Procedures In The Music Classroom

Many of us are going back to school this week and the beginning of the year is a fabulous time to teach procedures for your classroom.  Investing time in procedures at the beginning usually results in a classroom that flows smoothly and allows more time for music making rather than discipline issues.

This year, I for the primary grades, we are going to try starting by walking into the classroom and walking around the circle while singing.  Then we will sit down at a dash (not an assigned seat).  I find that the younger students really struggle with remembering their place and I want to spend time making music first.  Then we will learn staff spots (assigned spots in lines on the floor) and end class back at the circle with a game.

In our classroom, we use transition songs to get us from one place to the other.  Many of the students now know the songs so well, I only need to hum or play the melody for them and they will move to the correct location for our next musical activity.  If you are curious about our music room procedures, a few are listed below.  I made these for my long term sub when I was on maternity leave.

Staff Spots

Circle Spots

Silent Signals

Music for the Great American Solar Eclipse

Here are some ideas for integrating the Solar Eclipse in your music room:

• Aiken Drum
• All Through The Night
• Au Claire Da La Lune
• Claire De La Lune
• Eclipse - Lindsey Stirling
• Moonlight Sonata - Link
• Star Light
• Sally Go Round the Sun
• The Sun is In My Heart (I'm Growing Up, Mary Alice Amidon)
• Up Up from the East - Mallet Madness
• You Are My Sunshine

Grade 2 Lessons for This Week

• Time for Music
• Welcome
• Connect:  "Last time you came to music, we were learning about the William Tell Overture.  Today, we will sing, move, and play instruments all about the sun, moon, and stars for the upcoming Eclipse.  Let's Begin!!"
• Procedure Review - Quiet Cheetah and Responsible (Just Do It, Okay, Yes)
• Aiken Drum - Music K-8 Version
• Sally Go Round The Sun
• Phrases - Draw pictures on the board to represent each phrase.  Teach each phrase by copy.  Sing and face different directions or keep the beat differently for each phrase - Student generated movements.
• Circle - 
• Sing and walk in a circle, jumping on the word boom.  
• Sing and walk with hands touching.  
• Add an interlude of humming the song only.  Sing, hum, Sing.  
• Sing, sing in head, sing.
• Science connection - discuss the sun, earth, and moon and how they orbit or revolve around each other.  Discuss the Great American Eclipse.  Invite students to hold the "Sun", the "Moon" and the "Earth".  Sing the song again.
• Allow students to choose other students to hold the manipulatives.
• Sing the song and invite students to be constellations.
• Try as a canon.
• Star Light Star Bright
• If time allows, echo sing and review phrases.
• Sing the song and pass a wand around the room allowing each student to say a wish they have.  Remind students that being respectful means listening quietly.
• Xylophones -
• Review Playing Gently, Motorcycle Mallets,
• Glissandos before singing "Star Light, Star Bright"
• Steady Beat
• Sing, speak/play on spoken words, Sing
• Moonlight Sonata - Relaxation and prep for line up - ViewPureVideo Link
• You Are My Sunshine
• Line Up Procedure

Ukulele Resources

Sing Alongs

• Someone to Lava - Link

This Week's Music Class Brought To You By….Rossini!

This week in Grade 2, we will be learning about The William Tell Overture and Giochino Rossini.

Here are some places students may have heard the William Tell Overture:

Doritos Cowboy Kid Commercial
Google Chromebook
The Lone Ranger
Cherrios Commercial 2014

Grocery Store Kid's Ride

Here is some more information about the William Tell Overture:

• Finale of the William Tell Overture - Link
• Story of William Tell Opera / Overture
• Listening Exercise -  story of the William Tell Overture / Opera
• Story of William Tell  - Lego Version
• Read Aloud Book Version 
• Video of Orchestra Performance - Start at 2:45 for the Finale section
• Hip Hop Remix Video
• Boomwhackers - http://viewpure.com/cwiH4aPgEdk?start=0&end=0
• Boomwhackers - Progressively Getting Faster - Link

Beethoven Resources

• Moonlight Sonata - Video with Moon - http://viewpure.com/arMu4f8rnBk?start=0&end=0
• Ode to Joy Sheet Music - Lyrics About Beethoven - Link
• Symphony No. 6 - Song from Lynn Kleiner Kids Make Music! - Link
• Symphony No. 6 - Video of Orchestra - Link
• Symphony No. 7 - View Pure
• Note - There is a fabulous lesson that ties the rhythm of Symphony No. 7 to Frog in the Meadow in the book From Folksongs to Masterworks by Ann Eisen  - Worth every penny! Link

Boomwhacker Play Along Videos

Here are some fun Play-Alongs for Boomwhackers!

• Frere Jacques - http://viewpure.com/YpFegKX64NY?start=0&end=0
• Imperial March - John Williams - Link
• Ode to Joy - http://viewpure.com/UjsIxCdV_fg?start=0&end=0
• In the Hall of the Mountain King - Chromatics are needed - A, C, D, D#, E, G, G#, B, C. http://viewpure.com/eSSBfVhPiNc?start=0&end=0
• Pirates of the Caribbean - http://viewpure.com/6OaZaqyZKyI?start=0&end=0
• PopCorn - http://viewpure.com/yhr3n15o0yw?start=0&end=0
• We Know The Way - Moana - We play Steady Beat with all Boomwhackers - Great for Technique Practice!  http://viewpure.com/ubZrAmRxy_M?start=0&end=0

Grade 5 - Opera Unit

Our Fifth Grade students get to learn about Opera!  Last year, I found an AMAZING opera video of Hansel and Gretel from The Metropolitan Opera.  It is even in English!!!  My students (and myself) were mesmerized!  It is a little dark at times, but has wonderful videography, costumes, and set.

The video can be purchased from Met Opera's store - just $21!!!
https://www.metoperashop.org/shop/hansel-and-gretel-live-in-hd-dvd-met-opera-1730


Here is an excerpt on viewpure.com. There is no singing, but it will let viewers see the amazing costumes!
http://viewpure.com/HR6EmxZYMJQ?start=0&end=0

Sometimes we have time to fully immerse ourselves in the many jobs that must be done to create an opera.  Students have completed these artifacts to show the knowledge they gained about opera:

• Create a Brochure showing what you learned about Opera
• Create/Design Costume
• Create/Design Set
• Create/Design Music