Lost Pockets, Howling Wolves, and Review Galore!

2nd Grade

In 2nd grade last week, we reviewed three pitches from Music Street--Sol, La, and Mi.  These three pitches (or musical sounds) make up a bunch of songs.  We learned the song "Lucy Lockett Lost Her Pocket," which has a fun guessing game that we play while we sing the song.  We also added in a simple instrument part on the bass Orff instruments to review our technique.  Singing games like "Lucy Lockett"  really help to reinforce the concepts we're learning.  Plus, they are fun! 

Here is a video of a 2nd grade class in action:

Waiting to start the pocket-passing!

All set to play the bass Orff instruments while the class sings

3rd Grade

We also reviewed the pitches Sol, La, and MI in 3rd grade last week.  Plus, we reviewed basic quarter note and eighth note rhythms.  We learned the song "We Are Dancing in the Forest" and the students figured out ALL the rhythms and pitches in the song.  Then, we added some Orff instrument parts for review.  On the Orff instruments, we use the 3 B--Bicycles, Bounce, and Belly Buttons.  We hold the mallets like we're holding bicycle handle bars and we bounce off the middle, or "belly button," of the bar. We also used the the big low drum to help get in the feel of a wolf prowling around.

The song "We Are Dancing" has the children playing in the forest, wondering whether or not the wolf is around.  At the end of their singing, they ask "Wolf, are you there?"  Then, the wolf (in the center of the circle) gets to either howl as yes or give a creative reason why he or she is not there.  It was quite a lot of fun!  I will say, some classes were more eager to howl than others :)  

Here are videos of two classes with instrument part, the singing, and the game in progress. 

And here are some candid shots of the 3rd grade classes!