Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
I love that after 35 years in the early childhood and elementary music classroom, I am still excited about the start of another school year! Looking around Music Box, I am reminded of years of my favorite back to school, fall, Halloween and Thankgiving favorites. If you are looking around Music Box, don’t forget the SEARCH box to look for something specific. I hope you will find some tips and inspiration in these areas of Music Box for the start of another school year.
Check out these topics in the Music Box Blog:
Fall Music Fun for Active Music Making
Back to School Music
Stories with Music
Beautiful Singing
In the Forum:
Fall Songs and Lesson Plans
Thanksgiving
Vocal Health
Pitch Matching
Downloads: This will have a choice of “Hello” songs, some fun story book lesson plans, detailed sets of lesson plans for several age groups and much more.
Questions? Click in the Forum and go to “Ask Lynn Questions.”
Wishing all of you a wonderful school year!
www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
www.musicrhapsody.com
Aug 13, 2024 | Recorder & Orff
I just received an email asking about my preferred brand of recorder, a recorder book, lesson plans and materials for teaching recorder from an Orff approach. I use the Aulos, a beautiful 3 piece model. Its more expensive but a very nice instrument. Always go with the best quality you can. The cheap ones sound horrible and a combination of cheap brands is even worse.
There is a variety of recorder materials in Music Box, www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com, including video workshops with notes on process and music, songs and Orff arrangements for beginning to intermediate level which include teaching process and also stories with recorder (fantastic for the needed repetition of fine motor skills!). A detailed set of recorder lesson plans will also be coming soon, but there’s already an awesome lineup of some of my favorites in Music Box now, go to Downloads then click Recorder on the right side. Don’t forget to go to Music Box Videos, there’s a workshop and the hand outs for that are in downloads. The Search feature in Music Box will help you find all kinds of recorder lessons which include movement, singing, Orff instruments, improvisation and FUN!
www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Click Here to view our recorders in the Music Rhapsody online store.
Thanks to AOSA for the opportunity to share my passion for teaching recorder many times over the years and also have the honor of bringing my students to perform at two national AOSA conferences. I hope to see you at the AOSA conference in Nashville, November 5-8 2014.
http://aosa.org/professional-development/professional-development-conference/
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
I was asked for a list of songs, stories and the notes introduced in the Recorder Rookies lesson plan packs. Have a look! We never get tired of these lessons! Here’s the list.
Here’s a couple pictures of snowflake shapes created after watching the inspirational animation, Each Little Snowflake, that inspired their creative movement.
Music Box Members Get an Awesome PreK “Love Theme” Lesson 3-Pack FREE!
Members, just log in and you can download this $9.99 lesson pack for FREE until Feb 14!
This NEW set of 3 lesson plans includes comments on the process of teaching each song, teaching tips, suggestions for visuals, props and puppets using my teacher resource books. Each lesson features movement, pitch matching and instrument playing. The lessons are designed for children age 2-6.
And… this lesson pack now includes several resources to accompany these weekly lessons!
- Recordings – My Love For You, Cock-a-Doodle Doo, Marching (From Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too), Skinnamarink (From Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures)
- Visuals – Digital Counting Set (SMARTBoard Activity)
- Additional Lesson Plan – Snowy Day (Accompanies story by Ezra Jack Keats. Listening and movement lesson by Lynn Kleiner)
There are lots more Valentine’s day activities in Music Box. Just use the search feature for love, hearts, or Valentine!
SAVE THE DATE!
We have two awesome live Teacher Training locations for summer 2020. See what teachers have been returning for year after year – we’d love to see you there!
Plus… all Music Rhapsody Members and Online Training teachers get HALF OFF tuition for summer training!
Redondo Beach, CA: June 25-28, 2020
Newark, NJ: August 17-20, 2020
Online… ANYTIME!
