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!