ongakusensei:

• Give them something to listen for in the piece
• Ask them to sing it back
• Timbre recognition, form, pitch direction, rhythm discrimination, expressivity, or texture
• Prepare them for it
• Ask questions about the piece
• Extend upon the listening
• Make it apply to other topics
• Use listening maps
• Age appropriate
• Level appropriate
• Get the students involved in an activity of some sort

ongakusensei:

• If they can chant it, they can play it
• If they can tap or pat it on their bodies, they can play it
• Use fingers first, then sticks of mallets, then balls of mallets
• Be as non-verbal as possible
• “Don’t touch the instruments until I say so”
• “You get what you get, so don’t pitch a fit.”
• Don’t…

ongakusensei:

• If you can chant it, you can dance it
• Reinforce/teach musical concepts
• Can teach rhythm, form, on-beat, off-beat, etc etc
• Age appropriate
• Level appropriate
• Give them something to listen for
• Move without touching anyone
• Listen before moving
• Think before moving
• Use easier, well known models, “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
• Should be personal to each student
• Listen, respond, chant/pat, chant and step, step internalize
• Choreography can be used

thecostumepartyisover:

I have been doing work with the national anthem this week… Showed this to my fifth graders today as a sort of “how NOT to do it.” Bright rawwwrrrs? Hilarious.

It actually started a great dialogue about how the anthem should be performed. Many of my students saw the humor in the sketch, but they also admitted that they’d seen someone do (in real life) some of the quirky things shown here. In general, the students agreed that the song is better when it’s done plainly, with confidence, and with the right words. Also, one needs to be brave when performing it. “B to the R to the A to the V to the E.”

thetuneables:

Introducing songs with both cultural and musical significance is a great way to introduce music to your tiny Tunie!

Children will associate the classical children’s compositions as part of daily routine, instilling musical appreciation and assisting in tonal and rhythmic learning.

Thirty…

kaminskiteacher:

Looking for some suggestions for improving my current instruments unit with my 5th grade general music class. Here’s a little background…

• I have 25 students in class; no desks/tables, just 3 rows of chairs

• I don’t have any access to technology, other than Spotify on my iPod, and a typical…