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Tired of the snow already? Let’s warm our hearts with some love songs! Music Box is full of Valentine activities for every age level: babies, tots, preschool and elementary too. Just type Valentine in the SEARCH feature to find dances, stories, Orff activities, baby games and more. Need help? Click ASK LYNN!
Now, how do you teach rhythm to that little, crazy ACTIVE, won’t stop moving, after school kindergarten group? Here’s a peek from Rhythm Readers lesson plan 17, playing and moving with the ostinato whole note, then 3 quarters and a rest: Digital Lesson Plans. Move on LOVE, (hold for 4) then Yes I Do!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApUVdjSRifM&list=PLcGAMvU2YN-XwhY-UtA-3-7tFCJa2vON3&index=7
Click on the link above the video thumbnail.
Aug 13, 2024 | Spring Music
Spring Music Lesson Plans for preschool and elementary can be found in Music Box by using the Search feature at the top right on the menu bar. Several of my favorites are “All Around the Gardener’s Bench,” and “I Plant a Little Seed,” from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic . And as long as we’re singing about dirt, you may want to consider the very popular “Lots of Worms.” Of course, I love using all my puppets and props for these. Here’s a few things I use:
“All Around the Gardener’s Bench,” I use tinsel for the rain. Children can have one or two strands in each hand and you have beautiful rainfall! Rain sticks are also added. Little dancers pop up with yellow scarves for the sun, chimes are played from low to high for a beautiful sunrise. I have “critter” hats and headbands with ears for those who choose to sneak in to eat the flowers. The child playing the farmer wears a bandana and tries to catch the critters. Then he gives up and puts more flower seeds in the ground, repeat and repeat!
“I Plant a Little Seed,” from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic needs sun and rain so use the same props as “All Around the Gardener’s bench.” For “Lots of Worms,” I use my body bag, a tight fitting fabric that is hilarious to step into, pull up over head and wiggle like a worm while everyone giggles and squeals with delight. HA. So entertaining! Watch this in Music Box Videos, and see what one of our Music Box friends did for her critter concert. The best worm dancing I’ve seen!
“Who’s That Hatching” and “Mister Sun are classics from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music.
I hope you can enjoy some sunshine this spring while playing triangles, finger cymbals, glockenspiels with “Mister Sun!”
Books with CDs are at www.musicrhapsody.com
Downloads of printed lessons, music and recordings are at www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Questions? Need more ideas? Click Forum, Ask Lynn Questions and I’m happy to help.
Thanks for bringing music to the lives of your students and families.
Happy Spring!
Lynn Kleiner
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Preschool Music Lesson Plans, Pre-K and Kindergarten Music Curriculum, and all the early childhood music lessons are designed to stimulate and develop every part of the young child’s brain: hearing, vision, speech, blance, coordination, behavior, movement, sensation, memory, emotion.
Movement Activities develp motor skills, coordination and body awareness.
Listening to Music develops thinking skills, while the songs, rhymes and finger plays strengthen memory.
Repeating Patterns, rhyming words and counting beats develop math and literacy skills.
Group Dances and musical games develop timing and encourage social skills.
Singing includes a huge variety of songs, singing games, seasonal favorites. Being able to vocally match pitch is a musical skill that the children learn through Lynn’s game-like atmosphere, often using puppets, stories and other imaginative visuals.
The curriculum, based on an active music making, Orff Schulwerk approach, is available in weekly lesson plans, mostly from materials in Lynn Kleiner’s books/CDs, which are available at a special package rate for new teachers. https://musicrhapsody.com/product/lynn-kleiner-book-special-2/
Weekly lesson plans for specific seasons, themes and school use are available in www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com.
For detailed lesson plans, 5 age levels, infants – age 6, that include a video of every activity, all recordings in weekly playlists, music and lyric sheets, at a glance plans, and complete online training go to https://musicrhapsody.com/teacher-training/. Following the training, membership is available which grants permission to use all materials. Questions? Request a consultation here: https://musicrhapsody.com/teacher-training/.
