The Snowy Day... on the Mallets!

I love the book, The Snowy Day, and so do my students! First graders have been experimenting with various sounds they can make with the mallet instruments. I thought this activity would be a perfect way to give them experience on the instruments as well as allow them some creative expression.

First, we read the story and talked about all of the things Peter did in the snow. Then, I had the students partner up and I assigned each of them an action from the story...

The students then worked with their partner to create a sound effect that could represent that action in the story. It was so neat to see the ideas they came up with!

After each group shared their ideas, I re-read the story and had the groups add their sound effect at the appropriate point in the story.

An extension idea could be having half of the class play the sound effects and the other half act out the story. Maybe we'll try that next! :)

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)

Kindergartners LOVE the Boomwhackers!

As a part of our winter unit, Kindergartners learned a song about a snowman.  The students really enjoyed using their imaginations and pretending to build their snowmen while we sang the song:

Once they learned the song and practiced several times, they were very excited to add the Boomwhackers!  Boomwhackers are colorful plastic tubes that are various lengths and pitches.  I tell my students that they are called Boomwhackers because they make a "boom-ing" sound and you "whack" them on things. ツ

For this activity, we played them on the carpet.  The students took turns playing up the scale while we sang and then down the scale when the snowman melts at the end of the song.  It was a great visual for them to see that as the notes got higher, the Boomwhackers were shorter.  They did such a great job!  Here are a few pictures of them with their instruments:

It takes a LOT of self-control for Kindergartners to keep all of their Boomwhackers on the floor! ツ

They love to play the "Big Reds."

Someone knows how to pose!  haha.

Silly shot!

YAY Boomwhackers!

Ice-Skating in the Music Room!

Kindergarten classes have been doing winter activities in music class!  One of their favorite activities has been ice-skating.  They love pretending that the music room has turned into an ice-skating rink and that paper plates are their ice skates.  :)  This is such a great way for the students to practice expressive movement (MKGM.1.a. Respond to contrasts and events in music with gross locomotor and non-locomotor movements) while also being exposed to various classical pieces.  Here they are skating away...