So many of us are excited to hear of the warmer weather this weekend. Now its time for some creative melting while playing descending accompaniment on Orff!
Warmer weather and melting snow also reminds me of the time I got to see Subnivean! The melting snow exposed the little City Under the Snow!
The kids LOVE to sing and act out this amazing magical place and learn its for real! Visuals/PowerPoint and lessons are free to members in the curriculum and Music Box.
Huge thanks to Deb Hernandez who took time out to warm my heart! XOXO
“Music Rhapsody has been so life changing for me! I always used many of your resources but after taking your summer training, my whole class has been restructured in a way that makes everything click! Thank you a million times over!”
Dates don’t work for you? Registration is coming soon for training at SMU, Dallas – June 13-15, be the first to know when registration opens. Or you can complete online training anytime!
What a surprise when I visited a mixed age music class and heard an 8 year old say “Can we do Deck the Halls? That’s my favorite!” Other children chimed in “Yes! Let’s do Deck the Halls!”
Here’s a video to show you how a simple tempo change and some silly gestures have this old carol a favorite for parents at the concert too! Some other holiday favorites in this playlist too!
Most of us are busy with our holiday concerts. Here are 3 reminders:
#1 reminder MAKE SURE THE PARENTS CAN SEE THEIR CHILD!
#2 reminder – make the children smile (I tell them we are taking pictures and videos and there will be SMILE AWARDS!)
#3 – Get the singing all the way to back where Grandpa is sitting – he’s hard of hearing! Open your mouth and exaggerate the words to make sure your singing covers the entire room.
Many teachers ask, “what do we do when we don’t have snow in the winter months and the curriculum is all about snow and cold weather?” Some even go: “my students can’t relate to snow songs! They’ve never seen it!” We think this is a great opportunity to share pictures and props and let the learning about other climates happen!
Music Rhapsody is in Southern California by the beach. We don’t get snow but that doesn’t stop us from pretending we do! Classroom props are our best friend during the winter months. Here are some snowy ideas on how to create a winter wonderland in your classroom! Download our mini workshopfrom October 2022 for more on this topic.
Let It Snow!
Cotton balls and a parachute are great to make it snow in the classroom. Cotton balls are easy to pick up and use again and again. Use recorded music such as “ Let it Snow. ” (Composer Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn)
Paper Plate Ice Skates
“Ice skating” on the thin, cheap paper (not plastic!) plates is always fun (works well on carpet). Skating from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi is awesome for paper plate skating! Consider forward and backwards, spinning, figure eight, etc!
Paper Snowflakes
Use props like paper snowflakes for rhythmic notation for snow songs such as Snow (Yuki) and White Feathers from In All Kinds of Weather Kids Make Music and Each Little Snowflake from Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures. Music Rhapsody Members, Snow (Yuki) can be found in your Big Kids and Young Musicians curriculum in your member area.
Snow Cloud and White Feathers
Wrap a strip of white fur around a hand (frame) drum and fill with white feathers. When the feathers fall, the children play their instruments (I like metals such as finger cymbals, triangles, metallophones and glockenspiels for sparkly, glistening music!). See In All Kinds of Weather Kids Make Music for the song and activity White Feathers. Music Rhapsody Members, this activity can be found in your Big Kids and Young Musicians curriculum in your member area.
Puppets Galore!
Wintery puppets like the snowy owl are great additions to help to present and lead snow activities. Snowy the Owl is a must have prop to present and direct snow activities. Also great for pitch matching!
Here’s another character from my new book, Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures! Vinnie the Vole lives with friends and family under the snow in the song “Subnivean”.
This topic is so exciting (there’s several predators!) to learn about, but it is also great for playing Orff and percussion, singing, creating, and of course acting too!
