Pinterest Board! - Composer Biographies

I have a WONDERFUL librarian who is always working to provide books resources whenever we need them.  Today, I was looking to create a list of possible composer biographies we'd like to add to our school library AND I was in a hurry.  So I decided to create a pinterest board to share with her.    Some of these titles are new to me, that I intend to investigate before recommending for purchase.  Some of these titles are ones that I have used at other schools that I know for sure, students will love.  Others are titles that I have seen and have been curious about.  Perhaps some of these are titles you are familiar with, and some may be new.  The first thing I plan on doing is going through and notating which composers are studied in which grade levels as that may affect the eventual book the library will purchase.  Perhaps as I have time, I'll even have a chance to look up them up from a library vendor website.  However, for now, I'm happy to have a working list.

Follow Bonnie's board Music classroom library wish list on Pinterest.

Yummy Award! - July 2014 - The Rockets Red Glare: Celebrating the History of the Star Spangled Banner

 

July 2014

 

The Rocket's Red Glare: Celebrating the History of The Star Spangled Banner (Book and CD)

by Peter Alderman

                                                             

                                                      

 

I just got this book yesterday and I've very excited about incorporating it into our study of patriotic music next year.   The book contains a CD with a recording of our national anthem as sung by Jo Dee Messina.  Her version is not as ornamented as some (which is good)  nor as true to the melody as I would like (which is bad), but on the whole,  it's nice enough, ESPECIALLY if this was part of a sub lesson.  I plan on using my own recording or having the students sing it themselves when we use it.  The biggest problem with her recording is that it is VERY VERY S-L-O-W!! 

 

The BEST part about this book is that it has a nicely recorded reading of ALL of the text in the book..... The recording is about 8 minutes long and even includes a spoken reading of ALL of the verses of the Star Spangled Banner.    I REALLY like this book because it retells many of the historical facts that I often forget to share with my students when I'm feeling low on time. 

Melodysoup YUMMY Award July 2013 - Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan *LESSON IDEAS*

It feels like I haven't given a YUMMY AWARD! in AGES!  And the truth it that it has been six months, so I am well over due!  This one was especially fun to write because the minute I put my hands on this book I had lots of lesson ideas.

I'm always looking for books that lend themselves to the development of music literacy.  I especially like books that provide a variety of uses for the same book.  Often these books will work with multiple grade levels depended on the simplicity or complexity of my ideas.  In any case, I found this book at TMEA and I've been looking forward to incorporating into my bag of tricks!

 

The Yummy Award for July 2013 goes to


Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan

 

Ideas for Younger Children:

I think that after the children are familiar with the book it would be fun isolate a page of the book and then either play or post a rhythm and ask the children to identify which set of words goes with the rhythm.  For example.  One short except from the book goes like this,

 "Chicky Chicky Chook Chook

Chick Chick Chick,

Chicky Chicky Chook Chook

 Peck Peck Peck."

I could post several  known rhythms like and then ask the students figure out where in the page those rhythms happen.

Wouldn't it be fun to have students write a rhythm we were working with on a small post it note and then place it in the places when that rhythm happens?   I think they would love it! 


We could extend our work by orchestrating our book for various instruments. Each page is composed around a different hard consonant sound.  Perhaps the "Ch" sound could be played on the sand blocks while the hard "k" sound was played on the woodblock.  The possibilities are endless!


Ideas for Older Children:

Wouldn't this be a fun way to approach rhythm dictation? If students were well versed in rhythmic patterns they might enjoy the challenge of figuring out the rhythmic pattern.  It's a new twist on the "what rhythm am I playing?" game.  Students attempting this would need lots of aural discrimination practice under their belt, but I think that they could puzzle it out. 

An extra challenge might be for older children to compose another page for the book.  I think this would be an excellent opportunity to create a class book filled with original compositions that we could then play and orchestrate.

