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Thursday, January 3, 2019

Tuesday Book Club- Rock What Ya Got!




So, I spend far too much money buying books that people recommend on Twitter (follow me @emilychurch86) but I am SO EXCITED about this one.

Get the Book HERE

Rock What Ya Got was written by Samantha Berger and illustrated by Kerascoët. 
Basically, an artist draws a picture of a girl, Viva, but doesn't quite like it.  However, before she can erase the picture, Viva comes to life and asks the Artist if she can just "Rock What She's Got" instead of being changed.  

This book has a wonderful message to embrace our individuality and 'Rock What We Got' and Viva speaks very rhythmically.  

To bring in the new year, I am reading this book in grades 2-4 and we are going to create a rondo using the following chant from the book for the A section, with an added orffestration by me. 

             Rock what ya got and Rock It a lot
             Don't let anyone say what you're not!
             Find what is yours, and carve out your spot
             Take it and own it and rock it- a lot!

Tambourine: Rock It! (on micro beats 1 and 2 in a bar of 6/8)
Hand Drum: Rock, Rock, Rock what ya got (in 6/8 |.   |.  |||  |. )
Glockenspiels: Play improvised pentatonic hands-together chord at end of each line
Alto Xylo: Play improvised pentatonic hands-together chord on each ROCK
Bass Xylo: Macro beat open 5th bordun

When teaching the poem, before transferring to instruments, I have been having students clap on rock, and snap on the last word of the phrases. The hand drum is pats, and the tambourine is stomps.  The first class that we do this lesson, I just teach the Glocks and AX while I play the bass.  The 2nd lesson we add in the Hand Drum and Tambourine.

See pictures for basic notation to help you out. My abbreviations for some reason didn't show up when I downloaded my song, but instruments are in the same order as listed above, with the vocal line on top.


The other sections of our Rondos will be chants students make about about what they hope to ROCK in 2019. They will each have 16 beats (but can choose to do 8 beats repeated).  Examples might be:

Multiplication is what I will rock
7s, 8s, and 9s, I won't stop
I'll learn all my facts and teach them to others
Maybe I'll teach something new to my mother!

I will rock music in the new year
I will sing, I will dance, I will play without fear
Learning, composing, and leading too
I will rock music- what about you?

Basketball is where it is at
Free throws, jump shots, and 3's- just like that! :||

As usual, students will be able to choose to work in a small group OR individually.  As briefly mentioned, in my class, this whole process will take 2 lessons (30 min each) but if my classes were longer, it could be done in one.  I think this will be a super fun way to get students lifting each other up and making music right away in the new year!




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