Versatile Blogger Award

I love blogging about my professional life: piano and preschool music, so I am thrilled to receive the Versatile Blogger Award from Heidi from her blog: Heidi's Piano Studio.  

Here is how this award works:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic for whatever reason! (In no particular order…)
4. Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

Thank you Heidi for recognizing my blog.  I have loved looking through Heidi's Piano Studio. She has some wonderful ideas and a love for children.  I especially like her focus on the pre- reading little ones :)

1. I am a mother of three very busy children: Jacob who is 6, Elizabeth who is 11 and soon to be 14 year old Christina.  They all have red hair and are all very different.  The two eldest play piano (YEAH!) and the youngest loves to dance and sing while they play.

2. I am the eldest of three kids and have a wonderful, supportive family.  I love to organize and plan things (especially vacations).  Here are some pictures of some recent vacations we took as a family.

Jacob enjoying the waves at Myrtle Beach

My husband and meat the Outer Banks

We had a great time at Disney World in 2009

3. I have been married to my wonderful husband for over 15 years.  He is a police attorney and is the youngest of five.  All of his brother and sisters live in NC and many live in our neighborhood, which makes it easy to find a baby sitter :)

A Christmas Picture of my Husband's Family

4.  I am a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and so is my husband, so needless to say we are big Carolina fans!  Go HEELS!

5. My girls have been involved in several theater productions and I have actually gotten bit by the theater bug as well.  I have shared the stage with my oldest and have gotten to music direct some shows as well.

Christina is playing Dorothy(On the Right) in a CTG Production
of "Dorothy Meets Alice"

Elizabeth (red head in the middle) in Triad Stage's "A Christmas Carol"

6. I play the keyboard  in Francisco Road ( A Christian Rock Band).  My husband is the lead singer and my daughter also helps out with vocals.  We have played around our area and have a wonderful time performing.  You can see more about us at www.franciscoroad.com

7. I plan on redecorating the inside of my house this year!  So I will be looking at some decorating blogs :)  Wish me luck!

I have been following many website and blogs for years, using their wonderfully ideas in my studio.  Many times it has inspired me to create a game or activity of my own.  Thank you to all the wonderful, creative people who take time to share their ideas!


Versatile Blogger Award:
1. Fenwick Piano Studio
2. The Music Box
3. The Music Hub
4. The Elementary Music Teachers Blog
5. Evolving Music

Practice Incentive Chart

My old method of rewarding students work was to have their parents sign their practice goal sheet.  I would assign various goals: Say note names 3 times, Count out loud, Sing the words and play.  Students would check off that goal and then get a prize if all the goals were checked off.  Some diligent students would always come in with their goals completed, while others came to their lesson and the practice assignment hadn't been touched.  Sometimes I would write a question on the assignment just to check and see if anyone was reading them.  So after reading many blogs and articles, I came up with a program that will work with my current prize system and practice assignments.

The students each have a sticker chart (seen below) and they are awarded a sticker for completing the various activities.  Once they fill up the sticker chart, they are awarded a prize.  The great thing about this incentive program, is it focuses on the display of the practice goal and not how many times they practiced it.  I will see if they can name their notes names, count out loud, etc. . and if they complete the goal to my satisfaction they will get a sticker.

They get awarded stickers for other achievements as well: Completing theory, learning a scale or warm up, composing a song, etc. . .

I am going to be updating my prizes.  Since the student won't be getting a prize every week, I would like to have some nicer prizes.  I have the standard candy and pens, and some silly bands but, I would like to get some things the older teenager would like.  Any suggestions?

Incentive Chart Google Docs
Practice Incentive Chart


Here is a blank incentive chart for you to put your own goals in.
Blank Incentive Chart Google Docs
Blank Practice Incentive Chart

Mitten Songs

Mittens on My Hands (sung to The Wheels on the Bus). 

The mittens on hands cover my fingers

The hat on my head covers my ears...

The scarf around my neck is oh so long...

The boots on my feet jump in the snow...

The coat on my body keeps me warm

Teaching Ideas:

1. Have the clothing items in the song and dress yourself or a child

Mittens Mittens

Mittens Mittens for the snow time, when the world is white.
Mittens for my two hands, (hold up hands)
Mittens left & right (show left & right)
Mittens with a thumb place (show thumb)
Mittens warm and snug
Mittens make me feel like a bug inside a rug (hug self)

Three Little Kittens (tune-Three Blind Mice)

Three little kittens, Three little kittens.

Lost their mittens, Lost their mittens.

They all ran around with their tails in the air.

Looking for their mittens everywhere.

They found them hiding under the chair.

Those three little kittens,  Those three little kittens.

Teaching Ideas:

1. Talk about the way kittens and mittens rhyme.  Can you think of an animal that rhymes with hat? (rat, cat, bat) How about coat?  (goat)

2. Hide the items and have three children go look for them

The Mitten: for Jan Brett's The Mitten
(to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell")

The mitten on the ground.
The mitten on the ground.
Brrr- Brrr It's cold outside.
The mitten on the ground.
The (mole) snuggles in.
The (mole) snuggles in.
Brrr- Brrr  It's cold outside.
The (mole) snuggles in.
(After the last animal, all pretend to sneeze and fall out of the mitten.) 

Teaching Ideas:

1. Sing the song as you read the book

2. Have a white table cloth and have students pretend to be the different animals in the mitten

Mitten Mates Sung to: "If You're Happy And You Know It"
Each mitten has a mate, has a mate.
Each mitten has a mate, has a mate.
Can (child's name) find the pair?
(He/She) is looking here and there.
Can (child's name) find the mate.
Find the mate? 

