Music Week 12

Right now we are still continuing to get ready for the holiday concert. The concert will be Thursday, December 2, 2010. The concert will begin at 6:30. Please have all students that are performing arrive no later than 6:15 so we can get started on time.

All of the classes are doing well in their preparations. The 2nd grade classes have learned their song Gingerbread Cookies. K-1 have learned the song Chime In. 3rd grade classes are becoming more secure with Russian Christmas on the recorder. We need to practice a little more for the 4th and 5th grade classes to make sure they have the opening song Holiday of Music down. Less than a week to go. We are on break next week.

Music Week 11

3rd grade continued working on recorder learning the Russian Christmas music.

4th and 5th grade continued working on their respective instruments as well as learning the song Holiday of Music.

K-2 continued studying rhythms from the Winning Rhythms book.K-1 continued working on Chime In and 2nd Grade continued working on Gingerbread Cookies.

Music Week 10

3rd- 5th Grade classes Winning Rhythms: Rhythm Sheet 2 Line(s) C, D
Song: I like Thanksgiving

3rd Grade
Book-Do It! Play Recorder
pg. 7 #5
Begin working on Recorder song for winter concert-Russian Christmas
-or-
The A song-focus on the the A note

4th Grade-
Book-Alfred's Piano Lessons pg. 34-35
or
pg. 22-26-objective read the notes CDE and assoicate with keys, read FGAB and associate with keys

5th Grade-
Book: Fast Track Guitar Method pg. 11 Line 6

-Objective: Practice moving from 1st String-2nd String while keeping hands in place-will take approx. 2weeks

Begin working on Winter concert Songs: Holiday of Music, Rhythm of the Season



K-2

Winning Rhythms: Rhythm Sheet-1 Line(s):C
Song: Wee Willie Winkie
Book-Orff Schulwerk-Objective: High-Low movement sol, mi



K-1 Begin working on Winter Concert Song: Chime In
Need bells, glockenspiels, boomwhackers

2nd grade-Begin working on Winter Concert Song: Gingerbread Cookies

Music Week 9.1

This week in music 3rd- 5th grade classes were to complete Winning Rhythms-Rhythm Sheet#2 Line A, B. We all sang the song, "There Was an Old Lady all Skin and Bones" we also surprised their homeroom teachers with it. We also reviewed Whole notes, Half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, quarter rests, and half rests

Here is the breakdown by grade level and what they were to accomplish:

3rd Grade Recorder Skills-

Book: Do It!- Play Recorder pg. 7 #4

Fais Do Do-objective: play a song in 3/4 time using B, A, G

or

Work on Give Me a B(original composition)-objective: focus on the B note




4th Grade:
Piano Skills-

Objective: complete page 20

-make sure students are following diagrams in book, hands are in correct position, and are on task

or

Objective: Complete pg 32-33

5th Grade:

Guitar Skills

-Fast Track Guitar Method-pg 10-11
-Objective: Learn B, C, D on second string
-Play pg 11 #5
-Show diagrams, some students are still having trouble with fingers. See attached
-Left hand holds down string, right hand actually does the playing


K-2 also began working on Winning Rhythms-Rhythm Sheet#1 Line A, B. They sangThere Was an Old Lady all Skin and Bones as well and surprised their homeroom teachers as well. We also worked on Play your Sound before we did Skin and Bones:

Objective: Identifying music notes by sight and sound and playing the music notes on rhythm instruments.



1. Divide class into five sections and have them sit in a circle. Each section will be playing a different music note on a different instrument indidated in the music.



2. Place picture of each note on floor and board in front of each section in the circle.



3. Student will sing the song and play their instrument when they hear the teacher sing their note.



4. After all the notes have been played studnets move to the right in the circle to the next note and repeat the song. The song continues to repeat until all students have rotated throught each of the music notes on the different instruments

Music Week 9.0

We were supposed to do stations this week in music class but due to illnesses in my family,I missed part of the week. We reviewed concepts from last week on the days I was here.

