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New post on Monday

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin
Adapted by Sonali Fry
Illustrated by Sanja Rescek
ISBN: 978-1-481-40505-8

This cute adaptation of the Eency Weency Spider invites children to join the bouncing pumping as he makes his way home on an Autumn day.  My students have LOVED singing this along withe the spider version all month.  It's a quick and easy, fun-filled, story that invites singing.

To create a B Section, you will need 4 cut-out pumpkins (or four wooden painted pumpkin shapes from your local craft store).  On each pumpkin, draw a single line and place a colored-in circle above or below the line.  This will create a set of high-low pumpkins.  Place magnets on the back for an magnetic white-board experience or simply use a pocket chart with a high and low pocket.  Place the four pumpkins in a line and sing the high-low pattern after each verse in the story (there are 2 complete verses in this board book).  Invite students to move the pumpkins around to create new hgh-low patterns and sing again.

Another option might be to sing one high-low pumpkin after each line in the song.  For example:
     The itsy bitsy pumpkin rolled down a spooky street.
          high-low-high-low
     He passed a ghoulish ghost and stinky goblin's feet.
          high-high-low-low

Enjoy and keep singing.

GR 4

Check back on Sunday evening or Monday for another classroom activity - this time from GR 4! Hope you have been successful with these past few weeks of postings.

MELODY / GR 3 D-R-M and PREPARING LA,

Spooky Hour
Written by Tony Mitton
Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees
ISBN: 978-0-439-60373-7

So I'm looking for a book that I could reinforce m-r-d patterns and still prepare low la.  This book can be easily sung with simply m-r-d for the first three phrases of each "hour," then simply sing a reverse m-r-d pattern on the fourth phrase ending on low la.

Between each hour, I used my d-r-m cards to have students sing various d-r-m patterns - creating a B Section as I turned the page to reveal the following 4-line stanza of the story.

I have attached a recording of the melody that I'm using.  It can give you an idea of what I'm working with -- If i get better at this, I'll redo and attach a better version in the next day or two for you to hear.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM AMAZON.


CHECK BACK IN A FEW DAYS FOR MORE DOWNLOADS!!!

STEADY BEAT - GR 2 / PREPARING HALF NOTE

The Day of the Dead - El dia de los muertos
(A Bilingual Celebration)
Written by Bob Barner
Illustrated by Teresa Mlawer
ISBN: 978-0-545-40455-6

As my second grade students are still working with half note and do patterns (prepare) - I am working with song selections and activities that allow for exploration of these concepts.

While reading this story, I am beginning with a simply ta ti-ti rhythmic pattern that can be played on rhythm sticks (i.e. Day of the Dead - ta ti-ti ta rest).  I will then change the rhythm pattern to include half note rhythms (i.e. Dead, dead, day of the dead - long-beat long-beat ta ti-ti ta rest).

I have attached a copy of the bone holding a sign that I used to write my rhythm patterns.  Simply download the pattern, print and laminate and you can write/wipe as many patterns as you would like.  If they are laminated, you can even let students write and wipe their own patterns!  :)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE BONE ACTIVITY PATTERN.

The book currently available through SCHOLASTIC for only $1, so many of my GR 2 students that have LOVED buying books to make music with in the past, have been bringing in their dollars to have their own copy.

As we create new rhythm patterns using bones, students can cut out miniatures of the pattern and tape them into the story to create a play-along they can share at home.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM AMAZON.

STEADY BEAT - GR 1 / PREPARING QUARTER NOTES

Pumpkin Party
Written by Maudie Powell-Tuck
Illustrated by Gill Guile
ISBN: 978-1-58925-206-6

This happy rhyme is a perfect Halloween treat to reinforce steady beat while preparing "ta" patterns as the entire book can be read in simply quarter note rhythms.  There are a few times were the rhythm of the text includes a "ta rest" -- simply add the word "and" and you can keep the steady pulse beat with text throughout the story.  Each 2-line phrase will give you an 8 beat text phrase and a 7 beat text phrase - ending on "ta rest."

For example - "Pump-kin cos-tumes, pump-kin hats, with spark-ly stars and dang-ling bats. (rest) "

Create a B SECTION by placing 8 pumpkins in 2 single lines of 4.  Invite students to say, "BOO" as they tap each pumpkin.  After students have been successful several times, and after other "ta" songs have been introduced and the quarter note has been presented, invite students to turn the pumpkin over (nothing on the back side during first experiences).  Students will say, "Shhh" on each of the "silent" pumpkins.  Eventually, the reverse side of the pumpkins can have a quarter rest written on them.

Add a simple chord bordun to accompany the reading of the story.  Add simple so-mi pumpkins to create a pumpkin melody to sing as a B Section between each page in the story.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE PUMPKIN SHAPES FROM TEACHER STOREHOUSE.

Each package includes 30 pumpkin shapes for $5.99.  Check your local Dollar Tree for more affordable options.



EXTENSION:  Give students a copy of the attached pumpkin page (image below) - inviting them to create their own 4 beat pattern in the pumpkin's sign (yes, it will all be quarter notes).  Place all of the pumpkins on a bulletin board fence to create a Halloween scene of rhythm pumpkins.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FREE PUMPKIN PATTERN PAGE.


CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM AMAZON.

MELODY - GR K HIGH / LOW PATTERNS

Don't Let Pigeon Drive the Bus

Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems

ISBN: 978-0-786-81988-1

This wonderful story begins with bus pictures on the inside cover.  Invite children to sing the high/low patterns of the buses (high-low-high-low-high).

I always tell the children that the author, Mo Willems, actually wrote a bus song for us to sing.  They love the idea that there is a song to begin the story.

As you sing through the story, invite students to sing, "No way!" on s-m each time pigeon asks to drive the bus.

Once the story is complete, give each child the opportunity to create their own bus song.  I give each child a single rhythm stick and a set of 4-5 buses that have been printed, laminated and cut out.  They must place the buses above or below the rhythm stick (like traffic).  As the story is retold, I use my pigeon plush (recently bought a new one at Kohl's for only $5) to move around the circle to listen to each child's bus melody.  Children sing high/low patterns they have created.

EXTENSION:  Have children listen to the pigeon sing high low patterns and then build what they hear.  This is a very elementary example of aural melodic dictation!

Have fun with the story.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK FROM AMAZON

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STEADY BEAT

WELCOME BACK!

I hope that all of you have had a restful summer season.  As many of you know, in the past, my posts have focused primarily on RHYTHM and MELODY.  This summer, a teacher and friend asked if I would consider doing something more grade level specific.

While the activities in the past have always connected to the grade level concepts that are being taught in my classroom, I decided to accept the challenge.  So ... this year, I will focus each post on a different grade level activity directly from my teaching.

I hope this is useful for you as we go through the year together.  As always, there will be links to children's books, ideas on how to make manipulatives, and of course downloadable files of things that I've created for my classroom.

Please feel free to share the blog with new friends.
Thanks for your continued support.

Thom