Teddy Bear Time!

Can you believe it's almost the end of February? I feel like the year goes by so fast sometimes. Winter is the hardest for the kiddos, though. We have had some interesting weather this year in Iowa! Nasty weather means inside recess and some wiggly kids. Today I'm going to bring you into the land of teddy bears (and less headaches). 

My mentor teacher used to have a container of teddy bears. They were wonderful motivators for children, as well as a friend and companion during those icky outside days. I love them so much that I created a mini unit for my kindergarteners all about teddy bears! The first thing to do is come up with several teddy bears. If you feel comfortable enough, each student could bring their own to school to use. I'm hesitant about that, as many of my students don't have toys at all. But, if it works for your school, go for it! Here are some suggestions for finding a classroom set:

1. Thrift stores/garage sales - I went to my local Salvation Army and found several teddy bears. You might have to wash them, but they come in all shapes and sizes at these locations.
2. Teachers - ask your fellow teachers if they would like to donate some to the music classroom. I have several teacher friends who stored old toys in the basement but haven't used them in years. They would be glad to get some extra storage and help you out!
3. Family members - my mom practically threw my old teddy bears at me! I kept them at one point for sentimental reasons, but I would much rather see a student's smile than leave them at my parents' house for several more years.
4. eBay - if you are looking to buy some, eBay is always a good place to find things. They might be more expensive, but you can definitely find hundreds of teddy bears.
5. Advertise - it never hurts to ask around local places if they have any teddy bears at home. Donations are a tax write off and many people gladly donate to the school. Stick up a sign at the library or ask a neighbor. You never know!

So, now you are stocked with teddy bears. What's next? I keep mine in a plastic container with a lid. My room tends to flood in the spring, so everything is plastic to keep stuff safe. Wash them, spot clean and check for any staples, sticky parts, etc. These will be in the somewhat dirty  hands of children - don't expect perfection but they should be in decent condition. 

DAY 1:

I introduce our teddy bears by sitting them in front of the class one day. I tell the students that they are "visitors" and are checking out music class for the day. If they like what they see, they will come back and find a buddy. This grabs their attention immediately! 

DAY 2:

Next time, I go over the expectations of our new buddies. If any student isn't respecting their friend, it goes back in the container and won't visit again. I might have to remind a student or two, but if one goes away, you have them scared for the rest of the unit. Each teddy sits in the student's lap as we sing a story. I recommend The Teddy Bear's Picnic, which comes in many different versions. Sometimes, we bounce our teddy to the beat as we sing the story. We say goodbye to our friends and put them away for the day before moving on to other things.

DAY 3:

We go over the expectations again and bring out our buddies. Each student is reminded that all teddy bears are unique and special in their own way - just like students! We want to be happy that we have a special friend, even if it's not our favorite. This way, students will have several bear friends by the end of the unit. After everyone has a buddy, we bring out some vocal explorations. We do the first few together to warm up our voices. Then, I have different students come up with their teddy bear and create a pathway. It's also fun to have the teddy bear follow the path, either in the air or on the floor. Afterwards, each student creates a pathway for their teddy bear to follow with their voices. It's so fun to see what the students come up with for their friends! I've included this resource for you FREE below. It comes with five pre-made pathways, five blank pathways and two worksheets for students to create their own. Enjoy!

DAY 4:
Today is a really fun day! After passing our the teddy bears, we talk about movement. Just like kids - teddy bears need to move around and be active to feel good. First, we move our teddy bears to the beat by bouncing them on our laps. Then, we stand up and bounce them on our head, arms, knee, etc. From there, we move around the room. I have students jump, skip, walk, clap, etc. with their teddy bear friend. Sometimes, we even play freeze dance with them! I like using John Feierabend's "Keeping the Beat" CD because it has a variety of music on it. 

When we're finishing moving, we sing some songs about teddy bears. Here are some ideas:

• The Bear Went Over the Mountain
• We're Going on a Bear Hunt
• Tango Teddy (Music K8)
• The Other Day (I Met a Bear)
• The Great Outdoors

DAY 5:

On this day, we usually have to say goodbye to our furry friends. We start by singing the song "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" and do the actions with our teddy bears. Then, we talk about how the bears have to go home to their school now. If students are focusing on a certain letter of the alphabet or writing feature, we will create a card to send with our friends. I've had students draw pictures before, as well as practice writing in between the lines. It all depends on the class, but it's a nice way for the kids to have some closure but know that they will return again. 

With several classes, I've done this set from Linda at Floating Down the River! It has several wonderful activities for teddy bears. I love the instrument playing with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It works well for a review the following year with my 1st graders, as well as the writing template she includes. Great ideas!

