Recorder Time! A Few Thoughts on Beginning a Successful Recorder Unit

Thanks to Moo and Puppy for the frame and Dancing Crayon for the recorder clipart!

It's recorder time in music for my 3rd and 4th graders! I really love teaching recorder and watching students' excitement when they can play their known songs on an instrument. The second half of the 3rd grade year is a good time to begin recorder because 8 and 9 year olds now have the physical dexterity necessary to cover the finger holes.
Here is some information I send home to 3rd grade parents before we start on recorder:

Why play the recorder?

• The recorder is a natural first instrument for children; it is a melodic instrument, which is close in range to the child’s singing voice.

• Reading recorder music allows students to further apply their music reading skills they have been developing since 1^st grade.

• The size of the soprano recorder is perfect for a child’s hands.

• The technique required to play the recorder provides a solid foundation for students who wish begin a band instrument in 5^th grade. (Many woodwind instruments utilize fingerings very similar to recorder fingerings!)

The recorder was popular during the 16^th and 17^th centuries. 

Many famous composers of that time including Bach and Handel wrote music 
     for the recorder.  

The recorder is made in 5 different sizes; soprano, soprano, alto, tenor and bass. 

These 5 recorders can play 5-part music just like a choir can sing in 4 or 5 parts. 

Students at our school begin playing the soprano recorder in 3^rd grade and continue 

playing in 4th Grade. 5th graders learn alto recorder and play soprano and alto duets.

Musicians with Instruments (Not kids with toys!)

When introducing the recorder I always stress to the students that they are musicians with instruments, and not little kids with toys. They learn that when the recorder was at it's height of popularity in the 16th and 17th century, many musicians played recorder similar to how many people play guitar now. I let them know: The recorder is an instrument worthy of respect and you are a musician who deserves respect as well. What message do we send to anyone listening when we over-blow and make horrible squeaky noises? (Maybe that you're a kid with a toy?)
Be a musician with an instrument. Just because you can easily make ear-splitting noises with the recorder doesn't mean you should!

A Quality Instrument

I purchase recorders, straps, and books from West Music for students. I don't require students to purchase recorders but many do purchase from the music room. Several years ago there were always a handful of students who would bring dollar store recorders to class. I began tactfully including in my recorder note home:

Many students prefer owning their own recorder so they can practice outside of music class. If you already own a recorder, please have it checked by Ms. LeJeune. Dollar store recorders are usually not quality instruments and can easily frustrate children while they are learning.

When a child is learning to write you would not give them a stick and some mud to write with, would you? That would take their focus away from the subtle mechanics of writing and the task would be nearly impossible. When we are learning the recorder we want to equip children with a good instrument so they can focus on their technique rather than the shortcomings of the instrument. No one sounds good on a dollar store recorder.

Recorder Karate

Like many music teachers, I have a recorder karate system in place. In recorder karate students earn "belts" after successfully playing and passing recorder tests/songs. I enjoy changing my belt list each year according to the specific group of students I'm teaching. There are pre-packaged recorder karate belt lists with the music included but I believe it makes more sense to create your own. Here are some ideas of types of pieces you can use in a recorder karate belt list:

• A 2 part canon (I've used Frog in the Meadow. Part 2 starts when part 1 is on the 3rd beat)
• A song learned by ear (I've used the Epo I Tai Tai E in 4th grade)
• A sight-reading piece 
• A duet (harmony, not a canon)
• A call and response song between singing and playing (Here's an excellent arrangement of Captain, Go Sidetrack Your Train from Beth at Beth's Music Notes.)

Those are just a few ideas for recorders as this school year winds down.  Please comment below with your own recorder thoughts.

Have a great week and keep on teaching! (Summer break is nearly here!)

Easter Sale!

Happy Spring! Just a quick note to let you that I'm participating in the Easter Sale. My store will be 20% off today and tomorrow (April 20 and 21)!

In the last couple of weeks I've uploaded a few products I'm excited about. 

I have gotten a lot of use out of my Recorder Reminder Signs. I have a "Recorder Corner" in my room where the reminder signs and the fingering charts are posted along with the Recorder Karate Belt List. During their individual practice time students refer to the reminders to help "diagnose" why they may not be producing a good tone. I provide a lot of one on one help with my recorder players but I also strive to teach them how to fix their own problems first. (After all, they can't have a teacher standing over them all the time while they are playing. Learning how to adjust your technique is part of efficient practicing, isn't it?) 

Another plus for having my Recorder Corner is that when students ask how to finger B A G or E I can just point! (Love that!)

Speaking of practicing recorder, I also added a FREEBIE of recorder practice records. I give a sparkly "Practice Belt" for every recorder practice record that students turn in. There is a black and white practice record included in this set of 6.

Finally, I made Power Point two interactive stick to staff Melody Showers to Flowers Game which works great on my SMARTBoard! 

