Catching Up! Music Helps to Tell a Story Unit in December

One of my favorite units to teach is how music can help to tell a story!  I use "The Snowman" video with Kindergarten kids, and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and other clips in Fantasia 2000 with the First Graders.
As in most of my units I go even deeper with the Second Graders.

"Peter and the Wolf" uses orchestral instruments and musical themes to help tell the story.
"Where the Wild Things Are" is enhanced with underlying music from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, and then the same music is heard in "The Firebird" in Fantasia 2000.
"The Three Billy Goats Gruff" is enhanced with classroom instruments.
"The Nutcracker" is read with Tchaikovsky's music in the background, and then students enjoy working on the Nutcracker word search on their iPads while listening again to the music.

At the end of the unit, my Second Graders fill out an evaluation on a Google Form. The last question gives them a chance to give me their thoughts on the unit overall. Here are a few of their responses:

My favorite part of the unit was Fantasia 2000
This was my favorite unit

You should definitely do it with seconds next year!

It is the best unit so far 

The Peter and the wolf was my favorite part of the unit.


I LOVE THIS MUSIC UNIT SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Adding instruments to "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"

Working together on the Nutcracker Word Search

Solfege in Kindergarten

The Kindergarten Kids have been learning about solfege singing with the hand signs on the wall, viewing clips of "The Sound of Music", and "Whacky Do Re Mi" video from Plank Road Publishing. All the kids really loved "The Sound of Music" selections I showed them, and this would be a great movie to watch as a family!  (Usually on TV around the holidays)

When I attended Music Conference at the end of October, I learned about a new solfege singing game called "Apple Tree". Kindergarten kids are pictured here playing the game!

The Room Is Filled With Risers

The MPS music room is now filled with our new risers! We are so excited to be using them in our classroom and of course they will be awesome for our music programs in February and April!
I'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to the PTO for supplementing my music budget, allowing us to purchase these risers!  Also a HUGE thank you to Mr. Ben Snyder and our custodial staff for putting them all together and moving them around! I am incredibly fortunate to teach in such an amazing district!!

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!!!!)