Musicplay

Performance Assessments

Are you doing assessments for your end of the year report cards?  One of the areas that I want to assess is how well children perform music in choirs, Orff ensemble, on unpitched instruments, recorder, ukulele or guitar.

Assess a Choral Performance

When you're conducting a choir, it's almost impossible to assess the performance of an individual child during the performance.  But you can video the performance, and use it to assess some aspects of performance.
* are students watching the conductor?
* do students use good posture in performance?
* are students singing with an open mouth?

Discuss the Performance with your Students:  (Musicplay 3, song#1)

- “Did we use good diction?”
-  “What could we do to help the audience hear our words more clearly?”
- “How can we sing softly and stay in tune?”
- “Did we all breathe in the same places?”
- “Did we sing the phrases the same way?”  “Did we start and end phrases together?”
- “Did we match pitch?”
- “Did the voices sound nicely blended, or were there individual voices that you could hear?”
- “Were the vowels pure?”
- “ Was the tone pleasant, open and resonant or was it sometimes “shouty”?”
- “Did the class maintain a steady beat and perform rhythms accurately?”
- “Could you hear the dynamic contrast at the end of the song?”
Ask the students to think of compliments and comments about their own performance.   

 

I NOTICED...........    I WONDER..........

Brian Burnett suggests the use of the words “I noticed” and “I wondered” when making comments about performances.   I liked this because it frames statements in a positive way.


THREE STARS AND A WISH

Another way to assess performances that I like is 3 stars and a wish.
If a group has performed in class, invite students to share 3 things they liked (3 stars) and a wish for what they might do differently.
* . ______________________________________
* . ______________________________________
* . ______________________________________
I wish ____________________________________


Quick self assessment for students:

Show me your fingers.  Ask them to hold them against their heart, so it's just between you and them.
4 fingers - I did an awesome job
3 fingers - I did pretty well
2 fingers - I tried my best, but made mistakes
1 finger - I could have tried harder and could have done a lot better
 
Part of an assessment or a performance can be a student self-evaluation:

Student Self-Evaluation of Choral Performance

 

3 Second Listen

Part of the Assessment might be done in rehearsal. I use the 3 second listen for large groups or for a very quick assessment.  I have the class line up in class list order. (alphabetical).  Then I have them sing as a group, often with a recording.  I walk up and down the rows listening to each child for about 3 seconds, and record their grade on my class list.
X = excellent
VG = very good, with a few pitch slips
S = satisfactory - somewhat close, but is not fully in tune
NY = not yet - the child is wildly out of tune, speaking or not trying

 

Teacher Assess Orff Ensemble

I've used this rubric to assess performance in an Orff ensemble.
If possible, video the performance, then assess each child.
 
 
And you can have students do a self-assessment.

Student Self-Assessment in Orff Ensemble

 

Recorder Solo Assessment

This is a very detailed assessment.  I'd probably only use this once in a term.
 
To the Teacher: Since it is very time consuming to assess a complete performance of a solo by every child, assess one skill in isolation every week and assess only 1-3 solos or parts of solos per term.  I seat my students in alphabetical order, and grade directly to my class list.  Instead of calling attendance, I identify the skill to be performed, and give them a short exercise to perform it on.  For example, I assess tonguing on a short rhythm pattern:ta ta ta ta | too-oo too-oo    I can assess legato connections at the same time.  I assess rhythm reading by holding up rhythm flashcards and having each child read one. Pencil and paper exercises are given in the kit and should be marked and grades recorded.  Use the mad minutes as a  tool to assess note names by cutting off the top part and having students complete them in a given time (I use 3 minutes).
This is a much quicker rubric to use:

Rubric for Assessing Student Playing:

1 - Plays correct notes and rhythms with excellent tone, legato tonguing, breath control, and posture
2 - Plays correct notes but is missing one or more of the following: accurate rhythms, excellent tone, tonguing
3 - Plays most of the notes correctly but is missing two or more of the following: accurate rhythms, excellent tone, tonguing
4 - Plays few of the notes and rhythms correctly
 
Assessment is a big topic and these are just a few of the ways that you might use to assess performance.  Share your ideas, rubrics and videos on the Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!
 
