Star Rhythm Readers

I've got "goal-setting" and "data tracking" on the brain.  Lots of Leader in Me ideas floating around (big update on that coming soon).

I posted earlier about ways I intend to track student progress with my older kiddos.  I created this activity for my younger ones.  I haven't tried this one out yet - we'll see how it goes ;)

I want the kiddos to be "Star Rhythm Readers".  I've seen a lot of sight-word activities where the students mark each word they know (have read for the teacher) with an X.  I decided to adapt that idea for the music room.

Here's an example of a Star Rhythm Reader practice sheet. 

Level 2 Example

There are three levels:
Level 1 - quarter note and eighth note pair
Level 2 - quarter note, quarter rest, eighth note pair
Level 3 - half note, quarter note, eighth note pair

I decided to add to the challenge by creating mini-levels:
Mini-level 1 - Chant rhythms - Students will chant the rhythms on syllables.
Mini-level 2 - Chant and clap rhythms - Students will chant the rhythms on syllables while clapping.
Mini-level 3 - Clap rhythms - Students will clap the rhythms without chanting the syllables.
Mini-level 4 - Chant and play rhythms - Students will chant the rhythms on syllables while playing on an instrument.
Mini-level 5 - Play rhythms - Students will play the rhythms on an instrument.

Students will set a goal by choosing a color to write their name on the paper (for example, writing your name in purple signifies that you want to get all the way to level 5).




 Instructions for teachers are included:

I've also included a Student Achievement Tracking sheet.  Next to the student's name, I'll color in each level they complete (red to purple).  Here's a cute certificate to send home:

I also intend to send a copy of the rhythms home for extra practice.  When a student completes the entire level, they will earn their picture on a special bulletin board and their name on the announcements.  I'll be on the look-out for some sort of star sticker or token also (have you seen any?)

You can find this activity at my TPT store: Star Rhythm Reader.  All pages are in Word so you may edit them (change patterns if you'd like).  They are also included in PDF format.

Music Data Notebooks/Leader in Me

UPDATE: I am unable to share any of my 7 Habits resources.  I have left this page up for inspirational purposes (hehe) only.  Best of luck to all of you on the Leader in Me Journey!

My school will be using the 7 Habits this year.  If you haven't heard about the 7 Habits/Leader in Me, let me refer you to their website (you'll find all the information there): Leader in Me

The 7 Habits are:

One way to empower students to get involved in their own learning and set learning goals is to use "Data Notebooks".  In these notebooks, students set goals and graph data from assessment scores.  These notebooks are described in the book, "The Leader in Me" and most 7 Habits schools use them.

One great resource I've found for such notebooks are:
Montgomery Schools (lots of links to data notebook downloads)

I decided to create a Music Data Notebook for grades 3-5.  Due to space and resource constrains, I'm going to print out all pages ahead of time and staple them together.  They will be stored in a plastic page protector with the cover-page showing (cover-page has student name, grade, and homeroom teacher).  Depending on what their homeroom teacher chooses to do, I will either have them clip the page protector into their class data notebook or keep them in the music room.

Let me preface this by saying this is a new thing for me and not something I've tried out before.  We'll have to see how it goes.

Last year, when my 3rd-5th graders were working on various levels of Recorder Karate, I had a bulletin board (shown empty below) with all student names (separated by class) on it.  As students progressed, I colored in each square with a black marker.  To get a "black-out", they had to reach the black-belt level.  When they did this, I took a picture of them and put their picture on the bulletin board near their class.  It was SO motivating for so many of the kiddos that I realized - "I can use data in the music room too".

Here are some pages from the Music Data Notebook:

Table of Contents

Classroom Mission Statement

Each class will work together to create a short mission statement (first week of school).  In the mission statement we'll incorporate words like "leader" and "work together/synergize".

7 Habits Slips Log

The 7 Habits Slips (see below) are incentives given by teachers to students who are exhibiting a specific habit.  The students turn these slips into a box in the front of the school.  The principal draws names from this box and these students get a special "Leadership Lunch" with her and other staff members on the stage (so other students can see).  I intend to give these out to students who have achieved their learning goals, or if they didn't achieve it, can articulate why or why not and set a new goal for next time.

