Recorder Karate Turkey Trot

Submitted by Pamela Rezach

Idea posted January 13, 2003

I purchased Recorder Karate and am thrilled with it. I especially love the fact that Music K-8 has provided a way for the students to practice with the accompaniments! THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

I decided to put a bulletin board in the hallway that would announce to the school those who are working towards their black belt. (Actually, my students are working towards receiving feathers, too.) I am using the Recorder Karate plan, but I'm also using turkeys for the hallway bulletin board. Every 4th grader has a turkey on the bulletin board in the hallway. (I also purchased movable eyes that have different colors for each turkey. The package had blue, green, red, pink, and yellow eyeballs. Soooo cute!)

I made the turkeys using the school's Ellison machine. I purchased feathers in coordination with the Karate belt colors.

The bulletin board is titled "Recorder Karate Turkey Trot." "Be watching for these turkeys to get their feathers as the weeks go by." I also placed a chart that tells what song each child must perform in order to earn the feather. I am also giving each child a belt for his recorder - I chose to use yarn for this.

The students seem very excited, but we just started today, so I'll have to wait and see if having their turkeys out in the hall will encourage more practice.