#39 Program Ideas A-M (2024)

For further ideas, see #40 Program Ideas N-Z, For 'Musicals,' see #12 Elementary Repertoire
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GENERAL

See also file #53, #54, #55 Theme Music and #32 Multicultural Ideas

FIRST GRADERS: present at the Grandparent luncheon in November and sing songs related to their core knowledge units, along with a Grandparent song and "Over the River".
SECOND GRADERS: present during a Mother's day luncheon. They sing a song called "Hats off to Mothers" and then teach moms (dads, aunts, uncles, or grandparents who attend) to dance La Raspa.
THIRD GRADERS: present the Christmas holiday program, which entails a musical, usually from Teresa Jennings!

FOURTH/FIFTH GRADE CHORUS marimba band and orchestra also perform for the Holiday program. The 4th graders also partcipate in a Mid-evil extravaganza operated by the classroom teachers and the PE teacher, along with recorder songs. The 5th graders present a mass concert with all of the 5th graders in our district. They also choose to participate in the 4th and 5th grade spring musical program.
KINDERGARTEN students finish off the year with a program which includes many songs from their core knowledge units. The kids love to perform and like you, I feel that performing is the culmination of all of our efforts. It definitely provides a fabulous format for a public relations activity with the community. We have had very positive results passing our bonds and I like to think that part of it is the rapport that we have developed with the parents through out musical performances.
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01/02 WHO DOES WHAT? It is difficult at times, but it always works. I usually have about 80 kids to work with. So, maybe, 10 will do a dance, 10 will play instruments on a song, 9 will sing trios on verses, 15 will speak, 10 will hold up letters, signs, etc...For example on Bluebells - 24 children will play instruments during the speech part with the month names - say 2 woodblocks on "Jan-u-ar-y". It gives each kid (and parent) the feeling that if they don't come to the concert, it will make a difference!
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01/02 FAMILY TRADITIONS: We did a program where the students wrote about their favorite family traditions. Some were very funny and some were quite touching. It was fun to hear some of the traditions that meant a lot to them. We were able to easily fit the songs in with the narration.
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A CHILD'S MID-WINTER CELEBRATION in January, but with six K classes, so that was a bit of a challenge. The K teachers had done a multicultural unit where their classes rotated to each of the other five K classrooms plus their own for 6 days in a row right before Christmas, learning about a different country & holiday in each room. So we decided to have our January program be a demonstration and outgrowth of what they had done.

FOURTH GRADE PROGRAM: The big hit of the evening was a Music k-8 song called "Dance With Your Hands." The kids created the hand movements for the refrain and each of the two verses. I purchased 12 dozen industrial (ie. very cheap) white cotton gloves for $65 (less than 50 cents a pair). They were too big for the kids, so I washed and dried them twice to shrink them. That would have looked good enough, but I rented 3 projection black lights (similar to spots) and we turned out the lights while the gloves glowed in the dark -- the kids had to wear clothing that was dark from the waist up. I had arranged the piece for Orff accompaniment with a lot of Latin percussion instead of using the accompaniment tape. It was a real show stopper! It even came out well on the video tape! (We also did a verse on recorders and had conga drum solos while the kids took off their gloves to put in their pockets to play and to put them back on for the coda. I had purchased fluorescent shoe laces from Oriental Trading Co. for the recorders that also looked great under the black lights.)

PRIMARY: The most well-received spring program I have had was last year's. Instead of driving the kids for weeks and weeks to learn new "canned" songs, I waited until about 3 weeks prior to the program and asked the students what their favorite songs (and activities) from music class were. On slips of paper, each student nominated 5 things for their class. I tallied the results, arranged a program, and it was wonderfull! I kept the tone as informal as possible, talking to the students as well as the audience asprogram went along. Each class got to come on stage and perform 3 selections. The program ended up being nicely varied, with singing, dancing, fingerplays, etc. Since I am at two different schools this year

FIRST AND SECOND GRADE students did a daytime only concert in October based on children's songs in childrens TV shows. We did the Cat Came Back from Fred Penners Place, Skinnamarink from the Sharon Lois and Brham show, The Song that Never Ends from Sheri Lewis, and some cartoon theme songs. It was very well recieved by the audience. My Third, Fourth and Fifth grades are doing a time line program Third grade will start at the end of this month with songs from 1900-1935, Fourth grade continues in February with 1936-1955, and Fifth grade is doing 1856-1999. The band has a concert in January and June. We are using The Future Begins With Us and We Are the People of the Twenty-First Century as our theme songs for all three grades and will close the concert with those numbers.
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KEEP IT SIMPLE: We do two performances per year, in December and May. I keep everything SIMPLE. Each class picks three of their favorite pieces (we're Orff-oriented). One of the other teachers gets some students together to do a short (10-minute) play or pantomime. The art teacher does nice artwork with the kids for the backdrops, and sometimes some simple masks or other costumes/props. The movement teacher picks two of her classes to perform one dance each. We never do a program that lasts more than an hour. We're a small school. One class at each grade level (K-5) plus four preschool classes. Basically the only extra time I spend is two extra two-hour rehearsals to run through the whole program on stage. We devote the two or three weeks before each performance entirely to rehearsing the pieces for the program. It's nice to have the chance to really polish up their favorite things, it's not that much work for me, and the kids LOVE doing the performances. I think it's an important part of our program.

