Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Many of us doing the ages 3-6 year lesson plans from Music Rhapsody and Music Box membership have been enjoying frogs! Froggy Goes to School, Jump Frog Jump, Ten Little Froggies from Jungle Beat, and more. Here is another video of the Jump Frog Jump activity with my 4-6 year olds using instruments from our Young Musicians Instrument Kit.
And now….time for the Facebook drawing to see who won our froggy packet on facebook! Drum roll please………………….
Daily Rewards! I had a question from one of my schools. Will you be doing “Somebody’s Knockin? We really love that one”. These frequent requests for my songs make me feel so grateful. The lessons and materials that I did so long ago, this one is in my first book, Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too, are still loved and requested. So much has changed but giving a child the gift of music from a creative playful approach still has the same rich rewards.
As as a thank you to all of you, free to our MB members this week: a new way to introduce Somebody’s Knockin’ PowerPoint/SMARTboard visuals! Of course, the children LOVE singing solos for all my rhyming puppets for the solo singing. How many rhyming animals can you find? See the end to find out who is knockin’!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Did you see the adorable answer to “Who is it?” for the Somebody’s Knockin’ in last week’s free download for PowerPoint or SMARTBoard? If you don’t know who was knocking, you can see in Music Box Downloads, Click Teaching Visuals. You students will love it.
How many rhyming animals did you find for soloist for this classic song from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too? Answers from the Music Rhapsody Puppet Store:
- Baboon, Raccoon
- Cat, Rat, Bat
- Bear, Mare, Hare
- Owl, Fowl
- Dog, Frog, Hog
- Cow, Sow
If you think of more, let us know in Music Box!
This week in my Music Box Blog, I discuss improvisation as requested from one of our members. The improvisation is done by the teacher on the sopranino as everyone has opportunity for “free play.”
If you can play sopranino recorder, you can easily play alto recorder too! Here’s a look at our tots experiencing the form of Greensleeves as they ride in the Gathering Drum. As requested, we have included the melody and a sample of an alto recorder improvisation, FREE for MUSIC BOX MEMBERS. Click here to download Greensleeves with piano and alto recorder!
Thanksgiving turkeys and colored turkey feathers have been flying out our door! Don’t wait and be disappointed they’re gone, order now and be ready for these November favorites from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic! Many thanks and big hugs to the amazing Music Box Member Carol McDowell for making our adorable felt feather sets! Check out the Turkey Feathers and our fun Shoo Turkey Puppet.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
It was so great to see so many of you at the San Diego Orff workshop last week! I love seeing all of the new members in Music Box! We are so glad to have you join us. You are awesome.
I’m very excited about seeing many of you at the Atlanta Orff Chapter on Saturday and I promise, you will have some brand new ideas. In addition, our Music Box Newsletter Editor Extraordinaire, Eric Young, will be with us!
Before I share a few new ideas for winter/holiday lessons and concerts, here is another reminder of my favorite Halloween and Thanksgiving activities with puppets, props and instruments:
There’s lots of talk about holiday/winter concerts going on so I thought I would contribute further to our Forum in Music Box on this fun topic. There are new ideas for Orff, singing and moving for ages 2-8, perfect for holiday concerts.
Check out my adorable first graders having fun with Jingle Bells, accompanied by JUNGLE BELLS. This holiday CD is also great for sound shapes, gathering drum exploration time and movement activities such as this one!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Thanks to all of you who came to the Atlanta Orff Chapter this past weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at the summer training in Charlotte, NC!
Check out a few of my students in my after school recorder ensemble. First, we sang and played “Are You Sleeping” in major. We then listened to Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, Movement 3. This inspired us for movement, recorder, and Orff, just in time for Halloween.
One of you asked about accompaniment for Five Little Snowmen. This song, from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music, is very easily done by young players on Orff instruments. Check out the text, with so many words the same, young players can have strong singing while they are playing!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Well it’s a big week! I am hanging out with Remo, making music with teachers at the Conference for the National Association of Education of the Young Child (NAEYC). We are having fun with some of my favorite drumming activities including some for these adorable beat bouncing bumblebees.
These little friends just make you smile. I’ll share some of our favorites next week.
Eric is very busy with his duties as AOSA Region IV representative and is at the AOSA conference in Atlantic City. This is the first AOSA conference I’ve missed since 1989, (that was due to the birth of my daughter) so this is not easy for me. I miss everyone so much and wish you a great conference.
Huge thanks to Eric for developing our beautiful SMARTBoard activities for the new edition of Rhythm Readers and Melody Makers. In addition to the visuals, Eric made sure the videos, new resource pack, and so many other improvements were added.Music Rhapsody members, be sure you purchase your set in your member area since your playlists will be there. Music Box members, you can purchase from Music Box Downloads.
