12 Days of Music Class Bulletin Board

Thought I'd share my Christmas themed bulletin board for my music classroom: 12 Days of Music Class.
1. A ti ti on top of the tree
2. Repeat signs
3. Treble Clefs
4. ti ka ti kas
5. Lines on the staff
6. Ta ah ah ah s
7. Silent eighth rests
8. Fancy quarter rests
9. Happy Half Notes
10. Upside down ta's
11. Forte signs
12. Whole & Half Rests

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Donors Choose Project; Please Give to Help my Students!

Hello Everyone!!!

I have created a project on donorschoose.org to help get some much needed supplies for my classroom! I've pasted my project story here for you to read.  If you feel like this is something you'd like to donate money to, please click on the donorschoose.org "Give the gift of learning" button to the right or visit: www.donorschoose.org/mrs.beason Thank you so much in advance for your support, it is much appreciated!

Hand Drums & Sleigh Bells To Build Rhythmic Technique

My Students: How often have we heard that making educational concepts concrete with kinesthetic tools is essential to reach all learners? My students cannot fully engage in music making without instruments to help them connect their brains to their bodies through kinesthetic awareness in rhythmic technique.

My students are highly active, spirited, talented, and enthusiastic about music. They attend a wonderful elementary school in a rare Idaho community that is extremely supportive of its music programs. My students are always looking for more opportunities to utilize instruments in the classroom. They are exponentially more engaged in music making when their kinesthetic awareness is engaged through the use of instruments to make music. While the school does provide a small repertoire of instruments, we are extremely low on classroom sets of instruments. Usually half of the class ends up with one kind of instrument while the other ends up with a different instrument. This is useful for some lessons, but the students are interested in more unified instrumental music making. They want to feel more connected by using the same instruments to discover rhythm in new ways. My students are very imaginative and extremely interested in building their music skills, especially rhythmically.

My Project: These resources will change my students' lives in the music classroom by providing them with rhythm skills that are more sound. With these instruments, the students will be able to participate in many eurythmic activities that focus on the development of concepts such as pulse, beat, meter, canon and more. Eurythmics is a system of rhythmical physical movements to music, which are used to teach musical understanding or for therapeutic purposes. Drums and bells are wonderful tools that help develop the art of interpreting musical compositions by rhythmical, free-style bodily movement. The therapeutic nature of eurythmics through the use of instrumental tools will also appeal to all learners, especially special needs students who often attend music for socialization purposes. My students will gain a deeper understanding of rhythmic patterns through the development of an internalized sense of rhythmic beat through the use of these instruments and the activities that go with them.

Plato once said that music is a more potent instrument than any other for education." With the increasing budget cuts in public school that often result in the termination of our students arts' programs, now is a more crucial time than ever to support the programs that still exist. Through this support, our students will have the musical tools they need to show the public why music is such a powerful enrichment to their education, and is thus something to be valued and funded in our schools.

My students need hand drums and sleigh bells to hone in on their rhythmic development technique.

 

Fall into Music

Hello to all!

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and for that I extend my apologies. Getting in the groove of the new school year has taken up a lot of time and kept me quite busy.  I also had an unexpected occurrence in my life; my husband and I were surprised to learn that I am pregnant. It was unplanned, but now that we’re used to the idea, we’re very excited.  The only wrench this throws in the school year (besides growing a large belly, mood swings, and increasing uncomfortable-ness) is that I will be taking leave the last 6 weeks of school. Good timing for my baby and I as we’ll move right into summer without any interruption, but that does leave me with the task of finding a qualified long-term sub to take over my classes and direct the 4^th graders’ recorder performance while I’m on leave. I do have someone in mind, but it depends on her availability. I know it’ll work out somehow.

Back to school now. It’s already fall, which I love because that means the holiday season has begun. I created a “Fall into Music” bulletin board that states all musical concepts in a creative fall-themed way. Here are some photos:

 Another addition to my classroom is the “Rest Area” chair.  This chair is in a designated space in my classroom where I can send students who need a moment away from the classroom activities to alleviate their disrupting behavior by sitting in a solitary space away from others for a few minutes.  It’s very basic: a classroom chair with the “Rest Area” sign taped above it.  Of course, the sign is themed with actual musical rests; to be specific, half rests and quarter rests.  I made the sign using a simple word document. I typed the text and then inserted pictures of quarter and half rests around it.  Feel free to duplicate in your classroom! I’ve found it to be a very effective outlet for re-directing instruction.  Here’s a picture:

Other things on the horizon that I will be planning for are holiday assemblies and the 5^th grade December performance.  I’ll try to do much better about posting more often to keep you updated on things I’m doing.  Thanks for stopping by!

