#41 Teaching Recorder - Updated 12/16
TOPICS (Just click on the title you want to view)
Adaptive recorders (special needs)
----Advanced Students----Age Level for Teaching
----Alto Recorder
----Articulation
Baroque vs. German Fingering----
Brands of Recorders
----Recorder Cases, Necklaces
----Recorder Learning Centers
Cleaning Recorder----Composition
----Concerts
----Covering the Holes
----Curriculum
----Easy Songs
----Exercises
Evaluation
----Fingering Chart----Forgotten Recorders
----Games (See also Note Names here)
Groups, Independant
----Half Hole Notes----Recorder Karate(Award System)
----Learning a New Piece---Improvisation
Right vs. Left Hand
-----Muting or Softening Volume
----Name Labels
-----Note Names & Reading (Also see: #29 Melody and Rhythm Ideas/Note Names)
Practice at Home
-----Songs
-----For 'Special Needs' Students see #50 Special Needs/Recorder
----Recorder Repair
-----Repertoire
Second Grade Recorder
-----Storage
-----Swabs
----Teaching Two Parts at the Same Time
-----Techniques, Advise, Ideas, Games----Tenor Recorder
---- Tone Production, Overblowing
----Thumb Spots for right hand
----Tooting Out-of-Turn
----Resources
----Web Sites, Links
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ADAPTIVE RECORDERS (Special Needs)
06/09 NO RIGHT HAND: I had a student who could only use one hand. He used two recorders. One had the thumb hole and top three holes covered with masking tape. He could then play G and down. His other recorder was a regular one so he could play G on up. If we played a song mainly G and up but with a few lower notes, he'd play the one with no tape. I bought one of those adaptive recorders, but they only work well when you have use of at least 6 fingers so that was a waste I found. We used a neck strap just like all the other kids so he could maneuver and play even high D because his mouth and the strap supported the recorder even though the thumb was lifted. He blended right in and there was no feeling by him that he stood out in a bad way. --- Laura Bartolomeo---------------------------
06/09 NO RIGHT HAND When you get to songs with more notes that student might feel left out. I had a student a while back that has some mouth and breathing problems. Instead I let that student use a xylophone instead or a electric keyboard would also works. Have the student play the same notes on that or even on boomwhackers if you have them. The parent may be able to supply a small one or two octave keyboard though for just such a use or ask pta to buy it. You might even get that student to play accompaniment chords for your group. --- Listee, MK8 Newsletter
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11/08 I just recently ordered, fit, and glued an adaptive soprano Aulos for a 4th grader. She has to put her right hand on top and we fiddled around with the placement of the holes on both hands. Check with West Music for the adaptive Aulos 204. With shipping it was right at $20. Be careful when you fit and glue. Hubby and I glued one segment wrong and had to buy a new one for my 4th grader. Fast service, though. Both times........ -- Martha Stanley
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11/08 I have a student that has almost no use of her fingers, and very limited control of her arms. She can control her wheelchair with a joystick and operate a computer mouse if the control is adjusted for her. I rigged up basically what amounts to a pan-flute setup using recorders, taping the holes with masking tape, taping the recorders together and attaching the whole thing to a microphone boom stand. If you taped a recorder with the holes taped over for E, an taped it to the right side of a regular recorder, she could play G-D with her left hand and low E (and D & C if you add to it later) --- David Thaxton
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11/08 ONE ARM: I had a student with one arm and bought the adaptive recorder that is sold at West. It is really for someone with at least 6 or more fingers. I found that taking a regular recorder and taping off the holes was easier. I like to start with G and E so I gave him a recorder with the thumb hole and top three holes taped. It just stayed that way. He had another recorder with nothing taped so he could play songs with mainly G, A, B and up. So if we played a song with BAG and low E, he'd use the untaped one and I just told him to skip the E's when they came. I think he felt good about it and it worked pretty well. You definitely need a neck strap and a thumb rest to give them control. Laura Bartolomeo
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10/04 AULO: The holes are spread out in a different order depending on the disability. The Aulos I used was perfect for a young man who had only three fingers. They give you a diagram and different possibilities to use it (different ways to connect it).
[email protected]
I got mine from [email protected] ---- Contributed by Kathleen Bragle
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AGE LEVEL FOR TEACHING
07/05 I begin in second grade. Now, not all of my second graders have the motor skills to do this yet, but enough do that I have taught it this way for the last three years. Incidentally, I have a 2nd grader who is working on her brown belt right now. She'll easily be a black belt by the end of the year. In general, third graders can do recorders with relatively little difficulty. I also use RK and swear by it. I have created a "Beyond Black Belt" list also, with 8 songs, some solos, some duets, some rounds, all from the last four years of MK8 (11-15).[Plank Road Publishing publishes a magazine in which there is an original recorder piece (simple) as well as many original songs with an accompaniment cd http://www.musick8.com/ Stephanie Menefee --------------------------
07/05 I use precorders in 3rd grade (from Suzuki) My expectations are BAG. I use most of the K8 music along with basics. Recorder karate works great. I have several children (with 5 3rd grades) that are earning their black belts already (adding 3 more notes). I had 20 participate in the fine arts festival after earning 8 belts and everyone will perform this Thurs. on whatever level they are on. -- Linda McVety Naples, Me. K-3
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07/05 "Precorder" - made by Suzuki? It is a much smaller instrument with lots of raised ridges so they know where to put their fingers. I have had a lot of luck with them with visually impaired students as well.-- Marilyn Lake Bonjour Elementary - Shawnee Mission, KS
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07/05 I don't like to start recorders before 4th grade. I used to do 3rd, and when I moved to a district that didn't start until 4th, I was amazed at how much quicker they learned and were physically better able to play correctly. I continue with recorder until they leave elementary school, and haven't seen that kids who start later have lower skills by the end. Also, we are able to spend more time on music and less time on technique drill - less frustrating for me and them. -- Keira Brown
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07/05 I start them in third grade. This year has been my best yet as we did Mr. Everybody last year, and the kids could already read music pretty well before starting to play the recorders. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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I start them in third grade, also. I do BAG songs, and kids who get the advanced level get to learn E. I'm going to be a big advocate of Recorder Karate (see index for information) again.......if you don't use it, it's WELL worth the effort! The kids absolutely love it. -- Karen Stafford
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07/05 What I do is start them playing simple duets in third grade, 2 soprano recorders. For some of them, this is a new concept (playing different notes at the same time) and takes a while to sink in. We also do this as a group at times. Then in 4th grade, we all start altos. We learn easy EDC songs just like they learned BAG songs on soprano. I simply introduce the fingering as the same fingers making different notes. Cak Marshall of Peripole has some great handouts for her convention sessions dealing with how to add alto. Basically, you start them out playing ostinati on one or two notes while the sopranos play the melody. I think Denise Gagne also has easy alto parts written for either level 1 or 2 of her Complete Recorder Resource kits. Once they have the concept of playing parts, and once the altos make sense to at least a few of them, I move on to other pieces I've found here and there. MK8 now has a couple songs with alto parts written. I also use the Recorder Consort books 1 and 2. It just all depends on how quickly they learn. I have third graders this year who are through my first two levels of packets (Recorder Karate + my own 2nd level) and are ready to play altos. I have others who still struggle with BAGED. I have 4th graders whose hands are too small for the alto, but we all still learn it as best we can because I can't have them just sitting there while the rest of us learn alto. When we learn something new with 3+ parts, I work with them in small groups to demonstrate how each part should sound. I have a lot of kids who can figure it out on their own, and I have others who need to hear it a few times. I always give them time to work things out on their own, and then we all try it together. I guess it is just like learning a band piece. Work on your own part, and now lets all play together. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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07/05 If you are interested in using F fingering recorders (soprano, alto, bass) in your classroom, take at look at the old, but uniquely useful "Recorder Guide" by Nitka and Kulbach, Oak publications. The page layout provides a fingering in the middle of the page and a staff for C instruments (soprano, tenor, garklein) on a staff to the left side and F instruments on a staff on the right side of the page. The book is only about $ 18 now and has very musical settings of folk tunes for S,S; A,A; or S,A - too challenging for most elementary school programs, but great for adults to enjoy. The resource for fingerings is invaluable. I also recommend that you begin any of these larger instruments with simple ostinati or drones that provide so much lovely contrast with soprano recorder!-- . Leslie
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07/05 Check out a fabulous publication by Chris Judah Lauder that is specifically for teaching alto recorder and has arrangements of pieces for alto and soprano. I'm sure that West Music must carry this resource.
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***********************************************************************ADVANCED STUDENTS
06/07 I have a tenor recorder, and I let students who pass black belt before the end of the course of study work on it. First, they just repeat the RK songs. Them if they have time, I find some extra songs for them. Last year, I only had two, so they took turns. One used it one week and one the next. I found some duets for two soprano recorders and had the tenor play one part. It worked out fine. -- Monica in Tennessee-------------------------------
All I had to offer was songs that were NEW. I had some old orange copies of the Trophy Elementary Recorder Method. I picked 8 or 10 songs worth learning, assigned each one a bead color, and said here, pick from these. I picked some with sharps and flats, some that were a whole page long, some that were 2 or 3 part songs that I could then play along with the student. It worked great. The kids could pick what interested them, and learned new things and new songs. You could offer this student any recorder method book, or even a textbook, giving him options among the songs that are in recorder range. This gives him new musical experiences without you having to put together a whole new course right now -- Ellen in OH
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Have you considered letting your older recorder "Hot Shots" try the alto recorder? Cak has some wonderful ideas that are available through Peripole for introducing the alto recorder. There are song arrangements with the alto playing harmony with the soprano. I have done this when I have some really good soprano players. I purchased several alto recorders and keep them for students to try. Some of my students then opted to purchase their own alto, which I ordered for them. My kids love the rich sound of the alto. Sixth graders should have large enough hands. Another thought is to have your top soprano players learn high E, F etc and play some more challenging songs or harmonies with the rest of the kids. - Debrah Hoppe, Elementary Music, Bellingham, MA
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***********************************************************************ALTO RECORDER
12/09 I transpose the alto parts, so there is no need to learn new fingerings. Yes, it takes some time, but it sure saves time in class. My logic is this:1. They are likely never going to be in another recorder group, and if they are, they have the motivation to learn the new fingerings. I flat out tell them that I have redone the music and that there ARE real fingerings.
2. I give them the fingering chart for the real fingerings if they are feeling motivated.
3. Most band instruments don't have to learn new fingerings when you switch sizes (saxophone for example). --- Jill in NC
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01/07 Denise Gagne's Complete Recorder Resource Kit #2 has been the most cost efficient alto materials I've found.
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06/06 I would suggest starting with Cuckoo, Where are You. On the alto I would play C' A C'C' A (similar to the G E GG E fingering on the soprano). That is a song the kids should know and can have a quick and successful experience on the alto. Remember though, they cannot play the song simultaneously with the students playing the soprano (unless you like the medieval organum sound that would result!). The alto students would have to apply the correct fingering for C' and A to play with the soprano students.
I would shy away from relating soprano and alto fingerings ("its like this on the soprano..." etc.) Attempting to play Hot Cross Buns (BAG) requires "forked" fingering and wouldn't (in my opinion) be a very successful first attempt at playing the alto, even if the students were adept at the forked fingerings for Bb and F and F#. You could transpose Hot Cross Buns to C and have the students play E' D' C' E' D' C' C'C'C'C' D'D'D'D' E' D' C' (which, once again, the fingering is the same as BAG on the soprano and shouldn't be played simultaneously with the soprano recorder students). You might have the other students develop some ostinati to play on the barred instruments (if you have any) while the alto students play Hot Cross Buns in C - therefore keeping all the students involved. Of course the barred instruments could be replaced with drums and other percussion ostinati. -- Christopher L. Saraga
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10/05 BEGINNING ALTO RECORDER: Did you get the arrangements written by Cak? I got my order of altos a few weeks ago, and Peripole included some of Cak Marshall's arrangements of a few songs which include easy alto parts. My suggestion would be to make sure you use the correct fingerings/note names. It isn't confusing or hard if you approach it the right way. When I start my 4ths on alto each year, I just tell them that the fingers feel the same, but the note letters will be different. So what feels like a B will now be an E, etc. I start with E D C on the altos, and you can find quite a few books out there which will have easy alto parts using just three or four notes. I think one that I use is called Alto Antics by Rob Amchin. West music carries a few books with easy alto parts, and I also just got a Sweet Pipes catalog which has a lot of duet, trio and quartet books listed. I don't know if they're easy or hard as I haven't ordered them yet. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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10/05 My favorite way to start alto recorder was to have the class play "Hot Cross Buns" on soprano. Then I had them play "Hot Cross Buns" on the alto. Questions: Were they alike? Which was higher? Were they the same only higher and lower? Then I'd have them play together, which of course, they thought was "really cool" sounding.
Back in third grade they had learned little pneumonics to help learn different notes. One was for F# - "Fido" was a "sharp" dog! The only way to play "Fido" was to have the right hand middle fingers down and the pointer and pinkie finger up, thus creating "doggie ears" and "Fido's" nose. Playing any other way would "deform the dog!" (This is leading to something, trust me!)
Now with the alto recorder, "Fido" has a good buddy. He's a dog named BINGO! So, you see, "B" on an alto recorder is just like "F#" on the soprano recorder. Do you think you can play "Hot Cross Buns" beginning with "Bingo?" Most were able to do this immediately.
From here, we went to SSA arrangements of songs I'd either arranged or composed. The secret to successful writing with beginning alto students is to keep the alto part really easy. I'm just looking at an arrangement for "Go Tell Aunt Rhody" which I used with beginning SSA students in fourth grade. It's in G Major and I wrote it in 2/4. The alto line: Half note G' _ G' _ D D low G _.
For those of you who do not know alto fingering, the high G is just like the high D on a soprano recorder; D is the same as soprano A, and low G is the same as low D on soprano. It might have been even easier to take the G back up on measures 4 and 8.
My middle line was for a soprano recorder and is the same rhythm as the melody: G G F# low D D
F# F# a G F# G
B B A G G G
F# E low D F# G _
If that low G is impossible, have the alto's take it up to the high G, but do realize that you will have a parallel octave in the last measure with the second part and the alto line going from low D to G. Anyone who has had Orff Levels shudders at the thought of a parallel octave ANYWHERE!! Simple little 3 part recorder piece! Kids thought they had made the Symphony!! Parents thought they were ready for Carnegie Hall!! Principal beamed from ear to ear. Kids were sooooo psyched with pride of their product!
The Peripole Angel Halo ALTO recorder is only $9.95 + shipping/handling. - Cak Marsall
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***********************************************************************ARTICULATION
06/06 LEGATO, STACOTTO, SLURRED: 1) I resolved to teach, really teach, those words as vocabulary words. I had them write them down, tell what each is in one's own words, draw a picture of each, create a way to remember each one, acted it out, etc. We would listen to my played or sung examples to figure out which was which.2) I created a ppt slide that said: Legato thoo------------thoo-------------thoo------------- except the lines were wavy like a melody. Staccato thoot - - - - thoot - - - thoot - - - - with wavy lines Slur : thooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo with a wavy line
3) When we got ready to do recorders, I would illustrate, demonstrate, remonstrate ... I started out with "the tongue is your 11th finger. You HAVE to use it to play well." [Then I] taught the word "articulation." Suddenly, using the tongue had a reason! [It was] one they could hear and duplicate. Whenever we played, we would play the tune legato, staccato and then slurred.
4) Now when kids play their recorder belts, they come in to my room and I hear them warming up, usually staccato, remembering fingering. Then they start doing it legato. I have noticed that when they are picking out a melody, they just blow it note by note and when they start "getting it, " they are then ready to do it legato, and they do it, mostly with little reminding. They really do play nicely. The legato playing turns all those little pieces of sound into music. And they DO notice. I will ALWAYS stress legato, staccato and slur before I introduce recorders from now on. -- Martha in Tallahassee
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06/06 LEGATO, STACATTO, SLUR: (with MK8's great song, of course) before beginning the recorder unit. Make sure the kids understand the differences and similarities. Then when introducing the instrument, make it clear that the tongue is the 11th finger. It's the one that does the rhythm, the fingers do the melody.
I made a PPT showing thoo thoo thoo (legato), thoot thoot thoot (staccato), and thoooooooo (slur) as the way to tongue. I made legato the default. "Unless I say differently, play legato for every piece. That means tongue it like this ...thoo thoo, etc." Frankly, I used thoo rather that doo cuz I didn't want to deal with the hilarity. I can do ta titi, but I really wasn't ready to have doo spelled out on the screen. So instead, now that they are getting thoo well, I'll just suggest verbally the du/doo tonguing and explain that it's a gentler sound and it's time to try it. Avoid the hassle - my watch phrase. Using the vocabulary notebook ideas provided by Systematic Vocabulary Instruction, my kids worked on those word in verbal and non-verbal written ways.
This was a very powerful tool that REALLY nailed down their understandings. Let me tell ya - they can play legato, staccato and slur! It has made a really big difference in their playing. When I hear hoo hoo hoo, I can say - where's the tonguing? They are really getting the difference with their listening too. Just about everything we do, we do it all three ways on purpose, and then settle into the legato version. Of course, the third graders are still working on B and A, but - honey - they can articulate. This has been a really good idea. -- Martha in Tallahassee
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06/06 The easiest and quickest way is to just have the students speak "teeny tiny ts". Then have them continue making t sounds and stick the recorder in their mouth. (Finger a B - or some other note so all are in unison) When they stick the recorder in their mouth they are tonguing notes! We practice starting the ts and then taking our recorders in and out of our mouths - but keeping the tongue going. It's very easy, they just think about ts - which they've done for years, and it works. I always use the week of Halloween to teach the vocabulary word "slur." We use The Old Woman All Skin and Bones. First we tongue the B,A,G,E pattern, then I ask them to do "Ta-ah-ah-ah" instead of "Ta-ta-ta-ta." They hear the smoother, spookier sound of the slur. We practie the tonguing and slurring until we're comfortable, then sing the song, with our recorders playing the oohs. -- Artie Almeida
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06/06 Start out with the notion that to play the recorder, you change notes with the finger AND the tongue. That's a shift of vocabulary for me. I used to say use your tongue when you change notes. The new way is subtle, but it programs their little minds that tonguing is connected to changing sounds. Not quite true, but I don't care. It'll be clearer for the beginners and I can tweak their understanding as necessary as they progress. So when they tongue smoothly and connect the sounds, it's legato. When they tongue and separate the sounds, it's staccato. When they don't tongue and play more than one pitch in a row, that's a slur. This gives me a word to differentiate verbally .... no, that's a slur, not legato, instead of no, you're not tonguing. Having those words and the experiences available will-I'm betting- make a difference in their playing (which we start up in January). -- Martha in Tallahassee
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06/06 I would have them "sizzle" the rhythm. Sizzling is where you do the tonguing without any vocal sounds. The sound you make sounds like something frying in a fry pan hence the name "sizzle". You start off articulating the T but move to the S sound(sizzle part). By having them sizzle you can hear whether or not they are tonguing correctly.
We start every recorder lesson with Finger Madness (finger warm-ups) and then I do "sizzle" rhythms where the students echo back rhythms or read rhythms from flashcards by sizzling. Once they sizzle the rhythm I have them play it on the recorder on one given note. If it doesn't sound right when they play it, we will sizzle the rhythm again. Another thing you can do is have them say the articulation (tu, doo, du, or whatever you use) without vocalizing it.
Have them place their recorder below the bottom lip. They should have it almost in their mouth, but it won't be (if that makes sense). Give them a note to finger and then have them do the articulation (tu,doo, du,etc.) the air should go through the recorder. It will make a real faint sound in the recorder, but the students should be able to hear themselves articulating. Give them a rhythm pattern that they'll repeat over and over like ta ta titi ta and have them do this with the recorder out of their mouths (remember no vocalizing, just air and tongue) and then have them slowing put the mouthpiece in their mouth while their still articulating the given rhythm. This usually helps my students to understand what tonguing is all about. Hope some of this makes sense. It's hard to explain without demonstrating it. -- Tami Mangusso
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*********************************************************************** BAROQUE VS. GERMAN FINGERING 01/07 German fingering: http://www.dolmetsch.com/gfingeringchart.pdf -- Meredith Harley Inserra-----------------------
05/03 I use the Baroque recorders. Some teachers like the German recorders because the finger for "F" is easier on the German than the Baroque. The Baroque uses the forked "F" fingering (all fingers down except the middle finger of the right hand). The "F" on the German is all fingers in the left hand down and the first finger of the right hand down. Most of the teachers in my district have the German recorders because the students learn the "F" faster. My students struggle a little with it, but we do lots of repetition so they get the feel of it. -- Contributed by Tami Mangusso
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***********************************************************************MAKES OF RECORDERS
12/16 SONG FLUTES (Raised Holes) I inherited a bunch of those and tried them with 3rd graders. I felt they were a waste of time. They didn?t help the musicianship of my 4th graders the next year. I tossed them. ---- Kristin LukowWith third graders I use regular soprano recorders; the rare extra-petite kids have been rising to the challenge so far.--Jean in MA
My 3rd graders little tiny fingers have not been able to cover the holes.---Paula Scott
In the past, the Mailing List has discussed how the following two products work well to raise the holes on recorders: http://www.wikkistix.com https://www.drscholls.com/productsandbrands/corncushions---Kristyn Johnson, Web/Contributing Editor
It depends on your 3rd graders. I started mine on recorder second semester, and it worked well, even for most of my (lower level) ESE population. If you have tiny 3rd graders, you can cover the thumb hole with tape as long as you are doing BAG songs. Barb in FL
The only time I use them are if I have kids with very small hands or they can?t seem to get the hang of moving their fingers. Then I will pull out a song flute so that they can feel the hole and what they are supposed to do. It is a texture thing for them and it has always helped my few kids. --- Pam Hall
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07/11 I use PRECORDERS for all of my 3rd graders (from Suzuki instr) They have raised holes. The fingering is only 123 for BAG. The right hand does the bottom 4 holes but there is no "forked" fingering and the notes go straight up instead of playing 1-3 for C. They are only $3. My 3rd graders are more successful with them and we get them in 3 colors. ---- Brian Weese
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10/01 Florescent recorders are priced around $7 or $8. My kids paid $4.95 for theirs (I am guessing this price came about because I had a large order). I order
from : The Recorder Shop, 518 - 756 - 2273 or email at
[email protected]
Normally my order at the beginning of the year is around 60 - 80. THIS year
the kids are enthralled with these recorders and my order was for over 300 !
The most popular color was blue, closely followed by green. Their tone is
lovely too!
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06/14 ANGEL: I love Angel Halo recorders. That's what I buy and I'm about to buy more.
I purchased 100 of these Angel recorders over the years from Plank Road Publishing, and they have lasted very well!
CANTO
I buy the Canto recorders, which are certainly on the low end.
For our uses, and for our student population, they are the best (I ask
everyone to pay $4 for their recorder, which costs about $2.85 --- even
after paying for shipping, this is enough to cover those who cannot pay,
which is about 25%).
I agree about the Canto and in addition to the price, there is the issue of
colors which (whether it should be or not) is a huge factor with the kids.
I found them to be resilient and the tone is wonderful. I also loved
Yamaha and Aulos, but the price just was too much for my kids. I send my
vote for Cantos.
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GILL
05/03 I used Gill's this year and hate them. They are hard to play, the tone is harsh, and you have to work to get the pitch in tune. Music Is Elementary has the Yamaha's for $4.50 a piece. -- Contributed by Priscilla
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In addition to the Yamaha Translucent Recorders, Plank Road Publishing
now carries Gill Translucent Recorders, which come in four different colors
and are cheaper than the Yamahas. Check 'em out at www.musick8.com
Note: Many people have problems with these recorders chipping and cracking.
"We ordered 150 translucent recorders from Suzuki and about 130 of them cracked up by the mouthpiece. We called Suzuki and they sent a whole new order free of charge and a packing slip to return all the broken ones. They replaced them with a more heavy duty plastic recorder.. We will never order translucent ones again."
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06/14 HARMONY from WEST MUSIC - Low C and D are easy to play and sound GREAT ! Good tone and ONLY $1.98 !!
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06/14 MACIE: I love Macie's products! There recorders are the best of quality and they are great people to work with!! Go to their web site and check them out! Macie Publishing. ---- Dee Truelove
I like these recorders too. They have been slightly modified to fit little
fingers well and they sound fine. (Macie and Peripole - my faves)
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06/14 MIE RENAISSANCE RECORDERS: I buy them through the company music is elementary. They have a great sound quality and I like that they are two pieces because then the kids don't lose the foot joint. ---- Beth Trudelle
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YAMAHA: I got the Yamahas for under $5 from plank road. They come in 3 different colors and the kids can trade body parts for a rainbow recorder. Plus they sound great
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04/03 TRANSLUCENT RECORDERS: The Gills are very susceptible to cracking. I've had several students accidentally drop theirs and have the foot joint or head joints crack. I would like to try the Yamahas next year, but if there are colored Tudors, that would be great, too! The Yamahas don't come in as many color choices as the Gills, but I've had to replace too many recorders this year. -- Contributed by Karen Stafford
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PERIPOLE ANGEL: I order directly from Oregon: 1-800-443-3592 School price is $4.25 including the famous halo hanger and a velcro thumb spot. (Be very careful with the wooden halos since they can and do split sometimes)
Friends: We are almost finished constructing a Web Site that might be of interest to those who teach recorder, especially to beginners, and especially in the classroom. Hopefully it will provide the answers to help decide whether someone would like to examine the teaching materials further. This was, by the way, positively reviewed in the ARS Journal.
"Recorder in the Kodaly Classroom" by Susan Taylor Howell
http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/index.html, and click on the recorder player.
12/07 I love the sound and that they are tune able. Angels are my number one choice. -- Jason Skanes
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AULOS
The newer Aulos model (the one without) the c/c# key is easy to play and has a great sound.
Don't get a [tenor] wooden one unless you're willing to spend enough to get a good one ($300+)--and you have some one to help you pick it out. A good plastic recorder is better than an inexpensive wooden one. - Alan Purdum
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You can contact Ed Sueta at 1-800-256-6824. You will probably talk to Ed senior, Ed Junior or Julie, Ed's daughter. They are usually very helpful on the phone.
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KINGSLEY:
I am a music major at William Paterson University. I also work at Macie Publishing Company-publisher of the Ed Sueta Recorder Curriculum. We have just come out with Kingsley Kolors-translucent recorders in 5 school colors. Kingsley Kolors are made of durable ABS plastic (1 piece) so you will have no breakage problems. Their tone quality is great and they play easily in both registers. You may call Macie at 888-697-1333 for your free sample. -- Contributed by Robin Schwartz [email protected]
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The sound is outstanding. I was given a Yamaha and a Kingsley at TMEA in TX and I prefer the Kingsley!!! I have been buying the Kingsley from Macie for about 5 or 6 years now and wouldn't trade for the product or the costumer service!! Contributed by Dee Truelove
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TUDOR:
I have the Gill and they are pretty close for pitch with my Tudor...which I love! But, they are more difficult to play and the pitch doesn't remain true as you hold the note. I'm not thrilled with the Tudor. -- Contributed by Kristin Lukow
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I heat the knots with a lighter/candle after pulling them very tight. Then I crush the knot while it is hot (not with bare fingers - OUCH!!). This is a lot of work to do a whole shipment, but it keeps them from untying. Perhaps Peripole with come up with a better solution.