Have several pairs of mittens for the children to match.  You could make some on card stock or have the children bring in some mittens from home.

Use this template to make patterns on mittens

Mittens

Winter Pokey

You put your right mitten in,

You take your right mitten out.

You put your right mitten in,

And you shake it all about.

You do the winter pokey, [shiver]

And you turn yourself around.

That's what it's all about!

Others Include:

You put your left mitten in....

You put your right boot....

You put your left boot....

You put your winter hat in....

You put your snowsuit (whole body) in....

Dressed and Undressed 

The day is cloudy and the wind is bold. 

Dress up warmly, you mustn't get cold!
Put on your coat and zip it up tight, 

Put on your left boot, put on your right.
Put on your scarf and put on your hat, 

(ut on your mittens and clap-clap-clap!
Go outside and play and play. 

Come in again, and then we'll say-
Take off your coat that was zipped up tight, 

Take off your left boot, take off your right.
Take off your scarf, take off your hat,

Take off your mittens, and then take a nap! 

Act out this fun action poem.

Recommended Reading

1. The Mitten by Jan Brett

2. Three Little Kittens by Paul Galdone

3. The Missing Mitten Mystery by Steven Kellogg

4. One Mitten by Kristine O'Connell

Piano Assignment Sheets

Here are some new piano assignment sheets I created for the new year.  I don't stress the amount of time a student must practice, but rather goals to accomplish for that week.  I inserted a staff and keyboard at the bottom, which will really come in handy.

My first assignment sheet has an example of how I use it.  For elementary students, many times the goals are the same for each piece, so to save time I assign the same goal for each piece.  Sometimes that goal will not apply, so I cross it out.  I use a practice incentive and check for different goals to see if the student can accomplish it.  They get a sticker for doing this.  I encourage them to check off the goal when they have done it, but this does not always get done.

For older students, their goals become more piece driven, so I have more space to write out details I want them to focus on.  The gray shaded area is for the name of the piece.  I like using post its as well and colored pencils to remind the students of things to work on.


Piano Assignment Sheet 2011 on Google Docs

Piano Assignment Sheet 2011


Piano Assignment Sheet Example on Google Docs
Piano Assignment Sheet 2011 Example


Piano Assignment Sheet Advanced on Google Docs
Piano Assignment Sheet Advanced 2011

Christmas Circle of Fifths

Here is a fun activity that has students filling out the circle of fifths with ornaments around a wreath.  The student chooses an ornament and places it in the correct circle on the wreath.  You can have the ornaments all out on the table for the students to put them in order or the student can pick one at a time (a little harder).   I glued my ornaments to bottle tops for a more sturdy playing piece.

Christmas Circle of 5ths

I put my bottle cap ornaments in a peanut jar covered in Christmas wrapping paper.

Students picked one ornament and placed it on the wreath.

They continued until they completed the circle of fifths with note names.

 Then they added the key signatures on top.

Then they advanced to minor key signatures.

Christmas Songs

There's A Little Elf Sitting On My Nose

There's a little elf sitting on my nose

There's a little elf sitting on my nose

He is sitting on my nose, then off away he goes

There's a little elf sitting on my nose

There's a little elf sitting on my knee

There's a little elf sitting on my knee

He is sitting on my knee, then off away he flees

There's a little elf sitting on my knee

There's a little elf sitting on my head

There's a little elf sitting on my head

He is sitting on my head, then off he goes to bed

There's a little elf sitting on my head

Idea: Clap or pat twice after each verse.  Use a high "elf voice" to sing the song.

Christmas Cheer Sung to "Mary Had A Little Lamb"

Clap your hands with Christmas Cheer

Christmas Cheer, Christmas Cheer

Clap your hands with Christmas Cheer

Very best time of the year.

Alternatives: Spin around, Bend your knees, Reach up high, Dance around, Pat your knees, March in place, Jump around

Can Eight Brown Reindeer Pull Santa's Sleigh?

Eight brown reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh

One fell down and ran away

The elf called Santa and Santa said

"Can Seven brown reindeer pull Santa's sleigh"

Continue counting until one is left

One brown reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh

He fell down and ran away

The elf called Santa and Santa said

"Call Rudolph!"

Idea: Have eight students line up and each time you take a reindeer away, one student sits down.

Also you could have pictures of eight reindeer or foam reindeers and take one away each time.

Eight Brown Reindeer

Christmas time is here Sung to: "Farmer in the Dell"

Christmas time is near.
Christmas time is near.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Christmas time is near.

It’s time to trim the tree.
It’s time to trim the tree.
Merry Christmas everyone.
It’s time to trim the tree.

It’s time to wrap the gifts.
It’s time to wrap the gifts.
Merry Christmas Everyone.
It’s time to wrap the gifts.

It’s time to hang the stocking.
It’s time to hang the stocking.
Merry Christmas everyone.
It’s time to hang the stocking.

Santa will soon be here.
Santa will soon be here.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Santa will soon be here. 

Christmas Train with New Easy Level!

Can you help Santa get the presents to the right house?  Match the notes to the correct train car.  You should be able to print out the train and put it together in one long row.

Game idea: Take turns placing the presents on the train.  Whoever gets the last card on the train wins that pile.  Whoever has the most piles wins!  I made extra presents so you can have at least five of each note.  You can also make extra copies to have the number of presents you need.

Christmas Train