#10 Composition & Improvisation - Updated 06/16
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Composition
11/13 GROUP COMPOSITION RUBRIC: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k3u919o3kpu2og8/V6QQNU5Qzv------------
10/12 Game: http://isleoftune.com/
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12/11 This website has some excellent activities for teaching- beat / no beat- Composing with environmental sounds
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07/11 COMPOSITION WEBSITE: noteflight.com (Can hear comps online)
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12/08 FIRST GRADE RHYTHM COMPOSITION – POST ITS! I used Powerpoint as a method for instruction. (Well actually I used smart notebook but it could be transferred to power point)
1.) Each first grader got one post-it and after we had talked for a long time about four beat rhythms, they had to write one on their post it. (using only quarter notes, quarter rests, double eighths)
2.) We came back together and I put the composed rhythms up on the computer and the students got to perform their first composition (lots of drama and excitement from me). They loved this.
3.) On another day, They got two post its to write two rhythms - then they got with a partner and put their rhythms together - experimented with the order of the rhythms and played for the class.
4.) Next we will add bar lines and time signatures to our composition - - maybe a little out of order but anyway - - they love it. The computer, was more for instruction leading to the process and then sharing later. --- Elizabeth Tummons, Kindergarten - Fourth Grade Music Specialist, Southern Boone County Public Schools- Ashland, Missouri
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10/08 WORKING UP TO QUESTION/ANSWER PHRASES: 1. Lots of echoing--I play/sing something with instruments or solfege and they play/sing it back (sometimes I do one and they do the other. There's lots of ear training involved with this, so I can play something on a recorder and the student can sing it back in solfege or play it back on a xylophone. Of course I limit the patterns to things I feel fairly confident they will play successfully.
2. This is important: as the children get to 3rd grade and beyond, I do lots of this with full phrases (eight beats or 6 or 12 beats--though I need to spend much more time in 3/4 meter!)
3. Change the echoing to Question-Answer phrases. I play the question, they play back an answer that makes sense with the question--for example, maybe it starts the same but ends on the tonic.
4. They play the questions and I make up answers. I try to listen for one specific student's question phrase and explain that after playing.
5. Students do this with a partner--one makes the question phrase, the other plays an answer.
6. Each student creates his/her own question and own answer.
All this happens within the context of some song that we are learning so that the improvisation takes on something of the character of that song and uses melodic/rhythmic ideas from it. Usually we have a focus rhythmic or melodic element that I expect students to use when improvising. I do this rhythmically tons of times before trying to do it with a melody too. --- Bill Morgan
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06/07 "Super Duper Music Looper" [is] GREAT! The first session the kids experimented with sounds and put together a composition of their liking. The second session I gave them the assignment to compose and AB form song - the results from 1st grade through 5th grade were outstanding. The only "problem" (not) was the student who asked if it was okay to do an, "I don't remember the name but it's an ABACA form?" Woo hoo!!! Cheap program - just a little over $200 for 25 computers. -- Jan in Muncie, IN
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06/07 Compose your own melody and play it back: http://www.artsalive.ca/en/mus/activitiesgames/
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06/07 REPETITION IN MUSIC: I start by talking about the importance repetition and sequence in melody's and demonstrating this. I then pass out a sheet with the rhythm notation done and have them write a melody using this rhythm. This gives them a framework to start with. It also clarifies the use of repetition for them. I tell them that they need to start and end on C and the piece needs to sound like a melody. I then have them compose their own rhythm and melody. It's been effective for me to teach it this way, working on composing in steps and is not intimidating for the students. -- Monica in WI
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Use G pentatonic.
2) Start and end on G.
3) Must be written out. They can write the letters and don't have to put it on the staff unless they want to do that.
4) If they want, they can choose a meter signature too. Otherwise, I'll help them figure it out when they play the song for me.
5) It cannot be a reworking of any of the RK songs. Otherwise, I get 100 kids who just want to play Hot Cross Buns backwards. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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06/07 PENTATONIC SCALE: I've also been using the pentatonic scale for the first time this year for composition [and] I'm amazed how much better the notated melodies are than when I open it up to a diatonic major scale. [I] have been doing this [activity] with sixth graders. [First I] show the video "Melody" from the series "Behind the Scenes" hosted by Penn and Teller. This video is really excellent for show in an entertaining way how melodies have repetition and variation. -- Iris Ingram at Cathcart Elementary School in Snohomish,Washington
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06/07 WRITE A MUSICAL: The assignment was to write a musical based on a folk or fairy tale. The story could be altered to accommodate their group, but had to still be recognizable. They had to have a minimum of one song with original lyrics. They could, however, use an existing melody if they chose. The melodies used have ranged from ABCs, to Clementine, to Ode to Joy. The kids were working in groups of 3-5. This week, they've been presenting their musicals during class time. It's been a wonderful unit. The kids have loved it and have had a great time doing it. They have learned a lot, not just about musicals, but about working in groups (teamwork), writing plays, etc. Extra points could be earned for putting in a second song, for using instruments, or for writing an original melody. -- Stephanie Menefee
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FREE SHEET MUSIC: http://www.freestaffpaper.cjb.net/
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06/06 FRUIT COMPOSITION: (I did this with my 6th graders but it could be adapted for lower levels.)
While shopping in our local school supply store I found some cut-outs of fruit: pear, apple, lemon, strawberry, grapes, and banana. I bought a package of large ones containing 2 of each fruit and bought a package of smaller ones which contain 5 of each fruit.
I wrote the name of the fruit on one of each of the large cut-out and wrote the name plus a rhythm pattern on the other large cut-out. I used sticky tack to stick the name-only fruit to the top of the fruit that has the rhythm pattern on it.
Pear - quarter note Apple - pair of eighth notes
Lemon - pair of eighth notes Strawberry - 1 eighth note with 2 sixteenth notes
Purple Grapes - 2 sixteenth notes with one eighth note
I drew a quarter rest on one of the Bananas and have not used the other. (I wanted a rest and also didn't want to deal with pick-up notes at this time.)
I wrote:
the 5 notes/patterns on the board and stuck the fruit on the board in a random pattern, then had the students tell me which fruit name matches each pattern/note.
- the fruit name next to the note/pattern, then at the end checked by taking off the top fruit to reveal the bottom one.
I took 4 of the fruits and arranged them to create a 4-beat phrase. The students said the fruit names in rhythm, then clapped the phrase. I rearranged the fruit and made a 2nd 4-beat phrase. We practiced having one group say one pattern and another group say the other. The students were divided into 5 groups. Each group chose 4 small fruit cut-outs (I put the note/pattern and the fruit name on each) and arranged them into whichever order they chose. We layered each phrase, first speech only then claps. We …will continue the activity by having each group play its pattern on the same color boom whackers - i.e., group 1 will play red, group 2 will play yellow,
Summary of Fruit Activity
1. Write patterns on board.
2. Display fruit on board, words only.
3. Have students match patterns to words. Check for accuracy.
4. Arrange fruit into 4-beat phrases. Have students practice saying/clapping the patterns.
5. Have students get in 5 groups.
6. Distribute fruit packets to groups. Have students create a 4-beat phrase; practice saying/clapping.
7. Layer the patterns.
8. Distribute boom whackers to students (each group has a different colored boom whackers).
9. Have each group use boom whackers to play its fruit pattern. Layer the patterns. - Tina Morgan
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06/06 I've done poetry/song writing with my students at several age levels. I think our most successful project was last year in 3rd. The list below is the basic outline of what we did.
1. Decided on a subject - in this case it was Thanksgiving for all three classes. I haven't gotten into composition as heavily with the older kids as I would like, but I have had them rewrite words to songs to perform. I've also done percussion ensembles with them, setting the time signature, then having them write out a certain number of measures, different rhythms for each instrument in their groups, then performing them. -- Contributed by Karen Stafford "The Music Education Madness Site Materials: I used those round candy wafers, LifeSavers also work quite well. Enough for all kids to have 8-10. Music staff boards, enough for individ. or partners to have one. Bells, Glockenspiels, or any other melodic instrument: enough for all or to share. This lesson will work with only one instrument at the front of the room. For the younger kids I tell them to draw it. Then I turn on the vcr, facing AWAY from them. I've chosen clips with as little dialogue as possible, so all they really have to go on is the music and sound effects. So far I've used the opening chase from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"..which doesn't contain the theme music in a recognizable form and so does not give away the movie title, "Jaws"..where they're getting ready to lower Richard Dreyfus in the shark cage...theme doesn't come in for a while so they have to think before the title is blown, "Home Alone", when McCauley Culkin is walking down the street and goes into church on Christmas eve, and the final chase and bicycle flight from E.T.
Procedures:
I work with Composition in my 5th grade classes. Although we only compose an 8-16 bar "piece", some of this may help. I start by teaching them about scales and chords. We have to work on this concept a bit, but most kids get it pretty quickly. After having them write a few scales(trial and error, using melody bells) we talk about the main chords (I, V, IV) and when to use them. Next I give them guidelines, for example:
1. What scale are you using(usually a simple one like C, G, or F).
If you give the kids all the same guidelines(same scale, meter, etc) they may come up with some pretty good themes that you could tie together to make a very impressive original composition. They may need your expertise to doctor it a bit, but essentially, the composition will be theirs.
