Teaching Notes, 20151118

There was no school on 11/11, so I had a miniature break from teaching.  That said, Thanksgiving really can sneak up on you, even in the context of music class, so I wanted to insert some Thanksgiving-themed songs.  I also felt I hadn't covered enough theory at this point in the school year, so it was time to do something along those lines.

1. Intro: When The Saints Go Marching In.  I started playing this song (from the Kings of Dixieland - no words) in the background and asked the children if they recognized any instruments.  Just about every instrument they picked out was really in the song, which was great.  Next, I had the students echo me in song; we sang two different verses before moving on.
2. Fine Friends Are Here.  I'm thinking that for the Spring Sing (yes, I'm already planning for it), I would have the students try to sing the whole song, so this time, we sang through the chorus stanza, and with the ukulele, I sang through the first real verse.  I then had the students sing the chorus one more time.  The students are no longer just responding in the chorus - they are singing the whole chorus now.
3. I'm In the Mood for Singing.  This was a bit of a nonsequitor, but I wanted to review this song a bit before introducing the next phase.  Plus, the students still don't quite remember what to do with the 3rd response, and so it was a worthwhile review
4. Piano vs Forte.  I had printed out signs for piano, forte, pianissimo, and fortissimo, and I introduced the terms to the students.  Much of the class already knew piano and forte, but not many knew how to pronounce the more extreme levels.  After having the students practice piano and forte (in piano and forte, of course), I then had them sing I'm In The Mood For Singing, based on whatever dynamic I was holding at the time.
5. Vivaldi's Spring.  I decided to play this for the students, which features a lot of changes in dynamics, and I asked the students if they felt that they were listening to something in piano or forte.  We continued with the song until the part where it sounded like two birds singing to each other; I asked the students if they knew what animal the composer was thinking of, and the students guessed correctly that there were not one but two birds.
6. 5 Fat Turkeys.  I had the students be my mirror this time, and eventually I had them make the turkey sign.  I told them to echo me, and so we sang through once.  I should have tried this a second time later, but I did it a second time right there.
7. Tony Chestnut.  This is another song that might appear during the Spring Sing.  I actually know the first half of the song well, so that's what I covered.
8. The Turkey Ran Away.  I didn't have a really good way to introduce this, so I just talked very briefly about the turkeys, how a moment ago they ran away from the cooks, and so I had the students simply echo me as I sang this song.  We did cover other foods as well (apple, pumpkin, potato).
9. John The Rabbit.  Speaking of foods and vegetables, I readied my ukulele again, and we sang through two of the three verses.  This was entirely review, and the students remembered the song very well.
10. Closing: Goodbye My Friends.  We did the usual walk back to the tables while singing.

Teaching Notes, 20151104

Last week, I didn't really have the students move around much, although I did try for the first time to have them march in a circle, with mixed results.  This time, I wanted to get them moving more, and even though it was brisk outside this morning, I planned on having the students spend a significant part of class outside.

1. Intro: Fine Friends Are Here.  I started singing, and students responded, many with hand signs, which was great!  Today's twist was that I was going to sing to the students the mini-bridge, while strumming my ukulele.  However, I forgot it, so I just sang hoping the students would follow when I revisited the chorus.  A few students responded in the middle of the bridge with "Fine Friends", but I just kept singing, and the singing kids realized something was different.  When I returned to the chorus, they responded as usual.
2. I'm In The Mood for Singing.  I sang the first line, and only one student remembered the response.  As such, I had to do a little more review of the responses for the song.  However, I had the students sing only twice through, and I moved on.
3. Halloween Surprise.  Halloween was still fresh on the kids' minds, and I asked them what kind of jack-o-lanterns (or pumpkins) they saw.  This made it very easy to review this song, although surprising a lot of students didn't remember all of the song, so it was a combo review and re-introduction for them.
4. It's a Very Good Day.  I then had the students get up and start marching towards the right to this song.  It was indeed sunny outside, so I had the students follow me outside while singing this song.
5. Little Bird, Fly Through My Window.  With the students mostly in a circle, I had the students echo me with this song.  Enough students remembered the song such that they knew that there was a chance for someone to be a "bird".  I had one parent be the example bird for the rest of the class, and the students were all very excited to be that flying bird.  We ended up trying to "catch" three different student birds before moving on.
6. Boanopstekker.  To prepare the students, I had the students practice marching to the right, amongst the other movements and then we tried the activity.  As I have in past classes, it was easier to do the claps and steps in half time the first times through before going full speed.  We actually managed to do this a second time before I led the students back inside.
7. Victor Vito.  This was again review, but again it seemed like the break limited the number of students who remembered the song.  I slowed and sped up the song just like I did the previous class.
8. Closing: Goodbye My Friends.  As we've done in most of the classes, the students walked to their desks while singing.

