Mrs. Spratt and I were talking about oobleck before school today (it sounds strange, but it's true): she told me that her class was making oobleck this morning, and I told her about this awesome video that I had seen called "Dancing Oobleck." So I stopped in for a bit during their science time to watch the class in action. It was SO COOL (and a little messy). After the kids finished making their oobleck, we sat down to watch the Dancing Oobleck video! I told the class I would post the video here so they could find it later. Below are the links to the video itself as well as to the website where this project was originally posted. What a fun way to learn! Thanks for letting me stop in, 3S!!!
Dancing Oobleck project
Dancing Oobleck video
And, why not, here's a book about oobleck by Dr. Seuss (you can find it in our school library)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
2nd Grade Centers
***See post on cottonball compositions at my new website: https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/free-tpt-resource-cottonball-compositions/***
In 2nd grade centers, we've been focused on reviewing quarter note, quarter rest, and eighth note rhythms, as well as reinforcing our knowledge and use of the pitches mi, so, and la.
In the red (reading) center, we've been working on matching up melodic shapes with familiar tunes we hear on the SMART Board in an activity called "Caroler Puzzles." Basically, we're looking at a melodic shape, listening to two familiar holiday tunes, and deciding which one matches based on the direction of the melody.
In the green (writing) center, we are identifying la on the staff, and then we are composing mi-so-la melodies in a fun way- by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors! Students are partnering up to play, and if rock wins, both students write mi on the staff, if paper wins, both students write so on the staff, and if scissors wins, both students write la on the staff. Then we play until we've composed an 8-beat melody.
In the listening center, we are listening to "Russian Dance" from The Nutcracker and filling out our Gingerbread Listening Glyphs based on what we heard.
In the purple (game) center, students are playing Zap It! Students pass a cup of popsicle sticks around the circle, and each student pulls out a stick. On the stick is written a rhythm, which the student has to read. If they read it correctly, they keep the stick. If they read it incorrectly, they put the stick back in teh cup. If the student pulls the "Zap It" stick, he or she must put all of their sticks back in the cup. The person with the most sticks at the end of the game wins!
In the yellow (instrument) center, students are using cottonballs to compose mi-so-la melodies on a two-line staff and playing them on glockenspiels.
Also, a HUGE thank you to the parent volunteers who have come in to help facilitate centers- your help has been invaluable!!!
In 2nd grade centers, we've been focused on reviewing quarter note, quarter rest, and eighth note rhythms, as well as reinforcing our knowledge and use of the pitches mi, so, and la.
In the red (reading) center, we've been working on matching up melodic shapes with familiar tunes we hear on the SMART Board in an activity called "Caroler Puzzles." Basically, we're looking at a melodic shape, listening to two familiar holiday tunes, and deciding which one matches based on the direction of the melody.
In the green (writing) center, we are identifying la on the staff, and then we are composing mi-so-la melodies in a fun way- by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors! Students are partnering up to play, and if rock wins, both students write mi on the staff, if paper wins, both students write so on the staff, and if scissors wins, both students write la on the staff. Then we play until we've composed an 8-beat melody.
In the listening center, we are listening to "Russian Dance" from The Nutcracker and filling out our Gingerbread Listening Glyphs based on what we heard.
In the purple (game) center, students are playing Zap It! Students pass a cup of popsicle sticks around the circle, and each student pulls out a stick. On the stick is written a rhythm, which the student has to read. If they read it correctly, they keep the stick. If they read it incorrectly, they put the stick back in teh cup. If the student pulls the "Zap It" stick, he or she must put all of their sticks back in the cup. The person with the most sticks at the end of the game wins!
In the yellow (instrument) center, students are using cottonballs to compose mi-so-la melodies on a two-line staff and playing them on glockenspiels.
Also, a HUGE thank you to the parent volunteers who have come in to help facilitate centers- your help has been invaluable!!!
3rd Grade Centers
3rd grade centers are almost wrapped up! Here's what we've been up to...
We've been working at the SMART Board on rhythmic note identification and even some rhythmic math (adding note values).
In the green (writing) center, we've been working on a rhythmic composition including quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, quarter rests, and half rests. Soon, we'll be performing our compositions!
In the listening center, we've been listening to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker and completing listening logs based on what we hear.
