Home on the Range

Our 1st and 2nd graders are working on learning "Home on the Range" for Grandparents' Day.  I am amazed by how much they love this song!  They enjoy learning a song that their parents and grandparents know.  We also have been talking about meter--how the beat is grouped.  We usually hear music in meters of 2, 3, or 4. This song is in a meter of 3.  So, as we learned the song, we also learned to keep the beat to the meter of 3.  We felt the STRONG-weak-weak beat while using body percussion.  Here's a 1st grade class on their first day on this song!

Nuts and Bolts

We are about a month away from our Elementary Grandparents' Day program.  Again, this year's theme is "American Folk Songs."  In classes, we are busy learning the songs to sing, as well as the instrument parts that accompany theme.  Most grade levels are also learning a traditional folk dance.  The students are working hard to learn all the "nuts and bolts" of our songs.  They are learning how all the parts fit together to make a whole.  Here are a few pictures of the xylophones in action!

American Folksongs

Our Grandparents' Day Music Program is coming at the end of March 2014.  This year's theme is one I am very excited about--Traditional American Folksongs.  This music encompass many styles, genres, decades, geographical locations, and historical events of our country.  The students will be learning music that has been passed down from generation to generation. Think of these as "songs everyone should know."  

Second-grade students have been hard at work learning the song and dance to "Alabama Gal."  We've talked about how a long time ago, kids didn't have computers, video games, or TV to entertain themselves.  They had to create and invent their own fun!  This song is from the Play Party tradition; kids would get together, sing, and do choreographed dances to the songs.  I think the kids have really enjoyed learning this one!

Partners sashay down the alley

Music Detectives

In 2nd grade this week the students figured out the rhythm and pitches to an old favorite, "Lucy Locket."  First, we figured out the rhythms of the song. We used rhythm sticks on the carpet to show the rhythm. Then, we figured out the pitches using Solfege--so, mi, and la.  We then transferred those pitches to the Boomwhackers and sang the Solfege names. You'll see this in the first video below. Then, we finally added in the words of "Lucy Locket."  In the second video you'll see the completed version.  As a reward for their detective skills, the students got to play a fun passing game while singing the song!  

Using Solfege (So, La, and Mi) to sing the song with the rhythms we notated on the carpet.

Finally!  We get to put the words back in to the song after all our "detective" work. 

4th Grade Recorders--New Songs Added!

The 4th graders have really impressed me with their recorder skills this year!  I just posted the next belt levels.  Remember, these songs and all the belt levels are posted under the "Recorder Resources" tab.  I can't wait to debut the Black Belt and a few "challenge" belts--be on the look out for those in the next few weeks!

Blue Belt

What note does this song start on??

Purple Belt

What is the first note?  

Video Uploading Tutorial for Teacher In-Service

• Make a Video
• I use my iPhone or my iPad.  You can use your tablet, but I find it easier to hold a smaller device.
• Email to yourself and save to your computer (H drive.)
• Sign in to YouTube 
• If you have Blogger and/or Gmail, this is the same account info.
• Click "Upload"
• Select Video from where you saved it on your computer.
• After it's processed, copy the URL provided to the video.
• You can alter the security settings on your Video Manager page.
• In your blog post, click on the Production Board Icon in the tool bar.
• Select "My YouTube Videos" and select the one you want.


• Or, you make a hyperlink to the video's page. (You can do this with any video or page you'd like to link to anywhere on the internet, also.) 

• You can click on the Production Board and simply add a video from your computer.
•  I find the video quality is never as good as linking to YouTube, and I oftentimes run into errors uploading.  
• Sometimes the videos I upload are not able to be viewed by others on the blog.  
• Right now, there is not a way to upload videos to the blog direct from the App.  

What is Orff-Schulwerk?

I know many of you have heard that I teach from an "Orff-based approach."  German composer, Carl Orff developed this approach to music education.  I like to think of it as a whole mind and whole body way to learn music.  The American Orff Schuwelrk Association (AOSA) recently produced some videos that are glimpses into the Orff process.  The first video is about 2 minutes long, and is a final performance of an Orff creation.  The second video is a 7 minute look at the classroom instruction behind the performance, as well as teacher commentary.  I think these are very well done, and a great visual of what we "DO" as Orff teachers.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ZIUWyOLOs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIg57hqBYqY