I actually intended to revisit John the Rabbit and change the outgoing song, but with the ukulele forgotten at home, I decided on the fly to repeat Boanopstekker.  With that, the students haven't played either rhythm or tone instruments yet, and I'll be doing that for the next class.

Teaching Notes, 20151028

The students are back, and it's also the class before Halloween - this of course meant that I was able to pull out my tried-and-tested Halloween lesson for kinders that I've used for a few years now.

1. Introduction: Fine Friends Are Here.  It's been three weeks since the previous class, so the students didn't all remember the hand signs, but I sang through this once through, reminded them about the hand signs, and had them sing one more time through.
2. Singing Costumes.  I asked the students what they were going to be for Halloween, and after the 3rd response, I then had the students sing their response in sol-mi; e.g. "I am _____".  Not all of the students sang loudly, but they mostly were able to respond in sol-mi.  This exercise can take a long time and so I did have to remind other students to remain quiet as their cohorts sang.
3. Halloween Surprise.  I asked the students what they would be seeing during Halloween, and it wasn't long before someone suggested pumpkins.  Following the lyrics of the song, I verbally walked the students through steps required to make a "pumpkin surprise" (aka a Jack-O-Lantern).  I reviewed this one time, and then I had the students echo me in song, while doing the hand motions.  After going through this one time, I taught the students the ASL sign for "surprise", and I had them shout "surprise" loudly as if one were, indeed, trying to surprise someone.  This is always a blast.
4. Bongo Joe.  I wanted to review at least one song that was only covered once before the break, and Bongo Joe was it.  I segued right into the song, having the students clap three times at the end of the each line.  Next, I had the students try to fill in the last word for each line, and just like past years, they got all but "grand".
5. 5 Little Pumpkins.  This is always a fun one, and before starting off, I reviewed 1 through 5 in ASL, emphasizing the sign for 3.  I then dropped the kids into the song.  A few students already knew the song, and so we did it one more time for additional fun.
6. It's A Very Good Day.  I had the students stand up, and then practice marching to the right.  The students had a little struggle trying to put it together (e.g. which way is "right"), but I found it simply easier to point each student (quickly) in the correct direction, and then have them take little steps.  I tried my best to get them stepping in a beat, and I then started to sing the song.  I stopped at "why" - and I got the students to use their arms and hands to ask "why?" - followed by the end of the song.  I noted that outside was wet a slightly rainy, so we sang about a rainy day - jumping instead of stepping as if we were jumping into puddles.  I then changed the song to "running through the wind", although instead of running I had the students take lots of tiny steps.
7. Leaves Are Red and Yellow.  With the students seated again, I then reviewed this song, with the second stanza where the air was crisp and colder.  It was now time to introduce "noisy crows" and the scarecrow that says "beware!"  I had the students practice their lowest, creepiest voice when saying "beware", and they seemed to enjoy it.
8. Victor Vito.  This wasn't really Halloween-related, but I had a few minutes left, and so I simply had the students clap at "rice" and "beans" while echoing the chorus.  To my mild surprise, no students knew this song, but no matter - we sang it anyway.
9. Exit: Goodbye My Friends Goodbye.  As I have been doing for the past few classes, I had the students walk back to their desks while singing this ending song.

There wasn't a big dance this time around, but I got to cover the usual holiday material, which the students always enjoy.  I might still review some of these even though next week is after Halloween.