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ALPHABET PROGRAM)

YOU'VE GOT MAIL! A program where each holiday was presented with a mail carrier delivering a card for that particular holiday. I used this idea as a starting point for my program last year. it was good because I could do a variety of songs and also incorporate my hand bell and recorder choirs.ALPHABET: I did an alphabet based program with a kindergarten class several years ago. I used songs that the children already knew, for the most part, that prominently featured each letter. Sitting here at home, I can't remember exactly which songs, but, for instance, for the letter B it might be the song Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee. For the letter J, it might be Jump Jim Joe, or Jogging Jig. For W, it could be Willowbee Wallowbee Woo.... It's kind of late in the year to implement this approach now, unless you can go through the songs you have already taught and identify specific ones for specific letters, but if you start out the school year with this end in mind, you can build towards the performance all year. --- Julie Jones in Williamsburg, VA

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AFTER THE CONCERT (WIND DOWN)

VIDEO: Showing a video of their performance is THE easiest thing to do - - and they're always mesmerized. Leading a discussion and letting them talk about their experience on stage - - how they felt, what was unexpected, what they remember - - is the second easiest, and is likewise pleasant for them. Letting them re-sing their program music can be fun. . . Games are fine, but will require energy and effort on your part - - which is not advised! ! !
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I show our program video if I can get an older student to tape for me. I also show the Wee Sing Christmas video for 1st and 2nd grade. I have a filmstrip set of Christmas customs in cold climates and another one for warm climates that I sometimes use. (Unfortunately I can't always find a projector and record player that work any more! ) We also sing Christmas songs in 2nd grade using words on an overhead projector. Third grade watches The Snowman after their video. The music is beautiful and very descriptive of the action. Fourth grade watches the live-action video about the mouse who "wrote"Silent Night. Can't remember the name now. Of course I explain what really happened a nd we also go to the Silent Night web site and look at the real town. Fifth grade watches the video Amahl and the Night Visitors and follow along with the script. 3,4,&5 also played Christmas carol bingo last year on their last day before vacation.
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GAME: How about a game of Musical Christmas Outburst? Divide class into two teams. Each team gets a minute to try to name the ten items in the category they draw. They get one point for every item they name. You can play this for as long as you like, as long as you give each team the same amount of turns. I made up my own cards...my family helped me while riding in the car, and the teachers at lunch time came up with ideas, too. Some of my categories are: Secular Christmas songs, Things my true love gave to me Christmas activities, Things associated w/reindeer Nutcracker Suite, Things associated w/the Nativity, Things found in the house associated w/Christmas, Things associated w/a Christmas tree 10 Words spelled w/the letters of Christmas Song titles w/the word 'Christmas' in them(For Outburst, I put the ten items on cards and laminated; then used water based markers or crayons to mark off the answers. Also, these are just MY 10 items....I'm sure you've got some better or different ideas - feel free to substitute....these are just to help you get started)

Sacred Christmas Carols , 1. Silent Night, 2. Joy To The World , 3. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, 4. The First Noel , 5. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear , 6. O, come All Ye Faithful , 7. What Child Is This? , 8. O Little Town of Bethlehem , 9. We Three Kings , 10. Away in a Manger

Secular Christmas Songs
1.Jingle Bells , 2. 12 Days of Christmas , 3. Up On the Housetop , 4.We Wish You A Merry Christmas , 5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town , 6. Frosty, the Snowman , 7. Winter Wonderland , 8. Silver Bells , 9. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer , 10 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Things Associated with the Nativity
1.Baby Jesus, 2. Joseph, 3.Mary , 4. Star , 5. Wise Men/Kings , 6. Animals , 7. Stable , 8. Shepherds , 9. Manger , 10. Angels

Nutcracker Suite , 1. Ballet , 2. Dr. Drosselmeyer , 3. Mouse King , 4. Russian Dance , 5. Tchaikovsky , 6. Sugar Plum Fairy , 7. Nutcracker , 8. Chinese Dance , 9. Clara/Maria , 10. Soldiers

Things Associated w/Reindeer
1. Rudolph , 2. Santa Claus , 3. Cupid , 4.Vixen , 5. Dasher , 6. Sleigh , 7. Donner , 8. Blitzen , 9. Prancer , 10. Comet

Christmas Activities
1. Christmas Caroling , 2. Decorating the tree , 3. Christmas Eve church , 4. Exchanging gifts
5. Shopping
6. Baking cookies
7. Wrapping gifts
8. Visiting relatives
9. Writing letters to Santa
10. Sending Christmas cards

Things Associated w/a Christmas Tree
1. Star , 2. Ornaments , 3. Angel , 4. Lights , 5. Tree Stand , 6. Tinsel/Icicles , 7. Garland , 8. Candy Canes, 9. Tree Skirt , 10. Gifts