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I haven't needed to order recorders since October '98 and haven't experienced any problems with the low notes. In fact, last week I used a Peripole Angel to accompany our All-County chorus on a piece with a recorder descant (The Little Birch Tree, Arr. Goetze). The kids were impressed that the same recorder they used in school could be used to play such a difficult part. It goes from low G up to high B and the Angel spoke more reliably in the upper octave than any other recorder I have.
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05/03 YAMAHA: I would heartily recommend the Yamaha. I had orders for over 300 of them from my kids in October and THEN had another 160 ordered in January!! They are wonderful ! You should check out my friends at [email protected] for great prices.-- Contributed by Kathleen Bragle
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05/03 We used the Yamahas for the last two years and they are terrific. The kids love them - the sound is good and we haven't had any broken ones! -- Contributed by Barb Philipak
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I use Yamaha and like them very much. -- Contributed by Patty Oeste
WARNING!: ANYTHING made in China probably had lead in it. About 5 years ago I caught part of an Oprah show where she had a kit that swabbed some common dishware for lead. Sure enough. There was lead. These are the kinds of dishware you might find at Target or WalMart type stores. This website explains it all. There are swabkits for sale there also.
http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentID=955 -- Patricia Albritton
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***********************************************************************CASES, NECKLACES
06/07 In the movie"Jarhead," a movie about the Gulf War, there is a scene where the recruits are being trained in how to take care of their rifles and how the rifle would take care of them, etc. The drill sergeant has them repeat the following: "This is my rifle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine." That little quote came back to me yesterday as I was passing out recorders to 3rd grade for the very first time [who keep their own recorders.] At the end of my little intro, complete with cautions, cleaning care, etc. I added this mantra: "This is my recorder. There are many other like it, but this one is mine." I had them repeat it for their teachers at the end of class. Too funny, but they took it dead seriously! -- Rita Oglesby---------------------------------
STICKERS A few years ago I got so tired of students losing their recorder belts- which in my case were colored pieces of yarn they earned and tied onto their recorders that I had to come up with a new system of rewards/ belts.They WERE really motivated to get it and it was bragging rights so to say. I switched to this new system that works much better for us now: I used the program for making 80/per sheet small labels on Print Shop- I made a customized design for each song the students were to play. I made the background whatever "color level" the song represented and added cute little graphics and text. I actually get two separate labels out of each individual label. It was cost effective and the kids love it. best yet- it's not time consuming. They play and pass the song and I simply peel off a label and they stick it on the back of their recorder. We start at the bottom and work our way up. By the end of 5th grade most have earned the song labels all the way up to black belt and more and the labels are still on the back of their recorders. Less losses and a cheap, satisfactory incentive to all!:') example- "Bag-o-saurus" by MK8 is my 5ht level (Green) song. The text is in green abd it has a graphic of a dancing dinosaur playing on it. The kids love the song AND the label! "Ode to Joy" is "black" and has Beethoven's picture of course! I make a larger BANNER of each designer label and display them on the wall for the students to refer to and see what the labels will look like. -- Martha Cuberly
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07/05 CASES FOR RECORDERS
This may sound silly.....but you CAN use CLEAN old socks to be great recorder covers. The kids sometimes even decorate them! -- Contributed by Beth Orris
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10/04 Macie publishing sells them for $1.50 (plastic/zipper)
http://www.maciepublishing.com/shoppingcart/products.asp?type=-1&category=109&page=1 Empire music: $1.25 (cloth - comes in colors) (no picture to view online)
http://empiremusic.net/
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LMI has brown recorder cases for approx. $1.50. Their new catalog hasn't arrived yet and I don't remember the rest of the address. Also, LMI also has decent alto recorders for $14.00. My 5 black belt Recorder Karate students are beginning with them this year. They're in tune w/ my Aulos.
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I have not tried these methods, but know teachers who have done them... Ask each child to bring in a CLEAN, NEW white knee sock. The children can use sharpie markers to put their name, etc. on the sock. Some teachers also use yarn and a large needle and have the children stitch around the top. Tie a slipknot and they are set to go!
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Macie Publishing sells recorder cases separately or in addition to their recorder packages. The phone # is 1-800-256-6824. This is who publishes the Ed Sueta Recorder Method. Their cases are black vinyl with long zippers. Very sturdy -approx. $1.50 each last time I checked.
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Have a crafty mom who has materials scraps to make a simple drawstring bag for each child. (We have ACE at our school, which are parent volunteers who have talents and do stuff like that.).
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NECKLACES
Oriental Trading has long shoe laces...
dozen pair for 1.95 solid hot colors (=24)
dozen pair for 2.95 rainbow hot colors (=24)!!!
Kids love them, we tie them under the bump! or belly and then behind their
neck the ends are tied together.
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***********************************************************************RECORDER LEARNING CENTERS
04/03 Thanks for the interest in my recorder stations lesson plan. Here's what I'll be doing over the next 2 sessions with my 6-8th grade recorder classes. Approx. 20 students per class, I'll be dividing them up into groups of 5. I will ask 2 strong players to act as assistants. The classroom will be divided up into 4 stations as follows:1. Play station: I'll be leading this one and work on upcoming test pieces and/or additional song material. May even "test" some kids.
2. Notation station: Here we'll have the Skittles Staff game going (see MK8 idea bank for details). One of my assistants will be checking things here.
3. Rhythm station: I've prepared a rhythm concentration/lotto type game with duplicate rhythm pattern cards laid face down. Kids take turns turning over 2 cards. If they match, they must clap and tah the pattern. If correct (another assistant will be checking this), they keep the cards. If not, cards are turned back down. Play continues w next player.
4. Composer station: Here students will be working on finishing several 4/8 meas. phrases, notating their music and then trying them out for one another in their group.
During our first class, I'll go over all the directions for each station, divide up, and probably only rotate to 2 stations. The next class, we'll continue where we left off and then culminate in the remaining time with a wrap up of review songs or performances of the kid's compositions.
For my composing station, I had 5 music stands each with a clipboard and a copy of either Composer Yourself 1 or 2 sheets from Denise Gagne's Recorder Kits. Basically, these sheets have 4 8 meas. staves with the first 2 measures of each already started for the kids. They simply finish the last 2 measures. In my classes, I do a little bit of compositional analysis with certain recorder pieces...looking for things like repetition, imitation, sequence, variation, etc. So, for this activity, the only actual instruction I gave them was to end on the same note the phrase started on, and to use the notes and rhythms they were able to play. They could utilize any of the compositional devices we've discussed as desired. The main thing tho, was my suggestion that they try out an idea on paper first, then play it for the others in the group. If they didn't like it, change it, and settle on something that pleased them and that they could themselves play. I made front/back copies of these handouts and encouraged the groups to do as many as time allowed.
On each sheet, there is an open staff with several measures for anyone to try a completely original idea. One of the kids got a terrific start with his. For my last black belt degree in my recorder karate program, the student must compose a 12-16 measure composition that they will play for the class!!
That's why I included this station in my set up. Also, the kids really seemed to enjoy hearing what was composed (I played several at the end of class). I think they suprised themselves!! :)
I had all 4 stations spread out as far away from one another as possible and still allow me to see all. The Skittles Game station and Rhythm Concentration station got the noisiest, but only when certain louder kids moved there. The composer station brought forth some pleasant surprises, and the playing station revealed some reading/playing weakness I was not aware of.
I placed in each station a stronger player to be the tutor. This person was to make sure activites were done correctly. I also asked each group to elect a "monitor" who would be responsible for keeping their group quiet and on task. Each group had "3 strikes" (3 reminders from me to quiet down and stay on track). After that, the offending group would discontinue their station activity and start copying a selected song from their book (in notation). If only 1 person was being noisy but the monitor was not doing his/her job, the whole group would still have to start notating. Only the 6th grade group with the poor tutor leader had to do this.
We only made 2 rotations Mon. and will continue with the final 2 rotations next wk. -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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02/03 In planning for my recorder classes come Jan., I'm considering planning 2 sessions with my 7ths in a rotating centers format. I've got some kids I really need to work with more directly to get them caught up with the rest and thought that by dividing the whole class up into 4 groups with this weaker group all together, then setting up my centers as follows...
1. Play station (I'd be leading this station working on upcoming test pieces and/or additional song material)
2. Notation station (basically have the Skittles staff game going).
3. Game station
----(have a floor tic-tac-toe type game for recorder note patterns going, or use a home-made board game for reviewing skills)
4. Composer station (where students can work on 8 measure recorder compositions & try them out w/ the others in their group)
...these kids could pull their playing skills up a bit. It would also let me get a clearer picture of who's struggling and needs extra help. I have 20 kids in this class and so there'd be 5 in ea group. My class sessions are 45 min. so I thought I'd get the kids settled, warmed-up, divided up, and give station directions for the first 15 min., then get into assigned stations for 15 min. blocks. They'd visit 2 stations during the first session, the other 2 during the next session. I'd be in the room the whole time and will assign my 2 black belt students to be facilitators at stations 2 & 3. I don't know how noisy it may get, but will insist that the groups work quietly. Because of the diversity of activities, I don't think there'd be an overabundance of recorders playing all at once (my group would be doing most of the playing, stations 2 & 4 would have minimal playing). -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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***********************************************************************CLEANING RECORDERS
01/16 I have a procedure similar to Wynne's. I have 3 coffee cans wrapped in wrapping paper: the "clean cans." Students who didn't bring their own recorder grab a clean one from the can on their way in the door. They keep it on their lap until instructed to pick it up. After class, they take the recorder apart and put it in the "dirty bin": a plastic crate on the floor. I have a student pick up the crate during his lunch time and bring it to the kitchen dishwasher. The kitchen staff kindly runs it through for me (with no soap) and returns it to my room. I put them back together the next morning when they are dry.This procedure is actually faster than the students who bring their own recorders. They get bogged down taking it out of the pouch, putting on the neck strap, applying the grease, etc. The students with a school instrument in their laps are ready immediately. They are trained to just grab one when they walk in (rather than sit there and choose which one to take), so it doesn't take any longer than if they had walked in the door without taking one. ---- Mallory in MN :)
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11/08 *A pharmacist told me 10/1 parts water/clorox. *Then, "air" dry to burst the germs. I have a "check-out-for- the-year" set which I bought with a grant. Only 30, but, then again, I teach at an alternative school where we only have about 50-55 students.I store each class in discarded library magazine holders. You know-- the cardboard kind where you stick a bunch of like magazines--a holder of sorts. Works for me with my small classes. I have Angel by Peripole so each has a case and angel halo. I've never though of drying them by their "halos", but, I certainly could, I guess. I don't know if the red yarn would fade on things or not. --- Pat Boozer
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11/08 I have used Sterisol for 35 years. Dirty recorders go upside down in the bucket that has several inches of Sterisol, sit for 10 minutes. I rinse them off, head joint pointing up always (so there's no backwash), and sit them in a wicker basket, labeled CLEAN, which has several paper towels at the bottom and let them dry. If a kid forgets his, he loses his recorder point for the day, gets a clean one and uses it. If they're still wet, oh well too bad so sad. Logical consequences. ....I use about three bottles a year when most kids remember their recorders. --- Martha Stanley
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12/07 Once I washed recorders in my dishwasher (top rack) and the bottom foot of one fell off onto the heating element. I came home to a house filled with brown nasty smelling smoke and the inside of a dishwasher that had brown goo on it. Yuck! So, beware!! -- Becky Ventura
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I clean about 125 or so in my kitchen sink. I use hot water, detergent, and about 1/4 cup of bleach. I also wash the plastic cases. :( It doesn't take too long. The hard part is drying them. I have this absurd method of laying the cases flat on a kitchen towel and then using another towel which has been folded a few times to swipe each case from bottom end to opening. This dries the outside of the case and pushes water out of the inside of the case. I then lay out the recorders vertically anywhere I can find and insert the case over the top and they air dry pretty well that way. I only do this many once a year and occasionally do a few at semester. Laura Bartolomeo
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11/03 First of all, our recorders are either 2-piece (our Peripole Angel Halo Recorder) or 3-piece (our economy recorders). Get a piece of absorbent cotton (not paper towels or tissues) and thread it through the eye of the cleaning rod. Swab out the barrel, then swab out the mouthpiece. They work great! - Contributed by Cak Marshall
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10/02 Use a used Bounce fabric softener sheet with the cleaning rod. 1/2 sheet works very well. I save enough from my laundry to supply my kids........
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I can get a yard of muslin for less than $3.00 and that makes alot of 2"x2" squares! Occasionally, a cloth will come off inside the recorder, but I keep a sewer's turning hook in my desk and can easily pull them out with that.
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01/02 The custodian gave me a container of Versatile, a one step germicidal cleaner and deodorant. a multi-purpose, germicidal detergent effective in the presence of a moderate amount of organic soil (5%serum also known as spit). Active igredients: didecyl dimenthyl ammonium chloride, n-alkyl dimenthyl benzyl ammonium chloride.disinfectant, pseudomonacidal, staphylocidal, slmonellacidal, verucidal, mildew static, fungicidal, bactericidal/
Recommended for hospitals, nursing homes, schools, medical clinics, dental offices, etc. Say can use on plastic surfaces.
Dilution is 1:64 or 2 ounces per gallon. Soak for 10 minutes. It does not say to use hot water. It is also used to clean toilet bowls and tools in barber and beauty schools.
This may be what you are looking for. I have a one gallon container. We are not allowed to use bleach in or schools. They stain the carpets. This does not.
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01/02 Using bleach? remember it only kills germs if they bathe in the bleach for at
least a couple hours. I have my song flutes numbered with white-out and
plastic bucketted by class, teachers' names taped to the lids. because the
kids are using the same numbered flute every week, i only sterilize a couple
times each year (or if they start to look nasty).
My easy method: (on a weekend) dump one class' song flutes in a deep bucket.
add approx. half cup (give or take) of Clorox spray cleaner with bleach (i
love this stuff and can't remember the name but it's the only one they have).
fill with scalding tap water and leave until morning. in the morning, swish
around with my hands then dump it. rinse twice with scalding water. drain
and put flutes back in their class tubs. dump excess water before taking to
school. Repeat with another class' flutes being sure to leave for several hours before
rinsing.
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01/02 In my old school the lunch ladies would let me run them through the dishwasher.....Here I would run them through my own at then end of the year. Every child gets one to use for the year ( from the school) and then are given the chance to buy one to keep at home. Every class has a separate bin to store them in my room, and I require students to all bring in tube socks at the beginning of the year to be their carrying case. They write the name and rooms number on the outside with permanent marker. In order to keep track of which student had which loaner I used to use permanent marker or a paint pen. This year my coworker and I bought an engraver and engraved the numbers on the instruments themselves. That doesn't come off in the wash! Students can take their recorders home to practice, but if they come without it they get an "unprepared notice" for music class, and must use one of the extras I have by my sink. At the beginning of the year I used individually wrapped alcohol swabs from the pieces off, now they use the STERISOL spray.
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I USED to use alcohol after a thorough wash in hot, soapy water.....till
my school recorders started to crack! I called Suzuki ( I get the package
with recorder, canvas drawstring case, fingering chart and book...$5!!! I
like the canvas case better than plastic...I think the airflow is better,
so am not worried about mold/mildew, and can keep all recorders in a class
tub without mouthpieces touching.) and they said that alcohol will dry out
the plastic and can cause the hairline cracks. They then offered to
replace any damaged recorders, even though it wasn't their fault! I was
very impressed. Their sound is fine and the price is right, and though I
don't use everything in the book, it is a good reference, and it is easy to
supplement!!!
BACK to Recorder topics
***********************************************************************COMPOSITION
10/12 WORKSHEET: http://www.box.com/shared/1ce91d72ra D. Brian Weese----------------------
10/12 I have them do a multi step process. Rhythm first, then perform that for me. Melody notes then perform that for me. Each part is 5 points in a rubric, with the last past as transcribing the music grid, at least some, to actual staff. It builds on what we already did in October.
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It must have a title and "Composed By" legend.
In grading it, I'm first checking for the allowed notes, then totalling the value of each measure. Then I count the total number of completed measures. Using my easy-grader, I then determine the point value per measure. We worked on this for two classes. After the first class, I did a preliminary check and attached a sticky note to each one with comments. I drew a red line at the point it ended when I checked. I'll only count errors after that point, though measures written before that line go into the total number of measures for grading purposes.
Next week we'll pass them around and play them. The last 10 minutes of class, I'll play each one. We'll record some of them and I'll encourage all of them to download the free Finale and type them up at home. I like someone else's idea to have a recital. I might do that, too. The kids look forward to doing this every year. Some of the best are played on the morning announcements, so they know about it before they get to do it. -- Contributed by Andrea Cope
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***********************************************************************CONCERT
12/11 RECORDER CONCERT: I had the kids come on by belt, so no one had to go sit down. By the end we had 100 kids playing "Hot Cross Buns." I can see the point of showing the progression students made, but couldn't bear to only have 5 or 6 kids (some of them special ed. who worked REALLY hard for that white belt) to have to go sit down right off the bat. ---- Ruth GarciaCAN YOU NAME THAT TUNE? Don't list the songs in a program, but rather only list the names of the students and the belts they have achieved or something like that. Then have your students play the first note of a song... ask the audience who thinks they can name that song. Some hands may go up, but tell them that you usually need at least three notes. Then have your students play the first three notes of the song. See if anyone in the audience can guess the name of the song and then play that song with the CD accompaniment! You could even use a score board... and give the audience points! ---- Caryn Mears
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12/11 About 4 years ago we did ...I think It was called Sneaky Sneakers...It sounds like mission Impossible....We re-named it to "The Spy Who Never Was"....anyway..
I went to Goodwill and bought all black suit coats for the kids and they all wore fedora hats, maybe shades too I can't remember. The stage was low light and the kids came out from both sides and the back of the stage..some sneaking and turning like spies some rolled like a spy..it was really awesome...It looked very cool...I think also in the middle there was a interlude and we did spy moves. it was super fun!when I do it again I will add a little fog... I hit goodwill when everything in the store was half off I use my jackets and hats for a lot of things...like my first graders will sing..When I grow up (or something like that) and the boys wear them and the little girls wear prom dresses from garage sales and for may other things as well....sometimes we will use them for Elvis back up singers etc....
#2. There was another One called electricity...The stage people did a light show as we played it...It looked awesome..we may have done a little movement as well....
#3 We did another One called BA Super Hero...
I wrote a little skit of a little girl who was upset as she lost her recorder ...but have no fear ...Spiderman ...came out to save the day....then.. Superman ...came out to save the day...then Banana man came out to save the day (I had a silly yellow suit ) They all said Have no fear...I will save the day..they each pulled out a recorder (except banana man..he pulled out a banana) any way..someone came out on stage and said ...I found your recorder ...I forgot the entire script ..but it was very fun....---- J. Wood
[email protected] Well, we ALWAYS ended our recorder recitals with the Chi Chi Chauhuahua song from an early MK8 edition #6 or earlier. It was on a tape before the CDs came out. Everyone got to sing in the middle of the song. ---- Retired Millie
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12/11 If you have some advanced students that can work independently, they could learn a more difficult piece or a piece with parts to play together. -Let students work individually or in groups to compose their own songs and play some of them at the concert. -Find a piece that could involve some improvisation or solos. ---- Ann Wells
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***********************************************************************COVERING THE HOLES
12/08 When I teach recorder, I also use the warm/cold air method. I have the students blow on his/her hand to tell the difference. This year, I had a few students who also still blew too hard. I had them whisper into the recorder. --- Donna Clark------------------------------------------
12/08 I remind my kids about blowing like they're trying to fog up a window. I have a ppt on my computer at school that helps with the review of proper techniques. It's basically a check-list that I go through with them each time at first, then as necessary as they get more advanced. --- Stephanie Menefee
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We "breathe" into the recorder...not blow. It makes a HUGE difference. -- Kristin Lukow
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We talk about the size of the subject of the piece (ie: 3 blind mice/not elephants, hot cross buns/not boulders, etc.)It sounds stupid, but it works. We also think about the fact that if someone can hear themselves apart from the class, they're probably playing too loudly. --- Mary Grebe, Shenendehowa Central School Music Department, Clifton Park, NY
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11/08 You can use “wax wikki stixs” around the holes. They stick to the recorder and raise the holes so they’re easier to make a seal. Here are some places to find them:
http://www.musick8.com/listarchive/viewmail.tpl
http://www.learningthruplay.com/html/vendors/wikki-stix_1.html
http://shopping.superpages.com/Bracelets--pl90027605
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06/06 When I taught Special Ed, I used a product called Wicky Sticks....wax sticks....your OT person should be able to get you some or something like it....When they started using recorders, I would surround the recorder holes with the wax, this would have the smae effect as raised holes on a flute. The kids were able to squeeze a bit harder, the wax made a good seal for them, then we eventually phased it out. -- Elissa Reichstein-Saperstein
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06/06 I have the miracle cure - Dr. Scholl's corn pads. They're little oval pads with holes in the center and adhesive on the back. I originally tried them with a student who has multiple issues, but no one thought to explain them to me. His playing improved dramatically. He'll never be a virtuoso, or even good, but he can find his spot now and knows to press until the pad is flat. I've since added to a couple of other recorders and those are improving as well. -- Andrea
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06/06 Last year, I had a third grader with a very weak left hand. Since we were doing BAG anyway, he used his right hand to help him hold his left fingers down. If I would have remained at that school, I probably would have written harmony parts for the songs using just BAG as his fingers strengthened. Recorder was really a good OT therapy for him! Using the little velcro pads intended for the thumb holes helps, too. Then, (like the corks for a French model flute), you can gradually remove them, starting with the strongest finger and working your way from strongest to weakest. Check with the OT person and the child's IEP for more ideas, and make SURE that you have your say in how you are helping this child's fine motor development!! -- Karen Stafford
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06/06 For students that have physical issues with getting the holes covered, I put the thumb spot or a piece of masking tape over the thumb hole. This allows the students to concentrate on the front fingers. They still put their thumb on but it is easier for them. Of course this limits the amount of notes they can play...but it is a great help so they get a nice tone. Rhonda in WI
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06/06 I've been coloring the rests red for stop and it seems to help. I also agree that saying "rest" will make them want to do something on those beats. We've been putting our finger to our lips for the rests and that seems to help. -- Monica Autry
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***********************************************************************CURRICULUM
12/11 I love Recorder Star by Macie Publishing! the Macie people are the best! --- Dee TrueloveDenise Gagne's book (www.musicplay.ca) and CD is $5 --- you can't go wrong with it. I really like the Digital Resources for the method as well - I have the PowerPoints and Smartboard files and it's really, really easy teaching.
12/11 I use Dexter the Dragon (www.musick8.com) and really like it.
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12/08 I've used this site during a few of my beginning recorder lessons and really enjoyed it. On the SmartBoard the text did get a bit funny to read, but we managed.-Sarah Davies
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11/08 This site contains free music including 5 free, reproducible pages from the beginning The Nine-Note Recorder Method and a free fingering chart worksheet.
www.ninenote.com
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01/07 RECORDER FIESTA! by Susan A. Bauer published by Heritage Music Press (www.lorenz.com). Flesher Hinton Music in Denver was carrying it in stock. It is a step by step method for the beginning recorder student written in English AND Spanish. It has directions, quizzes and songs and everything is stated in both languages. This is going to be a great help to me this year as a supplemental resource to my recorder karate program. The cost of the student book was $6.95. - Loretta Harvey
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08/04 I would like to recommend that you get out your copy of Elementaria, by Gunild Keetman, and read what she has to say about using recorders in the Orff music program. Pages 95, and 131-132 are great. You should be introducing the recorder to your students in the same way as you teach everything else, i.e. use the same Orff processes you always use. LOTS of improvisation, even with the initial few pitches, is very doable. (If you don't have Elementaria, you should. Consider getting a copy. :-) Also, if you have Brigitte Warner's book, Orff Schulwerk: Applications for the classroom, read chapter 9 on recorder playing. (She gives great rationale for starting with call and chant pitches as opposed to B-A-G.) Regarding folk songs, YES, and an easy way to start is to write some simple descant parts (lots of rests! :-) using notes they know. This might even be so simple as to be a simple motif whenever it appears in the song. Don't consider the recorder "something else," or (blasphmemy!) treat it as a pre-band or note-reading instrument, or teach it as a "unit." Integrate it little-by-little into everything else you do; make it something new and exciting to add to ensemble experiences, singing, and a fun way to improvise. This is what I have found works for me. -- Contributed by Martha Evans Osborne
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O8/04 Third Grade recorder "sneak preview":
A month before the end of school I start recorder with the outgoing third graders.
Students echo:
Playing the recorder is O - Kay (ti ti ti ti ti ti ta ta-a ta-a)
(holding up left hand in "okay" sign: fingers are nice and round, pinkie is lifted to encourage students not to use it, thumb and first finger are pinched to make "B".
Students echo: (lifting recorders)
Left hand up, finger like a teacup! (ta ta ta rest, ti ti ti ti ti ti rest)
(getting the left hand up, holding pinkie out like a fancy lady holding a teacup)
Students: Warm, steamy air! (ta-a, ta ta ta-a-a-a) (student blows over hand)
I borrowed the "backing up truck sound" and it was such a great introduction that I added another: emergency vehicle (B - G - B - G etc) and ice cream truck (okay, this was because I heard an ice cream truck playing Hot Cross Buns and was inspired:
Ice cream truck oh ice cream truck oh,
(mi, re, do, re, mi, re, do, re)
(B A G A B A G A)
Then, echoing rhythm patterns on G, A, B.
I don't teach any reading until they can play several G A B songs with correct hand position, air, and a sense that adding more fingers will make the pitch go lower, and that the fingers must be added in order.
We play the rhythm of songs on a single note (Jingle Bells is good, Old Macdonald, Bingo), all on B, all on A, etc. I teach Hot Cross Buns by rote, though most know it, then backwards buns, then half of the class plays one and half plays the other.
After four sessions this year, the students were playing with wonderful tone! They had a good idea of troubleshooting when squeaks presented themselves.
From here, I went to "Kitty" Cover all holes. As the kitty goes up the tree, lift another finger, as the kitty goes down the tree, add another finger.
Kitty climbs right up in the tree ---
(low C D E F G A B
Kitty climbs right down from the tree---
(BB A G F E D C)
I would say about half of the students were able to get the lower tones on the right hand. The purpose of this is not to throw a lot of new notes at them. But they are going to experiment with wiggling their fingers, and without an idea of the required interaction of the holes, they tend to get stalled at the wiggling stage. If the breath, hands, and fingers are working together, then they'll have pretty good ability to get the lower notes.
At this point we start reading and chanting rhythms, and beginning the reading of simple notation. -- Contributed by Kristen Trefan
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02/03 A new recorder method book, my new text RECORDER EXPRESS (by Artie Almeida), will be published by the end of December. It is 48 pages of very well-sequenced materials. Six pages of just B,A,and G, so they can get a handle on the note-reading thing. Lots and lots of song material, including a lot of things appropriate for older children. I was able to include both beginning and advanced material because WB gave me 48 pages to work with. Most other texts are 32 pages or less.
