Spooky Ta's and TiTi's

I use this worksheet with my 1^st graders.  Before I give it to them, we have already practice all the words below using pictures I drew on white paper plates (sturdy and fun to move around to create new patterns).

This is an independent activity.  However, as a class, we go over the instructions and we practice saying and clapping the top row of pictures.

Then we cut out all the pictures.  The students place them in correct rhythm box.  Then we glue.

During the next class, after I’ve graded their papers, we go over where each picture belongs.  Then, using the plates, we create four beat patterns to say, clap and say, and play on rhythm sticks.  First we say, clap and say, and play the correct words, then we substitute “ta” or “titi”.  The students are invited to share their own four beat pattern for the class to use.

After practicing with that, we dictate the rhythms of the plates using Popsicle sticks.

Have fun!  Download for free here: Spooky Rhythms

Note:

(Quarter Note pictures: ghost, bat, grave, treat, witch)

(Eighth Note Pair pictures: mummy, black cat, pumpkin, scarecrow, spider)

Turkey, Turkey

I'm already starting to think about Thanksgiving...maybe it is just because I'm hungry!

Anyway, I re-did the words to that good old tune "Pumpkin, Pumpkin" and fit them for Thanksgiving.  This should be great for my 2nd graders because we will have been practicing "La" and preparing for "Do" (See, I'm so Kodaly, haha).  They already know "Pumpkin, Pumpkin", so I can't wait for them to make the connection.  This is also a great rhythm review of "tikatika".

There's a game and of course, an ostinato to go with it.  There's a cute little turkey hat at Micheal's right now - we use that.
 
I also stuck lots of great vocabulary stuff in there (I LOVE having a Word Wall...what a DORK I was teaching without one!) such as: pitch, melody, solfege, rhythm, staff, measure, barline, double barline and time signature.

 I also created a worksheet.  I don't know how you feel about worksheets, but as long as they can be manipulated (put things on top of them, cut and paste stuff from them, etc) I love them.  My students seem to enjoy them also, especially if they can be sent home or hung outside the classroom on my "All-Star Work" bulletin board..  I've even had a student declare, "I love music, because we get to learn something, and then we actually get to do something with it."  Cute, huh?



Have fun!  You can download everything here (and the worksheet is free!):  Turkey, Turkey

"Leaves" - 3 mini-lessons for K-2

Happy Autumn everyone!  Isn't this season great?!

We are finally getting some colder weather where I live...so, feeling inspired, I wrote this original song.

I use the song and movements with my kindergarteners.  There are many "leaf" songs out there to use with this.

For my first graders, I use three mini-lessons.  I really like these because they connect so many concepts together (pitch, melody, melodic direction, high/low and ta/titi).  The students use instruments, improvise sung melodies, and even create their own cute composition (see below).

Students love to take compositions home to sing with family members.  What a cool, festive creation to hang on the fridge!

"Can you sing my fall song? " Composition

You can download the song, lessons, worksheets, and rhythm cards here: Leaves

Corny Melodies

Candy corn - it's inexpensive and, well, somewhat durable.  Perfect to use for a music activity!

I printed out this, Corny Melodies Staff, for each student (I guess you could also laminate it or put it in a page protector - might be a bit germy).

It works for any grade!

First: So and Mi melodies (or La too if you're there)
Second: So, Mi, La melodies
Third: Do-Re-Mi Melodies
Fourth and Fifth: Do Pentatonic Melodies or spelling 3-5 letter words on the music staff

The kids can eat their candy when finished! Yum!

Pitch Potion - A Do-Re-Mi Dictation Halloween Game

Here's another Halloween Game!

For this one, students take turns drawing cards for their team.  On the card is a four note (quarter notes) Do-Re-Mi pattern.  The student then uses quarter note cards to create the pattern on the floor staff.

They get to draw the cards out of my witch's hat.  The wining team gets a Halloween pencil (from Target of course).

You can download the game and complete instructions here: Pitch Potion

Mrs. White Rhythm Activity

So, I got into trouble at Target again.  They have a package of 60 small ghost erasers for $1 and 75 larger ghost erasers for $3.

I created this rhythm sheet,  Mrs. White Ghostly Rhythm Sheet, to go along with the poem:

Mrs. White had a fright
In the middle of the night
Saw a ghost, eating toast
Halfway up the lamp post

I've included WAY MORE instructions on the link to TPT (the download is free and in color).  I use this activity with Kinder and First Grade.  In first grade, we use the erasers to place on-top of the ghost pictures.  We also use them to create four-beat ostinati on the back.

Spooky Music Unit

Of course I can't just relax and enjoy my Columbus Day off...

 Instead, I created a Spooky Music Listening Unit! You can download it here: Spooky Music Unit

Here is the basic information:

Target Grades: 4-6
Curricular Connections: Writing, Observations
Pieces Studied: "Dies Irae" (Verdi), "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (Grieg), "Imperial March" (Williams), "Night on Bald Mountain" (Mussorgsky) and "O Fortuna" (Orff) 
Included: Biographies of all 5 composers, Information about 3 of the piece, 5 complete lessons, and 5 activity sheets for students, I also included instructions for GLOWSTICK CONDUCTING - a yearly favorite with my students.

The unit follows five basic activities:
1. Pre-Writing Activty (What do they know?)
2. Discussion Generation Activity (Fun activity to introduce using musical terms)
3. Learning Activity (fun activity for learning how to use the musical terms)
4. Practice Activity (practice including musical terms in writing - address composer purpose/inspiration)
5. Assessment - (Now, what do we know?)

Here are some pictures of two of the sheets included in the packet.