There’s exciting new resources coming this month to both Music Box and Music Rhapsody Members, designed to make your school year easier and more FUN! To see levels of membership,click here.
BIG NEWS! For those of you who are asked to do a holiday or winter concert, the NEW BOOK AND CD is only a week or two away!!!
SAVE THE DATE!
September 28, 2019, 9am – 1pm
Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures
A workshop to help you plan your holiday and winter lessons and concerts.
Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary
(Details and Los Angeles location coming soon!)
I can’t wait to see many of you next week at the Redondo Beach Training! It’s not too late to plan some learn-and-play time at the beach!
It’s concert season, and that means I finished another Songs of the Sea concert today! The children decorated our concert venue with scuba men, jellyfish, and of course, Larry the Lobster! Look closely and see that the scuba men are made with a picture of the student’s face! So cute! This ocean theme just never disappoints. If you are doing camps or classes this summer, grab some ideas from Music Box!
Why Teacher Training?
It’s Flexible. Use the program in a variety of ways to fit each teacher’s situation.
It’s Engaging. Teachers love the high level of musicality while being PLAYFUL.
It’s Educational. Offers something unique and challenging for every age and developmental level from infants through elementary.
It’s Orff-based. Based on an active Orff Schulwerk approach to music: Sing, Move, Play, and Create.
It’s a Party! Teachers love participating in live music-making activities with each other throughout the 4-day intensive course.
But don’t take my word for it…
“This was the best workshop I’ve taken in my career!” – Shaylon, NY,
“Lynn is an amazing teacher! I love this program.” – Kristin, CA
“Seeing a Lynn Kleiner workshop is great, but attending the 4-day course gives a complete overview of the program. I highly recommend attending Lynn’s training.” – Al, NY
Music and Movement activities with props for preschool and elementary music lessons can make listening to classical orchestral music something they request over and over! These jellyfish made from extra large coffee filters hanging from elastic string with a few streamers attached have all students eagerly participating in expressive movement to the beautiful piece called Sailing from Songs of the Sea Book/CD. Other classical pieces suggest a parachute, balloons or paper home made boats.
Music and Movement for early childhood, TK, grades 1-3 are included in Songs of the Sea as well as Lynn Kleiner’s Farm Songs, My Trip to the Mountains and Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move.
Homemade instruments using recycle items are a delightful and musical way to celebrate “Love our Planet.” I have many ideas for homemade instruments in In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music, Songs of the Sea, Farm Songs, Jungle Beat and My Trip to the Mountains. I think these themes celebrate our planet and so many of the songs in these collections are awesome when accompanied by homemade instruments!
Water bottles (I’m thinking of the ones that are ribbed) are great for a guiro. Soak in soapy water to remove the label. Use the water bottle cap to scrape or tap on the bottle. If you want it to also be a shaker, put small items like beads, pebbles or rice inside and close with the cap. Use a cap from another type of bottle to play it or use another item like a plastic spoon to hit and scrape.
Toilet paper or paper towel rolls can be used to make shakers. Decorate the tube, add small water bottle caps, cover with fabric scraps and use glue or rubber bands to fasten.
Old socks can be decorated to be silly worms. Add some small stones in a small dressing container, place inside the sock and shaka shake for “Lots of Worms” from Farm Songs and the sounds of Moo-sic.
Refer to the instrument making section in the back of my books for lots more ideas.
If you type in Earth Day using the Search feature in Music Box, you will find more ideas.
Schools often celebrate the 100th day of Kindergarten. Here’s a few ideas from Lynn Kleiner for a counting celebration activity. musicrhapsody.com
After introducing the rhymes using echos, students stand around the parachute, unpitched percussion are placed on the edge of it. When switching instruments, the teacher plays the cowbell as students have 8 beats to walk around the parachute to a new instrument. The teacher uses sopranino improvisation (see Lynn’s training if you don’t know how to play!) or another signal to give some “free play” time.
Use the 100 Days of Counting poem for the A section of a rondo form. Choose instruments, such as rhythm sticks, hand drums, tone blocks, xylophones (remove Fs and Bs) to play on the underlined words. Choose metals, such as triangles, finger cymbals, glockenspiels (set up without Fs and Bs) to play on the X’s.
To simplify, consider the following choices:
-Everyone plays together on the entire rhyme when they think it will sound best
-Everyone plays only on the rests (the Xs)
-Everyone plays on the underlined words
-For additional challenges, have only woods on the underlined words and all others on the Xs. Try other groups of instruments.
One hundred days of count -ing, X One hundred days of fun, X One hundred days to sing and play, Aren’t I the lucky one? X
Play and count 16 beats, then repeat the rhyme.
More counting opportunities:
Play only on the numbers of the following rhymes, using them as a B, C and D section to become a rondo using the rhyme “One hundred days of counting”.
1, 2, 3 4, 5 Once I caught a fish alive
6, 7, 8 9, 10 Then I let him go again
Why did you let him go? Because he bite my finger so
Which finger did he bite? The little finger on the right.
PLAY 8 BEATS ON A COWBELL TO SIGNAL SWITCHING TO A NEW INSTRUMENT, THEN PLAY THE 100 DAYS RHYME AND CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT RHYME, PLAYING ONLY ON THE NUMBERS)
One,two,three musicians, four,five, six musicians
Seven, eight, nine musicians, ten musicians counting. (REPEAT)
(From the Sound Shape Play book by Lynn Kleiner and Christine Stevens)
COWBELL SIGNALS THE INSTRUMENT SWITCH, PERFORM THE 100 Days of COUNTING RHYME AND CONTINUE WITH THE RHYME BELOW.
Drumming with Music Rhapsody materials using Sound Shapes have been one of the most successful activities for my special education classes. There are a variety of limitations for playing, but the sound shapes offer flexibility with the variety of shapes and sizes and ways to play (you can easily tap with the mallet, held on either end, their hand, even tap it on a knee or arm of a wheel chair to produce a sound). I have one student who is deaf. She loves holding the drum on her head, sometimes the frame, sometimes the drumhead and tapping the drum. At first, this was challenging for her to do by herself. When we first started our lessons, a caregiver would play the drum for her. She would lean close to place her head on the drum. Then came the sparkle in her eyes and the big smile! After many lessons, she was able to coordinate holding the drum on her head and playing it herself. She also entertains us as she presses harder on the drum, or removes it from her head, causing the drum to change pitch! Sounds like a talking drum!
Here are some of our drumming favorites:
Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too: Drum and Stop (Shake and Stop), Jig Jog (this one is great for the repeating words sung on the beat, which stimulates response), Somebody’s Knockin at the door.
Songs of the Sea: Ten Fish in the Sea, both the children and caregivers love this recording.
“Exploration Music” from Music Rhapsody’s “Our Favorite Shenanigans” (Cotton Eyed Joe, Louisiana Saturday Night)
The ukulele is another important instrument for the class. Each week, we have more participation. The caregivers help the children to put out their index finger. When it’s a child’s turn, we sing their name as a part of the Hello song as they strum the ukulele. Once again, my deaf student loves to hold the ukulele against her head as I strum.
Hello Song – A variety of Hello songs are available in lynnkleinersmusicbox.com. (I use one for the entire school year)
If All of the Raindrops from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music, repeating this week after week has brought more and more participation. I also use Who’s That Hatching from this same book and use my adorable puppets: duck, turtle, hummingbird, robin, penguin (if you know me, you know I have lot of options! Ha)
Movement participation is quite limited for most of the children, however, more participation is observed from the weekly song “Up So High” from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too.
“High” – Arms up
“Low” – Arms low
“Shake” – Shake hand (jazz hands!)
“Around we go” – One arm over another
“Hold them So!” – Freeze hold after I say “On your chin!” or “On your nose,” etc
I think the caregivers I see each week are the most loving, caring people on the planet! God bless them! I hope I can bring some special happiness in their week. I know they bring lots in mine.
PROPS! Don’t forget all our colorful fun props! Consider using pom poms for The Waves
Or use the Stretchy Band for The Ship Goes Sailing on the Sea (from In All Kinds of Weather). Also from in All Kinds of Weather, use it with Five Handsome Sailors. These could also be fun with the parachute.
Our movement activities introduce musical concepts as it improves language development, and stimulates the vestibular system as it improves timing and coordination. Ten Fish in the Sea (Movement)
Orff with stories and puppets is always a hit with our 3-7 year olds. Everyone loves Larry
Hula Hoops – Going Over the Sea
Balloons– En Bateau – use the parachute to sail the balloon or each parent and child can sail them back and forth while listening to this beautiful piece of music, such a great one to introduce to your families from our Songs of the Sea CD.
Consider Streamers instead of scarves and pretend you are dancing like an octopus for Ten Fish in the Sea.
Dancing Fish, turtles or Larry the Lobster are fun on top of the gathering drum and Echo Friends with FISH finger puppets can follow Ten Fish in the Sea is awesome with our little fish puppets. Don’t forget to let them dance on the gathering drum, hide underneath for the “low” verse and get up and run around the drum for swam in a circle! SPANISH version is on the Spanish Music Rhapsody CD!
Sandy Sand: Don’t shake until “Shake, shake, shake, shake it off now. Use shaker as a microphone and place shaker on every body part where there is sand. For example, place shaker on head after hearing “you’ve got sand on your head.”
Scuba Man AND the TREASURE BOX (for older classes) – be sure the children bend their knees to go gradually down as the singing goes down and go gradually up as singing goes back up. For older kids, let them choose something from the treasure box a few times during the summer – encouraging them to come back since when we sing Scuba Man, they may find a treasure they want to keep!
Fish finger puppets and big sea life puppets, www.musicrhapsody.com/shop, should be enjoyed for the beloved Larry the Lobster, Ten Fish in the Sea, and the rhymes from the Songs of the Seabook.
STORIES! For older kids, Froggy Learns To Swim is a great summer story. The detailed lesson plan with song, including suggestions for instrument parts and Orff, is available from Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box.
OCEAN DRUMS! Music Rhapsody will order whatever size you need: small, medium and LARGE! Slow tipping then turning is the key to the beautiful sound of waves you can produce with this unique drum. Enjoy for an accompaniment while singing Scuba Man, play along on some of the Sea Songs from our Songs of the Sea CD, or while you sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
Looking for my Ocean Lesson Plan Pack? You can get it here!
Concert plan includes everything a teacher needs to know about planning and executing a concert for young children and early elementary grades. Includes 3 different concert plans (2 using unpitched percussion only, on including Orff instruments) for 3 or 4 separate groups (classes, age, or grade levels) to participate together in an ocean theme concert. Includes: An attractive song sheet for practicing songs in the classroom or to send home, printed program cover, inside program write up, and write up on back of program about the importance of music education. A detailed concert plan for the music director, a concert plan for the classroom and assistant teachers, Orff arrangements for two songs.
Source:
Concert Plan by Lynn Kleiner. 2 Orff arrangements included with this lesson plan, all other songs from Songs of the Sea
Page Count:
9
Age Group:
Ages 2 – 8
Tip from Lynn:
The children and audience love the “fish echoes” following “Fish in the Ocean” for transitions. Have the children help create some before the concert. The bigger the variety, the more fun. For example, I say “Jelly fish, tuna fish.” The kids echo:”Jelly fish, tuna fish.”
Little Folk Visuals Sealife Set. A must-have with Songs of the Sea, the variety of sealife in this set results in tons of solo singing, such as in “Scuba Man” on Page 20. Be inspired to make up verses using these colorful felts for “Down by the Ocean” on page 26 or “Ten Fish in the Sea” on page 15 as well. Have fun with “Going on a Boat Ride” (changed from “Going on a Bike Ride”) inKids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! Book page 38.
Little Folk VisualsBeginner’s Counting Set. FROGS, LADY BUGS, KITTENS, SNOWMEN and MORE!
This set is a basic staple for our teacher tool bag! Here’s a few of Lynn Kleiner’s favorites.
“Ten Little Froggies” Jungle Beat Book page 30 Join the fun with counting, playing and moving! Perfect for when your kids are especially ACTIVE!
Using the In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music CD and teacher’s book, You will love using your felts for these lessons:
“5 Little Jackolanterns” page 17
“5 Little Snowmen” page 35. So precious to play the melting music on our little glockenspiels as they slowly sink into a puddle!
“Ladybugs” page 28
This cute little Turtle is used in “Songs of the Sea“. The head retracts into the shell for the activity “I know you’re hiding in there” from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too!
By popular demand, instrumental/accompaniment versions have been done for:
Ten Fish in the Sea
Going Over the Sea
Sandy Sandy Sand
The Waves
Three Times Around Went Our Little Ship
Larry The Lobster
Scuba Man
Down By The Ocean
Children will enjoy learning about the ocean and its creatures through the captivating songs and activities in Songs of the Sea. For preschool and elementary ages.
Songs of the Sea
1. Wipe Out
2. Larry the Lobster
3. Fish in the Ocean (with rhymes)
4. We Are Gathered
5. Ten Fish in the Sea
6. Row Your Boat adagio
7. Row Your Boat moderato
8. Row Your Boat allegro
9. The Waves
10. Scuba Man
11. I’s the B’y
12. Three Times Around Went Our Little Ship
13. Sailing
14. Fish in the Ocean (with poems by Ogden Nash)
15. Down By the Ocean
16. Sounds of the Sea
17. Going Over the Sea
18. Sandy Sandy Sand
19. Down By the Bay
20. Overture to William Tell (excerpt)
21. Russian Sailors Dance
22. En Bateau (In A Boat)
23. Fish in the Ocean
This book and CD package is the perfect mix of music, creativity, and fun for music teachers, classroom teachers, and child care providers. Students will enjoy learning about the ocean and its creatures through the captivating songs and activities in Songs of the Sea. Classroom curriculum, music, crafts, and snacks are integrated, overlapped, and joined for a joyful, inventive learning experience. For preschool and elementary ages.
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