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Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Tuesday Book Club - I Promise by Lebron James


Have you seen this amazing book by Lebron James yet? Yes- That Lebron James. This book is beautifully illustrated by Nina Mata. Click the book to get it from Amazon. 


This is a wonderful rhyming book full of promises students can make to themselves to be their best! It is the perfect lesson after returning in the new year! 

 Promises include: 

I promise to use my voice and stand up for what's right. And when things get tough, to keep up the fight. 

I promise to be me. 

I promise to ask for help whenever I need it. 


My students this year got to read the book and then create their own I Promise Rondo! The A section of the Rondo was created by me, and then each class made a few of their own Promise Chants for the other sections.  After the chants were created, we went to chrome music lab and added melodies.  They were a little tough to sing, but the kids LOVED creating a full song with a melody, a drum beat, and words. We ended up with a really cool video! We just used body percussion this year, but instruments could easily be used in all sections when social distancing and sanitizing after each touch is no longer required. 

Student Promise Chants Include: (Click the link to get to the Chrome Music Lab Melodies) 

I promise to treat others how I want to be treated. Respect my school, listen carefully, never give up



I promise to be nice, kind fair and honest, to be brave. I promise to not lie


I promise to listen and be a good citizen, I promise to keep trying, to fight for whats right. 


I promise to be nice, I promise to be kind, I promise to not be mean. 


Here is notation for the A section! 








Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Tuesday Book Club- The Mitten by Jan Brett




One of my favorite books to use in the Winter, especially with K and 1 is The Mitten.  A Ukrainian Folktale adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett.  (Click the picture to get the book!) Students love seeing the mitten grow as more animals join in. 


Much of my lesson was adapted from this blog: High Shoals Music Blog. She also has an adorable Orff Instrument component that I haven't done- but need to, so be sure to check it out! 

After the first reading, we assign a rhythm to each animal using descriptive words in the book. These usually end up being similar, and I have a "deck" of common phrases kids come up with, using both stick notation and iconic notation.   Sometimes kids come up with silly things, and that is totally fine with me. We write all of our patterns on the board and then can refer for the rest of the lesson. Common phrases are below- all 2 beats long.

Tired Mole 
Snowshoe Rabbit or Hopping Rabbit
Snuffling Hedgehog or Prickly Hedgehog 
Big Owl or Swooping Owl
Digging Badger 
Trotting Fox 
Great Bear 
Meadow Mouse or Tiny Mouse 


White Mitten or Snow White Mitten 
Grandma Baba
Nicki 


Many of my patterns end up being the same rhythm, but usually we are either still prepping quarter and beamed eighths, or have JUST learned them, so I don't mind the kids having practice hearing rhythms with different words. 

Depending on the class, we may read the story again and have each student choose an animal to be, and an instrument to play their pattern on (in non-covid times of course- this year no instruments).  While reading, we chain the patterns together so when the Mole comes, just the mole kids play, but when the Fox comes many pages later, we hear the mole, rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger AND fox in turn as their animal names are stated in the story.  On the sneeze we ALL get to play random for 3 seconds.  If I want more individual assessment, we may have students "act out" the story so each animal is only one student.  Then I can hear them play their own pattern and assess steady beat, rhythm and more quickly while having fun! 

Finally, kids then get to make up their own 8 beat patterns using decks of animal cards with the patterns.  If we are still preparing quarter and eighth, I use my iconic notation decks, but if we are practicing we use the stick notation decks. Get the decks HERE.  They are not super fancy, but they are what I use (Examples below)! While the mittens, Baba, and Nicki cards are not used while reading, they are included in the decks for students to create their own patterns. I always have blank cards ready so students can add their own if they come up with something awesome earlier in the lesson (just paper cut to the same size as my laminated cards)! 





After a few minutes to organize their 8 beat patterns (4 cards) students get a chance to share their creations. They read their patterns with both animal words, and rhythm words (ta, ta-di; long, short-short, etc.) This is another great quick assessment! Sometimes we share in a rondo form using the Mitten Song in the blog post mentioned above.  I also love using the 2nd verse of "Snowpants" from Music K-8 (which is about mittens of course). 

Do you use this wonderful book? Let me know how in the comments! 









 

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

21 things in 21

 Hello! We made it to 2021! 


Quick post to share 21 things I want to do in 2021! I was listening to the Music Teacher Coffee Talk podcast last night where they went through their 20 in 2020 lists laughing and reflecting on this past crazy year.  I thought it sounded like a fun idea, so here goes! This list is personal and professional things.  


1. Get off the phone and with family! Be intentional about one on one kid time. 

2. Make up more prop routines/ body percussion videos to popular songs (one a month at least!) 

3. Sew more (esp quilting!) 

4. Read 60 books (I did it this year, but quarantine definitely helped so I am keeping the same goal for next year). 

5. Explore Columbus Parks with family 

6. Take a drumming course 

7. Get better at Ukulele 

8. Write more postcards to students 

9. Organize recorder materials 

10. Keep Exercising (go for 5 nights a week!) 

11. SING! Hopefully in a performance or musical (thanks, covid) 

12. Present at a music or district conference or workshop/ chapter share 

13. Blog more! 

14. Sleep! Prioritize sleep more and go to bed earlier 

15. Be intentional about breakfast

16. Try more new recipes

17. Keep a Gratitude Journal - write one quick thing each day that I am grateful for

18. Plan at least two programs based on Children's Books (songs and routines!) 

19. Organize Craft Corner in Basement 

20. Organize teaching manipulatives 

21. Go somewhere new (I'm hoping by summer or fall travelling mask-less will be an option again!)