How to use Lower Elementary Rhythm Cut Outs!

 I love giving kids a chance to compose. In fact, I make sure that my students have some opportunity to compose with each unit I teach. Composing not only reinforces concepts they've learned, but students can take ownership and feel proud of their creations. Students can't wait to show what they've made!

Here's an easy composition activity to incorporate into your units, stations, or even sub plans. These worksheets review ta, ti-ti, and rest (or, one sound, two sounds, and no sounds per beat).  One set uses the traditional notation, but the others use pictures to symbolize one sound, two sounds, or no sounds in each beat. There are endless variations and uses for these worksheets:

1. Independent Stations: Cut out and laminate yourself. Put a few variations of the activity out in a defined space within your classroom. I like to use different colored paper to help students take responsibility for cleaning up, and to keep things organized. Kids can easily see that the blue cut outs go with the blue paper, etc.

2. Teacher Led Stations: While the rest of the class is divided into independent stations, have a small group with you. Have them make their own compositions, using the worksheets. Then, have students write the traditional notation on the back of the squares. Have students at your center trade compositions with each other, then have them perform for each other. 

3. Sub Plans: Warn teachers ahead of time to have students bring their own art supply boxes or pouches. They'll need scissors, glue sticks, and coloring materials. Have the sub demonstrate how to cut out the squares on the dotted lines. The sub should also model how to try a few different rhythm combinations until they like their composition. Once the kids (and sub) like their order, they can paste down the little squares in the boxes. 

What are your favorite ways to allow kids to compose?

*Stay tuned for kinder and first grade stations bundles!*

Lower Elementary Play Dough Station

 Need an easy station for your kinder and 1st graders? Set up play dough!

I laminated some templates with simple music notation. I color coordinated the templates with the colors of play dough, so kids could easily regulate themselves, and clean up. Don't want to spend time making your own? Print these out! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Lower-Elementary-Music-Symbol-Playdough-Station-6560096

Keep following for MORE lower elementary station ideas! 

Modified Carol of the Bells part

 Many have been downloading my arrangement of Carol of the Bells for Orff instruments. I wanted to share what I have been using for my students who need a simpler accommodation. This part works well because it only uses three notes: A, B, and C. Students can focus on staying in time with their peers without so many different parts to worry about. Use the modified version along side the full version - found here:

https://doremiandsoon.blogspot.com/2013/12/carol-of-bells-for-orff-finally.html

Here is the modified part:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rme-jdxeCpSWWRdMrjkEqUI_MKubSfIl/view?usp=sharing

World Music Series: Africa

 Maybe we should call this Africa, round 1. If y'all are like me, you are constantly looking for creative ways to up your curriculum game. Anyway: here's what I have so far for my two week unit on African music.

Reminders:

I teach middle school students. I see them every day for about 50 minutes. The students have a pretty solid Orff background. My class is an elective, so students can choose the class, whether they are in other music ensembles or none at all. I focus on learning by doing, which means I teach many of my Orff pieces by rote rather than focus on note reading skills. This allows for more time to learn about the actual cultures and also puts all of my students (musical or not) on an even playing field. My class is not performance based. Our playing of instruments is for the purpose of learning about cultures and experiencing different types of music. I always let my kids know if they WANT to perform somewhere, I'll set it up. I don't MAKE my kids sing. If I teach a song, I welcome them to sing along if they want, but I also teach the melody on Orff instruments when accessible.

My general skeleton of my curriculum per global area includes:

1. CONCEPT: One composition or individual learning or research project

2. ORFF: A few options for Orff or Drum ensemble pieces that are culturally appropriate and authentic.

3. LISTEN AND LEARN: Supplemental learning, including videos of authentic performances, culturally relevant games, easy movement or dances, etc.

Okay. Africa.

