Olympic Fanfare

The Olympics are on the horizon, and I plan to celebrate during music class! If you have access to older Share the Music books, there is a listening map in the second grade book for "Olympic Fanfare" that I have used with my classes. Here is a quick rundown of a quick activity to commemorate this wonderful event, even if you don't have access to the listening map.

1. Brainstorm and list Olympic events. Here is a complete list: Summer Olympic Sports

2. Listen to "Olympic Fanfare" and follow the listening map, if available. Note the different sections. Have students give a signal to indicate when they think the sections change. 

3. Discuss the form (ABCBA) and the tempo of the different sections.

4. Listen and move to the music:

• A: March in place, as if participating in Opening Ceremony
• B: Jog in place to the beat (Students can pretend to carry the torch)
• C: Act out a sport in slow motion (Teacher can call out sports, or students can pick their own. They can change sports during this section, since it is long enough.)
• B: Jog in place again
• A: March again

5. You can add a game by playing the slow section and allowing different students to act out a sporting event in slow motion for the class to identify.

This would also be a great time to review the national anthem and discuss how each country's anthem is played when they win the gold. 

(UPDATE: I have created a PowerPoint file with a listening map and clipart of Olympic athletes for movement inspiration. It is a FREE download in my TpT store using the link below.)

Olympic Fanfare Fun

Try this activity with your students. I love it, and I hope you will, too. My only complaint is that I have to wait so long before I can use it again!

Valentine Fun

I wanted a quick, fun activity to help celebrate Valentine's Day with my second grade classes today. I recalled taking a screenshot of an idea someone shared in a Facebook group. It was a take-off on "Bow, Wow, Wow." They had changed the lyrics for Valentine's. I found the picture I had taken and got busy getting the activity ready.

Suggested lyrics:

• 1, 2, 3.
• Who will it be?
• Who will be my Valentine?
• 1, 2, 3.

I had loved the idea of the movement activity, in which students stand in a circle, perform movements with one partner, and end by facing a new partner. I decided to tweak the lyrics a little to make the final lyrics different from the first line.

Tweaked version:

• 1, 2, 3
• Who will it be?
• Who will be my Valentine?
• Let me see!

Next, I created a PowerPoint presentation that included music notation (created in Sibelius). I included a slide for students to identify "mi-re-do" at the end. Also, I made up some silly lyrics to help demonstrate the movements we would be performing.

Movement lyrics:

1. Pat, pat, pat.
2. Shrug shoulders now.
3. Join your hands and circle round 
4. Wait, wait, turn!

1. Pat hands with partner 3 times.
2. Hands out, as if to ask a question, and slightly pulse the 3 beats.
3. They actually just trade places, instead of circling all the way around.
4. Cover eyes on "Let me" and then turn quickly in place & uncover eyes to discover who the new partner will be.

Students stand in a large circle and face a partner. After they join hands and switch places, they will turn at the end to face a new partner. Song/movements repeat until students return to their original partners.

You can grab a copy of the PowerPoint presentation at the link below:

1, 2, 3: Valentine Fun

Here is a video clip of second graders having fun with this activity. (We literally spent 15-20 minutes on this, so it really was quick!) The class was an inclusion class, and the children with special needs were able to participate with success. (I used a filter to protect the privacy of students.) 

Winter Concert Reflections for K

I have previously written about how Janet and I have our students complete a winter concert reflection sheet following their performance. Since our performances run through the last day before our winter break, we completed these when we returned in January. Some of our kindergarten students were struggling with reading and answering all of the questions within the class period, and it was beginning to be a little stressful. Janet had the brilliant idea for us to modify the form for the younger students. I'm not sure why this never occurred to me, but it is one of the many reasons I love having two music teachers in our school. Two brains are definitely better than one! :)

When we work on these questionnaires, we place a copy under a document camera and display it on a screen. Another change I made was the addition of numbers in front of the questions. It made it easier for students to follow along or to request a certain number to be read again.

Another use for this modified version is for older students who many need accommodations.

For a copy of the simpler version click here:

Winter Concert Reflections for Kindergarten

See this post for a link to the original version:

Winter Concert Reflections

I hope this new version is useful!

Veterans Are Heroes

Veterans' Day is around the corner, and I'm really looking forward to it! Each year, our 5th graders present a Veterans' Day program for students, parents, and veterans. We have 4 performances, in order to accommodate our audiences. The veterans attend the final performance. I wrote about our typical program last year, so I won't repeat everything. You can read about it here: Veterans' Day Program post. (The post also includes examples of videos and a performance reflection sheet.)