Some favorites like Lion Sleeps Tonight, God Bless the USA, William Tell Overture and tons of folk song and holiday materials. The accompanying CD has 99 tracks! Lots of stuff for practice and performance - including a lot of tracks recorded by a professional recorder player as demonstrations of proper tone and technique.
Product detail is at: http://www.musick8.com/br>-------------------------
06/02 I am using a combination of Barb Philipak's Recorder Karate and Denise Gagne's Recorder Resource Kit. Because each of these publications offer copying privileges to the teacher, I won't have to have kids buy a separate book. I am going to three hole punch everything and have the kids each bring a three hole binder as part of their school supplies. This will give us a place to put our recorder music, but also a place where we can put listening maps, pictures we draw while listening to music, worksheets we do, and any other paper things we do during the school year.
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06/22/02 The binder does sit up as a portable music stand - which holds the Recorder Karate music.
1. Place a 3-ring binder flat on the table or desk.
Open the binder and insert the Recorder Karate music. (Remember it reads horizontally).
3. Lift up on the binder rings and let the front and back covers dangle.It should look like this: /\
4. Attach the velcro approximately one inch down on both front and back cover. (The velcro completes the bottom side of the binder triangle). /_\ Finally, feel free to substitute other materials to hold the music stand open. (Duct tape and cardboard come to mind).
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5/01 All my third graders (about 190 kids) begin recorder in late Sept., as soon
as money matters are done.
At this time the children are also beginning chorus. I am teaching BAG in
recorder class, and as soon as I start, I announce Recorder Club, which
meets once a week during recess (the same time slot as chorus, but on a
different day). The children who have learned BAG in a week are clamoring
for more. So, I teach the Recorder Club "Jingle Bells," to be performed
during the holiday concert. When some children learn that, I add a new
section of Recorder Club (by invitation only) to also play the Dreidel song.
The only downside was that I had to offer 4 sections a week of recorder club to avoid a mob scene. Thank goodness the string teacher who hadn't yet started beginner orchestra for 3rd graders took a couple of sections. By the end of December, about 100 kids played JB, and about 30 played Dreidel.
After the holidays, we started preparing our annual Valentine's "Friendship" assembly. The recorder club kids learn some of the music the school will be doing for its sing-along: "Will You Be My V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E?" which includes only G, F#, E, and D, but is in a repetitive pattern which is more fun the faster you play (or sing) it. I have been doing it by rote for years. I thought it was in some old Holt series from the 70's or 80's, book 2 or 3 (?). I just looked for an hour and can't locate it. If you know where this song can be found in print, let me know. The kids who learn that can also learn "Best Friends" by Carmino Ravosa, which is all over the Silver Burdett series through the years. I also have a contest for the whole school to make up new verses to this song, which drums up even more excitement.
In March, the kids usually play some small descant to a chorus song.
Then the grand finale: The recorder club plays the Titanic theme "My Heart
Will Go On" in the key of G. It is something the kids aspire to all year
(this will be our third annual performance). The song is not that hard,
and it sounds great on the recorder!
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Are you familiar with Judith Thomas new materials: "Three to Get Ready" Book with reproducible sheets for students (excellent notation stuff) and a CD of wonderfully arranged pieces to play with. The first piece is a 16th c. Bransle all on the note 'B'. None of the songs go past B-A-G (hence the title...) I like the pacing and the kids love the accompaniment. Includes ideas for adding other instruments and movement. My students were VERY successful with this material last year. For info: Muse Manifest, 1719 Chino, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Beginning class: First we explored the types of sounds a recorder can make:
-sliding the finger(s) on and off the hole
-flutter tonguing
-fluttering a hand over the window
-multiphonics
-singing while playing
-changing pitch without moving fingers (breath support)
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I also have had a difficult time teaching my students recorder and keeping it interesting. What really got them excited last week involved competition, something I feel a little uncomfortable with, but in this case it worked. I put a musical exercise on the board and let rows compete against each other to see who could play it the best. I used peer coaching too. Each child in the row had to play for another child. They helped each other correct their mistakes and then the rows faced off against each other. I judged them on good tone, correct fingerings and playing together. I'm keeping it as an ongoing contest and at the end of the month the row that wins gets a certificate.
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The sequence of notes that I use for teaching the reading songs on the
recorder is BAG ED C'D' F C. By introducing new notes that they read,
slowly and sequentially, I have very few students who can't keep up, when
reading new material.
However, I'm a big believer in using German fingering recorders, so I can teach a descending C scale (from B down to low C) by rote, the first day of recorder class.
By grade 5, my students warm up with a C scale in half notes, beginning on low C. I've charted the scale, so most are reading all the notes by this point.
If they practice this by rote, they will develop much greater finger dexterity, much earlier on, than they will be staying with BAG.
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After years of trial and error... I believe the way I teach recorder now is working the best for me. 3rd Grade: Begin in January, learn the fundamentals...B, A, G 4th grade: Play recorder all year, including other units as well 5th grade: Review in January, combine with Orff instruments 6th grade: Review in October and/or March, combine with Orff instruments We do not have guitars or keyboards; the recorder is our primary means for reading written music beside singing. The kids all love to play and my 4th-6th grades are writing their own pieces. Composition is the musical activity that brings all previously learned elements together. Then...performing those pieces is a real treat!
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I've tried many different approaches and ended up making up my own. I start with simple patterns including "Bus Backup", "High siren", "Low siren", and "Jaws". After introducing each pattern we have "Pass or Play". The shy children will usually pass the first time through, so I go through the class roll twice the first few times. After a while even the shy children are eager to play. Each one that plays the pattern correctly earns a "leaf" for their recorder tree. The class with the most leaves earns a prize at the end of the year. (I keep records of the # of leaves in my grade book - the children have been known to sneak in extra leaves they have made!) After the patterns are mastered we move on to simple songs - Mary Had a Little Lamb, Long-Legged Sailor (transposed to G - it's in F in the Macmillan book). Then we progress to the Music K-8 and Jumpstart! songs. The patterns are simple. "Bus Backup" teaches tongueing (B, rest, B, rest, B rest, B rest -keep repeating) Try it. It sounds just like a school bus backup warning tone.
Then we add A and the class writes a simple rhythm (quarter, two eighths, quarter rest) using the two notes. To add C we just start with A and lift the first finger. Do that repeatedly and you get the "High Siren". Then we add G and learn Mary Had a Little Lamb and Long-Legged Sailor. The "Low Siren" is G-E repeated. It teaches the hand position for the right hand and helps with some of the other songs we learn later. The last pattern is "Jaws" - B-C repeated over and over getting faster as you go. This finger movement is difficult for many of the children, but they love to play "Jaws". The next song we learn is "Annabelle" from the Music and You Series. It has two patterns that you alternate - #1 GGG rest GABCG, #2 GG rest GABC.
I usually teach #2 first, then #1. Most of the patterns came from children I have taught in the past. They (4th & 5th grade) really seem to enjoy learning the patterns and competing with the other classes. In learning new songs, I can relate most of the difficult parts to one or more of the patterns and they can play them easier.
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I start with pipe cleaners in kindergarten and First Grade. We make the shape of the notes: whole, half, quarter, eighth. They think it is fun and I think it is a beginning! After we make them we hold them up in the air and pulse the beats in 4/4 time. We also show the upward and downward movement while singing the scale. I sing "Do-Re-Mi" from "The Sound of Music" and other solfege songs. By Second Grade, we draw the notes in the air, on the board, in the dirt...whatever.
They are ready to echo patterns for me. After they echo clap, I show them the rhythm flashcard that shows the rhythm. They are sight-clapping simple rhythms by the end of Second grade. I draw simple melody patterns of songs we are singing on the board and we follow the notes we have already been singing. By Third Grade, we transfer this knowledge to the staff and playing simple recorder pieces.
Fourth Grade is more recorder with additional notes. In Fifth and Sixth Grades, I use "Rockin' Rhythm Raps" by Cheryl Lavender. I love it. I also have all their music on overhead and they follow as we sing. I do some simple sight-reading use solfege--which they have been singing all along.
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In the beginning, I start with rote - *rain, rain go away* add rain sticks so the first moment is a *real* musical experience. We do it in two parts the first day. Then comes the introduction of the notes. I use flashcards a lot and have little small ones that kids can use when they partner up with another student - saying the names and playing them correctly. (The flashcards have the fingering on the back. They are homemade from a chart in our music book.)
Here's my chart:
Questions for Recorder players
1. Is your left hand closest to the mouthpiece?
2. Did you cover the holes with *fat, fluffy, full, flabby*, fingerpads,
not fingertips?
3. Do you start every pitch with a soft, whispered *too*
4. Did you breathe gently into the recorder?
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I've purchased Overture 2, but it's so complicated, and I'm a computer newbie. I then teach the names of the notes on the staff in the 4th grade. By then they already know the fingerings. We get a lot further along than just BAG songs.
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1. I first teach BAG by rote. Kids echo various combinations of the 3-notes. They first watch my fingers and simply echo what I play. Each pattern gets longer and more difficult. (I invert my hands, so the mirror image doesn't confuse them.) This also allows for demonstration of tone and articulation. For ear-training exercises, I turn my back so kids can't see my fingers. They echo what they hear, not what they see. We always warm up with this method. Kids also enjoy playing the "call".
2. Reading notation: I teach them a 2-line staff. Top line (snap) is B Space (clap) is A Bottom line (patch) is G We begin with body percussion, exaggerating the low, middle, high concept. The transfer to BAG is a breeze. After 5-6 songs with the 2-line staff, I show them the "real McCoy" notation, reminding them to zero their attention to the original snap, clap, patch.
Once BAG are firmly in place, I add low E (tap toe) using a 3-line staff; then I teach high D (tap top of head)with a 4-line staff.
I really like starting each piece with body percussion. I can see who's caught on to the mystery of reading notation. "Recorder Routes" by Carole King is a wonderful source that's helped my recorder teaching. She has oodles of great ideas and lessons for guaranteed kid success.
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I start my (fourth/fifth grade) recorder students learning simple patterns that come from the songs I plan on teaching. I always start with the "Schoo lbus" pattern - playing B (rest) B (rest) - so it sounds like a school bus backing up! The children really get a kick out of it and it helps teach tongue-ing. Then we go to the "Siren" (using both C-A-C-A and G-E-G-E). The last introductory pattern is "Jaws" - B-C-B-C (speeding up as we go). The students really get into that one!!! At this point I begin to add notes to the patterns and change the rhythms (all by rote at first, then reading from notation)
Within a couple of weeks they've learned two of the songs from our series, "Long-Legged Sailor" (transposed to G Major), and "Annabelle". Then we begin learning patterns from songs in other recorder methods, and by putting patterns together they can play the songs quite well. I "reward" the students for each pattern they can play for me by giving them a "leaf" to put on the "Recorder Tree" (each class has a different color leaf so they can see the progress their class is making). Those students who are too shy to play in front of their peers can come in before or after school and play the patterns for me to earn their "leaf".
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I would take Carpet squares and Paint a staff with a note on it for a certain pitch, I would also put the letter Of the pitch in big lettering. I would start off with B, A, and G. Put them on the floor so that they won't slide when the students steps on them. Then I would have them play as I stepped from carpet to carpet and then stepping off. making a game of it. They would try to follow me as I went slow. If I marched on repeatedly they would replay that note until I stopped. I would skip notes or look like I was going to step on one but step to the side to see if they are watching. I would step out the letters for Mary Had A Little Lamb. etc...
Then I would choose students to direct the other students by them stepping on the carpets. I would add more letters as we learn more notes. When I had a whole scale or more I would place the carpets in a circle so that the students could jump from note to note. I didn't put them in order to make it more challenging also. When I had notes of the same pitch but at different octaves I would put an arrow to show which C, D, E, F, G.. etc that the students would play. along with it being written on the staff. The students enjoied this game. I started the students on the Recorder in 2nd grade. I would only teach them G, A, and B. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th I would take as far or fast as they would go. My last year I had a very good Orff and Recorder Group.
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My elementary school contains K-5 (no music for K), and we are required to teach recorders in the fifth grade. Before my students ever play anything on their recorders, they must first hold them in "practice position" (against their chins) and say and finger the notes. We sometimes do this several times before they are ready to actually play the line. Even though it takes a little extra time, it really seems to work. It lets me know if they all know the note names, not just the fingerings, and it also reduces the number of errors when they play for the first time. One class (out of the five) has started to be able to play without having to say them first, although I do give them a few seconds to study the line before trying it.
We also start each class with an exercise. I finger notes which they must also finger and say the note names aloud. This helps with the coordination of note names and fingerings before they ever have to read the notes on the page.
When new notes are introduced, students receive a "Practice/Quiz sheet" which they are tested on the following week. (I see them once a week for 40 minutes.) I usually do the quizzes in pairs unless someone wants to play individually. This really helps to make them individually accountable for their performance. When one pair is playing, everyone elso must follow along and finger the exercise at the same time or they will be penalized for not participating.
So far, we've done B - A - G - E. Next week, I'll be introducing the high C and D. After they're quizzed on those notes, we'll use the Music K-8 arrangement of "Ode to Joy" that's already been mentioned. They've loved it in past years.
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This is what worked for me last year Grades 3-5. One note mambo I have made a background tape with a simple montuno. My school is 90% hispanic so they ready to dance when they hear the clave beat. I wrote simple melody, mine had only one note B. It went BBBrest BBBrest BrestBB BBBrest Repeat sign. After the whole class played the eight bar melody, I pointed to individual students and asked them to play rhythmic improvisation using the note B and any rhythms they could come up with. I called this the B mambo. They loved it.
The second step was the A Blues it went ABArest ABArest Arestrestrest rest ABArest Repeat sign. Solos again. When they learned the notes BAG I asked them to write their own songs. I gave them a form, you guessed it, eight bars and a repeat sign. I told them to use half notes, quarter notes or rests. I divided them into groups of four. As they were working I walked around the room and played for them what they wrote. I put the most interesting piece on the board and the whole class played it. They wrote it all in their recorder books, five pages with blank staves (double the normal size) and blank fingering diagrams that they were filling out as we were learning new notes. I have spent one class just decorating the covers of their self made books, yes with musical symbols I made them identify first.
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We play recorders first without dealing with notation. Through echoing, improvisation, and experimenting students can learn some simple songs - I begin wtih BAG songs- and develop confidence in playing. we can work on technique and tone quality with adding the dimension of reading notation - which seems to be very unmusical at first anyway. By the time we have enjoyed our simple songs, making variations on them, improvising questions and answers ( fun to do with ostinati on Orff instruments), figuring out new songs by ear, then we write our own three note pieces - and what do you know - in order to write a piece down, the students do learn about notation.
They have to be able to play their own piece and that of a friend's. That is the springboard to notation - when it is needed. After this time I do put out pieces to read, but we continue to play by imitation and experimentation quite a bit. I also recommend "Easy Eight" by Don Muro to review beginning notation after it has been introduced.
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The first day I would do Recorder. I used some games with Carpet squares with the note names that the students knew and one student would step on one and the otherAand would follow playing the pitch that was on the carpet. It was challenging but would help keep the students interest.
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One approach I've found helpful is to incorporate very easy recorder parts into interesting songs from the textbook. This year I had success with "The John B. Sails" out of the 5th Grade Silver Burdett Music book. I wrote a very simple two-part recorder part that answers each of the phrases of the song. Kids struggling with recorder could play just one line; more advanced students were eventually able to make up a part by skipping back and forth between the two parts. It offered them some freedom, and they seemed to like that creative aspect of it. Here is the arrangement as best as I can show it: The recorder part's rhythm uses eighths (_) and quarters (__)
So hoist up the John B. Sails _ __ _ __
B B B B
G G G G
See how the main sail sets _ __ _ __
B B B B
G G G G
Send for the captain ashore, let me go home _ __ _ __ __
C C C C C
A A A A A
Please let me go home _ __ _ __ __
B B B B B
G G G G G
I want to go home _ __ _ __ __
C C C C C
G G G G G
Well I feel so break up, I want to go home _ __ _ __ __
B B B B G
G G G G G
To teach, I made a large visual using standard music notation. Kids
were jazzed about reading off the staff, and also about coming up with a
good sounding performance.
BACK to Recorder topics
***********************************************************************EVALUATION, TESTING
07/13 I use the camera on my ipad to do a video of test takers. They can choose to test for me or make a video. It has been a time saver. I mostly test before school or during lunch. Some days I try to do 5 or 6 in class while the other students are practicing with a partner. ----- Susan Northcutt, Poquoson, VA------------------------------
07/13 I still test individually and I have 25 in a class and see them twice weekly for 40 min each. Sometimes, to speed things up I will only have them the song until a repeated line. I line them up five at a time and try to move fast. There are the kind who slow it down though that don't practice as much etc. I do allow my kids to 'skip' two times the whole unit if they know they aren't ready to test. This helps a little. I also have tutors. Kids who've already passed a song may help others. This works great. The better they know the song the faster testing goes. ----- Barb Philipak Schillinger 10/12 FEWER TESTS: When I first tried Recorder Karate, I chose 7 songs from Recorder Resource Kit 1 and offered belts in 7 colors. This was WAY too much testing! The second year, I cut the number of belts down to 4, and arbitrarily chose colors based on what yarn in Walmart was the cheapest: white, yellow, blue, black.
White belt Song #8, Hot Cross Buns (theme or variation)
Yellow belt Song #17, Skin and Bones
Blue belt Song #24, Hush Little Baby
Black belt Song #35, Jingle Bells
Many of the students wanted to test early, so I set aside one day a week when students could come in to test before the class testing date. On Tuesdays, they could come to the music room before school, recess, noon or after school to test. There was a signup sheet to limit the numbers. Those who didn't test early, would test in class, on the assigned test date. The white belt test would be 2-3 weeks after starting the recorder. (This was with music twice a week - if you have music just once, it will be a later.)
Suggestions for In-Class Testing:
1. Have something for the students to do who aren't testing. One day I gave each child a pencil and a blank piece of manuscript paper and told them to write as many musical words as they could - words using only ABCDEFG. They had to write the word underneath the staff, and then place the notes on the staff. One student did 26 words and I gave him a prize. It was very little preparation, but was great note writing practice and I was able to test everyone in the class.
2. I had a video with the Logdrivers waltz and other song/cartoons that I put on one day. That was a big hit during testing. I just moved to a corner of the room to hear individuals while the majority of students were in front of the TV. The composer DVDs (Handel's Last Chance, Bach's Fight for Freedom, etc) are also good to show while testing. Even if the children have seen them before, they are entertaining enough that they’ll watch them again. Find information on ordering Composer DVDs at:
http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/category.aspx?categoryID=30
3. If you have computer access, have the kids who've tested work on music sites on the internet. These are some good sites: http://www.classicsforkids.com/
Games are great: Compose your own music, Note Name Game, Rockin Rhythm Master
http://artsalive.ca/en/mus/index.asp
http://www.dsokids.com/
Listen by Composer, Listen to Instruments are good activities
4. Pick out the trickiest section of a piece and test just that. It would be great to hear everyone play everything, but time is limited, so maybe just listen to one line.
5. Make up activity booklets of reproducible worksheets to have students complete before and after they've tested. There are great reproducibles in these 3 collections: Know your Note Names, Know Your Rhythms and Know your Terms and Symbols.
See: http://shop.musicplaytext.ihoststores.com/category.aspx?categoryID=26
6. Do testing as one center - set up other centers in your room that students rotate through. We've published Music Centers Kits that are great - also really good as centers in Note Name Battleship and Rhythm Dice Games.
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TESTING INDIVIDUALS DURING CLASS 1. Engage them in a silent activity that is framed as a contest. Write the first two measures of 8 songs on the board with a clue for each. The person who figures out the most is the winner. Anyone who talks is eliminated because they might be cheating. Or post a chart of music symbols and tell them to draw a picture that completely fills the page, using only those symbols. The person whose page looks the coolest wins. At my school the best prize I've ever discovered is to announce the winner on the morning news.
2. Transform your testing format into a fancy recital at Carnegie Hall. The rest of the class is the audience. I set up the scene first: “You've just had the most expensive dinner known to man, after which you were driven to this beautiful hall in a stretch limo. When you arrived here, the first thing you noticed was . . . etc . . . all the way down to the seats they're sitting in. We picture ourselves in the seats wearing fancy clothes.” We even talk about how our posture changes when we're dressed up. After you've set it all up once or twice, all you have to say is "We've just arrived at Carnegie Hall." Then as I call a student to test, I send them 'backstage' while I introduce them. The introductions range from the clever to the ridiculous. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this evening we're honored to have on our stage a performer who was most recently seen in the Broadway show "Lion King" where she played the part of Simba on alternate Fridays." Or "Our next performer is visiting New York for the very first time. On his planet, the audience is kept in a pickle jar at all times, so don't do anything to startle him." The introductions are so outrageous, they keep the kids entertained. And as much as they're hoping for a turn to test, they're even more eager to be introduced. It makes the time fly and I get a lot of testing done. -- Andrea Cope
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07/05 I do it differently. I have kids at alllllll different levels. (I do my own version also Bag-o-saurus is white belt, Ode to Joy is blue and Irish Washerwoman is black - there are 8 belts total plus 8 degrees of black belt ending with "Fur Elise" and 8 belts for alto) I spend little time on recorder belt songs after third grade. We play recorder everyday, but belt songs are their responsibility mostly. I test two days before school. BUT when I test a whole class, I make everyone play. The students testing sit in the front row, and I can move and listen to them fairly easily and everyone is engaged. Those not ready to test are getting practice time, those beyond the belt and still getting practice. You can pretty easily tell who has it and who doesn't even in the mass. It make take several times through to be sure I've heard everyone. Then I may ask for a tricky section in small groups, but that isn't hard to keep the class quiet for, it seems. Linda in MD
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I divided each class into groups of three for practice. They are to check each others hand positions, etc while they practice. I took it one step further and one out of each trio is to check behavior. Anyone goofing off loses time off recess. If the class loses it in terms of behavior while I'm testing in the corner by my desk, we stop all testing for that day, and work only as a class with music on the overhead. They hate not getting to test! Of course there are still those days, and those certain classes, but this approach helped me a lot! Laura Mc in IN
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08/04 In my recorder classes (6-8th), I use the RK program (customized version) simply as a road map for learning the notes and playing the instrument. Of course there's a natural incentive built into the program with the earning of advancing belts. However, I don't use the RK program itself as a basis for taking grades. My students do receive ABC grades in music with recorder study accounting for 1/4-1/3 of their grade (depending on the quarter). My first year w RK, I used the test pieces and their passing or not as the basis for grades. I've sinced changed that for the better. For each belt level, I have selected 2-3 different pieces to serve as test pieces (ranging from easier to more challenging)from which the students will choose 1 if they want to test for the new belt.
During the quarter, we will work as a class on these pieces in prep. for the playing test. In the meantime, we also review & play other pieces that don't utilize the new belt note. These pieces can also serve as test pieces, but NOT for the new belt, only for a grade. So, come test time, everyone is required to take a playing & a written note test. Those that are ready to advance can play one of the new belt pieces. Those that arn't, may play any of the other pieces covered (that don't contain the new belt note) during the quarter. These kids of course won't advance to the next belt. But everyone will get a grade based on:
1. played the correct notes
2. played the correct rhythms
3. played with proper tone and articulation
4. played with correct hand/finger positions
For each of the above, they can score:
4=high proficiency
3=satisfactory proficiency
2=low proficiency
1=no proficiency
0=did not test
So after playing a piece, the student will earn 4 number grades which I will total and average for their overall recorder grade based on a 4.0 system. This will comprise their recorder grade for the quarter. Any other written drills, their effort during class, etc. will fall under their participation grade. The result then is that everyone tests, everyone gets a grade, but not everyone advances to the next belt. Players testing to advance, must average a 3 or higher to pass. Anyone can come in and retest before the end of the grading period to better their grade (but only on their own time and initiative). -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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06/04 I don't use the thumb spots. They come off during the cleaning process and I don't have any money to buy more and I'm not willing to spend money out of my pocket for them. I do have the ones from Peripole, but I just keep them in a drawer. I stress to my students to keep both hands in ready position so they will be ready to play any note. When I do warm-ups I play 4 beat patterns and I make sure I include notes that use both hands. I can see where the thumb spots could be useful, but I just prefer not to use them. They do make thumb rest, like on a clarinet (a clarinet does have a thumb rest or is it called a thumb hook?). You just clip them on. I bought 30 of them and I only let students who struggle with the right hand use them. I like the thumb rest because you can move it up or down as needed. I think I bought them from West music they and they cost less than a dollar. -- Contributed by Tami Mangusso
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04/03 RUBRIC:
Recorder Solo Assessment Rubric:
MU.A.2.1. The students perform independently simple patterns and melodies on rhythmic and melodic classroom instruments.
5 - The student plays with a gentle beautiful tone, starts the note with "too", "doo", or "doh", connects notes correctly, uses correct fingerings, covers holes completely, uses fingerpads, plays rhythms accurately, plays complete example on the first attempt, and the student quietly waits turn to play.
4 - The student may forget to tongue or may make one mistake. Tone quality is still beautiful.
3 - The student makes two mistakes, but tone quality is still beautiful.
2 - The student makes three or more mistakes, but tone quality is good.
1 - The student makes frequent mistakes and the tone quality is impaired.
Recorder Composition Assessment Rubric:
MU.B.2.1. The student improvises melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
5 - The student's playing of a 4 - measure rhythm pattern is accurate. The melody is playable and interesting. The melody and rhythm are accurately notated on the staff. The student demonstrated outstanding proficiency in all these areas.
4 - The student demonstrates near outstanding proficiency in the above areas.
3 - The student demonstrates adequate proficiency. He may make one or two mistakes.
2 - The student is still developing proficiency. He or she is trying.
1 - The student has not yet developed proficiency.-- Contributed by Patricia Albritton
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06/02 I got the rubrics from LPearson on this list and then wrote a student eval for the kids to fill out. They were remarkably honest (for the most part) and it will be interesting to see
what the parents think about this way to grade. Here's what I wrote and am
going to send.
Dear Parents,
Your student will be receiving a music grade based on behavior, effort and
achievement during this past 8 weeks. Achievement expectations are based on
our State Music Standards. Here is the rubric I am using. I have circled the
grade I believe your child deserves.
EFFORT:
The student is on task.
The student is cooperative.
The student is a good listener.
The student participates positively.
The student follows directions.
ACHIEVEMENT:
The student sings in tune with good quality and blend.
The student learns the melody, words, and rhythms quickly.
The student maintains good posture while singing.
The student demonstrates excellent skills: in Rhythm, Form, and Melody.
(through movement, instrumental, written, or other activities)
The student demonstrates excellent retention of knowledge learned about
Music History, Connections, and Music Theory.
GRADING RUBRIC:
E=Excellent-Always does the above to the best of his/her ability.
G=Good- Almost Always
S=Satisfactory- Usually, but requires prodding to achieve and exhibits only
"satisfactory" behavior
N=Needs Improvement- Sometimes, but behavior is unsuitable to classroom
environment, makes little effort
U=Unsatisfactory- Almost never participates appropriately, doesn't try, is
disruptive
Your child filled out his/her own evaluation of their behavior and learning
in this unit. It is attached. I hope you will go over it with them. In most
cases, I agreed with your child's assessment of him/herself.
I hope this gives you a clear idea of the expectations I have had for your
child in music. Best wishes to all our graduating fifth graders.