Music Week 8

This week 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and to my surprise a couple of the 1st grade classes attended the Metales M5 Mexican Brass Quintet concert. Students from my 4th and 5th grade band and myself had the opportunity to sit front row center at the CPA as well as meet the quintet afterwards.

As for the rest of the week: 2nd, 3rd and 5th grades had to do a writing response to M5 Brass Quintet. Here are the questions:

Name 3 things you learned at the concert.

What was your favorite thing?

What was your least favorite thing?



We also continued with our respective instruments: 3rd grade-Recorder Skills,4th Grade-Piano Skills,5th Grade-Guitar/Uke Skills.

We also did a Halloween song called Mwa Ha, Ha. It was a song from last year that everyone wanted to do again.

K-2nd classes did an activity called Play Your Sound. Here is a description and the process:

Play your Sound-

Objective: Identifying music notes by sight and sound and playing the music notes on rhythm instruments.

1. Divide class into five sections and have them sit in a circle. Each section will be playing a different music note on a different instrument indidated in the music.

2. Place picture of each note on floor and board in front of each section in the circle.

3. Student will sing the song and play their instrument when they hear the teacher sing their note.

4. After all the notes have been played studnets move to the right in the circle to the next note and repeat the song. The song continues to repeat until all students have rotated throught each of the music notes on the different instruments

Music Week 7

2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade students went to the computer lab to use Brain Pop in preparation of our trip on Monday. We did the lesson on Brass Instruments. We watched them movie, took the quiz, and emailed the quizzes to Mr. Thomas. Hopefully, all the grade will be thoroughly prepared for this trip.

K-1 finished up Tick-Tock. Tick Tock

The objective was Steady beat and playing the steady beat on orff instruments and temple blocks, solfege objective so, mi, do.

Here is the process:

1. Teacher sings the song and has students join in when they know the song
2.Continue singing the song until students can sing without teacher
3.Divide class into two groups.
1.Orff instruments
2.Circle game with temple blocks and rhythm sticks

Game:Students sit in a circle. The temple blocks and a containter of rhytm sticks are in the center of the circle. One child is chosen to be the first temple block player. The studets sing the son and pass one bean bag/tennis ball around the circle to the right on the beat. Whoever has the bean bag on the word "song" will be the next temple block player on the next repition of the song. The child who was chosen before the game started plays the first solo. During this solo the orff instruments rotate over one instrument. After playing solo, the first temple block player gets a pari rhythm sticks and retures to his seat in class. When the song begins again, the ball gets passed around and the rhythm stick players keep a steady beat along with the Orff instruments. After all have had a turn at the temple blocks, switch orff instrument with rhythm stick players


I videoed Ms. Skippers class demonstrating the game. Click on the Wildcasts link to view the video. It is listed as SkipperTickTock.

New Page Added

Anyone interested in purchasing the books we use in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th music classes? There is now a link you can click on called Music Class Method Books . It has pictures of the books and where to buy the books. If you have any questions feel free to call or email or come by the music room.

Music Week 6

This week 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade had a Music Appreciation Lesson on the Brass Quintet. This is in preparation for October 11 field trip. We are going to hear the Metales M5 Brass Quintet. They are a group from Mexico and have toured all over Mexico, the U.S. and the entire world. We played a listening Game where I played the recording of a brass instrument and students had to stand by picture of instrument they thought it was. Students will need a lot more practice. I had a suspicion that many students had not heard the instruments individually. My guess was right. We will work some more on the individual sound. If time remained we worked on our individual instruments as well.

4th grade continued working on piano skills. They are slowly starting to get the hang of it. If students have a keyboard at home, they are strongly encouraged to practice. I will place a seperate page for all the books we are using in class if you wish to go to one of the music stores and buy them.



