I end each one of my early years classes (three years through first grade) with a YouTube video. This 2-3 minute activity has become an important part of our regular routine. My students really look forward to this little reward for a job well done, and it settles everyone down before I hand them back over to their parents. Everybody wins!
We have a "class helper" each day, and it is this person that gets to choose the video for the class. Our favorite YouTube channels have many wonderful options which can be overwhelming for my youngest students. I prefer to narrow it down to three choices. This makes it easier for a young child to select a video and avoids the inevitable delay as a young child ponders the unending choices!
These folks offer a wide variety of videos featuring old favorites as well as original songs. We prefer the animated short videos, but they do have other options with human actors and puppets. These animations are of higher quality than those from many other channels I've seen, and the songs are well presented. This is our current favorite from Super Simple Songs:
Plank Road has some super-fun educational videos which reinforce a number of teaching and learning concepts for music education. The songs are catchy and my students are often heard singing the tunes to themselves when trying to complete music theory activities! Our favorite Music K-8 video is Forte Piano:
Like Super Simple Songs, the Mother Goose Club has a combination of animated and live action videos. While all of the videos are of high quality, my students tend to go for the animated selections. This one is quite popular, and it's great for reinforcing melodic contour:
I'd love to hear about your favorite YouTube channels. Please share them in the comments!
I give away a complete song package each month, so don't forget to Follow Me on TpT for these and other FREEBIES.
It can be quite challenging to find popular music that is appropriate for use in an elementary classroom. I use pop music quite often in my music classes, and I'm always on the hunt for new, "clean" songs. We use the songs for all sorts of movement activities as well as for singing and playing in our ukulele program.
This is a list of some of the songs we use on a regular basis. They are not all new, but they're all safe for classroom use!
1. "Better When I'm Dancing" by Meghan Trainor (from The Peanuts Movie)
This is my new favorite! Great beat, great words, great for dancing...this song helps me get through those daily requests for the old kid-favorite game, "Freeze Dance".
We play this one on ukulele in a different key:
2. "Can't Stop the Feeling" by Justin Timberlake (from The Trolls)
This one really gets us moving, AND we can play it on the ukulele while we're getting down. With the exception of the "under the lights" section, the entire song is just C-am-F-am. My youngest students play the entire thing on the C chord only and have an absolute blast doing so!
Here's my ukulele video for this one:
3. "Count On Me" by Bruno Mars
Pretty obvious choice with this one! Great message, great melody...fun for singing and playing. This isn't the official Bruno Mars video channel, so hopefully this link will continue to work:
Here's the ukulele play along video we use with our students:
4. "Lost Boy" by Ruth B
My students still love this one even though they've been playing and singing it for a couple of years. While the em chord can be challenging, this one is fairly easy to play because the em-G-C-G chord progression repeats for almost the entire song.
Here's my play along uke video for "Lost Boy":
5. "Best Day of My Life" by the American Authors
This song was a HUGE hit at our spring concert in 2017! The students absolutely loved playing and singing it.
And here's the ukulele play along video:
As always, I'd like to thank you for reading and watching. Don't forget to Follow Me on TpT for new FREEBIES each month!
It's hard to believe the end of the year is nearly upon us! You're likely quite busy planning all of your final performances. If you're like me, you're always in need of fun, new action songs for your young students.
This month's FREEBIE will be a great addition to your spring concert this year! "Yellow Zipper" has a fun melody and easy-to-learn lyrics and actions.
The "Yellow Zipper Complete Song Package" includes:
recording with vocals (mp3)
accompaniment track (mp3)
sheet music and lesson ideas (PDF)
lyric helper image sheet (PDF)
SMART Notebook file
demonstration video to teach the actions (mp4)
Head on over to my store to view the preview video and hear a bit of the song!
Teaching and learning highlights for this package are:
beat
ascending and descending melodies
ta, ta rest and ti-ti
key signature
accidentals
sharp sign (#)
Kids will enjoy the two activities included with the SMART file. The first one provides them with an opportunity to notate a small portion of the song.
