Thankful for YOU Celebration

It's time to celebrate!  I've reached a follower milestone on my Teachers Pay Teachers store and have a fabulous celebration planned for November 1st-5th.  To keep up to date and not miss out on any deals, freebies and fun you'll want to follow my Facebook page.  Click HERE to go there now.   Facebook doesn't show all of my posts to all of my followers so to make sure that you see them you'll want to go to the page, hover your mouse over the "liked" button and make sure "Get Notifications" is selected.  

Now on to celebration week!  Here's what to expect:

Sunday, November 1st:  Kicking off this week with a fabulous FREEBIE and a fifty percent off deal on a brand new bulletin board for Thanksgiving:  Where Does Your Dinner Go?  Letters are included in this kit so that you can make the title say "Where Does Your THANKSGIVING Dinner Go?"

Makeover Monday, November 2nd:  I have recently remodeled a few bulletin boards and resources.  Each one of the made over masterpieces will be 50% off today only.  If you have already purchased them from Teachers Pay Teachers, just re-download to get the newest version.  Check out my Facebook page for the links to these products OR head over to my store and look to the custom categories on the left side of the page for the daily deals.

Take a Break Tuesday:  Everyone needs a break, right?  Today you can grab some great brain break activities for 50% off and snag a Thanksgiving activity for any classroom for free!

Workstation Wednesday:  I'm such a big fan of workstations that I couldn't help but add a day to celebrate them!  Several new workstations will be available for 50% off on Wednesday, November 4th only.  

Thankful Thursday, November 5th:   More dollar deals than you can shake a drumstick at!  This will also be the last day to enter my giveaway for a $30 Teachers Pay Teachers!

Wait...have I not mentioned that?  That's right!  You can win a $30 Teachers Pay Teachers gift card that you can use anywhere on TpT.  There are several ways to enter.  Check it out below. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Veteran's Day Listening Lesson

Veterans Day can be such a special day at school.  I love the way students respond to learning about the rich and colorful lives of the veterans in our community.  I am moved by the way they show their respect and gratitude.   When possible, I love to spend several class periods working with patriotic music.  Here are a few other patriotic music posts that may interest you as you plan for Veterans Day:

Why Teach Patriotic Music

Star Spangled Evaluations

Teaching Patriotic Music – What to Do

A few years ago I had a retired Army officer ask me if I taught my students the songs of the United States armed forces.  Although I had taught some simplified versions in beginning band, I really didn’t use the songs in lessons with my K-8 general music classes.  As I set out to rectify the situation the next year I experimented with ways to introduce the songs and a little about the history of each branch of the military in a way that would engage students and help them remember these songs.

Last year I really felt like I did it!  Here’s a great plan for November, Veteran’s Day or any time you want to focus on some patriotic pieces.

I used Sara Bibee’s Our Musical Armed Forces-Guided ListeningUnit in combination with my Armed Forces Listening Glyphs for a complete unit on the music of the five branches of the U.S. military.  I used variations of this plan last year with several grade levels.  My 5th and 6th graders seemed to connect with it the most.  Sara's listening unit (PPT and PDF are both included) gives a brief history of each branch of the armed forces, lyrics for each of their songs and then links to listening examples and videos to use with your classes.  

I started with the music of the Army because this was the branch that most of our local veteran's was associated with.    Without introducing the song, I played "The Army Goes Rolling Along" leading the group to keep the steady beat in various places on their body (lap, shoulders, etc..).  About half way through I said "Create a quite percussion accompaniment on your lap."  They loved it and were quite good!

After we finished we discussed where they may have heard the piece before and then I introduced it with Sara's PowerPoint.

Then I explained that we were going to do a listening journal with this famous piece of music.  *insert student groans here*  They were delighted to find out that their "journal" was actually a coloring sheet.

Students got their supplies and we talked about the elements that we were going to listen for in the piece.  We listened to the piece without writing or coloring.  Then students completed their listening glyphs based on what they heard.  My last blog post was about using listening glyphs.  Check it out for tips to make this experience a positive one.

These listening glyphs are from THIS set.

