Classical Music Videos with a Twist!

Technology Thursday (sometimes Tuesday) begins now!

Every year in January and February, my grade 2 and 4 students prepare to go to the orchestra. Here in Winnipeg we have an amazing symphony concert series designed especially for elementary students. The performances include dancers, artwork, visual effects, and children performance collaborations!

As we study orchestral instruments and the concert repertoire, I always like the children hear or see different interpretations of the pieces. Here are two excellent Youtube videos to show your students, especially if they have already heard the orchestral versions.

"Ode to Joy" by James Turner

Beatboxing Peter and the Wolf

So cool eh?

What are your favourite classical music videos with a twist?

- Steph

Holiday Concert Costumes!

Holiday concert is over and vacation has begun! I thought I'd post a couple costumes from the concert.

This year my grade 1 to 3 students performed the new Hal Leonard musical "Twinkle and Shine" by John Jacobson and John Higgins. I loved it, the kids loved it and I heard a lot of great feedback from the families and our staff.

I left most of my pictures at school so I will show more costumes later... but in the meantime, here are two of the bird costumes that a parent volunteer made.

Besides for forest birds, the musical also included pine trees!

I made these with the help of some amazing educational assistants and teachers! I found a couple Youtube tutorials from Expert Village to make the NO SEW ponchos! Link on the videos below for the tutorials. I measured my ponchos to be 1metre x 1metre. They are soooo easy!

No-Sew Fleece Ponchos: Supplies for Making a Child's Poncho

No-Fleece Ponchos: Trimming the Edges

No-Fleece Ponchos: Cutting the Neck Hole for a Child's Poncho

The hats were a bit trickier. Initially we took poster board and made a tall cone by stapling and taping it together. We covered the cone with left over fleece from the poncho. You can see in the picture that the cone rests right on the top of the child's head. We found out at our dress rehearsal though, the hats kept sliding all over the kids' heads because the hats were so tall and heavy.

Our solution was... to make shorter cones that fit into the very top of the tree hat, but kept the fleece the same length. That way it fit more like a toque (winter hat for my American readers!) and the fleece fit nice and snug, keeping it on their heads. With less poster board, there was also less weight. We added fleece ties with a glue gun, to keep the hats from falling off. These hats worked out! And these trees looked precious!

Sorry for the "children of the corn" spooky students pics! I can't figure out how to black out spots using iPhoto! Any suggestions?

Tell me about your costumes! I love new ideas!

- Steph

Tips and Tricks for Engaging Rehearsals #3

Here is the last of the Tips and Tricks for Engaging Rehearsals! I will start posting photos of my concert costumes, props and backdrops this coming week! Yay!

FUN GAMES TO MIX IT UP A BIT!

Sometimes I notice that my kids are getting restless during a rehearsal. I take 5 minutes to play a quick game that will get their jitters out!

Four Corners

Most of you probably already know how to play a version of this, but here is the version I play with my kids that I got from the teacher I was student teaching with 5 years ago! 

1. Create 4 cards that each represent a different song you are working on.  

2. Post the cards in different corners of your room. 

3. Choose a caller to stand a t the front of the room. The rest of the students start in the middle of the room and the caller turns away closing their eyes. 

4. The caller then says, "Choose your corner. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1". The rest of the students go to a corner while the caller is not looking. 

5. Before turning around, the caller sings part of one of the songs (or plays a recording of it). 

6. Whoever was standing at the corner of that particular song is out and must sit in the middle of the room.

7.  The game continues until there is a winner or until the caller sings a song that no one is standing at. In that case everyone in the middle is back in and the game restarts.

Drum Talk

This is a quick game I like to play in the middle of a rehearsal to give the kids a movement break.

1. Have students spread out in the room and face you.

2. Take a hand drum and choose 2 different simple 4-beat rhythms.

3. Each rhythm represents a different stance. For example "ta ta ti-ti ta" could mean hands by your sides, while "ta ta ta" means arms in a T position.

4. Play the two rhythms on the drum while the class does the stances that go along with the rhythms. the last student to change their position or if someone does the wrong stance they are out. The last person standing wins!

Shadow Dance

This is a super quick and easy way to add a movement break! This is a simplified version of an activity I saw Jeff Kriske & Randy Delelles present at a conference in October.

1. Take a triangle and have students line up behind you.

2. Play a background track that you are working on (or another piece of music if you are not using background tracks).

3. Have students follow behind you (like your shadow) in a line and do what ever you do! Do any kind of dance move as you travel around the room (hand in the air, turn, anything!).

4. Once you play the triangle sound, the leader moves to the back of the line and a new leader takes charge!

Freeze Dance

Easiest game EVER! Kids love it and it is the simplest thing.