I've been starting my lessons with reading exercises lately and today turned them into songs with the kids. here's what we did:
1. i wrote a song on the board within their music-reading ability.
d d r r / m m m Z / r r r Z / m r d Z / d d r r / m m m Z / r r r Z / d--- //
1. We all need co- / mmunities / hospitals / factories / We all need co- / mmunities / people and / homes /
2. We all need co- / mmunities / pets and friends / families / We all need co- / mmunities / animals / too //
Animals: lyrics by Mr. Korpi's 1st grade class (quarters, quarter rests, last notes-whole)
d r m (d) / d r m Z / d r m Z / r--- / d r m (d) / d r m Z / r r r Z / d--- //
1. Crocodile / cobra snake / monkeys and / cats---/ elephants / zebras and / bulldogs and / frogs---/
2. Horses and / leopards and / tigers and / birds---/ furry rabbits / kangaroo / cheetahs and / cubs---//
Every year I do a composition project with my 3rd graders. I began it because I get them from the primary school, where they do not get much music (Yes, they have music class - I'd rather not go into that because I can't with out getting ugly!). I needed to find something to excite them (they come to me pretty much hating music class) and teach them at the same time. I attended a workshop given by Jackie Wiggins (I think she's from the University of Wisconsin) about composition in the classroom. I was so amazed that I bought her book - It is available through MENC for about $12. It's called "Composition in the Classroom : A tool for teaching." Basically, we begin by creating sound poems to existing poems. (I have some favorite books, but they are at school - I'll try to remember to send those names later). By this, I mean that we put sound effects to the poem. After they are very comfortable doing this, we start to create our own poems. I'll just say something like, "Tell me about your day, " and that usually gets them started. For example, here is a poem that a third grade class wrote last year (it latter was turned into a song):
Hey, we had a special day today.
FORM AND BEAT: This is an excellent time to talk about form and beat. We put sound effects to these original poems. After they are comfortable with this, we write poems and chant them (over and over and over...). This is how I really teach rhythms and meter. We talk about how some words are too long or short to fit into the poem, or just don't sound right. We talk about synonyms. We put rhythmic notation to our words. Then, we talk about what kind of song our words sound like (i.e. Country, Rock, Pop etc...) Here is where I talk about styles. I use an electric keyboard with an auto-accompaniment feature(I'm not very good on piano - if you are, you could use a piano. This just lets me play bass notes) and give them NO MORE THAN 3 accompaniment choices. (if you give them more, they'll never decide!)
I play a simple chord progression (12 bar blues is very popular) and we chant the words in a sing-songy voice. Eventually someone begins to sing and they all pick up on it. Sounds strange, but it has never failed. I tape record every class while this is going on. That way, I can take a quick dictation of what they have created later. In three years, I have only had one problem class. With that class I had to have them sing their words on the root of every chord (I think I used a I-IV-V-I) and that got them started enough to get it from there.
I usually do not get to melodic dictation, but I continue the project a little bit with the fourth grade and we do get to it some there. Each class writes several songs as a group. They pick one that they like the best to be their "Class Song." After that, we split up into groups (I already have them in groups from day one - each group has a Leader, Secretary and Equipment Manager). Each group then writes a song. I have 4 tape recorders so that they can record and listen again to what they do. At the end of the unit, I give a concert. Each class votes on one small group song that they want performed and they also each perform their "Class Song."
I have Finale on my computer, so I write out the melodies (with just chord progressions underneath) and publish a song book. The kids illustrate the pages and one of our aides binds it with those spirally thingies. The materials usually cost me about $20.00 I sell them for $2.00 each and usually make about $250.00 (I have about 200 third graders.) I usually get a very positive response and the kids love it. I am very anal retentive, so I really have this down to a routine. My classroom usually is a well-oiled machine! If you want to try this, I recommend buying Jackie Wiggin's book and reading that. I have had just about every problem there is, so if you have questions, please ask. I also have some extra song books from last year. If you want one, send me your address privately and I'll send it to you. I usually start this project on day one and it takes until January to get it to the point of a concert (I see them 2X a week).
Last year I wrote songs with grades 1 through 4. Actually, I felt the coolest songs came from my first grade (and my third grade). I wasn't sure if you wanted an instrumental piece or vocal. My kids did vocal. I have a ton to learn about the process, but this is what we did as a class. I think with eighth graders the process may be quite different (you may want to have them work in small groups), but perhaps this will give you some ideas:
1. We thought of a topic we'd like to write about--had to be appropriate and something that wasn't exclusionary. You could also assign a topic. Some of my favorite topics were friendship, stars, outer space, and candy.
2. As a class we made lyrics to go along with the theme. This is hard (although my 1st graders whipped off some great lyrics in a flash!), but it's also cool because you get a chance to talk about phrase lengths, form, rhythm, etc... We talked about characteristics of good lyrics before.
3. After the lyrics were written, we came up with a melody. This was interesting, as it showed me that some kids (many in 2nd grade last year) didn't have a real understanding of what a melody was. This year we've done quite a bit with melody. In my upper grades, the kids had a difficult time. Often it took a brave soul to volunteer, and then others might open up. Again, my little ones had this phenomena where they just somehow came up
with a nice melody together. I can't explain it! I would sit at the piano and just play some simple chords and ask them to think of what it would sound like. This year I'm finding sometimes I don't need to play at all, a
student just sings acapella.
4. We would take our keyboard (a Casio model that uses the rhythms and chords) and pick a rhythm/harmony that we liked. 5. I typed the music out using Music Time software.
Sorry this is so long. It's a fun but challenging process. It takes around 3 to 4 classes for me. Some of the songs were just precious! I can't think of the whole song, but one of my first grades came up with:
All the stars are friends,
I've been working on a project that I think will be fun and educational for the students--fifth grade. I'm hoping it will develop into a bulletin board idea for the front hallway in one of my schools.
Project: Select groups of four in each fifth grade class. Each group will be assigned a constellation (lots of info in the Internet). I even copied an information form for elementary students to use. The students will find out about their constellation and fill-in the form.NEXT, they will use graph paper and draw out their constellation on the paper (also found the graph paper directions on the Internet). NEXT, I will "blow up" the drawing on the copier for the students to use. I will also make a staff so that the top line of the staff will be on the top star of the constellation. The bottom line of the staff will be on the bottom star of the constellation. NEXT, the students will lay their drawing on top of the staff paper, and draw a circle--later to be a pitch-- on the staff in the location of each star. (I understand they will have to change the locations somewhat, but it will be close. I will explain that they will have to decide to put it in a space or on a line.) NEXT, they will practice playing the note sequence pattern of their constellation and then develop a rhythm that they like for the melody pattern. NEXT, they will write a short poem which includes facts about their constellation. NEXT, they will tape their melody over and over as the group speaks the poem--possibly along with playing instruments for a "spacey" effect. NEXT, we will decorate the bulletin board as a night sky, add stars, ect. and the constellations they have studied. I will collect tape recorders throughout the school and place them on tables right under the bulletin board. The students will then be able to hear the melody along with the spoken poem--which will also be displayed on the bulletin board.
I also plan to contact an official space organization in Cleveland and see if I can "check out" a moon rock which we will put on display when we create the bulletin board.
When using legends or stories with the children which lend themselves to musical interpretation...
a.. Tell the entire story
I've used this format before. What is different for me is that the children do the composing...not me.
My 3rd graders do lyric writing. We've written additional verses to cowboy songs and written piggyback lyrics to traditional tunes.
4th graders write a class song about endangered animals. We begin with choosing major/minor and fast/slow. I play basic I IV V patterns in each variation and the class votes. This determines the basic feeling of the song (sad, whimsical, proud, stately, etc.) The classroom teacher then helps the students write lyrics...I only ask that there be some rhyming. It also helps if they identify their main phrase/idea which will be our A section. The writing of the melody is done with lots of trial and error. To get the ball rolling, I lead (call/response)3-4 choices and we decide which works the best. I remind them that the most important word in the phrase will probably be either a long note or a higher note. Some students will catch on quickly, offering their melodic phrases for class consideration. The kids with "no melody in their head" will later help determine the form. Some classes will of course thrive, others will use LOTS of repetition. The more creative kids have incorporated recorder refrains and ORFF ostinati patterns. We always perform our song at the awards assembly and at the Des Moines Zoo where the 4th graders present $ they raised throughout the year.
5th graders write ballads about American folk characters. Kids work in groups of 4-5, come to class with their chorus and 3 verse lyrics (classroom assignment). Each group is given a xylophone with pentatonic scale. These
songs tend to sound alike since they're all rooted 5 notes. The rhythm of the song is determined by their lyrics, but they choose which notes make up their melody. Creating the ballad is a 3-4 lesson process.
6th graders have the opportunity to work with me on a one-to-one basis. I generally have 4-5 students each year who become songwriters. These students write about feelings or events in their lives. Their classmates learn their music and they generally perform their songs at the all-school variety show in the spring.
