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Timbre Assessments

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Are you doing assessments for your end of the year report cards?  One of the areas that I want to assess is how well children perform music in choirs, Orff ensemble, on unpitched instruments, recorder, ukulele or guitar.

Types of Voices:  Speaking, Singing, Whisper, Shouting, “Thinking”

In most music curriculums, children in K-1-2 are expected to be able to:
1. use each of the types of voices
2. identify each of the types of voices.
I really enjoy teaching about timbre – types of voices, timbre of classroom instruments and timbre of orchestral instruments and orchestral instrument families.  For an informal assessment, put the posters on the ledge and say a phrase using one of the voices.  Have the children point to the type of voice they hear.
 

Song #9 This is My Speaking Voice 

This is a great lesson in Musicplay for Kindergarten on types of voices.   The lesson includes many opportunities to assess informally if children perceive and understand speaking, singing, whisper, shouting and thinking voices.
In the activity, children learn a simple poem, and then say the poem using two kinds of voices – one voice for the first two lines, and another voice for the last two lines.  You can do this activity with the PDF printables (the posters shown above) as manipulatives.  Or with the Interactive activity below. 

The posters are printables on MusicplayOnline (song #7 in Kindergarten)

To purchase:
– Order them in the Vocal Exploration Card Set on TPT.    
– Order Vocal Exploration Cards Canada
– Order Vocal Exploration in USA
 

You can do the activity interactively from the SMART Board

If you want to do a formal assessment,
this is a printable assessment on types
of voices In Musicplay K (This is My
Speaking Voice)  – or Musicplayonline,
song #7 in Musicplay K

 
 
Timbre of Classroom Instruments

In most music curriculums, children in K-1-2 are expected to be able to:

  1. Identify classroom instruments visually
  2. Identify classroom instruments aurally
  3. Classify rhythm instruments as woods, metals, drums or shakes/scrapes
 

In the Instruments Unit at www.musicplayonline.com there are interactive activities:

 
Rhythm Instrument Assessments are also available in the following print 
products:    Rhythm Instrument Fun  and   Classroom Instrument Bingo   

Both of these print products have really fun activities to teach children the timbre of classroom instruments! 

Classroom 

Instrument Bingo

 
 
 

Rhythm 

Instrument Fun

 
 
 

 
 
Timbre of Orchestral Instruments

In most music curriculums, children in Grades 2-6 are expected to be able to:

  1. Identify orchestral instruments visually
  2. Identify orchestral instruments aurally
  3. Classify orchestral instruments as woods, woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion

In the Instruments Unit at www.musicplayonline.com there is a fantastic unit on Instruments of the Orchestra, and many accompanying worksheets to teach and assess the instruments.
 

 
Orchestra Bingo 

This resource is a great way to learn about instruments of the orchestra and instrument families.  (There is a version of the game at www.musicplayonine.com.) . This game has always been my last lesson before a holiday.
 

Order either print/disk Or download version

 
Order in Canada

Order in USA

 
 

Assessment is a big topic and these are just a few of the ways that you might use to assess performance.  Share your ideas, rubrics and videos on the Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!
 
 
 

Purchase Classroom Instrument Bingo Order in USA    Order in Canada
 

Purchase Orchestra Bingo   Order in USA  – Order in Canada
 

Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards
Canada – buy Melody Flashcards
USA and International – Melody Flashcards
 
Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:
Match the Melody – Canada .   OR .   Match the Melody – USA
 
Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards
TeachersPayTeachers – Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards from Musicplay Canada     
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   
 
Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear?

Which Rhythm Do You Hear? Print Version – Canada
Which Rhythm? Print Version – USA
 
 
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Talent Shows

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The Grandview Elementary School talent show was an annual event that had the most amazing array of talent.  We had a 12 year old world champion double baton twirler, and a young world class tumbler, who worked with Cirque de Soleil after he graduated.    We also had many karate kata performances, dance solos, and one spectacularly cringe worthy recorder performance.  We had piano solos, including one seven year old that could play Mozart piano sonatas.
This school had about 350 children, and the entire school attended the performance in the gym.
 
In our school the talent show was held on one of the last days of school.  There was no time limit on it, but if it was longer than 90 minutes the children in the audience would get restless.
 

Notes were sent home with the children.

 

The classroom teachers were supposed to do the screening of applications.  We had guidelines, and most teachers did a great job.  But there were a few that let any child that brought a permission form participate.  To limit performances to the more serious and better prepared acts, I’d suggest that you hold auditions after school hours.  Then, you can include several teachers of TAs from your school as audition judges.  It’s a good idea to hold auditions on Wed. Or Thurs. and post the results list on Friday at the end of the day.  You should also send notes home with successful applicants so that they have all the information on date, time of show.

 

Here is one possible Audition Rubric

 
 
 

Send home the audition list.

At the auditions, if you are able to, make copies of  any mp3s that students use, so you’ll have it on the day of the performance. 
 
After the auditions, judges need to make up the list of acts that will be in the talent show.
 
Post the list of acts that made the cut, late Friday afternoon, and give all students who auditioned a note of congratulations or sorry, please try again next year.  I try to accept as many acts as possible.  We have a 2 hour time frame, but try to keep the show to no more than 90 minutes.
 