This took about half of my 50 minute class time to complete with 5th and 6th graders.  I did a similar plan with each of the branches while still preparing their concert music.  It was so nice to come back to these pieces in January (after Veterans Day and after our December performance) and see what they retained from this experience.  Not only did they remember what branch each song belong to, they remembered other details about our lesson too.  My principal was most impressed!

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Looking for more patriotic ideas?  You might like to see my Patriotic Resources Pinterest board.

Follow The Bulletin Board Lady-Tracy King's board Patriotic Resources on Pinterest.

How to Use Listening Glyphs

What are listening glyphs?  It’s okay if you don’t know, but trust me you are going to want to use them to focus your students for listening activities.

I didn’t know what a glyph was until WELL after I graduated from college with a teaching degree.  Why?  At the time it wasn’t a tool that was used by music teachers for any practical purpose.  Classroom teachers had been using them like graphs for a long time.  They were a way to share information in a pictorial way that students could easily interpret.

Today they are a staple in my classroom.  I use them consistently with first through sixth grades as a way to focus their attention while listening to selected pieces of music in class.  For many years I used only listening journals, which were essentially just questions about the piece that students filled in like a form.  I asked them about tempo, timbre, genre, meter, mood and more.  This worked well for older students but in my younger classes, students that struggled with reading were often left behind.  Instead of listening to the music they were trying to read all of the questions and weren’t focused much at all. 

So, instead of 8 to 15 questions to answer I considered what 3-5 essential things I hoped they would hear in each piece.  Did it matter if my third grader knew that instrument was a trombone if they could identify the sound as brass?  Could I live with asking my second graders if the dynamics changed or stayed the same instead of having them write the words “forte” or “piano”? Would I be okay with asking my 5^th graders if the beat of the music was grouped in twos or threes instead of asking them to identify the time signature?

Uhm…yes.  I was still using appropriate assessments AND I was using my precious class time more efficiently.  Students LOVED “just coloring” and listening to music.

The first listening glyphs I created were simple and could be used with any piece of music.  I used them mostly with first through third graders.  I had them color pieces of the picture based on what they heard in a piece of music.  What happened was MAGIC.  Active listening.  Engaged learners.  More time spent listening to music than talking about it.

Before i began using listening glyphs it was difficult for me to focus younger students for 2-3 minutes of listening time and nearly impossible to do it more than once without adding movement, props, drama, etc…  Don’t get me wrong.  I still do those things, but glyphs gave students an opportunity to respond individually to the piece rather than as a group. 

1.        Plan a piece that is interesting and has elements that your students can identify.  I have a couple of sets that I think are the easiest to start with.  I would recommend them because they are really just print and go. 

John Williams Listening Glyphs – Who doesn’t love his music?  This set has some kid favorites from Star Wars, Superman and Jurassic Park.

Nutcracker Listening Glyphs – Great for December and January or anytime really, these glyphs celebrate Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet.

Armed Forces Glyphs – I use these glyphs all year long.  This set contains patriotic songs in addition to the songs of the U.S. armed forces.  My 5^th and 6^th graders love this set the most.  They rarely get an opportunity to color so this is such a great change of pace.  I must warn you though.  The older kids love doing these SO much that they take MUCH longer than the lower grades to complete the same glyph. 
Christmas Listening Glyphs - These are fabulous for December.  This set contains Christmas favorites performed by traditional artists.  It also comes with a version that doesn't specify a specific artist so that you can use it with whatever version you like.  So much fun!
Black History Month Listening Glyphs - This is a very versatile set.  Although it was created for Black History Month, it can be used all year long.  There's a wide variety of genres included in this set and I've linked you to a Spotify playlist if you are in a pinch for the music. 

2.  If you haven’t already taught your students how to QUICKLY and efficiently get supplies and get back to their seat, do it now.  Plan it.  Teach it.  Practice it.  This is essential to doing any kind of writing or coloring activity.  If listening glyphs will be one of your first writing activities with a group, you need to have a plan for getting supplies and you need to teach them how you want it done.

In my classroom I send students to get their supplies by rows.  Traffic moves in a circle as students go to a table for paper and crayons, move ahead to a tub about 7 or 8 feet away with clipboards and then move back to the carpet or their chairs.  It is important to put supplies in a couple of spots so that the line moves quickly. 