For this lesson, I would do this example as a class, give them a copy and then a worksheet like this with appropriate spaces and blanks. It would be very advantageous to do some isolated exercises involving just one of these steps ahead of tackling this lesson. Step #4 (rhythm values) is a prime example. Have the students use a simple phrase of a familiar song , establish an appropriate tempo w/a drum, sticks, etc., and on the board or on paper, write dashes under the words for every beat that occurs including ones for rests if appropriate. (Student(s) has(have) chosen a 2-4 line singularly metered poem excerpt - though teacher may want to control this by offering the choices to simplify meters, language, etc., The phrase used below could be changed or replaced by suggestions from students - humour works wonders with older elementary & jr. high aged students.)
For e-mail:
Rhythm: //=2 eighth notes; i=one quarter note;
b=one half note; b-b (whole);
/// = triplet; z = quarter rest;
7 = eighth rest / = 1 eighth note)
COMPOSITION IN EIGHT STEPS
1. "Speak your lines several times to yourself and mark the accented words (heavy beats) with a ">" over the accented syllables of words. (Might be advisable to have student write out words with dashes between syllables.)
example:
> > > >
Wake in the morning and find your shoes
2. Insert bar lines before heavily accented words except the first word. (Here I'll use /)
> > > >
Wake in the \ morning and \ find your \ shoes
3. Figure meter by first marking short lines under words for each beat (such as a quarter note)
(Have student tap lightly on knee or desk a steady beat while marking the dashes under words; warn them that some words will have more beats than others and some one syllable words will have more than one word.
example:
- - - - - - - - - - - -
How many beats do you have in each measure? Write in your meter signature.
(2 = 2/4, 3 = 3/4, 4 = 4/4, 6 = 6/8) to the left of the first word.
Note: Many phrases might be interpreted as a duple or triple meter
example: 3-4 Wake in the \...... or 6-8 Wake in the \
4. Next have the students tap a steady beat with their pencils on their desks and discover how many beats for each word or syllable. They should repeat this several times until they are sure they know.
5. Now put note values under the marks for beats; any notes 'held' for more that one beat should have that value: the word "rise" has 3 so value = dotted half
(Here I would put each rhythmic symbol , "=" & number of beats as a crutch) //, i & b = 1 beat;
example:
> > > >
Wake in the \ morning and \ find your \ shoes
- - - - - - - - -
/ / / / / / b /
b. b. = 3 " (etc.,)
6. a. Write the words under the staff; b. Draw bar lines on staff between words where bar lines should go (I can't do that here); c.Draw note values right over the words.
Wake in the \ morning and \ find your \ shoes
/ / / / / / b / b.
7. Now compose a melody to fit the rhythm (Try to have the melody "fit" the words.) Try working with the key of C. Start on either E, G, or C and end the phrase on one of those three notes. (Have students share 'keyboards' such as a xylophone, piano, or keyboard of some kind. Work with only half the phrase at a time. ("Wake in the morning" then "find your shoes")
As you pencil in possible notes over words, do it lightly (so that you can erase if you want) and be sure to use note values that you wrote in below the staff.
(Note:if students are using xylophones and are not adept with note names, have a cheat sheet with names & spaces marked)
8. When sure about the melody, ink it in; practice and perform!
(This lesson can be extended or picked up later when doing a unit on chord structure. They can decide and write in chords (I, IV, V7) for the measures.)
Rules for Classroom Composition
1. 3 or 2 students in a group (NO MORE!!!! until you see how they work together). 3 is better. 4 can work sometimes.
2. At least one instrument is assigned to play an unchanging steady beat throughout the entire piece - no exceptions (unless you clear it first when you listen during workshop). It's a rare group of kids who can create and perform in ensemble ON A SHARED BEAT at that age. They will play on their un-matching inner beats unless and until coached otherwise. They may not be successful at this always, but it's vital to helping them stay organized.
3. The three instruments need to be from at least 2 sound families (high metals, drums, xylos, rattles, etc.) - their choice. You may need to help them listen for timbre problems during workshop - like triangles and finger cymbals and glock may not have enough contrast to be interesting.
4. There must always be a form for the composition. I like ABA the best even for starting compositions. It allows you to hear when they get back to A (or not) and helps you evaluate their level of competence.
5. I do not require/ask them to notate it at all unless they wish to. Some will naturally. Most won't. I think that until they have a longer piece the process of writing it down interferes with all the new experiences they are learning doing composition itself.
I was very inspired by STOMP when they came to Philadelphia this year. (I wish I had an audio recording of their rhythms) My boom pipe melody goes like this D A F c B C G E. However, each pipe comes in one at a time but not in that order. They come in in this order (Z = rest)
?c? = high c)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
When everone is in, they play through 2 times before switching to
__ __
| | | | | | | | | |
D A F c B C G F E C
I then have 6 children on stage playing and passing a high ?d? pipe. I
am trying to get a few black lights to accent the performance. At the very end I have:
D and A play | | | Z Then
(Of course, I make a big gush over their first solo!!! I want them to grow to love improvising. ) -- Patti Albritton Have students echo say phrase by phrase, then echo clap until they can say/clap the entire poem, then just clap the rhythm of the poem while thinking the words. Have them play the rhythm on barred instruments. I don't have enough for all the students, so we rotate around. Also, about Q & A... I went to a workshop facilitated by Kathleen Sullivan (I think) who suggests having the students create 7-beat phrases instead of 8-beat. Let them have the 8th beat as think-time. They should use a portion of the question in the answer......
Tina Morgan
You have probably seen the DICE GAME in the form of a minuet by Mozart, or the ragtime Melody Dicer by Scott Joplin. Write to Carousel Publishing Corp., Brighton, MA 02135 if you haven't.
A student with music-reading skill can compose a dice game on a smaller scale. To make the apparatus, take 18 index cards, glue a strip of staff paper on each one, and label the cards:
ms. 1 roll 1 ms. 2 roll 1 ms. 5 roll 1
ms. 1 roll 2 ms. 2 roll 2 ms. 5 roll 2
ms. 1 roll 3 ms. 2 roll 3 ms. 5 roll 3
ms. 1 roll 4 ms. 2 roll 4 ms. 5 roll 4
ms. 1 roll 5 ms. 2 roll 5 ms. 5 roll 5
ms. 1 roll 6 ms. 2 roll 6 ms. 5 roll 6
Put a treble clef and time signature on all of the cards marked "ms. 1," put a thick double bar and second ending sign on all of the cards marked "ms. 5," and put a C guitar chord on all of the cards.
Now take 12 more index cards, glue a strip of staff paper on each one, and label cards:
ms. 3 roll 1 ms. 4 roll 1
ms. 3 roll 2 ms. 4 roll 2
ms. 3 roll 3 ms. 4 roll 3
ms. 3 roll 4 ms. 4 roll 4
ms. 3 roll 5 ms. 4 roll 5
ms. 3 roll 6 ms. 4 roll 6
Put a repeat sign and a first ending sign on all of the cards marked "ms.4" and put a G guitar chord on all of the cards.
In your first session with the student, have the student fill in the cards marked "roll 1." The student can write anything using C, E, and/or
G under a C chord, and anything using G, B, D, and/or F under a G chord. you are restricting your student to the pentatonic mode, just make that and/or D. In the second session, have the student fill in the cards marked "roll 2," and so on. The final apparatus makes an effective audience participation gimmick. In your next performance, announce that "We will now play an original composition by Albert Brown. Are you ready, Albert?" Albert says, "No, I'm not ready." "You're not? What's the problem?" "It seems that for every measure, I get six different ideas and I can't decide between them." "Then maybe someone in the audience can help you." Then ask for a volunteer, who rolls the die 5 times. The choice of ms. 1 is determined by the first roll, the choice of ms. 2 is determined by the second roll, and so on. Ask the volunteer to introduce him/herself. Supposing that the volunteer's name is Carla Davis, announce that you will give a premier performance of "a composition by Albert Baker and Carla Davis." After the piece is played the first time, Albert Baker will express his appreciation, but he is not quite satisfied. Repeat the process with another volunteer and play the piece again with the newly selected cards, whereupon Albert expresses satisfaction.
The apparatus has still further applications. You could use 5 cards as a counter melody for 5 other cards, you could use 6 sets of 5 cards for a subject and 5 counter subjects for a canon, or you could use any set of 5 cards as a counter melody for "Skip to My Lou." If you want further information on this idea, ask your librarian for ERIC Document ED401185, "The Musical Dice Game as a Composition Exercise" by Thomas Robertson.
(uses graph paper, 1 unit (linear) for each beat and horizontal grid for notes 1-8)
•An 8.5" X 11" paper divided into a grid of .75" squares. •Colored pencils •Desk top bell sets or recorders
Have the students write the range of their melody, for example middle C to G, on vertical side of the page. Each square of the grid is equivalent to 1 beat of music, so they will need to number the horizontal side of the grid from 1 - 8. Explain to the students that melodies usually go up and down, and have long and short sounds. If they want a sound to last two beats they will need to color in two squares side by side the same color. To begin I have the students write a melody that is 8 beats long, goes up and down, and has both long and short sounds. To notate the melody the students color in the square that corresponds to the letter of the sound they want to hear on that beat. The most difficult part about this is keeping the melody linear. Some students will stack sounds on top of each other by coloring in the squares vertically. Provide some examples and that will help. After the compositions were finished we enjoyed listening to the results. If you want to you can also specify which sound they need to end on so the melody will have a more finished sound.
