Positive Songs During Problematic Times

Well, this school year has ended in a way that we could never have imagined. Our last week before Spring Break in March was actually our last few days of school. The state of Iowa cancelled school for the remainder of the year with optional online learning. This has caused chaos, confusion, fear, anger, concern and so many other emotions. 
However, through all of us, I am trying to stay positive. Positive for my students. Positive for my daughter. Positive for our family, near and far. Positive for our essential workers. Positive for those ill. Positive for the future of our country and world. Positive for a new school year in the fall. Positive that we can get through this together. 
This is hard! Each day is a struggle and honestly, some days I could care less about positivity. But, there are some things that have helped me get through the tough times: sunshine, walks, naptime snuggles with my little girl, comfy clothes and of course music! It seems so many are going online and singing, playing or writing music. It has the ability to connect us and inspire light in a time of darkness. This song has especially stuck with me this week: I Am With You from At Home With Olaf

I'd like to share some more songs that have lifted my spirits. Many are appropriate for kids and I've passed these on to my students over the weeks. However, there are some that probably don't have the best in words in them - I'll give you a heads up! Remember to always adhere to your district guidelines before streaming or sharing any music. I've starred some of my favorites of the lists. 

Slow

• Better Place by Rachel Platten
• Rainbow by Kasey Musgraves
• Bones by Maren Morris
• Rise Up by Andra Day*******
• Found/Tonight by Ben Flatt & Lin-Manuel Miranda*******
• Hold Each Other by A Great Big World (explicit)
• Little Wonders by Rob Thomas
• I Am With You from At Home with Olaf*******
• Save a Little for Yourself by Mandy Moore
• Lighters by Bad Meets Evil ft. Bruno Mars (explicit)
• I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack
• The Call by Regina Spektor

Comfortable

• No Matter Where You Are by Us the Duo*******
• I'll Be There by Walk Off the Earth (explicit)
• From Now On from The Greatest Showman (explicit)
• Keep Your Eyes Open by NEEDTOBREATHE
• Brother by NEEDTOBREATHE ft. Gavin DeGraw
• A Friend Like You by Andy Grammar*******
• Beautiful Life (from Abominable) by Bebe Rexha
• Sunday Best by Surfaces (explicit)
• Underdog by Alicia Keys (explicit)
• Good as Hell by Lizzo (explicit)
• Look Up, Child by Lauren Daigle*******
• Some Things Never Change (from Frozen)
• It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day (Secret Life of Pets 2) by LunchMoney Lewis
• You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile by Sia
• Wonderful Life by Matoma
• Life Changes by Thomas Rhett
• Level of Concern by Twenty One Pilots (explicit)
• Be Okay by Ingrid Michaelson

Fast/Uptempo

• Trolls Wanna Have Good Times from Trolls World Tour
• Backflip (From Green Eggs & Ham on Netflix) by Rivers Cuomo*******
• Diamond in the Sun by Andy Grammer
• Crocodile Rock (feat. Elton John) by Nelly Furtado
• I'm Still Standing (from Sing) by Taron Egerton
• Young Volcanoes (explicit)*******
• Power (feat. Stormzy) by Little Mix (explicit)
• My Body by Young the Giant (explicit)
• Love Today by MIKA (explicit)
• Headstrong by Trapt (explicit)
• Tubthumping by Chumbawamba (explicit)
• BLOW by Ed Sheeran, Christ Stapleton & Bruno Mars (explicit)*******
• Anybody Have a Map? from Dear Evan Hansen (explicit)
• Seize the Day from Newsies (explicit)
• Freak Flag from Shrek the Musical (explicit)
• Sing by Pentatonix

What songs have you been listening to during this time? I always love listening to new music! 

Please share below! Stay safe!

Lights-Off Listening: A Unique Halloween Musical Experience

Today, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite Halloween activities to do with my older students: lights-off listening!

