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.