Here's a peak at the do re mi sol la game: When I use this with the whole class, each student has their own staff board and note heads (transparent colored discs,) and they write out which staff pattern they think it is. 

I made sure each "Correct!" page referred back to the pattern so the students can check their answers AND we can all sing it! (More bang for our buck!)

There is also a version with mi sol la. (And at 20% off it's quite the deal!) Both sets include stick to staff matching cards, (I can't resist a memory matching game for centers!) I'm working on more solfa versions of this game. Is anyone out there interested in a specific tone set? Let me know and I'll make those requests a priority!

That's all for now! It's time for another egg hunt with my kids. Happy Easter, if you celebrate the holiday, and Happy Spring!

Throwback Thursday: Instruments of the Orchestra Resources

Today I'm linking up with Mrs. Miracle's Music Room Linky Party: Throwback Thursday! Here is a re-post from October 2012. It actually 2 posts: parts 1 and 2 of Instruments of the Orchestra Resources. This Linky Party is just right for me this week- so many to-dos! Thank you, Aileen, for the Linky Party! 

We are very lucky in Colorado to have a well-established symphony orchestra who include in their programming many concerts for children. My husband and I have been taking our son to their Family Series of concerts for the past 3 years and every year I bring the 5th and 6th graders on a field trip to hear a Colorado Symphony Orchestra Youth Concert.

In addition to studying the program music we review the instruments of the orchestra. (In my district instrument families are included in the 4th grade curriculum.)
There are many wonderful resources out there. 

Here are a few of my favorites that particularly appeal to 5th and 6th graders:

Books:

The Composer is Dead

 

I love this book. It's got it all, murder (kind of), mystery, intrigue, and a dark, (but not too dark,) sense of humor.  I came to this book in a roundabout way. The illustrator, Carson Ellis, is the illustrator for the album covers and posters for the band The Decemberists, (she is also married to their lead singer, Colin Meloy.)  As a Decemberists fan, I've been on the lookout for her work in other places which led me to this gem. The CD is included and the narration and composed music is very well done. 

Each instrument family is interrogated by the inspector regarding the crime. Many stereotypes of specific instrumentalists are bantered about, (the confirmed-bachelor-tuba's alibi is his card game with his landlady, the harp, played while drinking warm milk from a small blue cup.) The writing style is witty and just jaded enough to capture the interest of 12 year olds. I was fortunate to see this piece performed by Colorado Symphony Orchestra live last year.

Here is a sample of the story:

Side note: I recently went to a reading/book signing of Carson Ellis and Colin Meloy's new book Under Wildwood, the sequel to their first book, Wildwood. I highly recommend both books for the 12-16 year old set interested in Narnia-like fantasies. (Wildwood was a bit too scary for my son, who is 7.)

The Remarkable Farkle McBride

If you are a music teacher reading this I hope you are saying to yourself, "Of course The Remarkable Farkle McBride, everyone reads this to the students!" If you are not familiar with this book then just go find it and read it to the kids. You won't regret it.

The Philharmonic Gets Dressed

This was a recommendation from Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis when I saw them at the above mentioned book signing after I gushed about how much I loved Carson's work in The Composer is Dead. (Unfortunately, I was too nervous to mention my adoration of The Decemberists. I don't always say what I want when faced with people I greatly admire. Especially when my kids are pulling on my purse and asking for gum. Such is life.)

It's a fun book for the younger set (1st - 3rd grade) that shows the musicians getting ready for their performance. Then they come together at 8:30pm to make music and perform the concert. Be advised: there are partially naked drawings, (but no naughty bits.)

Students will giggle when they see people drying off after bathing but it's worth reading to them.

YouTube clips:

PDQ Bach - Beethoven Symphony No. 5

I live in a sports-obsessed town where the streets become nearly deserted during Broncos games, (a GREAT time to run errands, by the way.) 

If this captures the attention of my students and get them interested in the symphony, I'm showing all ten minutes and thirty four seconds of it. It's very entertaining and attainable for 9-12 year olds. (I do remind them that the audience expectations at the CSO concert are very different.)

Peter and the Wolf beatbox flute

My students listen to Peter and the Wolf in 2nd grade. This a wonderful connection and re-introduction to that piece. Greg Pattillo is slammin'!

Cello Wars, A Star Wars Parody

Cellos, Star Wars, what's not to love?

Parent have been letting me know that kids are making their whole family watch this video. Yeah, cellos are coooool!

Me and My Cello: Happy Together

Yes, more from The Piano Guys. I couldn't resist.

(And no, I don't play the cello.)

Radio Broadcasts/Websites

From the Top

From the Top is a PBS radio show (broadcast every Sunday evening on Colorado's classical station.)

The show features excellent kid musicians performing and being interviewed about their day-to-day lives and interests. It's a wonderful "slice of life" view of normal kids passionate about making music.

It's great having so many mediums to feature professional musicians. 
(Don't you love living in the future?)
This short list barely scratches the surface of the quality resources available.