Create your program from the list of acts that you’ve approved.  You can use student MCs, but it will be easier if you have an adult MC.  Sometimes the local radio station will send an announcer to be your MC, and this is fun for the kids.  Often, our principal will be the MC.  If you’re using student MCs, give them the program of acts that will be in the show so they can write introductions.  You’ll have to work with them before the show to be sure they’re ready to do this.
 
A dress rehearsal is really great if you’re able to do it.  But at Grandview Elementary, we never had a rehearsal because that last week of school was crazy and there were always lots of field trips and special activities.
 
If you’re able to get the music needed for the show on your computer, it will make the running of the show much smoother.
 
On the day of the talent show, check with all your performers to be sure they have their music, costumes, etc.  Set up and test out your sound equipment.   Set up video equipment – if you have classes after the talent show, they always love to see a re-run. 
 
Call the students who are in the who to the gym about 20 minutes before your start time and seat them in order, with all their props that they need. 
 
Have FUN!!! 
 
I’ll post fillable PDF versions of my parent letters at Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!
 

Talent shows are fun – share your ideas for making talent shows a success at Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!

Purchase Classroom Instrument Bingo

Order in USA    Order in Canada
 

Purchase Orchestra Bingo   

 

Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards

Canada – buy Melody Flashcards
USA and International – Melody Flashcards
 

Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:

Match the Melody – Canada .   OR .   Match the Melody – USA
 

Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards

TeachersPayTeachers – Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards from Musicplay Canada     
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   

 

Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear?

Which Rhythm Do You Hear? Print Version – Canada
Which Rhythm? Print Version – USA
 
 
 
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Did you know MusicplayOnline has a new Easter Unit AND a new Spring Unit?

Related Songs 

There are lots of Easter and Bunny/Rabbit Songs:

    

Compose a melody for Easter or Spring! 

There’s a so-mi version, a do-re-mi version and a drm sl or CDE GA version.

     

Easter Egg Hunt

Practice Rhythms as you go on an Easter Egg Hunt!  There are 8 levels of rhythm practice.  And there’s a cute surprise after reading all the rhythms.

Music Math

Want to have your students practice note values?  There’s a projectable Music Math activity with corresponding downloadable worksheets.  There are multiple levels so you can choose the level that best suits your students.

Egg Shaker Matching Game

K-1 students:  Shake the egg and see if they can guess what’s in it.  I used an interesting variety of materials in the eggs including popcorn, rice, dried peas, small screws, tums, pennies.

Gr. 2-5 students:  Give each student one egg as they come in your classroom.  Have them find the matching egg by listening carefully to the sounds their egg shaker makes.

To make it easy to check if students have found their match, I marked the pairs — but most students don’t notice the markings the first time they do this.  I also made a Key of what’s in the eggs, because it is hard to tell!

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

To introduce the piece in PreK-K-1 I have the children pretend they are chicks in the shell pecking their way out.  It’s hard work, so when the long note comes, that’s when the chick is resting.  View the kids demo! After active listening, have the kids complete the listening glyph.  Enjoy!

There are many great games for Easter in Musicplay!  Here are notes on just a few of them:

Find the Easter Basket

Gr. 2#75 – practice dynamics, sm l while playing a hiding game

If you use the interactive Beat and Rhythm activities for Find the Easter Basket, you’ll see that our team has now created a menu for the activities.

Now you can jump right to the activity that you want to do with the students.

The new Beat Chart (activity 2) is new.  Turn “off” the beats you want children to put “in their heads” and they sing out loud only for the beats that are “on.” Developing audiation is fun!!!

John the Rabbit in PreK

The game is simple and fun!  Kids make a line on one side of the room.  Each time they sing “Yes Ma’am” they take a little jump toward you.  (You’re Farmer Brown) . When you get to the end of the song, shoo the bunnies out of the garden.  Print the vegetable cards and use them in the song.  Then, clap the word rhythms.  I put out 4 cards on the floor.  My PreK closed their eyes and I clapped “sweet potato.”  They correctly identified the vegetable I’d clapped.  Sweet!

Little Rabbit Foo Foo

A shout out to Dana Herro who performed this in her concert, having the students act it out.  Instead of doing the fingerplay, when little Rabbit Foo Foo was hopping through the forest, they hopped.

Hurry Easter Bunny

A great song to practice so-mi-do.  Kids love chase games and they learn the interval because they’ve sung it in the game so many times.

The Musicplay Team hopes that you enjoy the new Easter activities as much as we enjoy making them for you!!!

Ukulele Resources on MusicplayOnline:

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Did you know Musicplay Online has resources to teach ukulele? This week on the blog and newsletter, we will share with you what is available online and in our print resources for ukulele.  

Introduction Video

Here is a short introduction to the ukulele. It includes the history, explains the different types and sizes of ukulele, the parts of the ukulele, playing position, how to read chord charts, and how to strum. 

 

Tuners

Three different tuners are available.   

Projectable Materials and Recordings 

The Easy Ukulele Song book is available for you to project in your classroom in both C and D tuning (32 songs in each section).  Click the tabs at the top of the ukulele section in the website.  There are also links to POP SONGS in both C and D tuning. 

 

Printable Chord Chart 

This is available to download with your subscription to Musicplay Online.

 See the video below for a tour of the UKULELE section on MusicplayOnline:  

UKULELE PRINT RESOURCES:

Click the picture below for print resources available on the Musicplay Store.

