LESSON 1 - Introduction
1. Sing School Song - patsching steady beat while singing
2. Music Room Rules / Announcements
3. Sing Character Counts
1. Sing School Song - patsching steady beat while singing
2. Music Room Rules / Announcements
3. Sing Character Counts
LESSON 2 - Rhythm
1. School Song / Character Counts
1. School Song / Character Counts
2. Seating chart
3. 1-2 minutes of echo patterns. (I do 4/4 rhythm, they echo.) I vary body percussion.
4. Hoop Rhythms – add body percussion (snap, clap, pat, stamp)
1. Character Counts
4. Hoop Rhythms – add body percussion (snap, clap, pat, stamp)
- Use 8-beat patterns
- Play shuffle blues beat on keyboard
- Student "conductors" take turns by standing in one hoop at a time while students do the appropriate body percussion: 8 beats in each hoop. I say, "switch" at about beat 6 to help the "conductor" know when to go to a different hoop.
5. BOOK: Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance
6. Introduce Fooba Wooba – I sing, teach students how to add motions (then I tell them it's easier to do the motions if they sing along!)
LESSON 3 - Rhythm
1. School Song / Character Counts
2. 3. 4 colored note cards on board I demonstrate a quarter note by patting the steady beat along with the shuffle blues beat on the keyboard.
- Ask, "Which note am I doing?"
- Demonstrate (and they do also) all of the notes on the colored cards (whole, half, quarter, eighth). Do hoops again with note durations this time – a few conductors
- Someone to front to put 4 hoops in order. (See hoops page "Variations.")
4. Frank was Monster review
- Hoops with improvisation
- Bubbles: "Body percussion: stamp" becomes "walk around room"
5. Fooba Wooba – sing
- Look at PowerPoint slide with rhythms. “Ta” and figure out which rhythm pattern is which line of the song.
LESSON 4 - Rhythm
2. Fooba Wooba – sing
- Look at Fooba rhythm cards on the board. Put them in order of song. “Ta” the rhythms
- Before passing out instruments, tell students the instrument rule: play only when you are supposed to - or you lose the chance to play the instrument. As instruments are passed out, I take the time the first few lessons to name and demonstrate each instrument.
- Instruments: Group 1 (4-6 students) = hand drums; 2 = claves; 3 = maracas; 4 = guiros; 5 = triangles; 6 = cabasas
- Put Fooba rhythms on board with colored magnet next to rhythms and let the groups know which group plays which rhythm pattern.
4. Show Check Yourself PowerPoint.
- Students encouraged to check their knowledge of the notes and rests. Have them write the notes and rests down on pieces of paper they can use to study from.
- Students encouraged to check their knowledge of the notes and rests. Have them write the notes and rests down on pieces of paper they can use to study from.
LESSON 5 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Start Hole in the Middle of the Sea - I sing all the way through. I even made up a story that I was sitting on the beach one day when I saw... (have fun!) I have practiced it so many times that I can now sing it super-fast! Impress them with your speed and tell them you don't think they can sing that fast (and then they will want to try to beat you - even the boys!)
3. Check Yourself – rhythms first
- Pass out instruments
- Pass out instruments
- Each riser play in order: 1,2,3,4
- Switch instruments until 5 mins left in class
4. Students look at their Check Yourself notes - or check their knowledge in other ways.
LESSON 6 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Hole in the Middle of the Sea - Sing
- Holehandout. Find time signature, barlines, quarter notes, eighth rests
- Use colored notes on board. Show all notes & rests – students use the chart on the handout to figure out which is which.
- Back of handout: give students 30 secs to figure out how to say each rhythm. Chant rhythms (with repeats).
- Each riser gets assigned a rhythm. They have a minute to practice, then perform for the class, and the class echoes.
LESSON 7 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Hole in the Middle of the Sea
- Sing
- Hole handout – Students figure out how to remember the differences between all notes & rests.
- Review rhythms on back. Add instruments. Switch until 5 mins left.