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Dear Music Box Friends,
Over the next several weeks, I will be suggesting some activities for those last few lessons of the school year. The last lesson or two can be a bit of a challenge for teachers, but it can be a joyful celebration and memorable if you choose some new activities or the student’s favorites.
“Request Day” is something I refer to with my classes, allowing the students to discuss with each other and come up with a few favorites for us for the last lesson or two for the school year. To properly prepare, I need them to decide ahead of time in case there are props, notes, special instruments I need to obtain, set up, etc. One of the most popular answers is “NAUGHTY CHICKS!” from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic! I highly recommend this if you have not introduced it or repeat it for a huge favorite at the end of the school year. The other popular one from Farm Songs is a percussion circle for Shoo Turkey. Wonderful for ages 4-8.
Percussion Circles or Drum Circles are a very festive way to end the year. Just type one of these in the SEARCH feature in Music Box and you will find many suggestions! As always, just click Ask Lynn Questions if you need help.
This week, I’d like to highlight a few Stories with Music. If you have not done Five Little Monkeys Make a Birthday Cake, Ferdinand, or the Very Busy Spider with your Pre-K, Kindergarten or First Grade, they would love these active music-making stories. Everyone has several parts to play, so much fun! Click on the books above to get the stories. Music Box members receive a 10% off the book and 25% off the lesson plans.
Make sure to take advantage of the $50 off Teacher Training for Music Box members through May 15! If you have taken the training before, training will be HALF price for you! Make one of the 3 fun locations part of your summer vacation! Hope to see you for this special 4 day training. Sign up today for a teacher training consultation.
Thanks for your contributions the past week! I love seeing you in the Box! Congratulations again to Carla and Harold for winning our door prizes for the webinar.
Happy Music Making,
Lynn
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Wow! There’s lots of names to learn at the beginning of the school year! Here’s a few music activities I use at the beginning of the year from several of my different age groups.
Little Secrets: I highly recommend having a list of the class names and a pencil ready. Sometimes those little personal notes (notes for only YOU to see!) will help you remember a child’s name such as curly hair, very tall, huge smile, freckles, etc.
Lots of Name Calling! The more you force yourself to use the child’s name, the faster you will learn them, the more classroom control you will have, and the more bonding you will have with your students. Include things like “when I sing your name, come get a hand drum” or “when I sing “Goodbye Billy” you sing the same notes “Goodbye Mrs. Kleiner” and line up at the door.
Names on the list you cannot remember: Say “If I call your name, please come get the instruments to pass out to your class.” Then call the names of children you do not know!
First and Last Name Game: Seated in a circle, as everyone pats the beat, one says “My first name is Lynn.” Everyone echoes “Your first name is Lynn.” “My last name is Kleiner.” Everyone echos “Your last name is Kleiner.” Still to a 4 beat rhythm (hopefully!), the leader says their full name Lynn Kleiner. Everyone echoes Lynn Kleiner. Then everyone says and does the following: “Next (pat) what’s (clap) yours?(point to the next person for their turn)”
First Name Food Game: Everyone has a hand drum. One child will also have a tambourine, indicating who’s turn it is. The one with the tambourine plays the beat and says My name is Lynn and I like mangos(name a food). Everyone echos, playing the beat on their drum, Her name is Lynn and she likes mangos. The tambourine is passed to the next person who then says their name and favorite food.
Froggy Name Game: The kindergarten and grade one love my Funny Frog. He loves to jump to visit each student. I throw Funny Frog as I sing “Sing me your name.” The child who catches Funny Frog then throws it back and sings their name (hopefully using the same pitches). I then catch the frog and sing the child’s name using the exact pitches the child used. This activity is followed with my favorite back to school story to introduce the “rules” of the music room, Orff instruments, etc, called “Froggy Goes to School.”
