Music Resources for FALL!

My friend, Sally, at Sally's Sea of Songs, has created an amazing resource list chock-full of ideas for just about any time of the year.  Since we are currently in the Fall months, I thought I'd feature her resource lists for Fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.   Check them out by clicking on the pics below.

  Enjoy browsing through the many fabulous products.  I hope you find the perfect one that fits your classroom!  Happy Fall Y'all.  

Three Summer Goals

I love summer!  It's a time to rest, rejuvenate, and accomplish those mundane tasks I've been avoiding during the school year.  I've linked up with Mrs. Miracle's Music Room today to discuss my 3 Summer Goals.

1. Family Time!

I am a family girl at heart.  I love spending time with my husband and three kids.  Whether it's all five of us snuggled up in the living room watching tv, or riding go-karts and eating sno-cones, my fave thing is doing life together. It's been a while since we've taken a family vacation, so I'm really excited about our week-long water trip.  It's nothing fancy-in fact, our destination is only about 5 hours from home, but we'll be swimming in a natural swimming hole, riding tubes down a river, visiting one of the world's largest waterparks, and exploring other relaxing adventures.  Making memories is top on my list for this summer :)

 

 

 
2. Organization!

My house is a wreck.  I've gone in and out of my closet for the last few months thinking, "I need to clean out and organize."  With summer months upon me, now is the time.  Not only will I be tackling my closet (and other areas), it's time to sort through all the kids clothes taking out what doesn't fit any longer, and making room for the new school clothes that will soon come into our home.

In addition, I've moved my whole classroom to my garage over the summer due to changing schools in the fall.  My plan is to organize my files, throw away old stuff, gain some new ideas, and start lesson plans.  My brand new school won't be open until the week before kids come, so I've got to buckle down and be prepared.  Thank goodness for summer!

 

3. Shape Up!

Whew!  This is a tough one that requires time and dedication.  Often times we think of "shaping up" our bodies and this is definitely a serious area of concern.  I'm trying to eat more healthy and workout at least 4 times a week.  I hope to shop for school clothes in a smaller size when August comes.  My physical appearance is not the only shaping up that's on my agenda, however. 

My spiritual self is way out of shape too.  With summer schedules open, the time has allowed me to focus more on my faith and belief in Jesus Christ and developing my relationship with him.  Summertime shape-ups are in full swing!

 

I've set my summer goals.  What are yours? 

   

First Year Flashback

 

Ahhh....the early years.  For me, there's plenty of memories from 1995.  Not only did I graduate and get married within weeks of each other, but I also moved back to my hometown to begin my life-long adventure of teaching.  Welcome to my "flashback."
 

 1.  What subject/age and where was I teaching?

 I began teaching K-5 music in the hometown where I was raised - a small town south of Dallas, TX.  Funny story...I actually replaced a high school friend's mother who had long taught music.  Talking about BIG shoes to fill.

 2.  What was my first classroom like?

 Actually, the room was awesome.  It was odd shaped, but HUGE.  I remember the students sat on benches that could be moved in and out, or rearranged - about 4 kids to a bench.  They were a nightmare because the kids would wiggle, and the benches would fall over.  Now, we would call that a "safety hazard."  Hahaha.

3.  Was I given supplies and materials?

 I remember having a class set of music text books and some rhythm instruments, also a CD player.  Nothing else really sticks out in my mind.  The room was pretty sparse.

 4.  What do I remember about my first day?

 Other than wondering "what on earth am I going to do with these children?", I don't remember much else.  I think I lived in a fog from then on.

 5.  What was the hardest part of my first year?

 Other than crying A LOT, the hardest part was jumping in and trying to figure out what I was doing without any help.  Many new teachers have the luxury of working with a co-teacher or team.  I was all alone on this journey.

 6.  What was the best part of my first year?

Truly, I think the best part was the end when I could finally look back and reflect on my survival and accomplishments.  Sometimes it's hard to see the good when you're covered in stress during the year.

 7.  What did I discover during my first year that I didn't learn in college or student teaching?

 Pretty much everything.  I learned how to do fundraisers, monthly PTA programs, a large end-of-the-year school-wide program, how to plan, how to communicate with parents (BIGGIE), etc.  College is great for prepping you with knowledge of your content.  Student teaching is great for introducing you to school life, but there's nothing like figuring it out as you go.  That's real life!

 8.  From where did I draw most of my lesson plan inspiration?

 With limited internet resources back then, and few tricks in my bag, most of my first year lesson plans came from the text books.  I pretty much followed it from start to finish.  Now I hardly EVER open a text book.