-----
Here is the student eval. Change to suit your situation...
Your student will be receiving a music grade based on behavior, effort and
achievement during this past 8 weeks. Achievement expectations are based on
our State Music Standards. Here is the rubric I am using. I have circled the
grade I believe your child deserves.
EFFORT:
GRADING RUBRIC:
Your child filled out his/her own evaluation of their behavior and learning
in this unit. It is attached. I hope you will go over it with them. In most
cases, I agreed with your child's assessment of him/herself.
I hope this gives you a clear idea of the expectations I have had for your
child in music. Best wishes to all our graduating fifth graders.
Now here is what the students filled out. They were remarkably honest! This
was for grades 3-5. For No. 14 I clapped rhythms and they notated them.
MUSIC --STUDENT EVALUATION SHEET
1. SINGING/VOCAL SKILLS- I try to sing my best using good posture and
breath control. I use my best singing voice
2. A favorite song I sang during this unit was___________________________
from ______________________________________(name the country or state).
3. MOVEMENT/DANCE- I make an effort to follow directions and work with my
classmates when we do movement activities.
ALWAYS SOME OF THE TIME MY BEHAVIOR COULD IMPROVE I DON'T
5. PARTNER WORK- I make an effort to follow directions and work with my
classmates appropriately. I don't fool around. I try to make it a successful
experience.
6. Name a favorite partner activity you did during music this
unit______________
8. I have learned to play the notes B-A-G . I know the fingering and the
proper way to blow. I try not to squeak. YES NO
9. I can read B-A-G on the staff. I can play at least 3 songs using these
notes. YES NO
10. Write the names of three songs you can play on the recorder using B-A-G.
11. I follow directions. I put my recorder in resting, practice, or ready
position when asked.
12. Name another favorite recorder song you can play well._________________
13. RHYTHM WORK--I can read and clap rhythms containing these notes:
14. Write out the rhythms you hear.
15. INSTRUMENTS-I am careful with the instruments. I follow directions. I
play only when appropriate.
16. What other musical activities did you participate in this year?
RECORDER SCORE SHEET
ADD ALL THREE NUMBERS YOU CIRCLED HERE: _______________
A SCORE OF 7 - 9 MEANS THEY EARNED A BELT! HAVE THEM TAKE THIS SHEET TO
MRS. ADAMS FOR A KARATE BELT!
- A SCORE OF 5 - 8 MEANS KEEP WORKING ON THIS PIECE.
- A SCORE BELOW 5 MEANS PRACTICE THIS AT HOME AND TRY AGAIN NEXT TIME!
WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, MAKE SURE BOTH YOU AND YOUR PARTNER SIGN BELOW.
I WAS FAIR TO MY PARTNER WHEN I FILLED OU THIS SHEET.
I AGREE WITH THE RATINGS I RECEIVED FROM MY LISTENER.
____________________________________EARNED A __________________________BELT Almost all kids were on task with this and those that were not owed me recess time where they could practice and make up the time that was wasted. I also let kids proceed at their own rate. I can't imagine holding someone back because another student hasn't made it to that string yet. I don't test every time I see them either. There's lots of other things that need to be done and I like to have group recorder time for new notes and concepts as well.
I have it notated on a simple chart. I highlighted the last line in green because the pattern changes. But sometimes, if I need to teach it quickly, I just put up these letters. They can usually have it memorized in 2-3 lessons. 1. Finger Aerobics: start with a closed fist, now stick up the pointer finger. Bend it down, then point it straight forward (like your pointing to someone), bring it back in, point it straight up again. This is on repetition, do about 8-10. Then add the middle finger. The pointer finger and middle finger will do it together. Continue to add fingers until you get through them all. As students get use to this exercise do it double time to the music C C'/ B A/ G F / E D/ C E/ F A /D B /C' G / E D /C C'/B A /G F /E D/ C E /F A/D B/ C'G/ C- I also introduce them to the idea of bell ringers peals with only C'=1, B = 2 , A = 3 and G =4 Change both pairs to get next row 1 2 3 4 If you want other boomwhacker activities Brad Bonner has some interesting ones available I think through Rhythm Band instruments in Texas. - Contributed by Susan Michiels Next, they will taking turns picking their "round team" with chosen players coming to join them at their wall (about 5 in each group). Then we'll start the round with teams playing the round in sequence. Finally, to mix things up, everyone will rotate after each play thru until each group has had the chance to start the round. Some variations: "I will remember to bring my recorder to music class." They have to write it anywhere from 10 - 50 times depending upon age, writing lever (IEP), and how much they have forgotten it. This really works! It's amazing...those "old school" techniques. I also have a recorder reminder half sheet that goes home if the child forgets their recorder: Music Recorder Reminder If you would like to meet or discuss this further, please contact me at 204-6940. Mrs. Rhonda Schilling Music Teacher at Thoreau Elementary I have it in Spanish as well. Rhonda in WI Here are some of the questions to give you an idea. I put in the directions, btw, that page numbers must be included to verify each answer... I ended up with 16 questions total. I plan to have the students work together in pairs. We'll check the answers together. -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL Directions: fill in the grid below by selecting & writing in 9 items from the following list (1 item per square). 1 item may be repeated if desired. Here is what each item means... For each square earned, your teacher will give you a sticker to place on the corresponding square. Wins include: 3 in a row (any direction), 4 corners, plus sign, X, and black-out. Reasonable rewards/prizes for wins will be determined by students & teacher. A set playing period will be determined by your teacher. You may have more than one win within a given playing period. Most squares can be earned during regular recorder classes; however, you may need to come in occasionally during recess/homeroom time to complete a win. These time will be limited. (Then I created a 9 square grid at the bottom of the page). Ok, here's my plan, at the start of the quarter (I do recorders all year long), everyone will get a grid to fill out. They will keep their grid with them for each recorder session (every Mon). During class, there may be opportunities for earning squares. I'll announce, "today's notespeller drill can count as a square," or "we're testing for our new belt today, would anyone want to use today's test piece to earn their solo square?" or "let's divide this piece up into solo and ensemble phrases. Anyone want to try the solo phrases for their Divide square?" Etc. etc. Say someone gets 3 in a row and wants to get their prize. They'll turn in their grid, get their prize, and receive a new grid to fill out. Then they'll continue playing as before. I'll probably set the playing period for an entire quarter. But let's say someone is trying for blackout, but they are 2 squares shy by the end of the playing period. Well, they can claim a different win say with a plus, X, 4 corners, or 3 in a row. And depending on my day (and how tired I am by recess), I'll randomly announce that anyone wanting to earn some squares during recess are welcome to come in. -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL "What's my measure": Divide the class into teams. Figure out who will go first, second ,third, etc. Pick a song to play (I use the MK8 songs). The first team will play the first measure, the second team will play the second measure, and so on. The object of the game is to know what measures to play on. Any team that hesitates or messes up is out. Continue playing until there is only one team left (this may mean using more than one song). I also use this game when were singing a song. It really helps with memorizing the music. - Contributed by Tami Mangusso To play, I invited a student to be the caller. I drew each note card, sh/e would play the note for the class. No note names were given, they had to go strictly by the fingering and sound. All would mark their cards until a Bingo was called. Then the caller would check the winner's card. The winner would call out each note name and then play it. I would check the master chart. Now, if their bingo checked out ok, they would then have to come up front and play a few measures from a simple song out of the method book. This is for the Melody Space. If there was more than 1 bingo, all winners would come up and play. To make the game a little more interesting, I would determine various patterns for each round (like an X, or +, T, L, upside down T, postage stamp, H, etc.). Each pattern included the Melody space.
The kids really seemed to enjoy the game, the different callers got some extra practice playing all the notes and being a leader, AND I got to hear the kids play (a way to get some extra assessments). It took my 7th graders most of 1 class period to make the cards. We spent a whole period (45 min.) playing the game.
Both of my classes playing the Bingo game have been introduced to all the notes. Someone was chosen to be "it" and sat in the middle of the room with eyes closed and hidden. I put on the recorder cd that corresponds to our book (Sueta Method) and selected "Hot Cross Buns". When the music played the kids moved to the various "corners" and waited til the song finished. Then "it" called out one of the notes (F#). Everyone standing at the F# wall was out and came up to my music stand to play the next selection. A new "it" was chosen too. I had the recorder book up on the stand with the kids standing around it (at times I had to get 2 stands & books). I chose Merrily We Roll Along and the "out" kids played along with the cd while the others moved to different "corners".
Again "it" called out a note (B), those at the B wall became the new players, and the 1st players were allowed back in the game. We played til time ran out. What was so neat is that I really got to hear everyone play, esp. the weaker players. I picked easy songs so the strugglers wouldn't be too intimidated. The better players just enjoyed playing w confidence. Also, it let everyone stay involved and was a great review of all the song material. Occasionally I would repeat a song with several groups. It really worked out great and made for a refreshing way to get everyone playing.
For example: a single could require the batter to play a measure or short phrase from any white/yellow belt song material
a double=orange/green belt material
triple=blue/purple belt material
homerun=red/brown/black belt material (or however you want to do it).
A few rules:
You are always the pitcher. Now, when a player comes up to bat, ask him what kind of hit he wants to go for. After he chooses (single, double, etc.) then you pick a song from that belt level, indicate a measure or short phrase from that song for him to play, set the pulse, and let him play. The outfield echos. If accurate, he takes his base(s) and all base runners advance. If he messes up, that's a foul. He can try again. If successful, he takes the base. Messes up, foul #2 and out. Next batter up. And so on just like regular baseball. You may want to choose a score keeper too.
1. Recorder Name Game: On a 11x17 paper, draw a picture of a large
recorder standing vertically in the center. Within the picture of the
recorder, in large type, print the word,
2. Recorder Four Corners: Played as traditional Four Corners Game. i.e.
Each corner of the room is given a special identity. If you were playing
Instrumental Four Corners, for example, each corner would be identified by
an instrument family: strings, woodwinds, percussion, brass. In Recorder
Four Corners, each corner is identified by a pre-learned recorder song:
e.g. Hot Cross Buns, Frere Jacques, Twinkle Twinkle, Merrily We Roll Along.
One student sits in the center of the room with eyes closed. Teacher plays
a recording of recorder music while other students move around the room.
Teacher stops music, circulating children stop at the corner which is
closest to them. Student in center plays one of the pre-assigned songs.
Students standing in that corner must return to their seats. As those
students are returning, the others must play the "corner song". ( Hot Cross
Buns, Frere Jacques, Twinkle Twinkle, Merrily We Roll Along). Game
continues until there is only one student left. That student then becomes
*it* and takes the place of the previous student who was sitting in the
center of the room.
Dojo Duets: The main difference in my program is that along with playing a prescribed piece, the student has to compose an 8-measure piece, notate it and play it. I supply them "grid paper" that I use for everything I notate from kindergarten on, so they're used to it. I oughta sell it. To earn the recorder (first step), the composition must have BAG, quarter, two-eighths, half note and quarter rest and end on G. The red ribbon (I go by the colors of the rainbow) is Canoe Round and they compose an eight-measure piece that must have all the above plus low D and E and whole note. The orange ribbon is a bear. They have to play BAG exercises, I guess you'd call them and notate pitches on a staff. It's a encoding and decoding challenge from heck, using only BAG and quarter, 2-eighths, half note and quarter rest. No composition this time cuz the playing portion is frustrating enough without extra hassle. The yellow requires them to play Au Clair De La Lune (AABA form with the AGF#ED run) AND compose a 16 bar tune with all the above plus F# and whole note. Up till then, they could notate their tunes with rhythm and pitch letters. For yellow, they may use the pitch letters, but they also have to notate the pitches on the staff. They use my staff grid for that. The compositions get progressively more sophisticated and more (forgive me) tuneful. Some are jarringly modern and very cool; some are delicate little pieces reminiscent of European folk tunes. Neat contrasts. The green ribbon is for a Fanfare by Isabel Carley with high (3rd space)C and NOW they may not write the pitch letters under the staff. For composition, I supply them a grid with the rhythmic notation and they must use 6 different pitches including an F# or high C. The rhythm has syn-co-pa emphasis for rhythmic reading expansion. As soon as a kid has earned a recorder or ribbon, s/he may be a coach for other students and may actually sign off on some of the requirements. I have developed little coaches' check-off sheets that they turn in to me when the coachee has accomplished a task. This is actually a very cool part of the program. Kids love to feel masterful and helpful. And they really do a good job coaching and assisting. It's heartwarming. -- Contributed by Martha Stanley
This year, for my fifth graders who got their black belt last year, I will hold them accountable for all of the pieces on the song list (after giving them time to become reacquainted with them). I will ask to hear various pieces and also the black belt song. Then, I will come up with songs for Black Belt - 1st degree, 2nd degree, etc... up to 8th degree. They will also receive special designations for certain degrees. Third degree will be 'teacher'. Fifth degree is 'master". Eighth degree is 'grand-master'. (This is in line with 'real' Karate designations.)
There was some discussion about how to give "recorder colors" to students who can't play well and not make them upset. I let kids play 4 or 5 in a group. At first each song is worth 15 points. 5 total for hand position, 5 total for rhythm, and 5 total for correct notes. Later on when we get into slurs, I add on 5 points for articulation for a total of 20 points. (Our district is really into rubrics) On a 15 point scale, students need 12 points to get their belt, on a 20 point scale they need 15. I am able to "fudge" a little this way and every child gets their belt the first time, but I can give them a 12 and say "your fingerings were a little off so you get 12 points" or "you need to work on covering the hole better" etc. This way students get their belts without tears, yet they also get information on how to improve.
I made an arbitrary rule that everyone in class had to complete white belt before anyone could get yellow. Same thing for yellow and orange. After that I'll let them move at their own speed. Each class had a handful who would have slipped through the cracks otherwise, more from lack of confidence than from lack of motivation. Right now I have 2-3 out of the whole 4th grade who don't have their white belt because they don't bring their recorders to school. I am not letting that hold the others back, but for those few I have increased the penalty from 10 points per class (for not bringing recorder) to 20 points. I also sent a letter to the parents explaining the situation and letting them know that it would be reflected in their grades.
When they pass, I give them a piece of white yarn which they attach to the bottom of their recorder (I used to do it around the neck, but as we add on colors, it got more and more difficult to keep it all straight). Outside in the hallway, I have a giant recorder on the wall. Behind the recorder are long strips of colored construction paper. The colors correspond to the belt colors. Each student has a small paper recorder with their name on it. When they have gotten their white belt, they put this small recorder on top of the giant recorder in the area designated "white" belts. Above each belt color on the wall are the criteria for passing - stated in kid language. I also post the state standards that we are covering with this activity. Yellow belt is BAG and E. A good song to reinforce this is "March of the Droids". They play 2 exercises from the method that we have drilled in class. Again, if they pass, they receive a yellow piece of yarn (and many kids like to start braiding them together, makes it colorful), and move their small recorder into the yellow belt section on the wall outside my room. Green belt is BAGE and F. This follows Denise's method book. The test is again from the exercises we have practiced and again, they receive the next color yarn and move their recorder into the green area.
Now, we begin to visually see who is moving forward on the wall and who isn't. The kids do not like to be left behind, so, they really start to practice. Blue belt is BAGEF and high C. Red belt is BAGEF high C, High D. (Now we can add the beloved Music K-8 "Ode to Joy) Brown belt is BAGEF high C, High D, and low d. (Now we can add the incredible "Amazing Grace") Black belt is BAGEF, high C, High D, Low D, Low C, and high E. I now switch over to a book called "Songs for Hand Drum and Recorder". I also use "Renaissance Banquet". These books are more difficult than the Music K-8 songs, and incorporate these higher and lower notes, flats and sharps, more challenging tonguing and are more musically intricate. At the end of the year (and it takes all year to make it to black belt) I have a popcorn party for the Black belts. Last year out of 92 fifth graders, 75 made it to black belt. I had to have 3 black belt parties!
It has taken me a few years to get this organized to where I really feel that it is effective. The other teachers who teach recorder here in our district (not many, unfortunately, "It's too noisy!" they say...) have adopted this method, so there is some continuity for students who move and have to change schools. One problem I am still working on is getting the new students up to speed when they move in. It is very, very difficult and I just hate to alienate the newcomers, but it is next to impossible to make up for the lost time just during class time. And, I don't have time in my schedule to catch them up privately. So, I'm still working on that one...
When I test for belts the kids have about a 2 week advance warning. I test them during class. I can get through them all in a 30 minute class. That was that, if they don't test or do not pass, they will have to come in on their own time - before school, after school or during recess. I allow them multiple chances to pass on to the next level. I think it is important that they are sure of what 1. Does EVERY song you work on have the potential to earn a belt, >or do you choose only certain pieces to earn belts? I did not use every song for a belt because I used some as reinforcement. For example, I'd introduce a note, use a drill song with that note, use an easy/familiar/fun song (mk8 songs are great motivators) with that note, then have a 'belt' song using that note. By the time we got to the belt song the students had ample practice on that note. > 2. Must a student earn every belt in succession or can they skip >over one and earn the next one without every returning to the one they >skipped? Yes - they earned them in order. This was interesting when we'd hit a belt song that the kids thought was easier than the previous belt song -- it served as a motivator to earn the harder belt so they could zip on to the easier belt! This only happened a couple times -- and it actually took me by surprise! -- but it worked well.
"1. Does EVERY song you work on have the potential to earn a belt, or do you choose only certain pieces to earn belts?"
"2. Must a student earn every belt in succession or can they skip over one and earn the next one without every returning to the one they skipped?"
(As you can see, for 6th, 7th & 8th degrees, I added more songs and the Mad Minutes - which they had to be able to write in the letter names in less than a minute. You could also have them sightread these on the recorder instead. I think I will do that next year.) 1st degree - Aura Lee CDEFGABb 2nd Degree - Rocky Mountain GAB D'E' 3rd Degree - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot DE GAB D'E' "TEACHER" 4th Degree - Pourquoi GAB D'E'G' 5th Degree - Tideo GAB C'D'E'G' "MASTER" 6th Degree - Merry Minstrels CDEFGABC'D'E' Mad Minute - EFGAB (from Denise Gagne's Recorder Routes - must be completed in less than 1 min.) 7th Degree - Goodbye Girls, I'm Going to Boston GAB C'D'E'F'G'A' "GRANDMASTER" Looby Loo CFGABbC'D' Mad Minute - EFGABC' (From Denise Gagne) 8th Degree - Hushabye FGABbC'D'EbF' Duet: Follow Me CFGABbC' (students could pick their own partner or I would play with them) (Also, students who had already gotten their 8th degree became my 'helpers' - they would help me cut thread, play duets, time and grade mad minutes, help students with new notes etc....) Mad Minute - EFGABC'D'
High A was very challenging for both me and the kids. I finally discovered to get it to play without squeaking, I had to barely uncover the thumb hole rather than half-uncovered like it shows. This worked for me. As for as awards for the degrees, I made Recorder Karate necklaces - cards that were a little bigger than a business card with Recorder Karate at the top and clip art of karate men... and then the words 1st degree, 2nd degree etc... across the bottom. I then punched holes below each degree and as they earned the degrees they got to tie a piece of black embroidery thread ... up to eight. At the top of the card, I punched two more holes and tied yarn. We had kids all over school wearing their necklaces! One boy told me that he hadn't taken it off yet (this was after 3-4 days - I wondered how he showered...:-)) I also posted all of these results in the main part of the building for everyone to see. I one list of names for Black Belts. Then I had strips of black paper with the Degree name at the top.... and I made yellow covered wagons (Our school mascot is Pioneers) from the Ellison die cut press at school and wrote their name, the degree, the date they got and their teacher's name. For eighth degree, I used paper trophies instead of covered wagons. Then, for the awards assembly, I made certificates on parchment paper for the black belts, then I did certificates for 3rd degree (Teacher), fifth degree (Master), and eighth degrees (Grand Master) on different colored paper. They also got to take down and keep their covered wagons and trophies. The response was tremendous!!!
I allow the others to practice while I have 4 at a time come and play for me. It's not bad. They know that if they are playing too loud, or playing anything but what they are working on, they'll have to put their instrument away. I like doing it this way because everyone can practice at their own level.
I also had trouble with the noise. What helped was dividing the time in half, dividing the class into 2 groups. Half played recorders and tested when they were ready, the other half were on the computer or playing games. Then we switched groups. Still, it takes forever to hear every student or pair of students. I had my room open before school so kids could come in.
My students had to belt test individually. It was time consuming, but I really knew if they had mastered the work. I used 5-7 minutes at the end of class ( a 45 min class) and others had to bring a book to read while waiting. I also had before school time, and a few minutes at the end of the day before bus loading. I often had 10 or more students waiting to belt test. It was on a first come first served basis. later in the program, I allotted time first to students of lower belt ranks to get them moving along. t they will be tested on and can practice the exercises/pieces on their own time and be truly prepared to test.
I use the yarn tied around the neck of the recorder and then eventually braided - it is beautiful, but I noticed that as they gathered more and more yarn strands and braided them together, they got shorter and shorter and pretty soon, they couldn't put them over their heads. I then decided to put them around the bottom of the recorder with the same method of braiding involved.
FLOSS
The expense is very minimal. I use floss for the belts. The skeins come in strands of 6 which I separate into 3 strands and cut it long enough to tie it onto their recorder. They really like the competition but I stress that we are to encourage one another. If a classmate is having trouble you help them not make fun of them. It seems to really work. The other thing is I do not stress reading the notes on the staff. The music has just the note names. I work on placement of notes on the staff when I do my hand chime unit.
I crochet a chain stitch for the white of about 15 stitches. For the yellow,
I do a double stitch, for the orange, a triple stitch. I use these for BAG.
Then I repeat that process for CD using the next three colors, then I add the
left hand and repeat that process for the last three colors. (That way, I'm
crocheting during my favorite night- time shows, and not drifting off.) The
kids LOVE the fact that I make them for each kid. Now, you may think I'm
crazy, as I have 7 sections of that grade level with about 27 in each class.
But I'll do whatever it takes to get them to practice. I have noticed SUCH
an improvement since I've done this the last two years.
What I do is give the kids a ribbon (1/8 inch satin type), for playing "Hot Cross Buns" accurately, tie it on the bell for them, and every song they play for me after that they earn a bead to slip on the ribbon. They are so excited about it, many students come in before school to practice. This year I'm awarding 2 beads for the more difficult songs.
BEADS This year I am going to use beads (like Boy Scouts) and
a leather piece tied onto the bottom of the recorder. As they add
the white, yellow, green, etc. bead, we will keep a knot at one end
of the leather piece, open up the knot when they receive a new
bead and close it back up. On the other side of the leather piece
will be special beads; for the kids in the Orff group, for tutoring, for
solos.
I may even buy extra "special" fancy beads for playing solos, etc. This way I can tailor the program by adding extra options for the kids to choose from. The kids are really excited! What I really like is that I don't have to do a lot of bookkeeping , I just need to "read" their beads every now and then. I've put a lace on my recorder, too, and when we are getting ready for a new bead offering, I'll put the new one on mine to catch their attention and to keep me on track, too!. First I took 6 large file cards and wrote (in letters) 4 note combinations taken right from the score in order that they occur. Like GABC, CBAB, CAAA, etc. As a warm up, I held up each card and asked the class to play each pitch in half note values several times, then in quarter note values. Finally I put the card down and simply showed the melodic direction with my hand as they played. We went thru each card. Then I put the score on the overhead and worked thru each note combo reading the notes themselves in the same manner. Then we sight read thru the whole piece a few times. This week, after warming up again with the cards, reading thru the piece once, I'm going to divide the class into 4 groups. I will place a music stand at each of our 4 walls with the music. Groups will assigned to the wall stations. Now, each station will assigned a 4 meas. section from the piece. I'll start the cd, and the kids at the first station will play the first phrase; 2nd station, 2nd phrase, and so on. This will be repeated, and then the coda will be played by all. At the end, everyone will rotate stations and we'll do it all over. We'll continue until everyone has played at each station (running thru the piece 4 times total). Then, we'll all play the piece thru together. I'm going to call this activity 4 corners round robin. Just a little different way to learn the music. Along the lines of what Cak mentioned, I have sometimes divided a song by phrases and scrambled it. ("Now kids, this is a song you all know and have played before.") Then I print it without putting a title on it (Mystery Melodies). The kids have to play it over and over until they can figure out the order of the phrases. I let them work in pairs, and they really enjoy it.-- Kay in GA GAME BOARD: I used 2/3 of a poster board, drew a large 'U' shape (2 dimensional) then drew lines for spaces on the board. (I think there are about 55 spaces altogether.) In about 6 spaces, I put polka dots; then in about half the other spaces, I drew parallel lines with an orange marker and in the others, I left blank (or you could draw or use stickers of cactii). GAME CARDS: for the POLKA DOT spaces on board, I made up 6 different instructions: 1) Found gold, advance 6 spaces for the ORANGE LINED spaces: single notes on staff (Using a music program to do the graphics saves a lot of time - put a treble clef on each card) and include different note values for the PLAIN OR CACTUS spaces, I used cards with a location (line 3, space 2 and so on) in which the student has to name that note (my kids are taught from day 1 to name the spaces and lines from the bottom, ex: space one is F in treble clef, line one is E, etc.,) MARKERS - I used buttons of different colors PLAY GAME:[First couple of times, no recorders included] (Students sit on floor or at table around the board. Student throws the dice to determine who goes first. (Highest number wins) Then we move clockwise from that student in turn. The student then throws the dice (2) and moves the appropriate number of spaces. Then picks up the card for that space (polka dot, lines, cactus) and answers note name (if incorrect, must go back same number of spaces) OR follows directions (forward or back) AFTER A 2 TIMES PLAYING, the students have their recorders with them and must play the correct note (first try) in order to hold space and not have to retreat. (Any notes played out of turn, they lose a turn. It might be good to have a monitor for each group that really knows the note names.) KIDS liked the game so I put it here. --- Sandy Toms First I make a set of music ABC cards for every student. Then on the first day, I pass out the cards and ask them simply to begin with A and lay the cards out in front of them (on the floor) in ABC order L to R. This is a snake. Then we transfer this to building a tower from bottom to top beginning w A again: G F E D C B A This assimilates the ascending pattern of steps on the staff. The cards are then picked up and shuffled. I then ask them to make another tower but beginning on a different letter. We keep doing this to secure any uncertainty with ascending step-wise movement esp. when they get to G and have to cont. with A, etc. I immediately transfer this to the actual staff and ascending intervals of a 2nd. This year I happen to use the song Music Alone Shall Live for them to sing and id the ascending patterns of 2nds in the score. Ok, from here we begin to create towers of ascend. 3rds in the same manner (and I think we used the song Michael Row the Boat). Finally, we create a few descending alphabet snakes and towers (this is often a challenge). Now after these kinds of activities, we'll play a game called "Show Me". The kids hold their cards in a "hand". I'll call out a starting pitch followed by a direction: C up a 2nd. The kids look for the card that would be up a 2ns from C. I say "Show me" and they all hold up their card. We do this for both ascend/descend 2nds and 3rds, even repeated pitches (D repeat). Eventually I'll challenge them with 4ths & 5ths too. All this does is allow them to manipulate the music alphabet to prepare them for the way the pitches are often patterned in actual notated music on the staff. Now, from this point, after we've gotten started with the recorder and our first BAG pitches, I follow a particular "method" of preparing the kids to read a given piece. Here's my approach: 1. In warm-ups, I will lead them in echoing various patterns of pitches that they will encounter in the pieces to be played that day. 2. Other warm-ups are these same short patterns but where I will write the letter names on the board: GGEEA GGGEEA etc. or whatever they'll be encountering. So while they're not actually reading the notation yet, they are "experiencing" the patterns in their fingering. I often call this fingering calestenics (sp). Now for direct preparation for a piece, we will:
Rules include:
If they fall, they are out. If their bottom touches the ground, they are out.
