Leaves

This is a song I created last year to review basic rhythms (quarter note/eighth note pair) with my 1st graders while also discussing melodic direction.  It was very successful and this year I've re-vamped it with some more fun visuals.  You can download it here (the instructions are included and they are very specific).

I love using fake fall leaves (available at Hobby Lobby - pretty much everywhere this time of year) as we sing and move to the song.  We do several vocal exploration exercises (I move my leaf up and down and the students mirror with theirs, while singing "ooo" - then I give students a turn) before I perform the melody of the song for the students.  As students learn the song, they are constantly moving to the melodic direction (using their leaves too).  There are motions for each pitch and the students love this, but our favorite parts are the glissandos at the end.

In later lessons, we review the lyrics, track icons for the steady beat, track icons for the rhythms, learn the rhythms, and track icons for the melody.  We also play the melody on boomwhackers (I change the color of the icons to match those of the boomwhackers).  Students also re-construct the melody as a class using printables.

Melodic Icons

Melodic Icons for Boomwhackers

For the wrap-up lesson, students create their own "fall leaves" song which they share with the class then take home.

I've added some extensions to this file.  Now, rhythmic icon and rhythm note cards are included.  There are several suggestions in the file for ways to use them.

I've also included instructions to an vocal improvisation game that I'll share (the kiddos loved it):

Use this game after the first mini-lesson.  You will need at least one fake fall leaf (I give each student one).
Seat the students in the circle.  Review the song.  Tell students we will use an AB Form with A - singing and B - playing the game.
Select a student to sit in the middle of the circle, place their leaf on their head, and shut their eyes.  While singing the song, choose one student to take the leaf off the head of the child in the middle and hide it somewhere in the room.
After the song, the student in the middle “wakes up” and begins to search around the room.  The rest of the students guide that student to their leaf by:
Shaking their leaf low and improvising on Do-Re (C major) by singing “ooh” - this indicates that the students is far away from their leaf.
Shaking their leaf in the middle and improvising on Fa-So (C major) by singing “ooh” - this indicates that the students is heading in the correct direction
Shaking their leaf up high and improvising on Ti-DO (C major) by singing “ooh” - this indicates that the student is very close to their leaf
Once the student has found their leaf, the game can begin again.  Extend this by having students improvise low, middle, and high sounds on C Major Pentatonic on a metallophone

Bell Horses, The Wild Horseman, and William Tell Overture Finale - Mi So La Mini-Lessons

I'm just warning you now, this post is rather lengthy.  There are many videos and links to follow - and once you click on them, you might be drifting around in cyberspace, looking at some great resources for awhile.  Consider yourself prepared ;)

I've been a fan of creating movement for Schumann's "The Wild Horseman" and Rossini's "William Tell Overture" with my younger grade for awhile.  Students love these pieces and they are a great way to incorporate some Dalcroze concepts. 

This year, I'm incorporating some music-reading as well, using the song "Bell Horses".  It isn't difficult for students to make the connection between all three pieces.

Basically, this is a mini-unit of about three to four lessons (which is about 1.5 to 2 weeks for me).  I like to open the class with our usual warm-up (includes movement, our "hello song" which I change periodically throughout the year, rhythm and melodic listening, decoding, and echoing exercises, and vocal exploration and breathing).  I then like to review the relationship between Mi-So-La, using my floor staff.  The students love moving them around the staff, and then I can use them as a large pitch-ladder (I'll point while I sing and have students match with handsigns, then I'll simply point and the students must sing).  Sometimes, I won't sing on the solfa pitches or I'll bring out an instrument and do some ear-training - the students have to label what was sung or played using solfa pitches.  For some students, they have the confidence to label and compose with mi-so-la, but they lack the confidence to truly sing them correctly without any assistance (they don't fully understand their aural relationships).  Taking time at the beginning of class to have these experiences, as well as weaving them into lessons and games later on, help students truly become sight-singers, and not just sight-readers.

Ok, on to the "meat" of the lessons.  Mini-lesson one opens with a discussion about Robert Schumann.  I project his biography from Classics for Kids which we read and discuss.  Remember that these are 1st or 2nd graders, so the reading and discussion incorporates one paragraph at a time.  I have students hypothesize how events in the composer's life or background information might affect their music.  Then, I have the students listen to the piece.  If you are gifted with piano skills, you can download the song here: Wild Horseman Sheet Music and perform it for your class.  If not, try this youtube video:

Here's the listening/movement plan I have them follow:
1. Listen - describe and discuss with a partner, then as a class (3-4 comments/questions)
2. Listen while patting steady beat - point out minor and major sections (which sound happy?  which sound sad?) - if you are watching the video, you can discuss how the hands switch roles (the right starts playing the minor melody while the left accompanies, then the left plays the major melody while the right accompanies)
3. Listen while patting the steady with puppeteer hands (limp wrists) moving to show the melodic contour of the song (moving up and down) and also dynamic level (larger movements for forte, smaller for piano) - discuss what you saw them doing
4. Listen while moving around the room (walking feet only) - students should make larger and smaller movements, or move at higher or lower levels - DO NOT do this with them, see what they can create - then discuss why they moved in certain ways
5. Repeat step four (some students needed to see others do this and have a discussion before they are comfortable truly expressing the music) - tell students that it is ok now to add in more "horselike" movement (so much fun)

Tell students that they will now learn to read song that talks about mechanical horses.  You can get the powerpoint at my TPT store: Bell Horses

For the first mini-lesson, guide your students through the first 8 slides (lyrics to rhythm).  They will learn about bell horses and carillons.  Try this video out (it is lengthy, I only show a bit):

Here's the intro slide:

And the lyrics slide:

And the steady beat slide:

I've also included a steady beat chart which you can print out for students to use individually:

There's also a slide for adding the time signature, barlines, and measures, a rhythm icon slide and a rhythm icon printable:

And finally the rhythm prep then rhythm page:

That's it for the first mini-lesson.  To extend it, you can add body percussion to each rhythm or add some students performing the steady beat (either with their bodies or an instrument) while others perform the rhythm (again, either with their bodies or an instrument).

For the second mini-lesson, I begin with this biography of Rossini which we read and discuss.  I love the lessons that Dr. Kay Edwards provides at Classics for Kids (click the link and then download the K-2 lesson) which include the William Tell Overture: Finale.  It is VERY extensive and will require lots of prep and reading time on your part.  Should you need the recording, you can find it on Classics for Kids or on Youtube (I like to show my students the live performance - how exciting - then use the classics recording for the listening map and movement):

You can also discuss the plot of the story (this is also a good time to discuss words such as "opera" and "overture":

After discussing the story and listening to the piece, I distribute this listening map (also from Classics for Kids) which the students follow while we listen.

We discuss the dynamics, tempo, and style of the music.  We also discuss how it fits into the story.  Most importantly, we discuss ways to keep the beat it.  We try various ways to keep the beat while listening.  (Further instructions are included in Dr. Edward's lessons).  Then, I have the students stand up and we try these movements around the room (SO MUCH FUN - if a little silly):

Introduction: prepare our horses to ride (check hat, check shoes, etc)

A: 2 sets of 16 counts: Gallop around the room in a circle - for the ascending leap in the melody (beat 13), we pretend to leap over a hurdle (repeat)

B:Pretend to prance around quickly, while waving hands above head to show the shape of the melody - Beats 1 and 2 - hands up and over to the left, Beats 3 and 4 - hands up and over to the right, Beat 5 to the left, Beat 6 to the right, Beat 7 to the left, Beat 8 to the right (repeat 4 times) - during transition, we get our horses ready

A: repeat as above

To add variety for repetitions: If you have scarves, I love to use those in the A section as our reins and then in the B section we wave them above our heads like flags.  If you've made those cute Funoodle horses, those are great too.  I only have a hobby horse that I'll let the students take turns using.

Close this section by: Reviewing the composer, reviewing vocabulary, reviewing what we did and why, reviewing descriptions of the music, etc.

After our listening and movement fun, I seat the students and give them this worksheet:

 The students have to fill in the correct rhythms for the song "Bell Horses" - this is a great way to review their learning from the previous lesson and transition into teaching the melody.  After we've completed and checked their work (using slide 8 from the powerpoint), I move into teaching the melody.  Here are some slides for that.

Melody Prep Slides:

Then adding solfa (prepare for La):

Then we sing the song with la added:

We put our pitches on the staff:

Add in our correct notation:

Then look at the whole song:

If time allows, we'll add in movement and orff, but usually I save that for Mini-Lesson 3.

For mini lesson 3, we begin in a circle.  I pass a bag that includes Bell Horse lyric cards, rhythm cards, and solfa cards.  Here's and example and how we use them:

Rhythm Cards

After using the printables, I add in a simple orffestration which is included in the download.  Then, we do some creative movement:

Afterward, we review the pieces we've moved to previously, then move to them once more, after having a discussion about what we could add or change.

Note: This download will also be included in a new set of Mi So La lessons.

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks/Los Pollitos

It really, really, was NOT COOL that we had Spring Break the week before Easter.  So, I'm still kinda wrapping up some bunny and chick stuff.  Oh well :)

Earlier in March, I posted this post about some "fowl" (not foul) activities to use in the Spring with your younger kiddos.