K-1 had a quiz on Beat-No Beat. I played 3 clips of music. Students had to use the Beat Buddies to help them figure out if there was a beat involved. They bounced their Buddy if they felt like the song had a beat. The Buddy was supposed to stay in their lap if the song had no beat. 2 of the 3 examples had a beat, the last one did not. I graded accordingly.

If any student in any grade feels that they did perform well on a test or quiz, then they may come and retake the quiz any time before school or after school.

Music Week 5

This week in music all of my classes in 3rd-5th watched a powerpoint story called -King Treble Clef. King Treble Clef is story that helps students learn how to read notes on the staff.

3rd grade continued their recorder skills by working on the B,A,G notes, and learning how to play Hot Cross Buns. Our quiz on how to holdthe recorder has been pushed back to next week. 4th Grade continued working on their piano skills. We are constantly reviewing finger numbers and the corrct playing position. Our quiz on Finger Position and Posture has been also pushed backed to next week.5th Grad continued their Ukulele/Guitar Skills-E, F, G notes and we worked on excercise 1 in the book. Our quiz on how to hold the ukulele/guitar has also been pushed back this week. The quizzes were pushed back due to technical difficulties with the gradebook software.

K-1 continued working on Beat-No Beat our objective was to respond to steady beat in a march style song. We used Prokofiev's Love for Three Oranges and the Beat Buddies. The Beat Buddies are just stuffed animals we use to help find the beat of songs.Our Vocabulary for this lesson was :march, steady beat, loud, soft.

Here is the process:

1. Encourage students to use Beat Buddies to tap to the beat from Prokofiev's March mvt"The Love for Three Oranges

1. Ask what kind of movement would you do to this music?(March)



2. Have children stand and march in place to the music on the beat

1. Where would you likely hear a march?(concert or parade)



Finally, we did another beat game called Engine Engine No. 9. Here are the lyrics:

Engine, Engine No. 9
Going in down the Chicago Line.
If the train should junk the track
Do you get your money back?

Students learn song by rote, march to the pulse of the song, one student plays temple blocks at various speeds. The player will "get off" the beat, causing train to stumble. The temple block player will play frantically to imitate a crash, ending with loud tap and then silence. train players should "crash" and fall into an interesting shape. the watcherr picks someone with an intersting shape and takes his place in the train. The introduction signals train members to stand up and form the train and get ready to move. Everyone should get a turn if time allows

2nd grade continued working on Down, Down, Baby. We reviewed the moves and then we added instruments. We used the xylophones, glockenspiels, tamborines, bongos, and cowbell to make the different sounds of the body.

Music Week 4

First off we had Labor Day on Monday. On Tuesday we resumed our normal routine. 3rd-5th grade resumed learning their instruments. We also talked about note values of quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes. Students will have a quiz on how to hold their instrument in about 2 weeks.

K-1 continued to learn about beat but we used the song Walk Right In. I had the students find the beat of the song first. Then we walked around the room to the beat. Finally, we came up with different ways to move to the beat. For example, walking like a chicken or robot or pretending to skate.

2nd grade continued studying beat but this time we used the American street game Down, Down Baby. I told students that this is another game that is played in different ways throughout the country. I taught them the moves. I was supposed to teach them how to play some instruments with it but we ran out of time and I have to save if for next week.

Music Week 3

This week we began our music lessons. 3rd grade began learning how to hold and play the recorder. 4th grade began learning how to sit with the proper posture and hand position for piano and how to play it. 5th grade began learning how to hold and play the guitar/ukulele. Students have been encouraged to bring in their own recorders or guitars. It is not mandatory but it certainly does help. If 5th grade students already have a guitar they may bring it in and I will lock it in one of my closets. If 3rd grade students want to buy their own recorder, I will give a list of music stores where you can buy recorders.