I then sing the song for them. Not only is this amusing but they have actually come up with some pretty good melodies. From this the students are part of a song writing experience.
1. Number the lines and spaces (start at bottom) of this staff: (Draw in lines for staff here)
___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________
(Leave spaces between each note)
5. Over each number in step 4, draw a whole note ( ) on the staff on that line or in that space (your choice) above that number.
1. Choose one of the following lines as your words for the music you will write.
a. Thought I saw a rat - tle - snake that spoke to me in Greek
Phrase: Thought I saw a rat - tle - snake that spoke to me in Greek
Rhythm: ____________________________________________________________
I looked at my plan today for the Haiku....Since a Haiku is 17 syllables, I let the kids use 17 notes that are predetermined by me. (I do this with 4th grade). I write one solfeggio syllable on each of 17 index cards. Then the kids can "arrange" them and play them on the bells. The formula I use is 4 cards have low do, 4 have high do, 3 have sol, 2 have mi 2 have la, 2 have re. Sometimes we assign the syllables at random and then change them. Then sometimes the following week, each group comes up with their own haiku and they have to make a melody with the formula. It just depends on how much you want to get into it.
This is a technique that can be used with any combination of instruments: (If using Orff instruments set bars up for pentatonic) With every step you take the student should make a sound with their instrument. Start with walking around in place or in a circle. Stop unexpectedly Begin again Run a few steps Leap into the air etc.. Remember to keep things fresh, so change tempos often when you sense that the children are following your movements closely. Children love to be fooled too. So don''t forget to move as if you are going to step but remain still. This could go on as long as you and the students are having fun. And it is a lot of fun! This activity is great for a variety of reasons. And in your case, it should free your students as they enjoy an exercise in improvisation. As your students see you do this, they may want to try to be the conductor with their bodies. Give it a try.
For Improvisation, along with the basic question and answer type activity on orff instruments, my favorite activity uses stories. I find a short story that has a variety of characters in it. (The Five Chinese Brothers, The Elephants wrestling Match to name a few). I read the story to the
class, then list the various characters, break into groups and have the children create themes to go with their characters. This usually takes a
class period. On the second day they review and make any changes they want. I then reread the story having the Themes performed as they appear in the story.(I usually have them watch and listen to the video of How the Elephant Got it's Trunk, Rudyard Kipling with Bobby McFarrin creating themes for the various characters before we do this activity). I also tape them and let them listen the following class. This is always a favorite activity in all my classes and I am always astounded with the level of creativity they use. Done in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. Harder stories of course as they progress.
I also do a lot of improvisation with unpitched instruments. We do what I call the instrument snake. Each child is assigned a type of instrument to start off with. Wood, metal, drum, shaker/scraper. This is so no two kids get the same instrument in a row. I play various song styles, meters, tempos etc on the piano while they chose a rhythm to play with their instrument. When the song is finished everyone leaves their instrument behind and moves to the next one. Since we sit in three rows we move in a snake like fashion. Front row moves to the left, middle row to the right, last row to the left. Each end person moves to the next row and the tail of the snake moves to the head. We sometimes do solos, duets, trios, etc. Sometimes play by instrument grouping, or perhaps by rhythm chosen. Variations are endless. Another favorite of my students. Mostly done in 2nd and 3rd grade.
I am doing SPIRITUALS with my 5th and 6th graders. Each arrangement has an easy bordun bass, a simple middle part (for AX/AM and SX) and a normal glockenspiel part. Songs include Wake Me! Shake Me!, Who Built The Arc?, Old Arc's A Moverin", Who's That Yonder, etc. etc. (all are pentatonic). Once we know the arrangements and the songs well, I will ask them to play the same rhythm of the words, but explore a different pentatonic melody. Then put that with the arrangement, make a simple ABACADA song out of it (A=song, B,C,D=student improvisation). This gets them used to the idea of improvisation on barred instruments. Next, we will take a simple jump rope rhyme (from the book Anna Banana by Joanna Cole) and use that to make up improvisations. Now I ask them to make up a simple accompaniment based on the easy arrangements that we have done in the past. Get in groups of 4-6 and play your arrangement for the class. Next, I will give them a word to use as the basis of an improvisation and do it as a class project and record it into a MIDI file using MasterTracks for Macintosh. Later, I will ask them to do this in groups of 4-6 and have them record it using Mastertracks (I will have three MIDI stations in my class at that time for this project). Finally, I hope to be able to share these recordings with other students that might be doing a similar type of project in other states/countries.
This is done in a 6/8 bouncy feel. The students take the poem and improvise in a pentatonic scale. All the children share their ideas. Pick one the class likes and learn it. Orchestrate it as you see fit. This took a whole class period to do this.
I also do a lot of improvisation with unpitched instruments. We do what I call the instrument snake. Each child is assigned a type of instrument to start off with. Wood, metal, drum, shaker/scraper. This is so no two kids get the same instrument in a row. I play various song styles, meters, tempos etc on the piano while they chose a rhythm to play with their instrument. When the song is finished everyone leaves their instrument behind and moves to the next one. Since we sit in three rows we move in a snake like fashion. Front row moves to the left, middle row to the right, last row to the left. Each end person moves to the next row and the tail of the snake moves to the head. We sometimes do solos, duets, trios, etc. Sometimes play by instrument grouping, or perhaps by rhythm chosen. Variations are endless. Another favorite of my students. Mostly done in 2nd and 3rd grade.
Their task? Design their OWN composition, using the six boxes method (more boxes can be used, if you wish), and in groups, they are responsible for drawing their composition on the board, teaching each sound in each box to the class, distributing and collecting instruments if necessary, and conducting the performance. Amazing how some normally-ratty kids can develop responsibility when confronted with instructing their classmates - "I said 'QUIET', you lot!!"
It is, of course, best to leave alternate written activities to turn to if their behaviour gets out of hand, but who doesn't enjoy stomping and yelling in class, particularly if it's a part of their performance?! The reason I mention this activity in response to the question is because it doesn't use notation or musical skills, and can be self-directing because the kids take over and normally are very mature about it. The relief teacher who took these classes actually commented that she enjoyed teaching it for these reasons. * Song must have 2 verses and a refrain (sometimes I use ABA) I also ask each member of the group to fill out a peer evaluation form, rating the participation of each member of the group. When we compose as a group, I keep the grade book next to me. I tell the class that everyone is expected to give suggestions and participate. Anytime a student gives a suggestion, whether it's used or not, I put a + in my book. That give me a pretty good idea of how they are participating.-- Contributed by Christy Bock The story is about a leprechaun who thinks his house is too small. He goes to visit the wise princess and asks her what to do. Each time he returns, she tells him to invite someone else to live in his house with him. When the guests (including a flying horse, a dancing mouse, a guitar playing dinosaur, and a prize pig) finally all go home, his house seems to have plenty of room. :) I will narrate the story, and ask the students to hold the different characters. As each character is introduced, the kids will sing their responses. (ie Dinosaur to leprechaun: "I would be glad to come and live at your house.") Then they'll put their character in the house, and the story will move on to the next character. Since the story is about a leprechaun, I thought it would be great for March and St. Patrick's Day. However, the whole thing looks like it will be so much fun that I might not be able to wait that long to use it in class! By the way, if you scroll down the Bryback Activity pages, there are several music worksheets near the end of the list. I have used one of them as an example of form with the little ones. It worked very well. Have fun with these ideas. -- Contributed by Becky in WI www.bry-backmanor.org
1 - Creates an accurate 4 measure rhythm pattern that is interesting, and
musical
Song #31 Closet Key evaluate F-G-A
I found a neat website - I went to OPLIN (which stands for Ohio Public Library Information Network), then to Oh! Kids. At the bottom of the page I found a "Teachers" tab. It will take you to "funbrain.com". The quiz lab is great!! There, you can find quizes already made up for any grade level and any subject (including music). Or, you can make up your own quiz, give students your secret student word, have them take the quiz and the results are emailed directly to you! The site has oodles of science, math, etc. quizzes, but perhaps more readers could add some music quizzes to the site. You can even print out the quiz if you'd rather. It would be great to have a music library of tests right at your fingertips!! P.S. There is a short registration form to fill out.
Also go to http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/musiclinks.htm and midway through the page there are are links to sound matching games (concentration style) (Animal sounds, sound matching game and bird songs.)
NotationStation.net, a FREE web-enabled tool for music educators. (http://www.NotationStation.net)
http://www.talentz.com/MusicEd/MrNoteGameland/Quiz/studentquiz.hts
Jeff Brenan quizzes students in various aspects of music notation, history, etc., and students can get their scores online!
Music Dictionary: http://www.classicalguide.com/classicalguide/frames/dict-o-z.html
http://[email protected]/
www.primenet.com/~hawaii (site for free piano lessons at TURN THE PAGE MUSIC. Basic lessons for children or adults and a good introduction to music theory.)