In your classroom you may find that line leaders or row captains can get the supplies and pass them out quickly.  You might also consider having students get supplies on their way to their chair and just placing them under it until you are ready.  Whatever you decide, be clear with your instructions.  I often give the directions and then say something like “Paper, crayons, clipboard, carpet!” and have them repeat it.

I keep crayons in a plastic soap box.  Students can’t really see through them so there’s no picking through a pile to get the best box.  Storing them this way also keeps them from getting mixed up quite as much as other ways I’ve tried.  If possible, make sure students have their own supplies.  Sharing crayons for listening glyphs gives reason for conversations that you don’t want during listening time.

3.  Have students read through the worksheet with you.  Identify what you’ll be listening for and then have them put the sheets down.  Allow no coloring, writing or talking during the first listening.

4.  After we’ve listened to it the first time we talk about what we’ve heard using the worksheet as a guide.  For older grades this is brief.  For younger students, we will thoroughly go through each item following the items on the worksheet. 

5.  Listen again while students color their answers.  If the piece is short enough we may listen to it several times while they finish.

If you are teaching a group of students how to complete listening glyphs for the first time,  you may find it helpful to have them discuss what they heard and then color that item.  Move through each item on the worksheet in the same manner.  This takes more time, but will save you time the next time you work with listening glyphs.  I usually do this longer version only with kindergarten and first grade.  The other classes can be successful without this extra time.

Be lenient with choices that could be right.  For example, in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” you can hear a celesta.  One of the items on my listening glyphs asks if you hear percussion instruments.  My younger students may think that percussion just means drums, triangles, tambourines and other classroom percussion instruments they have played.  I usually accept any answer for that.  With older students I may expect them to know what instrument is playing that part.

Speaking of being lenient, you may have to be lenient with color choices too.  All crayons are NOT created equal! 

Listening glyphs can be graded in the traditional way.  I have found that it is quick and easy to walk around the classroom while students are working and note on my seating chart if a student doesn’t understand.  I can talk them through the problem and note a score for the activity without actually collecting the papers. 

You can try a free sample of this listening glyph by clicking HERE.

I hope that you will consider adding listening glyphs to your lesson plans.  Please let me know if you have any questions about using them in your classroom.

Music Class and Halloween

Can I tell you a secret?  I have not always been a fan of Halloween.  I’m not really sure why, but I’ve come around and now feel comfortable teaching a Halloween song or two.  As I prepare lessons for my K-6 classroom I try to incorporate songs and activities that feel like Halloween without being too scary or creepy.  We do many songs about pumpkins and spiders and so on.

At one district we avoided everything Halloween and even called the classroom celebrations on that day “Fall Parties”.  At another school we celebrate with a big parade, all students and most staff members dress up and hang decorations in our classrooms and on bulletin boards.  You probably know which end of the spectrum your district falls into and can adjust some of the activities below to suit your needs.

Below you’ll find a small compilation of ideas for October and some fun ideas for Halloween in the music room.

There’s a Spider on My Head

This fun song is great for Kindergarten and First Grade.  It is sung to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”.  I start by modeling this song, but honestly by the time I get to verse three they can’t resist singing along, pausing to hear the new part of the verse.  Because this song isn’t specifically a Halloween song, I often tie it into the change in the weather and how spiders and flies want to come in to our warm houses instead of staying out in the cold.  This gives us an opportunity to sing the song another day.  The second time we’ll make up new (and often sillier) verses.

Pumpkin Patch

This is a fun song to sing with 1^st and 2^nd Graders.  We learn the song by rote adding actions with each phrase.  Next, we sing and move with a partner. 

Pumpkin Patch Lyrics

Pumpkin patch, Pumpkin patch.  Looking for a pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.

Here is one, nice and fat.  Turn into a Jack-o-lantern, just like that.

Pumpkin Patch Tune

Sol sol mi, sol sol mi, do do do re mi mi sol fa mi re do.

Sol sol mi, sol sol mi, do do do re mi mi so fa mi re do.

Pumpkin Patch Actions: 

“pumpkin patch” =clap hands twice on “pumpkin” and in the air on “patch”.  Later transfer the air clap to a partner’s hands.  Do this for every “pumpkin patch” in the song.