The second SMART activity is a fun listening exercise! Student will touch an image to hear a sound sample and determine if it's an ascending or descending melody. The image will be dragged to the correct box!
This package is free until the end of May 2018. Download it for yourself and share the link with your teacher friends! Don't forget to follow me on TeachersPayTeachers for new FREEBIES every month of the school year.
I started using video technology in my music classroom about three years ago when I introduced ukulele to my young students. When it came time to read from a song sheet it was clear that they needed me to track the beat for them. However, I also needed to assist them with their playing positions. Hmmm, what to do?
I absolutely needed to clone myself so I could do both things at the same time. And so, my "video twin" was born! I created a series of play along videos that made all the difference. The students follow the video "me" on the screen which frees up the real me to wander around the classroom providing assistance to those in need. Nowadays, we use video in nearly every session, and students are able to access those same videos at home for practice purposes. The benefits are immeasurable.
In March of 2018, I wrote a blog post on the benefits of using video technology in the classroom. If you have avoided using video in the past, perhaps that post will inspire you to give it a try. In today's post, we're going to explore four different types of videos that could be highly useful in your classroom. I plan to create some tutorial videos to show you HOW to shoot and edit videos for your classroom but, for now, let's explore some different types of videos that may be useful for you.
These videos are SO helpful! I almost always use the first 20 or 30 seconds to provide some helpful tips or instructions, and then invite students to play along with me as I perform the song. For ukulele videos, I recruit someone else to track the beat on screen while I sing and play. I use these videos in my classes all the time. Students also access them at home which has significantly increased home practice and has made concert preparations so much easier! I've even had some parents report that they've begun to play as a result of my videos. This, of course, is music to my ears!
This is a typical ukulele play along tutorial:
I recently composed and released a new song for Earth Day. It's a lengthy song with lots of words, so I prepared this video to assist students in learning the lyrics. Of course, the images help reinforce the important message of the song:
Full Disclosure: This video was much more labour intensive than most of my videos as I had to choose the images, synchronize them with the recording and add lyric captions. However, it was well worth the effort because I now have a video presentation that is perfect for any Earth Day assembly. I would simply switch the recording with vocals for the accompaniment track for performance purposes.
Having said all that, sing along videos rarely require so much prep time. The next section presents a sing along video that took me only minutes to shoot and just a few extra to edit and post!
These videos are super-helpful at concert time! I always prepare short videos of our concert songs and share the links with the parents of my students. The students practice words and actions at home which makes it so much easier to fine tune the performance during class time.
Teacher Tip:Don't worry if you are shy and don't want your image out there for all the world to see! Simply make your video private, or unlisted, so only those who have the link are able to view it. You can always remove the video from your channel when the performance is over.
It demonstrates the actions (mirrored, of course!) and provides all the lyrics for the benefit of teachers and parents. Teacher Tip:If you'd prefer not to be the one on camera, invite a trusted student to perform the song while you shoot the video.
Sometimes I create videos for the sole purpose of teaching a particular concept. In my case, that is usually to introduce a new ukulele chord or strumming technique. I created this next video to discuss the tricky left hand playing position for ukulele. I'm aware of a number of different ways to hold the ukulele with the left (chording) hand, but this is how I instruct my students on the topic:
As you can undoubtedly see, most of my videos require minimal prep time, and they are a snap to shoot and edit now that I have so much experience.
These videos are particularly helpful for teachers with large groups of students. My friend teaches guitar classes at a local junior high school. She has created a series of strumming and chord changing warm-up videos that she plays at the beginning of each class. When instruments have been distributed, she simply presses play on the video and they turn their attention to the screen. She doesn't even need to say anything...they see the video and immediately begin to play along! This is an example of great classroom management.
While students are playing along with the screen version of her, she's taking care of last-minute lesson preparations and helping students who need assistance. The video has a calming effect and sets everyone up for success in the class.
Occasionally I create warm-up exercises for my students when they need extra help with a difficult strumming pattern. This is one I posted to assist my students in learning the strumming pattern for "This Land Is Your Land":
Of course, I also prepared a play along video to assist them in learning the entire song.
