Instrument Inventions

After learning about the Instruments of the Orchestra, the 2nd grade classes used some imagination to design a brand new instrument!  The students used the movie, Animusic, as their inspiration.  Animusic is a movie comprised of various "music videos" using computer-generated instruments.  The students are fascinated by how they look real even though they are digitally created.  Here are some of their favorite clips:

The students worked with partners to combine their ideas and sketch out their instrument.  Afterward, they wrote a story, letter, or advertisement telling about their product.  Check out their creative projects:

Musical Pizza Fractions

3rd grade classes have been learning how music and math are very closely related!  I used pizza fractions to illustrate how the music notes got their names.  I also used this as a way to introduce the 16th notes which they will be learning about next year in 4th grade.

I made this felt pizza my first year of teaching (9 years ago) and it has held up pretty well!  I handed out the pizza slices and had the students take turns coming up to help build the pizza.  As they created each layer, we talked about that note, its value, and its equivalent fraction. 

Next, I taught this song called "Pizza Rondo" (written by J.R. Fretz) and we added Orff accompaniment.

 Then, we created contrasting sections using these poems that go along with each layer of the pizza.

 We combined all of these parts and put together a performance for their teachers!  Our principal even got to come see one of them.  :)  I chose a few students to perform on instruments and the other students created the layers on the pizza as we performed the poems in Rondo form:

Our finished product:

Update: Here is a copy of the melody and Orff Arrangement. So many of you have been asking and I haven't been able to locate a copy of this song elsewhere for purchase so I think I am safe posting this. Let me know otherwise. :)