What about melody?!!!  This book has such a wonderful rhythmic pattern that it might be the perfect opportunity to ask older students to take known pitches and compose an original melody.  Imagine this book played as an original composition!!!! 

MY! MY! MY! - This is starting to sound like an entire semester worth of study and it's just 1 book!  - LOVE IT! 

 

Want to see what other books have received a YUMMY Award?  Click HERE!

 



Freebie Friday! 100th post edition!

Melodysoup has reached a major milestone.  THIS is the 100th post for this blog!  In honor of my 100th post I am going to give away a brand new book.

I am giving away a brand new copy of "This Little Light of Mine" by E.B. Lewis.  I got it while I was at TMEA with you in mind. I love the simplicity of this beautiful book.  The illustrations are quite eloquent and they illuminate the lyrics of this wonderful gospel song beautifully.  I love sharing this book with kindergarten and first grade students because it's a great way for them to see someone being kind and "letting their light shine".

Below are the instructions for how you can enter to win this wonderful book!  Don't forget to tell other people about the give away for the chance to
As soon as the Sweepstakes is over I will you all of the winner in a blog post.  I will contact the winner send this happy book on it's merry way.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

January YUMMY Award - Over the Rainbow

 

January 2013

"Over the Rainbow" Author: E.Y. Harburg, Illustrator: Eric Puybaret, Performer:
Judy Collins, Composer: Harold Arlen

This book is just lovely!  The opening verse of the song is one that most haven't heard before and it makes the song that we all know and love even more special.  Judy Collins goes on to sing  and "I See the Moon" and "White Choral Bells".    

I plan on having my choir sing "Over the Rainbow" this spring and look forward to sharing this book with them as part of their introduction to the song.  

September YUMMY AWARD! - Bling Blang by Woody Guthrie and Vladimir Radunsky

for September 2012

goes to 

Bling Blang by Woody Guthrie, Illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky

This book has so much to offer a music teacher in search of a book that will exemplify great literature and great music for kinder and first grade. 

First - The lyrics are very poetic and picturesque and when this book is studied in conjunction with Howdi Do and My Dolly you've got a really solid composer/author study.

If you are lucky enough to find a copy of Howdi Do WITH a CD, you'll get a recording of all 3 books.  Now - each recording is very different and not all of the recordings are created equal, but Bling Blang is awesome!  

Recording
In the recording of Bling Blang the violin creates a very convincing hammer and saw sound while the really nicely played tuba carries the melody.  There is an very proper and operatic baritone solo for all of the verses which serves as a great example of male singing.  The children who are singing in the recording are NOT the best example of children singing, but I rarely find recordings in which I like everything.... so I'll take what good stuff I can find.  overall Bling Blang is nicely done.   The recording also offers nice instrumental interludes that can serve as great preparation for playing rhythmic patterns.

Rhythm patterns:
Here are the ostinati that I use with this song.



First we "play" these rhythms with our hands and mouth sounds.  I don't know how to type the sound that kids make when they click their tongues, but all of my students LOVE doing it, so we use it as part of our pattern when we are using our hammers.  Then when we are using our saws, we switch sounds and rhythmic patterns.

Part work
I like to split the class into two groups with one group being hammers and the other being saws.  Then we pass the pattern back and forth, and work toward independence so that they can do the two patterns simultaneously (in harmony)  some classes can, some can't.....yet.....

Then we add instruments.  Woodblocks and tone blocks become hammers while guiros, cabasas, and sand blocks become saws.

Good Singing
We are working toward being able to accompany our singing with a different rhythmic pattern.  The book provides an awesome structure for the practice because just about the time that things start getting shaky or start to fall apart, it's time to regroup while we listen to the CD or the teacher sing another verse.

Early Writing
If your school, like mine, is working every minute to close that old achievement gap, this book is also a GREAT prompt for writing!  The last two pages of the book contain illustrations of houses created by children. We all know that the beginnings of writing are imitation, so I have my kindergarten students write the chorus and illustrate their writing with their own houses.  Then we put the book together and read it.  They LOVE reading their own music book and they practice their rhythms and singing the simple melody the whole time.

