Solfege Practice Stations

Those of you that follow my Facebook page probably saw a post I made last week to show my students working on some fun stations. I thought I'd take a few minutes to share what these stations were all about.

My 5th graders just finished learning about fa and ti, so they finally have the whole major scale done. They are going to be assessed on these concepts tomorrow, so to prepare we worked on some stations to be an interactive review. Here are the stations I came up with:

Station 1: I-pad or Laptop Station - Pirate Pairrrrs - Ti Game

At one of my schools, I have ten i-pads that I can use in my classroom. I like to utilize them when I can, but because my other school has limited access to i-pads, stations seem to be the easiest time to utilize them. On the i-pads I downloaded my Pirate Pairrrrs file and students opened the file in iBooks. Students were then able to interact with the file just like they would on the SMARTboard, but they didn't have to take turns! My students really enjoyed racing each other or seeing who could get the most correct.

At the other school, the 5th graders have laptops. I had them download the file, as well, and they played it as a normal PDF. Again students each had their own copy, so they didn't have to take turns and could really see how much they knew. I love how this file is already ready for students, so they don't need me to tell them if they are correct or not, the file does the work for them.

You can get the Pirate Pairrrrs games in my store HERE.

Station 2: Writing Station

The writing station was a great opportunity for my students to really practice writing solfege on the staff. Each student got a dry erase staff, a dry erase marker, and a sock (for an eraser). Along with this I created simple cards on paint that I printed out. These cards had one side with a do key and one note written out on the staff. Then the pattern I wanted them to write. Students would draw the do key and note on their staff and then complete the passage by writing the notes correctly on the staff. Then they could flip over their card, where I wrote the answers. Again, a great self-led station because students could be learning from their mistakes and practicing writing notes. No help from the teacher necessary.

Station 3: Solfege! UNO

This game was created by Amy Abbott and you can purchase it HERE. My students really enjoyed this little mind break they got from playing UNO with all solfege hand signs. The students really did not have to apply much knowledge at this station, but I was ok with that because they still were seeing the hand signs.

Station 4: Pumpkins for the Pie

This is one of the sorting stations students went to. On the pumpkins are solfege patterns written on the staff. Students had to match it with the pumpkin pie that had the same pattern written out on it. To make it easy for students to check their answers, and to keep it student led, I wrote the answers on the back of each pumpkin.

Station 5: Solfa Land

From listening to my students afterwards, this was probably the favorite of most. This game is played a lot like Candy Land. After choosing playing pieces the first player picks a card from the top of the deck. They figure out what hand sign or note they have and move to the closest space of that note. Who ever gets to the end first wins. You can purchase this game in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

BONUS: Not only is this game board included, but I also made a game board just for mi, so, la and a game board for do, re, mi, so, la. I figured my littler ones would enjoy playing this game later on this year, too. You get ALL versions in just one download -->HERE.

Station 6: Baskets FULL of Solfa

The final station I call Baskets FULL of Solfa. This sorting game is pretty easy and again could work for many different grade levels. Just print out the apples and baskets that you are most likely to use. Students put all the baskets out in front so they can see them all, then they figure out the note on the apple before placing it by the correct basket. You can buy this game HERE.

Hopefully you enjoyed this post about some fun station ideas. I absolutely love using stations in class. It is great to see my students working all on their own with very little assistance from me. Plus, they love it and have so much fun learning more. What are some of your favorite stations?

Week 6 - How I Manage a Hectic Holiday Schedule

As I was sitting in church Sunday morning listening to the Psalm, I took a good look at the date. "October 5? That can't be right!" I thought... but it was and that means I have to introduce the Christmas concert audition process this week to the students at one of my schools. The other school is not having a Christmas concert. Instead they will have a 3-5 Winter Concert in January and a K-2 Spring Concert in April. They will then have a Christmas Sing-a-long towards the end of December, but that does not take NEARLY the amount of prep that a concert does. (As you all know)

Now after reading this you probably are wondering how I can keep everything straight. Sometimes I wonder the same exact thing, but here is kind of a glimpse into 'my world'.