In the purple (games) center, we've been playing Smack It! (pictures coming soon!) When we play Smack It, we review the note names for lines and spaces of the treble clef. Then, with one person calling out note names, we compete to see who can smack their bean bag down on the correct line or space. This gets intense!
And finally, we are playing our beloved recorders in the yellow (instrument) center. We're reviewing the main rules of playing the recorder (left hand on top, cover the holes completely, whisper warm air, and think "too"). Then, we are playing the note B in many different exercises, and even improvising some rhythms on the note B.
We've been working at the SMART Board on rhythmic note identification and even some rhythmic math (adding note values).
In the green (writing) center, we've been working on a rhythmic composition including quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, quarter rests, and half rests. Soon, we'll be performing our compositions!
In the purple (games) center, we've been playing Smack It! (pictures coming soon!) When we play Smack It, we review the note names for lines and spaces of the treble clef. Then, with one person calling out note names, we compete to see who can smack their bean bag down on the correct line or space. This gets intense!
And finally, we are playing our beloved recorders in the yellow (instrument) center. We're reviewing the main rules of playing the recorder (left hand on top, cover the holes completely, whisper warm air, and think "too"). Then, we are playing the note B in many different exercises, and even improvising some rhythms on the note B.
Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Centers in full swing!
Students in 1st through 4th grade music classes are rotating through musical centers during the month of December. Each center is designed to allow students to explore musical concepts through different means, whether it be by writing, reading, playing, or listening.
We'll start with 4th grade.
The first activity is a music & math activity called "Snowflake Shootout" on the SMART Board, in which students work to identify rhythmic notation and their values.
Next, students travel to the "Jug Band" performance station, where they perform rhythms they have previously written on the xylophone. Their rhythm compositions include quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and eighth-sixteenth combinations.
In the listening center, students are using iPods to listen to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker. After listening to the song and following key elements of the music on a listening map, students complete a listening log about what they heard.
Have you ever played "Don't Break the Ice?" We have! We're playing a musical version of the game, in which rhythms are written on the ice cubes. Before knocking out a cube, students have to read the rhythm in the row. After knocking it out, students replace that rhythm with a rest.
And finally, recorders are back. Students are reviewing the notes B, A, and G on the recorders in several written exercises. Soon, we'll be improvising our own B-A-G melodies.
We'll start with 4th grade.
The first activity is a music & math activity called "Snowflake Shootout" on the SMART Board, in which students work to identify rhythmic notation and their values.
Next, students travel to the "Jug Band" performance station, where they perform rhythms they have previously written on the xylophone. Their rhythm compositions include quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and eighth-sixteenth combinations.
In the listening center, students are using iPods to listen to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker. After listening to the song and following key elements of the music on a listening map, students complete a listening log about what they heard.
Have you ever played "Don't Break the Ice?" We have! We're playing a musical version of the game, in which rhythms are written on the ice cubes. Before knocking out a cube, students have to read the rhythm in the row. After knocking it out, students replace that rhythm with a rest.
And finally, recorders are back. Students are reviewing the notes B, A, and G on the recorders in several written exercises. Soon, we'll be improvising our own B-A-G melodies.
Chorus Sings with the Chicago Steel!
On Saturday, December 8th, members of the D41 chorus performed the National Anthem at the Chicago Steel hockey game at The Edge Ice Arena. It was a great night out for many chorus families (and their music teachers)! Thanks to those who were able to make it! Hope you had fun!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
"Penta" Means "5"
We've been reviewing the pentatonic scale in 4th grade! We learned all about it when we were in 3rd grade (remember "Cumberland Gap"?), so we are now reviewing this concept with a song called "L'il Liza Jane," and we have been busy!
We're practicing writing the pentatonic scale ("pentatonic" means "5 tones"), which includes the pitches do, re, mi, so, and la. We watched a video of the musician Bobby McFerrin speaking/singing at a science festival about how the brain is basically wired for a pentatonic scale (to see the video, click here- it's pretty amazing that he can make a room full of scientists sing the pentatonic scale by jumping around the stage!).
We talked about folk songs, and we learned a patterned movement to the song. We'll be adding instruments to this song, including Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels) and even recorders. We've even composed some pentatonic melodies!
We're practicing writing the pentatonic scale ("pentatonic" means "5 tones"), which includes the pitches do, re, mi, so, and la. We watched a video of the musician Bobby McFerrin speaking/singing at a science festival about how the brain is basically wired for a pentatonic scale (to see the video, click here- it's pretty amazing that he can make a room full of scientists sing the pentatonic scale by jumping around the stage!).