 

Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards

USA and International - Melody Flashcards


Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:

Match the Melody - USA


Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards

TeachersPayTeachers - Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   


Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear?

Which Rhythm? Print Version - USA
 
 
Follow #musicplayonline on instagram, twitter, Pinterest
 

Timbre Assessments

Are you doing assessments for your end of the year report cards?  One of the areas that I want to assess is how well children perform music in choirs, Orff ensemble, on unpitched instruments, recorder, ukulele or guitar.

Types of Voices:  Speaking, Singing, Whisper, Shouting, “Thinking”

In most music curriculums, children in K-1-2 are expected to be able to:
1. use each of the types of voices
2. identify each of the types of voices.
I really enjoy teaching about timbre - types of voices, timbre of classroom instruments and timbre of orchestral instruments and orchestral instrument families.  For an informal assessment, put the posters on the ledge and say a phrase using one of the voices.  Have the children point to the type of voice they hear.
 

 

Song #9 This is My Speaking Voice 

This is a great lesson in Musicplay for Kindergarten on types of voices.   The lesson includes many opportunities to assess informally if children perceive and understand speaking, singing, whisper, shouting and thinking voices.
In the activity, children learn a simple poem, and then say the poem using two kinds of voices - one voice for the first two lines, and another voice for the last two lines.  You can do this activity with the PDF printables (the posters shown above) as manipulatives.  Or with the Interactive activity below. 

The posters are printables on MusicplayOnline (song #7 in Kindergarten)

To purchase:
- Order them in the Vocal Exploration Card Set on TPT.    
- Order Vocal Exploration Cards Canada
- Order Vocal Exploration in USA

 



You can do the activity interactively from the SMART Board
If you want to do a formal assessment,
this is a printable assessment on types
of voices In Musicplay K (This is My
Speaking Voice)  - or Musicplayonline,
song #7 in Musicplay K

 
 
Timbre of Classroom Instruments

In most music curriculums, children in K-1-2 are expected to be able to:

  1. Identify classroom instruments visually
  2. Identify classroom instruments aurally
  3. Classify rhythm instruments as woods, metals, drums or shakes/scrapes
 
 
In the Instruments Unit at www.musicplayonline.com there are interactive activities:
 
Rhythm Instrument Assessments are also available in the following print 
products:    Rhythm Instrument Fun  and   Classroom Instrument Bingo   
Both of these print products have really fun activities to teach children the timbre of classroom instruments! 

Classroom 

Instrument Bingo

 
 
 

Rhythm 

Instrument Fun

 
 
 

 
 
Timbre of Orchestral Instruments

In most music curriculums, children in Grades 2-6 are expected to be able to:

  1. Identify orchestral instruments visually
  2. Identify orchestral instruments aurally
  3. Classify orchestral instruments as woods, woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion
In the Instruments Unit at www.musicplayonline.com there is a fantastic unit on Instruments of the Orchestra, and many accompanying worksheets to teach and assess the instruments.
 

 
Orchestra Bingo 

This resource is a great way to learn about instruments of the orchestra and instrument families.  (There is a version of the game at www.musicplayonine.com.) . This game has always been my last lesson before a holiday.
 

Order either print/disk Or download version
 
 
Order in Canada
 
Order in USA
 
 
Assessment is a big topic and these are just a few of the ways that you might use to assess performance.  Share your ideas, rubrics and videos on the Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!
 
 
 
Purchase Classroom Instrument Bingo Order in USA    Order in Canada
 
Purchase Orchestra Bingo   Order in USA  - Order in Canada
 
Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards
Canada - buy Melody Flashcards
USA and International - Melody Flashcards
 
Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:
Match the Melody - Canada .   OR .   Match the Melody - USA
 
Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards
TeachersPayTeachers - Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards from Musicplay Canada     
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   
 
Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear?
Which Rhythm Do You Hear? Print Version - Canada
Which Rhythm? Print Version - USA
 
 
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Talent Shows

The Grandview Elementary School talent show was an annual event that had the most amazing array of talent.  We had a 12 year old world champion double baton twirler, and a young world class tumbler, who worked with Cirque de Soleil after he graduated.    We also had many karate kata performances, dance solos, and one spectacularly cringe worthy recorder performance.  We had piano solos, including one seven year old that could play Mozart piano sonatas.
This school had about 350 children, and the entire school attended the performance in the gym.
 