K-1 learned about beat. We talked about how beat is the pulse of the music. We talked about how we feel the beat not necessarily hearing the beat. There was a lot of confusion because many students thought that you have to have a drum to have beat. We talked about that a lot this week. We learned and moved to the song Ev'ry Body Says. We also listened to five sounds and had to figure out what they were and if they had a beat. I told students that if you felt that you could clap to it then it most likely had a beat. I also said that about 99.9% of the music we come into daily contact with has a beat. Beats can be fast and they can be slow. Whatever they are they need to stay the same throughout the piece of music. There are exceptions of course.

2nd grade learned about beat through the use of the song Zudio. Zudio is an American street game that is played in many different ways in the country. The words can be different but the premise is the same. We learned the moves for the song with a partner and we learned how to move to different partners to get to know them. We also did a song called Blueberry Pie. They had to move to the steady beat by walking around the room.

Music Week 2

This week music classes began their lessons. 3rd grade began their recorder lessons. They learned how to hold recorders and how to blow into them. Students are encouraged to buy their own but it is not necessary. 4th grade began piano lessons. Students learned the proper posture and hand position. 5th grade began learning ukulele/guitar. They learned how to hold the uke and learned the instrument parts. Students were encouraged to bring in a guitar if they had one. Once again, it is not necessary but you may if you choose to. All classes learned what to touch and what not to touch on their respective instruments. They learned how important it is to take care of the things we have because replacing instruments can be very expesive.

K-1 learned about beat. We learned that beat is the pulse of the music. Beat is something that you feel not necessarily hear. We said that there are instruments that you can play the beat on such as drums but ultimately you have to be able to feel the steady pulse. We also said that beat and rhythm are two different things. They are related but they are separate things. We listened and moved to a song called Ev'ry Body Says and we listened to different sounds and talked about whether those sounds had a beat or not. I added that if you "feel" like you could clap to the sound then it had a beat.

2nd grade learned about beat as well. We used the song Zudio. We listened to a version on the music CDs but I taught the street game version. We also listened and moved to a song called Blueberry Pie. Students had to find and clap along to the steady beat.

Music Week 1

Hello,

Welcome back to a new school year with brand new possibilities. I hope everyone had a relaxing summer and is ready to get back to work. I know that I am. This week in music we will go over rules and procedures. We will sing "Welcome to Our School" and a song called "We Shall Not(chew gum in class)." We will also play a game of limbo. Next week, we begin our official music lessons. K-2 will sing and learn some Orff games, 3rd will begin recorder, 4th will begin piano, and 5th will begin guitar/uke.

Please click on the above tool bar to have an update sent to you when this page is updated. Also for the first time, the comments have been enabled. If you have a question please feel free to write it and I should get back to you ASAP. Thank you.

Music Week 35

Last week we had an oral quiz on ostinato. Here is the breakdown

Quiz: Ostinato-Must be able to define the term ostinato. Ostinato=repeated musical figure or idea used over and over
100=word and definition
50=word or definition
0=unable to define

We have been working on ostinato for over two weeks and should be able to define. K did need some prodding but I think they understood what ostinato is. After the quiz was over, I introduced improvisation using previous skills learned through ostinato. Improvisation is spontaneously creating a rhythmic or melodic idea.

If you have any questions about grades or how your child is performing in class feel free to email or call me at the school.

Music Week 34

This week we continued our stomp project. We are still learning ostinatos(musical ideas that are repeated over and over) and playing them on various objects(garbage cans, brooms, etc.)

K-2 learned the song Run, Children, Run. We still were learning the ostinato concept but we used boomwhackers.

Don't forget to click the podcast link to view some of the classes demonstrating ostinato.

Honor Choir

A big thanks to Malik Moore, Chyan Tuff, Gabrielle Gaither, and Jovanna Liuzzo for representing Williams Elementary at the 2010 Alachua County Elementary Honor Choir. Enjoy some of the photos.