 

To purchased the EASY UKULELE SONGBOOK click the cover below:

Easter Dynamics and Composition Lesson

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Find the Easter Basket

A fun lesson for the week before Easter, would be to teach your classes, Find the Easter Basket.  This has always been a favorite lesson for me to teach before Easter.  It’s a great opportunity to review dynamics, including crescendo and decrescendo or diminuendo.

Process:

  • if teaching to K, teach the song by rote
  • If teaching to Gr. 1-5, read the rhythms for the song by projecting the digital resource or musicplayonline.com, read from the student books, or write them on the board.
  • Teach the melody by rote, or if your students can read la so mi, have them read the melody.
  • Explain how the game is played. Don’t let the students shout. If the sound is harsh, have them clap the rhythm of the song softly and getting louder to show where the basket is, instead of singing.
  • Play the game.

Game Directions: Choose one child to hide the Easter basket and another child to look for it. The child who is going to hunt for the basket leaves the room while the “hider” hides it. When the finder returns, the class sings the song, singing softly when he/she is far away from the basket, and singing louder as he gets closer to the basket. The basket must be hidden in plain sight. The game continues until everyone in the class has had a turn to hide the basket or to find it.
If you have a really large class, and kids are getting wiggly waiting for their turn, play the game over two classes. Keep track on your class list of all the students that have had a turn to hide or find the basket. In my classes, the kids get to hide OR find — not both.

Teaching Purpose/Suggestions: This song is included to teach or review dynamics.  Show the dynamics projectables.  (These are in the digital resources, or at musicplayonline these are in the concept slides.  If purchasing as a TPT activity, the slides will be a projectable.)
Older classes still like playing games!

  • For an older class, show them how a simple game song like Tisket a Tasket can be turned into a jazz classic.  Search on YouTube for Ella Fitzgerald’s version of the song.
  • Discuss how the Ella Fitzgerald version differs from the game song given here.
  • Make a Venn Diagram that shows how the versions are similar and how they are different.

Extension:  Create an EASTER RONDO
1.  Teach the Orff arrangement, starting with the bass part and adding as many parts as your students can handle.

This arrangement is from The Orff Source by Denise Gagne
2. Have the students make a pattern using Easter icons
K-1-2:  For the little ones use one sound/two sound cards:
Bunny Chick Bunny Chick.  Bunny Bunny Bunny Chick

2-3-4: For older students use two beat rhythms:
Easter bunny, Easter Bunny, Basket, Chick . (ti-ti ti-ti,, ti-ti ti-ti, ta ta ta rest)

3. Have them play the patterns on body percussion or non-pitched instruments.  Or, improvise melodies based on the rhythm of the patterns on barred instruments. Use the patterns as an introduction to the song, or as an interlude between repetitions of the song.

For the little ones, make a pattern with one and two sound cards.  With your older students, give them cards with two beat rhythms.  I use white CD envelopes to store my cards – then I can easily see with set of cards I have in them.  A tip from Christie Noble and Tracy Stener (authors of Making Music Fun series)- copy sets of cards onto different colored cardstock. (that’s why I used black and white drawings) . Then the kids are less likely to mix up the sets.   I’ve made the cards so they are quick and easy to cut out – make a set of cards for your class in minutes.
I’ll post the word rhythm cards at musicplayonline.com in the printables for Gr. 2 #75 Find the Easter Basket song tomorrow when I have my technicians to help me.
To view The Orff Source visit www.musicplay.ca
To view the printables visit: musicplayonline.com

St. Patrick’s Day Unit – Lesson Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day!

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2018-03-09 St Patrick’s Day Lesson Ideas

The St. Patrick’s Day Composition, Improvisation Flashcards & Theory Unit is available to download from Teachers Pay Teachers OR use the interactive composition, improvisation, Rhythm Chain and Rhythm erase at www.musicplayonline.com. Musicplayonline has 10+ Irish folk songs and instrumental selections for movement/listening that aren’t included in the TPT version.  The TPT version has additional flashcards, themed recorder mad minutes and a themed staff lesson that aren’t at musicplayonline. 

1.  Two Fun Fact movies are included in this unit. The K-5 movie is shorter with less detail.   Show the students the movie to begin your St. Patrick’s Day unit. There is also a colour by .  note value activity included.

  • 2. Leprechaun Improvisation includes:  song, mp3, worksheet
  • To the Teacher: this is a melodic improvisation activity for PreK – Gr. 5.
  • Discuss the legend that says if you catch a leprechaun he can grant you three wishes. Ask the students for suggestions of what they might wish for.
  • Teach the song by rote to younger students.Older students may be able to read the rhythm and the melody. (drm s)
  •  Demonstrate how to improvise some of the students ideas for wishes. Use a variety of pitches: s ml, drm, drm s.
  • Ask for student volunteers to improvise vocally their wishes.
  • If you’d like to perform this, a performance/accompaniment track is included in the unit OR accompany with a C-G bordun on Orff instruments

3, Compose a Melody 1 AND 2 .  Compose with solfa: drm, drm sl Or with the notes CDE or CDE GA

  • To the Teacher: Choose from Melody 1 and Melody 2 poems for the composition activity. Both have the rhythm notated, so students only have to write the melody.  Choose whether to have your students compose with solfa: drm, drm sl Or with the notes CDE or CDE GA
  • Teach the poem.
  • invite students to improvise melodies for phrases of the poem using either do, re, mi or do, re, mi, so, la.
  • Use the projectable PowerPoint to create a melody as a class. (copy and paste the solfa or the notes to compose in PowerPoint.)
  • Accompany the composition with a bordun on the Orff instruments. You can accompany  drm, drm sl in the key of C with C-G.