In our school the talent show was held on one of the last days of school.  There was no time limit on it, but if it was longer than 90 minutes the children in the audience would get restless.
 

Notes were sent home with the children.

 
The classroom teachers were supposed to do the screening of applications.  We had guidelines, and most teachers did a great job.  But there were a few that let any child that brought a permission form participate.  To limit performances to the more serious and better prepared acts, I’d suggest that you hold auditions after school hours.  Then, you can include several teachers of TAs from your school as audition judges.  It’s a good idea to hold auditions on Wed. Or Thurs. and post the results list on Friday at the end of the day.  You should also send notes home with successful applicants so that they have all the information on date, time of show.
 

Here is one possible Audition Rubric


 
 
 

Send home the audition list.

At the auditions, if you are able to, make copies of  any mp3s that students use, so you’ll have it on the day of the performance. 
 
After the auditions, judges need to make up the list of acts that will be in the talent show.
 
Post the list of acts that made the cut, late Friday afternoon, and give all students who auditioned a note of congratulations or sorry, please try again next year.  I try to accept as many acts as possible.  We have a 2 hour time frame, but try to keep the show to no more than 90 minutes.
 
Create your program from the list of acts that you’ve approved.  You can use student MCs, but it will be easier if you have an adult MC.  Sometimes the local radio station will send an announcer to be your MC, and this is fun for the kids.  Often, our principal will be the MC.  If you’re using student MCs, give them the program of acts that will be in the show so they can write introductions.  You'll have to work with them before the show to be sure they're ready to do this.
 
A dress rehearsal is really great if you’re able to do it.  But at Grandview Elementary, we never had a rehearsal because that last week of school was crazy and there were always lots of field trips and special activities.
 
If you’re able to get the music needed for the show on your computer, it will make the running of the show much smoother.
 
On the day of the talent show, check with all your performers to be sure they have their music, costumes, etc.  Set up and test out your sound equipment.   Set up video equipment - if you have classes after the talent show, they always love to see a re-run. 
 
Call the students who are in the who to the gym about 20 minutes before your start time and seat them in order, with all their props that they need. 
 
Have FUN!!! 
 
I'll post fillable PDF versions of my parent letters at Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!
 
Talent shows are fun - share your ideas for making talent shows a success at Musicplay Teachers Facebook Group!

 

Purchase Classroom Instrument Bingo

Order in USA    Order in Canada
 

Purchase Orchestra Bingo   

 

Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards

Canada - buy Melody Flashcards
USA and International - Melody Flashcards
 

Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:

Match the Melody - Canada .   OR .   Match the Melody - USA
 

Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards

TeachersPayTeachers - Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards from Musicplay Canada     
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   

 

Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear?

Which Rhythm Do You Hear? Print Version - Canada
Which Rhythm? Print Version - USA
 
 
 
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Assess Melody Reading and Writing

Are you doing assessments for your end of the year report cards?  One of the areas that I want to assess is how well children can read, write, hear and transcribe melodic patterns using solfege.  I use solfege only for note reading in Grades 1-2-3, then transition to a combination of solfege and absolute pitches in Grades 4-5-6. 
 
It’s magical when you can show a song to your students and they can sing it or play it at sight.  That’s a skill that many adults don’t have, and it requires some very high level thinking skills.  Musicplay is sequenced to teach the following solfege patterns:
K - prepare so-mi (Some K classes are ready to label so-mi, but that depends on the class.)
1 so-mi, la-so-mi and prepare so-do
2 mi-re-do, so-do
3 la-so-mi-re-do, low la, low so
4 fa, ti
5 scale
 
Just as when children learn to read, sequencing the skills and breaking them down into small steps will help more children to be successful readers.
 
I think (and this is just my own opinion) that you could compare the sequence of reading solfa patterns to the way that children learn to read.
 