Music Week 33

Stomp Project 3rd-5th

Dicuss Ostinato-repeated musical rhythm or pattern

Orff-Schulwerk: Music for Children pg 60

Using brooms, garbage cans, tubs, drum sticks, buckets, mallets rhythm sticks

Brooms-#3
Garbage Cans-#6
Buckets#9
Tub#8, Fill one tub with water, use with gong
Lids?#18 Measure 2

See podcast page


Orff Schulwerk: Music for Children pg 53 #1

Fun with Boomwhackers: Diddle, Diddle Dumpling
teaching ostinato
-teach song by rote
-sing song while clapping ostinato pattern
-transfer to tubes

See podcast page

Music Week 32

3rd-Recorder: Salamander Step

4th Piano-pgs 25-35

5th-C and G chords with songs: This Old Man
possible train to sing for a kindergarten class?

Onward, Upward promotion song

Signal Tune:
Play signal tune on trombone. Students listen to tune, move to beat clapping hands. Tune stops, listen to signal to put one knee on ground, then two knees, one elbow, two elbows, head down, then lie down


Book: Fun with Boomwhackers

Down By the Station:

Teach song by rote, add boomwhacker part

Signal Tune:
Play signal tune on trombone. Students listen to tune, move to beat clapping hands. Tune stops, listen to signal to put one knee on ground, then two knees, one elbow, two elbows, head down, then lie down

Music Week 31

3rd-Latin Recorder-use of latin percussion and recorder

4th-Quiz pg 24 or 28 in piano book

5th-ukulele chord quiz C and G7


K-2

If I Were a Little Frog- song and boomwhackers

K-1

Hokey Pokey compare and contrast
1. Play song on CD 1 track 2-4
2. Play game, have students listen
3. Talk about style of music and what is the same and different for each version of the song

Music Week 30

3rd-Recorder Skills

4th-Piano Skills

5th-Guitar/Uke skills, begin learning 5th grade promotion song: Onward, Upward


K-2

Tick Tock(not the pop song)

Objective: Steady beat and playing the steadbeat on orff instruments and temple blocks, solfege objective so, mi, do

1. Teacher sings the song and has students join in when they know the song
2.Continue singing the song until students can sing without teacher
3.Divide class into two groups.
1.Orff instruments
2.Circle game with temple blocks and rhythm sticks

Game:Students sit in a circle. The temple blocks and a containter of rhytm sticks are in the center of the circle. One child is chosen to be the first temple block player. The studets sing the son and pass one bean bag/tennis ball around the circle to the right on the beat. Whoever has the bean bag on the word "song" will be the next temple block player on the next repition of the song. The child who was chosen before the game started plays the first solo. During this solo the orff instruments rotate over one instrument. After playing solo, the first temple block player gets a pari rhythm sticks and retures to his seat in class. When the song begins again, the ball gets passed around and the rhythm stick players keep a steady beat along with the Orff instruments. After all have had a turn at the temple blocks, switch orff instrument with rhythm stick players

Music Week 28-29

Sorry I have gotten so behind in my posting. The next few posts will how I wrote my lesson plans for a particular week.


3rd Grade: Recorder Review
4th Grade: Piano Review
5th Grade: Ukulele Review

All Classes: Rhythm Rockets if time


Note Passing Game
1.Students stand in a circle and each holding a music note. They will pass the notes around the circle to the teacher drum part as indicated in the score. They hug the note for two beats and then pass the note to their neighbor to the right for two beats.
2.The note-passing game stops on the word 'groove" and everone holds on the notes they have. The teacher says Whole notes or whomever, move your feet, ready go. Those students that have whole notes come to the center of the circle an dmove to the whole note for four measures. After the whole notes have moved to their note, they return to the circle. The next note is called and the teacher continues until all the notes have had a chance to move to their notes in the middle of the circle.
3. If someone comes to the middle of the circle on the wrong note they are out.

OBJECTIVE: Steady beat, identifying the music notes, and moving correctly to the music notes.
-can be taught to all K-5 classes if wanted to.