The more I use this small unit, the more I think about moving it to the beginning of the year. I love how it helps with behavior right now, but a reassuring friend at the beginning of the year is always nice too. Who knows?? There are many different activities, assessments and ideas that can be done with teddy bears. I hope this has inspired you to get out some teddy bears and share with your younger students. Remember to click on the freebie above for a fun vocal exploration activity! 

Five Favorite Pins of February

Happy Valentine's Day weekend! Hope you enjoyed some special time with those you care about.

I'm linking up with Mrs. Miracle's monthly party again!

#1: Dos and Don'ts of Jump Bands

I requested jump bands last year as part of my movement project with DonorsChoose.org. I still havent't successfully brought them out with the kids yet. Krisin Lukow has inspired me with her awesome videos, but now Alison Cabello has come out with her top suggestions and warnings. Can't wait to try these out in the spring!

#2: The Day the Room Fell Silent

So many blog posts are about positive or learning experiences for us as teachers. They also feature great ideas and resources. However, we all know that teaching isn't always a walk in the park. I love how real David gets with his post - I know we all can relate!

#3: Cat Tshirt

I love my cat - like more than the normal person. I also realize that there are some days that I'm not the most positive person to be around. This shirt just makes me smile because it brings them together AND supports an animal in need.

#4: Love Songs listening lessons

I cannot stop raving about Cori Bloom's listening lessons. She put together a great set for Valentine's Day and recently updated it! The new version has John Legend's "All of Me," which was a big hit with the students. 

#5: Name That Tune (Boomwhacker version)
This looks like a fun end of the year activity. Plus, the students can work together in pairs and hold discussions on what they think. Love!

Head over to Aileen's blog to see more favorite pins of February!

My Music Room Set-Up

I'm linking up with Mrs. Miracle's Room and other fellow music education bloggers to show my elementary music classroom! I have been working for the past few years to turn the room into what I feel is beneficial to me as an educator and to my student's learning. Also, I completed a lot of DIY Pinterest projects to spice up my room. Finally, I GOT CARPET! Check back a few posts for the "bare bones" picture - it's so exciting! 

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the tour of my room. I'll try to include links, products or materials of where I found all my ideas. Let's get started!

Here are the two entrances to my classroom. Both doors are kind of boring, so I always try to spice them up a bit so no one misses them!

Also, here's the handicap ramp. We did have students that used it in the past, but right now it is kind of empty. I tried to decorate it a bit this year with wonderful musician quotes by David Row. It's a nice way to tie in some of the student's favorite musicians with advocacy!

Here's the sound cabinet. It's a great cabinet, but it's bolted to the floor. It is also awkwardly placed when you're trying to teach students from the projector. Still, it keeps everything in one spot, which is awesome! I also put together a guide and attached it to the door for staff, subs, etc. It has pictures and information for anyone wishing to use the technology in the room. Here's hoping it comes in handy! I also put up a concert calendar on one of my bulletin boards. It makes it easier to point then to say concert dates a hundred times a year - ha!

New carpet - whoot whoot! I have chairs, but I wanted to try Sit Spots this year. They are pieces of velcro (lots of shapes to choose from) and adhere to the carpet. So far, they work awesome!

I don't really use my whiteboard for much writing. I use it more to display things, check behavior and write notes to the different grade levels. Since it's the beginning of the year, it's completely full of new information! The right white board is small and usually covered by the projector screen. Because of this, I decided to display my Little Thinkers puppets and composer dolls. I also put up my Sing-a-ma-jigs. I really want to incorporate more dolls, models and puppets into music. I'm a visual learner and these are a great help to me, for sure!

Here's some wall decor and another bulletin board. The windows have group posters (solo, duet, etc.). I really like displaying the solfege houses and handsigns in as many places as possible for the students. I also put up my bulletin board for the first few weeks with a beach theme. The intermediate theme was "Dive Into Learning." You'll also see my stacked chairs. I really dislike the chairs, especially for the younger students, so they stay stacked most weeks. There are 2 spots labeled "Rest Area" for those students that need to take a break and think about better choices.

Here are some storage spots. I love my moving cart for the classroom instruments! I also love my huge metal racks in the back of the room. They stink when it decides to flood, but otherwise, they store lots of things easily. My mom fitted a curtain to go over it so the students would stop investigating while we were learning. You'll also see my noodle ponies! Can't wait to use these in a few weeks!

