Cooking Up Great Recorder Playing: BAG Activites

My third graders LOOOVE their recorders.  They are playing up a storm and are loving it.  I decided to create a new set of BAG stations for my beginning players, as I think we may need to live in BAG land one lesson longer than I did last year.

Included in the "Cooking Up Great Recorder Playing" Set are 4 Activities.  They can be used for centers and stations as I do (I laminate the cover page on the front of a file folder, laminate any other supports such as fingering charts on the inside of the folder, and then put any copies or manipulatives on the inside of the folder so it is ready upon rotation.)  These activities are strong as stand alone, whole class ideas as well.

Cooking Direction Mix Up:This is a game for beginning recorder players to practice reading and playing melodies using the notes B, A, and G. Students have 11 pre-written melody cards to choose from, to create four and eight bar phrases to play on their recorders. Two playing card options are given, cards with just the melody notation on the staff, and a second set with pitches written below the notes on the staff. This activity is great for meeting the national standards for composing and arranging, and also provides a different venue for practicing simple melodies. Teacher directions, student directions, playing cards, and a B A G recorder fingering chart are included.

Recipe for Friendship Note Identification: To complete the "recipe for friendship," students need to identify the missing letters by reading them written as staff notation. A 2nd worksheet is included for students who finish early. It requires students to draw notes from dessert names on the music staff. (This activity does use the notes on the staff beyond BA, and G).

BAG Composition-Stir it Up: Using text and rhythm I wrote, students will compose a one measure melody for the four measures missing melody. A repeated measure (already written) is played after each composed measure. They will write the music notation for their measure long patterns using the notes B, A, and G. After writing their melody, they will practice performing their composition.

Taste Testing Self-Reflection: Comparing self-reflection to the taste testing a baker or chef does, students will listen to their own playing and identify three areas of strength to maintain and three areas to adapt or improve upon.

I can't wait to add this into my next rotation of recorder conferencing and testing stations with my kids.  Hope you find some great uses for them in your classroom too!

QR Code BAG Recorder Pattern Practice

I'm super excited about this new resource I just finished this morning.  I've been working hard on this all week, thanks to a conversation with fellow blogger and colleague at school, Faith from Classy Classroom that sparked the idea.  Check out her elementary classroom blog page!

This set is for my 3rd grade beginning recorder players, but you are welcome to use it with whatever level of students you begin recorders on. 

This kit includes 7 two measure BAG practice patterns for recorder players using the notes BAG and Quarter, Eighth, and Half Notes. Each pattern includes notation and directions, as well as a QR Code to scan. When scanned, the code takes students (or parents) to a safeshare.tv link of the pattern being performed correctly on the recorder. Students can check their work or play along.  Directions and suggestions for use are included with the "Full Sheet pdf".

A half sheet version is also included. Directions, along with multiple suggestions for use, are included too. A parent letter is included for use if sending the QR practice pages home as practice assignments.

I am lucky to have 10 iPads in my classroom, so I will be using this at an iPad station as part of my recorder station rotations.  This could be used on iPods in the classroom too.  Parents could use iPhones, iPods, tablets, or other smart phones with QR reading apps (there are several free ones). I use the QR reading app QRafter but there's a free one called INIGMA that I've heard great things about as well.  I  also plan on sending some of the pages home as a practice assignment, including the parent direction letter with the assignment. 

I have tested all the QR codes with success and am excited for my kids to try this new set in an upcoming round of recorder station work.  I am so excited that I think they may get one to take home as a practice assignment next week.

This technologically savvy set can be downloaded from my teachers pay teachers store, along with other great recorder resources. 

If you love it and would like more advanced sets made, please let me know!  I'm thinking of adding some other patterns for differing note combinations. 

Staff Twister Mania

My 3rd graders have been excited and inquisitive as we have been learning to identify the notes on the music staff.

To review in a more kinesthetic way, today we created a human staff. I taped 5 lines across the music room floor. 

First, we stepped in each line, saying its name as we moved. Then, we went back and stepped on the spaces in order. 

After mastering that, I'd say a note and the students would become the note. We discussed that some letters had two options for locations. 

Then, we added the twister piece. I'd say a body limb and a note.  For example, I said right hand on b. Then I might add left foot on e, and so on. We usually started fresh after 4 commands or so, so that no one was falling on the floor. 

Hope this review idea sparks some ideas for you! 

Superhero BAGC'D' Stations for Recorder Players

I just finished my newest set of recorder stations in time for the next cycle I have starting tomorrow.  This set's theme is Superheros.