Hello Song for Names: For my youngest (Babies – age 5), I introduce one of my “Hello Songs.” I have several to choose from in Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box but I suggest using the same one all year. Its much more than just a “Hello Song,” it’s also used as a transition, instrument playing (ukulele, gathering drum, and more), movement, etc. In Music Box Downloads, the Hello songs include notation and many teaching suggestions. Encourage everyone to sing the child’s name: Hello __________, Hello ___________, Hello ___________, or however indicated in the song.
Creative Names to Echo: Name, name what’s your name, Say it now, none are the same. Say it high, say it low, say it fast or say it slow. The student “performs” their name, the class echos, the teacher echos.
For other back to school tips, check out lynnkleinersmusicbox.com.
Aug 13, 2024 | Presidents Day
With Labor Day coming up, and a general need for patriotism with all of the global tension arising, the “Patriotic Songs” $1.99 lesson plan is sure to bring a smile to your faces and a warmth to your young Americans’ hearts!
Complete with Pre-Revolutionary, Revolutionary and World-War era themes, these songs and their supplemental lessons offer ample opportunities to share bits of American history and show allegiance to the wonderful country in which we live.
From the mountains, to the praries, to the ocean-side towns of California – these American song lessons are fun and energetic way to bring a musically informational experience to students of any age and region!
Search “Patriotic Songs” in Downloads for the $1.99 lesson plan, and download “Over There,” “Over There (Sing-Along),” “Yankee Doodle,” and “Yankee Doodle (Sing-Along)” as FREE resources to accompany the American song lessons – provided by Alfred Music.
Let your fellow teachers in Music Box know how it goes or comment on the blog for advice on any of these lessons! Watch the “God Bless America” lesson on the Music Box Videos page and look forward to more videos of my students and our patriotic performances in the near future!
www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
www.musicrhapsody.com
Aug 13, 2024 | Classroom Materials
A couple weeks away from Thanksgiving and getting into festive fowl season – time to stock up on your turkeys and ducks!!
Watch my rhythm readers class perform their rendition of “Turkey Feathers,” from the Farm Song and the Sounds of Moo-sic book and CD. We did this lesson with scarves, but your solo-singing activity would be extra-fun with the colorful felt set lesson!
Get the beautifully hand made felt set to go along with this lesson (from rhythm readers lessons 5-10 Fall plans as well as preschool and many SMR plans) at https://www.musicrhapsody.com/Turkey-Feathers/
and of course the Turkey and Duck puppets for “Turkeys and Ducks,” “Shoo Turkey,” “Turkey Feathers,” “Bought me a Cat,” “Brown’s Cow,” and more! https://www.musicrhapsody.com/Large-Turkey/ and https://www.musicrhapsody.com/Small-Duck/
Call (310) 376-8646 or e-mail jj@musicrhapsody.com to make an order.
P.S. Don’t forget to mention your MB member discount!!
www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Aug 13, 2024 | Spring Music
Spring Music Lesson Plans for preschool and elementary can be found in Music Box by using the Search feature at the top right on the menu bar. Several of my favorites are “All Around the Gardener’s Bench,” and “I Plant a Little Seed,” from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic . And as long as we’re singing about dirt, you may want to consider the very popular “Lots of Worms.” Of course, I love using all my puppets and props for these. Here’s a few things I use:
“All Around the Gardener’s Bench,” I use tinsel for the rain. Children can have one or two strands in each hand and you have beautiful rainfall! Rain sticks are also added. Little dancers pop up with yellow scarves for the sun, chimes are played from low to high for a beautiful sunrise. I have “critter” hats and headbands with ears for those who choose to sneak in to eat the flowers. The child playing the farmer wears a bandana and tries to catch the critters. Then he gives up and puts more flower seeds in the ground, repeat and repeat!
“I Plant a Little Seed,” from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic needs sun and rain so use the same props as “All Around the Gardener’s bench.” For “Lots of Worms,” I use my body bag, a tight fitting fabric that is hilarious to step into, pull up over head and wiggle like a worm while everyone giggles and squeals with delight. HA. So entertaining! Watch this in Music Box Videos, and see what one of our Music Box friends did for her critter concert. The best worm dancing I’ve seen!