(http://[email protected]/)
Interested in some free sheet music? Check out a new site called freemusicnow.com at http://freemusicnow.com
Ear Training: http://www.pageplus.com/~bigears/ (on line lesson)
Broken Ground School Music Page student MIDI compositions at http://www.concord.k12.nh.us/schools/bgs/music/music
http://www.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/composer.html - has links to many sites related to composition; everything from Bach, to Soviet composers, bibliographies, sketches, timelines, etc
http://www.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/composit.html - composition related articles, notation programs, electronic library of sheet music, MIDI files, Schillinger system of compostion, symbolic composers
http://www.concord.k12.nh.us/schools/bgs/music.html (compositions of students at a NH school - Orff based)
http://www.mibac.com/Theory/Main_Theory.htm
For the best ear training software you should visit http://www.EarPower.com where you can download a little freeware program - EarTest, and the already famous - EarPower, very useful for children and adults alike.
Software: http://www.mibac.com/Theory/Main_Theory.htm
Music 101 Wonderful interactive lessons! Eartraining lessons, guitar chords, and a great links page; fun site! http://www.music101.com/
http://www.realworld.co.uk/rwmm/noodle/ This is (free) music software whose "notation" system is utilizes undulating images that are are clicked and dragged about the screen to activate associated sound files. It gets mesmerizing after a while though. The components are all Irish/IAfrican samples.
Jazz arranging: grades 4 and up, students arrange melodies written in jazz style: http://www.jazzkids.com/cmp
Broken Ground School Music Page student MIDI compositions at:
http://www.concord.k12.nh.us/schools/bgs/music.html (compositions of students at a NH school - Orff based).
Free Downloadable Software: http://cctr.umkc.edu:88/userx/bhugh/musicold.html#ibmprog
Essentials of Music ***** http://www.essentialsofmusic.com/ This site, a collaboration of Sony Music and W. W. Norton and Company;
Publishers, is like having a music textbook online. Definitions, etc.,
Carolina Classical Connection http://classicalmus.hispeed.com/links.html A great index of classical music sites. Find links to MIDI files
2. Voted on "serious or humerous" and brainstormed words. We had a big chart page covered with words in each class before we finished this step.
3. Students used words from brainstormed list to create a line or fragment of poetry.
4. From there we continued to add lines, sometimes voting on which suggestion we wanted to use in our poem. Sometimes a "refrain" phrase would pop out at us, leading us into choosing our song form.
5. Volunteers sang a melodic fragment, we added what worked for our tune, and I wrote down what they sang. We sometimes voted on tunes too.
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06/05 8 BAR COMPOSITION This year I stuck with 8 bars, 4/4 only quarter notes. The end of every two bars was a quarter rest. I simply asked for pitch (C-D-E-F-G), limiting them to one leap in every 2-bar phrase. Then we edited, voting on each proposed change. When the melody sounded its best, as voted on by the class, I allowed them to add a note between skips, so that if the quarters were C-E, we now had C-D-E (eighth, eighth, quarter). The kids were amazed at how just a few added notes could spice up a melody. ---- Kay Lovingood
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06/05 COMPOSITION TO POETRY Our 5th grades have just completed creating soundscapes to accompany Mary Ann Hoberman books. The Chorus had sung Carolyn Jenning's setting entitled A Menagerie of Songs, which got us started with Mary Ann Hoberman's poetry. I particularly enjoyed the children's creation for "And to think that we thought that we'd never be friends", but I heartily recommend everything that Mrs. Hoberman has created as a launch point for children's creativity.---- Nancy Reycraft
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09/03 WOODY GUTHRIE ACTIVITY [5TH GRADERS]You could adapt to any grade level, but the fifths start out with land regions so I do it with them each year. We read about Woody Guthrie and listen/sing to some of his songs. I read This Land is Your Land (it has awesome pictures) to them and we talk about the words and what they mean. Then we take the words to This Land Is Your Land and write our own words using "This School Is Your School." I have a form that they use so they know about how long to make their verse and the chorus part. We talk about how Guthrie used east, west, north and south and how we can use those same directions in describing our school. The students write a chorus and one verse. Our next step is to take FINALE 3 and write out the music and then put our lyrics under them. Finally, each student selects a group to perform their song for the class. It's a great way for them to compose, get technology and social studies connections in music class. The kids love it!-Contributed by Gretchen Bruner in IN
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04/03 W/WORKSHEETS I introduce composition through rhythm pattern writing in 1st and 2nd grades. I also correlate it with meter. In the beginning we compose as a class with each student taking a turn until all the measures are complete. They are only allowed to use the notes they already know. Later on we add notes to them and brainstorm on a topic they are studying in homeroom (dinosaurs, etc.) and they come up with lyrics for their music. It's not Mozart, but it is a start. Later in 3rd and 4th grade I use Denise Gagne's composition worksheets from her Recorder Kits I and II. They have been very successful with this so far.-- Contributed by Joy in OK
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04/03 GRADES 1-2 I start them with a foundation, such as set rhythm patterns. I then let them choose solfege syllables and have them randomly add those to the rhythm, telling them they need to start with either so or do and end in do.
www.musiceducationmadness.com
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04/03 1.Talk about BLACK HISTORY MONTH. What do they know?
2.Read The Sound the Jazz Makes and discuss (you could just read Follow the Drinking Gourd instead).
3.Talk about how they followed the drinking gourd in the sky: i. e. they didn't all leave at once they gathered in numbers along the way. 4. then we partially sing Follow the Drinking Gourd.
5. (Instruments are in a circle on the floor) Each instrument is a person following the drinking gourd. I use 5 words to improvise IMAGINE, ORIGINAL, CREATE, LISTEN, and make sure it has a BEAT. I put the notes D, E, and G on the Orff's. We practice improvising with steady beats on our instruments. THEN we start gathering following the drinking gourd by one person starting their pattern, then another, then another till everyone is playing, then after a bit, one by one stop playing. They can't play loud or else they would draw attention to themselves on the path to freedom and never make it.
6. Improvise in the same way but to K-8's Drinking Gourd song. If you time it just right by listening to the intro and adding a performer in every two measures you can time it so you have the last person performing at the very end of the song. It worked out really well.-- Contributed by Renovia
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10/02 BEGIN WITH CANDIES !! (K) Here's an simple, effective, and fun beginning music-literacy activity for kindergarten or severe special ed.Lesson in brief: students place small round candies on music staff boards (anywhere on the staff) in a line left to right. then they play one sound per note as another friend moves the candies off the staff. after, they get to eat the candies.
Procedures:
~kids partner up.
~distribute wrapped candies and boards. make sure boards are in proper
.position on desk/floor--ie. horizontal staff.
~intro. the concept of notes on a staff: each note = one sound. high notes = high sounds (top of glock.), low notes = low sounds (bottom of glock.). For this lesson, don't worry about note position except the notes must be moving left to right not stacked on top of one another.
~kids place one candy on the staff.
~take turns letting kids play one sound as teacher moves the note off the staff with his/her finger (as the student makes each sound, the teacher moves the corresponding note off the board). ~place two notes, three, etc... take turns playing and moving the notes off.
~place all candies on staff. take turns playing while students move eachother's notes off the staff, left to right (the kid moving the notes may be looking at the staff upside down and moving right to left. this is ok. IMPORTANT: the kid playing the instrument will be seeing the notes left to right.
~end of lesson: eat your candies!!!---- Sandra Elder
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05/02 IMPROVISE MELODY:
1. The 1st First GRADE class I invited to think up a story that would make a good play. They had a lot of ideas and I wrote them down. We discussed them and voted on the one we liked best which was a toy shop where the toys came to life. We developed it a bit with details which included a wizard, a magic wand, the wind and a burglar. That was the end of the lesson.
2.The next day I told my 2nd first grade class what the first one had done and that we would make up a song describing part of the story. We made up a poem first. I guided them as to where the rhymes should be and kept them on track. Then came the fun part. I read the first line of the poem and asked for a volunteer to sing it for me. Then I wrote it down on staff paper immediately (so I would remember!). I then sang this line and asked someone else to sing the second line for me and so on. When we finished, we actually had a nice simple tune which I harmonized on the piano and they all sang till we knew it. I wrote the words on chart paper.
3.The next day, I told the 3d first grade class the story and taught them the first song and then they made up a new one depicting another part of the story. By the time I got back to my first class, I had four songs to teach them and a cute little student made play. The kids were really proud of what they had done and were eager to act it out, which we did. Each student wore a sticky note with the name of the toy he was playing. The wizard rode my broom and carried a rhythm stick for the wand, the wind whirled around with my feather duster and the burglar wore a paper mask I cut out. What fun we had and it only took 3 lessons to get the whole thing written and performed for their teachers.
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05/02 I use ROBERT MUNSCH STORIES throughout the school year! The kids love his stories and many of them are just built for classroom instruments. I have two favorite "Munsch lessons". I use "Mortimer" in Kindergarten. We read the story, and make up a tune to the song. We read the story again but this time I hand out some time of instrument to each child and we play them while we sing the song. I highly recommend this book.
Website: http://www.robertmunsch.com/
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05/02 COMPOSE LYRICS: How about "A Hunting We Will Go"? It has lots of rhyming verses and you can make up your own.Could act some of them out (pig in a wig? mouse in a house?)