It's "Warm-Up" in Here!

Lately I’ve been filing through my memory for warm up exercises I used to do in choir growing up and even in college and sorting/modifying them to make them appropriate for children ages K-5.  It’s important to make these exercises fun and engaging for students so that they associate singing with positive connotations, rather than as something that’s scary and embarrassing.  This is especially crucial for the upper grades (4^th and 5^th) as they’re at a really vulnerable age in terms of building self-esteem.  Music should be a place to build their self-esteem and confidence, not something that is humiliating and damaging to their personal growth.

I’ve pinpointed several warm-up exercises that I think are extremely accessible for elementary students and will help them relax and have fun singing with one another. Here they are:

1.     Breathing Exercises: These are great for getting students to use their diaphragms and warm up their vocal chords. Students breath in through their nose, hold for 4 counts, and then let out through their mouths saying SSS (like a snake) have them do this both as loudly and as quietly as possible to practice dynamics and control. Tell them to imagine they are a huge anaconda and then the smallest rattlesnake. Playing into their imagination helps them let go and have fun with the exercise. Another great breathing exercise is panting like a dog. Have student relax their tongue so it hangs out of their mouth like a dog, and pant. While panting, have them place their hands on their diaphragm to feel it working. This exercise warms up their vocal cords, opens their nasal passages and opens their throats.

2.     The Siren: In this exercise students their voice inflection and range to sound like a siren going up as high as they can and as low as they can for as long as they can. Just make sure they are not screaming or screeching - this will hurt their voices. Always model the exercise to make sure they are using their voices correctly.

3.     Humming: This is great because it’s easy for students to do and it helps place the soft palate in a high position, which is optimum for healthy singing. The buzzing sensation high in the sinuses is another indicator that the passage of sound is not coming from the throat. This is an easy way to help students feel the natural sensation of singing correctly and safely.

4.     Yum, Yum, Yum, Yum, Yum!: This is a fun exercise that helps loosen the jaw and softly warms the voice by emphasizing the vowel.  Have students sing it in the progression of Do, Mi, So, Mi, Do. This is also appropriate singing on “buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz” or using lip trills, “br,br,br,br,br,” which is basically like blowing bubbles out of water.  

5.     Tongue Twisters: Using tongue twisters and alliteration in chorus is great for diction practice. Some that I like to do are “The lips the teeth the tip of the tongue,” “Shelly sells sea shells down by the sea shore,” and “Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?”

6.     I love to sing!: Students sing those exact words in the following Solfege progression: Do, Mi So, Do, So, Mi, Do or in Solfege numbers it’s: 1,3,5,7,5,3,1. It’s fun to move your hand in a circular motion, make the circle bigger the higher you sing. This helps students visualize their pitch going up and helps keep them from going flat. You can also have student sing the actual Solfege words and sign the Kodály hand motions

Compelling Composers Bulletin Board

The first time I saw my music classroom before it was officially mine, I noticed one of the bulletin boards at the front of the room was dedicated to featuring famous classical composers.  It started me thinking about how I want to incorporate my music history component by means of featured composers. I definitely want to keep the bulletin board, but I am in the process of brainstorming how I want to execute the presentation.  I’m thinking about calling it, “Compelling Composers.”  I will feature a different composer each month, following curricular guidelines if applicable, and have a fun theme. I found some excellent themes from http://www.musicbulletinboards.net/composers.htm that I definitely want to try!:

Welcome Bach: This bulletin board would be a great way to start the year or a new semester. A picture of J.S. Bach goes in the middle of the board and facts about his life or perhaps a timeline of his life goes around the picture or below it.

Another Scoop of Schubert: post facts about Schubert on colored paper and decorate with pictures of ice cream cones and ice cream sundaes.

Beethoven is Hot: Use a black background and place a photo of Beethoven in the middle. Before hanging the photo burn part of the edges around it. Behind his photo make little construction paper flames. Around his photo place little flames with info about his life and his career, the name of a movie about Beethoven, the address of a Beethoven website, and so on. Underneath the photo post this Beethoven quote in letter that look like they are on fire: "Music should strike fire from a man!" –Beethoven

Bernstein Babbles: This bulletin board highlights Leonard Bernstein. Under his picture is a short biography (2 small paragraphs) and in the books in bright colors and interesting fonts are quotes by Bernstein. Here are some to consider using:

"It would be nice to hear someone accidentally whistle something of mine, somewhere, just once." (The Joy of Music, 1960)

"I have two answers to everything and one answer to nothing". (1966)

"Any composer's writing is the sum of himself, of all his roots and influences."

