Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Drum Circles include “free play” for exploration, improvisation, enjoying the groove!
But having structured activities bring a lot of fun and satisfaction to the music making group.
One source that is very helpful is the Sound Shape Playbook. www.musicrhapsody.com
The activities are quick and easy to add for any type of drums, percussion, homemade instruments, kitchen music, etc.
1 2 Tie My Shoe – leader does one two, circle does words
Repeat with one side doing numbers, other side doing words
Repeat bass tone on numbers, rim tone for words
Play low drums verses high drums
Alabama Gal This activity is in the Sound Shape Play book, as well as the included CD. The free download in Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box also includes activity suggestions and free PowerPoint for classroom use too.
Ten Musicians Drumming – Play on the numbers and short solos make this exciting.
They played like this……….they played like that, they played with their friends, they played with their baby, they played in the kitchen, they played in the car, ten musicians drummmmmmming.
Video – During the pandemic, masked families enjoyed an outdoor event!
Listen to another rhythmic favorite from My Trip to the Mountains Book/CD, She’ll be Comin Round the Mtn.
For more on percussion favorites, see Lynn’s resources and training, musicrhapsody.com.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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.
1, 2, Tie my shoe
3, 4 Point to the door
5, 6, Here’s my sticks
7, 8, Don’t be Late
9, 10 Count again!
(From the Sound Shape Play Book, see additional counting rhymes in this book for drumming and sound shapes! MORE delightful counting songs can be found in Songs of the Sea, Jungle Beat, In All Kinds of Weather)
For the Counting Felt Set and instruments, go to www.musicrhapsody.com/shop
A free digital counting set for SmartBoard or SmartNote Book can be found in Music Box Downloads under Visuals.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Sound Shapes, Boomwhackers, Orff instruments…Basic or Novelty?
As an Orff teacher in preschools and elementary schools as well as a teacher trainer since the 1980s, I am amazed at what instruments teachers or schools have purchased. Sometimes instruments that I would consider the necessary core of a school’s instrumentation are totally missing but they have a set of boomwhackers (with a set of chromatics), some sound shapes and a stretchy band. Instruments that I consider the “sprinkles,” not the cake! There are instruments with awesome tone quality and durability that a teacher should purchase to teach the most musical, challenging, rewarding and effective lessons all school year long. Please see the Music Box Forum and Blog for articles on this subject. As always, if you have questions or want to learn more about making smart purchases for a preschool or elementary program, log into Music Box, click FORUM in the menu bar at the top, click ASK LYNN QUESTIONS and I will be there to chat more about this subject.
But, I do enjoy colorful, fun Sound Shapes, Boomwhackers, and other novelty type of instruments and equipment. I use these kind of specialty items right after our holiday or spring concert, the last week before a holiday or summer break, for a summer camp, a workshop, birthday party or other school celebration or special occasion.) I did not purchase these until I had my basic set of Orff instruments and unpitched percussion. I have used Sound Shapes for Kindergarten 100 Day Party or their Graduation party but I have also used them at a school’s summer camp. When I use Sound Shapes, I have several essential items I use to ensure success:
- The Sound Shape Play Book (Music Box Members, remember to use your discount when ordering)This book will make the event easy for the leader to plan some very successful activities! The book will also have activities to use wih any unpitched percussion.
- Cowbell and striker
- Samba Whistle or other loud whistle
- ChatterVox Microphone
- Optional additional percussion such as Woods: Rhythm Sticks or Tone Blocks
For workshop videos, go to lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
For resources for teachers such as books/CDs, puppets, instruments and more go to musicrhapsody.com/shop
Jun 22, 2010
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
MORE IDEAS for the Counting Set!
“Five little Kittens” Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! Book page 34
“Ten Fish in the Sea” Songs of the Sea page 15 (use the number set to count forward and back!)
“Ten Musicians” Sound Shape Book; page 25. (numbers)
“Let us Chase the Squirrel” This is a favorite from our annual teacher training course.