We use 5th grade writing to supply all of the narration and video portions of our program. In the past, we have simply given a writing prompt and told them to write about that, or they create a poem or write a letter to a veteran. While this method provided plenty of material for the program, it was difficult to organize the students' thoughts in a way to make the program flow.
This year, I decided to provide a 3-page questionnaire for each student to complete during their writing class. The questions were written to help organize the students' writing into topics that we wanted to include in our video presentations. We instructed students that they didn't have to complete every question, and that they should start with the ones they felt the most strongly about. The last page was for a letter to a veteran, which could be to any veteran, or to someone they know.

You can download the PDF here: Veterans' Day Reflections

While we have gotten some good information in the past, this year's writing seems to feel more personal. There is a place for them to tell something about a veteran, and we have learned about sacrifices veterans made, such as grandfathers missing out on their child being born.

My fellow music teacher and I read through all of the papers (approximately 120) to select the writings that will be featured, and we do not want to know whose paper we are reading. We prefer to select solely on the quality of writing. Therefore, students are instructed to only write their name and homeroom teacher on the back of the last page.

This questionnaire doesn't have to be used for a extracting thoughts for a program. The writing assignment has merit on its own. I feel the questions led students to reflect on veterans and their sacrifices and service for our country, which is a good thing. 

One other change we made in our program this year is the addition of the song, "You Are Our Heroes," by Teresa Jennings. It is available through Music K-8. The song was originally intended for the heroes of 9-11, but it works beautifully for Veterans' Day. It is a very poignant song that will be very meaningful when sung directly to the veterans. We tweaked one or two lines to gear it towards veterans. (We also used the free computer program, Audacity, to speed up the tempo of the soundtrack a little.) Here are our lyrics:

Well, the students have completed their writing, and most of the songs are memorized. Now all that's left is to hold auditions for solos (and make selections), videotape students, make a video of their letters and record student voiceovers,  edit  3 videos, type up the program....You know the drill! (Speaking of solo auditions, I'm using my Google online registration form again this year. It works like a charm. You can read about it here.)

Meanwhile, I hope to see you at the national NAfME conference in Nashville next week! I'll be the one editing videos on her MacBook in between sessions. :)

Must Be Halloween

I know it's a little early, but due to some early dismissals for parent conferences next week and the fact that I will be attending the national NAfME conference in Nashville the next week, I am trying to pack in as much Halloween fun as possible.  My kindergarten and 1st grade classes are learning "Must Be Halloween" this week, and they are playing instruments as they sing.

Here's a Halloween PowerPoint slide for the song, which is in Jeff and Randy's GamePlan. See their book for the melody and their complete lesson plans for this song. The song is either in the 1st or 2nd grade curriculum. I don't have my books at home and don't recall at the moment. I'll try to remember to edit my post later. If you don't already have any of their GamePlan books, I recommend purchasing them for well thought-out, high quality lesson plans that the students enjoy.

I also included a slide with a picture of the xylophone with the D and A bars marked:

My kindergarten students have been doing a lot of drumming to work on their steady beat, but this is the first time they have played xylophones. I like to limit the number of students playing at once on their first xylophone experience, so I can assist students as much as they need.

I set up four instruments in a square and let the students line up behind each one. I sat in the center, so I could reach all of the children. They played a steady beat bordun on D and A. After they played, they rotated to the end of the next line. We continued until each student had played all four xylophones. Students in line continued to sing & pat the beat on their thighs.

I gave my first grade classes a little challenge. All students went to instruments to sing and play. I had two rows of barred instruments with triangles interspersed. Students played xylophones on beats 1, 2, & 3, and rested on beat 4. Triangles played on beat 4. It worked great, except for the third line where there was a word to sing on the rest. It may be easier for first graders to only rest on the xylophone and play triangles after "halloween" each time and not worry about the third line.

First grade students rotated through all of the instruments, if time allowed. It's amazing how many times they will sing the same song, just so they can play every xylophone and triangle. Fortunately, my first grade classes are pretty small this year so we only had to perform about 15 times. :)

Looking for more Halloween fun? See some of my other favorites here and here.

Skin and Bones

There are so many fun fall and Halloween songs, that it is impossible to find time to fit them in to my lesson plans. However, there are a few favorites that I absolutely must make sure to include, and "Skin and Bones" is one of them. It is a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience a song in a minor key, and they love the surprise ending. (Another favorite is "What Will You Be for Halloween?" You can read more about it in my previous post by clicking here.

Our textbook series (Silver Burdett Making Music, 2nd Grade) has a good sound track for this song, and sometimes I'll use it for a dramatic, spooky-fun activity that the students beg for year, after year. I typically begin using this activity with my second graders. I turn the lights off and have the students scatter around the room and lie down on their backs with their eyes closed. As the song plays, I hide a vibraslap behind my back and quietly walk around the "graveyard," making sure that I pass near each student. At the end of the song, on "Boo!" I play the vibraslap near an unsuspecting child, and the class erupts in shrieks and giggles. I try to pick a child that I know will not be upset by the loud sound, and so far, it has worked.

