Music Opposites and Where's the Turkey Hiding game for First Grade

First graders show their understanding of music opposites with movement.

High/Low, Long/Short, Loud/Soft, Fast/Slow, Happy/Sad

They have learned Italian dynamic terms, and are having lots of fun!

WHERE'S THE TURKEY HIDING???

In this game, students give clues to the "finder" by singing loudly when the "finder" is close to where the turkey is hidden, and softly when they are far away.  "Run Turkey Run" was the song we used.

I'm pretty sure the first graders would want to play this every music class if I'd let them!

Fall Activities in Kindergarten

Using Boomwhackers with our song "Up the Creaky Stairs"

A fun singing game "Pass Around the Broomstick"

(We imagined the pool noodle was a broom!)

We used classroom instruments to provide sound effects for the book 

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

Classroom Instruments Enhance October Songs in First Grade

First Graders have had fun adding classroom instruments to a few of our songs:

"Something Went Bump"

"Did You Hear That Sound?"

stomping for "Did You Hear That Sound?"

Using Boomwhackers for "Whacky Halloween"

2nd grade Instrument Family Group Project Begins

2nd graders have been divided into groups and assigned an Instrument Family of the Orchestra.

This week we have focused on getting our iPad tools ready for our work together.

All students will have access to this blog in the Music App Folder on their Home Screen.

The "Play and Learn" page includes Symphony websites for students to explore at home, but most will need to be accessed with a PC with Flash capability. The websites that work with our iPads are 

Arts Alive   and  Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids

Fact Monster Musical Instrument Families

I would highly recommend PC exploration of 

San Francisco Symphony Kids     and    New York Philharmonic Kidzone

(and oh how I wish these were accessible with iPads!!!!)

Thank You Guest Musicians!!

A huge round of applause to our guest musicians this past week!

Chris Matz, Kristen Phister, Matthew Coan, Ryan Crist, Na Zhang, Kevin Swan, Amy McCullough, John Ehrlinger, & Dr. Andrew Briddell

Such a great learning experience for 2nd graders to see music important in lives of adults!

Nursery Rhymes in 5K

We've been singing and reading multiple versions of familiar nursery rhymes in 5K. It's been a fun unit, and we're wrapping it up with the Wee Sing video, "King Cole's Party".
I'm busy learning names and will look forward to everyone visiting during Open House on October 8!

African Songs and Games for First Graders

First graders were introduced to our unit by learning the "call and response" song, "Kye Kye Kule".

We were able to connect this with the "I Sing, You Sing" songs we have sung since Kindergarten.

Obwisanna is a circle singing game that African children play, most likely using small rocks. We used shaker eggs, as they were more fun!

The Lion Game is another circle singing game that we played. This game uses a rock and is an elimination type of game. We had lots of fun with this one as well!
We could relate these games to ones that American children play!

First graders got to experience playing a collection of African instruments!

We watched a Reading Rainbow video where we were able to see how an African drum is made, as well as demonstrations of other instruments, some of them which we have!