Did I miss your favorite book/video/website?

Let me know!



"Who Am I?" Instrument ID Game
I recently shared a few of my favorite resources for teaching instruments of the orchestra. Here is a instrument ID game that has been a huge hit with my students.

Materials:

▪  Laminated pictures of single orchestral instruments (the size of an index card.)

Mine look like this:

Procedure: 

• Begin by taping a laminated picture of an orchestra instrument on each student’s back. (Everyone but the student will be able to see their instrument.)
• Lead class in brief discussion of what effective “yes” or “no” questions students could ask one another to discover what instrument is attached to their back.

Some question ideas:

“Am I in the woodwind family?”

“Do you use a reed to play my instrument?”

“Do you often play my instrument with a bow?”

• Establish game rules. Students may roam around the roam asking one another only “yes” or “no” questions to discover which each instrument they have on their back. Students must go to the teacher to verify which instrument they are.
• If a student guesses incorrectly, I give them an additional instrument to figure out. (This motivates them to ask good questions.)

This is an easy game to set up and the students ask to play again immediately.

Watch Out for the Cheetahs!, a Music Frenzy, and a Sale!

Hello!
Today is my last day of Spring Break and it has been jam packed! I attended a fantastic OAKE Conference in Atlanta, GA last weekend and then my family and I had headed to the mountains for a few days of playing and relaxing. (I love living in Colorado!) 

Today, Friday, March 28th is the start of the Music Facebook Frenzy which I'm thrilled to be a part of!

Over 20 music teachers are offering free animal themed Teachers Pay Teachers products!

My freebie is a Poison Pattern game with a Cheetah twist. This edition focuses on 4 16th note rhythm patterns.

There is a stick notation version and a standard notation version, both are included in the freebie.

To get started collecting all of the wonderful resources go to my Facebook page at 
https://www.facebook.com/tanyateachingmusic

Click on the Music Fenzy tab. 
You will have the opportunity to like my page (if you haven't already.) 

Then click on the thumbnail of Watch Out for the Cheetahs! to download my freebie. Click on the sun to hop to the next freebie!

In my Teachers Pay Teachers store I have recently added two more editions of Watch Out for the Cheetahs! ta, ti ti, rest and half note. Both come with stick notation and standard notation.

I also gave my Treble Staff Letter Matching Game a BIG facelift and added the variety of 12 different colors of decks.

Spread the word and invite your music ed friends to stop by my Facebook page and start collecting some great downloads. I hope you enjoy the Music Frenzy and pick up many items to use in your classroom! 

Additionally, I'm having a 20% off sale today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday!)

Happy Music Frenzy!

Happy OAKE Conference Week!

March has definitely come in like a lion, not in the sense of weather in Colorado, just in terms of packed schedules and long to-do lists! 

I have several unfinished blog posts waiting in the wings that I will finish before we're "out like a lamb." The posts will have to keep waiting for the moment; I am headed to Atlanta for the 40th Organization of American Kodály Conference! It is always great to re-charge, gain new ideas, see old friends, make new friends, and be surrounded by music! 
I also serve as Member at Large on the OAKE Board which means I'll be there a day and a half early for meetings. (No, really, I actually enjoy the meetings and helping to get things done in an organization I strongly believe in!)

I will report back when I return from the OAKE conference. 
Meanwhile, in honor of OAKE's 40th conference my Teachers Pay Teachers store will be marked down 15% from March 19th until Saturday, March 22nd.

I just posted a batch of piano practice records. 
I made one for my 8 year old son who needs more incentive to practice, lately.
(He also has a Federation competition coming up in two weeks!)
I loved the piano clip art and just continued making the forms. Soon I had 57 different forms.

I also recently posted some Letter Name Cards and Solfa Cards.
I rely on my letter and solfa cards every year when 3rd grade recorder begins and we transition from reading solfa on the staff to reading absolute pitch (letter) names. That's another post I've started and will complete before April!

I hope you have a great week! If you're going to Atlanta, I hope to see you there! (I'll be at the OAKE Booth quite a bit, stop by!)

Hello and Happy Wednesday! 
I wanted to touch base with the music ed blogging world but I really can't stay long today.
This is a very hectic week. I have grades due, a 4th Grade Concert tomorrow, an observation tomorrow, a full day ROCKE workshop to attend on Saturday (Hurray, Nyssa Brown!), a rehearsal Saturday night and a short gig with my band on Sunday afternoon. 

So, this is not an official post, just a mention that in honor of 3 million teachers enjoying Teachers Pay Teachers,  there is a very big sale starting on Thursday, February 27 until Friday, February 28. All of the items in my store will be 20% off and you can get an additional 8% off with the promo code TPT3!

Many music bloggers have participated in my friend Amy Abbott's Wishlist Wednesday link party, and those lists are certainly worth checking out! 

My store is at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Tanya-Lejeune

Have a great week!