Read and name the solfa notes = recognizing and naming the letters of the alphabet and knowing the sounds that each letter makes
Circle the melody pattern that you hear = seeing the word cat, hat, mat and circling correct
Read and sing the solfa pattern = sounding out the word c-a-t
Write the solfa notes on the staff =  writing C-A-T with help sounding out letters
Write the melody pattern that you hear = writing the word cat independently
Create and perform a new melody pattern = write the word in a sentence
 
If you agree with my sequence, then you’ll want to assess each of these steps, informally in your classes to determine if children are ready to move to the next step.  And you may want to do some formal assessments of these skills for grades or portfolios.  Opportunities for all of these assessment of these skills are on www.muiscplayonline.com and we have print versions available for many for those who don't subscribe.
 
 

Solfa Note Challenge - use to Read and Name Solfa Notes: 

This was one of the first interactive solfa activities that we created for the online site.  In this activity, students drag the soccer balls  (the notes) to the net to show that they know which note is so and which note is mi.  Almost every reading song in Musicplay has a Solfa Challenge activity.  If you do not have Kodaly training and are unsure what the answers are, each challenge includes a play button and a singer sings the song in solfege, giving you the correct answers.  (Another great way to learn to read solfege yourself is to use the Note Highlight videos, part 2)
 
 

Match the Melody Game - use to circle the pattern that you hear:

 The Match the Melody Game is online at www.musicplayonline.com and is also a print product if you don’t subscribe or if you want a print version. 
 
In Match the Melody, you choose the level you’ve been working on.  There are 14 levels in the online game.
 
The Print version has been divided into Level 1 and Level 2.
 
Level 1 includes sm, ls m, smd, mrd and ls m d patterns.
 
Level 2 includes:  s mrd    ls mrd, 
mrd l,  mrd l,s,   drm sl d'   drmfs  drmfsl d' sltd'   t'drmfsltd'  
You can choose to have the melody sung in solfege (voice) or you can choose to have the melody played on a keyboard.  The keyboard version is great ear training in classes with teachers who don’t use solfege.  If you’re assessing the solfege, play the solfa pattern and have students choose the pattern that they heard.  We were careful in creating this activity to use the same rhythm pattern for each answer, so students are assessed on their melody reading ability - not solfa.
Additional printables and assessments are included in the print version - Match the Melody 1-2
 
This is a printable assessment of the Circle the Melody Assessment.
 
This is another additional printable included in the print version of Match the Melody.  The starting pitch is given, then students write the rest of the melody on the line.
 
If you're using the online game, give the students a piece of paper and pencil and have them number 1-5.  Then play the pattern that you want them to write down, and they write it using letters.  For example:  ss m ss m

 
Teaching music reading using solfege is more difficult than teaching children to read rhythms.  When teaching time is very limited, teachers may have to leave out this aspect of the music curriculum.  (And some teachers choose to teach letter names.) But the reward of having a 6 year old look at a simple so-mi song like, “Hey Hey Look at Me!” Or “Bye Lo Baby Oh” and be able to sing it at sight, is to me well worth the time I invest to teach solfege.


 
Quick Solfa Teaching Tips 

This newsletter is about assessment, but you can’t assess unless you’ve taught, and those who see their students once a week or less, need strategies if you want to teach this.

  1. Start every class with a solfa activity.  The Solfa Practice section at www.musicplayonline.com has enough activities you could do a different one every class for the whole year.  Start with echo, then poison melody, then read flashcards, then read handsigns, then Listen and Sing, then Assess.  Five minutes every class, and your students will read solfa by year end.
  2. If you don’t start your class with solfa, use solfa flashcards as an exit-ticket activity.  That’s where the printed cardstock flashcards are great.
  3. When you teach a reading song, have the students read it!  I have them read rhythms first, then words in rhythm, then solfa pitches, then sing.
  4. Use solfa and simple reading songs as a part of your music class - not the entire class!  Lois Choksy said that reading songs should comprise 1/3 of the repertoire in music classes.  They should be experiencing folk songs and other songs that use a wider range of pitches than just so-mi.
  5. Remember that there are 3 ways to teach a song:  rote, reading, immersion.  If your students USE their solfa reading skills to learn new songs it will be more meaningful.
In Musicplay, some songs have a small staff on the upper-right hand side above the composers name.  This staff indicates the solfa pitches used (in K-3) and in Gr. 4-6 both the solfa pitches and the absolute note names are indicated.  These songs are the songs I use for teaching melody reading.  Sometimes they’ll be in the sequence early to prepare the students.  Children should always experience sound before symbol.  So they should play many singing games and sing many songs in new tone-sets before they can read and write them.
 
