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!

3 Winter Sport Activities

With the big international event coming up, I thought I would pull together activities across grade levels for Winter Sports.  Three different sets are available in my TPT store for varying levels of learners.  Check them out.

Hot Off the Press: Winter Sports Ostinato Cards
Just finished these awesome ostinato cards.  I plan on having my second graders do an ensemble chant with the text and rhythms and then transfer the ensembles to unpitched percussion instruments.  Print and GO!  Lots of suggestions for use included.

Winter Sports BAGC' Recorder Centers/Stations Set
This fun set includes 4 fun activities for individual stations or centers in the music room for the notes BAG and C'.  These activities can also be done as 4 whole class lessons if you prefer.  Here's a sampling of a few.

Winter Sports Vocal Exploration Cards

 

This set includes drawn pathways and blank pathways.  I used it with my part time learning support classes as well as my 1st graders.  The first graders loved following and drawing the sounds and I definitely heard a few find their head voices during this activity, who normally struggle to do so.  I had my PTLS students make a book with the pathways they drew themselves on the blank sheets, and we shared and performed each other's pathways.  They then took their books home to share with their families. 

I'm headed to an Olympics party in two weeks.  I am assigned to represent Finland.  Creating a native costume from Finland to go along with my native dish I have to bring is posing to be more challenging than I thought!  Hope you are as excited as I am about the upcoming festivities! 

Another QR Code Set. BAGE is Now Complete

What better to do on a snow day then to make a new QR code set.  The BAG set has already been available in my TPT store, but I just added a set of BAGE QR code recorder patterns, for students working on adding the E in their playing.

This kit includes 7 two measure BAGE practice patterns for recorder players that assist students in reading and playing with correct fingering through practice.  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. 

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

I use these in my recorder center rotations with our iPads.  I also plan on printing the half sheet versions with the parent letter to send home for practice with parents.  Parents can see what the playing should look and sound like after scanning the QR code and students can check their work.

Download it here today!

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. 

Recorder Reflection and Assessment Sheets

On my "Polar Vortex" day off yesterday, I created some new recorder reflection sheets to be used to get students to self-assess, to provide tickets out the door, or for the teacher to assess student knowledge and understanding.

This pack includes full sheets that can be cut into quarter sheets for quick student reflection, assessment, and self-evaluation or critique when instructing beginning ukulele players.

Included Are:
Goal Setting Sheet
Hardest/Easiest Part Sheet
On a Scale of 1-4 Sheet
Draw Me the Fingering Cards for B, A, G, C, D, E, F, F#
Identify the Fingering Sets (3 pictures to identify on each card)

These easy to print and divide sheets can be used all year long with your recorder students across differing grade levels and abilities.  Download it today!

Left Hand Bands

Tis the season for beginning recorders in 3rd grade at my school...squeaks to send home for parents to enjoy all vacation long!

When first introducing recorders, I've always had students struggle to play with their left hands on top.  Thus, I am up with my "left-hand-bands."

During the first few weeks of playing recorders, I have students get their recorders and a band.  They wear it on their left hand all the time, and it helps them to see if they have the correct hand on top.  It also helps me quickly check that they all have their left hand on top. 

I found these cute bands at Party City a few years ago, and I now have a tub full to use.  The kids get a kick out of wearing them too.

Winter Olympics Recorder Stations

Thanks to a snow day today (my favorite!!) I was able to finish a BAGC' recorder station set.  I've had some requests for BAGC' sets and with the Olympics coming up, I thought my kids would love this!

This kit contains four different BAGC' 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 instead of stations, if you prefer to set up the lessons that way.

Included in this super set is:
Winter Olympics Ski Jump: Students set up ski jumps in a pattern for their partner. After their partner plays and reads the note correctly, they may jump over the "ski jump" and play the next jump.

Winter Olympics Theme Song Compositions: Students are given the framework for a simple BAGC' melody. Their job is to use the rhythms of winter Olympics events to create simple melodies using BAGC'. They then play and share their compositions.

Olympics Self Reflection: Students fill in each circle of the Olympic rings with things they think are their strengths or weaknesses to reflect on improving their playing. Prompts for written response are provided in each circle.

Olympic Luge Pathway: In this station, students play through the notes on the "luge" pathway as a group. Then, they write in notes on their own luge pathway and perform or share it with others in their group.

These are ready to print, attach to file folders, copy papers for kids, and FLY!

I can't wait for the Winter Olympics!  Figure skating is my favorite! 

Recorder Madness Begins: Winter BA Recorder Stations

My students recorder orders arrived this week (ssshhh...I haven't told the kids they are here yet!!  They are bursting at the seams to get their hands on their recorders).

I was reflecting on how I introduce recorders and thought that I should create some more activities for just B and A, without adding the G, to build a better foundation, especially for those kids who struggle with the motor skill of changing fingers.  We use the Recorder Karate method, but they jump right into BAG right away, and I was thinking some kids would benefit from having just B and A to work with. 

So, coming to you tonight is a Winter Themed BA recorder set.  These are set up to be used in center rotations, allowing the teacher to work with a small group privately.  I also personally add in an iPad station to my cycles.

Included in the set are:

Color By Note: A winter worksheet, for your students to color. Each piece of the picture has a B or 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.

Winter Composition: Students write a very simple BA melody by choosing to write a B or an A on the staff provided on each snowflake.  They also write the fingering for each note on the recorder picture below the snowflake.   They then practice performing it.  A recorder fingering chart is also provided.

Partner Evaluation: Students have a checklist and provide each other 1 or 2 positive comments and 1 or 2 constructive comments on the notes that they are working on.

Rhythm Performance Practice: Students practice rhythm patterns on B, then A, then combinations of B and A.

I print these out and glue the station cover page on the front of file folders.  I then glue the worksheet (one copy) on the inside of the folder and laminate it.  Then, when I make copies for each station, I place them in each file folder and as students rotate stations, they know to look for the folder of their next activity.

You could also use these as individual whole class activities or at home extensions of the lessons you are teaching.

Hope this simplified set is helpful and your kids enjoy working in recorder centers as much as mine do.  I'm planned and ready.  Recorders here we come!

Mustache BAGF#ED Stations

This last set of recorder stations was a big hit with my kids.  I told them ahead of time the next round was mustache themed, and half of one homeroom showed up to class wearing fake mustaches.  Gotta love these funny kids!

Included is:
Masquerade Melodies: Mustaches that are to be cut out and attached to popsickle sticks. Students then hold up melodic patterns for their group members to play, taking turns being the mustache selector. A fingering chart is included to support students as they practice patterns.

Mustache Melodies: Using the name and picture of several famous mustache types, students compose a melody for each mustache rhythm, using BAGF#ED. They then practice performing and share their melodies.

I Mustache You:Students play their song for their partner, who gives them honest feedback (Praise and or constructive criticism).

 I would dare to say that this is my students' favorite set of recorder stations to date.  It is the end of the year when keeping attention gets more challenging.  This set did the trick!

Available today for download at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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!

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.