Music in Our Schools Month

Here is a picture of the bulletin board I created for MIOSM. Out from each subject, I added a fact about music and education.

Link to the facts I used here.

During the week of March 11-15, we will be celebrating in multiple ways. First, each morning we will have a music trivia question. The first homeroom to answer the question correctly will receive a prize for their class.

I also partnered with the reading and writing specialist to create a bulletin board of writing samples with music themed prompts. Here are the prompts and pictures of our writing bulletin board!

1st Grade Writing Prompt
2nd Grade Writing Prompt

3rd Grade Writing Prompt

4th Grade Writing Prompt

5th Grade Writing Prompt

Each homeroom teacher has completed a survey about their musical preferences. In music class, we are going to play a trivia game with the results then work on creating a graph of the results to hang in the hallway for everyone to enjoy.

Survey Questions

Name:
Favorite type of music:
iPod or CD player?
Favorite musician or group:
Favorite song:    
What is your favorite radio station?
Do you play a musical instrument? (if so, which)
Have you ever performed in front of a group?
If you could join any singer/band, who would it be?
If you had the chance, what would you like to learn in music?

Lastly, borrowing an idea from my best friend's music class, March 11-15 will also be performance week. The students are invited to perform a song, play an instrument, or share another musical talent with the class. All of her students enjoyed it, so I decided to include that in our MIOSM celebration!

Carnival of the Animals for 1st Grade

Today in 1st and 2nd grade, we began Carnival of the Animals. In first grade, we listened to Aquarium, read Rainbow Fish, sang Rainbow Fish, made our own rainbow fish from torn tissue paper and performed a parachute routine to Aquarium.

After using the parachute with The Nutcracker, I decided to make up a routine to Aquarium. 1st grade loved this. The parachute routine is below. (I'll try to make a video of this soon.)

Sway left to right 1-4
Little waves 1-4
Repeat

Rotate 1-4, left
Rotate 1-4, right
Rotate 1-4, left

Parachute up and shake small waves on the way down (as music descends)

Sway left to right 1-4
Little waves 1-4
Repeat

Rotate 1-4, left
Rotate 1-4, right
Rotate 1-4, left

Parachute up and shake small waves on the way down

Sway 1-4
Up 1-4 (when music ascends)
Sway 1-4
Up 1-4 

Mushroom (up, walk in 2 counts, out 2 counts) 2x
Small waves
Mushroom (up, walk in 2 counts, out 2 counts) 2x
Parachute up and shake small waves on the way down
Parachute up and students turn in a circle under the parachute

My example torn paper Rainbow Fish.

Next week we will work on Elephants. I am using the String Bass idea from Music a la Abbott. It is great! I also have a worksheet for form so we can begin working on patterns in music.

(The students go more in depth with the Carnival of the Animals in 2nd grade.)

As a concluding activity, I have planned to use an awesome iPad app for the Jungle Book! The app is a book that included games and most importantly, a sing along for The Bare Necessities.

Along with the jungle theme, I am using a non-pitched percussion arrangement from Activate (Aug/Sept. 2008) called Jungle Rhythms. This will also bring our work on rhythm full circle.

Jungle Rhythms

Peter and the Wolf Worksheet

I am so looking forward to studying Peter and the Wolf! I downloaded the cartoon today and it made me even more excited. Here is the cartoon I am using.

I also created a worksheet to go along with the film (or to be used as a quiz afterward).

 

For more information on my Peter and the Wolf lessons, check out this blog post.