This graphic illustrates where I think that rhythm assessments fall on Blooms taxonomy.  Naming the rhythm as ta or ti-ti would be remembering.  Reading rhythms with a steady beat would fall into understanding/applying.  When you do rhythm dictation, this is even higher up the taxonomy - this is applying/evaluating.  When you have students create their own rhythm compositions, you're at the highest level.
 
 

Purchase our great set of Melody Flashcards

USA and International - Melody Flashcards
 

Purchase the Print version of Match the Melody, with many printable assessments and projectables:

Match the Melody
 

Purchase our great set of Rhythm Flashcards

TeachersPayTeachers - Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   
 

Purchase Which Rhythm Do You Hear? 

Which Rhythm? Print Version - USA
 
 
Follow #musicplayonline on instagram, twitter, Pinterest

Assess Rhythm Reading and Writing

As we approach the end of the school year for some of our American friends, I wanted to share some easy and quick ways to assess the students' ability to read and write rhythms.
 
1. Flashcard Attendance ~ Rhythm Reading Assessment
In the Musicplay teacher’s guides I sometimes suggest starting your class with flashcard attendance.  We don’t always have to take attendance, but in schools where you do, make taking the attendance into an opportunity for a quick evaluation.
In flashcard attendance, I would take the pile of cardstock flashcards that the students were working on.  I’d call a child’s name, hold up the flashcard and the child would read it.
4 – student accurately and fluently claps and says the pattern
3 – student is mostly accurate and mostly fluent in clapping and saying the pattern
2 – student is somewhat accurate and somewhat fluent in clapping and saying the pattern
1 – student has many inaccuracies clapping and saying the pattern and is not able to keep a steady beat
Themes & Variations publishes a set of 100 rhythm flashcards that are printed on colored cardstock.  The color coding indicates the patterns included in the set and helps you to quickly find the set that each class is working on.
Purchase our great set of Flashcards
TeachersPayTeachers - Rhythm Flashcards
Order Cardstock Flashcards from Musicplay Canada     
Order Cardstock Flashcards – USA   
 
At www.musicplayonline.com, we’ve taken the flashcards and made this into a very quick and easy to use movie – just press play.  There are 25-35 patterns in each set.   There are fewer patterns for very easy sets as younger classes are usually smaller (we hope!) and more patterns in the harder or longer sets for your older students.  In the easier sets, we’ve given you both 4 beat assessments and 8 beat assessments. You can choose the set that you want to assess.
 
The Rhythm Practice Menu is on the left menu (on computers).  Select Rhythm Practice, then select Assessments.  There are 15 levels for rhythm assessments from K all the way to Grade 8.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhythm Reading Assessment at www.musicplayonline.com.  To make this really easy, line your students up or seat them in class list order.  Student 1 on your class list will read the first rhythm pattern, then student 2, etc.
 
For the first 2 patterns, the voice says "ready go." After the first 2 patterns, "ready go" is replaced with "click click."  There is a 2 beat pause at the end of the pattern, where you can say the name of the next student.  If your students need the "ready go" prompt you can say it with the clicks.
 

 
 
 
This graphic illustrates where I think that rhythm assessments fall on Blooms taxonomy.  Naming the rhythm as ta or ti-ti would be remembering.  Reading rhythms with a steady beat would fall into understanding/applying.  When you do rhythm dictation, this is even higher up the taxonomy - this is applying/evaluating.  When you have students create their own rhythm compositions, you're at the highest level.
 
Rhythm Dictation Assessments
You can do this with the videos at www.musicplayonline.com or you can do this by clapping the rhythms yourself.
 
Scroll past the Rhythm Reading Assessments in the Assessment Section to Rhythm Dictation.  A PDF is given with the answer key, and it has a printable 4 Beat Rhythm Dictation worksheet for students to complete.  (If you want to save paper, use recycled paper and have students write their names at the top and number from 1-5.)
 
Play the question and pause.  Drag the video back to repeat, or clap it again for students if they need to hear it a second time.  Five questions are given.  The Answers follow.  I like to have students exchange papers and grade them in class, then I check them over and enter them into my gradebook.
 
