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

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

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)

2nd Grade Rhythm Review

We've been reviewing rhythms through singing, playing instruments, notating, and composing. We've reviewed quarter notes, quarter rests, and eighth notes. We learned a poem called "Loose Tooth," first adding body percussion like snaps, claps, and pats, then audiating the words of the poem and just performing the rhythmic word patterns. We then learned an instrumental accompaniment to the poem and interspersed our musical creation throughout a reading of  "Loose Tooth" by Lola M. Schaefer.

We also learned a song called "I Bought Me a Cat" by Aaron Copland. Click here for a video of a performance of this piece.

We used this song to reinforce the concept of one, two, and no sounds on a beat (syllabification). We used this syllabification concept to determine the rhythm of the words of our song. See some of our "I Bought Me a Cat" activities below.

We enjoyed reading/singing the book "Cat Goes Fiddle-I-Fee."

*Music Teachers: "I Bought Me a Cat" SMART Board Lesson and Rhythm Activity available from "Music and Technology's" Teacherspayteachers store here.

One last round of centers for 2nd grade!

1/18/16***See my new website and check out the blog post on Crazy Cube compositions at https://artsintersection.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/composition-cubes/

We thought we'd try to squeeze in one last round of centers before we leave for the summer!

2nd grade has been learning about the pitch "re" through songs and activities, and now they are off exploring this concept in our centers!

In the reading center, we are playing some SMART Board games to match up written melodic patterns with what we hear and what we see.

In the writing center, we are using melodic crazy cubes with pentatonic pitches (do, re, mi, so, and la) to compose our own piece of music to a given rhythm.

In the listening center, students are listening to "Carillon" by Georges Bizet. This song features a "mi-re-do" ostinato that we have listened to in class. Students are completing a graphic organizer based on their listening and writing a paragraph about what they heard.

In the games center, we are playing Candyland! Not just regular Candyland, mind you, but musical Candyland! When students draw a card to move forward, they then have to draw a musical challenge color-coded to match their card. They may have to sing something, answer a question, read a rhythm, or any number of musical tasks. I think it's safe to say that this is a favorite.

And finally, in the instrument center, students are using what they know of "mi, re, and do" to figure out how to play simple melodies on Orff instruments. They are learning to play "Hot Cross Buns" and "Let Us Chase the Squirrel."

Vibration is Sound!

2nd grade has been learning about sound in science, and this seemed like a natural place for us to integrate music and science! We have learned all about how sound is created by vibrations, and we wanted to do an experiment to see sound waves at work.

(Check out the hyperlinks below at housingaforest.com for some great pictures and a video of oobleck!)
We made oobleck, which is a substance that isn't quite solid, and isn't quite liquid. We put the oobleck on a cookie sheet on top of a speaker and played some bass tones through the speaker (thanks to Mrs. Bray, who prepped everything for our experiment!) Below are some pictures of the dancing oobleck!

Please come to the music room during open house on Thursday night, 2/28, for an oobleck demonstration and some information about other things we've been learning about in music class!

Instrument Families and "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra"

2nd grade has been learning about families of instruments in the orchestra: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. We listened to Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," which features each family as well as the orchestra as a whole. First, we listened and followed a listening map. Next, we used our imaginations to come up with pictures, images, words, moods, etc. that each family reminded us of, and we put those images on paper. This reinforced the "voice" of each family so that we could more readily recall what each family sounded like in our next activity.

We assigned colors to each family of the orchestra (green, red, yellow, and blue), and each student was assigned a flashlight that shines one of those colors. We then listened to our piece of music and created a light show by recognizing each family's sound and shining our flashlights on the ceiling when we heard our "color."

Half Note Fun

2nd grade has been learning a new rhythm- half notes (worth 2 beats). We learned a new song called "Donkey, Donkey" (some of us are very excited to be singing about donkeys, which we apparently love). We learned to read this new rhythm, and then we composed eighth/quarter/half note rhythm patterns in an unconventional way- with Play Doh! Each student received a "beat bar" with 4 beats, and had to create a 4-beat pattern using quarter notes (notated by 1 "blob" of Play Doh on the beat), eighth notes (2 blobs sharing the same beat), and half notes (1 giant blob that spreads through 2 beats). I think we enjoyed our hands-on experience and this new way of composing!

We've now starting learning some instrumental accompaniment for the song, so we'll be practicing playing our new half note rhythms, so stay tuned for videos of in-class performances!

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!!!

Dancing Monsters

This week, 2nd grade started getting into the Halloween spirit! We read the book "Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance," written and illustrated by Keith Graves (click here for an animated short film, narrated with the text of the story and animated based on the book's illustrations. ***Warning- it's a little creepy and goofy. This video is for my future doctors and nurses and those not grossed out by yucky things!). We used our imaginations to choreograph how Frank might dance. After our reading, we listened to Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "The Monster Mash." We mapped the form of the song (A, B, and C sections) using colored index cards. We then learned choreography for the A section and B section, and students improvised their "Frank" choreography for the C section.

Mapping the form of "The Monster Mash"

Dancing to "The Monster Mash" like Frank the Monster

Mrs. Moon's class Monster Mashing

Watch us!...  The Monster Mash- 2D
                     The Monster Mash- 2M
                     The Monster Mash- 2B
                     The Monster Mash- 2G