“Who’s That Hatching” and “Mister Sun are classics from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music.
I hope you can enjoy some sunshine this spring while playing triangles, finger cymbals, glockenspiels with “Mister Sun!”
Books with CDs are at www.musicrhapsody.com
Downloads of printed lessons, music and recordings are at www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Questions? Need more ideas? Click Forum, Ask Lynn Questions and I’m happy to help.
Thanks for bringing music to the lives of your students and families.
Happy Spring!
Lynn Kleiner
Apr 1, 2024 | Parents & Students
Why Choose Music Camp Out of A Million Other Camps?
What do parents imagine when thinking of music camp? Maybe some parents think of somewhere that has rigorous lessons every day in a specific instrument, where students are expected to practice hours on end. Of course, there are some more rigorous camps that require auditions for high school children who are more experienced in their instrument, but many music camps offer the opposite – fun filled, no pressure days where you get to experience many different instruments, decide which ones you like, and play educational musical games. So why should you choose music camp out of the sea of camps at your local camp fair?
1. Your child will be in a creative, collaborative environment that’s also fun.
Making music together facilitates great friendships and builds teamwork skills. Your child will be eager to show you and their friends what they learn.
2. Music camp provides a fun STEAM learning experience.
Music helps your child develop skills they can later use in STEAM careers. It is mathematical, creative, artistic, and builds attention to detail. It also develops spatial-temporal faculties, which are essential in working through solutions to the complex problems in fields such as architecture, engineering, and science.
3. Less screen time:
Though some camps offer music production and music technology elements, there are also lots of exciting hands on activities that involve playing instruments, musical games, or movement activities off screen.
4. Music helps children develop confidence through fun challenges.
Learn new songs, dances, and skills on instruments, and develop leadership skills along the way.
5. Music does something unique: it helps children recognize and express their emotions.
It allows children to express themselves in a way that other things cannot. Music can also help children learn to “hear” what certain feelings sound like, such as joy, sorrow, excitement, and others, and this can make it easier for children to understand what they are feeling.
Our summer music camp for grades K-8 offers something for all levels of ability, from beginner to advanced.
Experience new instruments, make new friends, play musical games, and even participate in a concert at our unique music day camp. Try instruments like xylophones, metallophones, and other exciting percussion. Take daily lessons in instruments such as recorder, piano, guitar, ukulele, flute, or saxophone. Sing, dance, or try your hand at musical theater. Come find out why students return year after year to music camp! From beginners to advanced, this offers something for all levels of ability. Early bird tuition available now through April 15!
Register for our camp here!
Nov 2, 2020
Music Class Gift Certificate
Give The Gift Of Music! Certificates are for 1 month of music classes. Gift certificates for anything in the Music Rhapsody shop also available!
Do you know someone who loves music? Celebrate the holiday season by giving them music class gift certificate. Our baby, toddler, and elementary classes are based on an Orff approach and provide an excellent musical foundation, and feed into the unique Simply Music Piano program. Our Simply Music Piano program for ages 6 to adult allows you to play songs from your very first lessons with our playing-based teaching approach.
Mar 1, 2020
Parents & StudentsMusic Rhapsody classes are fun-filled and inspiring. Our comprehensive and continuous schedule of classes offers something unique and musically educational for every age group, from babies to adults. Come in for a complimentary trial class or sign up...
Feb 10, 2020
Why Music Rhapsody We believe that every child is born with an innate and profound musicality. At the most basic and obvious level, this musicality is demonstrated every day in such things as our ability to walk and talk. Our musicality is a gift, and with proper...
Jun 19, 2019
Invigorating. Inspiring. Energizing. Music Rhapsody helps teachers truly engage and challenge students, for a whole new level of success. Click on a membership option below to find out more! Weekly Newsletter FREE News, insights & ideas every week Access to...