Book List - Pete the Cat

I have joined the Pete the Cat craze!

I purchased the books this summer and they are an exceptional hit with my students.  They ask for these books again and again.  I decided to purchase the books after I saw a video of a a music class playing an orffistrated version of one of the Pete books on Pinterest.  I thought to myself.... My students would LOVE playing instruments while reading that book..... sooooooo I took a trip to the book store and have since fallen in love with Pete the Cat.  I'll let you know how our we do when we get ready to accompany the book.  HarperCollins has recordings available on their website of each book.



Here is the Pete the Cat book list for your reference

August Yummy Award - Back to School Edition!

AUGUST 2012

"Howdi Do" by Woody Guthrie with pictures by Vladimir Radunsky

This is my FAVORITE book to use with young children during the very first days of school.  If you purchase the hardback edition the melody is in the jacket cover.  Each verse sets up different scenarios in which people say hello to each other.  This book is filled with well wishes and camaraderie.  My favorite portion of the lyrics is when we sing "I feel glad when you feel good, you brighten up my neighborhood".  What a sweet thing to sing to each other!

Typically, because I use this book at the beginning of the year in kindergarten and first grade, I sing the verses and they join me on the fun tongue twister chorus.  I typically sing it unaccompanied at first because the chorus is super fun to sing but a real doozy of a mouthfull. We have a chance to shake hands with the folks sitting nearby and we talk about the book.  There are two things in this book that your students will love! 

1. the dog - he makes an appearance on every page

2. the twins - there are several pair of twins

The chorus that we all sing together goes something like this..... (my copy is at school ready for the first day..... so I'm typing from memory)

Howjee Heejee Hijee Hojee Howdi do sir doodle doo

Howdi doogle doodle doozie Howdi Do Howdi Do

Howjee Hojee Heejee Hijee Howdi Do

SO MUCH FUN!!!!!  

Especially with the young ones I try really hard to include a "song book" in essentially every music lesson.  Sometimes if we are adding instruments or dramatizing the book, then the book is the lesson, but equally as often, the book is just a book that we sing.  I read this book after we've had a full lesson of musical play and we don't have time to introduce a new idea, but there is just enough time to listen to a story or read a book.  They love it and ask for it again and again..... 

We should never underestimate the power of just plain old singing together!  Sometimes the song is the soup that holds the whole meal together! :)

Ya'll have a great school year! 

MelodySoup YUMMY! Award: July 2012 - Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

July 2012

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!
by Karen Beaumont, Illustrated by David Catrow

I love this book! Now just by looking at it, you might not think this is a book that could be used in a music class..... however, it is such a fun read and when I use this book with students I always sing it......I've included the melody I use, which I don't think is original and may have been intended for this book.... I don't know.... in any case, my students love this book so much that I look forward to adding instruments the next time I use it.  

Children's Books in Music - Part 4 Songs as told and illustrated by Iza Trapani

Here is a new book list just in time for the new school year! Iza Trapani is one of my favorite authors, but when I decided to create a book list for her, I'll admit that I was unaware of just how prolific an author and illustrator she is! Open Library has 39 titles listed for her!

Because of her amazing repertoire and because I've highlighted both Twinkle Twinkle Little Star AND Froggie Went A-Courtin, in previous YUMMY Award posts, I decided to limit my book list to books she has created that are based on songs.  I like the way she says it on the cover of her books..... "as told and illustrated by Iza Trapani." 


Please notice that in early 2012 Iza Trapani released a new book "The Bear Went Over the Mountain".  It is the only one that I don't have, so I'm very curious to hear from anyone who has this book already.....  

Click on the picture to get your copy of the list. 

For more music class book lists check out my book lists for music teachers page