“looking for a pumpkin”=Put hand over eyes and on your forehead as though you are shading your eyes

“here is one” =right hand out as though you were hugging a giant pumpkin

“nice and fat” =left hand joins the right as though you were hugging the giant pumpkin with two hands

“turn into a Jack-o-lantern” =turn around with arms still outstretched.  Later join hands with a partner and turn in a circle.

“just like that” = clap clap air pat (that later becomes a partner clap)

Music K-8 Songs

I just love Plank Road Publishing!  My kids really connect with my kids and they are easy to sing.  This is a list that I use 2^nd through 6^th grades.  Here are a few of my favorites for October:

Eight Legs (We actually sing this one all year round.)

Halloween Rap  (The groove on this one is too cool!)

The Apple Song  (LOVE this catchy tune that names a bajillion different apples.)

Dweller of the Cave (Spooky and mysterious, it leads to great conversations about what the dweller could be.)

Hey Jack  (A favorite of my 5^th and 6^th graders.)

Pumpkin March (Mostly for the younger crowd, this is great for teaching dynamics.)

Mwa Ha Ha  (Seriously, can’t stop singing this one.)

Scarin’ Alive (Disco grooviness is alive!)

Sing Along Videos

I have a Symbaloo page with some of the songs we might add at the beginning or end of class if we have time.  They are short and simple and are probably most useful for 2^nd grade or younger.  The link to this Symbaloo page is at the bottom of this blog post.

Jazzy Jack-o-Lanterns

Such fun!  I don’t always do this each fall, but it always seems to work its way in for at least one grade level do to an oddity in scheduling or special events.  Often I’ll do this activity during the week of parent teacher conferences with the one class that I will see from a specific grade level.  Students use the chart that I give them with music symbols to create an interesting jack-o-lantern face.  They can use them in any fashion, upside down and in any color.  I walk around while they are working on them and quiz them on the names of the symbols or explain what they are if they are new to them.

I have a bulletin board kit for this project too.  It looks great mixed in with the student projects.  The chart that I give them is in this kit too.

Candy Corn Puzzles

I do centers at least once every four times I see students so seasonal workstations are so much fun!  With the Candy Corn Puzzlers I actually had the whole class do the same puzzles in small groups.  Fourth graders worked pitch names, 5^th grade worked on recorders, etc…  I allowed about 10-15 minutes for this activity including the time it took us to break into groups and get supplies.  If you have the puzzles in a little baggie you could probably do this in less time.

Pumpkin Patterns

This is a quick and easy game to create and to play.  It is essentially a matching game.  The pumpkins have four-beat rhythms on the back side of the jack-o-lantern.  I created a duplicate of each pattern so that students could match them up.  I created this set specifically for what fourth graders would know this time of the year.  You could create multiple sets that were usable with more than one grade level.  Students turn the pumpkins so that the rhythms are face down and take turns turning over pairs of pumpkins.  If they find a match, they keep it.  The person with the most matches wins the game.  Often they will have time to play multiple times before our time is up.

Ideas to Shake Your BOOty  (see what I did there? *grin*)

Freeze Dance and Creative Movement

Oh my goodness!  This set of creative movement cards is so much fun!  I turn on some awesome seasonal songs and then hold up the posters for students to imitate.   It is so fun to see students do the “The Broom Dance” or the “Zombie Wobble”.  The idea is that students get to interpret the move named on the poster in any reasonable way.  Wow!  What creativity!   In this set there is also a freeze dance setof posters too.  If you like them, I have several more themes that you can use.  They are also fun to mix and match.

 Here are some of the songs I like to use for this activity:

“Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett

“Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.

“Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley

“Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

Pass the Pumpkin

I buy a bag of mini pumpkins at Walmart each year for Pass the Pumpkin.  I divide students into small groups of 4-6 and we say the pattern “Bounce, 2, 3, Pass”.  This allows students to pass every four beats.  This is fun for Kindergarten and 1^st.  With older students we make the pattern shorter with “bounce, pass” or “pass, pass, pass, pass” on each beat.  The word “bounce” doesn’t actually mean bounce it on the floor!  Messy!  It means to bounce it in the air to show the beat.