Things My 'True Love Gave to Me"
1. A partridge.... , 2. 5 golden rings , 3. 4 calling birds , 4. 8 maids a-milking , 5. 11 pipers piping , 6. 12 drummers... , 7. 7 swans a-swimming , 8. 10 lords a-leaping , 9. 2 turtle doves , 10. 9 ladies waiting

Things found in the house associated w/Christmas
1. Wreath , 2. Christmas tree , 3. Food , 4. Christmas cards , 5. Mistletoe , 6. Nativity , 7. Stockings , 8. Gifts/Presents , 9. Christmas Lights , 10. Evergreens/Greenery

Words spelled w/the letters of Christmas (write 'Christmas' on the board first)
1. Hat , 2. Cat , 3. Rat , 4. Ram , 5. Car , 6. Star , 7. Mist , 8. Mass , 9. Ham , 10. Stir--*This is actually hard to get many points because of the many possibilities.

Songs w/the word 'Christmas' in the title
1. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas , 2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting....) , 3. 12 Days of Christmas , 4. O Christmas Tree , 5. We Wish You a Merry Christmas , 6. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree , 7. All I Want for ChristmasAre My 2 Front Teeth , 8.I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day , 9.Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, 10.I'll Be Home For Christmas

PICTIONARY SONG TITLES TO DRAW:
We Three Kings; Jingle Bells; Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow; Sleigh Ride, Joy to the World, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Winter Wonderland, Up on the Housetop, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, What Child is This? O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silver Bells, Away in a Manger, All I Want For Christmas Are My 2 Front Teeth, 12 Days of Christmas (remember, no letters of numbers can be used!!), Rudolph, Silent Night, Deck the Halls, Frosty, the Snowman, etc

CHRISTMAS PICTIONARY/Win-Lose-Draw: Make up Christmas song titles that they have to draw on board and their team tries to guess. They get a minute to guess. A point for every correct answer. Or...if you don't want song titles, just write up names of Christmas items to draw.
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I try to get the concert videotaped, so we can watch it together and critique the event. Then we write thank you notes to all who helped ( pianist, sound and light guy, their teachers, any parents who helped move instruments or decorate) They make them out of construction paper. Depending on time left -before break, ( I refuse to start any new concepts then) we might do a thing with the 12 days of Christmas. I have several different arrangements they listen to, then we make a giant tree ( out of that big roll paper), and each child is assigned to a group to create something from the Twelve Days, like 5 golden rings, and attach it to our tree. That gets them into my craft box and keeps them happy. Or sometimes we will do somethings from the Nutcracker.
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Would you consider some of those fun Disney Christmas Sing-a-Long videos? They are such fun and the kids love to sing with them.Or, could you show one of the holiday specials? There are so many!

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ANNOUNCEMENTS AT A PROGRAM

"At this time, please turn all pagers, cell phones, and crying babies to the vibrate mode." - Contributed by Beth Lynn
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Why not write something in the program ~ "Special Thanks" ~ and then list the people one under the other (center it on the page) . Then you could have a general "Thanks" section where you can include "everybody else" !! That's what I do ( I still talk though and probably shouldn't :) ) Really, write something down - prepared - and make it short like "Thank you for being such a wonderful audience and to our veterans, thank you for all you have done for our country. It was very special for the boys and girls of ................School to honor you this evening!" That's just me writing without REALLY knowing all the details. What I am saying is, WRITE your thanks in the program and take some pressure off yourself. If you are this anxious about speaking, have something prepared and in front of you. Keep it short! - Contributed by Kathleen Bragle

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AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE

04/03 I use a good audience manners chart in my music room. It stays posted on the wall.

GOOD AUDIENCE MANNERS
Watch (picture of two eyes)
Listen (picture of two ears)
Respect (picture of a heart)
Appreciate (two hands clapping)
We review this EVERY time someone performs OR we listen to a selection of classical music which we do EVERY week.The classroom teachers like the chart so much they use it in their classrooms, too. It's simple and to the point.-- Contributed by Nancy Crenshaw
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01/02 Prior to the first number, I often tell the audience about my experience as a parent. (Receiving looks from other parents because I was talking during their child's performance!) I tell them this to (hopefully) make them aware it's very easy to do and does bother other listeners as well as affect the performance.
I then tell them if they see my hand up, "Cease and Desist!"
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01/02 QUIET PLEASE!! When I did the my opening greeting, I humorously pointed out that I had had several parents come in with very interesting conversations on their camcorders... that the mikes are more sensitive than one might think! The audience was sooooo quiet .....guess it worked.
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01/02 RAP RULES: I have arranged the concert so that the students on the risers become the audience and the audience becomes the performers during one part of the show. Right before they "trade," the students have a pretend Mom and Dad that go over good, audience etiquette rules. They do this as a rap. I put a background beat on the keyboard and then the father says a line and the students/children on the risers repeat whatever the "father' says. It's a cute way to remind the real audience what is expected.
The lead-in line said by Dad: "We are going to a concert and Mom and I want to go over good audience rules with you before we leave:"
Begin the background beat: TEACHER SAYS "One, Two,
Ready start....
Before the performance begins (repeat)
Talk real quiet with your friends (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
When the show has first begun (repeat)
Use your ears to have your fun. (repeat)
When you whisper very low (repeat)
You distract from the people in the show. (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
Once the performance starts, (repeat)
Do not break the performer's hearts. (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
Don't leave your seat! Don't comb your hair! (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
Don't talk on the cell phone, (CLAP) - be fair! (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
If we get to the concert late, (repeat)
Take the time to hesitate (repeat)
Enter only in-between (repeat)
Each and every song or scene. (repeat)
(Wait four beats)
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COMMANDMENTS: 1. Thou shalt not talk.
2. Thou Shalt Not Hum. Sing. Nor Tap Thy Fingers or Feet.
3. Thou Shalt Not Have Anything in Thy Mouth. M
4. Thou Shalt Not Wear Watches with alarms nor jangle thy jewelry.
5. Thou shalt not open and close they purse nor rip open the velcro wallet.
6. Thou shalt not sigh with boredom.
7. Thou shalt not applaud between movements.
8. Thou shalt not embarrass they teacher nor they school
9. Thou shalt not embarrass they teacher nor they school.
10. Thou shalt not read nor play with a toy in they pocket.
thou shalt not og to the concert determined that thou art going to hate the music.

