Lesson Plan April 15-26

This Week in Music Class Students will be receiving their music reward day.

All year they have worked hard by making good choices and being great music students. Each time a class came to music class they had the opportunity to move their class's music note along our Behavior Beats Board. For a Great Day they move 2 places, for an O.K. Day they move 1 place, and if we have a Hard Day we move 0 places. The first time they get to the end of the board, their class get a star on the board and they pick a prize out of the treasure box. The 2nd time they get to the end they receive a special music day.

Each class will vote to choose their favorite activity for music day. There are three choices.

1. Music Video - we will watch one or two short music videos. I take the music videos from Animusic! If you have not seen animusic, it's really amazing! Check it out at www.animusic.com Our favorites are Starship Groove and Pipe Dream.

2. Dance Party - we will do a long session of freeze dance. The students are able to come up with their own dance moves, but they must freeze when the music stops! Additionally, we may learn a line dance such as the electric slide. One student shared a Jewish Dance that she learned at a wedding and several students have requested to do the Harlem Shake! :)

3. Instrument Stations - students will go around the room in groups to visit each instrument station and explore the different instruments. We don't often get to play every instrument in our classroom and this is a great opportunity to practice music making and explore with our favorite instruments.

The station are:

1. Barred Instruments: These include the Xylophones, Metallophones, and Glockenspiels. The instruments are set up in a C Pentatonic Scale.
2. Metal Instruments: These include the cowbell, tambourines, cymbals, triangle and more.
3. Boomwhackers: For those who are unsure what boomwhackers are, they are long plastic tubes pitches to notes. Each note is a different color. Students can create harmonies and even chords if they play with a large group.
4. Wood Instruments and More: These include woodblock, maracas, rainstick, frog guiros, vibraslap, and more.
5. Piano: Students have the opportunity to explore playing the piano. They are encourage to create melodies and harmonies by playing a few piano keys at a time. Those student who take piano lessons or have been taught songs on the piano can show them off and help other learn to play songs.
6. Drums: Bongos, Hand Drums, Ocean Drum, Sound Shapes, and Lollipop shaped drums. They are discouraged from trying to eat the lollipop drums. They may look good, but they aren't real! :)

Students always have a great time making music, exploring instruments, moving to music, and seeing music during our music reward days. We always try to complete all parts of the music day starting with the activity the students want most.