Foam Rhythm Stick Notation

Rhythm sticks made out of foam.
 I used the sticky-back foam (leaving the 'sticky' on, which makes them a bit firmer),
I cut out eighth-notes, quarter notes and quarter rests (stems only)

I have used them for my 2nd graders - passing out a bunch and letting them compose a rhythm and then clapping (or use percussion instruments) the rhythm for the class. 

I reused a pizza box to store these foam rhythms. 

Ti-Ti,    Ti-Ti,    rest,     Ta

PomPom Critter Rewards

So easy.  I thought I would reward my band students for their practice and dedication.  I made these 'simple to do' PomPom Critters.  You need a pom-pom, googly eyes, sticky-back foam and a hot-glue gun.

Easy. Inexpensive. Very Cute!

The sticky-back foam allows the kids to stick their critter wherever they like.

The Fifth through Eighth Graders at one of my schools were assigned a project. 
The project:  Make Your Own Instrument. 

The assignment was pretty simple.  Simply find objects from around your home or be extravagant and purchase items designing and building an instrument.  They had to give a demonstration in class of how to play it, and what instrument family it would belong to.

 

 

I was very impressed!

Noodles for Music Games



http://www.tipjunkie.com/pool-noodles/

Come on over for the Music Summer Camps. 

Another great idea for learning music.  Label each noodle circle with a music note.  Quarter notes worth one point, whole notes worth 4 points...you get the idea.  

Magnetic Board

Don't throw out that old cookie sheet!  You know the one I mean...the one with the black grease build-up (you cookie monster  :)) ...and maybe rust on it from sitting around because you're afraid to use it anymore.
PAINT IT!

So, I painted it and added a staff.  The back of the sheet, I left blank for use

with any magnetic ideas.

I used acrylic paint to cover the pan.  Then, I used masking tape 

to create the lines, finishing with gray marker. 

For the final added touch, (to keep the marker from running and the paint from chipping)

I added poly on top.

I made "cookie" notes with magnets on the back to add to the staff.

The students always enjoy using this magnetic board.

Use cookie-notes to play games.

Use the back of the magnetic board to place other fun ideas.  Place hand in C position and let them learn their finger numbers, gaining flexible movement, etc...

Gung Hey Fat Choy

Chinese New Year
Year of the Dragon made this music class a lot of fun.  I simply took a green and red fabric and sewed them together.  I believe the dragon is at least 7 feet long.  The children hold onto the the yellow strips of fabric along the side.  One child puts the head on like a hat and off flies the dragon around the room. 


Here is a picture of the head.  The fabric is glued over a shoebox and that supports the head as a hat.

My camera did not take a very good pic of the tail, but it is about 7 - 8 feet long.

Try singing this song for the dragon parade.

http://www.nancymusic.com/Gunghayplay.htm

Winter Theme Songs: Tracks in the Snow, Cabin in the Woods, Bear Over the Mountain

Tracks in the Snow

Make copies of several animals' footprints on sheets of paper.  Make a book out of all the footprints you collect.  Sing the song and let the children match the footprints with the animal.  Give them clues before you sing. (lyrics and music by Patty, copyright 1998)   (A very simple tune.  The kids love this one because they guess the footprints of the animal.  Show them an outline of a footprint, sing the song, at the end of the song they guess who the tracks belong to. Print out these tracks online:  bear, deer, rabbit, racoon, skunk, dinosaur, bird, cayote, and human)


Eb        Eb  D   C
Tracks in   the snow  
Eb  Eb   D  C
leaving  a    trail         
 G    G      F  Eb                                
who could it  be                                           
high C  G      high C   G
look -   ing,  look   - ing                                        
Eb  D     ___
I     spy (name of animal)                     

The Bear Went Over the Mountain (traditional)
(Some children hold the sheet in a circle and other children pretend to be bears.   The bears walk around the circle where the sheet is spread out)


C      A       A    A-G   A    Bb     A      
The bear went o-ver the mountain    
A   G       G     G-F   G    A      G
the bear went o-ver the mountain
C    A     A      A-G   A    Bb    D
the bear went o-ver the mountain
D  C   C      Bb G      F
to see what he could see 


2nd verse:    (The bears crawl  under the sheet and pretend to sleep.)
He saw a dark cave
he saw a dark cave
he saw a dark cave
and went fast asleep


Act out:
snore, snore, snore
Wake Up!   
(The children holding the sheet call "wake up" and lift the sheet, and the bears under the sheet jump bear and growl.)
Grrrrr!          

Cabin in the Woods
love this song.  It is traditional and doesn't belong to anyone.  Although I know one website that is asking money for it?? 
The original words "before the hunter shoots me dead" I took out. We use hand motions for each line.  A game to play would be to not sing the first line, only use hand motions, the second time, take out two lines, and so on...by the end of song, you are only using the hand motions. 
In a little cabin in the woods
A little old man by the window stood
Along came a rabbit hopping by
knocking at his door
"Help me, help me, help me," he said.
Before the snow covers my head
come little rabbit, come with me
happy we will be.