Many of the activities I do during the weeks prior to Halloween tend to be geared toward younger students. I've struggled to find something that appeals to my older kids. Then, I came across this great product from Music with Sara Bibee:

This guided listening unit is great for older students because it has information for a variety of spooky pieces, as well as videos and assessment worksheets. 

I immediately gravitated to the rating worksheets she provided. Students listen to certain pieces and give them a rating from 1-10 on how spooky they think the music is. You can also insert your own selections as the files are editable. I chose 9 of the pieces (and added a bonus one where they had to guess the title - it was "Jaws") for my students. I tried to include a variety so some were new, while others were recognizable for them. 

I felt bad about printing a page for every student when all they were doing is circling a number for their rating, so I used page protectors. This was awesome! I printed 25 pages in color and then slipped each one into a page protector. Every student was given a whiteboard marker and a small eraser (I have a set we use for rhythm writing) and spread them out around the room. They were able to circle their rating and erase it when we were all finished - no wasting of paper! Plus, I can use these for many years now! Hooray!

Now, here's where the fun part comes in! My students struggle with listening at times because they want to wiggle, move, talk, etc. Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter with kids every day. I knew I could hook them by creating a spooky (not scary) environment as we listened to each piece. It would also be a fun and unique memory for them. So, I stumbled upon this fun Halloween rotating light on Amazon.

It was only $10 and looked really fun! After all the students had their materials, I shut off the lights in my room and put this in the middle. It glowed and created some cool lighting on the ceiling as we listened to our music. Not only was it a spooky feature for our Halloween listening, but it was calming for several of my students that need to come down at the end of the day on a Friday afternoon. 

After we listened to all of the pieces, we came back together and talked briefly about things like composers, history, instruments, etc. I loved hearing the kids talk about music! They loved sharing their ideas with each other and comparing scores. It was a great introduction to listening and talking about different kinds of music.

Clean up only took a minute because each student wiped down their sheet with their eraser and put away the markers - EASY! 

I love this activity and so did the kids. It gave them a chance to celebrate Halloween music in a way that was more "mature" for them. Yes, they love playing Halloween music games but this got them thinking and interacting in a unique way. Turning the lights off helped them focus but also created a spooky way to listen. I know this experience will stay with most of them and that makes my heart happy!

Have you tried a unique listening experience before? I'd love to hear more ideas! Feel free to share below!

"Who I Am" with a stretchy band!

If you're like me, right now you're stuck somewhere between programs, end of the year lessons and testing time. Testing stinks! The kids are drained, the building is quiet and teachers are frazzled. I thought I would share a fun, positive lesson that my students love!
The song "Who I Am" by will.i.am was shown to me by our guidance counselor. She used it as a flash mob for 5th graders before Christmas break. I stumbled upon it again and knew I had to bring this awesome song to all of my students! It's short (1 minute, 51 seconds or so) and has the message of being proud of who you are and reaching for your dreams. During testing time, this is what students need to hear! Many will try their best, but some kids struggle with not feeling smart enough, getting done in time, etc. I also think it's nice to hear positive things from someone other than your regular classroom teacher or principal. 
Before I go over it, this lesson can be as short or long as you want - it's up to you! The stretchy band part is at the end, but definitely fun for all ages. With all of the classes, we watch the video first from Sesame Street.

After this, I have students pair and share things that make them feel good. I also have each student say something positive about their partner. Many times, I learn new things about my students because their classmates point out things that I don't normally get to see. From here, the lesson changes depending on what grade level I'm working with.

Primary

• Review steady beat
• Listen once more, this time keeping the beat on our laps.
• Bring out the beat buddies - ask the students to keep the beat with their buddy.
• Ask a student leader or two to choose where we keep the beat and stand in front of the group (assessment!!!!)
• Introduce the stretchy band!
• Explain to the students that we will keeping the steady beat with our stretchy band this time.
• Demonstrate and then add the students.
• Repeat several times - they love putting the stretchy band away!
• Finish with a writing response (optional) - our district is big on writing, so we write a lot in class. Usually, I have them journal about what they learned, the objective for the day or the message of the music with this lesson.

