Submitted by Tami Mangusso, Aurora, Colorado
Idea posted November 11, 2009
Here's a rough outline of how my class periods go (45 mins.):
1. Warm-Up (approximately 5 mins.): We usually spend about one to two minutes doing some breathing exercises. I use a little device called a "Hoberman sphere." This is a toy that is made out of plastic and it expands to a round ball and then you can shrink it down to a starry-type ball. I have them do things like breathe in for eight counts and on the exhale for eight counts, they use the "ch" or "sss" sound to do a rhythm (e.g., ta ta titi ta). After breathing, we do a vocal warm-up. I have the book Voice Builders for Better Choirs by Emily Crocker (available at MusicK8.com), and we just do one exercise from that or I'll use something from one of the Music K-8 magazines.
2. Music Theory (5-7 mins.): I do a daily review session that covers mostly music theory stuff. We call it, "Music Mania." I usually have five to six questions that cover things like: identifying the line or space by its number or letter name, highlighting a measure (e.g., highlight measure 3), identifying which rhythm I played, identifyng the instrument they hear or see, identifying which note is being fingered on the recorder, or they have to fill in the correct holes on the recorder, etc.. I have a Promethean board, so the students can go up to the board and answer the questions. I use craft sticks with numbers on them to call on students or I'll use my Promethean board to pick students for this. My students are assigned numbers and most of them know their numbers. I put their numbers under their name on my seating charts, just in case someone forgets their number.
3. Rhythm Reading (2-3 mins.): I usually have a rhythm exercise up on the board and we read through it. Sometimes we play Poison Rhythm, echo rhythms, or I'll have students make a rhythm for us to play.
4. Core Lesson (approximately 15-20 mins.)
5. Last 10 minutes or so of every class, I usually do a SQUILT (Super Quiet UnInterrupted Listening Time) activity. Students either sit or lay anywhere they want and they just listen. I use the same piece of music for several weeks. For each session, I give a little fact about the piece and about the composer. For the first lesson, I just have them listen to it. At the second session, we listen to it again and then we use a beach ball and toss it around the circle. The ball has questions written all over it and each student answers the question where their thumbs have landed. On the third session, we either do movement; a simple cup passing, ribbon routine, or a movement routine; or I might have them play unpitched instruments/rhythm sticks to accompany the song.
Recently, I have been using the Move It!/Move It! 2 DVDs by Peggy Lyman and John Feierabend (available at MusicK8.com). These are great resources. For the younger grades, I sometimes I use this time to read a book to them (or if the book has a CD with it I let them listen to the CD) while I show the pictures. This is a good time for myself because it gives me a chance to rest my voice.
I don't always follow this format. Sometimes I have to skip one of the above activities because I need more time for the core lesson, but I do try to follow it as much as I can.