I like to extend the song with an instrumental accompaniment. I created the following PowerPoint slides to help them learn their part:

Sometimes we use silly words to help us prepare and remember which bars to play, or when to play the triangles. For instance, in the pattern for this song, we sing, "Eggs & Bacon," "Eggs & Cookies," "Eggs & Bacon," "Ching" (for the triangle part). Since the left hand remains on one bar and the right hand moves to its next door neighbor, it can be a little confusing for students, at first. We practice on our thighs prior to moving to the instruments.

When I notice students struggling at the instruments, I tell them that they can focus on their left hand until they are ready to add the other. They feel so proud when they are able to play it successfully.

We also add triangles on the rests. You can finish with a vibraslap and everyone playing their triangles or any two pitches on the barred instruments on the word, "Boo!"

I'm not sure what took me so long, but I recently had the idea to add a photo of a xylophone with the bars marked in my PowerPoint presentation. Now I can stand and point to the bars on the screen, which is large enough for everyone to see. As a visual learner, I can't believe I just now thought of it. I know a lot of people use visuals of barred instruments to demonstrate, and I've even put glockenspiels under my document camera before, but this is SO much easier. Ha!

If you prefer to do a cross-over bordun, you might prefer this instrumental part:

All of these images are jpeg files directly from a PowerPoint, so you should be able to copy them and paste them right into your own presentation, if you would like to use them.

The clipart and clipart frames are from My Cute Graphics, which has a wealth of adorable clip art appropriate for classroom use.

Have a Spooky Halloween!

Light Up the Stage (Handcrafted Chandeliers)

Do you need some fresh ideas for holiday stage decorations? Where do you find your inspiration? I often find myself walking around Hobby Lobby looking for something to use to create decorations, props, or costumes. Last year, I struck gold in the fabric department. This wispy chiffon with ruffles looked wintery and seemed to be thin enough to use as part of a light fixture. I took the bolt over to the Christmas tree department and held it up in front of the white lights, and it was perfect.

I bought fabric, 6 sets of white lights, and 6 extension cords, but still had no idea how I was going to construct the light fixtures. After much deliberation, I decided lamp shades would serve as a good base for the fixtures. I bought 4 circles and 2 rectangles, so I could have 2 sets of three chandeliers.

I measured the diameter of the lampshade and cut the fabric accordingly.

I used strong clear packaging tape to attach the fabric to the inside of the lampshade. I used the lampshades upside down, so the largest part was on top. That allowed the fabric to flow straight from the top, instead of fanning out.

I forgot to take pictures after placing the lights inside, and now they are all boxed up and stored at school. It was actually quite simple. I used one string of white lights and one basic extension cord (I think they have 3 plugs) per light. The end of the extension cord fit tightly into the metal circle of the shade. I plugged the lights in under the circle, which kept the cord from slipping out when held upright. I took the lights and simply looped the strand around the metal parts of the shade as needed, to keep the lights from hanging out of the bottom.

Here is a close up of the lights shining through the fabric:

Here is the finished product hanging in my classroom as a test to make sure the tape would hold. I've used the decorations for two years now. Each year, we do 5-6 shows, so they seem to be durable.

In addition to making chandeliers, I bought some tulle and created a garland. I wrapped the fabric around strands of icicle lights, and used short pieces of tulle to tie and create the bubbles.

One last word of advice: Hobby Lobby always has a 40% off coupon for anything that isn't on sale. You can even search for it on your phone, and they will use the electronic coupon. Now, what are you waiting for? Grab a coupon and go shopping!

Veterans' Day Program

It's a busy time of year in the life of a music teacher. The holidays are approaching, which typically means we are in performance mode. I never found time to post anything in November, so I thought I would let you know what we have been up to at Crestline. Our 5th graders presented a Veterans' Day Program, and our K-3 students began learning music for their winter concert.

Our 5th Grade Veterans' Day Program is a very special tradition at Crestline. Each year, we honor about 100 men and women who have served, or are presently serving, our country in times of war and peace. 

Prior to the performance, 5th graders write poems, letters, or thoughts about veterans. We highlight a selection of their writing through videos during the program:

In addition to the videos, one of the highlights of the program is the performance of "Step In Time," which includes themes from each military branch. Veterans stand when their song is performed. It is always moving to see them join in singing, sometimes with tears streaming down their faces.

Although 5th grade students are the only ones who perform that day, any student in the school can honor a veteran. As the veterans stand in front to be recognized (approximately 10 at a time), they are presented a small flag by their student(s). A parent committee organizes this aspect of the program, as well as a breakfast prior to the program.