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ASSESSING PROGRAMS

I do this and have them fill out a short self-evaluation something like this....
I sang with my very best singing voice. :-) :-| :-(
I used my eyes and face to express the words of the song. :-) :-| :-(
I used good posture while singing. :-) :-| :-(
My eyes were focused on Mrs. King during the performance. :-) :-| :-(
I remember all (or most) of the words to the songs. :-) :-| :-(
I was a good audience member for the other performers. :-) :-| :-(
I use the smiley face wingdings font to make a smiley, straight and frowny
face.
Sometimes times I would make a row of circles and have them fill in a number of circles to represent the percentage of yes or no to the statement. For example:
My eyes were focused on Mrs. King during the performance.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
No
Yes
These kinds of options were good for K-2. We have such a HUGE range between the good readers and the not-so-good readers that pictures and graphics work much better than words or numbers! :-)
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12/11 If your students have performed in a holiday concert, give them the opportunity to identify and give examples of their strengths and areas for growth as musical performers and as audience members. There are different ways that they can evaluate their performance.
Discussion (The teacher could ask the class questions.) For example
-If you were to perform this song again, what would you change and why?
-What parts of the song did you find challenging?
-What parts of the song did you find most interesting to sing? Why?

Quick Self-Assessment
Show me 1 finger if you didn’t sing.
Show me 2 fingers if you sang, but you didn’t try your best.
Show me 3 fingers if you tried your very best, and sang with your best singing voice.
Use 1 finger, 2 fingers, 3 fingers as a reflective response for many other areas:
Were you a good listener in the concert?
Did you like the way you performed in the Christmas concert?
Did you behave well for the substitute teacher yesterday?
When you were moving, did you try your best?
Written Self-evaluation (This is from Dec. Musicplay 6)

I sang with my very best singing voice.
Always ___ Almost always ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
I used my eyes and face to express the words of the song.
Always ___ Almost always ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
I used good posture while singing.

Always ___ Almost always ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
My eyes were focused on the conductor during the performance.
Always ___ Usually ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
I remember all (or most) of the words to the songs.
Always ___ Usually ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
I was a good audience member for the other performers.
Always ___ Usually ___ Sometimes ___ Seldom ___
----- Denise Gagne www.musicplay.ca Musicplay – the Sequential Text Series [emailprotected] 888-562-4647

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STUDENT ATTENDANCE AT PROGRAMS

09/03 Here is one of my letters I used last year. I usually send out 2 letters: one 4 weeks before show time and the 2nd one a week before the show. I also post the information in the school bulletin as soon as I have the dates set. I also consitently remind the students about the date and how it's very important for them to attend. We talk about the effects of when someone doesn't show up.

It’s Show time! Mark your calendars! The date is set! Our musical: “Power of Music” will be performed for you on February 11th, 2003 at 7:00p.m in the gym. There will also be two daytime performances the first one is from 1:10p.m ¬1:55p.m and the second one is at 2:00p.m ¬2:45p.m. You are welcome to attend the daytime performances especially if you’re not able to make the evening performance. It is very important that all third graders participate in all performance because everyone has an important role to play to make this musical a success. Students need to wear their best clothes. Remember that this is a public performance so they need to look nice. I would like to have all thirdgrades in the music room at 6:45 p.m. We will take attendance at this time. Won’t you please come and share this musical performance with us?
We’re looking forward to seeing you! - Contributed by Tami Mangusso

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BARBERSHOP

07/03 If you are lucky enough to live near a community Barbershop chorus, invite them to sing with your elementary students (4th and 5th is what I use.) My students will learn the melody to all the songs, mostly holiday songs arranged in barbershop style, and the barbershoppers will sing the harmony. The sound is awesome! The men love it and the students are amazed at the wonderful blend of voices. And, it is a wonderful experience conducting all those men! (About 35 men volunteered to participate the last time we did it.)