CONCEPT: Box Notation for Drumming

I have a lot of resources to help me build this curriculum. One book already in my office was The New Conga Joy by Bill Matthews (I will link below) . I realize box notation isn't necessarily an authentic African notation system, but this book has authentic African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms set in this accessible notation. I like using this notation with my students because it puts ALL students on the same musical page. We are all learning this simple notation system together. The book uses 12-13 different symbols for each way to hit the drums. To simplify for my students, we learn several songs from the book that only use B (Bass), O (Tone) and a black dot (rest). I learned pretty quickly, if I wanted my students to make their own compositions, I should change the Bass to (L - Low), Tone to (H - High) and keep the rest. **If you don't know why I did that, just make a few of your own compositions using B and O, and you might figure out why pre-teens might be distracted by these letters.**

So, after we establish how to read a few of the compositions out of the book, I have students make their own. We do a few practice rounds together, then I give them this page and give them time to work on their own composition. We have enough tubanos for each student to use their own, but you could practice on smaller drums, and then perform on a bigger drum. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Box-Notation-Drum-Composition-7386477

The students are then graded, using a simple rubric (included in the TPT purchase). The rubric assesses whether the students used all three symbols, whether their performance matched their composition, and whether their performance was well practiced. Students could submit videos to me on their chromebooks, or perform live for me. At this point in the trimester, students feel safer performing just for me, and not in front of the whole class. I still give the brave students a chance to share with the class, if they want to. 

ORFF: drumming or Orff ensemble pieces used

I choose 2-3 pieces from this list based on the overall ability of the group I have for the current trimester.

6th grade: 

• pieces from Conga Joy (link below)
• Tue, Tue (Ghana), arranged by Shirley W. McRae, Sing 'Round The World (link below)
• Obiswana (Ghana), arranged by B. Thompson https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/
• Kebe Mama (Ghana) Arranged by Calla Isaak, African Rhythms and Beats (link below)
• Sansa Kroma (Ghana)  (also in African Rhythms and Beats)

7th Grade:

• pieces from Conga Joy (link below)
• Polyrhythm, arranged by Jordan Hanson (also in African Rhythms and Beats)
• Tatenda, inspired by music from Zimbabwe, arranged by Walt Hampton, Marimba Mojo! (link below)
• Baba Mudiki (Zimbabwe), arranged by Paul Mataruse, African Marimba Vol. 1 by Bonnie Carol (link below)
• Kokoleoko (Liberia), arranged by B.Thompson, https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/

8th Grade:

• pieces from Conga Joy (link below)
• Buya IAfrica (Zulu), arranged by Ross Johnson and Bonnie Carol, African Marimba Vol. 1 by Bonnie Carol (link below)
• The Three Brothers Folktale and Kondo (Ghana), arranged by Calla Isaak, (also in African Rhythms and Beats)
• Eh Soom Boo Kawaya (Nigeria), arranged by B. Thompson https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/
• Kutenda (To Thank), Arr. Jane Lamb, (in Kutamba!, link below)

LISTEN AND LEARN: supplements to enhance learning

• Authentic YouTube videos of drum and instrument ensembles from Africa
• Instrument Classification Worksheet and Videos
• We often use the scientific classification of instruments - Idiophone, Chordophone, Aerophone, or Membranophone. Students watch YouTube examples of each instrument listed and classify the instruments themselves. Here is the free TPT resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/African-Instrument-Classification-Worksheet-7440096#show-price-update

Resources Referenced:

https://www.amazon.com/New-Conga-Joy-Bill-Matthews/dp/0971886105

https://www.amazon.com/Sing-Round-World-International-Folksongs/dp/0934017123

https://www.amazon.com/African-Rhythms-Beats-Traditions-Classroom/dp/188888519X

https://www.amazon.com/Marimba-mojo-Zimbabwean-style-pieces-instruments/dp/0937203866

https://www.amazon.com/African-Marimba-Vol-Beginning-Tunes/dp/0972110895

https://www.westmusic.com/search-results?q=kutumba

New Home, New Job, New Products and Ideas!!

 We moved! Wahoo!