 
Which Rhythm Do You Hear?  Another tool that's available online and as a print product is Which Rhythm Do You Hear?
 
There are many levels to select from.   Choose your level, and you have 10 questions.  Press "play" and students choose the rhythm that they heard.  If you have a SMART Board, students can select the answers on the board.  Or you could have them hold up 1, 2 or 3 fingers to indicate which answer they choose.
 
If you want to use these as your assessment, Just press play, allow students to write down their answer, then go onto the next question without showing the answer.  I've found 5 questions are enough for a good assessment - I don't need to do all 10.  There are printable answer sheets in the print product.
 
 
Which Rhythm? Print Version
 
 
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Easter Egg Fun and Games

Did you know Musicplay Online has a new Easter Unit AND a new Spring Unit?

Easter Egg Games with songs

Gr. 2 #79 Hide the Easter Eggs - piggyback tune

Gr. 3 #79 Hide Those Eggs - original song 

 
 
1.  Teach the children the song by rote.  (choose the song you like best!)
2.  Game Directions: Choose 3-5 students to hide Easter eggs in the classroom while the rest of the class hides eyes and sings the song. Eggs must be hidden in plain sight.  (not under something or in a drawer) . The rest of the class hunts for an egg.  Limit them to finding one egg per student.    Choose new students to hide the eggs.
 
For an interesting variation that will help you assess rhythm reading, write rhythms on the eggs that you use in the game.  When the child finds an egg, they bring it to you and tell you the rhythm.  If you want to print/use the activity instead of making plastic egg rhythms, I'll post these printable PDFs at www.musicplayonline.com on Monday in the Easter Unit.  If you don't already know about Musicplayonline.com, it's an affordable subscription website with a wealth of resources for teaching PreK-6 music.  ($149.95/year for ALL grades! - all the school can use it, and students can use a student login)
 
 

Compose a word rhythm using Basket/Egg 

I did this activity with my PreK classes last week.  You can do this with PreK-Gr. 3.  I brought two Easter baskets and two egg shakers out and made a pattern with them.  This pattern is:  Egg-Egg-Basket-Basket.  We said and clapped the pattern.  Then, I invited a child to make a new pattern.  We did several new patterns, saying and clapping them.  As an ear training activity, I told the children that I would clap "basket" or "egg" and they should point to what I had clapped.  To my delight, even my 3 year olds could point correctly to what I'd clapped.  
 
It's a short jump from clapping word rhythms, to labeling one sound on a beat as "ta" and two sounds on a beat as "ti-ti" and this is what I'd do with late K or grade 1-2 students.    
 
 

Easter Egg Word Chain - how to play the game! 

This game is online at www.musicplayonline.com.  
1.  When you click "start" the first egg rhythm appears.  Have the students clap this rhythm several times, and ask them to remember it.  Tell them that they will clap this rhythm AND the next one that appears.
2.  Click on the egg rhythm, and it disappears, while a new one appears.  Have the students clap rhythms one (that they can't see) and rhythm two (that they are seeing).
Practice rhythm one and two a few times, and  ask them to remember them.  Tell them that they will clap both of these rhythms AND the next one that appears.
3.  Click on the second egg rhythm, and it disappears, while a new one appears.  Have the students clap rhythms one (that they can't see) and rhythm two(that they can't see) and rhythm 3 (that they are seeing).
Continue adding rhythms to the rhythm chain as far as your students can go.
 
Alternatively - if this is too hard for your students, just use the activity as a rhythm reading exercise.  There are 8 levels of rhythm practice and there's a cute surprise at the end!
 
 
There are 8 levels of rhythm practice.  And there's a cute surprise after reading all the rhythms.
 
 
This Egg Shaker Matching game is one that I've used with K-5. 
 
K-1 students:  Shake the egg and see if they can guess what's in it.  I used an interesting variety of materials in the eggs including popcorn, rice, dried peas, small screws, tums, pennies.
 
Gr. 2-5 students:  Give each student one egg as they come in your classroom.  Have them find the matching egg by listening carefully to the sounds their egg shaker makes.  
 
To make it easy to check if students have found their match, I marked the pairs --- but most students don't notice the markings the first time they do this.  I also made a Key of what's in the eggs, because it is hard to tell!
 