Rhythmic Phrases PPT and Worksheet

  • Teach or demonstrate how to complete the worksheet using the PowerPoint. Say the phrase and invite the students to tell you which rhythm matches the phrase.
  • In the PowerPoint, copy and paste the rhythm into the box.

Have the students complete the worksheet as a center activity or an assessment activity.

5. Shamrock Rhythm Erase

  • This has 8 levels for Gr. 1-6  – interactive PDF, PPT, Worksheet are included online and in the TPT version.   To the Teacher:
  • Say each of the rhythm patterns.
  • When students know them all, click on one to take it away.
  • Say all four patterns again.
  • Click on another one to take it away.
  • Continue making patterns disappear until you are left with only the shamrocks.
  • Have the students tell what the patterns are. Click to check if they’re correct. (In the interactive PDF, click the “reset” button.
  • Try playing the patterns using body percussion or unpitched percussion instruments.
  • Try having the students use the worksheet provided to write the patterns down, check
  • their answers with the activity.
  • Try a new level!

Leprechaun Hunt Rhythm Chain

  • This has 8 levels – interactive PDF, PPT, Flashcards .   To the Teacher:
  • • Help us find the leprechaun! To start, click on the start button to make the first rhythm appear.
  • When the students have memorized the rhythm click on the rhythm to make it disappear.
  • Clap the rhythm again and find the leprechaun’s yellow footprints.
  • Click on the footprints to reveal the next rhythm. When the students have memorized the second pattern clap the first pattern followed by the second. As you collect more patterns the rhythm chain will become longer.
  • Continue collecting rhythm patterns by clicking on the rhythms and the footprints.
  • Have the students tell what the patterns are. Click to check if they’re correct. (In the
  • interactive PDF, click the “reset” button.
  • Try playing the patterns using body percussion or unpitched percussion instruments.
  • Try a new level!

Rhythm Flashcards – in TPT version only
80 Rhythm Flashcards are included, themed for St. Patrick’s Day.

Staff Lesson Workshops –     in TPT version only .
These correlate with the staff lesson at musicplayonline.com – the staff lesson is found in the interactive activities for the first 6 songs in K-6.   (We will be moving the staff lesson to the Units section when we start building our theory section)

Recorder Mad Minutes – themed for St. Patricks Day . – in TPT version only

 

  • Songs / musical selections for St. Patrick’s Day found in the St. Patrick’s Day Unit at musicplayonline.com.  (These are not in the TPT version)

  • 1. Paddy From Home
  • 2. St. Patrick’s Day Jig
  • 3. Fillimiooriay
  • 4. I Like Leprechauns
  • 5. Leprechaun March
  • 6. Lucky Leprechaun
  • 7. Connaughtman’s Rambles
  • 8. Irish Washerwoman
  • 9. Irish Jig
  • 10. Irish Reel
  • 11. Wild Mountain Thyme
  • 12. Mary Mac
  • 13. Hi Ho the Rattlin Bog
  • 14. Cockles and Mussels
  • 15.  Mr. Potato Head
  • – and of course there is a menu of suggested activities for each of the songs!

At www.musicplayonline.com The UNITS button is on the left menu

   

Select Festivals and Holidays – St. Patrick’s Day

 

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone!  

Chinese New Year Musical Activities Unit

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Wow!  In one week, we’ve celebrated Valentine’s Day, seen the start of the Winter Olympics, and started Lunar New Year celebrations – including Chinese New Year on Feb. 15th!

We’ve created an entire Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year celebration at www.musicplayonline.com.  If you don’t subscribe to the online site, You can download the unit from TPT.  TPT Download

The Unit starts with Fun Facts about Chinese New Years or Lunar New Year as it should properly be called.  Beautiful projectable images illustrate many traditions and customs.

A traditional song is included in the unit.   Ruth Fung was a parent when I taught at GW Smith Elementary.  She taught us the song, and provided the translation and the phonetic pronunciation.  Her daughter and a daughter’s friend recorded the vocals for the song, and this recording is included in the unit to help learn the pronunciation.

Two composition activities are included.  A Chinese New Year Rondo introduces a simple song to use as the theme, then the students can create word rhythm compositions as B, C, D sections.  Two levels are included:  one/two sounds per beat for your young students, and more words for your older students.  Online the pdfs of the word cards are available to download – these are designed to be very easy to print out and make sets!  These pdfs are included in the TPT download of the unit as well.

A second composition activity that you can choose is the Animals of the Zodiac activity.  This activity uses animal word rhythms and sounds that the animals might make.  To model interactively for students if using the TPT version, use the PowerPoints and cut/paste the words to create a class composition.  at www.musicplayonline.com, you can use the interactive version.  Worksheets to practice name notes and solfa are included!

Dragon Dance

When I was the music teacher at Grandview Elementary, Dr. Kenneth Wu, a martial arts teacher and dragon dancer (and acupuncturist) came into our school and taught our students how to do the dragon dance.  His instructions are included in the Dragon Dance lesson plan, and a video of our students performance is also included online and in the TPT download.  Building the dragon for this performance was a ton of fun for me and for the students.  We used a tablecloth runner long enough for 20-25 students, and decorated it with lots of glitter and artwork.  I remember glitter from one end of the school to the other!