The director of the Barbershop chorus (Akron Ohio's Derbytown Chorus) will send me the music, I'll teach the melody to my students and we'll have one practice prior to the night concert. (Actually they will come to each of my two schools and do the daytime show too.)When I did this before we also did a play about the barbershop in Mayberry, but I'm not going to do a play this time. This time it will truly be a choral concert, with a little bit of barbershop humor and small skits explaining about the barbershop organization.-- Contributed by Pamela Rezach

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BLACKLIGHTS: SONGS

12/07 RESOURCE: In Musick8 and Music Express there are some cool play alongs (MK8 has Jingle Jive and Music Express has had one almost every issue.) You could do a play along and have the students wear white gloves so all the audience sees is the kids making the patterns on the Orff instruments. -- Dianne Park President, San Diego American Orff Schulwerk Association
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12/07 DONA NOBIS PACEM: I did this song and had the students wear white gloves and do signlanguage with a black light. They wore black clothes, so all you could see were the gloves. It was really cool.
My cousin uses glow-in-the dark dowel rods with interpretive movement in his Christian ministries. This idea could be adapted to any type of song.
Christian ministry that uses dowel rod interpretive movement, sign language and other interpretive dance.http://www.saltandlightmin.org/ -- Dee Tiller
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TALKING WITH YOUR HANDS: We have sung this song by Hank Beebe while wearing white gloves and using the black light I did a cup passing activity (similar to "up down bumblebee...) with white cups and white gloves (contact your local quilting guild for low cost white gloves) to Sousa's (always directed w/white gloves) "Stars and Stripes Forever" (at least I think that's what she used. It was pretty cool.
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SONG, LIGHTS: "I Can Learn" MK8 song vol. 14:1 Plank Road Publishing http://www.musick8.com/ We had signers in front. We ended up with 5 24inch tubes (3 overhead and 2 as footlights) and 6 round black bulb footlights. We had 6 kids out front signing with white gloves on. The chorus uniform is black pants and a white uniform polo shirt, so we threw big black t-shirts over the signers' chorus shirts for this song and the gloves showed up GREAT! The white shirts on the chorus in the background showed up brightly, but everything else didn't, so the effect was still good. The chorus had 24 signs with words on them to hold up during the song. I used orange florescent copy paper to die-cut the letters for the words, then glued them on to black poster boards. The kids would hold them up when those words were spoken in the song and it looked like bright orange words were just "popping" out of nowhere! Great effect! We had experimented with various papers - white copy paper is ok but not great; white construction paper does not work! seems to absorb the black light; lime green florescent paper is pretty good; hot pink paper is pretty good. The orange was by far the best. My stage holds 6 risers, hooked together. They stretch from edge to edge, with room to act or dance in front of them. 5 lights worked pretty well. A couple more would be good if I wanted to really highlight the chorus in back. -- Pat Price
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THE LITTLE SNOWFLAKE (MK8 song vol 8:2, Plank Road Publishing http://www.musick8.com/) I used 2 blacklights hung vertically (one under the other) on a wooden pole (35 Kindergarteners, 2 sets of risers 3 steps); I found I needed to use heavy art paper as the copy paper did not show up (too translucent?). I taught them a routine for the ‘dance’ verse and the coda. They held their snowflakes behind them for other parts of the song. -- Sandy Toms
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06/07 DISAPPEAR? There's a way to make someone or something magically appear and disappear on stage with black light. Take a hula hoop and attach black cloth all the way around it that is as long as the person is tall. Then that person steps into the hoop and pulls it up above their head so that he/she is standing inside a "tube" of black cloth. Then that person steps onto the stage and drops the hoop and magically appears. Of course, he/she must be wearing black light apparel. The person can only step onto the stage a couple of steps since he/she can't see where they're going. I had Fruma Sarah magically appear in Fiddler on the Roof and it was so effective. -- Teresa in TN
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10/04 CARNIVAL OF ANIMALS: I used black lights and my students painted glow in the dark fish. I then taught them a dance to the aquarium from Carnival of the Animals using the fish for props. The audience loved it. -- Contributed by Janet Kyle
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09/03 SONG: Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." I had a relatively small group (20 kids or so) on risers with four black lights around them; two directly in front, and one coming in from each side, mounted on ladders. It was fabulous! Everyone loved it, and many of my kids came back and told me that their parents and friends told THEM that they had cried they were so moved! (I had the kids signing only since we were using Lee Greenwood's own recording and it's in a difficult range to sing, although the audience started singing along.) I do this song just like this every concert with my choir. It gets more and more beautiful every time as the kids get more comfortable signing and with the signs we use.
I guess the point is this: black lights and white gloves CAN work, if there are enough black lights AND they are close enough to the students. Also, it helps if the students are wearing black/dark clothing and just have the white on the gloves.-Contributed by Stephanie Menefee
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SNOW & GHOSTBUSTERS: We've used the black lights in a snowflake scene w/ big white snowflakes doing a movement routine in a black "sky", and we once did choreography to "Ghostbusters" theme song w/ white gloves and white socks and the rest of them dark. The kids really liked that one! Another hint - the room has to be absolutely dark or the effect will be spoiled.
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1812 OVERTURE/POM POMS: As part of a play, we did a fireworks dance (using 1812 Overture) with a black light. The kids had yarn pompoms to which streamers painted with flourescent paint dots had been attached. They tossed them way in the air in a sequence. It was gorgeous and very convincing. It was particularly gratifying because this was a HORRIBLE group of 4th graders, and they got a standing ovation. I have put together my own Black Light and set it up on the ceiling with florescent stars etc. I've used it for many things (esp. at halloween).
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SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL + SKELETONS: I used blacklights one year with second graders. We did a dance to this song. The children dressed in black. We cut out skeleons and pinned on their black clothing. The PE teachers helped out by discussing the "technical" names for the bones. (This is how we got away with doing skeletons for halloween.) It was a great hit on stage.