And we finish the tour back at the primary door. I have books, but we rarely use them. The dots on the floor are rubber dancing markers. I taped them down to show the students where to stand in line. There is also a wooden black treble clef attached to the stair rail. I'm not sure which blog I found it on, but another wonderful teacher used this as a teachable moment! The treble clef is at the beginning of music, so it shows the beginning of the line. Great connections!

That's about it. Oh, wait - I forgot the most important space.....MY AREA! Haha - I'm just kidding. It is probably one of the least important areas. Anyways, here's my desk, bookshelves, etc. I love fabric bins so those are everywhere in my room. There's also another bolted cabinet for storage. 

Now, this really completes the tour - I promise! I do, though, have a lot of amazing things in my room from other teachers. If you're interested in anything in these pictures, I've compiled a list below for you to check out on TeachersPayTeachers. If there's something I missed, please let me know. I always want to give credit where credit is due. I'd be nowhere without the help from some wonderful music educators. 

• Rock Star Behavior Posters
• National Standards for Music Education
• Thoughts on Music quotes
• Four Voices posters
• Ensemble Posters
• Rest Area Sign
• Color Solfege Posters
• Welcome to Music signs
• Music Street Houses & Solfege Styrofoam Handsigns by Sister Lorna Zemke

Changes!

Some big changes are happening in my music room this year! I have been asking (and nagging) for this for the past year or so. I had my hopes up last year, but it's finally come true this summer. 

.........................................DRUMROLL PLEASE...........................................

IT'S CARPET! WOOO-HOOO!

I know this probably isn't as exciting as you thought it would be. However, I have been hinting at carpet for a year now. The tile floor was falling apart, it was extremely slippery and it was always dirty. It was always difficult to do dances, relay races, and activities because the kids didn't want to sit on a dirty floor or they would try to scoot around/slide when teachers weren't looking. It was just a disaster!

I'm excited for carpet and the new adventure it brings. I'm planning on taping my rubber dots to the floor for lining up spots and purchasing Sit Spots for seating arrangements. Check out 2nd Grade Snickerdoodle's blog post about them:

There are going to be so many new things in my classroom this year (aside from the carpet, of course!). I thought I'd share a few of the things I'm most excited about.

Noodle Ponies

At the Artie & Denise conference this summer, I had the opportunity to meet Tracy King. She presented a wonderful workshop all about centers. She also shared her noodle ponies! I couldn't wait to get home and put together some of my own. My cat, Eleanor, was NOT very helpful, so this took longer than necessary, but I'm super excited to use them!

Thanksgiving Fun

The day before Thanksgiving is always a toughie for the kids. We get out early and they are super charged. I was checking out the Music in Motion website and came across something perfect for that day! It's a story book with the song "Over the River." So cute! It tells the tale of a family of turkeys going to Thanksgiving dinner and trying to avoid the farmer. There's a happy twist at the end, though! Also, I found this awesome hat to go with it! Again, my cat was not very helpful with this at home, as you can see in the picture. 

Instruments

After attending the workshop and digging into more materials I had, I have a great plan for more instrument play in my classroom. I also acquired a couple of large congas from the MS band director to store in my room. He was gracious enough to let me store them, as he has brand new ones. I also used my intermediate budget to purchase more bongos, sound shapes and rhythm sticks. Can't wait to use all of these and teach more beat/rhythm with all of my students.

Teaching Tips from the Trenches

I will be starting my 4th year of teaching in the fall. While I'm still a newbie, I have learned a thing or two to share with others in my short time teaching. I'm excited to learn and share tips with other music teachers through Pursuit of Joyfullness' linky party. 

Pursuit of Joyfulness: Teaching Tips from the Trenches

The one tip I'd like to share is to stay fresh. Granted, I've only been teaching for 3 school years, but I constantly try to bring new ideas and lessons into my music classroom. There are favorites that I use throughout the year, but I love sprinkling in something new. I feel like this is something that wasn't done in the past. Here is my memory of music class back in the day:

1. Walk in

2. Find your seat on the line

3. Back row grabs books; front row grabs book

4. Turn to page ......

5. Sing song - talk about paragraph at the top of the page

6. Turn page

7. Rinse and repeat! (okay, not rinse, but you get the idea!)

8. Return books to shelf

9. Line up

Now, routine is great in any class. However, I don't think music should be that predictable from Kindergarten through 5th grade. In 4th grade, we learned how to square dance. Otherwise, this was music class for all of my elementary years. My music teacher was always smiling, had mad piano skills and put on large musical shows. She's still teaching today and is wonderful at her craft in many ways. However, my memories are not really those that I want my students to have of music when they leave elementary school. So, I strive to stay fresh!