Rhythm Chain

A rhythm chain is the opposite of a Rhythm Erase – you try to memorize patterns starting with one, then adding to it.  Use a variety of body percussion to make your performance interesting.

The first rhythm will be revealed to you. When you’ve memorized the first rhythm, click on the rhythm to hide it and click on the next scroll to reveal the second rhythm. Clap the first rhythm (hidden) and the second rhythm (revealed) until you memorize the second rhythm. Hide the second rhythm and reveal the third rhythm. Contine down the chain.

Four rhythm chains are included in an interactive PDF – each one at a different level.

Rhythm Lanterns – Rhythm Erase

Lanterns with riddles on them are hung up around the cities, and children go from lantern to lantern solving riddles.

In the Rhythm Laterns, students complete a rhythm erase.  They memorize the rhythm patterns, one pattern will disappear at a time, until you are left with only the lanterns.   When they complete the rhythm erase, they are rewarded with a riddle.

A 24 page teacher’s guide is included with the unit.

Where can you get these Chinese New Year lessons and activities?

We’ve created an entire Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year celebration at www.musicplayonline.com.  If you don’t subscribe to the online site, You can download the unit from TPT.  TPT Download

Are you still celebrating the Winter Olympics?  We’ve posted the unit on TPT, so if you want to download all the materials, you can.  LINK to TPT Winter Olympics Musical Activities

Or visit www.musicplayonline.com – see our new UNITS section on the left menu to use interactive versions of the activities.  More units are coming soon!

 

Obwisana Lesson Ideas to Teach Ties

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In this newsletter I’m going to share the process I use to teach ties, using the song Obwisana.  When first writing and recording songs for Musicplay in 1999, the internet wasn’t the wealth of information it is today.  I asked everyone I knew in Red Deer, Alberta (not a very multicultural city in 1999) if they know someone from Africa who would teach me some African children’s songs.  I finally was able to connect with “Nana” who was a health inspector in Olds.  I had some songs in secondary sources, but wanted some that came right from the source.  Nana had been born in Ghana, lived in Botswana, then emigrated with her family to Canada.  She remembered singing Obwisana as a child.  She didn’t have a literal translation for the song, but remembered that it meant, “Grandma, the rock hit my finger.  It hurt.”

Process:
1.  Teach the song, and tell the students what the words mean These projectables are from the Concept Slides in the Musicplay Digital Resource PowerPoints.  They are also in the Concept Slides section at www.musicplayonline.com .

Play the Game!!!  The traditional game is a stone passing game.  I’ve done it that way with students, but when I turned the game into a stick passing elimination game, it because a requested activity!  When doing passing games with grade 2, I start with the pile of sticks in front of me, and pass them out one at a time to my right.  I say, “Pick up, set down” and the child on my right does that.  Then there are 2 children who pick up, set down, then 3, then 4 until the whole class has a stick.  This is the way to get kids to all go in the correct direction when passing!  I mark one stick with tape.  The pattern we used was:  tap, tap, set down (in front of the person on their right), pick up. (pick up the new stick) . We sing the song and at the end of the song, the child with the marked stick is “out” and starts a new circle in the center.  I go into the circle with the first out.  They change sticks so the marked stick stays in the outer circle.  Once you’re in the middle, you’re just playing for fun.  There’s a kids demo video of this in the Musicplay Digital Resource, and at www.musicplayonline.com .

2.  Show where Ghana is on a world map, and show the students what life is like in rural northern Ghana.  My friend, Marilyn Pottage, took these photos on one of her many trips to Ghana.  She runs a foundation that helps provide secondary and university education for girls.  These photos are in the Concept Slides of the Musicplay 2 Digital resources and are in the Concept Slides of musicplayonline.com.

3.  Have the students pat the beats in the song.  I like to have them count the beats, then check if they have them right, on a beat chart.

4. Then I have the students clap the rhythm – the way the words go.  Then we figure out how many sounds are on each beat.

There are a series of beat/rhythm interactive activites at www.musicplayonline.com .  The interactive activities follow the same process.

The interactive activities at www.musicplayonline.com  are awesome BECAUSE they are interactive.  When you press PLAY on “Point to the Beat” – the beats pulse as the song is sung.

3.  Pat the Beats as you sing the song        4.  Clap the words as you sing the song

5.  Be sure your students understand the difference between beat and rhythm.

You can use “Is the drum playing beat or rhythm” to assess formally if students can tell if it’s beat or rhythm.  If you have student iPads or chromebooks, students can use the student login for www.musicplayonline.com . and they can complete the One sound, two sounds or more than one beat activity on their device.

6.  Clap a phrase of the song, and have students figure out how many sounds are on each beat.  In this song, they’ll be figuring out if there are some sounds that last more than one beat.

If you prefer to have hands-on manipulatives for your students, printable manipulatives of the same activities are given in the printables section of www.musicplayonline.com .

The Beat Pointing Page could be used in place of the interactive “Point to the Beat.”

The Rhythm Pointing Page would be in place of “Clap the Rhythm.”

For some songs, I like to give the students a set of the rhythm cards (#3-4) and ask them to re-create the rhythm of the song.  Easy sets include the words of the song, but if I want to challenge the students, I’ll take out the words!    We’ve made the rhythm cards so it’s very quick to copy onto cardstock, then cut out.  I store them in CD envelopes so I can see through the envelope window and know what song the set is for.  The Rhythm Sort worksheet is a written version of an online rhythm sort activity.  Write the Rhythm would be a great assessment.