Intermediate

• Listen and watch the video.
• Ask the question - which parts were the same; which parts were different?
• Analyze the song with A & B cards on the board.
• Introduce the words "intro" "verse" & "chorus" in place of the A & B
• Sing a familiar song for them to identify and use the vocabulary (I use Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and ask what is missing i.e. the intro)
• Introduce the stretchy band!
• Demonstrate and then add the students.
• Repeat several times - they love putting the stretchy band away!
• Come back together and ask the students to pair and share about which movements represented the intro, verses and chorus.
• Finish with a writing response (optional) - our district is big on writing, so we write a lot in class. Usually, I have them journal about what they learned, the objective for the day or the message of the music with this lesson.
• From here, you can dive into a unit or several lessons about types of form, learn and sing more positive songs or have the students create their own dance moves/body percussion/actions to fit the form of the song. 

So, you mentioned this stretchy band thing. Huh?

A stretchy band is a great movement tool for kids, adults and those with disabilities or injuries. You can purchase them at West Music or Bear Paw Creek. I made one from loom pieces in a previous blog post. It's fun to bring out during the year, kind of like "parachute day" in P.E. The movements to the music are demonstrated in the video below and written down for you. Feel free to adjust to fit your needs. If bouncing the beat is hard, you can have the students move left and right with the band. My kids just need to bounce! Haha! My 4th graders were nice enough to come in at an extra time during the day to demonstrate!

Movement Instructions:

1. Bounce beat in the air at waist.
2. Stretch/shake during drum solo.
3. Hold up high, bounce beat, flex; bend down low, bounce beat, flex
4. Put in and out on the qualities.
5. Stretch/shake during drum solo.
6. Hold up high, bounce beat, flex; bend down low, bounce beat, flex
7. Put in and out on the qualities.
8. Stretch/shake during drum solo.
9. Hold up high, bounce beat, flex; bend down low, bounce beat, flex
10. Take 3 steps back; count to 3 and release!

Lip Sync Battle - A Fun Music Activity FREEBIE

I don't know about you, but I am obsessed with lip syncing! Jimmy Fallon makes me laugh in general, but his lip syncing competitions are hilarious! My students are also talking about it and really enjoy seeing their favorite celebrities getting a little silly.
This sparked an idea in my brain - why don't we do this in music class? Now, I don't want to take time away from the those core musical standards that we need to meet. However, this would be a great way to spend a reward day, early out and the last few minutes of class.

Let me just tell you - bring a camera! The kids really get into the music and their performance. It's also really special when another staff member comes in and joins them. They go nuts! I also like splitting the class into two groups and have them perform as a group. Their creativity and happiness shines so bright!
Well, I have enjoyed it so much that I decided to share it with you all. Here's what's included in the file when you download through TeachersPayTeachers.com:

Any song will work, but I like to include a variety. It's also a fun way to practice or finish up program songs after a concert. Sometimes, I let the students choose their own songs (as long as they're appropriate). You can do it for fun or create competition, too!

One of my favorite parts of this fun activity is the reminder of etiquette. It's important for the audience to show respect, but also for the performer! 

I also included reward certificates that you can print off to hand to students, create stickers, a hall of fame, etc. The options are endless! You can even use a fake microphone for extra giggles. 

Don't forget - it's FREE! You can project the slides or print them to use in your classroom. 

I'll leave you with one of my favorite (not necessarily appropriate) lip syncing videos:

ABC - Easy as 1, 2, 3!

Today, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite FREE resources for back-to-school! I used it this week with my students to review listening skills.

This is the easy version of my listening glyph for the song "ABC" by the Jackson 5. A harder version is previewed in my store. I used this with my 1st and 2nd grade students to get them back into listening attentively to musical ideas.