Here's another bird-related lesson plan, which you can download here, for cheep.  So cheep, it is free!  I'd suggest using some of it (the listening map, movements, rhythms of "los pollitos") with K and 1, but 2nd and 3rd should be able to understand and enjoy all of it.  However, I gave my Kinder quite the spiel on Tchaikovsky (he is my FAVORITE) over Christmas and they still recall much of it - so I'll subject them to the composer, background, and vocabulary information also.

It is based on the "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks" from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.  It also includes the popular Latin folk song, "Los Pollitos".

I didn't include a copy of "Ballet" - but you can easily download it from iTunes or find it on Youtube.  This video is pretty - interesting:

There are 21 slides total (22 if you count the first, "Thank-you for downloading, you're awesome" note from me).

Here's the composer background info (I've also included info about the piece itself and a slide with vocabulary):

And here's an example from the listening map (B section):

The slide also includes movement instructions and a discussion slide.  Here's some of the slides from "Los Pollitos".  Don't worry, thorough instructions are included in the notes section of the PowerPoint.

Note: The dance moves - oh my, they are hilarious.  However, you'll need to go slower and model them, especially if the students are younger.  I do lots of funky little movements with my kiddos, and here's a tip for "controlling the crazy".

I say, "Power-off" (so-so-mi) and the students look like powered off robots, silent robots, with their heads bowed, legs still, and hands at their sides.

Then, I'll say, "Power-on" (mi-mi-so) and the students remain in the same position, only, they raise their heads, look at me, and get ready for information/the next step.

It works like a charm.  I'll also sing "Please stand up (do-mi-so)" and "Please sit down (so-mi-do)" while motioning up or down.

Have fun!

The Ducklings

Here's a file, The Ducklings, which I created to go along with many Easter/Springtime Kinder activities below.  It reviews basic rhythms but also discusses melodic direction.  I love the words!  In the notes section, I put many teaching instructions.

Here's the lyrics of the song (be careful if you choose to act them out, awkward!):

Here's the steady-beat slide.

And the rhythm preparation slide ("duckling", "duck" and mouth moves to "plop")

And the actual rhythm slides (this slide includes instructions for instrumentation)

Here's a melodic practice slide (sing it on "quack")

And the first part of the actual melody (instructions are included):

Even in kindergarten, I expect the students to learn vocabulary, such as measure or pitch.  They use these words so often that they become comfortable with them.  I often incorporate them into our warm-up.

Here's a slide so students can accompany the song on Boomwhackers (great for melodic direction):

Students can cut out these cards and use them to create their own melodies.  They can be glued on large blue construction paper to be used as a bulletin board or to decorate the fridge at home.

For the week before or after (whenever I get to it/don't have testing to worry about)  I like to create Easter egg shakers with the kindergartners.  After trying this many times, here's the way that works the best (besides just making them yourself and giving them to the students, haha).


This picture is from the blog: http://fantasticfind.blogspot.com/2010/03/over-easy-egg-fun.html

I give each student an empty egg which I've labeled with their name ahead of time with a Sharpie.  We discuss the top and bottom and how to open and close the egg.  Then, I demonstrate pouring rice (I put the rice in small solo bathroom cups - just enough to fill up the bottom of the cup) by squeezing the cup to make a spout and pouring it into the bottom (larger part) of the egg.  I give each student a cup, but instruct them not to pour it until we are ready.  Then, we pour the rice together and the students close the egg.  They place the egg in the cup and wait for me to call their name.  When I call the student's name, I collect their cup and place hot glue on the egg where the two piece meet.  I use a low-heat glue gun and not very much glue, so it dries quickly and I can hand it back to the students without them getting burned (plus I instruct them to hold it between their thumb and pointer/middle fingers (almost like making an "ok" sign).  I instruct the students that they only get one egg, and that I will take their egg if I see them playing it/playing with it any way other then what I've instructed.  I literally have maybe one or two eggs that are either broken or confiscated each year - most students, even in kinder, do really well with this process.  I can also collect the eggs and put them in a bag/basket (that way, their teacher can distribute them back to the students to take home later).

Since the students have to wait a while for me to glue everyone's, I let them watch a favorite song, "Los Pollitos" (The Little Chickens) on Youtube and play along with their egg-shaker (yes it gets loud, but they are having a lot of fun).

Here's the video:

This year, I'm thinking about extending this sort of, "fowl" little unit (haha) with another favorite, "Little White Duck".  I have wooden pieces (from Hobby Lobby) that the students use to act out each character as we sing.  Recently, I discovered Cherie Herring's Blog, which has a link to downloading a SMARTboard activity for the song.

There's also the classic Disney Silly Symphony, "The Ugly Duckling" - great moral