Our family is SO excited to live in Montana. We feel like we are living the dream. When we decided this summer that moving was the best decision for our family, I didn't expect to find a teaching job for this current school year. We were quickly approaching September, and I figured smaller town Montana didn't need a music teacher - I would just keep my eyes open for opportunities for next school year. HOWEVER, there just happened to be ONE opening! What was it for? Middle School World Music. 

How many of you are like "What is world music?" That was me. Even after I got the job. I didn't have this class growing up. I never taught in a district that offered this class. I wasn't even prepped as a music ed. college student that this could be a position I could take. 

I asked my music colleagues in my current school and my principal what this class was. They were like, make it your own! The day after we moved into our new house, also the Wednesday before school started (You read that right!) I was able to go to my new school and see my classroom. I was relieved! Drums everywhere! Orff all over the place! Lots of unpitched percussion! Sweet!

Now, I was ready to figure out what I was going to teach the kids, who were starting in just a few days.  At first, I kept hearing that the previous teacher did a LOT with African Drumming. I knew this was a great place to start, but I couldn't imagine making a 12 week curriculum with just drumming. I love traveling and know how much amazing music our world has to offer. I decided to embrace the "World" part of world music and divided the trimester up into 6 regions of the world: Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, Latin America, and North America. I have been collecting ideas all trimester, saving those I love teaching and editing those that weren't as strong. I'll be sharing those ideas here on this blog. Let me know if you teach World Music, or want World Music ideas for your general music students!

Upper Elementary Recorder Compositions - Yes, they can!

I LOVE when January rolls around each year. January is when my 5th graders make their own recorder compositions. We make a BIG deal about these! We perform them for each other (yes, I make one, too!). We vote to award each other Grammy type recognitions. We have a red carpet (butcher paper) and have an emcee along with special talent show acts for our awards ceremony. It's one of the most memorable moments of the whole year.

So, how do we pull this off? Make it simple!

I give the students very simple building blocks to help them create their composition. We focus on easy rhythms and review only 5 recorder notes. Keeping it simple is key. This is the first time my students put together their own rhythms with notes, not to mention playing those notes and rhythms on their instrument. It's a lot to think about. 

We begin with reviewing five notes in the pentatonic scale - B, A, G, low E, and low D. I have the students complete a worksheet where they fill in which holes are covered on their instruments. In the same worksheet, they need to place the corresponding note on the staff. This helps them link the two ideas together as they compose.

Next, we review rhythms. These are usually easy for my students to recall, but it helps to have all of the information right in front of them before they compose. I stick to quarter note and rest, two eighth notes, half note, and half rest. If we get into more complicated rhythms, the students have trouble playing their compositions. I notice the students feel much more successful when they keep the rhythms simple. They are more likely to play their composition correctly with minimal practicing.*

*Students who do not have experience practicing music before have a super limited attention span as they prepare for a performance. If they play it well, they will likely spend more time practicing.

We, then, compose eight measures of rhythms. I have the students clap their rhythms and ask them questions like these:

• Can we make this sound more like a final ending? (longer, slower notes?)
• Is there a part that is too difficult that we can make easier?
• Can we make any repeated phrases or motives?

When students are proud of their rhythm creation, they start to add the pentatonic notes by penciling them underneath. They can play their recorder to hear what it sounds like. making changes as they like. Once they are happy with their piece of music, they can put their entire composition on the staff. This is their final copy.

If you are interested in the format I use for this project, check out my product on teachers pay teachers!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Recorder-Composition-Project-for-Music-Class-6558127

What kind of compositions do your upper elementary students love to make?

TPT Grand Opening Freebie! Vocal Roller Coasters for Littles!

 Y'all. I love teaching kids to love singing. I am super excited to share a free resource I've been working on to promote fun and easy vocal exploration with my littles. This will be part of a Kindergarten and First Grade stations bundle, soon. But, who wants to wait! Here ya go!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocal-Roller-Coasters-Vocal-Exploration-for-Early-Music-Education-6527305

Let me know what you think! What do you like to use for vocal exploration? 

TPT store will be growing soon. If you have a resource you have been dreaming of, but do not seem to have the time to create, please reach out! If I make your resource idea, you can have a free copy!