Once their body part touches the line or space, they may NOT move it.
I will not say whether one of them is out (cause of being on the wrong line
or space) until both teams have finished placing that particular body part.
If one person gets out, the other team member must complete all body parts
to get the point.
Dear Parents:
Your children are truly excited about the opportunity to play their recorders. However, it is important that if the students wish to take the recorders home they must be well-cared for. Mrs. X sent home a note requesting a $5 deposit for each student. Rather than actually collecting that much money, we would like to modify that plan, by having each family sign a note promising to return the recorders in their same condition or pay $5 to replace it. As long as your child's recorder is not lost or broken, we will not need to collect any money from you.
I am borrowing one recorder from the Park Elementary Music Program for my child, _________________________, to use at home. I promise to return the recorder when requested. If it is lost or broken, I promise to pay a $5 replacement fee.
_________________________ _________________
Lost another recorder this year when a girl's backpack wore out and the mom
threw the backpack away forgetting to take the recorder out. The mom was
devasted and went out and bought a Yamaha to replace the one she had thrown
out. Intermediates: So, I thought, if someone is deliberately and continuously over blowing, they can insert their cleaning fuzzy and keep right along playing/fingering with the class. There's also a little bit of resistance created by the fuzzy inside and unless the student enjoys blowing against this resistance to where he tuckers himself out, he may just lighten up on the blowing all together. After a little while, the fuzzy can be taken out and the student given another chance to breathe more properly into his recorder. 1. When I keep the recorded accompaniments volume down rather low, the over blowing eases up big time. They simply can't hear the cd when they're playing too loud. 2. When I provide small group/individual playing opportunities during class, there is usually no over blowing. I'll often divide a piece by phrase, line, measure, etc. and assign groups to ea (boys/girls, dift. rows, red belts vs brown belts, etc.). My sparring activities have also worked well to alleviate over blowing problems. The kids, when put on the spot a bit in front of the others, are not as willing to over blow and reveal any obvious inadequacies. Just begin by gently breathing with the mouth open a few times (nose closed), then close mouth and breathe just thru the nose. Then with mouth & nose open, breathe thru mouth while letting air leak thru the nose too. Put your finger under your nose to check if any air is passing from the nose. Also, with mouth closed, expel a breath from your nose and at the same time fill your mouth with air (puffing out your cheeks). Actually you can just force some air into your mouth with your tongue while nose breathing. I can do this while playing and get rid of a lot of excess breath. It's weird I know, but works. I find this especially helpful with short playing phrases where I may take a big breath but only need to play across a few beats before taking another breath. Too much breath behind the playing makes for overblowing. Ed Sueta's method includes timed breath tests where kids hold a note(s) as long as possible. At first I didn't really like doing these, but I'm now finding them quite valuable in helping the kids to control and manage their breath efficiently. I do them a lot more.
All the above have worked for me through a LOT of trial and error and a LOT of laughter too!!!! Give the "breathe rather than blow" idea a shot. Hopefully it will work for you as it has for me. The whole quality of recorder playing has changed because of this.
Easy to change. You either use the old method of bees waxing cotton sewing thread and wrapping that round the joint until you have sufficient . The trick is to first make a loop and lay that vertically against the recorder. Leave a little piece below where you are winding and wrap so that it is left showing. when you have wrapped sufficient thread. Put the end through the top of the loop and then pull gently the end so it is underneath then trim the ends. If you don't want to try that as it sounds complicated.....sprinkler pipe tape works! Not quite such a "Kosher way of doing it but it works! - Contributed by Susan Michiels
06/06 Blue Smoothie from MK8 15-5 (http://www.musick8.com/) is a terrific bluesy song for recorder. My group is doing it right now. My group started learning recorders in October so they're sort of advanced now. Blue Smoothie is not that hard (G A B C D). If it's a little too difficult for your group, I'm sure you could simplify it a little and still use the accompaniment track. You'll love Blue Smoothie. My kids do. -- Meredith Harley Inserra For example: Using Humpty Dumpty: You could also give them more guidelines like Student A has to start on "G" and Student B has to end on "G" or something like that. -- Dana McCabe, Minnesota These 4 POSITIONS will help everyone make MUSIC, not noise. 1. AWAY POSITION: Keep your recorder in its case until the teacher says to use it. Keep it under your seat or behind you. TOP TEN LIST OF HELPFUL HINTS 1. Your LEFT HAND is always on top. Check every time you play.
I print out enough copies of the music for half the number of kids in the class. They sit on the floor with a partner and share. I don't let them recline, but we are on the floor. On recorder days, they have 5-10 minutes to practice out loud with a partner, while I generally stand in the hall with a cup of coffee. Then they have to be quiet for testing and lessons. I started something new this week that they seem to be enjoying. I wrote the first four measures of a song that's a little above their note reading ability, but which we sang last year. Using their fingering charts and shared intuition, they have to figure out what song it is. Those who figure it out will go into a drawing for a prize of some sort, and I'll probably put their names on the morning announcements. I'm told there was much discussion at recess today, and several kids copied the notes to work on at home.
My kids have to sit on the floor. This year I bought those cheap cardboard
desk stands at .35 a piece and they work much better than the kids laying
their music flat on the floor.
I recommend using overheads and sitting on the floor. You can use a Vis-a-Vis pen to highlight the OH's. Saves paper, less for kids to handle, don't need to take time to distribute/collect.
I don't do recorder karate, but I do teach from an overhead most of the time. It is possible to have the kids sit on the floor with their own books/music sheets. Mine use the legs of their folding chair as the music stand. Ours have a bar that goes across and connects to the legs about 6 inches off the floor. The point where this attaches to either leg makes a decent music support. I don't feel that sitting on the floor promotes good playing posture, so that's one reason we don't do it very often, but it is possible. Some kids just lay their music on the floor, but most like it standing up Ok, to start the game, I'll secretly choose one of the patterns and play it in front of the kids (so they can see my fingers) in a ta ah, ta ah, ta ah, rest rest pattern. They'll echo play. Then I'll ask who can name the pattern (hopefully all hands will go up). When the pattern is correctly spelled, the kids then can look for this pattern on their grid and mark it accordingly. I will also put a check mark by the pattern on the board. Play continues until someone calls Bingo. To verify the bingo, the winner must play the 3 patterns making the bingo. He then can eat his bingo and cont. playing with the others. After a few winners, I'll have everyone clear their cards and possibly switch cards.
1. Be organized with the recorders. Have student names on each recorder or a numbering system to maintain order.
2. Do not let the recorders leave your room! 30%-50% may never come back!
Encourage students to buy real recorders that work for at home use.
3. Buy and recommend recorders that play on pitch and do not break easy. I also highly recommend a cloth bag for each recorder. The plastic bags can become quite nasty in a short time. Yamaha has a nice set up for about $4.25 each in bulk.
4. Have a very systematic approach to the use of the recorder. For example: Anyone that makes a sound must put their instrument away for the day. Keep instrument in the bag until instructed to remove it. Instrument on lap. Instrument up. etc.
5. Drill first three fingers and thumb and have them say 1, 2, 3, echoing you to practice fingering. I use the note names after they have some control of the instrument.
6. Demonstrate the very, very gentle blowing that makes the recorder sound the best. All over sounds are unacceptable!
7. This might seem rigid, but students need very specific directions sometimes.
2) I also give occasional rewards if everyone in the class brings their own recorders. There are always a few straglers on buying their instruments, this helps to remind them to get the money from mom or dad or to get their butts into the local music store to get one. they get to use the "School-owned" ones until that day. I use the sterisol, but it still grosses them out, especially when I tell them who used the "bright yellow one" last. There is also a quiz, where the recorder fingerings are shown, and you have a time limit in which to respond with the correct note name. As to composing, we actually had some interesting pieces. They were all so reluctant to leave - they were into it! I might extend it - but it says that the owner has passed away, so I don't know if it would be worth it - no support available. The kids sure want me to extend it! And so many asked for the address to download it at home. Here it is, if you want to check it out.
Pentatonic recorder books in the English language: The Rothgarber (1979) manual includes parts for Orff instruments. I find the book appealing because it spends adequate time on so and mi.
I have also ordered alot of really good school-level music from Sweet Pipes: http://sweetpipes.com/
The Dubbe (1971) manual also includes parts for Orff instruments. Dubbe starts with B, A, and G--probably because she considers these the easiest notes to play. The book is not applicable for Flutophone, Tonette, or Song Flute, because high E is introduced early in the book. The notation may be too small for children's comfort.
Of course I'm biased, but I like the 70-page book which I myself compiled for my Song Flute students. The first part covers C, D, E, G, and A to put the songs in the children's comfortable singing range. Those concerned about overuse of the chest voice will be comforted to know that I jump to the key of F in the latter part of the book to accommodate low so and low la. I give instructions for action songs and singing games. I also document sources, but I don't have permission from the copyright owners. I'm afraid to publish it, but I'm willing to offer it at a break-even price. If you would like a copy, send a $10 check or MO to Thomas Robertson, PO Box 16548, Knoxville, TN 37996.
Dubbe, M. B. 1971. Beginners' recorder method based on the pentatonic scale. St. Louis: Magnamusic-Baton.
Gifford, E. F. 1981a. Read and play, the singing way: My first (& second) recorder books. Brookvale, Australia: Educational Supplies Pty. Ltd. The pages of the Gifford (1981a, 1981b) manuals are in landscape style with nice large notes. A few of the songs are provided with ostinati.
King, J. L. 1984. Development of an elementary classroom soprano recorder method. Masters thesis, San Jose State University, San Jose,CA.
Price, S. L. 1976. Kodaly and Orff adapted to teaching the recorder. Masters thesis, Ball State University, Muncie, IN. Most of the songs in the Price (1976) thesis are taken from the appendices to the two Choksy books.
Rothgarber, H. 1979. Sing, clap & play: A classroom method for recorder & Orff instruments. Sherman Oaks, CA: Alfred Publishing Co.
A great resource is a book called "Recorder Routes" by Carole King. It ties in Orff techniques and is very easy to follow. I've had wonderful success with this book.
The Ed Sueta recorder method is great fun. It is simple enough for beginners but challenging enough to hold everyone's attention. It has a nice mix of music. It also comes with a play along CD or cassette. Many of my students purchased his play along CD to practice at home.
Ed Sueta recorders: Macie Publishing Company, 10 Astro Place Suite 100, Rockaway NJ 07866, (888) 697 1333 Ed Sueta now has a website featuring all his recorder products and more. It's www.maciepublishing.com THE COMPLETE RECORDER RESOURCE. Plank Road carries it as well.
Themes & Variations, 57 Ahlstrom Close, Red Derr, AB, T4R 2T6, Phone/fax 403-346-2741
email:[email protected], www.christmasconcert.com
Silver Burdett Ginn has, as an integral part of their series THE MUSIC CONNECTION, significant amounts of recorder material....up to 60 selections in grade 3 alone. If you would like more information about this, call 1-800-848-9500
Thomas, Judith "Three To Get Ready" Orff, movement, etc., for recorder
I'd be happy to send follow up information to anyone who is interested. NON-DISCLAIMER: I DO have an interest in this book. My wife wrote it and I typed every word into the word processor! It's still a great book!!
John & Susie Howell ([email protected]) Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034
Recorder for handicapped: 1-800-424-4724 Rhythm Band
"Wind Songs" by Beraducci. There are 5 books, and are very sequential.
The "Recorder Activity Book" written by Artie Almeida is a wonderful tool for teachers. It gives a lot of ideas for lessons and also a lot of games. This is the address: Macie Publishing Company, 10 Astro Place, Suite 100 Rockaway, NJ 07866, (800) 256-6824
Recorder music of Glenn Weiss: http://gweiss.users.50megs.com/recorderfriendly.htm
Cox & Rickard (1981) begin the series with BAG. A clever innovation is a monotone song on each new note with appropriate alliterative text ("Bach played bagpipes in a brass band.") As in the John Thompson course, cartoon figures offer reminder tips, except that the cartoon characters are student peers rather than elves. After low D and E are added, Orff instruments are introduced. Third-space C; Sing, clap and play the recorder: Book 1. London: Macmillan.
Usborne Books has a book, the "First Book of the Recorder" by Philip Hawthorn. This book is designed for beginners, and is a colorful, practical guide to playing the recorder. This is an easy and entertaining introduction to music, combined with advice on getting the best sound from your recorder. This book is recommended for ages 6 and up.
4th grade students - Try Do IT! Play Recorder - James Froseth - G.I.A. publications. It has a CD with the book. Words to the songs also. Many Styles. Write Alec Harris at G.I.A. publications - 7404 South Mason Avenue Chicago., Illinois 60631. He will send you a free book and CD to review. Phone: 1 - 800 - 442 - 1358
WINDSONGS: It is published by Empire Music in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. It costs about 3.50-4 dollars for the first book of the series. They have very good service. 1-800-663-5979 There are 5 books in the series (+ a 6th for alto recorder) and it is written for Orff or Kodaly programs. The book is very lively, offering a few different ways of getting the notes across and also some written work for the children. Book I + a recorder and fabric case is $5.00.
PENTATONIC RECORDER MANUALS
King (1994) also starts with BAG and also involves Orff instruments. Each song is appended with instructions to the teacher. Many of the songs in the book are written by King, so they haven't undergone the simplification which traditional songs undergo through being transferred from one generation to another. The Orff accompaniments in the front of the book seem too difficult for an inexperienced class.
Learning the Recorder (basics + repertoire): www.practiserecorder.com/
Beginning songs BAG + practice excerpts of many song with play along midis:
Learn to Play Recorder: http://www.studyladder.com/learn/music/topic/recorder-0
O Come All Ye Faithful (sop, tenor, alto, bass-f + 2 descants): http://www.aotc.net/Faithful.gif
10/02 Ed Sueta now has a website featuring all his recorder products and more. It's www.maciepublishing.com
The student is on task.
The student is cooperative.
The student is a good listener.
The student participates positively.
The student sings in tune with good quality and blend.
The student learns the melody, words, and rhythms quickly.
The student maintains good posture while singing.
The student demonstrates excellent skills: in Rhythm, Form, and Melody.
(through movement, instrumental, written, or other activities)
The student demonstrates excellent retention of knowledge learned about
Music History, Connections, and Music Theory.
E=Excellent-Always does the above to the best of his/her ability.
G=Good- Almost Always
S=Satisfactory- Usually, but requires prodding to achieve and exhibits only
"satisfactory" behavior
N=Needs Improvement- Sometimes, but behavior is unsuitable to classroom
environment, makes little effort
U=Unsatisfactory- Almost never participates appropriately, doesn't try, is
disruptive
Name_____________________________ Grade___ Room____
ALWAYS SOME OF THE TIME I HAVE TO BE PRODDED DON'T TRY
4. Name your favorite movement activity in music during this
unit_____________
ALWAYS SOME OF THE TIME MY BEHAVIOR COULD IMPROVE I DON'T
7. RECORDER- I remembered to bring my recorder back to use in class.
ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER DIDN'T BUY ONE
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
ALWAYS SOME OF THE TIME MY BEHAVIOR COULD IMPROVE DON'T
YES MOSTLY NO
______________________________ _____________________________
_______________________________ _____________________________
ALWAYS SOME OF THE TIME MY BEHAVIOR COULD IMPROVE I DON'T
MELODY MAKERS CHOIR BAND ORCHESTRA RECORDER CLUB
Other musical activities outside of school________________________________
(write in if you did a church choir, take piano, dance, or other lessons)
17. I will be performing at the All School Luau. You can count on me! YES NO
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04/02 I tried a new way last year, and it worked very well. I had to put the idea
of a controlled and quiet classroom out of the way, however. I made up
folders of the music we were working on for each color belt. I let the
class divide up in pairs (I made sure they were pairs that could work well
together.) They would then work together on the piece they were working on,
and evaluate each other. I am going to include the evaluation sheet below.
I told them they had to evaluate very fairly - and if I found anyone grading
too easy or too hard, I would take away their latest earned belt. (worked
like a charm!) Every pair could go at their own pace. They were so
"gung-ho" that I had to watch that one partner didn't try to earn all the
belts before their partner got a chance.
(To be filled out by the student who is evaluating)
1. MY NAME IS:_________________________________________________
2. MY CLASSROOM TEACHER IS _______________________________________
3. MY PARTNER'S NAME IS ____________________________________________
4. HE/SHE PLAYED THE SONG: ___________________________________________
5. HE/SHE SCORED THE FOLLOWING: (3 IS THE HIGHEST SCORE, 1 IS THE LOWEST
SCORE)
FINGERING/NOTES TONE QUALITY RHYTHM
1 2 3 / 1 2 3 / 1 2 3
_______________
+ _______________
TOTAL = _______________
LISTENER'S NAME: ____________________________________
PLAYER'S NAME: _______________________________________
----------------------
I too take off points for kids that do not use the proper hand position.
They know that if they use incorrect hand position it is an automatic -5
points on whatever they are playing. (This usually drops them 1/2 a letter
grade.)
-------------------
At the end of our recorder work in 4th, I use a 20-point matching
test over common terms/signs/etc. as well as individual playing
assessments. As a teaching activity, my college student (junior)
was reviewing this material with a game, but she needed to write
a test to cover the activity. The test had to include T/F, multiple
choice, short answer, and ESSAY. For the essay part, she asked
the students to WRITE the entire "Recorder Rap." I was waiting
with interest to see the results as I reviewed the papers after
school and was pleasantly surprised to see how well most of the
70 students did. Some of them really amazed me! (Also discovered
that my 4th do not know how to spell "instrument." We'll have to
do a little work on that.)
-------------------
Testing. During my recorder unit I save the last 10 or 15 minutes for testing. I have kids sit down and practice in a line if they are ready to test while the student being tested sits right next to me at my desk. Students that are not ready to test spread out around the room and practice. Yes it's a bit loud but it works. Some individuals have a really hard time with all the noise, I will allow them to work in the hall.... I had NO behavior problems with this... BACK to Recorder topics
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EASY SONGS
B B A A
B B A A
Repeat for chorus.
We also do "Whacky Old St. Nick". Reminds one of "We Will Rock You" with "hohoho's". Great fun. Recorders play the BAG part and xylophones play the second line. I teach in two phrases so that they can "memorize" and play xylophones. Hard to look up and down.
If they are a bit more advanced we do "Fum Fum Fum". They read letters or notes. For performance I sometimes direct it with hand signals - head, shoulders, waist. Or just show levels with my hands. I think Martha recommended this song-were the hand signals her idea, too, I think so. I think a student will direct it this time. ---- Linda Z in FL
BACK to Recorder topics
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EXERCISES
11/08 I use the "Axel F" song from the Crazy Frog CD. You can get it on itunes. Here are several of the finger workouts that we use for the "Crazy Frog Workout":
2. Finger taps: While sitting down, place hands on your knees. Starting with the thumb tap just the thumb. Don't allow any other finger to move. Do as many taps as you feel they need. Do the same with the pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, and the pinkie. Explain to the students not to be "nasty" when you get to the middle finger. Encourage the students to lift the fingers as high as they can get them to go. You'll need to also remind them not to let the other fingers move as they do the taps.
3. Fingers to thumb: Tap each finger to the thumb. This seems simple, but it really does help.
4. Criss-Cross: put both hand together (like praying hands). Bend down a finger (e.g pointer finger) The fingers will make an "X" and then lay side by side. Straighten the fingers back up. Now when you bend them back down make sure they switch sides. For example when I bend my pointer fingers for the first time my right pointer finger goes to the right side of the left pointer finger (the back of my right hand is facing me) The next time I bend the same fingers, the right pointer finger goes to the left side of the left pointer finger ( I hope this makes sense). Have them bend the same fingers for a few seconds. I usually just call out a finger for them to do. It doesn't matter whether they start laying the fingers on the right side or the left side. They it happen the natural way.
5. Recorder Finger taps: have them pick up the recorder and place the left hand and right hand into playing positions, no recorders go in the mouth. Just like the tapping of fingers on your knees they will tap the fingers on the holes of the recorder. I usually start off with the left pointer finger and work my way down the recorder and then work my way back up the recorder. I do not do all of these in one sessions. I just randomly pick 2 or 3 per class session. As your students get use to these exercises you can make it more challenging by calling fingers out randomly. Our do an 8-6-4-2-1 count. E.g. 8 taps with each finger, 6 taps, 4 taps, and so forth. Make sure you start off simple, work the finger in order (e.g pointer, middle, ring, etc.) and go slow because you want the students to get the feel of moving each finger independently. I do not always do the challenges only from time to time. -- Tami Mangusso
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11/03 Westminster chimes which is a great beginning boomwhacker/bells activity which gets all students to pay attention if you group them according to color and in the order of the C diatonic scale.
We practice it on boomwhackers, on bells and also on resonator bars and get quite a fell for melodic line as a result. Ringing always starts and ends with the rounds row (1234). This is done slowly to begin with I actually do a demonstration with four children moving but when the class does it no-one actually moves places .
Change middle pair to get next row 2 1 4 3
Change both pairs to get next row 2 4 1 3
Change middle pair to get next row 4 2 3 1
Change both pairs to get next row 4 3 2 1
Change middle pair to get next row 3 4 1 2
Change both pairs to get next row 3 1 4 2
Change middle pair to get next row 1 3 2 4 ,p.If you copy this pattern into a Word file and then color code the numbers it is easier for the students to understands what is going on. I do this with some second grades and a lot with third grades. We also sing the peals eventually.
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I am planning a new activity with my 7th-8th gr. recorder classes next week utilizing a 4 part round from their book. Thought I'd share...This round is full of 3 note ascending and descending step-wise patterns and we'll start with a warm-up isolating some of these. For example, on the rhythm ta-a ta-a ta-a ta-a ta ta ta ta ta-a-a-a, we'll play A B C B A B C B A a few times. Then switch to C D E', G A B, etc. Then we'll look at the score and work out each section of the round 1 at a time to secure and then play thru it all a few times. At the next session, we'll review the piece. Then, I'll invite 4 players (captains) to at one of the 4 numbered walls (all able to see the overhead screen with the music). They will play the piece together first and then play it as a round in order by number.
1. Play the round in it's entirety after all four captains have chosen 1 new person for their team, so with each playing, there is one new person added. May not wish to rotate with this variation.
2. After captains have played the round, they pick the next players to play and then sit down, so only the 4 new players will play the next round. These players then pick 4 more, etc. etc. Rotating would not really be necessary.
3. The activity could also be reversed. After teams have all rotated and are back where they started, then a player from each team (in reverse order that they were picked) would sit down. The first players out would be the captains. This could probably be done with any round. I'll be using Entrendes Vous (sp?) from Sueta bk 2.-- Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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FINGERING CHART
12/11 Plank Road has some by Norman Sands. Here is the address:
http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=2902
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06/09 Recorder Fingering Horizontal Font: http://www.box.net/shared/1fonjkn47b --- Brian Weese
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FORGOTTEN RECORDERS
12/07 Our kids needed to have their recorder, notebook, and a pencil for each class and we kept track of the kids. Soooo, we sang answers to the role call on a falling third. The kids were to have their recorder, notebook with music, and a pencil. To keep track of their attendance, vocal development, and their materials, we called it a "point check." We would sing to each student, "Annie?" And Annie would reply, "3" if she had all three items. If she forgot something the number would be "2", "1" or "0." If she had a zero, we would sing, "Better try harder next time!" These were all sung on a falling third. If the entire class got a "3" then extra points were added for their class score. If the same kid kept getting 2, 1, or 0, a phone call was made to the child's home. No materials, no evaluation! Grade went down. It was an instant roll call for attendance, point check, and pitch evaluation all wrapped into one.-- Cak
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07/05 Forgot My Recorder!! (Kids Without Recorders) change category
I have the most success in rewarding the ones who remember instead of punishing those who forget. We all forget and some of the children have more to deal with at home than they should. Knowing they have a safety net is a bit of grace in their life. I want them to experience music and if they do it on their own recorder that they remember or on one of my loaners...it really doesn't matter. The learning is what matters. Yes...I want to teach, acknowledge and reward responsibility. I do that by complimenting and making a big to do about all of you responsible people who remember. The 'forgetters' get the hint and want to be rewarded too! Kristin Lukow ~ Nebraska
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07/05 I have a few things I do for kids w/o recorders: I have a few spare recorders that I take the mouthpiece off...and the kids just finger. I have a sentence sheet that they take home if they forget more than twice:
_______________________forgot their recorder for music class on ______________.
As a result, your child was unable to learn and progress during class today.
What we practiced/learned ____________________________________
As parent or guardian of this child, I would like you to discuss this, have your child practice what they missed, and make sure that your child brings their recorder to school every day. (I have asked them to keep it in their backpack at all times (unless they are practicing). Please sign below (and your child as well) that you have discussed this and that your child has practiced to make up for what they missed in class. Please return this form to [teacher name] by the next school day.
________________________ _____________________ parent or guardian signature child's signature
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I have a bucket of loaner recorders. The students who forget do not need to tell me, they just get a loaner. I disinfect them when they are all used...usually about once a week. No one wants to use them as they smell like bleach and are not at all pretty but they do the job. We all forget things sometimes and I just don't want to stress over it. I do have some students whose parents will not let them buy a recorder so they always use a loaner and that's okay too. -- Kristin Lukow
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04/02 I also
have quite a few students who need to borrow school recorders, so to show the
belts they had earned, I gave them a small rubber band and they tie their belt
onto that. It is stored in the box with their class's recorders so that they
can slip it on the recorder that they borrow during the next class. I found
some rubber bands that are just the right size in the hair department. They are
"Scunci" brand and 250 of them come in a package.
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03/02 Forgotten recorders: Start purchasing 'school' recorders. 20 a year or so, or perhaps put out a donate old recorders cry in a newsletter. I have enough for all of my 4th graders. These are the recorders that they use in class, unless they bring their own. Takes care of the forgotten recorder thing. I offer new recorders and a recorder book for anyone that wants to purchase them at the beginning of the year. Most kids do...
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GAMES
06/16 I posted an exercise with ten notes and told the students to warm-up and
practice it while I took attendance and did a minute or so of class prep
work.
I also had the pattern written on a piece of staff paper on my
music stand. I switched the screen to show a bowling score sheet. We did a
playing test and I scored it like bowling. The kids loved it and everyone
took their turn and played in front of their classmates. There was lots of
positive reinforcement and encouragement going on among their peers - was
great to see.
I drew names one at a time out of a cup (names on popsicle sticks). The
student came up and played. If perfect, they scored a strike. If they made
mistakes, I counted how many notes they got correct and posted that score
in the first box. The next student had to try and get the spare. If the 2nd
student played it perfectly they picked up the spare, any mistake and it
was an open frame.
I warned the students that there was a chance that not everyone would get
to play - the more strikes the class had, the fewer students would have to
play. As luck would have it, every student but one (I did this in two
classes) had to play.