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BLACKLIGHTS: GLOVES

01/07 GLOVES AND MATERIAL: Theatre House Inc.
P.O. Box 2090, 400 W. Third St. Covington, KY 41012-2090 Toll Free Phone: (800) 827-2414
Toll Free Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Fax: (859) 431-1837 Email: [emailprotected]
SOURCE FOR GLOVES: www.bandshoppe.com/
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07/05 SOURCE FOR GLOVES - www.galeton.com
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01/07 GLOVES: Galeton.com I needed 90 pair and they were cheap, but washed up well afterwards. They were really white and glowed very nicely!!! I had some kids bring their own and they looked yellowish instead of bright white. Make sure NO ONE wears any white on their clothes......stripes, etc.....it totally distracts from the hands. -- Leesa in Oregon
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10/04 GLOVES: I have done the blacklight thing with white gloves and found them through "Galeton" The are white cotton inspection gloves that were $2.15 per dozen pair. (They were cheaper than that if you bought multiple dozen)
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PAINTERS HATS: I particularly remember that she used "Dancing on the Rooftop" (Music K-8) and she was able to get a local paint store to donate cheap white painters hats for the kids. They then spattered drops of flourescent paint all over the hats (courtesy of the art teacher). They wore white T-shirts with the logo they had designed for the show printed on them (they used the dancing figure from MK8 for the Rooftop song) and jeans. They turned out all the lights for this number and used black lights which her husband had constructed into boxes at the front of the stage. The effect was phenomenal!!!!! You could also add white gloves and/or white-tipped canes and choreography to really make it super. The white shows up so great under the black lights and the paint drops on the hats were fun to watch.
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05/21 GLOVES: Jeffers Handbell Supply carries white cotton gloves of several styles. The least expensive are the practice gloves. They are unhemmed at the wrist and can be worn on either hand. Sold in dozen and half dozen lots . Check them out at:
http://www.handbellworld.com/ (search "gloves") then scroll down to "gloves, cotton practice)
Also try: http://performance.makesparties.com/ (as of 8/15 $1.29)
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05/21 BRACELETS: With the song, "Dance with Your Hands" (Plank Rd. Publishing: http://www.musick8.com/ ) I ended up buying the glow-in-the-dark bracelets. We did the dance moves in the dark with just the bracelets moving. I brought up the lights on the verse and used the "macarena" moves only on the chorus with the lights darkened. It was fantastic. (I didn't think that the black light would be as effective,as the stage is huge and I couldn't seem to light it enough for all of the kids' hands to be seen - this way, I just had to darken the stage and let the bracelets shine through.)
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01/02 LIGHTS AND SOCKS! With "Dance With Your Hands" (Plank Rd. Pub.- Vol. 7, #4)I used socks on our hands for the black light. No fingers though, if you need fingers. Also, I had 6 - 40(?) inch bulbs. I had 3 old fixtures from ceilings and had 2 bulbs in each fixture. The trick is to make sure no other light is entering the room. Since I was in the cafeteria, I had to cover the candy and drink machines with black paper, plus any windows in doors.
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01/02 DIP IT IN TIDE!!: While working with kids last summer, the kids taught us old folks that anything dipped in liquid Tide (and dried) will shine under black light. Apparently a lot of them have painted things in their rooms that show up only under black light. We wound up soaking lots of cheese cloth in Tide so it would show up under the lights better. This might give you some decorating and costume ideas. We learned it's really important to try everything out well ahead of time-had to add to many of our costumes so they would show up appropriately but our ghosts for the dream sequence of Fiddler were awesome!
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10/04 FABRIC SOFTENER SHOWS UP: One of the most memorable things to NOT do was something about being sure the kids' parents did NOT use fabric softener on the underwear they wear for the black light show, because some of the softeners will make white underwear show up under their clothes. -- Contributed by Carol Cantrell
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FLOURESCENT + WHITE PANTS: For our kindergarten show last year we had the children use flourescent and white paints on a huge backdrop of an underwater scene, then gave 1/2 of them flourescent/light colored scarves to be seaweed sitting on the floor waving their arms. We turned off the lights, and turned on about 6 blacklight tubes as we started "Aquarium" from Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals". The other 1/2 of the group were fish swimming around them to the music (each child had a white fish pinned to them, to glow in the lights). This was part of our program about the childrens book, "Swimmy". This scene was an incredible "Oooohhh" moment!!
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I have also found that factories (specifically a glass shelf factory in Ft. Smith AR where I lived once) have them. I got them to donate several dozen for my bell choir. The unhemmed part doesn't ravel really and wouldn't show from a distance.I think I saw them in Oriental Trading They have a website. orientaltrading.comWET HAIRSPRAY? I was once in a program in high school that used black lights. This was back in the 80s when "mall chick" bangs were in. LOTS of hairspray. To top it off, it was raining outside so most of the girls had wet hairspray. Well, guess what - every speck of that hairspray showed up in the black light! It looked like we had a contagious form of dandruff! The video is hysterical. I'm told that some audience members thought it was glitter and put there intentionally. I still think about it when I get caught in the rain!
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RADIO SHACK: sold me two black lights on a "school discount". I was totally shocked and lucky that I found a great store manager! I paid for the lights ahead of time and when my PTSO paid me back it was even greater! If I recall they have two different lengths. I bought the longer ones. BTW Some of our local stores are really great about supporting our schools.
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GLOVES: A fantastic place to get white gloves is www.bandshoppe.com. I payed $1.25 per pair. They worked very nicely!! I have used black lights in programs and it is a wonderful experience for the kids. I went to an industrial type lighting store and bought 3 foot black lights and fixtures. I don't remember what they cost. I set them on the edge of the stage, on their sides so the light bulb faced the dancers. You'll have to 'string' the lights end to end along the edge of the stage so there are no 'dead' spots inbetween the light fixtures. I had the kids wear black, navy, or dark red. They can turn t-shirts inside out if they have pictures on the front...dark socks and shoes, no white shoe laces...black jeans work, but not blue
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06/06 I got two dozen for less than $25 [at] www.glovesonline.com.
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01/07 KIND OF MATERIAL UNDER BLACKLIGHT? All Optical Brighteners are are fluorescent materials that soak into your clothes so that, in the minute UV light from the sun and other sources, your clothes actually give off a tiny bit of light that makes them look very very white. [I think] under a black light, that effect would be increased. -- Steven Wight