1. Put some music on and have students dance!

2. When the music stops they must freeze, or they are out!

3. Once students are out, they sit to the side and may dance with their upper body.

4. Last one standing wins!

- Steph

Tips and Tricks for Engaging Rehearsals #2

Report cards are done- YIPEEEEEEEEEEE! I have been MIA on my blog with those darn things, concert prep, the flu, aaaaand a lame car accident this week (no one was hurt thankfully)!

Our school's K-3 concert preparation continues. 10 days until concert night number one. The kids are doing a fabulous job, but it is starting to peak a little early. At this time, students are getting close to the point where they are sick of the songs. WE CAN'T HAVE THAT YET!

Here are some more tips and tricks to keep your kiddos entertained as they continue to practice their concert songs over, and over, and over again...

I am not a fan of blog posts without photos, mostly because I have the attention span of a 6 year old... So I am truly sorry that I have limited pics for this post! I know it's a long one but it'll be worth the read!

MORE TIPS AND TRICKS FOR ENGAGING REHEARSALS:

How Does My Voice Work?

Show them this neat and super short video about the voice. As the video plays, stop it to clarify certain ideas. After the video, have your students place their hand high on their chest, near their throat, and say something together. They will feel a vibration and think it's so cool!

Thanks Denise on Pinterest for the cool video! 

Voice Production Video

Movement Words

Once students know the words to their piece, internalizing activities are super fun and really work the brain. Choose a word that repeats throughout the song. Have students do a non-locomotor movement instead of singing that one word. For example, instead of singing the word "tree" in one of our songs, I had the class jump. You could have them raise their arms, clap, or even stand and sit 

(they get a real kick out of that one).

Hula Hoop Internalizing

This is another internalizing activity that kids LOVE! Have one student stand inside of a hula hoop in front of the class. The class sings their song with a background track or piano accompaniment. The student in the hula hoop decides when to hop outside of the hula hoop. Once he/she does that, the class must internalize the words as the accompaniment continues. Once the student hops back into the hula hoop the class continues singing.

Positive Feedback from your Neighbour

I know this sounds simple, but it is a great easy trick for engagement. I went to an engagement workshop a couple months ago with Eric Jensen and he used this throughout the day. All you do is have the class say different things to their neighbours! For example, if you hear something good have your students say "You have a beautiful voice" to a neighbour or "Wow, you are a great singer!" or "Congratulations you just learnt a new part!" and give a high five.

Spot Call

Dollar store foam cutouts are my BFF. I use them for a million different things, but during rehearsal time they are fun to use for Spot Call. Spread out foam cutouts on the ground and have students sit on them when they come into Music class. Have a chart of the different colours on the board, either with dry erase markers or create a colour chart with construction paper. During a song, point to a colour and have the students sitting on that colour stand and sing. It's simple but a blast. They really get a kick out of internalizing! Plus it gives you a chance to hear individual voices more clearly.

Other Stuff

I also use tricks from my past posts for rehearsals. Click on the activity to link you directly to the post here on my blog.

Jitter Sticks

 

Movement Ball

Tempo Turn

What are you doing to get your kids ready for Winter Concert time?

- Steph

Back to the Basics

I sometimes forget that there is great value in simple activities that don't necessarily have tons of pizaaazz, props, and fancy visuals that I love!... especially when kids are developing their own musical ideas and sharing them with their peers.

During the last couple of weeks, I have really been working on reading standard notation with my grade 4 students before they begin learning recorder. Once we get into recorder, it can all become soooooo overwhelming: reading rhythm, reading melody, doing both simultaneously, figuring out a new instrument, and then doing all of those things at once.

I find boomwhackers so useful for students to use while reading music! It gives forces them to track, they don't have to worry about their instrument too much since it's so simple to play and it gives them a fun focus tool while working in independent groups.

Back to Basics Reading Activity with Boomwhackers:

1. Using four different 4 beat melody cards (I have the Hal Leonard ones, they are FABULOUS), practice clapping 4 cards in a row with the class. Have them say the rhythm as they clap.

2. Next have students pat the rhythm while saying the note names.

3. Choose a few students to come to the front and have each hold a different boomwhacker pitch. Have them track the melody cards with you, playing in rhythm when it's their turn. Have the rest of the class pat and say the letter names in rhythm.

4. Explain to students that they will be doing group work. Choose a team leader who will report back to you in writing with issues and successes that their team experienced. The leader will also be in charge of problem solving and keeping the team positive. 

5. Give each group 4 melody cards and enough boomwhackers for each person. The team will choose 2 cards (I found starting with 2 was best for my kids), choose how to organize them, practice the phrase with their boomwhackers, and then perform for the class.

I know it sounds so simple and maybe boring, but the students really loved it! Really! It took one class and it was a great chance for them to perform for their peers as well.

- Steph