 9.  What is one thing I know now that I wish I knew then? (except I have more than 1 thing:)

 I wish I had known:  

• kids are forgiving and certainly won't remember if I make mistakes during my lessons  
• programs eventually come together - no matter how bad it seems the week before
• parents want to hear the good things their children do - not just the bad
• colleagues are willing to be supportive and helpful if they are asked
• life would be so much easier if only I would delegate

Visit Pitch Publications for more 1st Year Flashbacks from other music educators.

What's on Your Wall?

 Welcome to my 2015 - 2016 classroom.  This year, I'm decorating with a Star Wars theme!  The movie is set to be released in December, the stores are packed with characters, so why not ride that Star Wars train all the way to school?  I think the kids will respond well to the galaxy far, far away music room.  Come on in and take a look around.  I'd love to know what you think :)

 
 This is the hallway leading up to my music room and my music door.  I found these SW pics that were somewhat music related and added quotes to them.  I thought it was kind of cool.  You'll see some more on my classroom walls.

 Stepping just inside the door, I have behavior charts for 1st - 3rd grade classes.  Our school uses the PBIS system, so we've adopted the 3R's : Ready, Respectful, Responsible.  Classes earn up to 2 smiles per class depending on their overall behavior.  When each class fills their chart, they earn a "game day" or 20 minute "dance party!"
 
 The Character Counts wall never changes, except I added some stars this year.  Below the board is this year's "I Can..." statements.
 
  My desk area...notice the Music Jedi sign to the left :)

 One of my fave parts of the room...my black shelf with SW MUSIC banner.
 
 The ONLY time my desk will be clean until June.  I've gotten lots of positive response from my "binder cover" that I made into a calendar cover.


 Notes/Rest anchor charts.  My students are constantly referring to these.  I always leave them up and visible - even during assessments.  My motto is...look around the room and find your answers.

 Instruments are set up on the far side of the room.  Sometimes I arrange them perpendicular to the board as shown.  Other times, I set them up parallel to board.  It usually depends on my mood and what we're working on.

 When we study our composers, I call students over to the Composer Corner.  Until we begin our units, I'll keep this special composer disguised.  Something new this year...I decided to hang my hand drums.  I've got 8 or so up on the wall, and it looks cool:)
 Students in 4th - 6th grades will learn seven compositions and composers this year.  Displayed above the chalkboards are posters with each set.  These composers will also remained disguised until it's time to reveal. 

More anchor charts below the chalkboards for student use.  MUSIC letters are for 1st-3rd behavior charts.  Letters come down as needed to remind students of inappropriate classroom behaviors.
 
 
 When students line up to exit the room, I've got a few fun posters hanging here, plus our MUSIC Rules.  For the younger students, we chant "Bye Bye Butterfly" as they leave.  All students take advantage of the Attention Grabbers on the smaller poster.
 
 From my desk area, this is an overview of my room.  I'm fortunate to have a Promethean board where a lot of our "learning" time is done, and then we use every bit of our classroom space for application.
 
Thank you for touring my Star Wars music space this year.  If you decorated with Music Jedi products, I'd love to see how you incorporated them into your own classroom.  Please visit my Facebook page, The Bates Clef, to enter a raffle for a $10 credit to my store.  All you have to do is post some pics.  Easy as that!
The contest will end on Aug 31st.  Thanks for visiting:)


I've linked up with Mrs. King's Music Room for What's On Your Wall?  Click on the pic above to check out some other great looking classrooms!

TEXAS Size Link-up {Finger Plays In Music}

 Howdy y'all!  I'm joining in this Texas-Size link-up to bring a little love from the DFW area.  Though I typically discuss music products, I have a an #Idea for the general ed classroom too.  For the younger students, music is an integral part of their daily learning.  Why not incorporate some musical elements into their core curriculum? 

 Finger Plays in Music offers the opportunity for students to learn simple poetry while adding movements, learning about syllables/beat, practicing different sounds with their voices, and more.

Included in this file are 40+ pages with 6 songs/poems, movement instructions, and an activity sheet for each.  For more information and previews, go to Finger Plays In Music.  Follow The Bates Clef on Facebook and TpT for latest news and updates.  Share with a Music Teacher friend for music related products and more.

Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win Finger Plays in Music.

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July Small Goals

Join me, and others, as we link up with Jennifer @ The Yellow Brick Road this month to reveal our small goals.   

Taking a look back at June, I wrote about 4 goals I had for the month.  The outcome wasn't surprising....check it out.

1.  Blogging, blogging, blogging.  Breaking News!  This just in....I blogged a grand total of 5 times in June.  Most were small and related to a giveaway, but I did it.  Yay!

2.  Lose Weight, Feel Better.  Ummm.  Well...this may need to roll over to July.  Not much to say about that.

3. Get creative.  I have done quite a bit of creating for TpT this summer.  I added several products to my store, and have even cleaned up a few old ones. 

