Spooky Time

I did not get a chance to blog last week because my internet was down here at school, but I'll try my best to fill you in on what has been going on in music class.

At BSLK last week and this week, we have been playing with the egg shakers and singing Halloween songs. We have done the "Spooky Loo," which is a scary version of the "Looby Loo." We also have learned "This is Halloween." In "This is Halloween" we get to be a jumping skeleton, a flying witch, a rolling pumpkin, a scary monster, and trick-or-treaters. We sang and read the book "Five Little Pumpkins." We also did the "Spooky Walk." In the "Spooky Walk" we get to use our imaginations and pretend to walk by patting our hands on our thighs. We get to go through tall grass, swim through a dark river, and visit inside a cave where is cold and slimy. The kiddos also learned a new Kodaly hand sign: do.

At APS last week, we finished up the lesson from the previous week. This week at APS, we are singing a major scale with all of our Kodaly hand signs. We also are reviewing our songs "Blackbird" and "Rockin' Robin." The second graders will be reviewing musical concepts by drawing the correct notation on the dry erase boards. The first graders will be reviewing musical concepts by recognizing them off of the board. The students are also playing the rhythm sticks and remembering rest position and ready position. Then, if time permits, we will be reading "Puff the Magic Dragon."

Dem Bones/Monster Mash

This week at BSLK we sang an exercise using our Kodaly hand signs: so, mi, and la. We sang to Forte, the lion. We went over our Patriotic Songs: "My Country Tis of Thee," "This Land is Your Land," and "Yankee Doodle." Certain classes went over "Your a Grand Ole Flag" and "Three Cheers For The Red, White, And Blue." We then watched a brief video clip of the song "Dem Bones" and then played our rhythm sticks to "Tap Your Sticks." The kiddos are getting really awesome at using Rest Position and Ready Position.

At APS this week and next we are singing a Major Scale with ALL of our Kodaly hand signs. We are then singing to Forte, the lion. We are reviewing music concepts this week by using dry erase boards and markers. I will call out a musical term and the kids will draw it on their board. Then the students will review "Blackbird" and begin to learn "Rockin' Robin." The students will also sing along to "This is Halloween." Then, at the end of the class, we are following along with the book Monster Mash while listening to the song.

What a Wonderful World

What a wonderful world we live in! What a wonderful schools BSLK and APS are! This week at BSLK, the students met a new friend, Forte-the lion. We learned that Forte means: loud. So now, when I say sing Forte, the students know to sing loudly. We also sang our Patriotic songs: "My Country Tis of Thee," "This Land is Your Land," and "Yankee Doodle." Certain classes started learning "Your a Grand Ole Flag" to sing at the November PTO program. The kids favorite part of the lesson was listening to Louis Armstrong sing "What a Wonderful World" and look at the beautiful pictures in the book. The students also played the rhythm sticks to a new song called, "Tap Your Sticks." In this song, the students tap their sticks in the air, on the ground, on their knees, to the left, and to the right, etc.

This week at APS we are still working on musical concepts, rhythm sticks, Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons, and "Blackbird."

RHYTHM STICKS!!!

What a week at BSLK! The kids are doing AWESOME! We are dancing to "Feel the Music Play" and singing our Patriotic Music: "My Country Tis of Thee," "This Land is Your Land," and "Yankee Doodle." Next week we will begin working on "You're a Grand Ole Flag" and "America the Beautiful." The kids are singing beautifully. This week we are continuing to use the rhythm sticks and practice the "rest postion" and "ready position." The students also learned a new Kodaly hand sign, "la." So now, the BSLK kiddos know "so" "mi" and "la." WOW! :)

At APS, the students will be reviewing music concepts such as: treble clef, bass clef, quarter note, etc. We will also be singing to "Elephants Have Wrinkles" and "Blackbird." The APS kids will also be singing to our new friend, Forte-the lion. We will be playing the rhythm sticks to "Tap Your Sticks" and reading and singing Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons.

If your child attends APS, please remember to ask them about Marvelous Musicians. Your child may just be one. :)

Tap Twirl and Twist

This week at BSLK the kids sang to Solfegio, the clown, while using the Kodaly hand signs "so" and "mi." We then sang through "My Country Tis of Thee" and began learning "This Land is Your Land." We read Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons. Even though Pete lost all of the buttons on his shirt he still had his BELLY BUTTON and went right along and sang his song. We then learned about Rhythm Sticks. We talked about "rest position" and "ready position." We then used the rhythm sticks while singing "Tap Twirl and Twist." The students did an amazing job!!!

I will continue with the same lesson plan at APS because I still haven't seen this weeks students. The kids will continue to use all of their Kodaly hand signs, sing to Solfegio, review music notes, and finish learning "Blackbird" by the Beatles.

Makin' Music

What are some different ways we can music? The kids at BSLK know! We can not only use instruments, but also our hands and feet. This week in music the kids watched a brief clip of STOMP: a percussion theatre performance group that uses the body and objects to make music. The students watched the group use their hands, feet, garbage cans, garbage can lids, pipes, and sticks to make music. We discussed that no matter where you are or what resources you have, you can make music. We also danced to "Feel the Music Play," read and sang to Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, and reviewed "My Country Tis of Thee." WE MADE MUSIC!

This week at APS we are continuing to learn "Blackbird" by The Beatles, (or Beetlejuice as the kids sometimes say HA!) We are also singing to Solfegio, the clown, and using all of our Kodaly hand signs. The first graders will also begin to learn about the treble clef (where the girls sing) and the bass clef (where the boys sing.) This week we are starting to choose MARVELOUS MUSICIANS. Marvelous Musicians are students who come to music and do exactly what they are instructed to do. That special person will get to come to the front of the room at the end of class and play the "GOODBYE DRUM" while the students sing the "GOODBYE SONG." The Marvelous Musician will then get a special card to show their teachers, family, and friends. So be looking for your child's Marvelous Musician card.

If You're Happy and You Know It

What a short, but awesome week! Even though I didn't get to see 10 of my music classes because we were out on Monday, we had a fun time at BSLK! We reviewed our Kodaly singing hands "so" and "mi." We also sang to Solfegio, the clown, and danced to the Hip Hop Tooty Ta. We reviewed the song "My Country Tis of Thee" and began learning "You're a Grand Old Flag." We also practiced some echo rhythms using body percussion. But the kids absolutely loved "If You're Happy and You Know It." Now, keep in mind, we aren't talking about the regular song. This one is a spiced up version of "If You're Happy and You Know It." We got to chomp our teeth like the crocodile, wag our tail like the dog, giggle like the hyena, pound our chest like the gorilla, plus many more.

At APS, I'm finishing up today seeing all the kiddos. I have over 1300 students here and because I'm only here 2 1/2 days out of the week I only get to see the students every other week. I am proud to say my 2nd grade kids remembered the Music Staff (5 lines, 4 spaces) quarter note (1 beat) eighth note (1/2 beat) half note (2 beats) and whole note (4 beats.) They also remembered the treble clef, bass clef, and the repeat sign. WOW! I was super impressed. I also talked to the students about the tuning fork and how it tells us what note to sing.

It's been a great week!