Thanksgiving Dinner walk

Have you ever had your kids walk the rhythm to their songs?  It is such a great way to practice and internalize rhythms.  My kids absolutely love to do it.

Recently, I've been teaching my 3rd graders about Bach, especially through his music.  I've used some of Amy Abbott's great ideas on teaching Musette in D from her blog post here.  She also has some great tech tips on how to use Audacity to slow down YouTube recordings.  Read it!  You'll be glad you did :)

Anyway, I had the opportunity to retake Orff Level 1 this past summer.  I'm so glad I did.  The first time I took it, I hadn't even graduated or started teaching yet, and though I loved it then, it was so much more valuable this time as I've been teaching for a few years so I have some background.  I decided to use Amy's ideas but throw in an Orff twist.

I created the following words for Bach's Musette in D that go along with Thanksgiving:

The kids walk the rhythms and say the words.  It also helps when I play recordings of the piece - they can immediately identify the form (so helpful).

I then threw in a Thanksgiving twist.  I created some food cards and laminated them, and spread them around the floor (the cute clip art comes from mycutegraphics.com).  I used 9 different "food stations."

Some examples:

The kids walked the rhythms to the piece (I occasionally play them on the piano, but not always - I really want them to internalize them) and have to stop on a food station.  I then drew a card with a food word on it, and the students on that station, as well as the food are eliminated.  The game continues until only one station is left - and those students are declared the winners!

Sounds so simple - but my students absolutely loved this activity.  I extended it to 5th grade, where we are talking about micro beats and macro beats, and they would have to sing a song and walk either beat - depending on what I said.  When I blew a signal on my recorder (which I wear as a necklace at all times), they had to switch to the other type of beat.  When the students were eliminated in this grade, they came to the side, chose a rhythm instrument, and had to play either the micro or macro beat, depending on what was indicated.

You could extend this so many different ways - but my kids had a great time.  Hope you can use this!

More fly swatters!

A few weeks ago I was at Dollar Tree (I really should by stock in that store since I get a lot of stuff there) and found these awesome fly swatters:

Just for an idea on how big these really are, here is my 4-year-old daughter holding one up:

My students absolutely love them!  One student told me that these were big enough to "whack an elephant!" 

Love it!  You must go buy them now!

I have blogged before about my "fly swatter" games that I like to play in class.  I have recently uploaded a few products to Teachers Pay Teachers (some free) that would be great to use these with:

1. Rhythm flash cards (one set is free, the others are a bundled set).  I like these because they are color-coded by rhythmic concept. I include large flash cards for large-group practice, and smaller flash cards that you can print, cut out, and laminate for small group practice, fly swatter games, memory games, etc.

You can get the ta ti-ti set for FREE here:  Ta ti-ti flash cards

You can get the bundled rhythm set here:  Bundled flash card set  Not free, sorry - but $4 gets you lots and lots of flash cards for all of the following rhythmic concepts:  

ta, ti-ti, ta rest

half note, half rest
sixteenth notes (tika-tika or tiri-tiri)
sixteenth/eighth note combinations (ti-tika, tika-ti or ti-tiri, tiri-ti)
syncopa
dotted quarter, eighth note (tom ti)

Here is an example of what a flash card looks like:  Simple, but effective

2. Rhythm Fly Swatter game:  you can get the ta, ti-ti, ta rest set for FREE here:  Ta ti-ti rest bug swatter game

Here is an example of one of the printable pages.  You cut them out, laminate, and swat away!

3.  I don't just advertise my own stuff.  I would be nowhere without the examples and help from other music teachers.  One of my heroes - never even met her - is music teacher Amy Abbott.  Read her amazing blog here:  Amy Abbott's music blog.  Anyway, she has recently uploaded a lot of "fly swatting" games to TpT - with rhythmic, melodic, and recorder skills.  She has them for sale individually, in bundles, and more.  Check them out here:  Amy Abbott's fly swatter games.

Fly swatter game

I learned about this game last year, and it was one of those "ah-ha!" moments.  It is so simple, yet so great at concept review and individual assessment.  The best part - the kids are usually having so much fun they don't even realize it is a test!  My 2nd graders, for example, will play this game all 30 minutes of class if I would let them.

This is NOT a brand-new or original idea, and many of you might do something similar, but here goes anyway:

I have a lot of different rhythm cards. I am planning on creating some with melodic patterns soon but haven't gotten around to it yet.  Anyway, they focus on reviewing certain rhythmic aspects:  rests, half notes, sixteenth notes, etc.  All you need is some rhythmic cards (or any other cards with concepts you are reviewing) and 2 fly swatters.  I got mine at the dollar store - 2 for a dollar :)  There are some really cute ones out there and maybe someday I'll upgrade, but I'm cheap.....

Spread out your cards and divide your class into 2 teams.  I always go over the rules at the beginning - no swatting anything other than the rhythms (I emphasize the fly swatters have never touched anything living, not even a fly), no cheating, etc.  I also award the quietest team 10 bonus points - that really gets them quiet.  

Then, say or clap a rhythm. The students have to find the correct rhythm and swat it before the other team gets to it.

It's so simple!  Yet, it helps me to individually assess each student's concept of the rhythmic skills we are practicing, the students get practice identifying rhythms by sight and sound, etc.  Lots of value - and big bangs for your bucks!

I got the cute penguin rhythms above here:  penguin fly swatter game. 

Here are some cute buses I wrote on with a sharpie - practicing ta, ti-ti, and rests:  

And just some plain rhyhms for practicing sixteenth notes:

The possibilities are endless!  I have left this activity with a substitute as well - I usually give the name of a couple of responsible students who can say the rhythms, or I have been blessed with musically talented subs as well, and there is a great non-movie sub plan!

Happy reviewing :)