Pass the Pen - A Listening Game

During the first 5 minutes of music class for 4th and 5th grades, we spend some time learning about our Composer of the Month. The first week, we usually read a story about the composer (my favorite is Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times, and What the Neighbors Thought). The second week we recap the facts that we learned from the story and following weeks we listen to (and watch!) various compositions by the composer. To help focus student listening, I created a game called "Pass the Pen" which is a version of SQUILT (Super Quiet Un-Interrupted Listening Time). 

While the students listen to the piece, they take turns writing words and phrases on the SMARTboard that describe the music they are hearing. They list the instruments they hear, how the music is moving, the mood or emotion of the song, the style of the composition, what it reminds them of, or any other adjectives that come to mind. It is a great way to utilize music vocabulary and it also gets some great discussions going. I think this technique really focuses their listening on the details within the piece and helps them to recognize and remember the music later. Our 4th and 5th graders enjoyed playing "Pass the Pen" while listening to "Mood Indigo" by our composer of the month, Duke Ellington: 

Pizza Rondo and Rhythm War

Our third graders have been reviewing our music note values and discovering how they got their names - through fractions! They learned the Pizza Rondo and created the different layers of the pizza as they performed the song. Here is a video of one of our third grade classes performing the song:

After this lesson, I thought they would really enjoy learning how to play Rhythm War! I found this game on the "Just a Little More" music blog - she has a free download of the game. Most of the students already know how to play this card game so it is a very easy transition and a great way to reinforce note values. Let me tell you - this game is a CROWD PLEASER! The students could play this all day! :) Here are a few quick snapshots of the game:

Dancing Snowflakes

To celebrate winter, Fourth and Fifth grade classes have been working on an Orff piece called, "Dancing Snowflakes." It is very appropriate that we've been working on this song because we've had two snowstorms so far - unheard of in this part of Georgia! This is one of my favorite pieces to teach because it incorporates so many difference elements: mallet technique, improvisation, playing on special words, ABA form, and poetry. After learning the song and instrument parts, students work in groups to create haiku poems that describe snowflakes. Then, we use these poems to create the contrasting sections in our performances. Here is a video of one of the 4th grade classes performing the song:

I also created a display in the hall using their haiku poems and some snowflakes that one of my classes made. Check out some of my favorites:

(Music Teachers: This song and arrangement is located in Gameplan Curriculum - Grade 3)

Folk Song Unit

Third grade is currently working on a Folk Song unit in music centering around folk songs originating in the United States. They learned that folk means "of the people," that folk music has been passed down from generation to generation, and is usually handed-down orally. We have also discussed how the lyrics or verses of these songs can change over time similar to the "telephone" game. They have also been discussing the similarities and differences between folk songs and folk tales.

Our unit on folk songs is giving the 3rd graders a chance to brush up on their mallet skills. The focus has been learning the cross-over pattern and playing on special words. All students get a chance to learn each instrument part and the folk dance, and then we divide into two groups for our final performance.

Here is a video of the 3rd grade ABC class performing Tideo.

Sleigh Rides and Sing-Alongs

It is a tradition at our school to have a school-wide Christmas Sing-Along on the last day before our holiday break. I had been looking for another fun activity to add to our festivities and this turned out to be the perfect choice! 

I got this lesson awhile back at a Randy and Jeff Conference but after seeing this video, I was inspired to teach it to the whole school! It is really geared more towards older students and some of the movement combinations are a little difficult but my younger students really enjoyed learning it as well. It also went along very well with our study on form this December. 

Here is my own version of the visual:

Here are the students in action at the Sing-Along:

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

"Trepak" from The Nutcracker

Fourth and Fifth grade students are focusing on form this month with a study of "The Nutcracker" by Tchaikovsky. We learned about the composer and then listened to several of the pieces from the Nutcracker Suite. I love how the students get so excited when they recognize a piece that we are studying and can't wait to come tell me if they've heard it on the radio or a commercial. A favorite this year was the very familiar "Trepak" or "Russian Dance."

First, we watched a clip from the ballet:

Then, they figured out the form:

Next, they learned the following fun (and energetic) choreography from the Gameplan Curriculum - Grade 4:

This is the perfect activity to keep very excited students engaged in music during the month of December! It kept my students thinking and moving and they were begging to do it again! :) Check out some pictures of the 4th and 5th grade classes in action:

 

Twinkle and Shine - 3rd Grade Musical

The HSES third graders performed their Christmas musical, "Twinkle and Shine," last week and they did such a great job! The show was a huge success and I was so proud of all of their hard work! Once again, I bow down to my fabulous friend and colleague, Mrs. Carter, for helping me with the set and also helping with scene rehearsals. I definitely couldn't do this without her! :)

Here are a few pictures from their performance: