Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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!)
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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
Listen to what a teacher has to say here!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
PreK, Kindergarten Singing Games and Activities for Pitch Matching
My YouTube video in this weeks Music Box newsletter features one of hundreds of activities I use for matching pitch and singing in tune. Why so many? What works with one child doesn’t work with the next. What will get the quiet one, the one who doesn’t participate, to finally sing? Will it be Who’s that Hatching from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music or Scubba Man from Songs of the Sea? Or maybe, Farmer Brown’s Cow from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic or Walking Through the Jungle from Jungle Beat? All my books contain opportunities for solo singing so you can hear the child’s voice, evaluate and assist. Every child can learn to sing, especially if you play these games often, with variety, and at a young age.
This lesson features a singing frog to encourage solos and prepares for our Jump Frog Jump book activity. The video shows a little boy who does not sing, in fact, this boy has not sung in any of our weekly pitch matching “solo singing” activities. Notice how I put the blame on our frog puppet for not singing, not on the child. I always give the opportunity to participate but when he doesn’t, I turn the conversation away from him and be silly with the puppet. I believe it takes even longer, or certainly lowers your chances for participation if you look at the child and pressure the child. What finally got this student to participate with his singing voice? Weeks later, it was the little owl finger puppet flying out of the “nest.” And next it was the baby owl’s parent, the big Snowy Owl. Music Box members, download your free Owl singing fun.
And use your Music Box Members discount code (on the home page) to order your own singing frog and owl puppets! They will encourage singing and make music a very special time for you and your students!
For more on this subject or others, use the Search feature in Music Box and type in solo singing or pitch matching.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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.
https://musicrhapsody.com/product/songs-of-the-sea/
And check out the puppets, they inspire singing and movement and foster more participation too!
https://musicrhapsody.com/product-category/hand-and-finger-puppets/hand-puppets/
Music Box Members – Don’t forget to use your discount code found on the Music Box home page.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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.
Happy Music Making! www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Theme Books with CDs are at www.musicrhapsody.com. Members, use your Music Box discount code. www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Hello…. it’s me… not Adele, but Lynn!
I was wondering if after all these weeks you’d like to sing
A new hello song
They say that the start of class is great
for singing a hello song
Hellooooooo…. Can you hear me?
Yes! This week is all about hello songs. Many of you commented that you liked our new hello song video we posted last week. In case you missed it, check out “Sing Hello” below.
By popular demand, we have “Sing Hello” for you as our free download this week. We have ideas for both early childhood and elementary aged students complete with Orff Instruments. We know your students will love this hello song.
I love the use of a hello song to start your class, but it is so much more than just a greeting. Think of it as a friend that visits each class all year but in different ways. You can use the hello song as:
- a classroom management
- directions for putting instruments away
- solo singing
- name games
- movement activities
Check out my blog which is all about the ways you can use a hello song.
->
Are you already starting to plan your concerts for the year? We have 3 great concert themes with complete detailed plans:
They are all available for instant download. Start your concert planning today!
Have a great week!
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
I have seen teachers start way too hard, causing frustration by the students and the teacher. As one of my teachers said K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Silly!) I make a big deal about waiting until I have my turn. I use my body and cowbell to indicate when its my turn (looking like I’m trying to turn around) and when it is their turn to echo (leaning towrads them). I begin with playing on each beat while saying 1, 2, 3, 4. If that is successful, I do again with a louder voice, then a softer voice, then with no voice at all, just playing the 4 beats.
Repeat the same process with saying and playing just 3 beats and thinking the 4th beat is quiet. 1, 2, 3.
Next, try 1, 2, 3&, 4……with the same process.
End by going back to 1. 2. 3. 4
Songs of the Sea book, Lynn Kleiner, has a song called We are Gathered and it includes fish rhythms for echo playing. Have the students make up their own!
www.musicrhapsody.com/shop
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
When we get the request in our schools for Earth Day ideas, it’s quite easy to offer suggestions by showing our “Love for Our Planet” theme books about the ocean, mountains, farms, and rain forest. If you are new to our Music Rhapsody & Music Box group, here they are!
https://musicrhapsody.com/product/lynn-kleiner-4-book-cd-special/
I include instrument making in all of my books (This includes In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music) and most of these are made out of recycled items. Since we celebrate Earth Day in April, this is a great time to choose an easy, fun to make project, and then enjoy using the activities and recordings to make music with the creative instrument that was made.
No time for instrument making? Set out a sample and encourage a little community clean up and make an instrument at home!
Here’s an easy one from my Songs of the Sea collection. Water Bottles! Water Bottles! So many water bottles! This is one item that’s easy to obtain for wonderful homemade instruments.
Water Bottle Shaker and Guiro
- Use a water bottle that has ribs, not smooth. Empty and wash out the bottle, dry completely
- Remove the label
- Add sand, smaller sparkly beads, glitter, shiny items or other colorful bright objects
- Decorate the parts of the bottle that are smooth with stickers or colored markers if desired.
- Use hot glue or lots of colored masking tape to secure the bottle cap on the bottle
Ways to Play
- Shake the bottle for a wonderful shaking sound. Create different sounds by moving it up and down, side to side, fast and slow, etc.
- Use a chopstick to scrape across the ribs of the bottle to produce an entirely different sound, a guiro.
- Produce yet another sound by tapping the bottle with the chopstick.
Have a listen to everyone’s favorite shaker song! Sandy Sandy Sand from Songs of the Sea.
Visit Music Box for more Earth Day songs and project ideas!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
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.
Professional Development with Lynn Kleiner
https://lynnkleinersmusicbox.com/
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
I am excited to offer a WEBINAR on June 2 at 6:30PM Pacific Standard Time. All Teachers (Members and Future Members!) are invited to join me as I answer your questions as we explore some Music Box pockets and corners that hold many treasures!
Send your Questions NOW by messaging me personally in Music Box (just click on Members in the menu bar and type in Lynn Kleiner, click on message on the left and send OR, just reply to this email! Those of you who sent questions last time, you are first! But please send me those directly again so I’m sure to put you to the top of the list!.
Also during the webinar, take a peek at some of the NEW VISUALS that are coming just in time for the new school year. These will enhance all levels of our sets of lesson plans. I have been using them for Our Music Rhapsody Membership early childhood Modules, the elementary Rhythm Readers, Melody Makers and Recorder Rookies this year and they are so much fun. The best news for me was no SMARTBoard required. This is just one more new way to engage your classes. And for my long time friends, you know how much fun it is for us to have repetition with variety!
“I CAN’T WAIT for my Redondo Beach Vacation!” I heard this from a teacher who afterwards said the summer training was better than Disneyland! The Redondo Beach Hotel and conference room is gorgeous and our early evening practice space for ukulele includes incredible views and wine! Tuition increases by $50 after June 1 so go for it now!
Speaking of the beach, CHECK OUT OUR adorable 3 year olds in this video as they get ready for summer, celebrating the end of their school year with pompoms and creative movement to The Waves from Songs of the Sea.
And for all those preschool and kindergarten graduates, we have been talking about some delightful graduation songs in Music Box. There’s also some suggestions for those toddler classes. Thanks for all your contributions. I love hearing from you.
Hope to see you June 2!
Happy Music Making,
Lynn
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Songs of the Sea will be something very SPECIAL with smooth sailing for all when you incorporate some of these exciting items!
Song Resources: Songs of the Sea Book/CD, In All Kinds of Weather Book/CD, Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too Book/CD
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
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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 Sea book.
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!
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Aug 13, 2024 | Orff Lesson Plans
Why is it Important?
Music Rhapsody students often arrive for their Orff class a few minutes early. As they enter the classroom, familiar music is coming from the speakers and Orff instruments are set up in the same pentatonic key as the music. Immediately, the invitation to play along with the song is made by the teacher.
For students who are apprehensive to improvise, the recording of the song gives them structure and confidence. As more students arrive, the sound of the Orff instruments increases. The opportunity to “just play” has created an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Soon the teacher grabs the guitar and the students circle around for the hello song, the beginning of another musical adventure in an Orff
Schulwerk environment.
Here’s a list of songs for a pentatonic play a-long! No accidentals required for these keys.
Sources:
FS: Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic!
JB: Jungle Beat
KMM: Kids Makes Music, Babies Make Music Too!
SOS: Songs of the Sea
W: In All Kinds Of Weather, Kids Make Music
MTM: My Trip to the Mountains
Click Here to order books (includes CDs)
Key of F
The Colors are Gilding, KMM Page 25 Track 50
The Old Grey Cat, KMM Page 56 Track 38— Metals for the sleepy Cat, Woods for the Mouse, both during the running! Conducting the song using 2 hoops, 1 for metals and one for woods. This is very successful!
Sally Go Round the Sun, W Page 16 Track 5
Whether the Weather, Page 10 Track 16 — This song is in d munor so F Pentatonic is the set up. D is the home tone
Shoo Turkey FS Page 44 Track 16
Rocky Mountain MTM Page 50 Track 24
Key of G
Little Horses KMM Page 49 Track 46 — Woods for the horse galloping after verse one, Metals for “lullaby” after verse 2. Conducting with 2 hula hoops like the Old Gray Cat is successful for the song.
Ten Little Frogs JB Page 30 Track 20 — This song is in in e minor so G pentatonic is the set up. E is the home tone.
Misty Moisty Morning Page 23 Track 13 — This song is in in e minor so G pentatonic is the set up. E is the home tone. Metals free play during forst verse, woods keep the beat for the rhythm
Key of C
Bell Horses KMM Page 18 Track 29 — Free play after “run away”. Metals free play on Mistress Mary Rhyme. This can also be conduncted with 2 hoops: no playing, playing woods, play metals
Rhymes in the Rain W Page 31 Track 21
White Feathers W Page 41 Track 21
Who’s that Hatching W Page 44 Track 30
Bought Me a Cat FS Page 14 Track 5
Row Your Boat SOS Page 17 Track 6, 7, and 8
Larry the Lobster SOS Page 7 Track 2
Five Little Monkeys JB Page 14 Track 9
Two Talking Toucans JB Page 18 Track 11
The Butterfly JB Page 26 Track 18
Peanut Butter MTM Page 34 Track 12
Let Us Chase the Squirrel MTM Track 41 Track 16
For 10% off on books, 25% off on lesson plans, use your Music Box Member Discount when orderin. To get your coupon codes or to join Music Box Click Here.
musicbox.com
Aug 13, 2024 | Theme Concerts
Preschool Music Concert, Kindergarten Music Program, Elementary Music Show can be tough planning for the music teacher Try a theme! Themes make it fun for you, the classroom teachers and the kids while children learn a lot more than just music! With related science, art, rhyming and reading, even cooking, this can be totally integrated into the classroom curriculum too!
Concert Plans available to music box members, can be purchased in music box downloads. www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
These are the themes I have published in a book with CD and include instrument making, related arts and crafts, room decoration and theme snacks too. I have concert plans done for these which include printed programs with write ups on the learning objectives and highlights of each song. For these and their related puppets, felts and instruments, check out https://musicrhapsody.com/shop/
Jungle Beat – Rain Forest
Songs of the Sea – Ocean
Farm Songs – Animals, Plants, (Bugs, dirt and worms too!)
Trip to the Mountains – Camping, Trees and Critters, Bears, Owls and Eagles, Picnics
In All Kinds of Weather – Snow, Rain, Wind, Sunshine, Hail, Rainbows
However, a feature that is growing each year in www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com is a huge variety of themes! Ones that have been shared are ones that have been requested by members. Many have not yet been discussed but here’s a few I have enjoyed. Since I have been teaching in schools since 1978, I do have quite a few I’ve tried over the years, just to keep it fun and fresh for me!
These themes are also wonderful for music camps, for weekly plans and to integrate in classroom curriculum.
America
Bedtime
Blues/Jazz
Bugs, Worms and Ladybugs
Critters
The Circus
Colors/Rainbows
The Community, Community Helpers
Flowers and springtime
International/World Music or music from a specific continent, country or region
Love
A Day in the Park
Pond Songs
Transportation
Travel
Wheels
The Wild West
Wings
Work Songs
The State’s History – this has been very popular with 3rd and 4th grade who have requested this. I have an extensive one for California!
Maybe you have some ideas? Please contribute!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
There is a musical story for every special time of year in your classroom. Detailed lesson plans for the following books are in Music Box so far:
Back to School: Froggy Goes to School, The Very Busy Spider
Winter: The Snowy Day, Froggy Gets Dressed
Valentine’s Day Ferdinand
Mother’s Day : Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake
Books are available at www.musicrhapsody.com. Use your Music Box member discount code found on the home page.
See the forum for other lesson plan ideas using story books.
We are working on Songs of the Sea Concert plan and the 4 and 5 year old lesson plans with Orff instrument activities included. Coming soon to Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box! www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com.
Jul 10, 2019
I adore Lynn Kleiner’s music and program. I have worn my Kids Make Music Babies Make Music Too book out, that I had to get a second copy, also her seasons book is just awesome. She uses puppets and Manipulatives that are so wonderful to have. She is Orff based...
