Tinikling

Here for Thursday is another multi-cultural post.  My review post will be up tomorrow, check it out for a post on Mallet Madness and how I use it in my TINY music room (though I can't complain because at least I have a room). 


Today's post is on tinikling.  This is a dance from the Phillippines.  The dance is done in groups of 4- two tapping the bamboo poles and two jumping in various patterns.  I love this dance. It is one of he only things I remember from my Elementary Music class and is one my students always ask to bring back.  I am hoping to collaborate with the gym teacher this year so we can spend more time, and more importantly have more space to try it out.  I always teach it initially in 4th grade and then bring it back in 5th and 6th.

See a great video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD0PBgWI0vc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Before I get to the dance itself, let me give you a bit of background.  The dance originated in the Visayan Islands on the Island of Leyte. There are two stories of how the dance originated.  One is that the dancers are imitating the tikling bird (heron) which hops fom tree branch to tree branch very gracefully and can dodge bamboo traps set by farmers.  The other is not so happy.  It is said that when the Spanish over took the Phillippines (between 1500 and 1898) and  sent the Filipino people to the haciendas and forced them to work in the fields and paddies, they would punish them for not working fast enough.  This punishment would consist of the workers standing between two bamboo poles cut from the grove. Sometimes these poles would still have thorns sticking out from the sections.  These poles would be clapped together to beat the workers feet.  By jumping when the poles were apart, the natives could escape some of the punishment.  By practicing the jumping to escape punishment, the dance formed into what it is today- the national dance of the Phillippines.  

I have seen the dance done with both 3/4 music and 4/4.  Most resources you see list the steps in 4/4 patterns, but the videos use 3/4.  Traditionally the dance is done in 3/4 but many groups have expanded to 4/4 because it is easier for beginners and there is more 4/4 music.  I do it in 3/4 because it is always good to work in a triple meter. 

There are 3 basic types of steps.  Singles, doubles, and hops.  Singles and hops have one foot touching the floor at a time, and doubles has two.  

For the dance, you need two poles per group set up parallel to each other as well as stands to prop the poles up about 1.5 inches from the floor.  There is one tapper at each end and they click the poles together once, then tap them about 1 foot apart on the stands twice. The jumpers then do thir steps in the basic pattern of: out, in, in.  Singles are one foot at a time and can be done staying on one side of the poles or traveling across them. Doubles are one hop with feet straddling the poles, then two inside.  Hops are just a fancy variation of singles.  Any of the steps can then be altered slightly with turns or partner work to make them more visually interesting.  Check out this website for more info on different variations for the steps: http://people.bethel.edu/~shenkel/PhysicalActivities/Rhythms/Tinikling/TinikleIdeas.html

I just got my poles and stands from amazon.  They are real bamboo.  The also now have fabric bands and plastic poles, but using the real bamboo makes it more authentic to me.

Going to the Zoo by Tom Paxton and illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt

Going to the Zoo is a fun little book for younger grades.  It has the sheet music printed in front and back, but no cd :(  I love to sing this song because there are so many verses and the chorus is fun- the kids always end up singing along.  The illustrations in this book are VERY cute- the children and the animals look like they are having tons of fun. In the book you travel to the Zoo with two very excited children and their dad. They keep the Zoo Keeper busy as they pass animals like Elephants, Lions, Bears, Monkeys, Kangaroos, and more.