So...I hope I've inspired you to create some videos for your students! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for a new post on shooting, editing and posting videos just like the ones you've seen above.
Don't forget to FOLLOW ME on TpT for new songs for every occasion and monthly FREEBIES!
I may not have recognized the power of the kazoo if it were not for the summer camp a friend and I introduced in our area a few years ago. We knew we needed a super-catchy name with an available domain. When we discovered that CampKazoo.ca was open for purchase our decision was easily made!
Camp Kazoo offers instruction in music, visual art and coding through digital game making. As I was in charge of designing the music portion of the camp, I quickly set about developing a variety of ways to incorporate kazoo into our daily music sessions. After nearly five years of Camp Kazoo, I can honestly say I'm a huge fan of the instrument for a number of reasons.
Kids LOVE kazoos...they just do! They're colorful and they make a fun, whacky sound. That's pretty much all kids need to be happy. Our campers participate in a number of kazoo playing activities that they never seem to to tire of. They love kazoo so much that I now use them in my regular music classes year round. These are a few of the most popular activities:
Kazoo Karaoke
We call it "karaoke" because the alliteration sounds fun, but it's actually a play along activity. It's super-easy, and the kids can't get enough of it. Ask someone to suggest the latest pop tune with age-appropriate lyrics, play the song and lead the kids in playing along. It's that simple! You may even witness some really cool sitting dance moves during this activity. Sometimes I encourage this by giving "bonus points" for creative movement! Watch some of my students play along with Meghan Trainor's "Better When I'm Dancing":
I often divide the class by color or gender when playing together as a group. My instructions could be, "All the blues...now the reds...all the girls...etc." It's fun for the kids and promotes good listening all at the same time!
Name That Tune
Invite students to come up to the front and play a song of their choosing for the class. Classmates will listen carefully and try to be the first to identify the song! Here's a video example of this game:
Pick a Tune - Any Tune!
This is a variation of the "Name That Tune" activity. In this game, the student will choose from a container of hidden "mystery" song names, and play the tune for the class. They will raise their hands when they have determined the name of the song. These kids are having some fun with this one:
Kazoos can be purchased for as little 75 cents each when you buy them in bulk. This may be an expense that your school budget will cover but, if not, it's possible that parents will support the required purchase if they are aware of the benefits. I recommend Hohner because of the quality, but there are many other options out there.
Some companies will even print your school name on them. Of course, this adds to the purchase price which is always something to consider in today's economic climate.
I don't actually teach recorder now, but I did for many years. One of the things I found most challenging was meeting the needs of students who struggled to play the instrument. These difficulties could be due to anything from a simple lack of finger dexterity to more severe special needs. Not everyone can play the recorder, but most children can play a kazoo. If a child can vocalize, a kazoo sound will likely be produced. As you can see in this photo, some students are naturally playing "hands free" even though no instruction had been provided in this regard:
So, why would you incorporate kazoo into a recorder class? Wouldn't this make the students playing kazoo stand out from the others? Well, yes, those students would stand out from the crowd, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Many students will be happy to simply participate on an instrument that is accessible for them. However, if this is an issue, you could always divide the class into two or more groups - (1) recorder, (2) kazoo (3) classroom percussion. The children who are unable to play recorder could always be assigned to one of the other two groups. Everybody wins!
Kazoo Storage
Incorporating kazoo is not without challenges. They are small and easy to lose, so I keep our class sets of kazoos in my classroom. My classes have less than ten children, and shelf space is not an issue for me. Housing kazoos may or may not be an option for you. If not, perhaps the kazoo can "live" with the recorder and be incorporated into whatever routine you have established for that instrument.
Health Tip: If all kazoos for a particular group are held in one bin, you may want to consider giving each one a quick wipe with an alcohol swab before giving it to the student to play.
Once again, I'd like to thank you for reading and watching my blog post. Don't forget to Follow Me on TpT for new songs for every occasion and regular freebies!
I've updated the FREE DOWNLOAD at my TeachersPayTeachers store for the month of April!