There are many great games for Easter in musicplay!  Here are notes on just a few of them:

Find the Easter Basket 

Gr. 2#75 - practice dynamics, sm l while playing a hiding game
If you use the interactive Beat and Rhythm activities for Find the Easter Basket, you'll see that our team has now created a menu for the activities.
 
Now you can jump right to the activity that you want to do with the students.
 
The new Beat Chart (activity 2) is new.  Turn "off" the beats you want children to put "in their heads" and they sing out loud only for the beats that are "on." Developing audiation is fun!!!


John the Rabbit in PreK
 

The game is simple and fun!  Kids make a line on one side of the room.  Each time they sing "Yes Ma'am" they take a little jump toward you.  (You're Farmer Brown) . When you get to the end of the song, shoo the bunnies out of the garden.  Print the vegetable cards and use them in the song.  Then, clap the word rhythms.  I put out 4 cards on the floor.  My PreK closed their eyes and I clapped "sweet potato."  They correctly identified the vegetable I'd clapped.  Sweet!
 

Little Rabbit Foo Foo 

A shout out to Dana Herro who performed this in her concert, having the students act it out.  Instead of doing the fingerplay, when little Rabbit Foo Foo was hopping through the forest, they hopped.
 

Hurry Easter Bunny 

This is a great song to practice so-mi-do.  Kids love chase games and they learn the interval because they've sung it in the game so many times.
 

The Easter Unit at Musicplayonline.com also includes

- Music Match projectable (so you can teach/assess)
- Listening Glyph for Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks
- Compose an Easter Melody using s-m, mrd, or ls mrd or CDE GA.  (choose the level for your students)
- Color by Note worksheet

Easter Unit at MusicplayOnline:

Did you know MusicplayOnline has a new Easter Unit AND a new Spring Unit?

Related Songs

There are lots of Easter and Bunny/Rabbit Songs:

Compose a melody for Easter or Spring!

There's a so-mi version, a do-re-mi version and a drm sl or CDE GA version.


Easter Egg Hunt

Practice Rhythms as you go on an Easter Egg Hunt! There are 8 levels of rhythm practice. And there's a cute surprise after reading all the rhythms.

Music Math

Want to have your students practice note values? There's a projectable Music Math activity with corresponding downloadable worksheets. There are multiple levels so you can choose the level that best suits your students.

Egg Shaker Matching Game

K-1 students: Shake the egg and see if they can guess what's in it. I used an interesting variety of materials in the eggs including popcorn, rice, dried peas, small screws, tums, pennies.


Gr. 2-5 students: Give each student one egg as they come in your classroom. Have them find the matching egg by listening carefully to the sounds their egg shaker makes.

To make it easy to check if students have found their match, I marked the pairs --- but most students don't notice the markings the first time they do this. I also made a Key of what's in the eggs, because it is hard to tell!

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

To introduce the piece in PreK-K-1 I have the children pretend they are chicks in the shell pecking their way out. It's hard work, so when the long note comes, that's when the chick is resting. View the kids demo!

After active listening, have the kids complete the listening glyph. Enjoy!

There are many great games for Easter in Musicplay! Here are notes on just a few of them:

 

Find the Easter Basket

Gr. 2#75 - practice dynamics, sm l while playing a hiding game
If you use the interactive Beat and Rhythm activities for Find the Easter Basket, you'll see that our team has now created a menu for the activities.

Now you can jump right to the activity that you want to do with the students.

The new Beat Chart (activity 2) is new. Turn "off" the beats you want children to put "in their heads" and they sing out loud only for the beats that are "on." Developing audiation is fun!!!

John the Rabbit in PreK

The game is simple and fun! Kids make a line on one side of the room. Each time they sing "Yes Ma'am" they take a little jump toward you. (You're Farmer Brown) . When you get to the end of the song, shoo the bunnies out of the garden. Print the vegetable cards and use them in the song. Then, clap the word rhythms. I put out 4 cards on the floor. My PreK closed their eyes and I clapped "sweet potato." They correctly identified the vegetable I'd clapped. Sweet!

Little Rabbit Foo Foo

A shout out to Dana Herro who performed this in her concert, having the students act it out. Instead of doing the fingerplay, when little Rabbit Foo Foo was hopping through the forest, they hopped.