 I almost always pair this with Carnival of the Animals- Elephant.  The elephant is the first animal mentioned in the story and has his "long trunk swingin'".  After the story, students get to listen to the Carnival song twice, the first deciding HOW to move and the second they get to move around the room, ending back in their seats- of course with their long arm trunks swingin. :)


Other zoo/ animal books I like:
Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Eric Carl
Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andrea and David Wojtowycz
Rumble In the Jungle by Giles Andrea and David Wojtowycz
Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andrea and David Wojtowycz
Dancing Feet by Lindsey Craig and Illustrated by Marc Brown
Down by the Station by Will Hillenbrand

Order the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Going-Zoo-Tom-Paxton/dp/0688138004

3 Favorite Low So songs

I know it doesn't have low so, but in honor of the Super Bowl- can you figure out this little melody?
l,___ d r m_ d____ f____ m r d t, r t,  l, l, l,     l, l, l,

Ok, now to the real post :) Since I began teaching, the lower grades plans have come easier.  I knew more songs for the beginning concepts and had more ideas.  Since I took my Kodaly Levels, I have gotten many more ideas for some upper grade literature and it has helped me be much more successful teaching grades 4-6.  Here are 3 of my favorite Low So songs.  I chose 1 that has a great game, one with a simple folk dance, and one with a partner song/ orffestration.  They each use low so in a different way which is good as well.




Our Old Sow (d-s):  This is definitely a crowd favorite that I learned during a Level 1/2 folk dance day at Capital U.'s Summer Kodaly Levels Program.  The students first learn the song by reading solfa notation off of the board (usually it is just solfa, because there is a dotted quarter note- eighth note pattern in this song.)  After the song is learned we do some "Music Remote" Games (Dropbox Remote Smart File).  Students switch back and forth between solfa and words at the sound of a drum, or visually when I switch the arrow to the other "channel". (I use the remote A LOT- it can be used for solfegge, words, inner hearing, AND rhythms. Sometimes just two categories, sometimes three, and if my students are really up for a challenge, all four.) This preps them for reacting to the drum beat for the game.

Game: Students stand in even lines and connect arms with the people next to them to make a "fence".  One student is chosen to be the farmer, and one the pig.  At the sound of the drum the "fence" switches directions (the students now connect with those in front of/ behind them).  The farmer chases the pig through the maze, not allowed to go through arms and break the fence. If the pig is caught within 3 times through the song, the farmer wins- if not, the pig wins.  After the students know the game well, we bring back the switching from Words to Solfa on the drum beat as well.  When the students are facing the front of the room, the sing words, and when they face the window, they sing solfegge.


(I bring this song back later to teach dotted quarter note and we review the game, this time switching from words to rhythm on the drum beat)


Alabama Gal (d-l-s): Alabama Gal is one of the first Folk Dances I teach. This is definitely a sight-readable song.  It has ti-ta-ti patterns in it, but typically I am teaching low so and ti-ta-ti at the same time so it works out.

Dance: Students start in two lines (traditionally one is boys and one is girls, but I almost never have an even number of boys and girls so I have them choose a partner to stand across from).   For line one, the head couple sashays down the set and back with hands connected.  Phrase two, all couples do-si-do.  Phrases three and four are what I can "Peeling the Banana".  The head couple leads the lines around on the outside, making a bridge for all to walk under.  The students are to connect hands as they go under the bridge.  At the end, the old head couple would be the Last couple, and the previously 2nd couple is now first.   Sometimes I teach this with Alabama Gal Won't You Come Out Tonight and use the latter as a transition song.  I use a recording from Chimes of Dunkirk sometimes, and others I have the students sing.


Early Morn (s-l-d):  This is a song I got from a teacher here in my district- Thanks Tracey!- and I love it!  It has so many instrument parts AND 3 melodies that fit together to make a really cool presentation piece. Only melodies 1+ 3 use low so, but I bring this back later for fa in melody 2 and the dotted quarter-eighth note pattern in melody 3.  The students love choosing to play certain instruments, and successfully doing ALL PARTS together.  Unfortunately, when Tracey gave it to me, it did not come with a source.  If I ever figure out where this Orffestration came from, I will let you know!

I am now pinning each post to a new board on my pinterest page- follow it! It is called Music Ed Blog Posts.  http://pinterest.com/emilyjencson/music-ed-blog-posts/

Multi-cultural Fun- Trip to Japan

Hey Look! ----------> there is now a PIN IT button on the sidebar! If you see something you like, pin away!

