Preschool Music Lesson – April Week 3
I realize that I’m a week behind, but I’m going to teach April week 4’s lesson next week, even though I know it’s going to be May. I wanted to teach the entire month’s lessons and it’s going really well.
Preschool Music Classes
I’ve been working on a preschool curriculum this year, combining what I think are the strengths of John Feirabend’s First Steps, and the curriculums that use instruments more extensively – Lynn Kleiner, Music Together, Kindermusik. My hope is that Musicplay Preschool will be an easy to follow curriculum that will encourage students to enjoy singing, listening, playing instruments, moving, and creating. I’ve spent the past 2 years with the preschool students in my grandsons preschool. The first time I visited, they introduced me as Hunter’s grandma, and so for two years I’ve been Grandma D to 24 three, four and five year olds in the preschool.
Assessment Ideas
Assessment - Rhythm
In Musicplay K-6, many assessment ideas are included. In this newsletter, I’ll highlight some easy ideas for assessment of rhythm reading and writing. Students in elementary school are most often able to read language and literature at a greater difficulty level than they can write. The same is true of rhythm. In assessing students ability to read and write rhythms, include assesment of both the ability to read, and the ability to write or notate a rhythm that they have heard.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
St. Patrick's Day Jig
Game Directions: Have the class form a circle. Choose one child to be a leprechaun. The leprechaun marches around the inside of the circle. At the end of the second phrase the leprechaun stops in front of a child. They join hands and they “jig” - left heel forward, right heel forward, etc. The children in the circle should do a “sailors hornpipe” at the same time (fold arms and jig in place). Now two children march in the inside circle. They choose two more partners and jig again. Continue with four, then eight, until the entire class has had a turn.
Jazz on Recorder
Have your students been busy working on recorder karate belts?
In the Recorder Resource 1, the belt tests that I use are:
White belt Song #8, Hot Cross Buns (theme or variation)
Yellow belt Song #17, Skin and Bones
Blue belt Song #24, Hush Little Baby
Green belt Song #29, Ode to Joy
Black belt Song #35, Jingle Bells
Jazz and Composing
Jazz on Recorder
Have your students been busy working on recorder karate belts? In the Recorder Resource 1, the belt tests that I use are:
White belt Song #8, Hot Cross Buns (theme or variation)
Yellow belt Song #17, Skin and Bones
Blue belt Song #24, Hush Little Baby
Green belt Song #29, Ode to Joy
Black belt Song #35, Jingle Bells
Music Olympics
Celebrate the start of the Sochi Winter Olympics by having a Music Olympics in your classroom! Teach students a folk dance or singing game from one of the countries competing in the Olympics.
Valentine's Day Listening Activity
Valentine's Day Listening Activity - Cinnamon Hearts Listening
Materials Needed:
- tub of cinnamon hearts
Stop and Think!
Is your New Years resolution to have better classroom management?
Get 2014 off to a great start using classroom rules and the Stop and Think tool. If you haven't reviewed your classroom rules since the beginning of the school year, it's time to review them.
Audience Behavior
The holiday season is here, and I hope it's going to be special for everyone! After all the work that goes into putting on a holiday performance, it can be unfortunate when your audience displays inappropriate or rude behavior. I've seen parents walk out as soon as the class their child is in has performed; I've seen a parent yell loudly as her child walked on (and off) the stage, "I LOVE YOU AUSTIN!" I've seen the parent paparazzi run down the aisles surrounding the conductor when their child's class is performing so they can get that perfect picture. We've all had the perfect moment spoiled by a cell phone ringing, and we've a;; had screaming babies. What's needed is audience education. It starts with the children, but their parents (and sometimes our colleagues) need to be taught what is appropriate behavior in a concert.