Hurry Easter Bunny

A great song to practice so-mi-do. Kids love chase games and they learn the interval because they've sung it in the game so many times.

The Musicplay Team hopes that you enjoy the new Easter activities as much as we enjoy making them for you!!!

Ukulele Resources on MusicplayOnline:

Did you know Musicplay Online has resources to teach ukulele? This week on the blog and newsletter, we will share with you what is available online and in our print resources for ukulele.  

Introduction Video

Here is a short introduction to the ukulele. It includes the history, explains the different types and sizes of ukulele, the parts of the ukulele, playing position, how to read chord charts, and how to strum. 

 

Tuners

Three different tuners are available.   

 

Projectable Materials and Recordings 

The Easy Ukulele Song book is available for you to project in your classroom in both C and D tuning (32 songs in each section).  Click the tabs at the top of the ukulele section in the website.  There are also links to POP SONGS in both C and D tuning. 

 

Printable Chord Chart 

This is available to download with your subscription to Musicplay Online.

  

 See the video below for a tour of the UKULELE section on MusicplayOnline:  

UKULELE PRINT RESOURCES:

Click the picture below for print resources available on the Musicplay Store.

 

 

To purchased the EASY UKULELE SONGBOOK click the cover below:

Recorder Solo Assessment Rubric

As teachers are approaching the end of their recorder units, we wanted to share a rubric to use for solo assessments.  This rubric is available to print, or you can download a fillable PDF.  This is a great option if you want to save paper and quickly type in comments. Click the links below to download the rubrics.

 

Click here for the printable rubric!

 

Click here for the fillable rubric!

St. Patricks Day Lesson Ideas

St. Patricks Day Lesson Ideas

We are LOVING the new St. Patrick’s Day unit on Musicplay Online. There are so many amazing lessons, projectable materials, worksheets, movies and games.  This week to get you started we will share a teaching process for using the melodic composition lesson.  There are two lessons available on Musicplay Online and many options are provided to meet the needs of your students!

Catch a Leprechaun:

St. Patrick’s Day Unit on Musicplay Online 


Grade Level: 

Grades 1-5. Options are provided in the online material to meet the needs of a variety of grade levels. 

Objectives:

  • Compose a melody (individually OR as a class) using solfa or standard notation (note names).
  • Sing a melodic composition OR transfer to pitched percussion instruments.
  • Write a melodic composition on the musical staff.

Materials Needed:

  • Projectables materials from Musicplay Online Subscription.
  • Worksheet printable (included in the link below).

 Process:

  1. Select a tone set or notes appropriate for your students. The online lesson has the options of so-mi, do-re-mi, do-re-mi-so-la, C-D-E, and C-D-E-G-A.  If using solfa, warm-up by singing solfa echoes and handsigns using the tone set you have selected.
  2. Teach the poem by rote, having students echo you one line at a time.
  3. Keep the beat using various levels of body percussion (snap, clap, pat, or stamp) and say the poem.
  4. As a class, use the online projectable to create a melody using the words of the poem.  Drag the solfa or notes into the boxes above the rhythmic notation.
  5. Practice singing your creation as a class.  Add movement or solfa hand signs to show how the melody moves high and low.  Make changes as needed.
  6. Once students are comfortable with the melody, transfer to pitched percussion instruments. You can do this by passing around a few glockenspiels or other barred instrument in a circle, therefore having only a few students trying at a time.  If you have enough instruments for a whole class, you can all try at the same time. Suggest students play with the tips of their fingers first or use the back of the mallets (so it isn’t too loud).  Remind students to sing while they play.  

Extension Activities:

Student can try the above activity on their own.  If students are able to write notes on the musical staff, they can complete the worksheet below. 

Click here to download this worksheet for free!

Assessment:

Video students playing their creations.  You can also use the worksheet provided as an assessment tool.

This and so much more in the NEW St. Patrick's Day Unit on MusicplayOnline:

1. Fun Fact Concept Movies: 

 

2. Compose a Melody - Ireland:

 

3. Compose a Melody - Leprechaun:

 

4. Improvise a Melody:

 

5. Phrase Rhythm Writing: 

 

6. Irish Jig:

 

7. Rhythm Erase Game:


 

8. Leprechaun Hunt Game:

 

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