Every Year my fourth graders do a multi-cultural performance and showcase dances and instruments from around the world.  On Thursdays I hope to feature some of the activities we use.  All of the activities are used to teach either a rhythmic or melodic concept as well as connect my students to music from across the globe.  They are not always initially taught in fourth grade, but sometimes earlier and then brought back for other concepts.

The two examples today are usually taught in 3rd grade when we are working on ti-tika and then the song, Oki Na Taiko, is brought back in fourth for low so.  I bring back the chant just for fun as a random rhythm in fourth when we are doing Taiko drumming at the same time.

Oki Na Taiko is a song I use to teach ti-tika as well as low so.  After the song is taught, we do a rondo with different taiko drum patterns I have gotten from various sources over the years.  We watch a video of taiko drumming on YOUTUBE and look at the technique. The video linked here is a Japanese 6th grade class drumming. We then use 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot and rhythm sticks to drum.  I hope to soon make stands and make the drums look and feel a little more authentic.  The kids LOVE drumming, but you have to make sure only 5-7 people are drumming at a time if your room is anywhere near other classrooms because it gets LOUD.  I tend to do: A is drumming, B is Singing in Japanese, C is Singing in English, and D is singing in solfegge.  I have four rows in my room so it works perfectly with the rondo format so everyone gets a chance to drum.



Omotchio is a chant I got this summer from fellow Kodaly Graduate Jaime- Thanks! The chant imitates the process of making Mochi. Mochi is a type of sweet rice paste that is made by pounding the dough with large hammers and then kneading it.  Check out this Mochi Making video to see some really fast mochi making.  Be sure to watch until the end!

The hand clap game imitates the motions seen in the video, and the translation describes the dough making process.  This is a very fun, yet complicated, hand clapping game that the students seem to really enjoy.  It also looks really impressive when done in a program!  I taught this in fourth grade today and one of my Japanese students was very exited to help demonstrate because he has done the game in Japanese school before.   Very Cool! (He also affirmed that I was pronouncing the words correctly, which was good (-: )

Here is the game:  Children are in partners

One Child claps the beat vertically the whole time
Child B follows these actions:
Phrase 1: Claps the beat alternating below and above A's hands.
Phrase 2: Claps "Pet" below A's hands, "tan" between A's hands, then "ko" below A's hands.
Phrase 3: B begins with hands together.  The right hand makes a circular mvmnt btwn A's hands on "Konete"
Phrase 4: B follows this pattern with A's hands- below, between, above.  above, between, below.  below, between, above, between, below, between, above.

Valentines Day Activities!

Here are a few activities I do for Valentines Day every year.
The 5th and 6th grade lesson is a 3 part lesson, the others I can squeeze in one class, or expand.

5th and 6th Grade Valentines Day!   Writing a Valentines Day Song :)

Lesson 1:  I have 6 Valentines day rhythms on the board.  Sayings like Be My Valentine, Box of Chocolates, and Here's a Dozen Roses For You! Each is put to a rhythm that is four beats long. Check out the dropbox link to get the rest and the rhythms I use.

Students sing "I Got a Letter" and make their 4 bar phrases an interlude to make a rondo.  They write their four bars on a worksheet and I save it for the next week.

Lesson 2:  Student get out their worksheets again, and this time, I give them the chord progression (we are learning about I, IV, and V chords now) and they add solfegge to each measure.
My Chord Progression is: I IV V I but you could do whatever you want.  We sight read a few as a class, still in rondo form with "I Got a Letter"

Lesson 3:  Student convert their songs to the staff.  (This could also be for homework... if you give homework).  Finally we project a few and read them from the board.  I have a document camera that works great for this.   :)



1st and 2nd Valentines Day! Quarter Notes and Eighth Notes

The First and second graders sing "I Hope!" from Game Plan-Grade 1 and one student walks around with an envelope full of Valentines day words.  There are words like "Chocolate, Valentine, Candy Hearts, Be mine, etc"    If a student is tapped on the last beat of the song, they get to pull a word out of the envelope and decide which rhythm it matches.    

