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.