Should you do every activity for this song?  Of course not.  I’ve given the wealth of activities at musicplayonline so you can choose the activity that meets the needs of your students.  If your 2nd grade are amazing readers, challenge them with a rhythm sort.  If you have a challenging class, or this is the first year you’ve taught these children, they may still need a beat pointing page.

How many lessons will this take?  That also depends on whether your students are struggling or strong readers.  But, I would allow more than one lesson, especially when you want to get kids creating their own music!

Create and Perform:  Whether your students are amazing readers or still struggling, all students should be encouraged to create their own music.  One of the ways that works well, is to have them create with word rhythms.  Two ways to create are given at www.musicplayonline.com .  The first is creating with words or just use the notes.  When class time is really limited, do this as a teacher led activity.

If you have more time, students could do either of these activities on devices, or you could print out rhythm cards or word cards for them to use to create an 8 beat rhythm.

Teacher can model with the interactive projectable above – then it’s easy for students in pairs or small groups to create their own word rhythm, or note rhythm using the cards pictured below.

Assessment:  As with all new concepts, you may want to assess if students understand.  The Rhythm Sort and Rhythm Erase activity at www.musicplayonline.com . are both great.  I might do the rhythm erase first.  Note that we haven’t included the song title.  We did that so you could use it as a mystery song.  The Rhythm Sort is a great activity to do as your assessment of the “Obwisana Unit.”  There is a printable version of the rhythm sort in printables online.

Rhythm Sort worksheet     Create a word rhythm:      Accented Beats

Obwisana Lesson Ideas Screen Cast:  I created a screen cast to show teachers in a video the materials in this newsletter.  I made a mistake though – and didn’t include in the video the Concept slides about Ghana.  So be sure if you teach this lesson, you include the cultural context.   You can watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLB99FyylsA&t=5s .  The video includes the kids demo of the game.

Hope you enjoy the screencast and newsletter with lesson ideas on Obwisana!

Denise

Denise Gagne
denise@musicplay.ca
www.musicplayonline.com
(blog) www.denisegagne.com
Musicplay Teachers Group on Facebook!

Next Blog Post – Chinese New Years lesson and ideas!
If you want a sneak preview, visit www.musicplayonline.com and go the first 4 songs of Musicplay 3.  We’ve removed those songs and replaced them with songs and lessons on Chinese New Years!  (Our programmers are working on a “New” Songs section)

PreK – Gr. 3 Holiday Concert Songs

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A recent Facebook asked for help finding a cute song for K-3 students. In this article, I’m giving suggestions for easy and cute holiday concert ideas for your primary (PreK-Grade 3) students. If you choose a song that is already familiar to the students it will be quicker and easier to learn.  Some of the ones that most will have heard before include those in the K-3 Christmas Concert Idea Book.

K-3 Christmas Concert Idea Book

* The Bells on the Sleigh (new words to Wheels on the Bus)  Watch a performance on YouTube – this is fun and easy for kids to learn!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHqpE8tEjRU

* He’ll be Comin’ down the Chimney – fun and easy!  See a performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDlcOY8qQeg

* And Santa is his name (BINGO with Santa words)
* Jingle Bells (song and dance)
* Up on a Housetop
AND 20+ more songs, poems, fingerplays – see complete contents at the link
We have nice recordings of ALL of these in K-3 Christmas Concert Ideas.

Don’t have time to wait for a book/CD to come by mail? No problem – all of our Christmas collections are available as downloads. In the download you get the pdf file of the book and a folder with all of the MP3s of performance and accompaniment. There are also poems for choral reading, a reader’s theatre of “The Elves and the Shoemaker”, a mini-play, “No Cookies for Santa” a Nativity scene, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Ribbon dance, finger plays, and more!      This is a great deal – $18 download for the whole collection — many single song kits are $15 for one song.

CANADA Teachers:  http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=327-D

USA Teachers: http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=327-D

 

Kinder Christmas Collection

Another favourite familiar song for your primary students is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. We recorded a performance and accompaniment track for Rudolph in Kinder Christmas collection. Another familiar song in this collection is “There was a Little Baby” – the song that was recorded on the Raffi Christmas album. We’ve included an accompaniment track so your kids voices will be heard without Raffi in the background. $20 Book/CD
The collection includes these songs:

* Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel
* Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
* Reindeer Love to Boogie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJx2I9h7hRk
* There Was a Little Baby  (with acc. track)
* Tap, Tap, Tap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6hetJ_qzI
* Let’s Be Jolly
* Chris tmas ABC (American)
* Christmas ABC (Canadian)
* Gingerbread
* Teddy Bear Twist
* I Hear the Bells
* Ten Little Angels
* Christmas Dance
* Rock Around the Christmas Tree
* Play the Bells to Celebrate

CANADA Teachers:   http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=332-D

USA Teachers:   http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=332-D

Christmas Favorites Collection

Santa Claus is Cominʼ to Town
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ_HvB0nvZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYvMCH5KZ1k

Jolly Jolly Santa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6z5zYyNv4

Snowflakes (partner with Jingle Bells)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjdIWz4Csbs

Christmas at the Hop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4NXd30vP5s