We talked about folk songs, and we learned a patterned movement to the song. We'll be adding instruments to this song, including Orff instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels) and even recorders. We've even composed some pentatonic melodies!
Monday, November 12, 2012
They're heeeere!
The drums are here! 5th graders have been anxiously awaiting the start of our world drumming unit, and now we're ready to get started! The drums were dropped off during the week of Halloween, so last week, we were introduced to the types of hand drums we'll be playing (tubanos, congas, djembes, and bongos), learned how to play high and low tones, and talked about rhythm complements (ask your 5th grader what that means!). We played our first rhythm complement as an ensemble!
Here is Mrs. Salach's class playing a rhythm complement about 10 minutes into our first drumming class!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Patriotic Songs for Veterans' Day
This Friday, 11/9, students will attend an all-school assembly to honor our veterans. The 5th grade ambassadors will be hosting this assembly, reading poems and interviewing our veterans, and the whole school will participate in a patriotic sing-along. We've been practicing these songs in class. Here are some links to other versions of a few of the songs we've been learning in class (these are not the same arrangements we've been learning, but it's always good to listen to variations!).
This Land is Your Land
The Star-Spangled Banner (performed by Whitney Houston- great performance!)
You're a Grand Old Flag
Yankee Doodle
This Land is Your Land
The Star-Spangled Banner (performed by Whitney Houston- great performance!)
You're a Grand Old Flag
Yankee Doodle
High and Low ("Faeries and Giants")
9/2/15***See information on this post on my new website at AT https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/teaching-high-and-low-faeries-and-giants/***
Kindergartners have been learning to identify high and low musical sounds and instruments, and will soon be working on performing high and low musical sounds with both our voices and instruments. We started by reading "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (see below) and I did my very best Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Little Wee Bear impressions to introduce the students to the idea of high, middle, and low voices. We learned a song called "I'm Stretching Very Tall," where we used our high and low voices, we identified high and low bars on the bass xylophone, and finally we listened to a piece of music called "Faeries and Giants" from Wand of Youth Suite No. 1 by Edward Elgar. Best of all, we got to dance around! We listened for high and low sections of music- during the high sections, the girls flitted around like fairies, and during the low sections, the boys stomped around like giants. Lots of fun!
Kindergartners have been learning to identify high and low musical sounds and instruments, and will soon be working on performing high and low musical sounds with both our voices and instruments. We started by reading "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (see below) and I did my very best Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Little Wee Bear impressions to introduce the students to the idea of high, middle, and low voices. We learned a song called "I'm Stretching Very Tall," where we used our high and low voices, we identified high and low bars on the bass xylophone, and finally we listened to a piece of music called "Faeries and Giants" from Wand of Youth Suite No. 1 by Edward Elgar. Best of all, we got to dance around! We listened for high and low sections of music- during the high sections, the girls flitted around like fairies, and during the low sections, the boys stomped around like giants. Lots of fun!
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| "Faeries and Giants" |
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| Fairies |
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| Great giant faces! |
Meeting So and Mi
9/16/15 ***See information on this post on my new website at https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/2015/09/16/floor-staff-strategy-for-teaching-sol-and-mi/
These 1st graders have been working hard to listen for and perform high and low pitches, called so (high) and mi (low). Soon we'll be not just identifying and singing, but we'll be writing and composing with these pitches! We began by singing "Rain, Rain, Go Away" (which turned out to be quite appropriate for the weather we had the last couple weeks of October!). We tried to identify which pitches were high and which were low, and moved to show the difference by putting our hands on our heads during the high notes and on our shoulders during the low notes. Then we moved onto putting these pitches on a 2-line staff using umbrella die cuts, and finally we named them so and mi. We'll be working with these pitches quite a bit still, so there will be more to come!
These 1st graders have been working hard to listen for and perform high and low pitches, called so (high) and mi (low). Soon we'll be not just identifying and singing, but we'll be writing and composing with these pitches! We began by singing "Rain, Rain, Go Away" (which turned out to be quite appropriate for the weather we had the last couple weeks of October!). We tried to identify which pitches were high and which were low, and moved to show the difference by putting our hands on our heads during the high notes and on our shoulders during the low notes. Then we moved onto putting these pitches on a 2-line staff using umbrella die cuts, and finally we named them so and mi. We'll be working with these pitches quite a bit still, so there will be more to come!