Here’s a video of a 1^st grade group from a long time ago.  This was their first attempt at “bounce, pass, bounce, pass”.  *giggle*  Not perfect, but certainly fun!

Dance Videos

I think it is so important to keep kids moving so I have several go to movement activities and videos.  I’vegrouped some of the Halloween videos on a Symbaloo page.  You’ll also find the links to a few sing along songs for the lower grades.  Enjoy!

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Parent Teacher Conferences – Tips for Music Teachers

Preparing for Parent Teacher Conferences can be a little intimidating even for those of us who have been teaching for quite a while.  As a music specialist our preparation for conferences is a little different than classroom teachers.  Where classroom teachers may prep for 15-30 students if they teach a self-contained classroom, specialists prepare for 150-500 (and sometimes even more!).  Here are a few tips for great parent teacher conferences.

DRESS IT UP

Get your room ready.  You’ve probably heard that you should dress for success (and you should) but the same idea applies to your classroom.  Tidy up.  Take a look at your classroom with a critical eye.  Could something go in the closet, a filing cabinet or colorful bin?  If I have time, I’ll often take a damp cloth and wipe down shelves or tables that have become a little dusty.  Although we have an excellent maintenance staff, that’s not something they do daily.

Choose bulletin boards that might appeal to parents.  Displays that feature student work or pictures are always popular.  Don’t freak out if you don’t have them.  I bet you can grab a variety of shots from a single day of classes.  Print photos to your school copier instead of a photo lab to save a few bucks.  Even in black and white, these glimpses of your classroom can help parents connect.  

If I don’t have a board like this ready, I choose one that focuses on music advocacy.  Click on the pictures below to learn how to download a few of my favorites.

Music Rocks

Music Crafts Your Mind

Music is Out of This World

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Before conferences take a look around your room.  Are there some things that shouldn’t be touched?  You might want to put those away.  It never fails that students will do things they KNOW they are not supposed to do when their parents are there.  I have no idea why.  I also have no problem correcting them in front of their parents with a statement like “Joey!  Oh my goodness!  Did you forget that we only touch the instruments with permission?”

This works for current students but some parents may let younger siblings run all around your classroom.  Let’s face it.  We teach in probably the most colorful, interesting and wonderful classroom in the building.  Of course it’s going to make the little ones want to touch everything in wonder and awe.  I put up anything that doesn’t bounce well.  Just in case parents think it is fine to let their offspring shred my room while we talk, I also practice lines like “Oh my! You are going to be a great musician someday, but we should probably put these up for now.” 

This doesn’t happen very often for me now, but at some schools this is a big problem.  Think about how you will handle it before it happens.  You’ll be more confident and your classroom will be safer.

BE INVITING

Do you need to speak to some parents in particular?  Send a note home a few days before asking them to stop by the music room before or after they go to their child’s home room.  Give them a call during your planning time and let them know that you would love to have a few minutes to talk about their child’s musicianship. On occasion I will ask a homeroom teacher to send parents to me if they make it to their room during conferences.

When parents show up, always thank them for coming.  Try these “Thank you for stopping by!  I’ve really been looking forward to meeting you!” “It’s so great to see you.  I was hoping that we would have an opportunity to talk about what goes on in music class!” or “Thank you for stopping by.  I’m really looking forward to partnering together to find ways for Johnny to be successful in music class.”

BRIBE THEM

I am never completely sure how many visitors to expect during parent teacher conferences.  At my second school I was busy the entire time.  My room was full the entire time and I stayed half an hour later just to chat with everyone.  At another district I had a steady flow of visitors, but it was always the same group each Open House or Conferences.  At my last school it was quiet.  Super quiet.  Like…got a couple of weeks’ worth of lesson plans finished and rearranged that piece for choir kind of quiet.  That was nice for getting things done, but didn’t help me connect with parents like I wanted.

My advice if you tend to spend conference time alone?  Bribe them!  Send a note home with students a few days before saying that there will be a special treat for students who bring their parents to conferences.  I usually send home a monthly newsletter so this was where I would put this information.  When students showed up with their parent they got a treat from the goody box (candy, pencils, stickers, etc….).  You could easily create seasonal gifts if you wanted.  Pinterest is full of them!