Other Songs in the Collection are:
* I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
* Do You Hear What I Hear?
*Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
*  Christmas Candles
* Follow the Star
* What Child is This?
Optional Biblical Readings
* Starry Night

CANADA Teachers:  http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=160-D

USA Teachers:   http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=160-D

Christmas Concert Idea Book

Makin’ Christmas Cookies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2DUeSKmhP8

* Shine a Light for Peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mbqi83icc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCEsJyha1Tc

* AND 10 More songs!  Includes a Nativity for Catholic or Christian schools:
*Christmas is my Favorite Time of Year
* Time to Pack the Sleigh
* Santa’s Computer
* Christmas Spirit
* Presents
* The Road to Bethlehem
* Little Star
* Glory to God in the Highest
* The Colors of Christmas
* Christmas Time is Here

CANADA Teachers:   http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=328-D

USA Teachers: http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=328-D

Christmas Music Lessons

This is a collection of lessons and activities based on nine familiar Christmas carols. Each song is notated for vocals, soprano recorder in two parts, Boomwhackers in two parts, a variety of percussion instruments, and with chords provided for ukulele (or guitar). All parts can be used together and also work in any combination. Each song comes with a vocal track and an orchestrated accompaniment track. A slower accompaniment track is given for Boomwhacker play alongs. Reproducible and Projectable lyrics are included so the songs could be used in a performance or a school holiday sing along. The activities include naming notes, writing notes, recognizing rhythms, creating new melodies, as well as fun games and word puzzles based on the lyrics of the carols and the song information.

* African Noel
* Jolly Old St. Nicholas
* Up on the Housetop
* Joy to the World
* Jingle Bells
* Christmas Chopsticks
* D’où viens-tu bergère?
* Over the River and Through the Wood
* O Come Little Children

CANADA Teachers:  http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=C45-D

USA teachers:  http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=C45-D

Themes & Variations publishes many more Holiday and Christmas collections and there are many holiday songs in the Musicplay PreK – Grade 6 curriculum.  Visit http://musicplay.ca/ to see our complete Christmas section.

10 Easy Assessments for K-5 Music Classes

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If you only see your K-6 music students for 30-60 minutes/week, you have very limited time to assess student progress. In this article, I want to give suggestions that will help you make the most of the limited time that you have.

You should plan your assessments when you create your year plan. If in the first term of your year plan, you decided to focus on steady beat, then your assessments for term one should focus on steady beat. You can’t assess every musical skill and concept each term.

When planning assessments, find out what your school or districts allows or requires on the report card. If you can only report on 3 outcomes, don’t assess 20 outcomes.

In planning assessments, you will want to assess both skills and mastery of concepts. Skills include singing, playing, moving, listening, reading/writing and creating. Concepts include beat/rhythm, pitch, expression (dynamics, tempo, articulation), tone color (timbre), form.

Not all skills and/or concepts have equal importance. The skills that I feel are the most important in K-6 music are singing in tune, and keeping a steady beat. I might assess thost skills every term, and assess the other skills/concepts during the times that I’ve focussed on them.

Ten Easy Assessments:

 1. Outcome: Students sing independently, on pitch.

To Assess: Sing “hello student” on so-mi, so-mi.

Student responds by singing “Hello Mrs. Gagne” back to you.

  • 1.  Developing does not always use singing voice, rarely matches pitch
  • 2.  Beginning occasionally sings in-tune
  • 3.  Proficient Sings in tune most of the time.
  • 4.  Excellent Consistently sings in tune independently.

2.  Outcome: Students sing in the group, on pitch.

To Assess: Play a recording of a song that you’ve worked on that the students should know. For example: The National Anthem or in Musicplay 2, Ridin’ That New River Train. Have the students stand in class list order. Walk down the rows listening to each child sing for 2-3 seconds. Record your assessment in your grading program or on your class list.

  • 1.  Developing:   Beginning to use singing voice
  • 2.  Beginning     occasionally matches pitches.
  • 3.  Proficient      Sings in tune almost all of the time.
  • 4.  Excellent      Consistently sings in tune.

3.  Outcome: Students keep a steady beat when moving to music.

To Assess: Play the song, “Time for Music.” It’s song #1 in Musicplay PreK part 1 and in Singing Games children Love Vol. 3. (also available on iTunes and/or at www.musicplayonline.com) In this song children keep a beat, clapping, patting, tapping, flapping, and drumming on their knees. Have the students sit in class list order, observe and assess as they sing and move to the song. Another way to assess steady beat when moving to music is to play a listening example and have the children find their own way to keep a beat.

  • 1.  Developing:   rarely keeps a steady beat
  • 2.  Beginning     occasionally keeps a steady beat
  • 3.  Proficient keeps a steady beat almost all of the time.
  • 4.  Excellent Consistently keeps a steady beat

4.  Outcome: Students keep a steady beat when playing instruments

To Assess: Sing and play an instrument song such as, Play, Play, Play Along in Rhythm Instrument Fun.  (This is also in Musicplay PreK, and is found online at www.musicplayonline.com)  Have the students sit in class list order and give each child a pair of sticks. Observe and assess as they sing and play to the song. Alternately, play along with a piece of classical music or a folk tune. Find a piece of music that has a tempo approx.. 120 beats per minute.