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BLACKLIGHTS: LIGHTS

01/07 BLACKLIGHTS, ALL ABOUT: http://www.cycleback.com/blacklight.html
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06/06 About $5.00 per dozen (inspection gloves): http://www.mastermans.com/products/GLOVES.aspx
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FIREWORKS DANCE: Three years ago we successfully used black light to a create fireworks dance. Our show was in a gym that could be completely darkened (we have some theatrical lights and rent a spot). We rented four sets of black lights - I think they were 4 feet long - and placed them around our dance space, which was about 15 x 30. They sat on the floor, and had to be switched on and off by a teacher on the spot. The kids in the dance were in black, and each held a pom-pom ball to which long streamers that had been painted with flourescent paint were attached. We used the 1812 Overture (of course) and the kids tossed the balls as high as they could in a planned sequence. It was awesome! It really created the effect of fireworks. The group, fourth graders, were a class that had beentremendously difficult to work with, for a number of reasons - and they got a standing ovation. The lights do get hot, so you need a lot of adult supervision, but it was a great idea.10/04 FLORESCENT BULBS: You definitely want florescent lights, probably the 4 foot long ones. Get those florescent-light-bulb holding things that hold 2 or 4 bulbs. He's had experience with blacklights on the stage from the ceiling or above and they had about 10 lights. He says you'd need at least 8 bulbs probably, depending on how big your stage is. You can get them (or used to be able to anyway) at Wal-Mart or Lowe's or Home Depot, or specialty places like Spencers. They might have them since it's Halloween time. Or some hardware store. The regular-looking light bulbs that screw in don't work nearly as well at all. -- Greta Probst
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10/04 LIGHTS ON TABLES: I used them last year for a performance of the DARE song with about 75 fifth graders. I bought 12-18"tube lights. I found that number worked pretty well for my size group. The kids were on flip forms in our gym so I taped the lights to narrow tables set in front of the flip forms because I wanted the lights up off the floor. I hid the mess of cords by skirting the tables with black banner paper. The students in the 3rd (top) row didn't show up as well as those down front, but it still was OK. It's important to get the lights close to the students or you won't get the blacklight effect. I don't know if there are ways to project blacklight from stage lighting. I'd like to find a way to get several lights overhead this year. My students are right up against the gym wall so I think my custodian can work something out for me! I think I've seen these lights in Music in Motion's catalog or West Music for $20-25, but I bought mine at a local store for $12. Watch for them to go on sale in mid-October, just before Halloween. After I bought mine, I even saw them on sale for $10 at another store! -- D'Anne in MI
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10/04 WALMART BLACKLIGHTS: There were about 75 students in 4 rows. In front of them, I assembled six blacklights (the $10 models from Walmart) on a rig constructed from two old speaker tripods and an extension pole across the top. When the lights are turned off in our gymatorium, it's verrrrry dark, so the black lights worked wonderfully. The kids wore black, and we stood with our hands behind our backs while the lights were turned off ... the hands came out on the chorus part of the song (we did the ‘Macarena’). For gloves, we used some inexpensive archive gloves I bought through a site called www.the2buds.com. These are made of a gauzy material that is very stretchy, but I've put mine through the wash (in a net bag) twice and they're fine. -- Contributed by Peggy in WA
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10/04 SONGS: Two songs I have used with black lights are signing with white gloves in two different programs at a selected place in the program, one was "The River" and recently MK8 "Discovery" revue I had signing during the chorus of "Do you Have a Dream" song. Audiences really love the black light effect. Iris in WA
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09/03 LIGHTED BRACELETS: Last year I experimented with using black lights and white gloves with the MK-8 song "Dance with your Hands". It was discussed on the list - ended up (because the stage is so huge and the black lights were ineffective over that large area) buying those glow-in-the-dark snap bracelets. It was VERY effective. - Contributed by Patty in AR
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09/03 ENOUGH?: You need enough lights and they must be close enough. We had tried with only one light above (we couldn't move lights on and off due to scenery, and the amount of kids - the stage is huge). It wasn't effective so I opted for the glow-in-the-dark bracelets (but they are expensive and you can't rely on them for a rehearsal AND a performance). - Contributed by Patty Conway
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02/03 BLACKLIGHT FUN: Had the Black Lights out yesterday for most of my classes - I teach at a small private school, (pre through 8th grade), and we had to commandeer the copy room so we could actually turn out all the lights! We of course played the cup game in all its variations, with neon cups, and the Monster Mash on the CD player...