K:
Singing vs. Speaking:

Teach On a Log Mister Frog:
-ask was this spoken or sung(sung)
-was there a part that was spoken?(animal sounds)
-teach song and movement

Story: Eliington was not a Street by Ntozake Shange
-listen to story
-play Mood Indigo by Duke Ellington while reading

2nd and/or 1st:

Wee Wille Winkie:
-teach song by rote
-add movement
-add woodblock and xylophones
-also can add solfege hand signs

Music Week 27

In 3rd-5th grade we did Rhythm Rockets a game to reinforce rhythmic values and to help us with our next project. I distrubuted Rhythm Rockets cards and clips to each student. We reviewe note values and also reviewed the rhythm sheets we used at the beginning of the year. I clapped a rhythm 2 or 3 times and the students had to place the clip on the rhythm they heard. I also had the students clap rhythms back. At first, the game was meant to be a quick review and we were to move on the song Shortnin' Bread but I added an elimination round to see who was really paying attention.

All of the classes K-5 were learning the song Shortnin' Bread. Taught the song by rote and incorporatee boomwhackers according to the musical score. Depending on the level of the students, some were only able to learn the vocal part. Surprisingly, the Kindergartners did extremely well. They were used to playing them because we worked with them so much at Christmas time.

Kindergartners also learned the Line Up song if we had time. 1st and 2nd grade also reviewed their solfege hand signs with the song Pease Porrige Hot.

Also, don't forget to visit the Hip-Hop rubrick page(to the right) if you have a student in 3rd-5th grade. The rubrick has the point break down for the classes that participated in the project.

Next week, I will try to get a podcast of class activities.

Hip Hop Rubrick

Please click on the page that says Hip-Hop Rubrick to find out how your child project will be scored. This will affect their grade either positively or negatively.

Concert March 25

On Thursday, March 25, 2010 we will have our Music In Our Schools Month concert in the Williams Elementary cafeteria. We will begin at 6:30pm and will feature our band and chorus.

Music Week 26

We finally finished working on the Hip-Hop projects. I began transferring files from the mac laptops to my flash drive for grading.I will post a rubrick for my grading soon.

Third Grade classes learned a Boomwhacker Song-Down By the Station. Here is how we did it:

-NeedLow C red, Dorange, E yellow, F lime Green, G blue-green, High C red (one per student)
-Formation:C's on one side of room, E's and G's on the other side of room, D's and F's in center

Process:
Teach song by rote
Teach body percussion pattern. Transfer to tubes
Sing song with tubes
Add cabasa
Teach coda. Add to song

Can also be taught to 2nd or 4th grade

In 1-2 we did a book: Froggy Gets Dressed. A story with musical sound effects. The song was:

Flop, Flop, Flop went Froggy
Flop, Flop, Flop 'cross the floor
Floop, Flop, flop went Froggy
It's timed to get dressed once more

I Selected students to play the Orff xylophones, drums, guirowhile I read the story.

Kindergarten is still talking about the difference between speaking and singing voice. We learned Bee, Bee Bumble Bee Rhyme. We also read Froggy Gets Dressed but I taught K movement.

Music Week 25

We are getting closer to finishing our Hip-Hop projects in 3rd-5th grade.


In K-2 we learned a song called Bounce High, Bounce Low. The idea was to learn the song and be able to bounce a ball on strong beats and catch it on weak beats. We took turns saying different names in the class.They were to bounce the ball to the next child when it came time to say the next name. Everyone got a turn. I wrote strong beat and weak beat on the board and we talked about the difference. We said that the strong beat is the beat that is empasized in each measure. The ball that we were bounce was to help illustrate that every time ball bounces on ground that is strong beat, weak beat is when we catch it. I drew rhythms for Bounce High on the board and we worked on identifying strong/weak beats.We also focused on so, mi, and la again with Rain Rain Go Away.

K also review speaking and singing voices with Hickory Dickory Dock . We listened to different versions of Hickory and Ring around the RosyListen and Sing, Sing What Shall I and they had to figure out if the song was speaking or singing. Finally we did Hickory Dickory with Boomwhackers.