Coffee with Rossini: Put Rossini quotes on each of the cups. I design each quote separately with unique colors, fonts and pictures so it looked like a real novelty coffee cup. For neat 3D effects try stapling an empty donut box to the bottom, a couple of packs of artificial sweetener, maybe some empty cups and napkins from your local coffee shop. Some Rossini quotes that you may find suitable:

"Give me a laundry list and I will set it to music."

"Thou knowest, O Lord, as well as I, that really I am only a composer of opera buffa."

"Delight must be the basis and aim of this art. Simple melody-clear rhythm!"

Handel Handles Interviews: In the large hands on the board place various pictures of Handel. The smaller handprints around the pictures contain either questions and answers about Handel in interview format or quotes by Handel.

The Voice of Wagner: On top of the three big eighth notes I would put some quotes by him. At the bottom of the bulletin board a larger, more memorable quote. The picture came from 

If you have other ideas for introducing composers in a fun theme let me hear your ideas! I'm going to need a few more! Thank you to http://www.musicbulletinboards.net/composers.htm for the inspiring ideas! Love them! 

Great iPad apps for Music Teachers

One of the fabulous perks of working in the public school system is the funding for technology!  In addition to the already available document cameras and projectors at my school, this school year, our principal plans on obtaining iPads for all teachers at the school. Having done my last student teaching assignment in graduate school at a math, science, and technology school I was spoiled with the use of iPads, document cameras, projectors, computer labs, and iPods. I am so excited to have the opportunity to use the latest technology in my classroom to supplement student learning. I think it’s crucial to appeal to students in this way since they are growing up in such a technologically advanced generation.

In anticipation of my classroom iPad, I started researching educational music apps that I can see myself utilizing frequently in my classroom to extend student learning. Thankfully, there are some free ones out there, but of course the majority will cost money.  I’ve categorized them and added a short description to make it user-friendlier for readers who are also interested in a variety of music education apps. Also note, that some of these apps work for multiple subjects other than music.

Be sure to leave comments if you know of other apps I may find useful in my music classroom!

Free iPad Music Apps For Teachers

§  Harmonizer – This is a free app that works as a pitch trainer, and introduces kids/students to basic chord theory. It is a very colorful app, and tries to link sound with color.

§  Beatwave – lets you create sounds and rhythms. You can record your creations, and save them for future use.

§  PraiseHymns –Hundreds of hymns loaded in 4-part harmony. See sheet music right on iPad and it plays the tune! Great for sight-reading, analysis, and tune research.

§  Ear Trainer Lite – Theory ear trainer. Does intervals in game/quiz format. Simple and good.

§  Rhythm Quiz – Rhythm Quiz is an educational music game designed to improve rhythm-reading skills.

§  Virtuoso – free piano app. Probably one of the best free piano apps out there.

IPad Music Apps For Teachers that cost money:

§  Guitar Toolkit ($9.99) – Good guitar app. has a tuner, Chord Book, and voice-referencing tool.

§  A.P.S. Musicmaster Pro ($14.99) – This app has a tuner, metronome, plays chords on a pitch pipe type of graphic, full fingering chart for each instrument. You can scan your scores, or marching band drill and edit, or make rehearsal markings on your iPad. It can also record tracks, has a stopwatch, and has a calendar that you can integrate with your calendar on your computer.

§  Keynote Remote ($0.99) – is a presentation app. It is compatible with PowerPoint.

§  Bento ($4.99) – Is a great app for creating a music library and can be used as a grade book as well as inventory.

§  Circle Theory ($4.99) – Good music theory app. As the name implies it uses the circle of 5ths.

§  iHarmony ($0.99) – Another music theory type of app. has a full collection of scales, chord, and harmonization’s that you can use in beginning or advanced theory class.

§  Cleartune ($4) – Accurate Chromatic Tuner

§  Flashnote Derby ($1) – Simple game to practice identifying notes on treble clef

§  Rhyme Time ($1) – Rhyming Dictionary

§  PracTime ($2) (iPhone app) – practice journal for students

§  HolidayBells ($1) – playable pitched bells

§  Notes for Little Composers ($0.99) – For ages 3 and up, this app can be used to introduce beginners to music notation and basic composition.  The user taps on the treble clef screen to make notes, hear the names of notes, and create simple songs. Ideal as an accompaniment to starting music lessons.