My students at Bonduel Elementary always have two separate Christmas concerts, one in the morning and one in the afternoon each year. This year I decided that I am going to do a multi-cultural themed Christmas concert. I'm teaching some new songs, but also throwing in some common songs like Feliz Navidad and We Three Kings. I'm hoping this will appease my audience while still allowing me the opportunity to explore some newfound treasures. (I can tell you more about the songs we're singing and the programs I created in a couple weeks)

I have a very efficient audition process, which takes place during my music time. It includes instrument, speaking, and singing parts all in one day! I have 45 minute classes so I can fit it all in, but at the school with 30 minutes (more like 25 minutes) it normally takes two class periods. If you want to learn more about my audition process check out these two blog posts from last year:
Preparing Students for the Audition
What I Grade on for Try-outs

My students at Fairview Elementary will be continuing on with their lessons on beat, rhythm, solfege, etc. This can be ultra confusing! However, how I work it out I mostly focus on lesson planning for Fairview. Then everything I do with my students at Fairview during the concert prep months becomes my plans for Bonduel after concert season.

Week 6
Kindergarten
The next few weeks I will be assessing students five voices. I do this with a sort of a game. I take a familiar song we know like Chop, Chop or Frog in the Meadow and I call students up to the front of the room (or the back for those shier students). I whisper in their ear the voice I want them to use for the song and they demonstrate it for the class. This helps me figure out if they understand the correct vocabulary and also that they are able to use the correct voice. It is even better because students have to then determine what voice the student used.

Songs we are singing in Kindergarten this week:

• The More We Get Together
• Chop, Chop Chippity Chop
• Frog in the Meadow
• Purple Light
• Pitter, Patter
• She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain
• My Aunt Came Back
• Engine, Engine Number Nine
• William He Had Seven Sons
• Pete the Cat Rockin in my School Shoes

1st Grade
After being introduced to beat and rhythm last week, students are continuing to practice seeing the difference between the two. I show students slides of songs they know with the beat and then show them with the rhythm. Students have to determine, which is which. Students this week are also starting to identify one sound beats and two sound beats (ta & ti-ti). We are focusing on the songs Bobby Shaftoe and Engine, Engine for this analysis.

Songs we are singing in 1st Grade this week:

• Bobby Shaftoe
• Engine, Engine Number Nine
• Beat vs. Rhythm Presentation

2nd Grade
Students are working on composing short patterns using the notes we know: ta, ti-ti, rest, and ta-a. We are practicing how to draw these rhythms with the beat. We practiced yesterday by drawing patterns up on the SMARTboard. I also drew some rhythms incorrectly and students had to find the mistakes in the rhythms. They had a lot of fun with that. Especially because I really ham it up and make it seem like I'm just 'positive' I'm right. This practice will be very handy when it comes time to do their final composition project where they use half notes, half rests, whole notes, and whole rests. From past classes I know this is something I need to take more time on. Students get that certain notes are more than one beat, but they don't always show it the correct way in their compositions.

Songs we are singing in 2nd Grade this week:

• Frere Jacques
• Here Comes a Bluebird
• Who's That Tapping at my Window
• Phoebe in her Petticoat
• Rocky Mountain

3rd Grade
3rd Grade is now reviewing the whole note and will be doing a very similar practice to what the 2nd graders are doing this week. The only difference is we will add in the whole note. When students seem comfortable with composing with these notes I'll throw in the half rest and whole rest. We'll practice changing half notes into half rests and whole notes into whole rests. Then students will be ready to work on the composition they were supposed to complete in 2nd grade. I want to make sure they really understand this concept, since in 3rd grade their composition not only focuses on beats, but also throws in half beats! (Yikes!)

Songs we are singing in 3rd Grade this week:

• Au Claire de la Lune
• My Father's House
• The Water is Wide

4th Grade & 5th Grade
Students in 4th and 5th grade are learning about low so this week. They first learned about it using Scotland's Burning, but now are also practicing throwing it in to some other familiar songs. I'm surprised how much fun they are all having with the Chicken on the Fencepost game and the dance for Tideo. One of my 4th graders told their teacher "I don't know what activity I liked more!" How can that not bring a smile to your face?

Here are the activities for you to try:
Chicken on the Fencepost Game

1. Make two circles - all students should be holding hands in their circles. They may complain about it at first, but when they see how the game works they get over it. (One inside circle and one outer circle)
2. Pick two students to be the racers (They should close their eyes while you choose 'openings')
3. Pick a set of hands on the outside circle and on the inside circle. These students will create an archway when the song ends, so the racers can get through to the middle (creating a kind of maze)
4. Racers can open their eyes as the song starts and both circles walk to the beat of the song. When the song ends the students that are suppose to create arches do and the racers try to get to the middle as fast as possible.
5. Repeat!

*Note: You can make it even harder by choosing some fake entrances. These students lift their arms creating an entry, but when someone gets close they quickly drop so no one can enter. Really fun and the kids think it is hilarious.