The following four activities are included:
Superhero Melodies: For this activity, students use the rhythms of superhero's names, to write a melody using BAGC'D'. They then create a melody for their own musical superhero character, determining a special musical superpower for their hero!

Superhero Note Names: During this activity, students complete the spelling of superhero's names, using musical spelling. Missing letters from the character's written name are to be notated on the musical staff. A recorder fingering chart is included.

Superhero Soaring: Students identify note names on short skipping (soaring) melodic patterns. Then, they color in the fingering for each pattern on their recorder. Lastly, they practice playing the soaring patterns, helping to improve their switching between notes. A fingering chart is included.

Superhero Self-Reflection: During this station, students decide upon a super power that would improve their recorder playing. They write about how they could improve their superpower recorder playing.

Download this in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store today and have your next round of recorder stations taken care of!

Time Signature Practice

It's the time of year where I introduce my second graders to bar lines, measures, and time signatures.  We have been practicing as a class on the Smart Board, but I wanted a way for them to independently practice this week, but also wanted to assess their practice. 

I created a worksheet that mimicks what we have been doing as a class on the Smart Board.  Students look at the rhythm example, determine how many beats are in each measure, and then assign the corresponding time signature.  Since this is second graders, I have them write a quarter note instead of the number four on the bottom, since it simplifies the difficult theoretical concept of writing a four below the number of beats/measure.

Download this quick and easy assessment tool today!   

Peanut Butter and Jelly BAGED Recorder Stations

I have kids anxiously awaiting testing for their purple belts this cycle, so I needed to prepare another round of engaging recorder stations for my recorder masters to work on!

This new set is peanut butter and jelly themed and has some really nice activities for station or individual work.

The following activities are included:

Mystery Picture:  Students are given a grid worksheet.  Inside each grid box is a note on the staff (D, E, G, and B).  Students are given directions on what color to fill in each note.  When they have completed coloring in the boxes, a mystery picture will appear.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Match-Up: Students are given slices of bread with jelly on them and slices of bread with peanut butter on them.  The jelly cards have a two measure melody written out.  The peanut butter cards have the letters of the notation patterns written out.  Students must match the notation with their letter names.  Then, they practice playing one of the patterns for their group mates to guess after all patterns are matched.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Performance and Composition: Using the famous poem about PB and J, students will compose a two measure melody for the repeated peanut butter peanut butter jelly jelly phrase.  They will write the music notation for their repeated pattern using the notes B, A, G, E, and D.  Then, they will write the repeated melody each time it occurs in their poem.  After writing their melody, they will practice performing the chant, inserting the repeated melody every time it occurs.

Stick to It Recorder Goals: Here, students will reflect on their recorder playing, set a goal for themselves to improve in some way, and write out a plan for how they can make their goal happen.




These sets are ready to print and run with.  Download them today at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

BAGE Bubble Gum Recorder Stations

I just finished my latest round of recorder stations, since this next cycle, I have students beginning to test for their "green belts."  So, I am now adding low E into the mix!

This kit is available in my teachers pay teachers store, and contains four different BAGE recorder activities for your students. I use them as part of my Recorder Karate Stations, while I am testing other students.These activities could also be used for whole class learning.  They are ready to print and go!  It usually takes me two, 40 minute periods to get each of the 5 groups through the 4 activity stations plus a testing with teacher station.



Included is:
Color By Note: A Bubble Gum Dispenser worksheet, for your students to color. Each piece of the picture has a B, A, G, or E on it. Students are given directions to color each pitch a specific color. This activity focuses on the notes we are isolating in our recorder playing.

Bubble Gum Fill in the Blank Composition: Students are given the framework for a simple BAGE melody. The repetitive part is already composed for them. They must complete a melody for the missing measures, using BAGE. They must use the given rhythm. They notate their melody with some guidance and practice performing it.

Partner Evaluation: Students have a checklist and provide each other 1 or 2 positive comments and 1 or 2 constructive comments on the song they are working on, letting them know what blows them away about their partner's playing, and feedback that is not intended to "burst their bubble."

Triple Memory Match Up: In this station, students play a memory type game. However, this game requires students to match three cards to have a winning match. The three matching cards must be the pitch notated, the letter name, and the recorder fingering. There are 12 cards for the game, with a set for B, A, G, and E.

Hope your kids like these activities as much as mine have.  Happy recorder playing!

Fairy Tale BAG Recorder Stations

It was time for another rotation of recorder belt testing in my 3rd grade classes, so this week's project was to create another round of stations for students to rotate between while I tested and worked with small groups, grouped by belt level.