I find it hard to believe that there are no means for teachers, even music teachers, to find new ideas and resources. I am from a small town in the midwest, but I strive to reach out and discover new things for my classroom. Here are some ways that I recommend to stay on top of the world of music education and in touch with the needs of your students.

• Technology
• I am blessed to be open to technology. It has allowed me to connect with teachers all over the world and share ideas. Most of these ideas are FREE! woo-hoo!
• Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest - so many ways to link up, see pictures, post comments, advocate, etc. I get most of my ideas from Pinterest. I have numerous boards separated for all aspects of teaching. Check it out! Mrs. Skog's Pinterest
• New resources! Most companies (Music K-8, Music Express, Hal Leonard, Activate!) will post new publications and information online before the catalog can get to you. Don't be a stranger to these websites! They also have discounts, sales and free shipping offers.
• TeachersPayTeachers, Teacher's Notebook, and other selling websites offer quick and easy ideas, worksheets, powerpoints, etc. to teachers. Each seller has free items, but also great products they've created by teachers FOR teachers. This website also has sales throughout the year and bundles to save money. 
• Apps are also a great way to reach students. There are so many about music, many of which are free for a demo of the real app. My kids love being a 1:1 district and squeel over iPads. I've used them as a whole class or individually. Same thing with computers! The kids are instantly ready to learn and see what you have to show them. Test it out in your classroom!

• Professional Development
• In Iowa, teachers are required to have so many credits every few years for recertification of their license. Music Education classes are a great way to get these credits and learn more about your craft.
• Many teachers also take certification classes such as Kodaly and Orff levels to learn more and gather new techniques and ideas. I hope to take Kodaly certification in the next few years.
• Online options - while many online classes and tutorials are aimed at general classroom teachers, you can still learn a lot from courses about development, differentiation, and assessment. Just make sure you choose something that will help you in your classroom immediately or in the near future. Our district offers develop in the summer, but rarely does it pertain to something I'd use on a regular business.

• Workshops
• I cannot say enough about workshops! They are amazing and really light the spark for me each year. Most music education workshops last an entire day, but some are conferences with multiple days.
• Check out your state's music educators website or different associations. Our state has several Kodaly and Orff workshops during the school year, as well as a state conference for choral directors in the summer.
• Many companies and organizations promote online, too. West Music, Hal Leonard, and such have summer conferences throughout the country. This year, I went to the best workshop I've ever attended in Branson. Denise Gagne and Artie Almeida held it. It was a bit more expensive, but the knowledge I gained was well worth it. Here are 2 photos I took of one of my new creations from the workshop I just attended:

 These are Noodle Notes! The idea came from Tracy King, "The Bulletin Board Lady." They are pool noodles cut into different sizes for rhythm work. The students can do dictation or compose with them. 

Tracy uses them in centers, but I hope to be able to use them in large groups as well. Here are the 3 different shapes I created. There are rests on the back side of the green and blue. The red quarter note also has 2 eighth notes, 4 sixteenth notes, and a quarter rest on different sides.

• Subscriptions 
• Sign up for as many subscriptions as possible!
• While I don't always order products from different sellers, I am part of their list server. Music K-8 has an idea bank and offers several free songs and activities throughout the year. Plank Road Publishing also sends out free demos and chances to listen before buying so you are aware of the product you are getting.
• This is also another place you can find out about products, hear reviews and grab some new books, props, and music for the classroom.
• Follow blogs! Many bloggers have linky parties (like I'm participating in right now) and blog hops where they offer great ideas on behavior, programs, assessment, anything you could want! They also offer freebies occasionally for loyal followers

• Kids
• Talk to your students! They are the quickest way to see what excites them and what is "out of style"
• Listen to the radio - when we play freeze dance, I try incorporating some of their favorite songs to dance to. If the words are suggestive, I use the KidzBop versions that are appropriate.
• Our district is also focused on student centered learning. Giving your students some leadership in the classroom will quickly make them excited to be in music class. It might not always go according to your lesson plans, but they are taking learning into their own hands. What's fresher than that?

Wow - that was a lot of information once I got started! I know I am forgetting something really important. However, I hope you are able to pull something out and give it a try in the future. I want to always be on top of music education because I want the best for my students. What ways do you stay fresh and new in your classroom each year? I love hearing feedback, so please share an idea or two. Plus, don't forget to go through and read all of the "Teaching Tips from the Trenches." Have a great weekend!