Music Week 24

This week we tried to finish our Hip Hop projects. I tried to make sure that each group had:
Bass Track
Drum Track
Guitar Track
Vocal Track

I adjusted the levels and each group was supposed to record. Classes that could not follow directions had to do a worksheet packet.

In Kindergarten we learned Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? I said the rhyme and had the children echo. We repeated several times and substitute name of student. There were a few times we repeated the rhyme and change the way voice is used(speaking, singing, whispering, shouting) Next, we did Ring Around the Rosy. We did the ashes part to see if students can tell if whispering, singing, or shouting. We also played the old game. Finally, we worked on Hickory Dickory Dock. We talked about the difference between speaking and singing.

1st and 2nd also learned Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar? We then learned Bobby Shafto and learned how to do the solfege handsigns for Bobby Shafto. Finally, we reviewed the signs for so, la, mi

Music Week 23

It was a short week again this week. In 3rd-5th grade we continued writing lyrics and we also began putting them together with Garage Band. I only had a handful of students be able to complete the project but I will try to have everyone done by the end of February. It is very difficult when we keep missing so much school. Also the K-2 went over their Black History Songs and learned a new song that corresponded with the Winter Olympics called Winter Games.





This past Thursday we performed our Black History Program that featured many students. We had students rapping, reading poems, dressing up as famous African Americans, the step team, and Chorus. Here is a link to the video:

http://wildcatmusic07.podomatic.com/

Music Week 22

This week we began writing lyrics. Here is the process I took them through:

1. Make bubble diagram to outline ideas
2. Write paragraph about yourself
3. Take the lines from paragraph and begin to try to rhyme them.
4. Show an example of a professional rap and talk about rhyme scheme and content

Many of the students were very sucessful in creating lyrics while some struggled with the rhyming. I reminded the students that even the professionals don't always adhere to a strict rhyme scheme but they do have to rhyme.

In K-2 we reviewed our songs for the Black History Program and then we learned a new song called Who's On The Dollar Bill? It was a song for President's Day.

Music Week 21

We continued our notes on Hip-Hop. We did some lyrical analysis if time allowed. We began working on Garage Band in 3rd-5th grade. The idea was to introduce Garage Band by demonstrating how to find and use tracks. If time allowed I would demonstrate voice recording feature. I assigned groups for writing hip-hop song. It was really easy. Most classes used their current seating charts and we just adapted it for music class. There were to be 2-3 to a group where each member writes a verse. Topics will be assigned next week, however, many students took have already written something. I am interested in see what they have written. The podcast class of the week is Mrs. Maxwell's Class.

The K-2 students worked on songs for the Black History Program. K-Chatter with the Angels, 1-Shake Hands Mary, 2-Zudio.

The Black History Program will be February 18, 2010 at 8:00 and 9:15.

Check out our podcast page and become a follower:

http://wildcatmusic07.podOmatic.com

Music Week 20

Our Hip Hop Unit continues in 3rd-5th grade.Students took notes on the history of hip-hop. We then began some lyrical Analysis. Students were supposed to listen and read lyrics to a rap song. After listening we discussed meaning of lyrics both literally and figuratively. Students chose from five songs: Mr. Wendel-Arrested Development, Keep Your Head Up-Tupac Shakur, Tha Crossroads-Bone Thugs N Harmony, Colors-Ice-T, and Gangastas Paradise-Coolio

Here is the Smartboard lesson: RapLyrics.notebook

ALL LYRICS DO NOT CONTAIN PROFANITY!!

The point of this excercise was to show how students are not thinking about the lyrics and only listen to the "beat." Many students were mindlessly saying the lyrics. Some classes began to view the songs in a whole different way after we took away the music. Hopefully, students and parents will begin to be more alert when buying their music.


Kingergarten began learning Chatter With the Angels. 1st-2nd grades began learning the song Zudio and the movements with the song.