I'm always looking for new activities to reinforce sol, mi and la, and "The Acting Ring" song package is perfect for this purpose. It also reinforces ta and ta-a and is great for any time of year.
As always, the package includes a recording with vocals, an accompaniment track, a SMART Notebook file, a PDF with sheet music and lesson ideas as well as a demonstration video which shows some of my third graders playing the game:
The SMART File contains two activities. The first one provides students with an opportunity to notate the rhythm and melody of the first phrase in multiple keys:
The second SMART activity is a simple Boomwhacker accompaniment:
And, of course, the package wouldn't be complete without the sheet music and lesson ideas!
This video gives as in-depth overview of the package and shows some of my amazing students in action:
Thanks for reading and watching! I do hope you enjoy the package, and don't forget to follow me on TpT for lots of FREEBIES and other cool stuff for every occasion.
Have you ever wished you could clone yourself so that there could be two of you assisting students in your classroom? I certainly have! The answer to this age-old issue is video. I've been using both play and sing along video tutorials in my classroom for a number of years, and now I couldn't live without it.
It's fairly easy to use video as a teaching tool if you have a large screen in your classroom. All you need to create video tutorials is a phone with video recording capability, a video editing app, a tripod, and a video hosting account (free)! In this blog post I will be discussing four benefits of using video as a teaching tool. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks because I will be digging further into this topic with additional information on equipment requirements, video editing software and lots of helpful tips and tricks that could save you time and money!
So, what are the benefits of using video in your classroom?
Recording tutorial videos creates a second "you" that teaches your students from the screen. This frees up the real you to move around the room and work with students while they are playing and/or singing along with the video. To use a term coined by fellow music educator, Sarah Comerford, they will be learning from both you and your "video twin"!
One of my play along videos
First grade students playing along with the
same video as seen above
There's nothing quite like a video to grab the attention of folks of any age! A few years ago, I was working with a local teacher and her junior high guitar class. She had also just begun using video in her classroom, and it was wonderful for me to observe older students benefiting from this technology. After guitars were distributed to the students in her rather large public school class, there was the usual din of chatter while they waited to begin. Without a word, she pressed play on one of her warm-up videos, and the students were instantly focused on the screen and playing along. It was a brilliant example of classroom management...not to mention the fact that it saved her precious voice from possible damage due to speaking over all that sound.
Second graders playing along with me while their teacher
looks for anyone who might need some assistance.
Whether it be recorder, ukulele, guitar, voice or classroom concepts like beat versus rhythm (the list goes on and on)...video can be helpful no matter what you teach! The beauty of taking the time to create a video is that you can add it to your growing collection and use it year and year no matter where you go. Just think how a substitute teacher could benefit from using your tutorials in your absence!
An example of a sing and dance along video with lyric captions.
It's much easier for students to learn a new song this way!
My colleagues and I noticed a HUGE improvement in the quantity and quality of home practice with the introduction of video tutorials. Parents report that it's much easier to encourage children to practice when they can play along with the teacher. Another amazing benefit of accessing your tutorials at home is that you can help students practice properly. They are much more likely to sing on pitch at the correct tempo with proper posture if they are working with you at home!
Of course, parents will also benefit from these little "sneak peeks" of what's happening in your music program. Knowledgeable parents tend to be supportive parents!
Here's a video outlining all four benefits with some additional information:
I hope you have found this information helpful and are now ready to give video a try. Keep an eye out for lots of new information in the coming weeks, and don't forget to FOLLOW ME on TeachersPayTeachers for regular FREEBIES!
I've updated the FREE DOWNLOAD at my Teachers Pay Teachers store for the month of March! This month's free complete song package is "Juggling Jamboree". It's a fun, original classroom song to use with scarves. Preschoolers can easily participate by tossing and catching only one scarf as they sing the song, while older students will easily be able to handle two scarves!
This complete package comes with a song recording with vocals, an accompaniment track and a demonstration video:
Watch these first grade students play the game in the demonstration video!