I’ve also set a BIG basket of candy outside of my classroom door.  When parents or kids stopped for a treat, I would take the opportunity to talk to them about music class.  I have a big bulletin board right outside of my door so I could strike up a conversation about the display.  A great one to use is Music and Me Pennants.  

MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME

Create a space that doesn’t put a desk between you and the parents.  Parents will feel more comfortable and you will seem more relaxed and relatable if you sit at a table side by side.  If you don’t have an empty table (which seems like a rare thing in my classroom!) then set up chairs to facilitate discussion.  Keep your papers on a music stand so that they are handy, but not in the way of conversation.  

It is possible that you will need to think about creating a place for parents to wait while you chat with other parents.  Create a place for parents to wait on one side of the room or right outside your door so that your conferences can still remain private.

TALK IT UP

 Focus on the learning and what’s going on in your classroom.  Take this opportunity to discuss activities that happen in your classroom and how their child participates and finds success.  Talk about opportunities that students have in your classrooms and challenges that may need addressed.  Show examples of what you are doing in class with paperwork or videos.

Be positive.  Advocate for your program while you have a listening ear.  Although I don’t think we should have to advocate for our programs every chance we get, the truth is most of us need to.  Brag on your classes, your concerts, your students and explain why what you do is more than what they see at a performance.

LISTEN

Learn to be an active listener.  This means that you pay attention and you let the parents know that you are hearing what they are saying by making eye contact, nodding your head and using body language and gestures that show you are listening.  Don’t judge or interrupt with your ideas.  Listen.  

Repeat what they’ve said by saying “I heard you say that Joey tends to be quite the extrovert at home.  Tell me more about that.”  Use phrases that show you are listening like “I’m hearing you say…” and “You said…could you explain that a little more?”

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Keep a bottle of water or a caffeine source nearby during conferences.  Sometimes conferences are scheduled during supper time so have a snack that you can munch on in your desk.

When I started teaching, this wasn’t as much of a concern as it is now, but when preparing for parent teacher conferences think about what you will do if a parent gets out of hand.  It could be that they get angry and are verbally abusive, but you may encounter parents that have been drinking, are carrying weapons (we are a c onceal and carry state), or are mentally unstable for a variety of reasons.  Have a plan for reacting to these situations and getting someone else in the room or getting yourself out.  This could be a simple as calling a teacher nearby or walking out.

SAY GOODBYE

Learn how to say good-bye.  Learn how to finish a conversation so that it ends and you can move on to the next set of parents.  I only mention this because I am a talker and I could just sit and chat all night long.  I’ve learned to use the following statements:

“It’s been so great to see you.  Thank you for coming in!”  (Get up.  Walk towards the door.)

“Thank you so much for stopping in.  I am glad we had a chance to connect.”  (Get up.  Walk towards the door.)

“I don’t want to take any more of your time, but I have really enjoyed getting to know you.  Please feel free to drop me an email or give me a call if you need anything.”  (Get up.  Walk towards the door.)

Did you see what I did there? Get up.  Walk towards the door.  

I’ve learned to do this because as a talker, I realize that I can monopolize a conversation and spend much more time than is needed.  I need a way to close the conversation not only with words, but with a physical gesture.  By getting up and walking to the door I am signaling to parents that our time together is over. 

FOLLOW UP

A few days to two weeks after conferences, follow up with parents.  Send an email, a letter home or make a phone call.  Let parents know that you were happy to meet with them and give them a little update if you can.  Sometimes with my schedule I see their child once a week so I may need a couple of weeks before I can give much of an update.

I know.  You are thinking “I saw 70 sets of parents during conferences!  How can I follow up with all of them?”

You can’t.  In a perfect world, maybe, but in reality it just isn’t going to happen.  I tend to choose 10-15 parents to follow up with after conferences.  I keep track so that after the next set of conferences I can follow up with someone else.  If a child is really struggling or if we are working on a specific goal, I will prioritize that communication. 

I have a freebie for you for reading this far!  Download a set of five sign in sheets for parent teacher conferences.

Do you have other tips for music specialists and parent teacher conferences?  I’d love to hear them!

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