Blog is Moving!

Hello there, my wonderful readers!

Since I have moved out of the music room at Ben Franklin and into a new position with EducationCloset.com, I will be moving my content to a new website. I will gradually be transitioning over the my new site at:

https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/

This new site will be an intersection of my work and ideas in the elementary general music classroom, my work as an arts integration specialist, and some great new resources and PD opportunities that will be available via TeachersPayTeachers.com as well as EducationCloset.com. I hope you'll follow me on this journey!

Thank you for your readership!

2nd Grade Junkyard Band Project

2nd graders have been studying "found sounds," music that is made by things that aren't actual instruments, but rather things you might find and/or assemble. We've watched many examples of found sound music, talked about the science behind how these instruments operate, and now it's our turn to create! Students will be designing their own instrument at home to bring to music class. These instruments should have be well-planned in design, creatively made, sturdy, and be able to make at least two musical sounds. Remember, 2nd graders, to ask for your parents help with anything sharp or electric, and ask permission to use materials.

I've linked some of the videos we've watched in class, as well as other ideas and projects that you might want to explore! I'm so excited to see your creations!

Video Links
Landfill Harmonic

Vienna Vegetable Orchestra

Touch Tone Phone Symphony

Stomp 

The Sound of Ahh

2nd Grade Instrument Invention Project

2nd graders have been studying "found sounds," music that is made by things that aren't actual instruments, but rather things you might find and/or assemble. We've watched many examples of found sound music, talked about the science behind how these instruments operate, and now it's our turn to create! Students will be designing their own instrument at home to bring to music class next week. These instruments should have be well-planned in design, creatively made, sturdy, and be able to make at least two musical sounds. Remember, 2nd graders, to ask for your parents help with anything sharp or electric, and ask permission to use materials.

I've linked some of the videos we've watched in class, as well as other ideas and projects that you might want to explore! I'm so excited to see your creations!

Video Links
Vienna Vegetable Orchestra

Touch Tone Phone Symphony

Stomp 

The Sound of Ahh

Project Links
Make your own trumpet

DSO Make Your Own Instrument links

·         Build Your Own Xylophone

·         Buzzing Brass Mouthpiece

·         Make A Woodwind Instrument

·         Make A String Instrument

·         Tin Can Telephone

·         Shakin' Maracas

·         Brass Instruments Uncoiled

·         Clay Pot Chimes

·         Coffee Can Drums

Make Your Own Homemade Drums, Kazoos, Flutes, and String Instruments

What is this recorder supposed to sound like???

 The 4th grade classes are getting back into the swing of things with our recorders after a little break to focus on some other units. As we learn more pitches, some of us were having trouble with our technique and were experiencing some "squeaks." One class, frustrated by this setback, asked to see some examples of good recorder playing. I was so pleased that these young musicians want to see what is out there, what there is to aspire to. So, here are just a few examples that I found with a very quick search, but there are SO many examples and resources out there, kiddos! Explore and find something that you want to learn to play! (I think a "student's choice" assignment might be in our future!)

5 Baroque Pieces for Soprano Recorder

Can You Feel the Love Tonight? (from The Lion King)

Let It Go (from Frozen) - this video has fingering charts so you can learn to play it

The Sound of AHH

Our 2nd graders did a really interesting listening activity last week, inspired by Susan Riley at EducationCloset.com and her "Hear-Think-Wonder" strategy. We listened to this Kurt Schneider (from the group the Pentatonix) rendition of the song "Little Talks" (orginally by Of Monsters and Men). We listened first, thought about what we might be hearing (Was there one performer or more than one? What instruments were they using?), asked questions (I wonder why the high string and the low string instrument alternated the melody), and then finally watched the video to compare what we thought we had heard to what was actually happening. I promised the kids I would post the video here so they can find it easily. Enjoy!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osQuqFlLIcs

The Nutcracker

11/26/15*** See information on this post on my new website at https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/2015/11/26/trepak-russian-dance-listening-activity/

Many of our Franklin students have been studying different pieces from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker." Here's a quick update on some of these activities:

Kindergarten
Kindergarten is listening for patterns in the "March" from the Nutcracker. We're identifying an ABA pattern in what we hear and we're moving to show that we recognize this pattern. (Click here for a video clip of "March" from the Balanchine "Nutcracker.")

1st Grade
1st Grade is also listening for ABA patterns in "Russian Dance (Trepak)", and is using shapes to create their own ABA listening "maps." Here, you can see how some of us designed our ABA patterns:

Next, we choreographed our ABA piece of music, with the boys making up dance movements for the A section and girls making up movements for the B section.

3rd Grade
3rd grade learned a little about the composer, Tchaikovsky, who was Russian, and students were interested in learning a little about the Cyrillic alphabet with the help of a translation website (below).

Cyrillic Translator (type your text in the box and click "convert")

We studied the "Dance of the Reed Pipes" with the help of a listening map, and then we compared and contrasted two famous performances of this piece, one choreographed by Balanchine, and the other by Baryshnikov (click on the choreographer's name to see each video clip).

All About Leroy Anderson!

2nd and 3rd grade has been taking part in a composer study on American composer Leroy Anderson. Visit the links below to see some of his music performed and to read more about this composer!

Videos and Performances

The Typewriter video

Sleigh Ride video

Syncopated Clock video

Plink Plank Plunk video


Biographical Information

Leroy Anderson Biography (DSO Kids)

Leroy Anderson's Official Website

 Once Upon a Sleigh Ride: The Music and Life of Leroy Anderson (PBS website)