Here is a video of what this game looks like:


Tideo Dance

1. Students partner up
2. One partner creates an inside circle with their backs towards the middle of the circle
3. Their partner lines up with them creating an outer circle with their faces towards the middle
4. Pass one window - students on the outside move one person to their right
5. Pass two windows - students on the outside move one person to their right
6. Pass one window - Students on the outside move on person to their right
7. Jingle at the window - All students pat their legs quickly
8. Tideo - All students clap, clap, pat with the partner they are with
9. Tideo, tideo - Students slowly swing their partner
10. Jingle at the window - All students pat their legs quickly
11. Tideo - All students clap, clap, pat with the partner they are with
12. Tideo, tideo - Students slowly swing their partner
13. Jingle at the window - All students pat their legs quickly
14. Tideo - All students clap, clap, pat with the partner they are with
15. Then repeat until you are lined up with the partner you started with (or whenever you want to stop)

*Note: I normally have my students repeat the dance by switching places with their partner. That way everyone gets a chance to try both parts.

Here is a video of this dance:

*Note: The version I learned of this song does the swinging partner two times, but you could do it just once like in the video

Songs we are singing in 4th Grade & 5th Grade this week:

• Scotland's Burning
• Canoe Song
• Chicken on the Fencepost
• Lil' Liza Jane
• Tideo

Must Have Monday

I've been planning to link up to this party all day, but I've been busy working on more products. I have been out of town all weekend, so tonight was the first free minute I've had since last weekend! Yikes!

If you are interested in linking up to this party too, just click the picture above!

This is a great time to get your wishlist together for the big Teachers Pay Teacher's Sale from 5/6-5/7!

1) A must-have I've created
I have several and one I would say is definitely my Music Street file. Especially the manipulatives. These are great for cutting and laminating. It helps my students that are hands on learners.



Everything in this file comes in black and white and color! :)
I'm currently working on updating this EVEN MORE in the next few weeks.


I also love all my song files. They are greatly paired with my music street, but also work on their own! Each file I have puts Music Street right in it. I also add different interactive games or activities at the end to assess your students knowledge. Here are some pictures of different song files in my shop. Click the picture to go to the product in my store:



2) A must-have I've gotten from another teacher
One of my favorite things right now is the Lines and Spaces Worksheet bundle I purchased from Lindsay Jervis. I'm currently using this with my Kinders and they just love it. Check it out by clicking the picture below:


3) A must-have that I'd like to have
I kind of have a clip art addiction, so it is difficult to pick. However here are some pictures of clip art I would really love to buy during this sale. Click the pictures to check out the actual product: That's all for now! I'd love to know what is on YOUR wishlist! :)

Being SMART with a SMARTboard

I am glad to say that I'm back to blogging. I really wish I was better at staying on top of my blog and being really consistent about blogging. I know it is frustrating to follow a blog that is inactive for several months and then suddenly posts again. I'm really trying to work on that. If any of you strong bloggers have any suggestions about being consistent I would love to hear them!

I was going to post beautiful pictures of my current classroom arrangements, but unfortunately my laptop has died. I do not currently have the funds to get a new one, so until then, you will only be seeing pictures from my phone, ipad, and computer screenshots. (Sorry!)

Instead, I wanted to talk about my current goal as an educator this year. I am lucky enough to have a SMARTboard at both schools I teach at. I use my SMARTboard EVERY day in my classroom, but my goal for this year is to really use my SMARTboard in the most interactive way. Instead of just projecting lyrics, videos, etc. I want to make interactive lessons using my SMARTboard that tie into our district standards and benchmarks. So, the last couple weeks I have spent HOURS working on SMARTboard files to share with my students. They aren't all finished. (I'm kind of adding to them as I teach.) However, I do have one that I finished this summer for Bee, Bee Bumblebee. Check out some of the highlights of this file below:









The goal for each is to teach the standard or benchmark by getting students up to the board. For pages with beat or rhythm, I call students up to actually point to each bee. It is great to see the kids reaction to these cute files and to know that my time was well spent. I'm hoping these files will really help reinforce concepts, as well as, get kids excited about the songs we are learning.

And the even more exciting news! I finally opened a Teachers Pay Teachers Store and you can get this file there! I'm currently working on a bunch of other files, but am not finished and ready to upload them. Here are some to look forward to seeing:











Hope you enjoy the sneak peak and if you like what you see, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

Hope you are all as excited for the new school year as I am! :)

P.S. All Graphics used are from My Cute Graphics. Her graphics are amazing and free!