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PROGRAM MUSIC: I started a new series of lessons on John Williams today which is really quite easy to do once you've gathered together all of the musical examples that you need. For the last few classes we've been "composing" using Finale Notepad. (Really, we've just been learning to use the software, but THEY think they're composing.) When I introduced my lesson today, I told the kids that there are 2 types of music...the type we've been composing, which is absolute music....no literary meaning involved, and program music, which is written to tell a story, set a scene or elicit emotion. I give them paper. For the older kids I tell them to write down their scenario as they listen.
I also have "Close Encounters"...musical dialog between earthlings and ship, and of course, Star Wars. Still trying to get ahold of Superman. Anyway, after they have written or drawn their scenario they tell the class about what they wrote or drew, and why. Then I rewind the tape and show them the clip, so they can see how close they were to the original intent of the music.
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04/02 I use some technology in my classroom. I have access to a wireless lab for using CDRoms. My software is listed at:
http://www.asd.wednet.edu/EagleCreek/Engell/musicity.htm
(Click on "Technology in the Music Classroom"). The fifth grade composition project is listed on the left hand column
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04/02 NOTATION Materials: markers, blank paper, bingo/poker chips, plain
craft/popsicle sticks, drums, song-bells (or whatever two instruments
you have multiples of), mallets, drumsticks, etc...
Lesson in brief: Using the chips to represent one sound and the sticks
to rep. another, compose a pattern, practice it, and perform it for the
class. Record it on paper.
~ kids sit next to partner.
~ review concept of visual patterns. look around room and identify some
examples of visual patterns.
~ music has patterns too. patterns of sound.
~ kids close their eyes. teacher plays a pattern several times using
two sounds (claps and stomps, for example). kids open eyes. what was
the pattern??? repeat. choose two students to perform a pattern using
the same two sounds. other kids close eyes and try to identify the
pattern being repeated.
~ move attention to the black/white board. we use symbols to write down
our sound patterns so we don't forget how they go, and so other people
can read them too. teacher draws a circle on board. this is for the
drum sound. draw a line. this is for the song bell sound.
~ teacher makes a pattern using circles and lines. kids perform it with
teacher using "boom" and "ding" vocals.
~ give each pair of kids a large handful of both sticks and chips (ONE
COLOR).
~ ask one student to make up a new sound pattern. everybody writes it
on the floor using chips/sticks. play it together. repeat.
~ now, with your partner, write your own patterns on the floor. when
finished, get one drum and one song-bells (or whatever), practice
reading your song with your partner. perform for the class.
HINT: when one team is performing, everyone lays mallets behind their
backs. be sure to clap for every team that performs.
if time: distribute markers and one blank paper to each group. have
them write down their patterns and sign their names. these can be
displayed with an explanation in the hallway.
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06/01 RAPS
They are basically a number of different percussion backgrounds, to which you can set "raps." Some have sample raps. Also, I believe you can find raps on various topics in the magazine which go well with different ones. Here's a quote from the archive: "Jen, and others -- When I used Rap Builder with my 6th graders, I started by having them listen to the examples on the recording, then had them rap along with those. Next we tried choosing some poems by Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky and having the kids rap those to several of the rap tracks. Third step was to provide a shell with the beginnings of sentences. They had to finish the sentences to complete their raps, practice them, and perform them for the class. Finally, they were allowed to choose a subject (school appropriate!) and write their own 8-12 line poem to rap. It was a very successful unit, and even some of my more incorrigible boys enjoyed working on it.
The only trick is figuring out how long a particular rap track is, and whether or not it fits the lyric you want to use. However, I used this to my advantage this spring. When the fourth grade kids were getting ready to take their state-wide writing tests, I wanted to reinforce the Write Traits study they had been doing, and I wanted to use the "Word Choice Rap" someone had submitted to Network in Vol.11#1 (I can't remember for sure who wrote it. I just looked it up on the website to find the volume #, and the website only lists titles. I THINK I know who wrote it, but if I'm wrong, I don't want to hurt any feelings.) ENNNYway, I wanted to make them learn this rap and have it in their heads, but I only had Primary Rap Builder, and the tracks were all too short for the text. So, I told them we were going to "experiment" and see which track would fit. They chanted that Word Choice Rap over and over again, as we tried track after track, until they had it memorized!
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CHORD COMPOSITION
2. 16 measures only(in 4/4 or 3/4)
3. The song must start and end on the tonic.
4. Only use the eight notes within the scale
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COMPOSITION EXERCISE
2. practiced melodic echoing and matching first with hand signs and solfege.
3. read the song slowly together using hand signs/solfege. i sang with.
4. again with me singing super quietly/dropping out altogether.
5. asked kids what they're learning about in their classroom and wrote topic on board as a title.
6. brainstormed a list of words having to do with.
7. go through list and count syllables: i showed fingers as they said the words. write number next to words. i added the word "and" and wrote a 1 next to it and explained how we could use it. for ex. if have a three note pattern and a two syllable word we can do "2 plus 1" by using the "and."
8. plugged words into the song dividing syllables under notes.
9. practiced singing it after every line. They came up with so many great ideas, we ended up with two verses! their suggestion: "let's perform it on stage!" "hey, let's put it up in the hallway by our other display." here are a couple they/we came up with:
Communities: tune by me Lyrics by Mrs. Donovan's 2nd grade class (quarter notes and quarter rests. last note = whole)
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COMPOSITION PROJECT
We visited Powder, She did some tricks.
We played Sparkle. We had a fun lunch. And that's how we spent our day.
(Powder is a police dog that came to visit. Sparkle is a spelling game.)
This was their favorite last year - adapted 12 bar blues:
I got my name up, I really hate it!
I had to sit on the wall For fifteen WHOLE minutes.
I couldn't play I couldn't jump
I couldn't talk I'm really sad. (repeat and end on tonic)
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CLASS COMPOSITION
do re mi fa so
Their friendship never ends....
re do re mi fa so
(Later in song)
I like the stars to shine so bright,
As they zoom through the dark, dark night,
As they go to visit friends,
They soar to greater heights!
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FIFTH GRADE COMPOSITION
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When composing music about a story:
b.. Review the doh-based and lah-based pentatonic scales, using the voice and the instruments
c.. Determine which scale would be most appropriate for each of the two contrasting themes in the story
d.. Divide the class into groups, each of which is to compose 8 bars of music...perhaps tied to a phrase from the story
e.. Use the appropriate theme (sung and/or on instruments) as the story is re-told.
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My 1st and 2nd graders create sound pieces to match poetry. I write the poem on the board with 6 expressive words underlined. Each row of students is assigned a word, explores instrumental sounds and chooses their instrument. We perform their piece enough times so each student in the row gets a turn at performing.
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COMPOSITION IN EIGHT STEPS
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COMPOSITION LESSON by Ken Peters
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Maybe after they have composed and performed and evaluated and improved three or four pieces, THEN you could ask them to write their favorite down. But please don't do it till them. And inform them ahead of time about exciting instruments like the ratchet and vibraslap and flexatone. Some timbres are like salt - a little may be necessary, too much ruins the whole thing! I wanted to share a boom pipe routine
that my 5th graders are doing at our spring concert.
D Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
D Z Z Z Z C Z Z
D
Z F Z Z C Z E
D A F Z Z C Z E
D A F Z B C Z E.
D A F Z B C Z E.
D A F Z B C G E.
D A F c B C G E.
C and G play | | | Z Then
D and A play | | | Z Then
Everyone takes their pipe and lays it flat and slaps it on the floor.
BACK to Topics
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Improvisation
06/10 "SNOWY DAY" My K's just did a soundscape with "Snowy Day", and are currently doing one for "The Stonecutter" by Gerald McDermott. I've also done them with sixth grade and "Bringing the Rain from Kapiti Plain" for a program last year. My fifth graders do one for "Green Eggs and Ham" and perform it for their primary buddies. This is a VERY Orff thing to do! --- Karen Stafford
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10/08 POEM FOR RULES OF IMPROVISATION: I made up a little poem to help my kids remember what they could do during improvisation. It's what I use as an introduction to improvisation. We repeat it until we know it verbatim. Then we use it to actually improvise. Of course, the bars are already set up C pentatonic for this poem. When we say "way up high" we play on the highest bars and vice versa "down low". Here's the poem:
"Improvisation"
"Anything I play is okay with me, but my last note, well, it has to be C.
I go way up high and then down low.
I can play fast or slow, but home I must go." (Of course, home means C - I teach them that.)
"I use the same rhythm as everyone else. When my teacher hears my solo, she just melts."
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10/05 W/INSTRUMENTS: Improvisation with instruments is most successful when based on question-and-answers. Using Q/A body instruments is an easy and natural next step from echoing. Once they are familiar with this, then you can do very small improvisations based on the q/a work they have already done. Easiest is to do this with untuned percussion, as then you are only dealing with rhythmic elements and not also melodic. With mallet instr. set in pentatonic, you play a q for each child in turn to play an a for. If it is the children's first time to do melodic q/a, I would restrict it to only 3 tones (G,E,A) the first time, expanding their range of tones gradually. Eventually they may use the entire instrument but still need guidance not just to bang out something, but should try to make something that "makes sense", and they do not HAVE to use all the notes... Much experience with q/a improvisation gives them a framework for more extended improv work later. Just "turning them loose" tends to create mass chaos unless they have been prepared for improv with lots of q/a work. -- Louise Eddington
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10/05 NURSERY RHYME Use a simple nursery rhyme or short poem. I usually use Jack Be Nimble, making it 8 phrases in length. (Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack jumped over the candlestick. Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low, Jack jumped over and burned his toe.)