4.  De-clutter and organize.  Kids' rooms cleaned?  CHECK!  Closets organized?  CHECK!  Elimination of unwanted stuff?  CHECK!  All in all, it's been a good month for this one.

 

Now for JULY goals!

 

1.  Lose Weight, Feel Better.  I might as well drop this one down and carry it over.  Though I didn't lose any weight last month, I did begin a walk/run routine with my middle child.  We got up early, before the day was too hot, and did our thing.  It was good for both of us to get our bodies moving and our mouths talking.

 

 2. Vaca with the Hubs.  In June the hubs and I celebrated our 20th year anniversary.  We had planned to take a trip to Mexico, but it just didn't pan out.  Now, we've got a date planned in Orange Beach, Alabama.  No.  It's not Mexico, but it is time away from our daily schedules.  The best part.....wait for it..... NO CHILDREN!!  Technically, this isn't really a goal, but to me, if we make it there and back with no roadblocks (i.e. emergencies or last minute schedule changes) then it's a huge accomplishment.

 

3.  Begin working on my classroom.  I don't want to begin this too early in July, but definitely toward the end.  The past few years, I've waited until our teacher workdays.  It was too stressful on me trying to get everything done in the short amount of time.  If I spend a few hours at school, here and there, before actually reporting in, I think I won't be so rushed.

 

4.  More family time = less technology time.  This is such a challenge, for not only me, but many of us out there.   I love my technology.  My kids are addicted to technology.  I'll miss something important and fall out of the loop if I'm not plugged into technology.  Ugh.  I made a change in the house recently.  Hang with me for a minute while I give some back story.  Three years ago, my family of 5 moved into a small duplex with great plans to purchase a house within a year.  Without going into details, we are still here, and getting more cramped by the minute.  Our little children have grown big.  Our living room seating can accommodate 4, and our kitchen table can as well (no space for the leaf insert to make table larger.)  So, as a result, the three kids ate at the table every night, while hubs and I ate on the couch with t.v. blaring.  HATED IT!  Fast forward to July 1st...with the kids on their phones constantly, I felt we were missing out on a huge part of their lives, and momma wasn't happy.   So....we added the leaf in the table (yes, our space is more crowded), turned off the tv and phones, brought the food to the table, served around the table asking "please pass the..." and "thank you", and we've actually had some quality, lengthy dinner-time conversations.  Hallelujah!  With hectic school/activity schedules on the horizon, my hope is to unplug more and cherish our family times around the table as much as possible.

 

Stay tuned for an update on meeting my goals.  

I would invite you over for dinner, but with my happy family now in place, you'll just have to wait :)

 

 

June: Small Goals

 Join me, and others, as we link up with Jennifer @ The Yellow Brick Road this month to reveal our small goals.

1.  Blogging, blogging, blogging.  

     Let's admit it....I'm not great at blogging.  I don't do it often.  I'm not a great writer.  To be honest, I don't really have that much to say sometimes.  With all of that, I truly enjoy reading and browsing through other blogs, whether it's music education related or not.  So....one of my June small goals is to add a few more posts here and there.

2.  Lose Weight, Feel Better.

     It's funny (not ha, ha funny.)  One would think that being up on your feet all day teaching, while dancing and playing games with the children, would eliminate the possibility of gaining weight from Aug through May/June.  Not.true.  I don't know if I eat more during the school year or what, but it's not cool.  This month, I'm going to start small and try to lose a few pounds to get me going in the right direction again.

3. Get creative.

    During the school year my life is super busy with not only school stuff, but also my family.  Running three kids around to various activities and keeping up with the house gets crazy (can I get an AMEN from any of you?)  As a result, my creative juices are flowing in areas other than TpT.  I put out very few products during the year, most of which, is out of desperation because I need them for my students and can't find anything else to fit our needs.  This goal has been met already because I've began a Star Wars themed classroom set to use in the fall.  Knowing that people in general won't be as passionate about Star Wars as I, it's a goal to continue creating things that will be useful for others too.

4.  De-clutter and organize.

      My intentions have been good.  My plan was to begin organizing this week while 2 of my 3 are off to camp.  So far, it's Tuesday afternoon and I haven't even began.  Could it be because I'm working to reach goal #1?  Probably so.  Anyway, much like my creativity falls by the wayside, Aug-June becomes a dumping ground for papers, backpacks, junk, clothes, (insert other things here) in the house and closets.  I especially have one closet that is our "store all", "who knows what's in there" closet.  Honestly, I've opened the door a couple of times, then just decided to close it again.  My mantra....I think I can...I think I can....I don't think I can.  Ugh.  Maybe writing this goal in my blog for others to read will get me motivated to some extent.  