Here is the goal sheet.  It is pretty broad because, unlike a language class where students can make a goal to spell all 10 spelling words correctly by the test on Friday, the music class is less structured.  This year, I will assess older (3-5) students 6 times a semester (three melodic-based assessments and three rhythm-based assessments).  These assessments are not always a worksheet, composition, or test, but can use manipulatives (such as popsicle sticks to dictate rhythms) or performances/improvisations (for non-worksheet assignments, I have rubrics upon which the students are graded).  Therefore, I asked the students to pick a specific skill to focus on:

At the end of the Nine Weeks, will discuss their goals with their group as I go around and chat with them (Step Four).  If they reached their goal, they earn a sticker on the sheet.

The assessment graphs look like the one below.  After an assignment is passed back and graded, the students will color in the number of bars which correspond to their grade.  10 pts is the max for the assignments (either 10 questions or 10 points earned by certain criteria).  Then, they set a goal for the next assessment.

If you are at a 7 Habits school, what ways do you incorporate it into the music class?

More posts to come, I'm sure ;)

Kuma San

I'm re-doing some lesson plans for my older kiddos (3rd - 5th) because they are finally on track with their grade level (in accordance with Kodaly levels and my favorite series to use, Spotlight on Music).

With this great little song, "Kuma San," I reformated to fit in as much review and vocabulary as possible.  I plan to pair it with Nabe, Nabe.  My 3rd graders will see it again as they work on their recorder rep later in the year.

It has many opportunities for me to assess what my former students have retained and evaluate the musical knowledge of any little newbies I might get.

Here's the PowerPoint I created for it:

You can try using this song while you jump rope, or have the students hop on one foot while saying the song (on the steady beat).  It is lots of fun and kind of silly but even older kids enjoy it.

The song is great for reviewing basic one beat rhythms.  You can have a beat vs. rhythm exercise by having half the students hop on one leg and the other sit and clap the rhythm.  Then switch.

It never hurts to review the musical structures that organize what the students read.  I equate "measures" to "shelves" and the bar lines are the "borders" of the shelves.  Inside each "shelf" lives a certain number of beats, depending on the time or meter signature.

Take a break and add in some unpitched percussion (great time to define the term, review some basic classroom instruments, and define accompaniment or also discuss timbre).  Try having some students clap the blue wood block part while others snap the orange finger cymbal part:

Here's an opportunity for students to review singing on solfa with hand signs (and you can check out any newbies and see if this is ringing a bell or not).  Students enjoy singing this song while touching knees for "do", waists for "re" and shoulders for "mi" - try playing with the tempo for more fun.

This slide (which contains the second half of the melody) offers you the opportunity to discuss phrasing and form.

The last slide offers an opportunity to add in some pitched percussion, plus sneaks in a few more vocabulary words:

What do you do to help your students review previous musical skills and assess the abilities of new students?

Solfa Dojo - Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4

I recently wrapped up my Recorder Karate unit with 3rd - 5th grade.  We had a recorder number of Black Belts this year and the students worked very hard. One thing I did this year that I hadn't in previous years was to create a bulletin board like this (obviously taken toward the beginning - I ended up putting a picture of each black belt in the red free space) in addition to announcing the students' names on our morning announcements:

It looked very cute, if a little cluttered, with so many smiling black belt faces adorning it.

The motivation was great and I got to thinking, "What if the students had something motivating to use when learning solfa?"  All my kiddos are eager sight-singers, and many will often show their skills in front of the class, but having a reward-system in place can't hurt right?  I could always use more data and more assessment opportunities also!

So, I created the Solfa Dojo! 

WHAT IS THE SOLFA DOJO? 
I borrowed the progression of 'belts' from Karate and adapted it for the Kodaly classroom.  The melodies of the "belts" mirror melodic structures from various songs the students already learn as we progress from Mi-So to Mi-So-La and to Do-Mi-So-La.  Vital rhythms for these levels are also included in the "belts".  The melodies use the keys of C, D, F and G so students can sing at higher and lower levels and view the solfa on various places on the staff.

