Boomwhackers

The art teacher and I have about $500 to split for our classrooms right now.  I was thinking of buying some boomwhackers, but how many sets do I need?  I'd like to use them with a whole class, in addition to my Stomp, Boom, Bang group.

Any wise music teacher/friend/bloggers have any suggestions on what all I should buy?!?  Largest classes are about 34 students...

Help and thanks!!

3rd Quarter Assessment

I finally got my 3rd Quarter Assessment pages posted to my TpT store.  Click here to go to my store.  I completed the pre-assessment for most of the grades this past week.  The upper grade students still get very anxious about the number grades.  I only show them the number grade at the end of the quarter, because that grade does not go in the grade book.  If they have attempted to give answers on the questions they get a 100 in my grade book.  The number grade they receive at the end of the quarter is recorded in the grade book.

Please contact me if you have any questions about my assessments and how I give grades for my students.  This has been a learning as I go year but, I feel that I have been pretty successful.  :-)

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!!  Remember!  All items in my store are on sale!!  Use the Code: SUPER to get up to 28% off!

February Currently

I haven't ever done the monthly currently link up.  This is my FIRST!  I'm linking up with Farley at Oh'Boy 4th Grade.

Sooo...

I am currently listening to my kids whisper about something.  Not sure what they're up too - they are supposed to be cleaning their rooms.  Hmmm...should I be worried?!?

I am LOVING the fact that my hubby should be home any minute now!  He's only been gone 1 night, but I really like having him around!  We're weird like that!

I haven't gotten as much done today as I would have liked...so, I'm thinking about all the work I still need to get done this weekend - with the big game tomorrow!!  I actually enjoy watching the game, my fave parts though are the pre-game and half-time shows.  I'm a musician - so sue me!  LOL!!!

Being "single-mommy" this morning I want SLEEP!  However, I will give my daughter props - she's usually up around 6:15 on Saturday mornings - she slept til 7:30!  Woohooo!!

The dryer buzzed, so I need to fold clothes...hubby is NOT going to be pleased when he comes home to find the laundry from yesterday morning is still in the dryer.  Ooopppss!!  :~)  Good thing he LOVES me!  I bought his faves for game day food!

The kids at school have gotten SOOOO bad about not covering their faces when they sneeze and cough!  I have seriously been sick for 3 weeks and I know it's because they keep blowing all their germs where I sing!  Not cool!  And the BIG kids (4th & 5th grades) are WAAAYYYY worse than the bitty ones (Kinders)...sigh, I guess it will always be a struggle.  Almost told a lady at the grocery store yesterday to please cough into her elbow...

After School Groups and TpT SALE!

This week, my 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students auditioned for spots in Chorus and Stomp, Boom, Bang.  I accepted over 75 students into Chorus (slightly worried that I'm going crazy!! LOL!)  and 30 students into Stomp, Boom, Bang.  Stomp, Boom, Bang will be our school's version of Stomp Out Loud!  I'm in the process of collecting items that we will use to create music and we will also use our recorders some during this group.  Since we're new to this, the school purchased Stomp, Boom, Blast and Stomp, Boom, Blast 2 by Cathy Blair.  You can purchase your own copies here and here.  I will be posting more as we get started and I am sure there will be lots of exciting things to share!

Also, I will be taking part in the TeachersPayTeachers.com Super Sunday SALE!!!  You can access my store on TpT here!  You can save up to 28% by using the Promo Code: SUPER.  Happy Shopping!!

Super ExCiTeD!!!!

Lookie, lookie what I FINALLY got set up in primary school room!!!  Woohooo!!!!

My Promethean board is finally in place and ready for use!  I have spent soooo much time trying to find the just right spot for it and after begging for all kinds of cords and things from the district IT folks, I have got the set up I wanted!  :-)

Super happy music teacher on a cold and yucky Friday.

Happy melodies friends!

Cheryl

My apologies!

I have not gotten the mittens and gloves lapboards put together as planned - fighting a cold!  I'm hoping to have it finished soon and posted to my TpT store!

Right now, I'm making some serious plans for our 3rd grade South Carolina History Night event.  Each homeroom class (we have 8 homerooms) will have a different time period that they are in charge of preparing. We are creating an interactive timeline using the main hallway from the music room up to the cafeteria.  Visitors to the timeline will view student created artifacts from various time periods and so on...we'll end the night with a concert that takes us through the time periods again through song.  I'm so excited and I hope that it all continues to come together!!

Stay tuned, because I will be posting much more about this event as we continue to plan and prepare!

Mittens & Gloves

Working on a new item for my TpT store!!!  My kinders and firsties have been reading pictures to clap and notate rhythms.  The song "Mittens and Gloves" from Music K-8 magazine (Vol. 22 Issue 2) was my inspiration for using mittens and gloves to teach barred eighth and quarter notes.

First graders used the 4x4 grid (found here) to notate their own rhythm patterns by drawing mittens (for eighth notes) and gloves (for quarter notes).  They are now "translating" their rhythm patterns to quarter and eighth notes based on their previous compositions.

Kinders are reading the pictures and clapping.  I printed 4 clip art graphic mittens and 4 gloves to use on the board.  Week 1, I arranged the pictures in various patterns for us to clap.  This week, I called a few students to come up and arrange the pictures in various patterns for each class to clap.  Next week, students will have their own lapbook of sorts to share with a partner with enough pictures to create their own patterns.

The items I am using for their lapbooks will be available in my TpT store by Sunday.  :-)  My kiddos are hoping for snow tonight, I know that they are going to be disappointed in the morning because we probably won't get anything but ice...here's hoping for a 2 hr delay!  :-)