Pumpkins and Black Cats....Kindergarten

A gym full of kindergarten kids

a sea of orange and black

Songs about pumpkins

and a black cat!

October Rocktober! 1st grade

October is over, but this was a favorite!

October Fun! 2nd Grade

We've had lots of fun with the October songs!  As you can see, the kids feel free to move while singing!  :)
I experimented with a sound story called "A Night to Remember" by Cristi Cary Miller, where each student played a sound that corresponded to a word or phrase in the story. It worked out very well and we will be doing more of these, as the activity allows for multiple levels of learning!

Kindergarten Music Stars Add Instruments

Excitement was a tangible thing as students walked in and saw the instruments!

Did You Hear That Sound? First Grade Music Stars Enjoy October Songs

First Graders enjoy adding instruments to songs we are working on!

They sing their hearts out!

Second Grade Music Stars Wrap up Instrument Families of the Orchestra Unit

Written work in music class is rare...
Second Graders gave it their best effort and enjoyed the Reading Corner as they finished!

Meet my Woodwind Instruments

1st and 2nd graders had the opportunity to meet my clarinet, flute,and piccolo in the past week. This added another dimension to what we have been studying. Seeing the instruments' different parts and how they go together, plus hearing some simple tunes was a great experience!

I am enjoying the conversations that are sparked as the students and I get to know each other better! McFarland is a wonderful place to teach!

Solfege and the "Sound of Music"

In my years of teaching solfege singing and signing to kindergarten kids, I love sharing one of my favorite movies of all time (a clip of it anyway) "the Sound of Music". I first saw the movie in a theater when I was in kindergarten!

The Kodaly hand sign posters are up on the wall, and it is so heart-warming to see the students make the connection while watching Maria sing "Do, a Deer..." in the movie clip! This viewing also leads to real life questions by the students: "Why doesn't their dad like for them to sing?" "Where are their bike helmets?"
I am enjoying these kindergarten music stars SO much!

1st graders Adding Instruments!

Our song, "Something Went Bump" just needed to have some instrumental sound effects!

Needless to say, this was a hit!!!