Listening Activities for Spring

Here are two of my favorite listening activities for Spring (one for K-2 and one for 3-5):

The first goes with "Flight of the Bumblebee" and I've used it with 1st grade (I think it would work K-2).  They are also working on the song "Bee Bee" (you can find a powerpoint lesson for this song here):

I like to use this video below (obviously for visual effect - kiddos love checking this out and they are very observant, such as "blue is the low pitch"  "the large shapes are longer sounds" etc):

First, I have the students listen quietly and try to decide what the song might be about (they can follow along to the video).
After the first listening, I ask them to discuss what they think it is about with their partner.  Then, we discuss as a class and I label it as "flight of the bumblebee" (I have a bee mask that I believe I found at Michael's and I put that on - hilarious).
For the second listening, I ask them questions about the dynamic level and tempo.  We discuss this also.
On the third listening, I select three "flowers" (I have them hold stuffed flowers that I believe they currently have at Target or you can buy them from Oriental Trading).  My 1st graders totally know all about bees and we pause here to talk about them and how flowers and bees relate to one another.  The students watch as I "fly" around the room (flapping short wings) and then "pollinate" (fly to a flower and hover by them).
So the rules for the kiddos are:
* no sounds so we can listen to the music and teacher instructions
* bees must "fly" when they hear the teacher say "fly" and "pollinate" as soon as they here "pollinate"
* never pick the same flower twice (we only do this for about 60 sec of the song or so) so that no flower feels left out
* bees can fly quickly but they cannot run - we don't want anyone getting hurt
On repetitions:
* choose new flowers who must say a fact about bees or discuss something they heard in the song
* use new versions of the song as they play (we really like this one:)

Listening and Movement Lesson: “Minute in A Major” by Boccherini

BACKGROUND INFO (write on board for students to see - I include his picture also)

Composer: Luigi Boccherini

Dates: 1743-1805

Title: Minuet in A Major from String Quartet in E, Op 13 No 5

Fact 1: Boccherini played the cello.

Fact 2: Boccherini wrote lots of string quartets.

Fact 3: Boccherini was born in Italy but spent most of his life in Spain.

CONCEPTS/VOCABULARY (write on vocab cards - see picture below for example)

3/4 meter

Major

Minor

String Family

Anacrusis

(I like this version):

TASK ANALYSIS

1.      Discuss the facts about Boccherini (write on the board with his picture posted).

2.      Listen to the song – have students keep only the downbeat pulse – as they listen show the major and minor vocab cards (at the appropriate time) and discuss the string family (specifically what members make up the string quartet)

3.      Listen again – ask the students “do you feel that the beats are grouped in twos or threes” (stand and move if needed) – once the question has been answered, keep the 3/4 pulse (alternating places for each measure - we lightly tap top of hand then near elbow)

4.      Create a large circle (without scarves) and complete the following movement:

a.      A section: Walk clockwise around the circle stepping on the downbeat only, beginning with the left foot (on repeat go counter-clockwise)

b.      B section: stand and face middle of the circle – spread arms upward twice and downward twice

c.       Complete entire form of the song: AABABA

5.      Discuss the term “anacrusis” – pointing out to the students that the music began before we moved to the first downbeat

6.      Try the same movement with scarves (weaving in to the circle " in, two, three" and then out "out two three" with whatever arm is facing outside of the circle)

7.      Discuss the form of the music (students decode this) then write on board

8.      Move in small circles (four small circles around hula-hoops works best) and perform the movement in small groups (if scarf color and hula-hoop color match, awesome - if the students wear the same color as the scarf and hula-hoop - you've got a program dance on your hands)

Extension: They can fill out a listening recommendation such as this one below (you can find out more about this worksheet by clicking on the picture below)

I hope you find these ideas helpful - give them a try :)

Rabbit Race

I'm still in bunny-mode.  I'm always in bunny-mode, since I have my very own pet bunnies here at home with me.  Looking for a pet?  I recommend them...but, moving on:

I've created Rabbit Race.  There are many ways to play this game (instructions are included) and students get to practice singing, reading, and aurally recognizing low la, as well as playing patterns on their recorder without pitches labeled (I created a cheat sheet in case they need it).

If you already downloaded my Recorder Mega Set, you can find it there.  It is the download that keeps on giving today, ha!
If you already downloaded Old Mr. Rabbit it is there also (along with See the Rabbit Running).

Bluebird, updated

 

In February, I posted Bluebird, a song I wrote for kinder or first graders.  At first, it only included the lyrics and rhythms, as well as a few other activities.

I've updated it and added the melody, a boomwhacker activity, and the music and movement instructions to, "Here Comes a Bluebird" which adds some movement to the lesson.  I would suggest doing the rhythm PowerPoint and the rhythm game in one lesson, then the melody PowerPoint and melody game in another, adding in the movement with "Here Comes a Bluebird".

Here are a few slides:

Here's the melody version - students must sing the melody to help the bird collect all her eggs:

You can download it here: Bluebird Lesson

Have fun!

See the Rabbit Running

I've added another PowerPoint to my product, Old Mr. Rabbit.  If you've already purchased this, download the file again and you'll find it there.  These songs work well together.

Unlike "Old Mr. Rabbit", I've added some low la preparation slides for introducing the pitch.  Here's an overview of the slides:

Lyrics slide:

  

Steady Beat Slide:

 There's also a slide for adding the time signature, measures, and bar lines.  Here's the rhythm prep slide:

 Here's the rhythm slide:

And then we'll add in the melody:

Label it with solfa we know:

Then add in our new pitch:

Put the pitches on the staff:

And then add absolute pitches so we can play on the recorder:

Can you play it without any help?!

Here's an example of a printable.  There are four (lyrics, rhythms, solfa and absolute pitches).  Use them as an assessment (more instructions are included in the PowerPoint):

And then, here's a pitch ladder.  I have a little stuffed bunny who can hop up and down the screen (four hops, four pitches).  The students sing the melody after the bunny hops:

Easter Themed Recorder Game

My third graders are right on the B-A-G level for recorder.  They've been really busy with their Cowboy program these past few weeks, and, while we've been working on music reading, absolute pitches, and recorder playing as well, I'm happy to shift their focus.

I already have a ton of B-A-G resources and ideas, but a few more couldn't hurt!  So I created these Easter Themed games for them to play.  The download includes the matching game and PowerPoint game as well.

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