Dazzling Discipline

Today, I'm blogging from the amazing Artie and Denise Music Symposium in Branson, MO. This conference is 3 days of diverse workshops for the elementary music educator. It's so wonderful to connect with fellow teachers and share new resources, as well as tried and true favorites. Also, "The Bulletin Board Lady," Mrs. King is here! She is leading a session all about workstations. HOORAY! I can't wait to hear all the fun ideas she has. Check out here blog here: Mrs. King's Music Room

Mrs. Miracle's Room

Anyways, back to discipline. I am linking up with Mrs. Miracle's Music Room for a linky party all about discipline. My first year, my principal said I was one of the best first year teachers he had seen with discipline. I took that as a huge compliment, but the students have risen to the challenge the last two years. To encourage them, have a positive learning environment and hold them responsible, I've added a few new tricks to my bag. A couple of these ideas are going to be things I'm tweaking for the fall as well. Enjoy!

ACTIVITY

If you have followed my blog and lesson plans, my classroom is very active. Rarely, and I mean rarely, are my students sitting for the majority of class. We do active listening, dances, singing games, instruments, etc. I hope to start using centers in the fall as well. I have had numerous comments from staff, parents and the students that music has completely changed. They are more active and "injured" in music class than in P.E. They are having fun and enjoying music - something that wasn't really the norm for many years before me. This speaks to my philosophy of music. If the students are active and having fun, the behavior problems and wiggles go down. Granted, we constantly go over boundaries and guidelines throughout the year, but the students always come in being ready to learn and move around somehow. Some days, it's hard to keep up with them! 

SEATING CHARTS

I can't remember who I got this from (Pinterest somewhere for sure!), but I love the idea of year-long seating charts. I do the traditional ones for primary kids, but it takes forever to do 4-5 seats charts per class per grade each year. With 5 classes of each grade, it's a doozey! Anyways, I found this idea for my older students and I've really enjoyed using it. I have their beginning of the year and "sub" spots always in my binder. However, by October, I give them somewhat of a choice. Each row is a color (red, green or blue). Out of my cup, they pull a popsicle stick each day. Whatever color they draw, they can sit in any seat in that row. If they get the lucky music note stick, they can sit anywhere. They expect this every day and even have to remind me! If it's a problem, though, they go back to that beginning of the year chart for the rest of the year. They will get on each other about it! It's hilarious! I've seen other teachers do similar things with numbered spots, shapes, etc. Try it out - I was pleasantly suprised!

REST AREA

I have several students that need to take breaks in music to be successful. It is also the second step on the behavior chart for the room and most classrooms. With my younger students especially, they like to wiggle and pick at things when they have to sit out. It bugs them and they beg to come back in! Still, I found this free sign from Music and Technology to use for a rest area. I already have mine in black and white, posted on red cardstock and laminted. There will be one on each side of the room in the fall. Hopefully this method works out a little better and gives the students a preview to the different pictures of "rest." Here is a preview of her picture:

HUMOR

I make mistakes in the classroom. It's a given! If I joke, they joke. I also love having fun and being silly. I try to create that bond with all of my students. When the students respect you and know you are human (gasp!), they work hard in your class. They also know that if I'm not happy because of behavior, then something is really wrong. I am normally always happy, so that's bad news bears! When the humor is gone, it means business or their fun activity is taken away. In the end, when the kids are happy and I am happy, there's less distraction, outbursts, idle hands, etc.

POINTERS

I thought I would share a fun behavior trick I learned just this morning - the laser pointer! I feel like a dork saying this, but the light bulb came on this morning. Our district is very active with technology. I don't have a smartboard, but when I am running the projector or the students are working, I have to be up in front away from them. If we are reading music off the screen, board, or doing dances, I have to keep running back and forth to the projector. In doing so, the kids get disruptive or those two cherubs in the back began goofing around (yes "cherubs" is used lightly, ha!). The result is a disruption and loss of learning time. Enter, the laser pointer! Artie Almeida used her laser pointer all the time today! She could instruct the sessions, help with dances, instruments, etc. and still keep everyone on track. This would really help me when I need to separate Steve and Jimmy (examples only!) or help Donna learn how to handjive, and so on. I'm pretty sure I ordered a laser pointer and interactive mouse in my end of the year supply order. Fingers crossed - I can't wait to use this!

I've loved looking at other blogs that have already linked up. So many great ideas - you can never have enough different strategies for behavior! If you are in the Branson area, you really should check this conference out. It's only day one and the resources are endless. What are your thoughts on discipline? Have you tried any of these strategies before? I am always open to more ideas and suggestions. It's only the end of year 3 - I still have a lot more learning to do :)