etc. I found many on youtube and then began to spread my wings farther by sending emails to people around the world.  This collection, Hands to Hands, will hopefully be Volume 1 and we will publish Volume 2 later.  I am incredibly proud of the pieces we included, from Kenya to Italy, Peru to Scotland, New Zealand to Japan, and everything in between.  It's a really diverse and approachable collection and my students have loved learning them!!

I am also excited as Brent, the editor, really liked my idea of using my doodles as artwork!  Here's the back cover artwork, although it looks a little different on the actual book (no white spaces; they are purple!).  I just finished this one Wednesday night while recovering from strep throat!

I hope you will consider ordering the book!  :)

Busy Buzzy Bumblebee

Spring has sprung!  I love seeing all the pink and white cherry blossoms, the daffodils right outside my classroom windows (I have a reading garden right outside my room!), and the vibrant fuschia buds on the redbud trees!  Here in NC we are definitely in bloom!
I have to make a disclaimer on this post:  I can't remember if I've posted this before!  I looked back but couldn't find it so I'm sorry if I posted this a while back.. ah well... :)

I found these oh-so-cute bumblebee finger puppets through Oriental Trading.

 The kids love using them for "Flight of the Bumblebee" and then we use Artie Almeida's bee assessment (envelopes with "quarter note", "rest", and "eighth notes" written on the front and they get cards with the actual note/rest and they fly around like bees while the music plays and put their card in the correct envelope.  It's a great assessment as no one knows who put the correct/incorrect card in the envelope and you quickly know if they have "got it"!  I tell them if they get them all right they earn a point per card, if one is wrong I deduct one point; who will win, me or you?  I act excited if I see one wrong and make a big deal that I "tricked" the class and I got  point, yay for me, etc.  They crack up!!

Then we sing "Busy Buzzy Bumblebee" and I show the powerpoint.  Here are a few cards from the slide show.  If you would like the whole thing I would be happy to share; send an email to me at musicquilt@Hotmail.com and I'll send you the pdf to use with your kiddos!  You can see it moves from keeping the beat (heart slide) to

iconic representation of the rhythm:

and then to melodic representation using bees:

Also included is a slide on teaching ideas with Busy, Buzy.

Happy Spring!

Busy Busy Busy...

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I am in the midst of crazy edits for my book, "Hands to Hands" to be published (hopefully) soon by Beatin' Path Publications!  I am so excited about the book and will let everyone know when it is "available". 
I will post a lesson within the next few days! :)

Workshop March 7!

Cue the music.. "I'm so excited.. and I just can't hide it..."!  Our local chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA) is hosting a workshop Saturday, March 7 in Davidson, North Carolina!  This is a fun one for me as I get to present with my music buddy, Laurie!  I love working and creating with her; we are like two sides of a coin; one of us starts an idea, another one finishes it.  I love creating with her!!  The workshop is called "Putting it All Together:  Sing, Move, Create, and Play.. with ipads, too!"  Should be a very fun-filled, exciting and BUSY workshop!!!  I am very excited about using the ipads and helping others to realize how to use them in the music room and, in particular, using them WITH the Orff Schulwerk Approach.  Have you seen the book, 'Rabbityness"? 

I LOVE this book.  It deals with grief and grieving, in a sweet, subtle way and without talking directly about death or grief.  It is lovely, full of color, and  a gorgeous, vibrantly painted didgeridoo.  Laurie and I had a good cry over pancakes reading the book (Laurie has recently experienced the loss of her mom) and then we wrote an activity that uses ipads, instruments, and we wrote a song to tie it all together.  I am in love with it already and can't wait to share it.  Hope all of you who are local can make it!  http://www.piedmontorff.org/Amiee_Pfitzner___Laurie_Siegel__Flyer.pdf