All about my life

Grade 6 students are studying Holst and his composition "The Planets". They spent one class on a web hunt finding and citing facts about Holst. I used their findings to create this video using Mad Lips! Feel free to use this video with my lips and Holst's face, or try the Mad Lips app on iPad or iPhone to create your own! There is a free version HERE! The kids got a total kick out of this! - Steph

I did these in January with my grade ones. I got the idea of making the sharks from Look at my Happy Rainbow  .  To make them musical and to reinforce grade 1 rhythms, each student had to write a 4 beat rhythm using ta, ti-ti or rest inside their shark's mouth! After they were finished, we clapped each of the shark rhythms together as a class. I woud like to do the rhythm sharks again next year, but I think I will use construction paper rather than having the kids colour paper plates. That might look better! - Steph

My grade Grade 4 students have been studying the orchestral piece "The Harvesters" by John Estacio for our upcoming concert Musical Adventures, presented for students by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. We are so fortunate to have access to such an excellent program! We listened to and discussed the music. We noticed that within the piece there are many instrument parts that overlap one another. Students portrayed these layers in their art as well as any other elements that they heard. Students then reflected on their art and its connection to the music. This is what they came up with!   Students used watercolour paint, salt, and marker to simulate the overlapping layers in the music. - Steph

This was really fun for my little grade 1 students. We finished up our Under the Sea month by demonstrating so-mi. Each student got a so-mi fishbowl and some Goldfish crackers. Students were prepared as they had been practicing notating so and mi with THIS   Smartboard activity and by using popsicle sticks together with bingo chips.  I sang a 4 beat so-mi pattern and the students notated it using their Goldfish and fishbowl. Once I checked their work, they could eat their fish. This was a lot of fun, and a perfect end to our Under the Sea Unit. Click  HERE for the free so-mi fishbowl template. All you need now is some Goldfish! Voila! - Steph

So I just realized that I have named my Technology posts something different.... for every post! Tech Tuesdays, Techno Tuesday, Technology Thursday.... and so on. Inconsistency is one of my pet peeves! Go figure... thus Techy Tuesday. Anywhooo, yesterday we had a professional development day at school. No kids and tons of Smartboard stuff. I also got to connect with fellow Music teachers in the morning. I felt inspired so I created something that I can do with my kids today! This Play and Roll Recorder Game was created as a sight reading activity for my grade 4 students. There are 6 hidden melodies. A student must come up to the Smartboard and "roll" the virtual die. Whatever number they roll, corresponds with a hidden melody. When the student taps the numbered shape, the melody is revealed and the student must play the melody.  Click  HERE   for the free Smartboard file! I promise that it is unlocked this time! :) Don't forget that you can use Smart Notebook files with a...

I have my grade 4 to 6 students do small group or independant work on days that I want to work with a small recorder group. Music Note Name Jenga has been our best hit yet! Even better than the amazing Staff Wars  and Note Name Battleship!  I have seen various ways to transform Jenga into a music game. I came across a great version over at  COLOR IN MY PIANO . Joy uses many music symbols in her game. I wanted my students to focus solely on note names so I created a game that had treble clef notes only. HOW TO PLAY Students stack the blocks as you do in regular Jenga. Students take turns pulling blocks. Each time they pull, they must show their block to the group and name the note. If they get it wrong, that students must pull again. I made a rule that a player only needs to pull a maximum of two blocks, even if they make more than one mistake. The student who is responsible for the blocks toppling over loses.  They LOVE it! HOW TO MAKE IT First of all I bought a chea...