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10/05 POEM: I do something similar, using four-line rhymes like "2, 4, 6, 8,/ Meet me at the garden gate..." or "Lucy Locket" or things like that. After practice with clapping the rhythm of the words and all that, I have them improvise melodies for the rhyme on barred instruments set up in pentatonic. Sometimes I will also tell them to end on a certain bar (do for whatever pentatonic we are in). I have also done improvisational type things when teaching steps, skips, repeats - leave all the bars on, make up a melody of a certain length, make sure it steps some, skips some, repeats some, and ends on C. -- Ann Wells
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EDUCATIONAL GAMES/MUSIC COMPOSITION/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
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MELODY COMPOSITION
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Composition: My most effective work here has been in the 4th grade after they have a basic working knowledge of how to play recorder, keyboard, and xylophones. I pass out a pamphlet of poems with the rhythm of the poem written out in music. They choose a poem, an instrument to work with,and add notes to go with the rhythm of the poem. (Keeping this to pentatonic notes isn't a bad idea. I pre-teach about melody and the importance of repitition and variation, and show them the video called melody by Penn and Teller. (Excellent videos... I would highly recommend all three of these if you don't already have them. Melody, rhythm, and Texture. These can be found in most catalogs, I saw them recently in Friendship House 1-800-791-9876) I encourage them to experiment and don't forget about repetition and variation. When they are done they then write out the rhythm and the notes on music paper. Usually a rough draft and then final copy. They may or may not be able to play their melodies when they are finished but I am amazed with the quality of the songs they come up with. They always want to know what I think of their songs but I usually turn the question around on them and ask them what they think of their song as that is what really counts.
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COMPOSITION GAME
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1A PHONE # COMPOSITION! (Example Worksheet)
2. Write down your phone # including your area code: ____________________
2 4 8 - 5 4 8 - 5 9 5 3
3. Choose 2 smaller #'s for every number larger than 5 WHOSE SUM IS THAT NUMBER:
(Example: # is 8: choose 4 4 or 3 5 or 1 7)
4. Write your 'new' phone number here: _____________________________________
Now write your 'new number' below this staff (next to New Phone # - leave space between each #)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Note Names:
New Phone #: _________________________________________________________
6. Except for the last note, fill in all the notes like this:
7. Now draw stems on ALL of the notes like this:
8. Write the note names under the staff in step 4.
9. Play your melody on a xylophone. (Be sure if it is a lower e, you play a lower e, etc.,)
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1B My Own Original Composition
b.
c.
2. Say this phrase over (silently) to yourself at least 10 times.
3. Write the words in step 1 on page 2 of this worksheet next to Phrase.
Rhythm:
4. Put a / over each word (in step 1 - worksheet page 2) that gets a
steady beat (tah)
5. Now clap the rhythm of the words 3 times. Write the rhythm of the words under the words on page 2.
1B - Step 2
6. Copy your phrase (again) and its rhythm under staff at the bottom of this page.
7. With mallet in hand, say the first 2 words (of your phrase) and choose two notes on the xylophone that you would like to use with those words. Now sing those words using those pitches. Say....Play....Sing
Write those note names on your worksheet over words in step 2.
8. Now find a note for the third word and play those three together. Be sure you like what
you hear. Say....Play....Sing
Write the third note name on your worksheet over third word in step 2.
9. Work in this way until you have a complete melody for your phrase.
10. Draw whole notes ( ) using your note names on the staff in step 2.
Complete the rhythm by filling in note heads, adding stems, etc.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Note Name: ____________________________________________________________
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IMPROVISATION
I give each team tone bells from the pentatonic scale. Then they pass around a piece of staff paper and each write a note until they have at least 4 full 4/4 measures. Then they practice and then play their song for the class. You could skip the writing part with 1st grade and just let them experiment with the tone bells of the pentatonic scale. Maybe they'd come up with a song. Another thing I do is let the kids come up to the piano 4 at a time. I play an ostinato on the black keys of the piano: F# C# F#. While I do this, the kids play (one at a time) any of the black keys. I hope this helps you some!
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Question/answer activities in body percussion, followed by unpitched percussion are relatively easy ways to begin improvising. If you have access to the MENC publication "Strategies for Teaching K-4 General Music," this method of improvisation is pretty well spelled out on p.25, under Standard 3. Once my kids can handle Q/A on unpitched percussion, I like to move them into Q/A on barred instruments set in a pentatonic scale. There's a complete improvisation lesson written out in the Network section of MK8, vol.11-4, for "Dip an Egg." (vol. 10-4) This is probably way more than you are looking for, but it might give you some ideas to get you going
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STEP BY STEP:(While you do this step by step approach, use Abersold's Major/minor CD in the background. - Check out the spelling of Abersold?? - The students will think themselves to be jazz artists at first try.)
1. Have students (as an ensemble) copy what you play, only using one pitch. (You will use a variety of rhythms equaling 4 beats on one specific pitch.) Example: G
2. Once every child in the room has participated, do the same thing using another pitch. Example: A
3. Same as number 2: using B.
4. Now you play a variety of rhythms using two pitches.Example: B and A.
5. Now you play A and G. They copy.
6. Now you play B A G combinations: they copy.
All this time you are building their confidence of playing "off the top of their head." It is so exciting to see that the fear of not knowing what to do go right out the window! Then you begin the CD again and point to each student. Go through the same process a given above, but this time each student makes up his own rhythm pattern to be used. (I begin the students with 4 beat patterns and we progress to 4 measure patterns.) This process has proven to be a wonderful step by step plan. With the background CD, the students think they are jazz artists. I've even had my recorder students perform jazz in our winter program. It was really cute and they were really improvising in front of the crowd. Again, it was elementary improv, but it was honest. They hadn't practiced what they played.
Next step: We talk about "question and answers." I discuss how to play a question and how to figure out a good answer. I then play a musical question, the students all play what they think would be an "appropriate" answer - simultaneously. Then we do the process one sby one. WOW! They are amazed at what they can do, in a very few weeks. This is a great process to use with singing solfege too! I use it for warm-ups.
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I too have been using JAMEY AEBERSOLD'S "JAZZ PLAY ALONGS" with young children for years. His website is www.jajazz.com His toll free number is 1-800-456-1388. Request a catalog if you are interested. He has published about 100 play-along books with CD's, all recorded by top jazz musicians. These recordings are ONLY the rhythm section playing the chord changes (piano, bass, drum set). The melodies are provided in the play-along books that come in the set. I use Volume 24 - Major and Minor as well as Volume 1 - How to Play Jazz and Improvise. Another good one is Volume 42 - Blues in All Keys. There's a track on there in the key of E, and you can set up your Orff instruments in the E Blues Scale, start the CD, and let the kids experiment with improvising on the 12-bar blues! To set up in an E blues scale, follow these steps: 1. Remove all F's and C's 2. Move your B-natural over one space to the right, where the C used to be 3. Put your B-flat in the space between A & B The Blues in E also works well on recorders, because most recorder students are working on G, A, B, E, and D. Just add a Bb for flavor, and they too can jam on the blues scale. My kids have a lot of success with this!
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We use PEASE PORRIDGE HOT on the barred instruments as well. It's great with teaching improvisation. We create a little Rondo using the rhyme. We improvise the rhythm of the words on the bars for the A section, then the unpitched improvise for a phrase for the other sections of our Rondo. I have the instruments set up in a circle with every other one being a barred instrument, then we rotate around so everyone gets to play every instrument. It's one of the favorite lessons for my 1st and 2nd graders! I use it with first grade in the Spring and in 2nd grade when I introduce "Rondo" form.
"Pease Porridge Hot" is also good in canon. The 2nd group begins after the first says, or plays, "Pease Porridge..." It's always my first canon. I learned this from someone else long ago. I start at 8 beats, then 4 before starting after 2 beats, as described above
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Rats for lunch, rats for lunch
Yum! Delicious! Munch munch munch!!
One by one or by the bunch,
Rat, oh rat, oh rat for lunch!!
The next class period. Review their creation. Then I have cards with four "verses" about eating rats from the poem. They are disgusting, but my kids thought they were great. The kids thought it was a hoot. I divided the class into 4 groups gave each group a verse. Then I assigned each group something different to do with the poem. Group 1: Make up a movement interpretation of the rhythm and the words of the poem.
Group 2: Gave them unpitched percussion and had them make up ostinatos and play the rhythm of the verse on them also. Group 3: Do their verse with speech and speech ostinatos Group 4: make up a melody using their
recorders.
Now you have the makings for a wonderful rondo experience. Have the kids sing the melody they created for the A part, then Group 1 is B, Group 2 is C, Group 3 is D, and Group 4 is E. Thus the form of the piece would
be ABACADAEA.
Me again: I forgot where I found this, but I saw in a music dictionary that a rondo with at least three non-repeating episode themes is called an "Italian rondo."