The kids have been LOVING the stations, as it is very different from our normal routine in the music room.  They are producing some nice work and getting focused practice from the options that are provided.  I've been impressed with how on task they continue to be. 

The new theme for this round of stations is "Fairy Tales." 

Included in the kit are:
Character Melodies: Students write 2 beat melodies to match the rhythms of famous fairy tale characters' names. Then, they practice performing the melodies on their recorders and share them with their group. An example is given to help the students understand what is expected.

Hansel and Gretel's Pathway: Students play Hansel and Gretel's bread pathway of BAG notes to lead them to the cottage. After practicing playing the pattern, students create their own B A G pathway to help Hansel and Gretel make it to the cottage, by notating B's, A's, and G's on the loaf of bread music staff template.

Character Feedback: Students practice the song they are working on. As they practice, they self reflect. Then, they give themselves feedback from the point of view of Cinderella and the Prince.

Princess and the Pea Melody: Students play 2 measure BAG lullaby melodies to help Princess Winifred fall asleep on top of the pea. After mastering the beautiful, clean sound of the lullabies, students write their own 2 measure lullaby for Winifred, using B A and G.

 

Download the kit from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store today!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fairy-Tale-BAG-Recorder-Stations-or-Individual-Activities-and-Worksheets

Monster B A G Recorder Stations

When I first started teaching, I used the Recorder Karate method for introducing the recorder to third graders.  The kids were highly motivated to earn their belts and they worked hard to learn the required songs.  However, after two years, I discontinued the program.  I felt like my students were playing well, but they weren't reading the notation as they were playing.  They were simply learning to memorize fingerings and melodies for familiar songs, but were not becoming musically literate. Thus, I discontinued the program and used some other resources.

This year, I decided to bring Recorder Karate back from the dead.  I wanted my students to have the excitement about playing recorders that I knew the belts provided in the past. 

Thus, I've been working like a crazy woman to create supplements that help the students practice reading and writing music, in combination with the recorder belt songs, while keeping them excited and enthused.  I've tried to set these supplements up as stations, so students can work in small groups, have a variety of opportunities to interact with their notes, and work in groups that are of similar readiness.  The station set up also allows me to work in small groups with students for belt testing and support while everyone else is actively working on someone else.  The kids have been thrilled with the stations and I have been thrilled to see their note reading and recorder performing progress. 

So, here's my newest set of stations this cycle, now available at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. 

Color by Note has students identify B's, A's, and G's, and color in the bodies of the monsters based upon what pitch is inside the area.

 

Monster Dance B A G Recorder Composition allows students to write a B A G song based on a simple poem about Monsters that I wrote.  They dictate their composition and practice performing it at this station.

 

This station has students play for each other and provide specific positive and constructive feedback for improvement via a checklist.  Since I can't be with every group at all times, I'm hoping this will be another way for students to improve their musicianship.  It also provides me another tool to learn about student strengths and weaknesses.

All of these resources are set up for stations, but would also work as full class activities.

I glue the cover sheets to the front of a file folder, and put the worksheets and/or directions inside for students, so that when they rotate to a station, they have everything they need.

Download this fun set now at 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monster-BAG-Recorder-Stations-and-Worksheets

Note Reading Treasure Hunt

I had seen this picture on pintrest, which sparked the following weekend project.  I thought it was a great idea, and I tweaked it for my students and to expand the possibilities.  

I purchased Voss Water bottles.  They were on sale for $1.00 at Giant this week.  It was meant to be :-) 

At Michaels, I found this craft bead mix.  The cool thing about it is that there are shaped beads.  Stars, elephants, dogs, hearts, etc.  This helped me take this project to the next level.

After enjoying my tasty Voss water, I washed the bottle and removed the stickers.

I made the hidden music note slips.  These are in the kit for this project on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

I added the bead mix and the papers to the bottle, trying to spread out the location of the note tracker slips.

I added the fun label and using packing tape, sealed the bottle shut.  I then attempted to shake the bottle around to find the notes.  It will be a fun task for the kids.  It is not easy to find all of the notes right away. 

I am going to use these as part of my recorder centers.  While some students are working on the Note Reading Treasure Hunt, others will be using the Joytunes iPad  app, others will be testing or working in a small group with me, while others learn a non-recorder karate song as a group.  I love how these turned out!

Like my slips, signs, etc.?  Buy the kit on my TPT Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Note-Reading-Treasure-Hunt-Kit