I  have a big chart in the middle of the floor where they can place their word.   There are at least two words for each rhythm.  Depending on where 2nd grade is, I add more rhythms to practice quarter rest patterns as well.  Click here for a worksheet your students can do with this activity. 

These activities can definitely be altered for other grades as well.  Feel free to add your own phrases, and change the lessons up a bit :)  All of the Valentines Day words and the worksheet are in the same dropbox file:  

Enjoy and Happy February! 

Don't Laugh At Me- Sung by Peter Yarrow

Ok. My plan for the blog is to really expand and do themed posts on certain days.  Monday will be and idea from my classroom based on an American folk song, Tuesday a story book, Wednesday a product review, and Thursday a multi-cultural song or idea.  At least one post a week will have a pop song written in solfa to guess or use in your classroom :)

This week, because I just thought of this idea yesterday, I switched the product and the Story Book. Check out yesterdays post about beat blocks.  I will try to post Friday about a Folk Song, to make up for Monday.

The story book I chose for this week is "Don't Laugh At Me" Sung by Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame).  He also did a forward.  The book is by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin.  The ISBN is 978-1-58246-058-1.   The book comes with a 2 track CD- one with Peter Yarrow singing, and one that is just instrumental for you or your kids to sing along with.   I love books that you can SING with your class, and ones that they can go home and find on Youtube or Amazon.  Take a look at this youtube video of Peter Yarrow singing.

This is a GREAT anti-bullying book.  It talks about how people may look or feel different but that we are all special for being good at different things.  This book has made some adult aids in my room cry at times.  The kids are ALWAYS really responsive to it.  One First Grader even told me "In the yearbook last year I saw that you had pink hair in a picture and I didn't laugh at you, even though it was different" :) That was for Pink Ribbon Day in October.

Anti-bullying has been a theme this year at our school during what we call Wilson Way Days.  These are days where we meet as cross-grade level groups and have a lesson, and then split up in the afternoon for SPARKS activities (the kids get to choose a community-member led activity that interests them such as duct-tape crafts, science experiments, or a foreign language.)   This book fit in great the weeks leading up to and after our 1st Wilson Way Day in December and I showed it to every grade 1-6.

The song is such a powerful lesson for kids.  :) Check it out!

Lego rhythms

I'm back! Holiday shows and musical casting happened, but I am going to be posting at least once a week. OMEA is next week so I am hoping to post a lot with ideas from workshops.  My goal is also to start to get theme posts going as well. 3 posts some weeks: the 1st an idea from my classroom (game, Smartboard file, song); the 2nd a product review (books, manipulatives, instruments) and the 3rd a storybook review. There may also be a pop song challenge at the bottom of some posts written in solfegge so see if you can figure it out! I give these to kids, sometimes as just solfegge, sometimes with rhythms, or sometimes from hand signs. They love it!

On pinterest a few weeks ago I found a Lego rhythms smart board file where students wrote rhythms using animated Lego blocks.

 I got to thinking, why can't we use real Legos? Low and behold, a few days later I found this etsy site:  Beat blocks   She uses baby Legos and modge-podges rhythms onto the front. Kids can then stack the lines of songs and know if all their phrases are the right length etc. 1 bump on top of the block is one beat, two humps is two, etc.  Sets are $20 each or you can buy a template and modge-podge yourself. I can't wait to get mine and try them out. If the kids love the Smartboard version, they have got to love the real thing.

**Update- she has also added Diatonic note and solfege blocks to build songs based on their melody.  :)

Note: this post is NOT sponsored. I just think this product is super cool so I am featuring it :)



Pop song challenge: l s m r m s m      l s m r       l s m r m s m      m r r d d

Hint: it's part of a song by an American Idol.