For IMPROVISATION, along with the basic question and answer type activity on orff instruments, my favorite activity uses stories. I find a short story that has a variety of characters in it. (The Five Chinese Brothers, The Elephants wrestling Match to name a few). I read the story to the
class, then list the various characters, break into groups and have the children create themes to go with their characters. This usually takes a class period. On the second day they review and make any changes they want. I then reread the story having the Themes performed as they appear in the story.(I usually have them watch and listen to the video of How the Elephant Got it's Trunk, Rudyard Kipling with Bobby McFarrin creating themes for the various characters before we do this activity). I also tape them and let them listen the following class. This is always a favorite activity in all my classes and I am always astounded with the level of creativity they use. Done in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade. Harder stories of course as they progress.
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I drew SIX BOXES on the board, all joined together. One box had the word "Ahhh", and an arrow curving downward, meaning that when I pointed to the box, everyone called out "aaaahhh" in a descending pitch. Another box contained symbols that meant feet stomping, another contained a rhythm to be clapped, and so on. In between pointing to the symbols, they had to be quiet, start when I indicated, get louder or softer according to my hand position, and stop when I gave the hand indication for "Stop".
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I use the wide Velcro to put a staff on the floor. We use it for tossing bean bags and lots of other activities. I made a big clef sign from several pieces of tag board and place it on the staff when we are using it. The Velcro holds up for several years even with vacuuming and rug cleaning. I have marked other areas for storage of small keyboards (The Keyboard Barn).for example.
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VOCAL IMPROVISATION
I improvise a melody to "Walking Through Woods on Snowy Evening" (Frost), book illustrated by Susan Jeffers. Then I briefly mention that I 'made up the melody' as I went and invite kids to improvise the words on a single page each. Many start with sol/mi but get a little braver as more try it.
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QUESTION-ANSWER PHRASES
Use Eric Carle's "Have You Seen My Cat?" or any other book with question/answer subjects.
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RHYMING
01/02 www.usamusic.org (click on "View Current Lessons" at bottom of page)
Grade 3-6 Create New Lyrics to existing American Music - 4 Lessons
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A Rhyming Dictionary
http://www.rhymezone.com/
I LOVE rhyming dictionaries. For laughs of stressful band days I take out my
rhyming dictionary and let kids pick words and read them to the class. It's
strangely theraputic. :-) I suppose it is actually helpful for poetry and
lyrics and stuff....but saying "flute, boot, brute, chute, cute, fruit, hoot,
jute, loot, mute, route, shoot, suite, toot" a few times real fast is funny.
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RHYTHM COMPOSITION RUBRIC
04/03 RUBRIC: I do a composition unit with my 3rd graders. Are they composing as a group, in small groups or individuals? I usually do small groups and the group as a whole. For small groups, my requirements are:
* The verse must have at least 8 measures
* The refrain must have at least 4 measures
* The verse and refrain must sound different from each other
* 1 pitched and 1 unpitched instrument must be used
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04/03 I have done a composition unit for several years with my 3rd graders. They write melody and words. Anyway, I photocopy the songs, which I've written out on Finale, and the kids submit black and while illustrations for each. The class votes on the illustration they like the best. Then I bind them all in a book, with the spiral binding thingy - yes that is the technical term!!:)and sell them at our concert for $3. I usually make about $300. -- Contributed by Christy Bock
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04/03 I made a wonderful discovery today that I am turning into a lesson. Thought I would share it with you. If you have never been to the Bryback Manor web site, www.bry-backmanor.org
check it out. From the home page, click on Activity pages and go to Activity page 131. The page opens in 3 parts. The first is a cute story for K and 1 called "The Too Small House." The second is a graphic of the house, and the third is a graphic of all the characters. The story is just perfect for some improvised singing. I printed the pages, and enlarged the house and characters onto poster board with the overhead projector. I'm going to laminate all the pieces and put little magnet strips on the backs of the characters.
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01/02 Rubric for assessing student Rhythm Composition by Denise Gagne:
2 - Creates a 4 measure rhythm pattern with few errors
3 - Creates a 4 measure rhythm pattern with some errors
4 - Needs assistance to write a 4 measure rhythm pattern
Recorder Melody:
1 - Creates and accurately notates a 4 measure melody that is interesting
and musical
2 - Creates and notates a 4 measure melody with few errors
3 - Creates and notates a 4 measure melody with some errors
4 - Needs assistance to write a 4 measure melody
Evaluation and Games:
You can use many methods for evaluating students recorder playing.
There are problems with all of them. Students get nervous when asked to
play a ‘test’ and don’t always play to the best of their ability. Testing
students one at a time is time consuming. You can use more than one music
class testing, and have no time left to make music. When you hear one
student alone, the other students get restless and bored.
For several years I’ve used the guessing games to evaluate the
students playing. While evaluating I keep track of who has had their
turn. As each child plays the solo, I grade them on my class list. I
don’t tell the children that I am grading them. They are so involved in
the game that they don’t get nervous, and all are anxious to have their
turn. The guessing game songs that I use for evaluation are:
Song #13 Little Tommy Tiddlemouse evaluate A-G-E
Song #15 Doggie Doggie evaluate G-E-A, slur
Game directions: Choose a child to be the ‘guesser’. The guesser sits on
a chair in front of the class, with his/her back to the class. The class
plays, or sings, the question. The teacher chooses one child to play the
solo. The guesser must guess who played the solo. The child who played
the solo becomes the new guesser.
Game directions: Choose one child to be the ‘hider’ and one child to be
the ‘finder’. The ‘finder’ goes out of the classroom and hides his/her
eyes. The ‘hider’ hides the key in plain sight - it must be visible
without moving anything. When the finder returns, the class sings the
song, singing louder as the finder gets closer to the key. Ask for 2
students to play the song while the rest of the class sings. Evaluate
their playing. Those 2 then get to be the next ‘hider’ and ‘finder’.
Another method of evaluation that has been successful for me is ‘The
Showoff’. I ask each child to choose any song that they would like to
show off to the class. The confident players choose difficult songs, the
less confident players choose easier songs. My grading takes into account
both the difficulty of the song and the musicality and accuracy of the
performance. My students ask for a showoff class over and over.
Rubric for assessing student playing:
1 - Plays correct notes and rhythms, with excellent tone, legato tonguing,
breath control, and posture
2 - Plays correct notes but is missing one or more of the following:
accurate rhythms, excellent tone, tonguing
3 - Plays most of the notes correctly but is missing two or more of the
following: accurate rhythms, excellent tone, tonguing
4 - Plays few of the notes and rhythms correctly
You can evaluate the theory pages and practise bugs. If your students
have completed all the theory pages and the mad minutes, you can use the
written quiz to evaluate their understanding of note names and counting.
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UNITS OF STUDY
06/16 SIXTH GRADE GENERAL MUSIC:
Boomwhacker music reading
Theory-learning about chords and chord progressions ---- Emily Grusenmeyer
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I do a History of Music
Start with ancient times and work our way up to the music of today.
You can start with Rap as it is an ancient form. Watch videos related, sing songs, take notes, etc.
If the class is small enough we do guitars
Unfortunately with 43 students in a class, we are doing guitars ---- Susan C. Harris
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Web Sites
06/02 Page of strategies in writing ballads (High School): http://members.tripod.com/~nzfolkie/composing.html
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04/02 www.youngcomposers.com
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Lessons: http://209.15.142.32/cat223_morel.htm
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02/02 Recently someone asked for a readily available internet resource for
manuscript paper. Here's a good one. You do have to have Acrobat Reader,
but you can download it for free at:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
Manuscript paper source and source of other interesting things:
http://www.musicteachers.co.uk/resources/
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Theory (see also file: "Melody & Rhythm Ideas," "Composition")
http://www.musictheory.halifax.ns.ca
I have a internet research lesson called Music Masters to the Rescue http://www.asd.wednet.edu/EagleCreek/Engell/Composer.4.htm
This webquest involves problem solving and higher level thinking skills. I was amazed at the response from the students when they did this. All the fourth grade teachers worked on the project during their class time. I was a resource and support person. Warning: it is time consuming!
http://hyperion.advanced.org/15413/
http://members.xoom.com/learnpiano/Sect1p5f1.htm
http://www.music-planet.com/BAK/
The www.download.com site that someone suggested looks promising, too.
http://funbrain.com/ This is my favorite on-line educational game page. I have created 3 tests for my students to use. It's so easy and my kids love it!
download.com J. Tummins "Music Notation" free ware.
These lists at: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/1655/listhtml.html
American Musicological Society, Brazilian Music (in Portuguese), Brazilian Music Society, Classical Music, Czech and Slovak Music Society, Early Music, Folk Music Presenters, Glenn Gould, Hungarian Music (in Hungarian),
Interdisciplinary Beatles Studies, Irish Traditional Music, Latin American Music, Medieval and Renaissance Music, Medieval Performing Arts, Music Semiotics, Music Theory, Musical and Cultural Industry, Musicology (German),
Musico-Textual Analysis, Rock and Popular Music (academic discussion(!),World Music.
http://www.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/composer.html
(Has links to many sites related to composition; everything from Bach, to Soviet composers, bibliographies, sketches, timelines, etc)BACK to Topics