Schema song-cornerstone orff arrangement

If you're school is working on cornerstone literacy, you might want to try this song with your music classes. This is a song about using information you already learned to make connections to what you're reading today.



It's set to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin". Click image to make it bigger.

Podcast 2-Mrs. Fisher's 3rd Graders sing "Ghost of Tom"

These 2 songs were both performed by Mrs. Fisher's 3rd Grade Class at Georgetown Elementary. Very spooky and kinda gross song, ghost of tom is first sang in a two-part round, then in the second clip sang with a simple bordun accompaniment on various size xylophones and glockenspiel. This class is talented!







See more Audio at TeacherTube.com.

Podcast-Mrs. Freeman's 2nd Grade-Skin and Bones

This is Mrs. Freeman's 2nd graders performing "There was an old lady all skin an bones". This is their second day singing it and first day adding the bordun on the xylophones.



See more Audio at TeacherTube.com.

Proper Recorder Teaching

Today I was teaching a class. It was a group of, oh, let's say 5th graders (their grade level may or may not have been changed to protect their identities.) Well, anyway, I had not taught this class in a while, but of course, being the horrible teacher I am, I acted like they were on the same level as my other classes. I tried to be patient, but these kids wouldn't be quiet and as a result, could not play claire de lune on their recorders. Of course, my mistake, as I mentioned two sentences ago, was the fact that I was going way too fast with them. So here's proper recorder instruction people (I think):

(update: since I originally posted this blog, I taught another difficult class trying the method outlined below and got much better results.)
Claire de lune:

1. Write all of the notes on the board like dis:

GGGA B_ A_
GBAA G____

2. Have students say the names of the first four letters, while pressing the right keys/holes

3. Repeat step two until the students can finger the notes correctly.

4. Have students play the first four notes: GGGA-maybe get a couple of volunteers to play this by itself

5. Repeat steps 2-4 on each 4 beat section of the song

6. Combine all notes and have class play it together.

7. Give 1 or 2 minutes independent practice time.

8. Test individuals or small groups on the complete song and give out stickers.

---This is the way I'm a gonna try it next time....Maybe I've learned from my mistake this time???...We'll see.