Wednesday

Patriotic Music Program: 50 States to Sing About

I happen to love a certain song about the 50 states - I sang it when I was in 5th grade and I still think it's pretty nifty, almost 25 years later!

 I like to teach my students the nifty state song for Veterans Day each year. It's a great way to celebrate our country, but also learn something along the way. 

Every year, I assign each student a state to hold during the song. I printed a set of state card props that we use that has one state on each card. I have 2 sets because there are always more than 50 students in my participating grade level. I also make a few extra of our home state, just in case that student doesn't show up at the performance. (AmIRight?)

 Write their name on the back of the laminated card with a sharpie - you can wipe it off later by coloring over it with dry erase marker!

After years of printing out the state outlines and cutting them out, gluing them to card stock, writing the state names, laminating, and cutting out one last time, I made some on my computer! These can be sent to the print shop or printed on any color printer. I like to print them on card stock & laminate for durability. 

During the naming of the states section, students hold up their card for 3 seconds and bring it back to ‘ready’ position, under the chin (I say, “1-2-3 and down!”).

For years, I used a fantastic version of the song (McGraw-Hill) that has a slow section, followed by a fast section. The students LOVE holding up their card during the fast section, too - I remind them to count to 3 before bringing their card back down - otherwise “mamaw and pawpaw” in the audience can’t see the state on the card. 

At the end the students raise the cards above their head in a “slow-mo” wave. It’s very simple, but effective!

Surprise on the back!

At the end of the song, the version that I use leaves a blank to fill in your favorite state. If you live in a state with a ginormous amount of state pride, you can print the name of your state on the back of each card. Then, just before it’s time to yell out the best state, have students quietly turn cards around. When it’s time to yell - pop the card up high so the whole crowd can see the state’s name!

For other states, a little saying might be added during the 3-note or 2-note instrumental pause. (For example: Indiana - the best!) You can also write this on the back.

Logistics

Attach a paint stir stick (free from many stores that sell paint!) to the back to make a nice handle. I have also had students place their hands in the middle of the card so that the card doesn’t flop around. Have a student demonstrate the right way & wrong way to hold these.

I have students place their card between their shoes (vertically) while singing all of the other songs in the show. Then, when it’s time to sing, we gently bend our knees and get our state cards ready. 

Make sure to sing this song BEFORE any song that has locomotor movement or feet choreography!! I learned that the hard way!
Fifty Nifty Club 

I got a great idea from my new co-teacher this year! Any kid that can say the 50 states by themselves gets to be in the "Fifty Nifty Club." I'm putting up a big banner and each kid will get their name on a little flag on my wall for being in the Fifty Nifty Club. It's that simple!
Need More Ideas?

Need more ideas for your Veterans Day music performance? I'm sharing all my tips and ideas in my Veterans Day Starter Pack! You'll find resources to print and send home, as well as ideas for movement and decorations! 

 Follow Sweet Sounds on Facebook to stay updated on new resources & ideas!
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Behavior Management in Music Class: Double Star Day

Let's be honest - some classes are more difficult than others. Some combinations of classes are rough.

Most specials teachers can name the day of the week that is tougher than others. (And the day of the week that they wouldn't miss for the world! #AmIRight?) 


At one school where I worked, Thursdays were ROUGH across the board - no matter what we did, Thursdays "spun" like the Friday before a break. Kids were wild and wooly on Thursday and the SAME KIDS would come back on Friday friendly and happy to be there. Whiplash!

This year, my Wednesday schedule is turning out to be one of my tougher days. I have a group of kids in the afternoon that try to argue constantly on Wednesday, and come back to me on Thursday morning like little angels. There are differences in time of day, circumstances that happen, and of course differences in body levels (are they hungry? did they just take their medicine? did they just wake up?). Regardless of the issues, we still had work to do and things to learn!

So, today I tried something a little different - double star day! 


You might remember from this post that I use a system of stars to track group behavior in my classroom. For the older kids, we do points. Classes set a goal at the beginning of class and attempt to reach that goal during the day. 

This year, I added charts (thanks to Sing Play Create!) that track weekly goals. So, for example, if they reach their goal that week (4 stars, or 40 points), they get a smiley face on the chart. 

The chart has 8 blanks per class, since I see the classes twice a week this year (wow!). This means if they reach their goals consistently, they can earn a "reward" every 4 weeks or so. 

Today I took a page from my old principal and did double star day! It was a HIT! Not only did the kids get excited, but I could move them all closer to their goal (even my roughest classes finally got to move up!!).

At the end of class, I took the total number of stars (or points) earned and doubled it. They were SO excited to get the huge number of points or stars and that's half the battle! As an extra incentive, I allowed some classes to earn "double moves on the chart" - aka 2 smiley faces. This helped me move those classes that were behind a little closer to the same schedule as the other classes (for my sanity!).

I can't wait to try this out with my Monday classes (whom I feel like I never see and they are constantly behind - anyone else?). I'll let you know how it goes!



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Tuesday

Bobby Shafto: Teaching Canons with Younger Singers

I know what you're thinking - canons in first grade - no way! But it's actually not as hard as you'd expect.


1. Independent Singing

First I teach Bobby Shafto with hand motions:
Phrase 1: Bounce a salute at your hat rim 4x
Phrase 2: Bounce your fists on alternating knees 4x
Phrase 3: Pretend drive a steering wheel (back and forth 4x)
Phrase 4: Alternate hands and salute 4x (Right - Left - Right - Left)

After a few weeks of them singing and me doing the hand motions*, I say, "Ok, boys and girls, let's see if you can do it without my help!" And then I don't even do the hand motions with them.

*Teacher voice note: Don't sing with your students every time! Sing as a model and then get out of the way so you can hear them! 

2. Teacher-Only in Canon

IF they can do this successfully, I say, "Now I'm going to try to trick you!" and I do the "wrong" hand motions.

Of course, music teachers will know - I didn't do the "wrong" motions, I did the motions in canon! I started with phrase 4, then phrase 1, 2, 3. Differentiation: Some classes can't handle if I start at the same time, so it's ok to start when they get to phrase 2; that's what we are eventually moving towards.

After they do this I say, "That was too easy! This time I'm going to sing with you, but I'm not going to sing the right words. I'm going to try to trick you. If you sing with my words, that means I tricked you!" After they start (with motions), I sing it in canon with motions.

Then I ask, "What was I doing that was tricky?" Almost always, a student will say, "You started after we did!" And then I explain, "In music we have a fancy word that means "started after" we call it canon!"

I always say, "Your mom and dad probably call it a round and that's ok - tell them canon is just a fancy word for round." It's so cute to hear back from parents - they really do tell them!



3. Small Group w/Teacher in Canon

The next step is my favorite!! I pick a group of students and have them sing with my and "try to trick" the other kids. They stand around me in a small circle and we start after the whole group.

4. Large Group w/Teacher in Canon

If this is successful, the next week, I pick another group of students. After a while I say, "Let's see if the whole back row can do it." I have the back row turn and face back (with me) and we sing in canon with the class.

Generally, that's either a disaster or a huge hit! If it's a disaster, I go back to smaller groups until they know the song better independently. If it's a hit, I say, "I wonder if we could break the class into two groups and sing in canon?" Then we play around with dividing the class in half or by rows. With an exceptional group you might be able to do 3 rows!

It's a movement canon, so it's really cool to see, as well as hear. Make sure you have your class turn and face the back and go the opposite direction so all kids can see the canon coming towards them. It's a really neat experience.

Catch up with me on Facebook and let me know how it goes!

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