Joyful Noise Music

Week of May 13th, 2013

RAINBOW RESONATOR BARS!

The kids really enjoyed using the resonator bars today! This fun "xylophone" like instrument has separated bells and two mallets. The great thing about using an instrument like this is the ability to separate and isolate pitches and share pieces more easily in the classroom, among the other fun things you can do!

We started out by taking a look at the eight notes in the major scale. We sang and counted them (see the video below). We also tried going backwards! The children did very well playing the major scales on their own. We also played a fun game with the traditional song "Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley grow". I sang the song using the resonator bars as accompaniment, while one child stood in the middle as "the farmer". When the song was over (and their turn), they chose a partner to "bow" to, who became the next farmer. The kids really enjoyed this!

Younger children also got a big kick out of Mr. Dog the puppet, who visited to sing "How Much Is That Doggy In the Window" today along with other movement songs and a simple musical book, "The Band" by Nancy Leber.

Week of May 6th, 2013

Hula Dancing!

It's Asian Pacific American Heritage month, and today in music class we learned all about hula dancing and Hawaiian tradition! (My apologies for any confusion this may cause as we "flip-flopped" lesson plans for the first two weeks of May).

The image of hula dancing and the ideals behind it have changed much as missionary, "American" and tourist influence entered Hawaii over the years. Even the clip art image that I used on the calendar to signify what we were learning about today was, honestly, cliche when it comes to the true rich heritage of hula dancing and the true sacred ritual it represents to Hawaii and the Polynesian islands.

When asked about hula dancing, I received a few comments from older students--both male and female--"That's the dance the pretty girls do". :) They were surprised to discover that, unlike the somewhat Westernized image of hula that they have seen over the years, the dances involved unique instruments like the hollowed gourd drum (ipu), and both men AND women, in mixed and separated roles. The costumes and traditional dress worn were also unlike what many people are accustomed to here in the states. Rather than coconut tops and grass skirts, you see drape-y linens on both men and female, grass crowns, and anklets/bracelets made with whale bone and dog teeth.

We also learned "hello" (Aloha) and "thank you" (mahalo). I showed children on the map where Hawaii is located in the Pacific island, and we talked about the purpose for the dance being a method of both storytelling and prayer (worship) for the Hawaiian people. I demonstrated the power of storytelling through motions to the children by pantomiming different actions for them and having them guess what I was doing. I shared with them that telling a story with dance was a powerful way for families and generations to remember important stories without being able to write them down or record them.

Check out the four's room below, greeting you in today's blog with a Hawaiian "hello!" Also see videos below of traditional Hula rituals/chants/dances, and our pictures from today's fun! Keep scrolling for some extras from the infant and toddler classes, who also enjoyed the parachute today!

*Pretending to surf a wave while we did body movements to a chant about Hawaii!

Week of April 29th, 2013

FIVE LITTLE DUCKS WENT OUT TO PLAY!!!

You may notice a small plastic bag with yellow paper squares in your child's cubby today. Take a closer peek and you will see that the squares are actually little ducks!

We sang "Five Little Ducks" today in music classes and used the paper pieces and plastic bags as math/music manipulatives! Try singing the song with the pieces--pause during the song to consider math equations!

"5 subtract (or take away) 1 is....what?" Our younger students only used three ducks today (twos and below).

Don't know the tune? Check out the video below, though the version that we sang in class today is slightly different.

We also enjoyed seeing and hearing the recorder (instrument) and playing a fun "round the circle" game called "All Around The Village". Ask your child how they went "in and out the window" today! (Three years of age and up).

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Week of April 22nd, 2013

WASH TUB BASS

Today the kids got quite a thrill out of playing our home-made "wash tub bass"!

The bass was very simple in its construction: we simply took some twine, a mop handle, and a plastic tub with a hole drilled in the top. By tying a washer to one end of the string and drawing it through the tub, and connecting the other hand to the mop handle, we instantly had our "wash tub bass"! The sound was created through the vibration of the string, and the empty space of the overturned tub acted as a speaker box, amplifying the vibrations! I explained this entire process to the children, and also held a string tightly in my hands with the help of another teacher, so that they could hear how the string's vibration was slightly amplified by my hand acting as the "speaker". (See the above photo).

Check out these videos from class today!

Week of April 16th, 2013

FESTIVAL OF BIHU in Assam, India

Students very much enjoyed learning about this three day festival in India, which actually began on April 14th with a ritual of "cow washing"! I showed our friends pictures and videos of this animal, very sacred to Indian culture, being washed in the river and coated with Turmeric spice. The cows also receive new rope at this time of year! I also showed the children a picture of a baby rhinoceros living in Assam, and we talked a little bit about local wildlife!

We also put on some Indian music and tried out some of the dance moves we saw (pics below)! One theme that emerged often was hiding both hands behind your back, and also using your hands as though they were graceful bird necks and beaks (opening and closing hands as though they were a bird's mouth, which I described to the children as "Swan Moves".)

We then watched a few videos of traditional Bihu dance, which interpretively speaking is very themed around "courtship" style dances between men and women. Many of the dance moves are focused on moving the torso and upper arms and bending at the waist. Check out the Youtube videos and see for yourself!