Thanksgiving Feast 2017

This year the Lutheran School I work at decided to do a live performance after their Thanksgiving Feast instead of making a video. I was asked to have each grade perform something and they suggested we do something we are doing or have done in class. I am the first "real" music teacher they have had in many many years so I am trying to do different activities to get my middle school kids excited about music. Plus being a percussionist, I have implemented a lot of rhythm activities.

Overall, I was extremely proud of my kids and excited about how they performed. It was my first performance (besides singing at church) at this school and I think it was enjoyed and appreciated. Plus, it laid the ground work for working on new skills and strengthening rhythm and notation reading skills. We are also preparing for our Christmas Concert, so I did not want to teach brand new things. Third Grade did learn a new song, but they are a class that picks up new songs very quickly. 

• Preschool 
• A Turkey is a Funny Bird
• A Pumpkin for the Pie
• This is the Day

• Eighth Grade
• Cup Song (Flash Mob style that they choreographed) 

• Kindergarten              
• Bubbling Over
• My God is So Great
• Jesus in the Morning 

• Sixth Grade 
• Cup Song to Thrive by Counting Crows

• First Grade                  
• Rhythms Sticks to God’s Not Dead by Newsboys

• Fourth Grade              
• Body Percussion Rondo

• Second Grade             
• Sanctuary
• Days of Elijah

• Fifth Grade                
• Bucket Drums to Diamonds by Hawk Nelson

• Third Grade                 
• Peaceful (Music K8)

• Seventh Grade           
• Bucket Drums to The River by Jordan Feliz

Third Grade Concert 2017: Recorder Concert and A Night on Broadway

I used to be against concert themes but the longer I teach, the more I like them. My third graders have a concert by themselves so we have 30-40 minutes for a concert. We did our recorder unit in November and December and I have decided to do a refresher before our concert in April. This past year we purchased enough recorders for a class set so this year I am going to include recorder in our concert along with singing.

Recorder Concert and A Night on Broadway

Recorder

1. Walk Like a Mummy (B)
2. AAA (A)
3. Baba Ooo Lala (BA)
4. Glue Blues (G)
5. Hot Cross Buns
6. Perry the Sheep

A Night on Broadway

1. Supercalifragilicious (Grade Three Book)
2. Disney Medley
3. For Good
4. Put on a Happy Face (Find CD?)
5. Fifty Nifty (Grade Five Book)
6. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Grade Four Book)
7. Singing in the Rain (Grade Four Book)

Kindergarten Concert 2017: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Each year I have many ideas about new things I would like to try and programs/apps I would like to start using.  Sometimes I have to think about wanting to try a new thing for a few years before I finally do.  This year I finally started using SeeSaw.  I have had the app on my phone/iPad for at least three years, but never took the next step.  Right now it is by far my favorite app for sharing student work, but that is another post for another day.  The other idea I am finally doing after thinking about it for years is having a performance based on a book.  I have to say, I am very excited!

I have wanted to try this for a few years now, but I was hesitant to try something new (last year was my first year in a new district and I was never sure how to make the concert format at my old school work with a book) and I didn't really understand the process.  I am still not sure if I fully understand the process, but I think I have something that will work (hopefully).  In my current position; I teach K-3rd Grade Music. My first and second graders have a combined concert in December, my kindergartners have a concert by themselves in March and my third graders have a concert by themselves in April.  One thing I like about one grade level concerts is it allows us to perform more material because the time is not split between two grade levels.  

I have chosen the book 'Harold and the Purple Crayon.'  I read through books I have in my classroom and I could think of songs that would fit with the story line off the top of my head.  After some more searching, I was able to find more songs that I think fit and will work for the concert.  I found a website that has hundreds of read aloud books and they have Harold and the Purple Crayon. My plan as of right now is to use this website to read the story during the concert.

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Scarf Routine to Moonlight Sonata (still deciding on this one)

Put On Your Walking Shoes-After Page 7 (World of Music)

Apple Tree-After Page 11

Stinky Pirates-After Page 19 (Quaver)

Lunch Box-After Page 24 (Quaver)
Dinosaur Just Ate My Lunch-After Page 24 (Quaver)

Great Big House-After Page 29

Balloon Poem

Twinkle, Twinkle-After Page 58

Chippewa Lullaby-Before last page (Quaver)

I would love to hear about your experiences with basing a concert on a book.