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| Moving to show so and mi. |
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| Putting so and mi on the staff. |
Recorder Time!
The 3rd graders were introduced to their recorders this past week! We reviewed the basics of notation by doing an activity where we created a staff and other musical notation out of yarn, and then we met our recorders! So far, we have just learned the basics of playing the recorder, which are...
1. Left hand on top
2. Cover the holes completely
3. Blow gently
4. Think "too"
Once we get a little further into playing recorders, students will be able to bring them home to practice once in awhile (I'll bet you can't wait for that, parents!). For now, students, keep practicing those line and space note names (click HERE for a video that will help you)!
1. Left hand on top
2. Cover the holes completely
3. Blow gently
4. Think "too"
Once we get a little further into playing recorders, students will be able to bring them home to practice once in awhile (I'll bet you can't wait for that, parents!). For now, students, keep practicing those line and space note names (click HERE for a video that will help you)!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thriller Dance
It's Halloween! For the past couple of weeks, 4th and 5th graders have been learning choreography to the Michael Jackson hit "Thriller" in a combined music/PE effort (we can't take credit for the choreography- I found it on another music teacher's blog and thought it was so great that we HAD to do it). This morning, we all met in the gym to perform for one another and then to finally perform as one big group.
Believe it or not, we're doing more than just having fun dancing together. We're actually accomplishing some music, PE, and dance state and national learning standards! In music class, we worked to identify the form of the music. We identified an introduction, A, B, C, and D sections, a bridge, and a coda. We identified "like" sections in the music and learned choreography for each section of music, and using our music map, we were able to put the whole song together quite easily! We rehearsed in a combined music/PE effort, and that was all there was to it!
Here are some of the standards we achieved during our "Thriller" experience: (There are many more than what's listed, but here are some things we focused on)
PE: State Goal 19: Engage in Health Related Physical Activity.
Standard Description: Flexibility Component (The ability to use body in full range of motion).
Example Rigor: Creative Movement and Dance
- Executes combinations of steps
- Combines steps to create a short routine.
Music: National Content Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Achievement Standards:
- Students identify simple music forms when presented aurally
- Students demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and
by describing aural examples of music of various styles representing diverse cultures.
Dance: National Content Standard 2: Understanding choreographic principles, processes, and
structures.
Achievement Standards:
- Students create a sequence with a beginning, middle, and end, both with and without a
rhythmic accompaniment; identify each of these parts of the sequence
- Students improvise, create, and perform dances based on their own ideas and concepts
from other sources
- Students use improvisation to discover and invent movement and to solve movement
problems .
To see the video of our students in action, click here! (Clearly we were very excited, and this was BEFORE candy!)
Believe it or not, we're doing more than just having fun dancing together. We're actually accomplishing some music, PE, and dance state and national learning standards! In music class, we worked to identify the form of the music. We identified an introduction, A, B, C, and D sections, a bridge, and a coda. We identified "like" sections in the music and learned choreography for each section of music, and using our music map, we were able to put the whole song together quite easily! We rehearsed in a combined music/PE effort, and that was all there was to it!
Here are some of the standards we achieved during our "Thriller" experience: (There are many more than what's listed, but here are some things we focused on)
PE: State Goal 19: Engage in Health Related Physical Activity.
Standard Description: Flexibility Component (The ability to use body in full range of motion).
Example Rigor: Creative Movement and Dance
- Executes combinations of steps
- Combines steps to create a short routine.
Music: National Content Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Achievement Standards:
- Students identify simple music forms when presented aurally
- Students demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and
by describing aural examples of music of various styles representing diverse cultures.
Dance: National Content Standard 2: Understanding choreographic principles, processes, and
structures.
Achievement Standards:
- Students create a sequence with a beginning, middle, and end, both with and without a
rhythmic accompaniment; identify each of these parts of the sequence
- Students improvise, create, and perform dances based on their own ideas and concepts
from other sources
- Students use improvisation to discover and invent movement and to solve movement
problems .
To see the video of our students in action, click here! (Clearly we were very excited, and this was BEFORE candy!)
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| "Swim, swim..." |
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| Awesome zombie moves. |
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| More awesome zombie moves. |
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| The Thriller claw. |
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| Amazing Michael Jackson pose. |
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