2010-2011+Classroom+Activities

I'm not going to lie. Keeping up with this blog is harder than I imagined! I thought I'd be on here updating all the time...however... that's not the case. Sooooo.... here is a sampling of what's happened the last few weeks.
 * The following was originally published February 11, 2011 at http://msscottsmusicroom.blogspot.com/2011/02/hellooooo-fun.html**

[|NC Symphony Woodwind Quintet] visits Trent Park! Woo Hoo! The fifth graders at TPE were recently treated to a concert by the members of the woodwind quintet. The students were very excited to experience this wonderful opportunity. Here's what some of my students said... “I loved the entire thing! One of my favorite things was when they allowed us (the students) help conduct a song. I loved when they played because the music was AWESOME! Someday I would love to be in the band and play one of the reed instruments.” “Every instrument sounded different and unique. The flute, the clarinet, the horn, the oboe and the bassoon all sound so wonderful together. I learned so many things about the instruments. I would love for them to come back to our school another time.” "The woodwind quintet was EPIC!"



All grade levels have participated in some composition activites. Kindergarten made "Snowball Melodies" using High and Low. First Graders created Valentine's Day melodies using High, Middle and Low. By third grade, students were composing and playing their Valentine's Day melodies using the notes on the staff and barred instruments. Check out the pictures below!













In general, we love to have fun in music class. Sometimes we are dancing, sometimes there is singing, othertimes we are playing instruments or even just taking time to explore them. No matter what happens, we are always having as much fun as possible! Also, have I mentioned that I frequently pass out my $200 camera to my students and let them photograph during class. Here's what happens :)



















The following was originally published January 16, 2011 at http://msscottsmusicroom.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-year-new-fun.html
 * Kindergarten: What can you do when it snows? Make a snowman or perhaps a snowangel. Last week we listened to a variety of music about snowy days, read a snowy book and made snowangels!! Well... we imagined we made snowangels.**


 * Third Graders: We have been working hard to learn about the staff and reading the notes on the treble clef.**
 * "A, B, C, D, E, F, G**
 * The musical alphabet stops at G.**
 * If you want to name a space,**
 * think F-A-C-E FACE.**
 * If you want to name a line,**
 * think Every, Good, Boy, Does, Fine.**
 * A, B, C, D, E, F, G**

The musical alphabet stops at G." We used the Promethean Board, individual white boards, pipe cleaners, a giant staff, beanie babies and paper and crayons to drill the notes on the staff. I also had the students create their own poems to remember the name of the line. The most popular one was "Even Good Boys Do Fart" yeah. That one got lots of laughs. But hey! If it works, what are you going to do!?!?!?







Fourth Grade: In fourth grade we have been learning how to play B-A-G on the recorders. We also spent some time reviewing where B, A, and G were on the staff. We played "Concentration" (Memory) with snowman plates and two rounds of "Name that Note" on the Promethean Board. During the first round the girls beat the boys. But the boys put up a fight the second round won! Everyone had a lot of fun with the review!








 * The fifth graders have been working very hard on their latest project -- Composer Reports a la Voki. You can check them out** **here.** **or Voki Project -- click here!**



The week after the concert we focused on music from The Nutcracker. We listened to music, analyzed the form, moved to the music, rode candy cane horses and played with the parachute. The parachute activity was LOVED by all grade levels K-5. One second grader was so excited to see the parachute stick to the ceiling that he literally "jumped for joy." In his excitement he jumped with hid knee right into my stomach -- caught that one on video. There was a lot of shouting in my room this week, so I feel a little bad for the class next door. But hey, what can you do? Parachutes are REALLY exciting!!!
 * The following was originally published December 19, 2010 at http://msscottsmusicroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/nutcracker-fun.html**



**or** **Finally we added scarves and moved to the music﻿. Blue and purple scarves could move or dance on the A section. Red and yellow could dance on the B section and everyone could move or dance on the C section. This is what happened with our first go 'round.**
 * The following was originally published November 7, 2010 at http://msscottsmusicroom.blogspot.com/2010/11/hungarian-dance-no-3.html**
 * Although we still need a little more work, we had a TON of fun learning about the form of Brahms' //Hungarian Dance No.// 3. The very first time my students were introduced to the song, they simply listened to it. We discussed what we heard. We answered questions like "What instruments did you hear?" "How did the music make you feel?" "Did the composer repeat anything?" "Did you hear any parts that were the same?" ﻿**
 * I then presented them with a listening map that showed them that the song had a form, or a map, that could be followed...**
 * Intro A B A B C B A**
 * As we listened again, we followed the map and chose a feeling for each section.**
 * nothing happy sad/scared/angry happy sad/scared/angry very happy sad/scared/angry happy**
 * There was a LOT of listening today! We listened, yet again, and made the corresponding faces**

