Busted! An awesomely fun DIY music game!

I love games and so do my kiddos!
During the month of June, I included this fun game in our primary centre rotation.

BUSTED!

What you need:

A container of some sort. I used empty Lysol wipe containers.

Coloured tongue dipressers. I got mine from Michaels.

A thin permanent marker that you will write rhythms with. Don't forget to include some BUSTED sticks! I did 1/5 eighth notes, 1/5 quarter notes, 1/5 quarter rests, 1/5 half notes, and 1/5 Busted!.

I made a nifty label! For the upper elementary ones that I will do next year, I think I'll make a vertical label...

Put all of the sticks inside the container, with the rhythm side of each stick at the bottom.

And voila! Your game is ready to be played!

Click HERE for the game instructions and HERE the FREE printable label!

Music Centre Ideas- Fun for June!

Oh my gosh! I just realized I haven't posted in 3 weeks! Ah!

As things are beginning to wind down, (only 5 days left!) I thought it would be perfect to have the children do centre work. It has been the perfect thing to do in June! 

Grade 1 and 2 students have been doing a rotation of three centres during the last two Music Classes.

#1 ROBOT RYTHMS

Check out the "how to" HERE

#2 NOODLE RHYTHMS

#3 WRITE A RHYTHM

I can't take credit for any of these ideas though! Lego rhythm activities are all over the internet! I've seen many noodle activities on Pinterest, but my favourite is Mrs. King's, over at her blog. And my friend Renee over at      The Reading Corner swears by Dollarstore page protectors for numerous activities in her classroom!

Stay Tuned for the new additions to this week's centres!

-Steph

Pete the Cat! Rocking in My School Shoes Composition Unit!

I have been working with my grade 3 class on creating music for the book "Pete the Cat, Rocking in my School Shoes". It is really coming to life! 

These are the steps we took before getting to our end result.

Step 1:

The first thing we did was read the book "Pete the Cat, Rocking in my School Shoes"

by James Dean and Eric Litwin.

Find it  HERE on Amazon.

Step 2:

The students then composed a melody (as a class) to match the reoccurring speech pattern from the book. We used a Smartnotebook file to help us.

We changed things and voted on ideas as we went along. Here is our final melody:

Click HERE for the FREE Smartnotebook file. It looks like this:

Step 3:

Next I divided my class into 4 groups. Each group represented an area from the story, where Pete was wearing his shoes. Each group was in charge of creating a soundscape to fit their area (busstop, lunchroom, library, playground). While choosing instruments and creating their soundscape, the groups were to write down shapes and lines that represented their composition (something that they could refer to later).

Step 4:

Next, students each created artwork that represented a "snapshot in time" of their group composition. They were to refer to their group composition notes for ideas. Using chalk pastels, each student drew their groups sound (I told them to imagine that they could see the sound and asked them what it would look like).

After drawing their sound in pastel, each student had to draw their school area in black marker. They made sure to include Pete in their drawing!

Step 5:

Finally we put it all together! We read the story, singing the song every time it came up in the book. Each group held up their "snapshot" and played their soundscape at the appropriate time in the story. It was so fun! The grade 3 class is sharing their story via Polycom (video conferencing) with a class from New Jersey tomorrow and we are so excited!

Pete on the playground!

Pete outside waiting for the bus!

Pete in the lunchroom!

Pete in the library!

What kinds of things do you do in your Music room with picture books? Please share!

- Steph





Music Note Name Jenga!

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 cheaper version of Jenga (on sale at Target) for $5.00. I bought two. I then simply drew a treble clef note on each block... well it wasn't that simple. 

I thought I'd be honest and share photos of my marker testing process on the little wooden blocks. It's pretty funny actually.

Attempt #1:

 I used a regular tipped Sharpie for this one. Ew. Gross. I also spent 2 hours trying to make lines on these blocks perfect. I used Post-its to try and make straight lines. FAIL.

I didn't give up though! Attempt #2:

 WAY WORSE!!! Hahahah. This really made me laugh. I used a Uniball rollerball pen for this one. Finer lines, but it bled WAY more. And yes you're right, I didn't use the Post-it strategy. This should actually be on one of those Pinterest FAIL sites. 

I wanted to give up! But I believed in the activity and in the great game of Jenga.

Attempt #3:

Meh, it's not perfect, but it works for me! I used a fine point black Sharpie for my entire second game of blocks. No Post-its, the marker followed the wood grain quite easily to make a straight enough line.

Yay Jenga!

What games do you transform for the Music room?

Please share!

- Steph

Music Symbol Memory Game- FREEBIE!

Hello y'all! I created this Music Symbol Memory Game to add to my grade 4-6 centres. 

Click HERE to get the free PDF file! 

I am going to print it off, cut the cards out, glue front to back and get 'em laminated! 

Ta da!

- Steph

Back to the Basics

I sometimes forget that there is great value in simple activities that don't necessarily have tons of pizaaazz, props, and fancy visuals that I love!... especially when kids are developing their own musical ideas and sharing them with their peers.

During the last couple of weeks, I have really been working on reading standard notation with my grade 4 students before they begin learning recorder. Once we get into recorder, it can all become soooooo overwhelming: reading rhythm, reading melody, doing both simultaneously, figuring out a new instrument, and then doing all of those things at once.

I find boomwhackers so useful for students to use while reading music! It gives forces them to track, they don't have to worry about their instrument too much since it's so simple to play and it gives them a fun focus tool while working in independent groups.

Back to Basics Reading Activity with Boomwhackers:

1. Using four different 4 beat melody cards (I have the Hal Leonard ones, they are FABULOUS), practice clapping 4 cards in a row with the class. Have them say the rhythm as they clap.

2. Next have students pat the rhythm while saying the note names.

3. Choose a few students to come to the front and have each hold a different boomwhacker pitch. Have them track the melody cards with you, playing in rhythm when it's their turn. Have the rest of the class pat and say the letter names in rhythm.

4. Explain to students that they will be doing group work. Choose a team leader who will report back to you in writing with issues and successes that their team experienced. The leader will also be in charge of problem solving and keeping the team positive. 

5. Give each group 4 melody cards and enough boomwhackers for each person. The team will choose 2 cards (I found starting with 2 was best for my kids), choose how to organize them, practice the phrase with their boomwhackers, and then perform for the class.

I know it sounds so simple and maybe boring, but the students really loved it! Really! It took one class and it was a great chance for them to perform for their peers as well.

- Steph