Level 1: 9 melodies using so/mi, quarter note/eighth note pair
Level 2: 9 melodies using mi/so/la, quarter note/quarter rest/eighth note pair
Level 3: 9 melodies using do/mi/so/la, half note/quarter note/quarter rest/eighth note pair
Level 4 (updated 07/30): 9 melodies using do/re/mi/so/la, half note/quarter  note/quarter rest/eighth note pair 

HOW ARE STUDENTS ASSESSED?
Students are assessed using the following rubric (which you can go over with the students and it is also included in the music you can send home for them to practice).  Each "song" has 8 total beats.   You can address time signature, measures, bar lines, and double bar lines also.

Students also receive and overview of which concepts are used in each level and a reminder about what steps to use when singing:

 
HOW CAN I USE THE MATERIALS?
You can use the materials in a variety of ways (and feel free to adapt what you need to for your own students' needs): 

1. Individual sight-reading: Use this progressive assessment alongside your traditional Mi/So, Mi/So/La, or Do/Mi/So/La lessons (check out the links to the right for more information).  You can use it as you progress through different keys or songs.  During part of the lesson, while students are engaged in center activities, etc, call students over to your desk and have them follow the sight-reading steps (don’t allow them prior practice time).

2.  Individual or Small Group Study: Equip each student (or small groups of students – 3 to 4) with a set of the songs.   You can print these out on cardstock, laminate or put in page pprotectors, and clasp with binder rings or store in a binder.

 

Red Belt Example Level 3

Students can either work alone in their groups, with a partner, or with the entire group to sing through the songs.  Have a melodic instrument ready so they can play the starting pitches since these change.   You can call groups or individual students to sing for you to “pass off” a belt.  You can even send home music for the students to practice:

Example of Level 2 Printable Music

3.     Whole-class Study: You can project the slides for the class to sing (they can compete against other classes in their grade level).  Have them follow the sight-reading steps.  If they score high enough, you can select a student to color the belt on their class tracking sheet.  If not, they can earn a chance to perform again later.

HOW IS PROGRESS TRACKED?

Included in each download are printable book-mark sized blank "belts".  I suggest having two per each student, one in a binder where you record which level they earn (highlight or check off each belt) and one on a bulletin board that the student can color in (if they color, you don't have to worry about finding time to do it yourself).  If you are tracking their progress as a class, you can put their homeroom teacher's name on the tracking sheet instead.

WHAT REWARDS CAN I USE?
 For most students, the progression on the bulletin board will be enough.
However, some more ideas for rewards are:
1. Class with the most black belts (or class that first reaches the black belt level if you are assessing the class as a whole) earns a music game day (students can play favorite music games).
2. Each students who earns a black belt gets a certificate, their name on the announcements, and their picture on the bulletin board.

3. When the unit is over, place all the black belt names in a drawing, and the "winners" (you can select how many you want) can receive music prizes (you can decided what those are - for example, these cute, but durable inflatable mics):

 

Inflatable Mics from Oriental Trading

WHAT ABOUT OLDER STUDENTS?  I'm working on six more levels that will be appropriate from late 2nd through 5th grade - coming soon :)

Do Re Mi Lessons

Sometimes I feel like "Do Re Mi" is my home-base.  We cover it in 2nd and review it at the beginning of 4th and 5th and use it extensively when playing recorder in 3rd.  I can't tell you how many games, powerpoints, and lessons I have that use these pitches.

At the beginning of the year, my older students logged their Do Re Mi learning in their interactive notebooks.  Here's an example page:

My Do Re Mi Song

At the beginning of the year I got quite a few new students.  I gave them some extra practice:

Do Re Mi Music Street

And we learned lots of fun songs (and some we got to learn later on the recorder):

Frog in the Meadow

Hop Old Squirrel

Rain is Falling Down

Closet Key

Sailor on the Sea

I also created a 5-page assessment (including a composition section):

I'll be posting some more in-depth Do Re Mi lessons from my Re Lesson Bundle soon - I've got quite a few new ideas for old favorites.

What Do Re Mi songs do you like?