Final scores between the classes: 183 and 200. I would have been happy
rolling those scores back in my bowling league days! ----- Karen Reynolds
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Ideas
07/13 Recorder Memory Game: Students will be able to read a fingering chart and to learn how to finger the notes on the recorder. To determine the order of players, students will roll a dice. The highest roll goes first; if students tie they roll the dice again. To find a complete set, a person must find the card with the letter, the card with the note on the music staff, and the card with the correct recorder fingering (three cards total). I have a card set for: B, A, G, E, D, c', d', F.----- Tami Mangusso
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RECORDER GAME
App for recorder students:
https://itunes.apple.com/app/recorder-master/id492065346
It's awesome! ($1.99)
I have it on my computer and bring it up for the kids to watch on the
Promethean board. I have a mic set up with my computer and they get to sit
at my desk. They have to "perform" a little bit in front of their peers but
I take volunteers. Then it keeps the other kids engaged because they can
see what is going on. I also recommend to them that they silently do the
fingerings to practice for their turn. ------ Julia Hartman
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07/11 My students love to play "Poison Rhythm" using their recorders. I just tell them what note they will use to play the rhythm and change the note every few slides.
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DOMINOES (Recorder fingerings) Online to print out by Brian Weese: http://www.box.net/shared/vl6a98pljj
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08/04 I just finished a Recorder Scavenger hunt activity I'm going to use to reacquaint my returning recorder classes with their method book. I use the Ed Sueta method and have geared all the questions to that book's contents, but you could easily adapt the activity to suit whatever method book you are using.
1. Who is the publisher of this recorder method (title page).
2. On which pages are the D's introduced?
3. How many duets can you find?
4. Find a diagram of a recorder labeling all of the parts.
5. After BAG, what is the next single note introduced?
6. How many Christmas selections can you find?
7. How many pieces are taken from Classical symphonic melodies? 8. Find a fingering chart. ...etc. etc.
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08/04 RECORDER TIC TAC TOE
I'm just going to type out what will be on each student's grid sheet...
Name------ Grade -------Date
SOLO MEMORY SPELL COMPOSE IMPROVISE
TECHNIQUE RHYTHM DUO
CHANCE DIVIDE SIGHTREAD CHALLENGE
SOLO: perform a solo piece for your teacher or the class with no more than 2 errors. The piece should reflect your current level of proficiency. (This can be a test piece)!
IMPROVISE: improvise play a series of 4 meaningful musical responses in a call-response warm-up with the teacher or student(s).
CHANCE: give your grid to someone else who will choose an item of "their" choice to write in.
MEMORY: perform a piece by memory at a performance level standard. (Concert pieces count here)!
TECHNIQUE: perform a 5 or 8 note ascending/descending scale pattern 3x in a row w/o pause in half, quarter, and 8th note rhythms at mm 60 with no more than 3 errors.
DIVIDE: play selected solo sections of a piece with the class with no more than 2 errors.
SPELL: score 100% on any current written note speller drill/test.
RHYTHM: realize, on a given pitch, 4 randomly selected rhythm patterns with no more than 1 error.
SIGHT-READ: play at sight a short piece selected by the teacher with no more than 3 errors.
COMPOSE: compose and perform an original piece no less than 8 measures long.
DUO: perform, at performance level standard, a duet piece with the teacher, or student.
CHALLENGE: perform one of the challenge exercises in your book at mm 80 with no more than 1 error.
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11/03 "PLAY THAT TUNE": Divide the class into teams (however many you want). Each team is
given a noise maker. I use rhythm instruments, each team gets a different instrument.
The teacher or a student plays a phrase from a song. When a team thinks they know the
song they use their rhythm instrument to buzz in. Then the team plays the song. They
can use their music or try it from memory. Sometimes we play challenging rounds where
they can't use their music. If they play it correctly they get a point. If they don't
play it correctly or play the wrong song, the other teams can try to steal it by buzzing
in with their instruments. I've also played this game where I just play melody patterns
and the teams have to play what I played.
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06/02 TIC-TAC-TOE Home-made Recorder bingo game was great success with my 6ths & 7ths. I prepared a blank tic-tac-toe grid with a "Melody Space" in the middle. I made copies of the grid. Then I copied the Recorder Karate chart of all the notes/fingerings found in the book. I let the kids prepare their own grids by having them cut out 8 of the 10 possible notes and glue them on the grid in any arrangement they wanted. Then I had them glue the grids onto black construction paper. I laminated them all. I made 2 laminated copies of the note/fingering chart, one which I cut up by notes for calling, and the other for the master chart.
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05/02 I've come up with a recorder game I'm going to try with my 6th & 7th grade classes next week and thought I'd share. The intention is to review playing skills, song material, and have fun...Divide class into 2 teams. Flip a coin to decide who bats first. Arrange the room with chairs for the bases (except home). Place a music stand with a copy of the recorder book or belt songs on it by home plate (this is the pitcher's mound). The team that is "up" stays behind home plate, the other team is in the outfield (scattered about the opposite side of the room, seated or standing). Everyone has their recorders in hand. Each batter will be playing a short phrase or measure of music that you select depending on the type of "hit" selected.
1. Each player gets 2 tries when up to bat.
2. The playing must be accurate in terms of notes, rhythm, and articulation to allow the player to make their "hit".
3. Any errors when playing constitutes a foul. 2 fouls and you're out.
4. After the batter plays the material, the outfielders are to echo what was played (this is mainly to keep them engaged in the game).
5. A side is retired after 3 outs, or the entire team has batted that inning.
6. A player cannot hit higher than his current belt level.
7. No stealing is allowed (except I'm considering placing a student in the outfield as a ref. and if someone is caught NOT echo playing, then the runners will be allowed a steal. I may give this ref a green card to hold up when a steal is permitted. Only 1 base can be stolen and no out can be made on a steal).
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04/02 On the final days before Spring Break, I wanted to lighten up my lessons,
so I created a couple of Recorder Games for my intermediate students to
play.
R
E
C
O
R
D
E
R
S
wagne R hythm
baroqu E cho
romanti C lassical
pian O pera
percy grainge R hapsody
woodwin D ance
flut E lvis M
recorde R ock and Roll
bras S oloBACK to Recorder topics
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INDEPENDANT SMALL GROUPS
1. All advanced groups are expected to cooperate and work together. No one person is "the boss." You must help each other to achieve success. Each member is EQUALLY important. WORK TOGETHER!
2. Together determine the FORM of the song. Each person in the group should learn the top melody line for only the first phrase. When you are confident together, have each group member play the first phrase alone. Help each other.
3. Work on the middle harmony line for the first phrase. Again, when you feel confident together, have each group member play the first phrase of the harmony line alone.
4. Half of the ensemble will play the melody and half play the harmony. Reverse parts so that each of you has played both the melody and harmony line.
5. Work on the alto recorder line. When you feel confident as a group, have each group member play the first phrase of the alto harmony line alone.
6. Divide the ensemble into three equal parts. Take turns playing each of the trio parts for the first phrase. Continue to change parts so that all of you have played all the parts.
7. Review the form of the song. Work the BE phrase using the steps 1 through 6.
8. Play the entire song as an ensemble.
9. Discuss dynamics and other musical markings. When you have determined how you will play your song, mark your music. (Crescendo, decrescendo, pp, up, mf, mp, if, ff, staccato, legato, etc.) Practice the music as you have marked it.
10. Determine who will set the tempo. How will you end your song? Will one person act as a "conductor" for the group? (This is not required.)
11. Practice much! Discuss giving your audience time to applaud. A performing group that does not bow is insulting its audience. Practice your bow. THINK PROFESSIONALLY!!
12. Perform the completed trio for your class members. "We are eager to hear your performance." - Cak
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HALF HOLE NOTES
To play a high E, simply "crack" your thumb. By that I mean that you
slide your thumb very slightly down (although I think some folks slide
to the side), creating a "crack" for the air to get out. This creates
the necessary acoustic change, and all you need to do is add a bit of
faster air to go with it. Taking the thumb off is always trickier, and
uses unnecessary motion.
---------------
Try this advice from an old flute player. Use the
same fingering for low E, but slightly tip head and
recorder up. I know it sounds like magic, but if you
THINK higher, it will PLAY higher. Model the note
just before they attempt it so they have the pitch in
their heads.
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RECORDER KARATE
06/14 I used something similar to Recorder Karate in a guitar unit last year. The kids had colored paper folders that held their music and I just cut a piece of ribbon and stapled it onto the pocket inside the folder. They were just as motivated as they were with recorder, it worked great. ---- Rebecca Malick
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10/12 I have been using colored electrical tape for my "belts." Typically the students tape the bottom of their recorder in the color, but some prefer to put a strip of the color on the back of it so they can overlap the colours and form a rainbow. ---- Celeste Weber
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12/11 I've used RK for the past 5 years. Each year I "tweak" it a little. This past year I started my students (2nd semester 4th graders) with "Dexter Dragon" and had lots of success. I used those 4 songs for white, yellow, orange and pink belts. ( yes, I added a new color) I picked up the recorder karate lessons at green belt. I haven't used "Hot Cross Buns" since year 2 as the kids really weren't reading the music and would get frustrated when they got to the 2nd & 3rd songs. This year, I plan to use only 3 songs from "Dexter Dragon". Testing 10 songs was a bit of a trick last year! I see my kids 2x a week for 45 minutes and test them as a group; walking around the room, watching and listening to the students. Not all students pass every test. I want 90% accuracy for students to earn their belts. I do, however, let a student move on if they don't pass a test. Some songs are just too tricky for a few.... Out of 70 students last year, 65 passed every song! All passed the first 3 songs; and, amazingly, they all passed "Old MacDonald". ---- Julie in Central Illinois
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07/11 TONGING?: I have found a happy medium... I use rainbow colors for my belts, and the first 3 are easy to earn...making it possible for every student to earn red, orange and yellow.
RED BELT: show lh on top, good posture and play b, a, g with a pretty sound.
ORANGE BELT: all of above and play hot cross buns; earn a bead for your belt if you use tonguing
YELLOW BELT: all techniques above; play Mary/Little Lamb; get 95% or better on note name test
After yellow, everything must be correctly articulated. --- Becky Luce
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07/11 Recorder Karate:
http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=443 – Kids can play online.
http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=2842 – Kids can play online.
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06/10 BELTS - I use fuzzy yarn and attach the "belts" to a jumbo paper clip. That way they can clip them onto their pants or folders. --- Linda McVety Naples, Me. K-3
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06/09 BULLETIN BOARD AWARDS: I have a board in my room for which I custom made a cover (bulletin board...really long) that has colored cloth for each of the belts. I sewed it all together the summer I was pregnant with Owen and have used it every year since. (this would be the 4th year). The kids each have a card that has their name on it. They move it across the board when they achieve the next belt, adding the appropriate color of yarn to their card (I punched 9 holes along the bottom of the 1" x 2" card). --- Stephanie in Tacoma (Menefee)
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07/05 BEADS I actually use beads on the ends of my crocheted belts for what I call "extensions..." going above and beyond what was required to earn the belt itself. My boys LOVE these beads!!!!! I actually have more boys than girls who have currently earned the beads. -- Becky in NH
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07/05 SHOELACES I go to Walmart and buy brown leather strap kind of stuff (sorry I don't know what it is called.) It looks like a spool of shoelaces for moccasins. I then buy the little stringing beads of the colors I want. Each student cuts and ties onto his/her recorder a 10 inch length of the strap. Each time the student earns a belt, I give him/her TWO beads of the belt color and ONE WHITE bead. (The white is to separate the belt colors.) Storage, I have one of those clear plastic storage boxes (89 cents at Wal Mart at the beginning of school and I bought about 30 of them for all sorts of things in the classrooms.) and I put the beads in zipping, closeable sandwich bags (or whatever size you need for the amount of beads you have.) in the box. I don' think I pay more than maybe $15.00 for the entire year's worth of leather, beads, etc. -- Bill Ahlma
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07/05 BEADS I also use beads for Recorder Karate and both the boys and girls love them. I buy pony beads at the craft store and 12 inch pipe cleaners. I buy the pipe cleaners in bright colors. When the students earn their white bead they get to choose whatever color of pipe cleaner they wish. I tie the pipe cleaner to the hanger of their recorder. If they don't have a hanger I wrap it around the end of their recorder. Then I slip the bead onto the bottom of the pipe cleaner and pull it all the way to the top. Take the bottom of the pipe cleaner up through the top of the bead and pull it through while keeping the bead at the top of the pipe cleaner. That will hold the bead in place. Sometimes it's not what you get but what you have to do to earn it that matters. If you have to work to earn it, it means more to you. -- Carol Childers
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07/05 TRANSPOSING!! I have extended to "transpose" belts where they play the previous belt songs in a different key-----for instance, hot cross buns (white belt) in F or C. I bought some multi-colored patriotic yarn for a belt for playing a song about America, too. -- Cheryl Bradham
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07/05 I bought LEATHER STRIPS at the local craft store, and then beads that fit onto them. The leather is attached to the bottom of the recorder (the bell). One side is for the white/yellow/green/etc. belts, the other side for the special beads: solo, tutoring, sight reading, composing, special performances, etc. I use the glittery and metallic beads for that side. The boys LOVE them! (Even my sixth graders!) There is a picture of my recorders: http://www.musick8.com/rkdojo/photos/rkphotodisplay.tpl?num=58&r=885&photo=oeste.jpg. If that doesn't work; go to MusicK8.com, then to recorder dojo, then to photos, then to my name (Patricia Oeste)
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I use the beads, too. Both boys and girls get excited about them. I reward the students with a bead every time they remember their recorder, then I also give them for solo playing, great effort, or sometimes to the whole class for a great job! The beads are not associated with a particular song or skill. I like to be more flexible with it. They love to choose their own colors - girls usually make nice patterns and boys usually go for the colors of their favorite team. We string them on the Halo Hangers of our Angel Recorders from Peripole-Bergerault. They work beautifully and look really cool! I give a small prize once they reach 20 beads. Laurie in Jacksonville
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11/03 I use the BEADS and have the children untie the halo hanger - add the bead - and tie it back. I show them how before we begin testing. Occasionally, a child will have a frayed end. Then I will snip it clean and burn the tip with a match (very slightly). Normally adding beads does not take up any of my classroom time. The kids do it themselves. (4th and 5th grades) - Contributed by Karen Waddell
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11/03 We use pipe cleaners (chenille stems) to hold the beads. Send it thru zipper pull opening on the case, bend in half and twist once. To add a bead, slide it down one side of the stem, then push the other end thru the bead in the opposite direction and pull tight. I demonstrate for the class before we start testing the first day; help them with the first one if they need it, then they are on their own. The kids that "get it" help the ones who don't, and somehow they all get done! :-) And they look really cool. - Contributed by Judith Schneider
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05/03 RIBBONS [I have] changed over to ribbons rather than beads. I-like others- have my own criteria and progression for the ribbons (I call them ribbons not belts.)
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04/02 4/5th GRADE I started recorder karate two weeks ago with my 4th and 5th graders and am
amazed how competitive they are!! I had a few logistical problems to solve and
thought maybe someone else could benefit from the ideas. I took the whole class
into the cafeteria to practice so that they could hear themselves. I made a
chart using library pockets and put a tongue depressor with a matching number in
each pocket. When they were ready to test, they came to me. If I was already
testing someone, they took the next available stick out of the pocket chart. I
then called "#5" just like in McDonald's! That way, they could be in line to
test but still go back to their own spot and practice for the next belt.
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03/02 CRAFT LACE. It's plastic lace, about the thickness of yarn. One of my boy scout kids
showed me how to knot the stuff so it would stay, but could be easily .
undone to add beads.
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01/02 REWARD SYSTEM (beads)
I used embroidery floss last year and this year I had a new idea. I bought
32mm keychain rings and pony beads. I found a pack of 24 rings for $1.99 at
our Hobby Lobby and so far it is working great. The only problem is that it
wreaks havoc on my nails putting the beads on the rings, but it looks great
and didn't cost much. I think I need to find a kid helper to put the beads
on!!
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11/01 5/6/7 TH GRADE: Last yr. I began Rec. Karate with my 5,6,7th
graders. We started in Feb. and by year's end only
got to the 3rd belt color. Getting ready for our
Spring concert slowed us down. It was my first attempt
at recorders and I know I did a lot of things wrong.
But, most of the kids were excited about it all and
advanced to the 3rd belt level.
At the beginning of this new teaching yr., the kids
were reaaallly rusty on their recorders; forgot a lot.
Also, each class added a few new kids with no
recorder experience. So, I basically used the first
quarter to review & catch everybody up. We didn't do
any belt testing although I did take recorder grades
based on what we were doing. Along with the review, I
did present the next 2 new notes in preparation for
playing Xmas music. Now the kids are itching to get
back to testing for belts again, but we're pressed to
prepare for our upcoming Xmas show. We've got 4 songs
to sing plus a recorder number to learn in 10
rehearsals.
Normally for a test, I have small groups of kids
play 3 songs using the new note (these have all been
from D. Gagne's book), plus they must complete a "name
the notes" paper. My question is, to save time, would
you think having them play just 1 song plus the note
paper be enough to justify advancement to the new
belt? Personally, I don't think playing 1 song is
enough to demonstrate much mastery, but to ignite more
excitement & motivation for recorders I think they
need to test.
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11/01 WEBSITE: There are several websites that describe the karate belt colors and their
meaning. Here's one. Maybe it is useful to someone.
http://www.tukong.com/tukong/training/beltsys.htm
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11/01 SONGS/COLORS
White - "Mary Had a Little Lamb"
Yellow - "Au Clair de lu Lune"
Orange - "Oats, Peas, Beans"
Green - "Sleep Baby Sleep"
Purple - "Cindy"
Blue - "Shule Aroon"
Brown - "Tom Dooley"
Red - "Amazing Grace"
Black - "Twinkle, Twinkle"
----
White - Hot Cross Buns BAG
Yellow - Lullaby BAG
Orange - Merrily We Roll Along BAG
Green - It's Raining, It's Pouring BAG E
Purple - Old MacDonald Had a Farm BAG ED
Blue - When the Saints Go Marching In BAG C'
Red - Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star BAG F#
Brown - Amazing Grace BAG ED D'
Black - Ode To Joy BAG D C'D'
----
4/5 TH GRADE: I use Denise Gagne's "Complete Recorder Resource Kit". It has helped me organize and drill efficiently. I use only BAG and E for fourth grade. I supplement Denise's BAG exercises with some Ed Sueta exercises and lots of Music K-8 pieces. (Our favorite: Rockin' Around the Hounddog's Blue Suede Shoe BAG. Others: BAGzilla, Popcorn BAG, and the list goes on...they are all so good). The Music K-8 songs appeal to kids, making things lively and fun. I use alot of modeling/imitation. I play a 4 beat phrase, they play it back. I play an 8 beat phrase, they play it back. Then, a student can take my place. We play a lot in small groups (4 students) too, so that they can better hear themselves. I start belts in Fifth grade. White belt is BAG. They must meet four criteria (in kid language); 1. I played the correct notes. 2. I played the correct rhythms. 3. I used proper articulation (breathing, tonguing) 4. I produced a good tone. To pass, they play 3 of Denise's exercises. These are exercises that we have drilled in class. Almost all of them succeed. I give them 3 tries. If they mess up all three, they can try again on their own time (before/after school) until they have passed.
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COLORS For the white belt, I use "Hot Cross Buns." Yellow: Chocolate Cinnamon (In Carol King's Recorder Routes book) Orange: Lullaby (same book) Green: Acka Backa (ditto) Purple: Ice Cream Soda (ditto) Blue Belt: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Red Belt: Scotland's Burning Brown Belt: When the Saints Black Belt: Ode to Joy
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COLORS The students earn belts (like in Karate) for different songs. Each song has a concept that I want them to learn. The first is Mary Had a Little Lamb and they earn a white belt for that. The next is Ah Clare De Lune this has a jump from G to B. They earn a yellow belt for that. Each song is progressively harder. Now how this works is first you teach everyone B A G together. I usually have them do allot of echoing at first. Then I break them up into groups of 4. The work independently in their groups helping each other. When a student is ready they may come to my desk and play it for me. (This allows me to help the child on anything or give pointers.) If they pass they get their belt. I then teach them the next song and they go into a different group. Of course the first one is by themselves but it doesn't take long before they are joined by others. As others get their belts they join whatever group or "belt" they are working on and continue to help each other. I have songs all the way up to black.
I begin my recorder unit working on the basics and fingering of BAG for the first couple weeks ... after they have learned BAG I then do a couple of songs from K-8, Norm Sands etc... that use BAG. Then, I start the 'Recorder Karate' part of the unit. I give them a packet that has all of the songs for each color belt. After a couple of weeks, while I am still testing for belts.... I will give them a K8 song and we will sight read it and play it with the accompaniment. Then, on another date, after they have worked on it...we play it again for fun!
My students must earn every belt in succession. They are not allowed to skip a belt - just like in real Karate. Orignial Message from Laura in S. CA - "I am finishing up recorders and have used the "Karate Belts". Now I want to know what to do next year. Do the kids keep their belts and begin earning new belts from the level they left off with? OR do they start all over again. OR do you "spot" re-test next year? Anyway - it's been a great motivator and the kids love it." Hi Laura - I started this last year ... so the plan this year for my fifth graders was to 'spot' re-test them.... however, I didn't do my recorder unit until March (because of musical program dates) and the kids were a little out of practice so we just ended up redoing ALL of the same songs as last year. The kids really seemed to want to do this. I had a few students who had been practicing since last year and so they zoomed through the black belts. Then, I created what I had talked about doing before - Black Belt Degrees. I have songs for Black Belt - 1st degree, 2nd degree .... all the way to 8th degree.
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PRACTICING, NOISE, TESTING
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YARN
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RIBBON
I also use the ribbon system, only they get a different colored thin satin ribbon to slip knot on the bell of their recorder after learning so many songs, or a particular song. I use all colors -but silver and gold are special. I award silver for the very hardest piece that year (usually a Renaissance one or a Mozart, etc.) and gold for learning all the festival songs and going to our annual May recorder festival.. My kids can't get enough of those ribbons. They will play on the playground, before and after school, and come in on lunch hour just to play for a ribbon!
Here's another twist on recorder karate for my 3/4 blend classes. After spending an hour in the craft store, (beads)
I bought my huge paperclips in bulk at Sam's Club. Since then we
recently found them in multi-packs at the Dollar Tree (a store where
everything is $1). I've also seen them at teacher supply stores but they
cost alot more at this type of a store. Making a ring or oval out of a
pipe cleaner may work also.
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YARN/BEADS
I have done them two different ways. I have used yarn, and we
tie that around the bottom of the recorder. There is a ridge on ours
so that the yarn won't slip off. As the kids add their colors, many
of them braid them. They are very colorful! Once I had them put
the yarn towards the top and use the yarn in a loop to hang them
around their neck. I didn't like this, as the more belts you got, the
thicker the loop was and some were shorter than others and one
by one the necklace loop got too small, so they wouldn't hang
around the neck and the yarn was in the way of blowing and
fingering.
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BEADS I found a spool of 100 yards of bright plastic lacing for super cheap, and a bag of rainbow colored beads. They can earn their lacing by playing Hot Cross Buns with proper technique, and showing understanding of fingers 1,2,3, matching with B,A,G. They can then begin earning beads to tie on to their lacing similar to the karate belts.
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ZIPPER CASES/PAPER CLIPS The zipper pull on the case has a ring on it. We hang the paper clip on this ring. For their first bead, I let them choose a colored initial bead. This helps to identify their recorder when they are stored in the recorder bin in my room.
I've done the same "twist" this year too. A couple differences with our "recorder rainbow" is that we string them on giant paperclips (about 3-4 inches long). One of these clips holds quite a vew beads. I've added a "pot of gold" for kids who want to go above and beyond. I have music on notation station and on handouts that they can learn completely on their own time. When they play any of these pieces for me they earn a special gold bead because they've found the treasure at the end of the rainbow by reading and playing music on their own.
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COMMENTS, OTHER
I am doing recorders with my 5th graders this year and having great success with them using K-8 materials and the Norm Sands stuff. The kids love the idea I found on this list of colorful "necklaces" to show their progress...(begin with white, go to yellow, orange..etc until you attain black -like karate belts)
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LEARNING A NEW PIECE
12/08 I follow a routine when teaching a new song of first SAYING the note names in rhythm. then SINGING the note names on the correct pitches and rhythms. Then we FINGER on the recorder (place mouthpiece on the chin) while singing the note names. Then we WHISPER the note names while fingering. Then we THINK the note names while fingering. Then we actually PLAY the song. And after all this, they usually play close to perfect each time! If not, we backtrack and do it again. I got the idea from Phyllis Weikart's theory on learning which has similar steps. --- Dee Tiller
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02/03 My 6th grade recorder class is scheduled to play MK8's Old English Carol. We don't have a lot of time to get it down pat, so I've tried a few new approaches to helping it stick quick.
Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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IMPROVISATION
01/16 ACTIVITY: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9r7ody5tad312gl/Frog%20in%20the%20Meadow%20%28with%20Recorder%29%20-%20workshop.pdf?dl=0
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RIGHT VS. LEFT HAND
SCRUNCHIES: I have used hair scrunchies with great success when first starting recorder unit for beginners. I call them "left-hand bands" and it reminds them which hand always goes nearest the mouth. I purchased them at Dollar General in a package of 10 for a $1. I also made sure they were not ‘girlie’ colors.......just colors like brown, green, maroon, navy, grey, etc. I tell the students these are new out of the package since they do not want to put them on if they had been in someone's hair. I insist on the students wearing them for about 2 weeks until they are grounded in the habit of left hand nearest the mouth. -- Carol Glover
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11/03 STICKERS: for beginners on recorders, I place Avery small sticker on the left hand side of the recorder as a reminder which hand should be at the top. Gradually I remove them when the children no longer need reminding about the left hand. The kids then remind each other to cover (hide) the sticker when playing. - Contributed by Susan Michiels
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03/02 CORRECT HAND: I call my kids the Recorder Rangers.
The first day I teach recorder I tell them to show me the "Recorder Rangers"
"left hand shield," which consists of thumb + 1 on the recorder and
sticking your left arm straight out with the recorder vertical. At any
point when they're first learning I'll announce "Recorder Rangers" and it's
an easy left hand check.
The name stuck.
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01/02 B & G: I came up with a couple of ideas for helping kids remember the
difference between B and G, including the fingerings. Remind the kids
that the curly-cue of the treble clef is on the G line. Also, in the
fingering, I tell them that B is the "pinch" fingering, and to make sure
to "pinch the bee before it stings you".
Using the marker for left hand really works! Those kids see me getting
the marker out (to mark left hand), and BOY, do those hands switch real fast!!
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01/02 CORRECT HAND: I insist on the children using their left hand (on top) since they have to do the same in band with wind instruments.
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01/02 NO CORRECT HAND: Since many recorders are made now in 3 pieces and are adjustable to left or right hand, I no longer require left hand on top. It's one less thing for the student to struggle with.
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01/02 STAMP ON LEFT HAND: I make a big production of stamping their left hands for the first few lessons. I use a bear paw, since we have a bear mascot. The rule is you have to be able to see the stamp without moving your hands. Try it with right hand on top and you'll see that it's not possible.
