Fall/Halloween Melodic Manipulatives

Yesterday, I blogged about some rhythm manipulatives I use for the Fall/Halloween season.  I also use some of the same (and a few different ones) for melodic activities.

I created a little background called, "Corny Melodies" which we use throughout this season.

Here are a few example:

 

This year, I plan to use these with "Pumpkin, Pumpkin" and "The Pumpkin Patch":

This is a dictation example for the first line of "Old Mother (Mrs.) Witch" - the little ghost is the quarter rest :):

 

 

Last year, I did a few dictations with real candy corn (I cleared allergies, asked permission, etc).  It worked really well and was a lot of fun.  This year, I found these cute erasers at Target (we'll be using these instead):

Fun stuff!

You'll find the slides for the songs mentioned in my "Fall into Music" bundle.

Fall/Halloween Rhythm Manipulatives

I'm a huge fan of the Target dollar section and their seasonal stuff.  Over the past three years, I've collected some great manipulatives that I love to use.  I've already checked them out this year and I found the plastic pumpkins, plastic leaves, pumpkin erasers, and ghost erasers that you'll see below.  I hope you find some great ideas:

Here's a cute little anchor chart the students can make (I've done these with 5th grade in the past, but that was when I had 45 minutes per class).  The leaves are die-cuts made from construction paper.

Another fun activity (the small ghost erasers I found last year but the larger ones are currently at Target) is Mrs. White.  I use this with K and 1 grades. It goes 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

Sorry - for some reason it wont go vertical - stretch your neck ;)

Introduction: We speak the poem and dramatize the words.

For Kinder - Beat vs. Rhythm Lesson
1. We count the beats (number of squares - 16 beats)
2. We point to the beats as we say the poem
3. We say, "short-short" on the two ghosts and "long" on the one ghost - that's the rhythm
4. We clap the rhythm (two claps for two ghosts, one clap for one ghost) first without the poem, then with the poem
5.  The students add the large ghost erasers to the single ghost and the small ghost erasers to the paired ghosts.

For First - Quarter Note (ta) and Eighth Note Pair (titi) Lesson
1. We count the beats (number of squares - 16 beats)
2. We point to the beats as we say the poem.
3. We say "short-short" on the two ghosts and "long" on the one ghost - that's the rhythm
4. We clap the rhythm (two claps for two ghosts, one clap for one ghost) first without the poem, then with the poem
5. We add rhythm sticks to the rhythm as we say the poem and follow the ghosts
6. I laminate the worksheet and give the students a dry erase marker - at the bottom, next to the picture of the one ghost, we draw a quarter note (ta - one sound on one beat) and next to the picture of the two ghosts, we draw an 8th note pair (titi - two sounds on one beat)
7. Using this key, the students draw the correct rhythm over each ghost picture - then we check our answers

This year, I found these acorns and leaves at Hobby Lobby ($3 a bag) and the pumpkins and more leaves at Target ($1 a box).

You can find my instructions for this activity here: Fall Rhythm Fun

 

The pumpkins are eighth note pairs (pumpkin) and the leaves are quarter notes (leaf).

This year when I incorporate my Leaves lesson, I'll have the students dictate the rhythm themselves.

Here's an example

The plastic figures match the rhythm icons I use in the song.

This year, I'm going to try to use these ice-cube trays.  First, the students can create rhythm patterns.  Then, they can use the top row as "so" and the bottom as "mi".

 

My 2nd graders are reviewing rhythmic structures.  Their's will be a little more complex (I use the folders like this all the time, sometimes with cards, sometimes with manipulatives, etc):

This rhythm activity I used with the upper grades last year as a review.  The students like to dictate patterns I sing or play, create their own patterns for the class to dictate, and play rhythms I have and create patterns to play.  (You can find more about this here: Halloween Rhythm Dictations).

I used this activity with the song, "Pick a Pumpkin".  The students decode the first two measures using their erasers (jack-o-lantern, black cat, black cat, skull).

You can find Mrs. White and the Fall rhythm fun printable here: Fall into Music

Fall Rhythm Fun

I know it is a little early, but while wandering Hobby Lobby yesterday, I came across this set of fall table scatter shapes for $3.99:

Although I'm sure they vary per package, mine included: 19 brown leaves, 31 green leaves, 13 red-brown acorns, 14 orange acorns, 8 golden acorns, and 7 green acorns.

I'm thinking of using them as a rhythm activity for 1st grade (although kinder could do this also, they just wouldn't dictate the rhythms).

Each pair of kiddos would get a copy sheet below (in a sheet protector with a dry erase marker and eraser) and a bag of acorns and leaves:

The students would create rhythm patterns with the shapes and say "a-corn" or "leaf" while clapping.  Then, they would draw the correct rhythm and clap and chant on "ta" or "titi".  Students could also dictate rhythms provided by the teacher or classmates.  Rhythms could also be played on unpitched instruments.

Fun stuff - although I'm still not ready for school to start!