Following the performance, our 5th grade students complete a reflection sheet that allows them to think about things they might not otherwise consider:

You can download a copy here:

Veterans' Day Program Reflection Sheet

We find that our students feel so much patriotism and respect for veterans after working on this program. It's a very moving performance, and the veterans are always so appreciative. We enjoy making sure our veterans know we are thankful for their service.

If you like the idea of a reflection sheet following a performance and would like to use one after your upcoming winter concert, you might like to read my Winter Concert Reflection post for ideas.

What Will You Be for Halloween?

Have I mentioned how much I love Jeff & Randy's GamePlan curriculum? I can't recommend it enough. The books are reasonably priced and provide engaging lessons that organize musical objectives logically. "What Will You Be?" is another great song/lesson from GamePlan (Grade One, p. 24). This song has a nice melody in d minor, and it works beautifully with a bordun on the barred instruments. As usual, I seem to be unable to follow a lesson exactly, so here are my changes/extensions:

1. Due to past experiences at our school, I felt that we needed to remove the word "witches" from the song. Here are our altered lyrics:

To use this image in a PowerPoint, open it, right click, copy, and then paste it into a new Ppt presentation.

2. Students pat the beat while they sing, and I add a solo turn for each student to sing into the microphone: "I'll be a _____." Then the student moves to a xylophone to play the bordun, and then rotates through the instruments. I adapt the number of instruments to the level of the class and what will make the activity run smoothly. I want to focus on the students' singing voices first, so sometimes I do not even use the xylophones during the first introduction of the song. I extend the activity on another day.

3. During another class period, I place a box of masks and animal headbands behind a large bush that is in my room, which was a prop in a play. The box could also be placed behind a piano or other large piece of furniture. One child hides behind the bush and selects a "costume" and pops out at the end of the song wearing what he/she selected. The child sings "I'll be a _____" into the microphone that is placed in a handy spot for the students to grab as they are exiting the hiding spot. I have an empty tub for them to place used items in, so no one picks the same thing. It helps to have one child selecting an item, while one is dressed and waiting to pop out. Then they are ready at the end of the song and the activity moves quicker. 

I have organized the game in different ways. I have set up xylophones and other unpitched percussion instruments in a circle and had the students move around the circle. One place has a polyspot, which indicates it is time to move behind the tree. Other times, I have simply used my regular instrument rotation, and have a certain position that goes to the bush. My barred instruments are set up in 3 rows. Children move to the right on row one, back to row two and then to the left, back to row three and to the right. When they reach the final instrument they circle around the front to the beginning of row one. I walk through the rotation pattern and call it "zig" on row 1, "zag" on row 2, "zig" on row 3, then "zooooom" around the room back to 1. The zoom is a great place to move to the bush.

I began using this lesson with kindergarten and first grade a few years ago. Now, my older children see the bush in position for the game and beg for this activity. I've promised my 3rd graders that they will get to play this year, and I'm sure they won't let me forget. This is one of those activities students will remember with fondness. Who doesn't enjoy dressing up and playing instruments? I know I do!

Winter Concert Reflection

It's only September, but Janet had a 1st grade student ask when we could start learning our Winter Concert music. It is probably because our students enjoy working hard to accomplish a beautiful choral sound and performing for an audience. We begin working in kindergarten to achieve a nice singing voice, without yelling. As our young students try what we ask them to do in order to sing correctly, they hear what a difference it makes. The result is that they are more than willing to go the extra mile to sound like a million bucks on stage.

All of our K-3 students perform in the winter program. Each grade has approximately 125 students, so each grade level sings separately. Every group sings 3 selections, which include a Hanukkah piece, religious Christmas, and one secular holiday or winter song. We try to pick as much traditional music as possible, so children will be learning songs we feel are important to know. They get so excited when they hear their songs on the radio.

Following the concert, we have all the students think about the performance and complete a Winter Concert reflection sheet. We enjoy learning how they felt while performing, what made them feel successful, what they found difficult, what they thought the audience liked, and something funny that happened. After they complete the sheets, we put them under the document camera to display on the screen for the class to see. Each student shares what they wrote, but they can choose whether to display their picture, or not.

Here is an example of a completed form. One of my favorite parts is that she thinks she is good at dropping her jaw. Even her picture shows her doing that!

If you would like to use this activity with your students, you can download a free PDF of the reflection sheet through the link below. PDF includes a simplied version for K students.

Winter Concert Reflection Sheet

Speaking of concert reflection, I am posting an audio clip of a performance by our 3rd graders from 2009. It is still one of my favorite songs we have included in the winter program. These little guys are now our big 6th graders, so forgive me if I get a bit sentimental!

Are you ready for the holidays? I'm getting closer, thanks to one eager first grader.

Let's get busy!