Stay tuned for an update on meeting my goals.  

Now....who wants to come over and help me clean out that closet??!!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Don't you just love Spring?  It's my absolute favorite season of the year.  The birds are singing a sweet song, the flowers are blooming in bright colors, and the students are climbing up the walls.  Hold on!  That last statement is NOT actually one of the many reasons I love Spring.  In fact, I'm going bananas at the current moment.  The kids and I have Spring fever.  The only cure I can think of to give me some sanity is a shopping spree to Teachers Pay Teachers.  You heard me right!  A shopping spree!  Would you like to join in on the fun?  I hope your wishlist is full, because I'm teaming up with some fabulous music teachers to host an AWESOME GIVEAWAY!  Two lucky winners will each receive a $50 gift certificate to TpT.  Who wouldn't enjoy some free resources?  All you have to do is enter the raffle below.  Visit some of my friends on their blog, Facebook, or TpT stores for more entries.  Good luck to you and Happy Spring :)  

Want to see what's on my wishlist?  Take a look at my shopping cart below...  

Dance Josey....

     This is one of my favorite songs to teach.  All ages enjoy singing and playing this fun tune.  I definitely want this resource for my students to have a visual.

Favorite Folks Songs - Leading Ladies!....

       Frankly, I don't teach enough folk songs.  I'm looking forward to this resource simply to educate the students about the background, and we'll have some fun, new movement activities too.

Stars and Stripes Forever Listening Activity....

      This is one of my Music Memory pieces for 4th-6th grade students.   It will be nice to have some new listening activities for my students to make connections with the music.

What's on your wishlist?

     

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New Year GIVEAWAY Frenzy!!

Join the FRENZY!
I am super-excited to join some friends and fellow music educators for a Follower and Feedback GIVEAWAY!  Whoop Whoop ;)
Entry is simple.
Prizes are $10 credit to our TpT stores.
What a FANTABULOUS way to begin the new year! 

 

Follow, follow me!

   

You can learn about new products, free stuff, GIVEAWAYS (like this one!), and about me and my classroom just by following me on Facebook, Blogger, TpT, and Pinterest!  Come along and join the fun.

Feed me!

It's really easy to leave feedback on TpT purchases.  Just a simple click rating system, plus a few helpful comments, and voila.....feedback is done!  The best part is your return of TpT credits to be used for other products on the site.  Now, who doesn't want to get free credits?  Not only that, but it truly does help to get useful feedback for future creations.  Be mindful though, your rating and feedback helps others determine whether or not to look into my products.   Please be kind.  If there is a major issue, I would prefer to handle it through the "Ask a Question" tab.  Any and all things can be corrected without jeopardizing my store :)

It's Your turn!

Entering the GIVEAWAY is easy as pie.  Follow the steps on my Rafflecopter and receive an entry for each completed section.  When you've finished entering, visit one of my FABULOUS music friends by clicking on the links below.  Visit their sites and participate in their own giveaways!  Sounds like fun doesn't it.  Well, don't delay.  Get your clicking fingers ready to go.

Best of luck to you all!

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An InLinkz Link-up

Steady Beat Review and Practice

 School is into full swing now and my schedule reflects the busyness of not only teaching, but also keeping up with my own children and their activities.  Whew!  I think some time management tweaking is in order.

In the first weeks of school, I've been reviewing/teaching steady beat with the students.  The first grade "babies" have caught on faster than in the previous years.  It seems this group of students has a stronger internal beat than their predecessors.  Yea!

First and Second grades practiced on beat sheets with partners and independently multiple times.  We used strips for "Engine Engine", "Queen Queen Caroline", "Bee Bee Bumblebee",  and "Cobbler Cobbler."  

 








Students enjoyed learning the Cobbler Cobbler game and have asked to play each time they come to class.  We also played Bee Bee Bumblebee in a circle, eliminating one player on the word "out."  When the circle was down to three or four players, students made predictions about who they thought would be out next.

Third grade students learned "Benjamin Franklin" and practiced passing the ball on the steady beat around the circle.


 


As each student was eliminated, they chose a percussion instrument to play and help keep the beat while the others continued passing the ball in the circle.

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth grades sang the African song, "Obwisana," while passing sticks on the floor.  I introduced/reviewed macrobeat and microbeat, and we practiced both as I called out commands.  The macrobeat was super fun and easy once we got in the groove, but the microbeat was a bit of a challenge as several students weren't able to keep up.  To keep them listening even more, toward the end of our activity, I added a "reverse" call and the students changed directions passing their sticks.  

All in all, we got a lot of laughs and had a great time.

 Click on the picture above to view this blog post

 and others on a music education link-up!