Music Week 19

Hip-Hop unit continues: Break Dance Week:

I did some Co-teaching with Coach Jossi-focusing on movement with music. All classes went out to the PE area and did six stations to teach basic break dance moves:

1. Push ups and crunches-need strong upper body and core muscles

2.Cross Step-L over R, R over L

3. Cross Step With Kick-L over R then kick out R, R over L then kick out L

4.Ground Freeze-Baby Freeze:Start on Knees,Bend elbow place in gut, then place on ground, upper body should be supported,other hand place a few inches apart, place head on ground, try to balance and lift feet one inch from ground and hold

5.Six Step CC-Drop Down to ground,stay on feet, kick feet out behind and make a V,bring right or left leg under, rotate body

6. Arm Wave

These are the links that show how to perform the moves:
http://www.ehow.com/video_2382679_break-dance-warm-up-moves.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2382680_break-dance-top-rock-crossover.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2382681_break-dance-top-rock-crossover.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_2382682_break-dance-floor-kick-out.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_5773137_easy-breakdancing-moves_-ground-freeze.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_5773131_easy-breakdancing-moves_-arm-wave.html

Here is what some of the students accomplished. This a clip of students from Mr. Pyle's and Mrs. Craine 5th grade classes.

K-2 reviewed the Drum Beat. I also taught them the basic Cross Step and Arm wave. I tried to get them to focus on moving to beat of the music. The songs we used were Will Smith's Miami and Gettin' Jiggy With It. Finally, we reviewed/played Jump, Jim, Joe

Dec-Jan Update Week 14 thru 18

Thank you for your patience during these last several weeks. First of all the winter concert went very well. I will post some clips of some of the performances. The students watched their performances and enjoyed them very much. Thank you to all the teachers and students that were able to come. During the rest of December we spent most of our time reviewing concepts and began shutting down for the Christmas Break. My trombone quintet came by on December 15 and the students got to see my colleagues, as well as myself, perform. Christmas break then occured and nothing happened for two weeks.

The first week back in January unfortunately was uneventful. I went to the Florida Music Educators Association state music convention in Tampa. I learned several new things that I am sharing with the students but during that time all my classes were stuck watching a video.

Last week we began a study on Hip-Hop. This is an idea I got at music convention and thought that I would try with 3-5. During the next several weeks we will be looking at:

1. History of the Music. This is a link to what the students have studied so far: Hip-Hop.ppt
2. Pictures of famous rappers and DJs
3. Listening of some music. Music will be non-offensive

Goal for 3-5 at the end of this series is to be able to create own hip-hop song

2nd grade learned how to play drum beats. Drums are basic part of Hip-Hop and other music. Students will learn how to play a basic rock/hip-hop/R&B beat on their leg 1. Use right hand to tap eighth notes on the left knee. This will be the "high-hat"2. Use left hand on left thigh to tap on beats 2 and 4. This will be the "snare drum" 3. Use right foot to tap on beats 1 and 3. This will be bass drum 4. Teach indiviual the parts 5. Try combining two parts, then eventually all three.6. This will take a few weeks of practice to master. I also taught thme the song Jump, Jim, Joe. Focus will be on rests and steady beat. It is also a partner game. I sang entire song for children, asking them to clap with you on each occurence fo the word jump. Then asked them to stand and jump in place on each word jump. Practiced head shaking and nodding, toe tapping, and joining hands with partner and turning. Practiced entire verse one time, then explained how hands will be raised at the end, the partner search will begin and hands cannot come down until a new partner is round.


I also learned about podcasting at convention and I will have one available after this week. Next week we will be learning how to break dance.

Update Soon

Greetings from Tampa! I am currently at the Florida Music Educators Association state convention. Unfortunately, that means music classes from Wednesday-Friday are stuck watching videos. However, I am getting several new ideas that I can't wait to share with the students when I return. I will also update all of the websites when I get back. See you on Monday!