The package also includes a PDF with sheet music, game instructions and lesson ideas:
It also comes with a SMART Notebook file that includes two activities. The first one invites students to determine if sound clips are high are low, and the second provides them with an opportunity to categorize letter "J" word images:
Touch matching images to hear two versions of the same song.
One sample is high, the other is low.
Students must drag the "J" images to the jug.
Be sure to watch this video for some helpful tips from me and to watch my students enjoying these classroom resources:
Please don't hesitate to leave questions or comments below. I hope your students enjoy this song as much as mine do!
Thanks for reading and watching, and don't forget to follow me on TpT!
Lisa
Last week's blog post introduced you to Finale NotePad for collaborative composition in the elementary music classroom. The video included with that post takes you through a step-by-step process for setting up a file and includes many helpful tips for the classroom.
This week's video, the second and final part in the series, digs much deeper into strategies for making the best use of this free software with primary and elementary students. You will view two groups of students working collaboratively to create an original composition for piano.
The first group is a small class of first graders who compose using only middle C, D and E of the treble clef. Their portion of the video begins at 0:52. The second group of students are in grades four through six and compose with a slightly extended range of notes and rhythms. You may view those students at 5:32 in the video.
My current classes are quite small, but I have also experienced great success using this software in much larger public school music classrooms. The strategies for use are quite similar. Of course, if you don't have access to a keyboard lab, your composition projects will likely be for recorder using a different range of notes. I can assure you that the excitement of your students will be well worth the extra time and effort in undertaking a project like this!
I hope you enjoy this video on using Finale NotePad with students:
Please don't hesitate to leave a question in the comments.
Thanks for reading and watching, and don't forget to follow me on TpT!
A few years ago I began to explore collaborative composition with my young students. We compose our first composition in first grade using just three notes on the treble staff, and we learn to play that composition, as a group, on the piano. For the kids, composition time is one of the highlights of the year!
My working situation is likely a little different than yours. I'm a former public school music teacher turned small business owner. I left the public school system about nine years ago to start my own music school. My classes sizes are small with only eight children in a group and, over the years, I have built a keyboard/computer lab which has made a huge difference in my teaching life. My students also benefit from the use of a large Mondopad (the kids call it the "giant iPad") that we use to work collaboratively on our compositions.
If your classroom is equipped with a means to project a computer screen, you can also pursue group composition projects with your students - regardless of class size. I'm going to talk you through all the steps to make use of Finale NotePad for collaborative composition in your primary and elementary classroom. It's FREE, and it's easy to use!
This first of two videos demonstrates the setup of files for young students (treble only) as well as for older students who may be able to composer longer pieces using the grand staff:
Next week's video and blog post will feature some of my own students working together using the software.
If you have any questions, please be sure to leave them in the comments. I'm always happy to help!
Thanks for reading and watching and don't forget to follow me on TpT!
Lisa
This month's new featured song package is "Clap Your Hands Together". It will be free for the entire month of February. You can download it at my TeachersPayTeachers store.This song has multiple verses and is perfect for for the little ones!
The free package includes:
- a PDF with sheet music and lesson ideas
- a recording with vocals
- an accompaniment track
- a SMART Notebook file
- link to a singalong video
This video highlights some of the features of the package, and shows some of my students in action:
I hope you enjoy using this song in your classrooms.
My name is Lisa Gillam, and I am a working music teacher, songwriter, performer and developer of teaching and learning resources for preschool, primary and elementary music education.
I've been following a number of amazing music teacher bloggers for many months. I won't list them all now, but I'll be sure to share some of their content with you in the future. It has been my intention to start blogging for quite some time, but teaching life has always seemed to prevent me from doing so. Well, those experienced bloggers have inspired me to get things underway!
From this point forward, I'll be posting a great deal of video content, teaching resources that I've created, resources that others have shared that I find helpful, helpful tips that I have collected in my 20+ years of teaching and some general interest stories.
I look forward to sharing ideas with you!
Please sign up for my mailing list and subscribe to my YouTube channel!
Here's the first video - a short introduction to me:
Thanks for reading and watching, and don't forget to follow me on TpT!
Lisa