**Thanks to** [|**Donors Choose**] **we received the scarves from the last video as well as a class supply of flashlight and D batteries to get us started. I took a sharpie marker (love 'em!) and colored over the lense of the flashlight in either blue, purple, red or light green (which looks yellow on the ceiling). The students were then given the opportunity to "paint" on the ceiling. The same rules for painting applied to dancing. Purple/Blue = A section, red/yellow = B section, everyone on the C section. I attempted this activity with K-2 (and the 5th grade because there were VERY jealous that they didn't get to do this when they were younger). The kindergarteners were not 100% successful, but for the first time it wasn't bad. Plus, it was all they talked about for DAYS! They needed a little more guidance. I plan on trying to find one song a month to do this activity with the students. It's my new favorite active listening activity.**






 * [[image:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwHWKWpTXeA/TNYSaI4FvfI/AAAAAAAAAO0/1DtAKG-kKGk/s320/IMG_0490.JPG width="320" height="240" link="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwHWKWpTXeA/TNYSaI4FvfI/AAAAAAAAAO0/1DtAKG-kKGk/s1600/IMG_0490.JPG"]] ||
 * Batteries for our flashlights! ||


 * [[image:http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwHWKWpTXeA/TNYSTXmBaNI/AAAAAAAAAOw/kbFGnwHLsHo/s320/IMG_0492.JPG width="320" height="240" link="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwHWKWpTXeA/TNYSTXmBaNI/AAAAAAAAAOw/kbFGnwHLsHo/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG"]] ||
 * Flashlights! ||


 * The following was originally published October 23, 2010 at http://msscottsmusicroom.blogspot.com/2010/10/ta-ti-ti-and-fruit-loops-oh-my.html**

We had so much fun today in First Grade! I am fortunate to see this class two days in a row :)

Yesterday, we read the poem Big Black Cats. We worked very hard to figure out the rhythmic pattern of the words -- which happens to be ta ta ta rest ta ta ta rest ti ti ti ti ti ti ta ta ta ta rest We performed the rhythms using claps, snaps, pats, and more. Once we had the rhythm under belts, we created new rhythms using ta, ti ti and rest.

Here comes the fun part! After doing a review of yestday's class we moved on to the fruit loops! I have worksheets for the students that have 16 boxes on them. Each box is worth one beat. A quarter note (ta) is represented by one fruit loop. We know that in 4/4, a quarter note is one beat, one sound -- ta. Barred eighth notes are represented by two fruit loops in one box. We know that in 4/4, eighth notes are one beat, two sounds -- ti ti.
 * __Day Two__**

I said and clapped a variety 4 beat patterns using ta, ti ti and rest. The students used fruit loops to notate what I clapped.

They also created their own four beat patterns using fruit loops and then performed them for the class.

At the end of class, they were allowed to eat the fruit loops (this might have been their favorite part!).







I was inspired by a blog entry from on of my friends from college. [] When I saw this link I KNEW I wanted to do something like this in my classroom. The song was also mentioned over the summer on a listserv I subsribe to. My problem is that I tend to dream big and over plan. Because of this, I usually can't fit in all the great ideas I hear about.
 * The following was originally published October 15, 2010 at []**

This morning I was told that we were unable to get a sub for the Art teacher. PE and Music would have to split the Art classes in half and add them to our regularly scheduled class. My first thought was "Oh man! There go my lesson plans for the day! :( But then I realized I could use this lesson today. Although I had big plans for the song (making flags, talking about hopes and dreams, creating a boomwacker ostinato, movement activity...), sometime SIMPLE is better.

The third and fifth grade classes came in and we did a quick discussion about the song and watched two versions -- the Young Artists for Haiti [] and the World Cup Coca-Cola comercial []. After comparing and contrasting the songs/videos I put the song on repeat and let the students design their own flags... flags that represent who they are and who they hope to become. It was a very enlightening lesson.

"When I get older I will be stronger They'll call me freedom Just like a wavin' flag"