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01/02CRAFT LOOP ON LEFT HAND: To help my students remember which hand goes on top, I give them each a craft loop and tell them they are wrist bands (just in case there are boys out there who don't want to wear a bracelet). They go on their left wrists when playing and in their cases when they are done. Then, kids can use them as long as they feel they need them. These are the loops that I used to make potholders when I was a kid. I got a bag of 500 at walmart for about $3.00 and the bag comes with all different colors so the kids could choose which color they wanted. My small investment will last me a few years and if a kid looses one, I can easily replace it.
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01/02 LEFT HAND: Before we start, I tell them that it will feel awkward, etc. but that "everyone" does it that way and that it is the correct way. "No whining allowed because both your hands will have to work hard." I use the phrase "left hand closest to the mouthpiece, check your neighbor". Having the kids check their neighbors for fingering is the fastest way to check everyone and is my first comment when I scan the class and find someone with the right hand on top. I also feel that teaching low E very early on (I first introduce it with a "Rain, rain, go away" taught by rote.) gives the right hand a job to do. Also when I first start, I have them pick up their recorder with their left hand and place the right hand around the bell until we learn e.
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MARKER ON LEFT HAND: After a few weeks, those still struggling get a big T on their left hand with washable marker. that helps them remember which hand goes on top.
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01/02 I love the spider ring idea! (on left hand) I use guitars with my 5th graders each year and always have a left-handed student or two in class. My first 3 or 4 years of teaching I kept a couple of guitars "strung-up" left handed. I noticed that the left handed kids always seemed to have more trouble (most of them anyway). Then I went to a workshop or took a class or something (memory slip) where they said to just leave them the right handed way and I have since then. The leftys don't seem to have any more problems than the rightys. And if they say "I'm left handed" I just say "Oh, lucky you! Your left hand is the one that does most of the work!" That seems to work. But, I do watch for problems and would change one again if I thought the child would benefit more. Being right handed myself, I tried a left-handed guitar once and found that I had trouble strumming a steady beat with my left hand, so I really watch for that, but I haven't found any problems yet.
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The bracelets I ordered from Oriental Trading are the black/glitter friendship bracelets. 6 dozen come in a package for $2.95 TO MARK LEFT HAND: There are several styles to choose from on their site. Do a search for bracelets at www.orientaltrading.com----------------
10/01 SPIDER RINGS: At the dollar store yesterday I found a big bag of those plastic spider rings for $1. I put one of those on the left hand of every kid who remembers to keep his left hand on top....works every year! Some of them then call the left hand their "spider hand"---whatever works!
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10/01 GRAB 'BELL' WITH RIGHT HAND: For the beginning intro of B, A and G, I have them grab the bell with the right hand. This helps reinforce the "left hand closest to the mouthpiece" concept. However, when E is introduced (fourth note I teach) the right hand now has a permanent home. They seem more ready to learn left hand position later, than in the beginning with all the new concepts in the first few lessons. BTW, I can't speak highly enough about Recorder Karate. It is now FUN to teach the kids due to the motivation to get the belts.
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10/01 CORRECT HAND: I begin teaching correct right hand position IMMEDIATELY!!!! The recorders we use have a built in thumb rest, so I explain to them where to put their right hand. I remind them that if they use any other sort of hand position they run the risk of covering up extra holes, which will change the note they are playing. I also let them know that if they get into the bad habit of putting their right hand somewhere else, they will have to relearn everything when we start using the right hand and it will take them longer to learn the new notes. My students are very competitive with each other, so that usually helps! I have to constantly remind them, but they usually have it by the end of the first 9 weeks.
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10/01 CORRECT HAND: I teach the proper position with both hands from the beginning. After they have covered all holes then we release the fingers not used and gently blow. That way I can catch fingering and hand problems before bad habits set in and the right hand supports the recorder from day one. I emphasize to the kids how the right hand thumb presses in opposition to the left hand fingers to stabilize the recorder. Kids are then generally more successful at fully covering holes from the beginning. I call the all holes covered properly "getting into position". Since I started that way my students have become more successful and I don't have to undo anything.
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10/01 CORRECT HAND: I have them put right hand in correct position from our first day. "Left hand at the top - right below....." We start with left thumb and pointer holding the instrument ala Groucho Marx's cigar. (Don't tell me it's not politically correct. I don't care - it works.) From there, they put the recorder in their mouth, add their right thumb for support, put their right pinkie down for upper balance, and let their other fingers hover like little helicopters until needed. We go through all the beginning "rules" at the beginning of each class for a couple weeks until the habits are set.
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10/01 CORRECT HAND: Make them keep their right thumb in the correct position for balance from the very beginning. Once they get used to grabbing with it, it's a hard habit to break. I introduce right hand notes as we get to them in recorder karate. I only teach BAG in group lesson. The rest of the notes I teach at my desk, one kid at a time. As they pass each belt test, I teach the note they need for the next one. It sounds very time consuming, but I think it's actually more efficient. Often they've already learned it from a friend who's a step ahead of them.
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MUTE OR SOFTEN VOLUME OF A RECORDER
07/13 Use a pipe cleaner. One tiny piece or pipe clearner was all it took! It's great! You can't even squeal with that pipe cleaner mute in place!
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10/12 I have referred to that pointer finger as a worm crawling up the mallet.Tell them I don't want to see any worms while playing and they instantly look at their hands and if they see the "worm" they remove the finger and make it correct. They love this. They are always checking each other for the worms and telling them if have them. It works!! ---- Brenda in MO.
With my little folks, we make baby bird beaks with our thumb and pointer. Baby bird flies down and picks up a yummy worm for breakfast and wraps his feathers around it so it can't get away. ---- Kim/SC
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Here is a way to mute the recorder to inaudible or partially inaudible. All you need is an index card! (It works!)
http://www.dolmetsch.com/lesson0.htm#tostifle
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NAME LABELS
01/02 I also engraved names on recorders this year. It has worked great!
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NOTE NAMES
01/16 VARYING LEVELS IN ONE CLASS: Possibly pairing the students, upper level/lower level
Playing in a round.
Giving the upper students an ostinato to play, then helping the students with the melody.
Upper level could work on writing some parts for the music.
Trying our best to reach each child is sometimes all we can do. There are some children who just are not interested and we accept that and try out best with them, and some just don't get it. Music seems so easy to us and I tell students that once you learn something it doesn't change. For instance g is always on the second line and thumb 3 fingers. Some students just can't grasp it. ---- Susan Harris
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12/06 TESTING FOR READING: A cool way to check and see if the kids are actually comprehending the rhythm and note reading is to take the song they know and read, sing the notes, and play the notes from the last measure to the first note.
So, with the "standard" HOT CROSS BUNS, have them read:
G _ A B, A A A A G G G G, G _ A B, G _ A B. It's tricky as they are reading from right to left and the rhythms are basically backward. Kind of separates the "sheep" from the "goats" with reading. - Cak Marshall
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07/05 GAME: DRY GULCH!! -- (I used this with 2d grade, though it can easily be used with older students.) I made a game using poster board (enough boards ,cards, etc., for 6 students to a board), colored markers, dice, some clip art and game cards (1/2 of 4" by 6" index cards) aimed at recognizing note names on the staff, recognizing names by a given location (treble clef: line 3, space 2, etc.,) and by asking the kids to play that note.
2) Drank water that was alkaline, go back 4 spaces
3) Caught a lizard for dinner, advance 4 spaces
4)Left water at last stop, go back 6 spaces
5)Located an underground stream of water, advance 3 spaces
6)Caught a fever, go back 6 spaces
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07/05 Music reading is often quite difficult for some students. Some people perceive the written notation in rather faulty ways, so it's really important to lay the groundwork in preparation for reading first (imo). While I teach recorders to 5ths and up, here's what I do that might work to help your 4ths who are struggling...
Before I have kids attempt to read absolute pitches and realize these pitches on an instrument, I make sure they have been reading basic rhythmic notation (I personally use Rockin Rhythm Raps for this purpose), and for my classes, reading rhythms is a regular ongoing part of our warm-up/lesson routine.
Then, along with presenting the staff, as a part of my 5ths recorder prep sessions, I provide them with experiences in manipulating the music alphabet. This has been critical in setting them up for success that I would never leave this out.
Here are some activities I do:
1. Listen and "recorder tap" the rhythm of the notes. Here they gently tap the head of the recorder into their palm as they listen.
2. Listen and "finger-practice" along. Here they place the mouthpiece into their chin and finger the notes with the CD.
3. At this point I may isolate and drill any tricky spots still with them just finger practicing. 4. Listen, finger, and whisper the notes.
5. Listen, finger, and think the notes.
6. Play along. In a particular piece, I will often have the students mark patterns that repeat by circling them in the score in a certain color (I'll do this on the transparency too). Then we'll listen and play only what's been circled. Then I'll have them mark other patterns with say squares and a different color. Then they'll listen and play only these parts. I may then divide the class with 1/2 on the circles, 1/2 on the squares and then switch. Finally, we'll play everything. Following this, in a subsequent session, we'll review in like manner and isolate difficult spots as needed. -- Gretchen in IL
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02/02 I have a quick game that you can play that the kids LOVE - that will help
them to learn the note names. (And, I always tell them that this will help
them to be much more ready for Recorders when we start them!)
I call it "Staff Twister".
In advance:
Make a big staff on the floor with masking tape. I use the big Wenger staff
rug with a treble clef. You can also make the treble clef out of masking
tape.
Make flash cards with the music alphabet on them - with several duplicates
of letter names (just the letters - don't show these on the staff). Also,
make flash cards with body parts - one right hand, one left hand, one right
foot and one left foot.
Then, in class, do a quick overview of the staff... I discuss lines, spaces,
barlines, treble clef - & why it is also called G clef...then I teach them
FACE and Every Good Boy Does Fine. Then, we go to the staff on the floor.
I also leave up a 'cheat sheet' for them for awhile...that they can look at
while they play this game.
Then, have a boy and a girl (or one person from each team come up and stand
in front of the staff. I call out the body part and the letter ...and keep
going until they have all four body parts on the staff.
No sliding up to a note (unless you have someone is very tiny).
It is possible to get a point on each team during each turn.
Once they get really good at this...I have two members from each team come
up at a time. Also, I usually take away the cheat sheet after each person has had one
turn.
We play this for a couple of days ...and then I give some "note naming"
homework and they are ready for recorders.
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PRACTICING AT HOME
12/08 THE THREE ‘P’s (Martha’s spiel to kids on practicing): There are three P's you need to know about.
PLAY - playing your recorder is just that. You're just playing it. You're not trying to impress anyone or fix any thing, you're just playing it. Playing is a fine thing to do and sometimes it's like playing around. But it's not the same as practice.
PRACTICE - practice is playing and asking yourself questions: is the sound right, is the pitch right, did I hold the instrument properly, how do I fix that weird sound, how do I get my fingers to do that third line. PRACTICE means you listen to what you did and you ask yourself "What would Mrs. Stanley say?" Will she say "you covered all the holes well" or "blow quieter, slower air on those low sounds" or "do that again slower till your fingers cooperate"? PRACTICE is when you listen to yourself and work to make yourself sound better. It's not just playing. I can help you practice only so much because I can't hear you by yourselves much during school. So you have to listen to yourself when you're by yourself when you practice.
PERFORM - this is playing for real. It might be for your mom, or the class, or the teacher, or the audience, or yourself. But it's for real. When you play for your recorder ribbon, that's a performance. Here's the thing most kids don't know. If you play all the time, skip over the practice part, and then try to perform, you'll mess up a lot and it won't be satisfactory. It doesn't work. The only way the performance will work is if you PRACTICE and ask yourself questions to decide if you're playing well enough or not. When you perform, you get a little nervous usually. So PRACTICE also helps you have confidence that you can PERFORM well. Playing won't.
The three P's are: PLAY, PRACTICE & PERFORM -- Martha Stanley, NBCT
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04/02 This is the letter sent to parents regarding school recorders being used at home. Hope it helps someone. The teacher who wrote it didnot want the responsibility of collecting and keeping money so this was her alternative. Works for me.
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Please sign below and return to your child's teacher.
Parent/Signature/Date
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04/02 I use a similar letter with permission slip with my students. Most of my
school recorders are one-piece Suzukis purchased long before I got here. So
far I have had good luck with students taking care of their recorders. One
has been lost this year (first one in 3 years) and the students mom bought a
Yamaha recorder at the local music store to replace it. I told her that if
the Suzuki turns up, they can return it to me. If not, her son will turn in
the Yamaha at the end of the year.
Except for these two mishaps this year, I haven't lost any recorders. I'm
pretty lucky to be at 2 schools with mostly supportive and dedicated parents.
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SONGS
07/11 Here's a take on "Hot Cross Buns" using Green Eggs and Ham. I wanted my recorder players to get in on the Seuss action. It's certainly not perfect, but it definitely adds that touch of novelty that students (and teachers like me) crave!
http://www.box.net/shared/vch1izsmxg ---- Lee Cain
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Note: Plank Road Publishing publishes a magazine, MK8 Magazine, (5 issues per year) accompanied by CD accompaniments which has several songs in each issue (which are copyable for students) including (usually) a song especially for recorders. They make great program songs. See their website for more detail:
http://www.musick8.com/
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For beginners:
Jolly Old St. Nicholas (Key of G)
Jingle Bells (Key of G)
Deck the Halls (Key of G)
Silent Night (Key of C)
These have been "kid"- tested and work well. - Contributed by CakBACK to Recorder topics
07/11 SONGS w/fill in note names: http://www.studiokay.com/recorder/Students/studentbook.pdf
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Interactive – learn and play recorder: http://www.halil.co.il/en/ENSong_MaryLittleLamb_flute.asp
This site has beginning music for you to play. The password is 'salem'
http://schools.portnet.k12.ny.us/%7Eafriedman/rockinrecorder/
http://www.halil.co.il/en/ENSong_MaryLittleLamb_flute.asp Lessons 1-5
(You can listen but there's no introduction to the songs)
*** Songs thru “Broomstick” You can play along with accompaniment. There will be an introduction to each number. http://www.studiokay.com/recorder/Studentsx.html#TXTOBJ7D1151A17A398C1
Buy the book (www.musick8.com)
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TONE PRODUCTION, OVERBLOWING
07/13 I like to have mine air play without using the recorders. I call it "wind-patterning". I will have them echo me until they get the hang of it. If you listen, you can hear note length, tonguing and air speed. I use this with my elementary recorder students all the way up through high school band to work on phrase length, breath control and precision with tonguing together.----- -Jason in AL
Use bubbles. Have them blow were they can see a nicely formed bubble. Works 98% of the time for me.---- Regina Bell
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07/13 I use yarn to represent the air. I get a few kids up to hold the yarn - their hands become the "notes." I tell the kids that the tongue "interrupts" the air. I point to the yarn, and we blow a too or doo. When we come to a hand, we interrupt with a doo and continue on.
Another useful exercise is to model separated tone and really nice legato tone.
Ask them to tell you which way is "legato" and which isn't. ---- Denise Gagne www.musicplay.ca Musicplay – the Sequential Text Series [email protected] 888-562-4647
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07/13 Echoes, echoes and more echoes... I start every recorder session with echoes. The very first sessions we begin just with vocal echoes saying doo,doo,doo,doo as legato as possible. Then I have them "turn their voice off" and say the same thing. Next we move on to "open echoes" on the recorder. (That's when you hold on to the bottom of the recorder without covering any holes.) I don't even begin B until they can play a pleasant sounding legato "open echo", but that never takes more than one class session. We review all of our notes with echoes at the beginning every class session, varying rhythm patterns and later articulations. This takes only a few minutes. By about the 10th or 12th lesson the students are ready to take turns leading the echoes.
I begin my students with pieces from "3 to Get Ready" by Judith Thomas as they learn each note. Those selections are taught by rote or with short segments of rhythm or melody on the board. Legato playing is not a problem then. However, when we move on to Recorder Karate, there are always a few students who stop playing with a nice legato sound when they see the printed notation. I think that's because notation doesn't visually depict the sound continuing from one note to the next. I find that I have to explain to them that although it doesn't look like the sound continues between notes, it actually does, just like it continues between the printed notes when we sing. Just explaining that usually solves the problem. ----- Deanna Milligan
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07/13 I use the Joytunes to reinforce what I've taught them about tone. Your plane will fly down in the first game if you over blow. You will not get credit in the target if you are blowing on the recorder, because you raise your pitch. I think it has helped them pick it up faster this year than in the past. I do not accept any tone quality that is not pleasant. I stop them immediately, and tell them why. The word "gentle" seems to have the quickest results for me. ---- Linda in MD
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12/08 First of all, I tell my students that if they play when they are not supposed to (or over blow when they know they are NOT supposed to!), I will suddenly become the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (few know who this is, but it doesn't matter) and say "Off with their heads!" (very dramatically with a slicing motion of the hand and arm!) They have to give me the mouthpiece of their recorder (the head) and they are forced to just finger the notes until they are able to control themselves. . --- Dee Tiller
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I tell the kids "Can your breath move a feather? If so, you're blowing too hard". --- Karen Stafford
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12/07 To avoid the unpleasant tones of beginning recorder players, I always taught the kids by small group. I can hardly think of any time when I had the whole class play at once. For one thing, the small group playing encourages listening to each other and better intonation (well, as good as it's gonna get with children...) When a child would tell me "I can play this all by myself," my reply was that the easiest way was to play by yourself--it is much harder to play with a partner and MAKE IT SOUND LIKE ONLY ONE PERSON--even harder to play with 3, or 4, or whatever. Maybe 1 group playing recorder, another doing body percussion, and other children listening politely. In the same vein, I found that adding an extremely simple alto part--even just a simple 1 or 2 note ostinato--or playing a simple 2 part harmony on very easy notes--made a HUGE difference in the quality of their playing. I had some more advanced players too, but we all started out at the very easy, small group level. Even the very beginners did harmony parts, and easy alto parts. The small group plan also could significantly help eliminating the squawky players. -- Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana
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02/03 I have a 5th grader who really struggles with pain in her ears as the recorders are played. We have had her hearing tested, I seat her on an end so she doesn't get sound from both sides AND she wears tiny little foam ear plugs. My husband uses them on the farm often. He buys them in bulk at farm stores. They really seem to help her.
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02/03 I was brainstorming a bit and discovered something that might prove useful. In my recorder classes, I always pass out a large fuzzy pipe cleaner or channel thing (10 pack for .99 @ Walmart) to all my students for cleaning their recorders after class. They simply run them in and out of the entire chamber. Well, I tried running one in and leaving it there (some is still sticking out of the bell). When the recorder is played there is no sound.
A few other things I've discovered are
Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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02/03 If all else fails, stop the class, look extremely puzzled and concerned, and tell them that you're just perplexed: all the other classes are getting beautiful sounds on pitch, but this class just continues to over blow and not get beautiful sounds. Usually, kids will kill themselves trying to outdo another class - - -
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I learned how to let air come out thru my nose while I was also blowing into the recorder. The playing tone was under control, but it let out the excess air from my lungs. Just last Thursday, I had students come in and test for new belts. Several kids were over blowing, so I showed them how to do this trick, and it worked.
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02/03 After they know the proper way to breathe in the recorder, have them stop and start over until your ears are happy.
Give a "tone quality" award each week to the class that does the best. (Name on board next to "Tone Quality Award" sign.
Use a candle as has been mentioned before. After they have done it, remind them constantly of how that felt.
Be prepared to teach and re-teach this concert.
Don't allow them to continue to play incorrectly. Stop immediately and ask if they can fix their tone. They love to play and will soon get tired of stopping.
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02/03 I have the children play individually. The sound will immediately improve. I think part of the problem is that kids play loudly so they can hear themselves over the others. When fewer children play together, they all play more softly. Once you know a particular kid knows how to get the correct tone, you can remind him/her how it sounded when playing solo. If it's an attitude problem, remove the instrument until the child demonstrates the correct sound and agrees to play properly.
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03/02 Try thinking of this - "breathe rather than blow" - "you blow into
a trumpet or a clarinet, you breathe into a recorder"......
A lot of loud playing is the result, I think, of tense, tight arms,
shoulders and ultimately hands. So start by checking - shoulders relaxed,
arms loose ( I do a crazy "Bragle relaxation exercise" and the kids just
about die!!!), fingers flat and "floppy". I have handed out straws to the
kids for them to use as "recorders" and then they pick up their real
recorder. WOW ! They can't believe what they feel. They realize how tense
they were!
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03/02 While I don't teach recorder in 3rd, these ideas might help. It was
extremely important this year that my 4ths had good tone and great
self control from Day 1, as we are immediately below high school
classrooms and across the hall from the administrative offices. 1) Have they heard you model good tone and beautiful playing? If not, let them hear you play some good stuff for them.
2) Discuss warm air; hold an open palm up in front of the mouth and "fog up" the window. Now blow through a straw at the window. This is cool air. Warm, gentle air produces a more beautiful tone. Have little contests right off to see who can produce the warmest tone - boy/girls, back row/front row, etc.
3) Establish a signal to show you're hearing cold, harsh sounds. I look "frightened" and wrap my arms around my shivering body. They think it's funny but get the point very quickly.
4) Because of acoustics, my students all play together. When we had a better location, I made sure they all had good tone before they could work on their own.
5)Much as I dislike extrinsic rewards, I do give "reverse" awards for NOT playing. Last year, the students worked for fish on our Hawaiian bulletin board. This year they get stickers on our "Out of this World" chart. (an interplanetary trip) We start the class with 5 marks on the board, and I simply erase one each time someone toots. They must keep one mark to get a sticker. The seldom lose more than one now. No big deal, but it might be the immediate incentive your 3rds need. I'd try to find something that ties into a current class or seasonal theme.
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RECORDER REPAIR
10/05 For recorder repair: I use teflon plumber's tape. You can find it in the plumbing part of hardware stores. It doesn't take much. I learned about this when I took bagpipe lessons. The tape is often used for the same reason with bagpipe chanters--as well as to help seat the drone reeds.-- Donna Boylan
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02/04 "I have a problem you might be able to solve. I have two wooden sopranos that have beautiful tones, but the mouthpieces fall off at the oddest times if I'm not vigilant. Is there something I can do to stabilize them more securely?"
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01/02 Most instrument repairmen (and many band directors) have "Corrosion Cracker Penetrating Oil" that works wonders on stuck valves and woodwind keys. Check with them...I'd think it would do the trick on your stuck recorder part.
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01/02 I usually have them squirt a lot of hand soap in the joint, and that does the trick.---
I have had luck with getting the stuck head-joint off by holding
the instrument (I'm assuming plastic here!) under very hot water from the faucet. It took a while, but I was able to loosen it a tiny bit at a time until it finally came apart. I cleaned the joint carefully with soap and water, dried it, and put just a touch of joint grease on it.
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"What about W40?"And for the stuck recorder, another flute trick that I
think will work on plastic. Pop it into the freezer
for a half hour or so. Should slip right apart.
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REPERTOIRE
07/13 RECORDER/PIANO: http://www.recorderclassroom.com/
http://www.musick8.com/
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11/08 Arirang from Vol. 16, No. 5 (musick8.com) is an absolutely beautiful arrangement. (Plank Road Publishing, www.musick8.com) Here's a great link to a video performance of the NY Philharmonic playing Arirang in North Korea during their concert there last February (the entire concert is worth watching!): ---Barbara Lee
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06/06 At Christmas, you can do a nice harmony part to Greensleeves using only B and A. (each note is held for an entire measure, 3 beats long)
B B A A B B A A B B A A B A B B (repeat)
The rest of the song can be played on the piano, in the key of e minor. My beginners always liked this, and it was so easy!. Louise Eddington
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06/06 Fran Addicott (Smart?) has an easy piece in a book she authored. The book is "Blues, Boogies, and Ballads" or something like that. I'm pretty sure that it is in that book, but I couldn't say for sure. It is called Friday Blues, I think, and uses only B A G. How would we teach without those B A G songs! Cynthia Sibitzky North Pole, Alaska
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06/06 "Rockin' Around the Hound Dog's Blue Suede Shoe BAG" (MK8, vol.7-1 http://www.musick8.com/) is fun and easy, however, you might not have the magazines that far back. Can you play a 12-bar blues progression in G on piano or guitar? Let the students create their own blues tune on B, A, & G, using rhythms they can comfortably handle. If they create and play by ear, you're not stuck with "readable" rhythms on a piece of paper. On I bars, they can use B, A, & G. IV bars use only G & A, and stick with A on the V bar. Connie Herbon
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"What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor" for recorder (need Scorch download)
http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin/show_score.pl?scoreid=8526
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http://www.studiokay.com/recorder/Studentsx.html#SGROBJ7D11419024112A81
http://www.studiokay.com/recorder/Studentsx.html
Many of you probably know about this website, but I've just recently discovered it! It is perfect for beginning recorder. I'm using this with my third graders right now to introduce the recorder. I use Recorder Karate with Fourth graders, but wanted to give my thirds a head start. They are doing a great job. -- Contributed by Monica Autry
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SECOND GRADE RECORDER
I use the precorders (from Suzuki) with my 2nd graders in the spring to teach them 3 notes, begin to develop control over their air, build a little dexterity and become familiar with what B,A,and G look like on a staff.
I really hate the precorder's sound, but the raised finger holes make the experience pretty successful for the little guys. I explain to them that these are training recorders, and when their sound is beautiful and their fingers are working well, we will transfer those skills to the real recorders with their more refined and beautiful tones.
The precorder colors are really great, they're almost impossible to overblow, so if you can stand the airy tone for a few months, they work well. I would never want to use them in concert, because they're just not very musical. - Contributed by Artie Almeida
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STORAGE
06/14 I have them on recorder racks, numbered to 33. One rack has numbers by the pegs labeled in red magic marker. Each recorder has a piece of masking tape on the front of it with a matching number, such as a red 5. Then there is a rack with 33 recorders labeled in black marker and 33 labeled in green. Then I have my seating charts with all the students numbered 1,2,3,4,5,6, in red, 1,2,3,4,5,6, in black and 1,2,3,4,5,6 in green. Then the last row is #24,25,26,27,28, 29, 30 in red. That way I can have three rows of students go get their recorders at the same time and not all be crowded around one rack.