If you're not comfortable with listening glyphs, they really are wonderful for any age or variety of students, as well as for substitutes. You can listen to certain specific songs or choose what fits your class with many of the glyphs. For this one, the song is specific. As the students listen, they answer the questions through coloring. If the song is fast, they will color the tires black. If the song is slow, they will color the tires grey. Then, they move to next box and answer the question. If you have lower classes, you can do these parts together and help them until they are comfortable. I let older students go off on their own after directions. This particular glyph has three questions to answer, When those are completed, the students can color the rest of the picture however they would like. I always enjoy this option because I like seeing the creativeness of my students. 

Here's what my example looks like, completed for my students to see when we review together at the end:

In the directions for this freebie, I also include my additional activity: Just Dance! This song has a Just Dance Kids video online, either through YouTube or the game itself. I put mine through ViewPure.com to remove the ads and side bar videos. The students love getting up and dancing after listening to the song for a bit. It's a great brain break to end the lesson!

Click the photo below to be taken to the freebie! I really hope you find ways to use it in your classroom. While I do this at the end of the year, it is always nice to pull out on a fun or substitute day. Enjoy!

Five Favorite Pins of June

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER! 

Wheww, the kids were getting antsy those last few days. But, summer has finally arrived! 

It's time for Mrs. Miracle's monthly linky party. Here are my "Five Favorite Pins of June:"

#1: Beatboxing Curriculum My students love Incredibox. I've talked about it before here. I'd love to dive more into concept of beatboxing with my older students, especially near the end of the year. I've also wanted to check out resources from the Fun Music Company for awhile now.

#2: Silent Instrument Game

I love this game! It is great for testing time and to get the instruments out for introductions or review. Can't wait to use this gem!

#3: Cat Poster

The kitty in this poster looks exactly like my Eleanor. Plus, it sums up the way I feel sometimes, even though I know my job is to bring music to all of my students.

#4: "It's Time to Begin" with hand clapping

I love Kristin's ideas! This is another great end-of-the-year song, complete with a fun hand clapping piece to add a little extra. Check out the video on the pin:

#5: Moses Goes to a Concert If you follow me regularly, either blog or TPT, you'll know I LOVE children's literature in music class. This book looks great for the beginning of the year, before a concert or a field trip. Plus, it has a fun little explanation to introduce listening.

Jazz Appreciation Month

It's Jazz Appreciation Month!

In the past, I haven't done the best job of bringing jazz music to my students. This year, though, our school's Jazz Experience group placed 2nd at the Iowa Jazz Championships. This is an amazing accomplishment! I really want to use this as a jumping off point for my students and get them excited about jazz. 

Here are some other activities I'll be doing with my K-5 students this month:

Literature

There are so many awesome books to use with jazz music! I'll be posting a product later this week (hopefully) that gives some great activities for children's literature, as well as some quick print mini-lessons. Here are some of my favorites to use with students:

• J is for Jazz - This book was released in September. The pictures are beautiful and the vocabulary/alphabet review is wonderful for younger students!
• What a Wonderful World - A great song and message comes from this book. Plus, it has a little Louis Armstrong popping up throughout.
• The Jazz Fly - This story is a wonderful introduction to improvisation and scat singing.
• A Tisket, A Tasket - I love using this story with the circle game to introduce Ella Fitzgerald.
• Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra - The pictures in this book are so vibrant! I love Andrea & Brian Pinkney's works. Their tale of Ella Fitzgerald is also a winner!
• Anna Harwell Celenza's books Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite are wonderful for older students. 

Technology

Our district is 1:1, so using technology always gets a thumbs up from administration. Here are some ideas for using technology with jazz:

• MadLips by Cherie Herring give you a fun look into jazz musicians lives.
• Jazz in America has some great resources and lesson plans for older students.
• Claire Burns and myself have posted QR code activities. Click on the picture below:

Scat
Interested in more scat lessons? Here are some ideas from the pros:

• Scat Lesson Set from Treble in the Classroom
• Cookie Jar from MusicForAll
• The book When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat isn't readily available, but you may be able to find it online or in your local library
• Aileen Miracle has a fun lesson for The Jazz Fly in her "Singing with a Sub Bundle"
• I also just discovered this cute video:

Miscellaneous Ideas:

Here are some great ideas that I couldn't leave out:

• Bring It Home - Learning About Charlie Parker from David at Make Moments Matter - he writes a wonderful blog post about making Charlie Parker meaningful to his students.
• Jazz Legends Research Pages from The Bulletin Board Lady - love these for my older students! There are so many musicians included that students can choose which one interests them. 
• Mrs. Stouffer's Music Room has three great lessons about different jazz musicians.
• Artie's Jazz Pack has different games and activities for learning about the styles, musicians and music.
• My Store! - I've posted several different decor ideas, as well as a free Jazz Musician Matching worksheet. It features basic rhythms (ta, titi & rest) with different musicians' names. I'll also be posting another product or two before the month is over. My favorite product so far are my Jazz Listening Glyphs. They are a wonderful assessment tool while introducing students to jazz music. There are a variety of levels and musical concepts included.

What do you do to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month? Please share your ideas below! 

Incredibox 2014

INCREDIBOX V4 IS HERE!

My students LOVE this mixing activity. It is great to hear them use words like "beat" and "melody," as well as work to create different combinations.

Here's a sneak peak of the music video they unlock with the right combination:

Check it out - I guarantee your kids will be hooked!

INCREDIBOX

Drum Fun for Everyone!

Can I just say how much I love drums? 

I was a drummer in school and I miss it like crazy. Also, I know almost every single child in the world loves to bang on a drum. Not only is it fun, but it's a great way to learn beat, rhythm, tempo, dynamics - you name it! I've been somewhat wary of teaching drumming because I didn't have that many resources or knowledge about it. I took the plunge last year and started using non-pitched percussion a lot more. I also brought in some bucket drums from the farm (thanks Mom & Dad!) and used them with the students. It's extremely loud, but a definitely a good time.

Then, this summer I went to the amazing Artie & Denise Music Symposium (I know, I know...I've mentioned this about 7 times now - sorry, but it rocked). Artie did an entire session on Drum Fun. I was completely sold! She showed simple activities that didn't require anything but rhymes and counting. There were also some with powerpoints, famous tunes and small groups. I came to school the next week and sorted through my drum collection. 

Here's what I had:

• 2 large congas
• 2 small congas
• 11 large/medium hand drums
• 2 small hand drums
• 3 large sound shapes
• 7 medium sound shapes
• 5 small sound shapes

So, not the best collection, but hey, it will work! I ended up having enough for the students to be able to rotate through in small groups. We started the school year with a play-along Artie created for the hit song "Happy." Here's a preview of it - I don't have permission to show you all of it. Please contact Artie on her website for more information.

I also received an amazing set of gifts from the redditgifts Teacher exchange. I was very skeptical about this because there are so many needs in the world of education. Still, I signed up and created a wishlist on Amazon. Thankfully, everyone who signed up to be matched was and should receive a gift. Mine has already arrived! I am so blessed and grateful to Camden from Washington D.C. This person sent so many wonderful items to my classroom, totaling around $100. WOW is all I can say.

I received two wonderful books, a rain stick, a train whistle and a brand new floor tom! The next day, I received some Music Genres posters and apparently, there's still stuff on the way. So awesome - anyways, back to drumming. YES, I received another drum!!!!!! The kids were so excited to see it out, all shiny and new. This will give us another fun instrument in our rotation.

Also, my DonorsChoose.org project was just funded this morning. YAY! Here are the drums that will be coming to our school in the next few weeks:

• 2 floor toms
• 1 gathering drum
• 3 large lollipop drums
• 2 small lollipop drums
• 1 medium conga

This is definitely enough for my students to start exploring the world of drumming. I am no expert by any means, so I hope to take some sort of class or workshop in the future to learn more. In the meantime, I will be diving into some Pinterest lessons I discovered and following the advice from my workshop. Here's something I'd love to teach the kids this year:

What are your thoughts on drumming? Do you have the materials you'd like or do you teach something different?