  • 1. Developing:   rarely keeps a steady beat
  • 2. Beginning     occasionally keeps a steady beat
  • 3. Proficient keeps a steady beat almost all of the time.
  • 4. Excellent Consistently keeps a steady beat

5.  Outcome: Students tap a steady beat on a beat chart

To Assess: Sing a short, familiar simple 16 beat reading song or chant such as Engine #9, Lucy Locket. While they sing, have the children tap the beat on a beat chart. (Download a beat chart for the songs listed above from musicplayonline.com – printables) Have the students sit in class list order, observe and assess as they sing and tap the beat.

  • 1. Developing:   rarely keeps a steady beat
  • 2. Beginning     occasionally keeps a steady beat
  • 3. Proficient keeps a steady beat almost all of the time.
  • 4. Excellent Consistently keeps a steady beat

6. Outcome: Students can read a 4 (or 8) beat rhythm pattern using ta, ti-ti, rest

To Assess: Create a set of 10 or more rhythm flashcards. Go down your class list, having each child read one or two flashcards. Gr. 1-2 – use 4 beat rhythm cards   Gr. 3-5 first report card, have students read 8 beats.

Have the students sit in class list order, observe and assess as they sing and tap the beat.

  • 1. Developing:   rarely keeps a steady beat
  • 2. Beginning     occasionally keeps a steady beat
  • 3. Proficient keeps a steady beat almost all of the time.
  • 4. Excellent Consistently keeps a steady beat

Themes & Variations publishes a set of 100 rhythm flashcards that are printed on colored cardstock.  The color coding indicates the patterns included in the set and helps you to quickly find the set that each class is working on.

Link to Flashcards – Canada   http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/category.aspx?categoryID=26

Link to Flashcards – USA   http://shop.musicplaytext1.ihoststores.com/category.aspx?categoryID=62

In www.musicplayonline.com, we’ve taken the flashcards and made this into a very quick and easy to use movie – just press play.  There are 25-35 patterns in each set.   There are fewer patterns for very easy sets as younger classes are usually smaller (we hope!) and more patterns in the harder or longer sets for your older students.  In the easier sets, we’ve given you both 4 beat assessments and 8 beat assessments. You can choose the set that you want to assess.

7. Outcome: Students can notate a rhythm pattern that they hear (ta, ti-ti, rest)

To Assess:   To do music Dictation using cardstock flashcards, I choose five cards at the level I want to assess.  I give the students a piece of paper (I use paper from the recyling in the school) and a pencil (I keep a class set in a container by the door)  and an old hard cover text to write on.  They write their name at the top and number 1-5.  I clap a pattern – they clap it back, then write it down.  I’ll give it a second time if they need it.   I write down my patterns as I go or keep my flashcards in order. Students exchange papers and correct them in class, so I don’t have to take home bags full of marking.  Yay!

Music Dictation at www.musicplayonline.com is done the same way.

Five questions are given.  Pause the movie between questions.  Immediately following the five questions are the answers.  Exchange papers and mark.

 

8. Outcome: Students can sing at sight a melodic pattern

To Assess:   If you use solfege in your music classes, assessing the students ability to read and sing melodic patterns may be an outcome that you choose to assess. In my classes, in first term I might assess the following patterns in term 1: Gr. 1 – so-mi,   Gr. 2 – la-so-mi   Gr. 3 – so-mi-re-do Gr. 4-5 – low la, do-re-me-so-la   Every teaching situation is different, so this may not be an assessment that is relevant to your teaching.  Create or purchase melody flashcards to assess the tonal patterns that you have taught. Melody flashcards are available to purchase from www.musicplay.ca. OR you can use the Solfa Reading videos at www.musicplayonline.com.

9. Outcome: Students can identify singing, speaking, whisper, shouting voices

To Assess:   The Types of Voices lesson in Musicplay for Kindergarten, song #7, This is My Speaking Voice, includes a printable assessment. In this assessment, the teacher uses one kind of voice, and the students circle the type of voice that they heard.

  • 1. Developing:   few answers are correct
  • 2. Beginning     some answers are correct
  • 3. Proficient most answers are correct
  • 4. Excellent all answers are correct

10. Outcome: Students can identify when music is fast or slow

To Assess:   #29 in Musicplay PreK is called Fast or Slow. Eight musical examples are played for the students and the students tell if they are fast or slow. You could use 4-6 of these examples in an assessment.

  1. Mary Had a Little Lamb     slow
  2. Mary Had a Little Lamb fast
  3. Twinkle Twinkle   fast
  4. Twinkle Twinkle   slow
  5. Ring Around the Rosie   fast
  6. Ring Around the Rosie   slow
  7. Eensy Weensy Spider   slow
  8. Eensy Weensy Spider   fast

Give each student a piece of paper (I use paper from the recyling in the school) and a pencil (I keep a class set in a container by the door)  and an old hard cover text to write on.  They write their name at the top and number 1-4 or 1-6. Play the movie to use the musical example but don’t project it.  Pause to allow children to write slow or fast. (or make up a worksheet so they just have to circle slow or fast.) If you prefer, you could play your own examples on a keyboard. Mark the students work for your assessment.

  • 1. Developing:   few answers are correct
  • 2. Beginning     some answers are correct
  • 3. Proficient most answers are correct
  • 4. Excellent all answers are correct

These are just a few possible assessments, but I hope this gives you some ideas for easy assessments that you can do in your music classes, without taking up all of your limited teaching time!