Be careful to purchase all recorders with the same fingerings. Then, when the kids became excited about recorders I offered them a chance to purchase their own recorder. I used Plank Road Publishing for this, too. I have the kids sign up for the color they want and then I charge them $4, which helps pay for shipping and handling and anything left over, I purchase music or accessories for the recorders at school.
http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=1268#.Uu6JkCihDzI---- Caryn Mears
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SWABS
06/06 The best idea was to wrap a fat fluffy pipe cleaner around the rod making sure to keep a piece of the pipe cleaner down at the finger holding end of the rod. Stick the other end of the pipe cleaner through the eye hole of the rod. I got that idea from someone on [the MK8] list. -- Priscilla
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06/06 If their fathers use undershirts and has one to spare, they can bring them in to you (washed) and you can cut them into swab sized portions for the students. -- Patricia Albritton
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06/06 I use the cleaning rods as rhythm sticks! Nice quiet sound! -- Dianne Park
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I use 2 things. I cut squares from an old white turtleneck that turned dingy. I washed it first and then cut it up! I give a square to students who have earned up to their green or purple belt in Recorder Karate. For the others I cut up used dryer sheets. If you cut them in half they won't stick inside the recorder. Denise in SC
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06/06 I take an old 100% cotton t-shirt and cut it in to many 2 inch by 2 inch squares and pass them out on the day they get their recorders. If I don't, they think it works without the cloth! -- Laurie Zentz
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TEACHING TWO PARTS AT THE SAME TIME
12/09 This sounds like a great opportunity to talk about sectional rehearsals. I did this with my middle school choir last year. I was fortunate to have a neighboring classroom where I could send a group to rehearse a tricky part or work on memorization. Before I would send them on their way, I clearly outlined my expectations for behavior and what I expected from them musically when we got back together as a group. These were 6th, 7th & 8th graders and 99% of the time it was very successful. You also want them to hear the other parts in relation to their part. This will help out a lot. You can sing the alto part while the sopranos play and vise versa. Kind of like singing a canon . . .you can't plug your ears and tune out the other part. You need to hear its relationship to the whole piece. --- Todd in Santa Fe
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TECHNIQUES, ADVISE, IDEAS, GAMES
My teaching partner and I were just talking about this earlier this week. He likes to use it on recorders after they are comfortable with BAG and play the rhythm of a familiar rhyme, one person playing the first line, and the second person playing the second line. You could use nursery rhymes and have them go back and forth on that. Would probably work well with barred instruments, too, either using just BAG or a pentatonic scale.
Student A: ta ti ta ti ti ka ti taa (Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall)
Student B: ta ti ta ti ti ka ti taa (Humpty Dumpty had a great fall)
Student A: ti ka ti ti ka ti ti ka ti taa (All the kings horses and all the kings men)
Student B: ti ka ti ti ka ti ti ka ti taa (Couldn't put Humpty together again)
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02/03 RECORDER COURTESY IN THE CLASSROOM
----DO NOT TOUCH!
2. LAP POSITION: This means you're listening, not playing. The recorder must touch both knees.
----Automatically place your recorder in lap position when you finish playing.
3. CHIN or READY POSITION: NO SOUND comes out of your recorder! The back of your mouthpiece can fit on your chin.
----You can sing the song, the rhythms or the note names while your fingers "play" the correct notes.
----From chin position, you can immediately put the recorder in your mouth with your fingers already in position.
4. PLAYING POSITION: Let's play recorder! If everyone plays together, we make music, not noise.
----Remember, music begins and ends in silence.
2. SIT UP TALL! Do not let your recorder or elbows rest on your lap.
3. Keep the fingers you're not using near the open holes they're meant for. Relax your hand. Cover ONLY the holes you need.
----Use your finger pads. When you play, keep your fingers FLAT.
4. Keep the mouthpiece in FRONT of your teeth . Your teeth DO NOT touch the recorder.
5. Feel the holes to know they're covered. If at first, for fun, you want to press extra hard,
----on your finger pad you will see the outlines of the hole you're covering.
6. EVERY hole must be completely covered, or the note you want won't sound right.
7. The LOWER you GO, the SOFTER you BLOW. In general, the more holes you cover, the lower the sound.
----Breathe warm air into the recorder.
8. Use your TONGUE to repeat notes. Nothing else moves. "Tonguing" happens behind your teeth.
----Your tongue DOES NOT touch the recorder.
9. Each finger has its own position on the recorder. Don't skip holes.
10. The more you PRACTICE at home, the faster your playing will improve. -- Contributed by Erica Davis
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03/02 PRACTICING: at home. I find that lots of kids practice at home. I have a sheet of all the rainbow recorder pieces that will earn them a string. I make lots of copies and let them take them home. Many of them practice these at home. I spend the first part of the year focusing on recorder and letting them earn their strings but it basically ends around Christmas.
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01/02 PRACTICING: For anyone who is wondering what a 'Practice Bug' is:
It's a centipede like creature with a space to fill in for every 10
minutes practiced. When the students have filled in 10 spaces, they hand
in the bug.
I make up a bulletin board that says "Recorder Players Bug Me!" and ask
them to bug me as much as possible. They get marks based on the number of
bugs handed in.
03/02 OLYMPICS THEME I just finished it with my 4th graders:
Need a stopwatch and kids need their recorders (a stopwatch can be borrowed
from the PE teacher or bought at a sporting goods store in the RUNNING
section. I shopped around for one for a few hours yesterday!! Cost for a
decent one? $10.
Category I Longest Long Toner
First a practice run. Everyone plays "G" using correct hand and position.
Remind how to take a deep breath from the abdomen (don't raise shoulders,
etc). Then, each child takes a turn playing "G". If there is an immediate
squeak, then a do-over is possible. Any further squeaking results in
disqualification. Time the length the note is played. I had one child play
just over 21 seconds on a "G". They loved it and it was easy enough for
everyone to be successful, to some extent! They're also practicing breath
control!!
Category II Fastest player of Hot Cross Buns.
Rules: must be tongued, no squeaking. Everyone gets two chances. Must use
correct playing/holding position and well as good rhythm and correct notes.
Time each child after a 30 second practice for everyone. Shortest time
wins.
I had one child do it in just over 3 seconds. They're practicing tonguing
and technique.
Child who has the best time, or beats the previous time gets to put the
"time to beat" on the board, the class winner gets a piece of candy. Then
there was gold, silver, and bronze for the entire 4th grade, and then I'll
do it district wide. Different little prizes for each higher level of
winning. They thought this was just the best thing!!
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03/02 RECORDER OLYMPICS were held at GW Smith Elementary School today with 5
grade 4 and 5 classes participating.
The world record time in the BAGED Mad Minute event was 22 seconds set by
Cole in Mrs. Ganger's Grade 5 class.
The world record for musical words created and notated in one class
(using ABCDEFG) was 32 words, by Cheyenne in 4B.
The world record for most notes of the C scale played correctly without
squeaks or bloopies (in 15 seconds), was 63. This record was set by
Jessica in 5M.
Medals were awarded to first, second and third place winners in each class
AND the National anthem was sung during the medal ceremony.
The long tone event was cancelled because there was too much corruption
among the competitors.
Chief referree, D. Gagne, assures the media that the judging was fair and
impartial.
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01/02 HOLDING THE RECORDER
In order to keep "grip" on the recorder I learned to roll my finger away
from the hole on the back. I found it easiest to roll it down just enough
that it did not block the hole. In the same light, I am finding that the
kids do everything much better if I have them barely lift fingers from holes
instead of raising them way up; then they are more likely to fully cover the
holes when they put the fingers back.
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BREATHING
One thing I can say that worked well for "breathing" instead of blowing was an
idea I saw in a MK8 issue about using straws. Before they received their
recorder we discussed the difference between breathing out and blowing; we
compared holding breath under water to blowing out the candles on the cake.
Then we used straws. One hand holds the straw, the other hand is at the other
end to "feel" the air. If they could hear or "feel" the air, they were blowing
too hard. But, if they breathed out correctly, their hand would feel warm but
they would not feel any air coming out. The last part was most fun. I had a
student hold a candle and I was the official re-lighter. Lights out! The
test: using your straw and breathing, MOVE the candle flame without blowing it
out. woah, what control it required! As soon as we played the first note on
their recorders, not a single squeak!!!
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HOLDING THE RECORDER
01/02 Last year my artist in residence was an early music specialist from
Charleston, SC. She taught my kids to use their "magic finger" to steady the
recorder. The "magic finger" was the third finger of the right hand. She
taught them to keep that finger down for G, A, B, C treble clef (I don't
remember about D). When she taught low E, she taught "the old switcheroo",
switching first two fingers for the third one. They were playing that in one
class period. This certainly took care of the problem because they had to
use BOTH hands to play, even on G, A, and B. When kids complained about
being right handed, she told them that the recorder was a TWO HANDED
instrument. They were learning the "hard" hand first. "Just wait, when we
get to the low notes, they will be so easy!" It sure worked with my kids
last spring.
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CLASSROOM ROUTINE
01/02 I usually have a very structured class that includes
1. Sit correctly
2. start in rest position
3. recorder in "rest" position (mouthpiece to left with left hand on the
holes) - they catch on when all the others have theirs "pointed" in the same
direction. I have them put their right hand on the bell, and then they just
have to "snap it up" when they get the signal. I demonstrate a few times with
my back to them so they can see.
4. signal for "instruments up" - in place to put mouth on
5. "ready to play" command
6. count off
The kids like the regimentation. I tell them that it helps them get ready to
be in a marching band, or a drill team, or anything that requires uniformity.
It usually takes a few gentle reminders for some of them, but I insist on
"left hand on top" - just like all the other instruments - right from the
beginning.
I also ask a student who is forgetting to do it correctly (I don't let on
that they are not conforming!) to watch and see what it looks like. "Doesn't
that look cool?!?" or "Wow! That's awesome, isn't it?!?" usually fixes the
problem pretty quickly
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ROUTINE, SEATING
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RECORDER BINGO
5/01 Here's how I'm doing recorder bingo...I prepared a blank tic tac toe grid (9 sections) with an empty treble staff in each. Then I spelled out about 30 different arrangements of 3 note patterns using the notes my recorder classes have learned (ie BAG, GEE, BAB, etc.). I've copied enough grids so that each student will get his own. Then I'll write several of the patterns up on the board (as many as there are students in the class). The kids then can choose any 9 patterns and notate these on their staves (in whole notes). The kids will get a cup of Fruitloops for markers.
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RULES OF THE ROAD
I have taught recorders before and had great success. The success followed some terrible blunders. Here are some very important ideas that did not originate from me, but make the whole experience more successful.
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PITCH DISCRIMINATION
I've been using this recorder game to sharpen pitch discrimination capabilities in my 4-5 graders. Starting easy, I tell them I will play a pattern on a single pitch on my recorder (B A or G), but I will cover my hand so they can't see. They attempt to play it back by guessing the pitch and then raise their hand if they think they know the pitch. After a few patterns, I add 2, then 3 pitches. They must chant back the pattern on letter names (eg: BB A GG A). Kids keep guessing until someone gets it right. Then after a few patterns, I have the next kid who guesses correctly, come up and give the next pattern. Instead of covering his/her hand, the student stands closely facing the chalkboard so no one can see the fingers. Then calls on students to answer and so on. I will lead them to dictation after one more class of doing this. My kids found this really fun.
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IMPROVISATION
I will be starting recorder in March. One thing I like to have them do right away is improvise on BAG. I play a seven beat phrase question phrase ending on B or A then the students immediately play an 8 beat answer phrase ending on G. When they know the pentatonic scale we include D and E also. When they get good at it..(ha,ha) we go around the room. One person does the question and the next the answer phrase. For those who don't feel comfortable doing this I tell them they can play the last 2 measures of Hot Cross buns as an answer.
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PLAYING IN TUNE
It's very important to use an open syllable when tonguing. The "t" at the end stops the passage of air, and that causes intonation to fall. The MOST difficult thing about playing recorder is playing in tune, and this will sabotage your efforts. Each note ends when the next is articulated. If you have a rest, you need to keep breathing, but open your mouth. I ask my students to think of their breath as a solid tube of air - articulation merely "nicks" the column, but doesn't segment it. So please us "du" or Da, or tu, etc - (I teach recorder at the college level)
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RECORDER RAP
My feet are on the floor, and my back is straight. My instrument is ready and I'm lookin' great!
Left hand at the top; (rest) Right below; My toe is ready for fast or slow.
(alternate: I'll tongue each note whether fast or slow.) Warm air, gentle air, that's the way!
Cover holes tightly and NOW LET'S PLAY!
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BREATH CONTROL
I have found that one of the best ways to teach breath control with my recorder students is to talk about hot chocolate!! yum!
Before we start, I usually talk about football games and how cold the weather can be. Then we talk about the kinds of things you could buy at the stand to warm yourself up....hot chocolate always comes up! We pretend we are getting ready to take a drink and....OUCH! It burned my tongue. Next, I tell them I am going to cool mine and I make a big deal of blowing really really hard into my pretend cup...they laugh and enjoy that. This leads us to a discussion as to why that won't work. We talk about the slow, cooling breath that will allow us to cool our hot chocolate so that we can drink it without blowing it over our hands and face and burning us. This works really well. At different times then during class, if I hear someone over blowing, I call out "someone's burning their hands!" 9 times out of 10 then will correct their blow without me pointing out.
I've done a couple of different things:
#1. If they forget the recorder they do a written worksheet. Something that I have prepared that goes with the Music we are working on. (i.e. symbols, note names, rhythms, writing and identifying)
#2. I cut 4 pictures of a recorder (I have 4 sections of 4th grade) into 6 pieces. Each class period that all the students remember their recorders they get a piece of the puzzle. When the picture is complete they get a treat. If they remember every time this will take 6 weeks. It doesn't get too pricey!!!!! The students like to see which class can get a treat 1st and if they are really on the ball they can get a treat twice before school is out in May
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1) I tell the kids that the recorders should always be kept in their book bag when they are not being played. If they take them home, it goes back in the book bag when they are through. Keeps it away from the eyes of little siblings.
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NECKLACE FOR RECORDER
I teach recorders in grades 3,4 & 5. I use the Aulos (spelling may be incorrect) one piece recorders. I teach at two Catholic schools & each student purchases their own. I usually order about 100/yr. These have a nice tone & a thumb rest which helps to balance the recorder.
They don't have halos but I just wrap a rubber band around the neck, then put some wider ribbon thru the rubber band & tie at the top. This goes around the neck & works just fine. Some of my students prefer to attach one of those key holder things (ex: NIKE or WWJD) around the rubber band. They play their recorders in a Spring Concert where they sit up on the bleachers. This idea has saved many recorders from "falling to the floor" during the performance. For 3rd grade, I handwrite out simple songs just giving them the letter of the note to play with the note durations. (no notes on the staff) By doing it this way, my students learn all the notes of the C scale & also F# and Bb.
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WARMUP
I have a large floor staff made from 5 different colors of electric tape. I placed white circles as note heads on the staff in B A and G position. As I stepped off each note, the kids played the correct pitches on recorder. I asked a student to rearrange the notes and to walk the staff as the class played the new "composition". The accuracy of playing was fabulous. Kids couldn't wait to get their try at "composition" and performance. I've decided to incorporate this activity into our warm-up drills of echo playing, rhythm charts, and 'find the note' (turn back, play one sustained note and give kids 5 seconds to find the correct pitch).
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"GO TELL AUNT RHODY"
I just used "Go Tell Aunt Rhody" for our concert. The recorder players played the tune for an introduction (starting on F-sharp, key of D). They the choir sang verses 1-3, where the goose dies in the millpond, standing on her head. Then there was an interlude with recorders playing the tune again. Then the choir sang "The goslings are crying... because their Mammy's dead" while taking out white hankies and pretending to cry. On the last verse "Go tell Aunt Rhody" the recorders played the tune a third time. It was very successful.
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TENOR RECORDERS
07/05 I just have 10 alto recorders and 2 tenors, so I use them for kids who have mastered the soprano, and are looking for a new challenge. I have all kids play some simple songs on them to get a feel for it, but they usually seem to self select and often go back to what they are still learning - the soprano. I haven't had a problem with fingers reaching altos as much as for tenors. Students just do the best they can, and if they don't like it, go back to the soprano! I write harmony parts for the altos to play, and have a few things from my Level II that I use. That's as far as we usually get. My advanced kids really enjoy the challenge of learning new fingerings, so I'm glad I have the additional recorders. Denise Phillips
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06/07 I have a tenor recorder, and I let students who pass black belt before the end of the course of study work on it. First, they just repeat the RK songs. Them if they have time, I find some extra songs for them. Last year, I only had two, so they took turns. One used it one week and one the next. I found some duets for two soprano recorders and had the tenor play one part. It worked out fine. -- Monica in Tennessee
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AULOS
The newer Aulos model (the one without) the c/c# key is easy to play and has a great sound.
Don't get a [tenor] wooden one unless you're willing to spend enough to get a good one ($300+)--and you have some one to help you pick it out. A good plastic recorder is better than an inexpensive wooden one. - Alan Purdum
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You might try Beethoven's Viennese Flute Clock".....I just finished my level 3 and a small group of advanced players played this delightful piece. It is about 4 or 5 pages long...and is a good work out for a soprano, alto and Tenor recorder.....a lot of fun
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Only a few of my best players who also had large hands were successful on tenor recorder below about the low E or so. Even with the keys for the low C, it was hard if not impossible for them to keep the right hand holes covered all the way down to the lowest notes. But for most notes from about low E on up, most of the kids could handle it fairly well, with the exception of someone with very small hands. I'm not sure about younger kids, 3rd or 4th grades, as only my upper grades got into alto and tenor recorders. It sure sounds nice in the ensemble though. --- Louise Eddington
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THUMB SPOTS FOR RIGHT HAND
I often use a little bit of colored electrical tape to show where to put the thumb. ---- Cynthia Sibitzky - North Pole,
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TOOTING OUT-OF-TURN
06/15 TOOT OUT-OF-TURN: Pipe cleaner silencers. 1 pipe cleaner makes 2 silencers.
Cut pipe cleaner in half, then fold into a u shape. Place ends of the U into the aperture of the recorder. Kids try to play and nothing comes out. Give every kid one if needed, then you teach, they practice and when you want them to play take it out, or just give it to those who like to play out of turn.
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01/07 For school use, I like the Aulos plastic model without the key. It's designed for small hands. I'm 5'2" with proportionally small hands, and it's comfortable for me to use. If you're thinking of ensemble playing with other wooden recorders, you'd be better with a wooden model. -- Edie Daigle Elementary Music Specialist, Orff Schulwerk Certified Kearsarge Regional School District
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11/03 Some very smart person on this list gave us this suggestion last year. Instead of making the offending recorder player put his/her instrument away, as a punishment for playing out of turn, just make them put the head joint in the case. They can still finger along, but have to be silent. - Contributed by Tess Hoffman
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03/02 Be very specific about your rules at the beginning. If you can state the rules in a fun way...I think they remember better! Mine are:
"No tooting when I'm talking." ~ "If you blew it, you blew it." (recorder top comes off if you break the above rule)
"Pit stop." - put the bottom of the recorder in your pit
when I say this.
"Breathe ~ don't blow."
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My kids sit in teams of 4-if one kid plays it, the team "cops" it and takes it. They hold it for 5 minutes and then return it to the student. I do no work other than to say "recorder cops on!" The student loses a point for each 5 min. they aren't playing. They must finger along on a pencil. One kid did it all the time so he didn't have to play. I just told his team to never take it away from him again-stopped his problem!
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10/01 Use two or three part recorders and take the top from those breaking the rule "no tooting without permission". Assign an amount of time, 5 minutes or so, that you will keep it. They can still practice but just can't blow. If you have one piece recorders (like my "loaners") just take the whole thing and let them finger a lummi stick (real exciting). Pretty soon everybody catches on, especially if you are doing Recorder Karate and they are motivated to play.
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10/01 I had a 4th with a "reputation" last year and knew this question would pose more than the usual challenge. Since I don't like to take recorders away, I needed some positive way to discourage the extra tooting. Our reading theme was "Aloha," so I made lots of copies of paper fish, about 4"X 4" and collared them in bright colors. Each class began with 5 chalk marks on the board and lost one each time someone slipped. They needed to keep only one mark to get a fish. If they kept all 5 marks, I added glitter to the fish. The fish were marked with the class name and added in "schools" to the ocean part of our large Hawaiian island bulletin board. The classes seldom failed to check as soon as they entered the room to see if all had received their fish and who had glittery ones. The starting number was lowered to four and then to three as the weeks passed. I'm in their rooms this year, and the theme will be different, but I'll probably do something similar. It was easy, inexpensive, and effective.------------
10/01 Before you distribute the recorders the first time, make VERY clear what your penalty will be for blowing out of turn - time out or losing it for the period. Then stick to it! OR Establish a hand signal. When you get your recorder, explore it and experiment with it, but when I give the cut-off, stop or lose it! Then have a discussion of how afwul it sounded, and that is why you have rules about when to play and when not to.
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10/01 I tell my kids if they blow it when they are not supposed to, then they have to put it away and practice with us on a magic marker. My favorite excuse is, "Oh, I didn't mean to." and I sweetly say, "I'm sorry, the mouthpiece does not accidently fall in your mouth and you accidently breathe in the instrument!"
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10/01 Before I pass out recorders I assign many jobs. One student to pass them out, another who passes out paper towels (we have one set that all the classes use), another to pick up the used paper towels, and most important..the recorder police. These 2 students keep track of students who lose their recorders for a 5 minute time out if they play when they are not supposed to. One writes the student's name down and the time while the other goes to get the recorder and takes it back. The second time a student plays then the recorder gets returned for the rest of class. I am really strict about it and warn students just to keep them away from their mouths when I am talking because I might think it is that student when it's not. I hate for a student not to play, but I hate it more when I am trying to teach and talk over little peeps of sound! So far it has really worked great and the most recorders being taken for 5 minutes is four and no one has ever lost it for the entire class!
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10/01 I have mine remove their mouthpiece so they still can practice the fingering. But they may not test that day (for recorder karate etc.) if they have had to forfeit their mouthpiece.
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10/01 I treat it like I would if they interrupted "3 strikes and recess is out". I also tell them to totally keep the recorder out of their mouths, otherwise if I hear a sound, I might pick on the first person I see with a recorder up to their mouth! Taking the mouthpiece off works, too, or, if they're in chairs, making sure the recorder is in their laps, just like in band.
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RESOURCES & RECORDINGS
06/09 BOOK: RECORDER FRIENDLY: http://gweiss.users.50megs.com/recorderfriendly.htm
12 EASY pieces for (C instruments) recorder available for $45. This includes shipping and handling.
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11/08 HOW A RECORDER IS MADE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiSW6LPchSc&feature=
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11/08 A free pdf. Beautiful graphics which would make some lovely posters :) Recorder fingering ebook
http://letsplayrecorder.com/15_Children_s_Songs_for_Recorder.html
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11/08 Every interval in the chromatic scale, set against a Latin jazz backdrop. What more could you want? --- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2d4zS56cY --- Martha Stanley
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06/06 I've never liked the quality of Windows sound recorder.... Download Freerecorder and try recording through your computer that way. The quality is much better! It saves the file as an mp3 but you can convert it with any free converter program. - RaeAnna Goss
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06/06 Here are two CD's that I use for listening and movement to recorder music. I have a number of students from Mexico so I talk about how Horacio Franco, a Mexican musician, makes money playing the recorder! Horacio Franco with the Georgian Chamber Orchestra: Vivaldi, Sammartini and Telemann Pro Arte Recorder Ensemble of Argentina: The Recorder, 4 Centuries of Recorder Music. -- Joan Dakin, Martinez Unified School District
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08/04 A great book for the kids (all folk song material) is the "Recorder Explorer" by BJ Lahman and Linda Hill--available from Music is Elementary. A great resource for the teacher (also all folk songs) is "Tutoring Tooters" by Shirley Mc Rae--available from any catalogue company that sells Orff Instruments. -- Contributed by Alan
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09/03 I found the most WONDERFUL storybook to introduce the recorder to my fourth graders! It's called "The Song of Six Birds" by Rene Deetlefs, illustrated by Lyn Gilbert c. 1999, published by Dutton Childrens Books (division of Penguin) I found it on the bargain book table at Books-A-Million.
Set in Africa, a little girl receives a flute for a gift, but it only makes noise until she is able to capture the sounds of 6 birds. Then she can make MUSIC! Sweet story, lovely pictures, AND refers to the original meaning of "recorder" because it was supposed to be able to imitate the sound of birds. A perfect lead in! I made up little melodies for each of the bird calls (2 or 3 notes) and sang them as I came to them, and next week (yes, we're a year-around school, how did you guess????)we will try to put those sounds "into our recorders." Just as an experimental exploration - not naming notes or trying for perfection. - Contributed by Judith Schneider
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02/03 For Christmas recorder songs get "Holiday Hits for Recorder." I think Plank Rd. carries it. My kids love those songs.
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OKAY - THIS WAS FUN!!! I downloaded "The Recorder Teacher" which I found when searching the internet for recorder input. It is free for 10 days, then you have to pay to extend it, or the features turn themselves off. I downloaded it at home and my son had a BALL using this site. So, I downloaded it at school and today we spent 30 fun-filled (should have been more like 60) minutes exploring this recorder site. The hit of the day was where you are able to compose your own pieces, then hear them, as they are played with the recorder fingerings showing. What a blast!
http://www.theshops.co.uk/childsplay/
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You might try Beethoven's Viennese Flute Clock".....I just finished my level 3 and a small group of advanced players played this delightful piece. It is about 4 or 5 pages long...and is a good work out for a soprano, alto and Tenor recorder.....a lot of fun..
(sequential material for beginning recorder players with taped accompaniments that are contemporary and fun to play, the kids love the music.
Cox & Rickard (1981) begin the series with BAG. A clever innovation in this book is its monotone songs on new notes with appropriate alliterative text. For instance, "Bach played bagpipes in a brass band" is played on B. As in the John Thompson course, cartoon figures offer reminder tips, except that the cartoon characters are student peers rather than elves. After low D and E are added, Orff instruments are introduced. Third-space C, the first pying, appears on page 28.
King, C. 1994. Recorder routes I: Revised edition. Lakeland, TN:
Memphis Misicraft Publications.
Cox, H. & Rickard, G. 1981. Sing, clap and play the recorder: Book 1. London: Macmillan.
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An excellent complement to a recorder program is a steel pan, which can provide rhythm, harmony, melody, and counterpoint. I've heard some great ensemble playing by elementary school bands. You can find a beginner's pan http://www.steel-pan.com Because it's range is similar to a recorder's, it can be used with most recorder songbooks. A truly versatile instrument for teaching kids music.
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WEB SITES
10/13 Learn thru Games (fee involved) www.joytunes.com
Rockin' Recorders: http://studiokay.com/recorder/Studentsx.html
Angels We Have Heard on High (sop, tenor, alto, bass-f + 1 descant): http://www.aotc.net/Gloria.gif
Holy, Holy, Holy (sop, tenor, alto, bass-f + 1 descant): http://www.aotc.net/Holy.gif
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12/08 PLAY ALONG, PRINT OUT SONGS........... Password: salem
http://schools.portnet.k12.ny.us/%7Eafriedman/rockinrecorder/
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06/07 ALL ABOUT THE RECORDER: Sound files, History, Composers, Technique, Construction, and much more:
http://www.recorderhomepage.net/
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07/05 www.buyrecorders.com contains FREE downloadable/printable Lessons 1-10 of my method book "The Recorder From Zero, Vol. 1" and also lessons 21-26 of Vol. 2 and and lessons 1-10 of "Alto Recorder From Zero"
It is the only method book series for recorder to use all medieval and renaissance music, mostly in the form of duets for student and teacher and has been favorably reviewed in American Recorder Magazine and by several readers on Amazon.com
The website also contains several pages of photos of historical instruments in museums and private collections.-- Charles Fischer, Unicorn Music
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08/04 CATALOGS from Peripole-Bergerault, Inc.
http://www.peripole.com/items/category_view/160 OR call Cak at 1-800-443-3592.
Peripole-Bergerault, Inc. PO box 12909 Salem, OR 97309-0909
Phone: 1-800-443-3592
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04/03 ALTO INTERACTIVE FINGERING CHART
http://www.hants.gov.uk/hrs/finger/ffinger.htmlBACK to Recorder topics