But I also had quite a bit of luck with glow slinkies - to represent sound waves - each kid had a slinky and as long as it was the width of their body it represented a quarter note. They had to stretch it to make halves and wholes, of course...but that is where the team work came in. I will be able to refer back to this lesson again and again.

We also had fun with glow in the dark spiders...the kids each had four, lined up like a measure of music, and they had to be able to show me what 4 quarter notes looked like, 2 half notes (just stack those spiders!), a dotted half and a quarter, and a whole note. Really fun!

I also had neon straws and black construction paper...planning on cutting the straws (into half and quarters and eighths) and having the kids show me what rhythms look like in black light, but just didn't have time to work that out - maybe next year! It would have to be for older kids anyway.

I got the slinkies form Oriental Trading Co. (www.orientaltrading.com) and the glow spiders from Walmart. I even had one child who's retainer glowed!!! Too funny! -- Contributed by Marilyn Lake
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BLOCK THE OUTSIDE LIGHT: I bought the blacklights at Walmart - I use two of them...and they are like shop lights...probably 18inches long...they cost less then $10 each. The neon cups are probably from a party store...about 5 inches tall...try Party City or Party Warehouse. The kind you would buy for drinks for teenagers...not too small...they need to be able to make the rhythms with the cups. I plugged in the lights and brought them to the middle of the room, with the kids around them in a circle of sorts. Remember that most of my classes have 6 to 14 kids in them, and the room we were using was quite small. You really do have to block out the light from windows and doors to make this work. This activity will make you look WONDERFUL and CREATIVE...and the kids will think you are TOO COOL!!! As an added bonus I attached a blinking earring (held on by a magnet) on my shirt, so the kids could find me at all times. I've seen those at Quik Trip I think.
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FLUORESCENT WILL WORK!! You don't necessarily have to use black light paint. Fluorescent will do. You also can paint right on cardboard; no background is needed; Regular white cotton gloves glow beautifully, as do white socks on hands. In a pinch, with parent permission, rub Tide with Bleach on hands...it glows, too. Black Light gloves and materials are available in catalogs such as Theatre House. For the best results, cover all windows and exit signs (we use boxes taped to yard sticks for the signs), so that the kid's faces don't glow. Use an adequate number of black lights. If you don't have the money to buy the expensive fixtures in Theater House, buy a shop light in a hardware store and a black light bulb (these are a bit expensive) from a lighting store. Speaking of Tide with bleach, it will glow on anything that hasn't been rinsed thoroughly. I ask my "black light kids" to run a black tshirt, sweats and socks through a rinse cycle twice, and then store them here to wear each time we practice. One final word of caution: when working with black lights, don't wear a white bra or underwear until thin clothing
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LIGHTS: Spencer's Gifts is where I bought mine years ago and they have lasted a long time before needing new bulbs. Listen to Eva and get the long tubes - she's right - those lamp light bulb things just don't put out enough light! This is a great time of year to find black lights because of Halloween. If you don't have a Spencer's, look for one of those seasonal stores in malls that sell Halloween costumes and props. I agree about checking out all costumes and props in the black light ahead of time. You will find that white poster board differs in how well it glows! To the person asking where to find white gloves cheap....I don't know! But would white socks over the hands work for you? They might be cheaper.
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HOME DEPOT: You can find a readymade blacklight in a fixture at Home Depot in the lighting dept. I opted to get a 2 long bulb fixture, buy 2 bulbs and then put it together. I got a brighter light and saved some money. Attaching it to the ceiling is annother thing. I have a dropped ceiling and I got some ceiling hangers and hooked them onto the ceiling grid. I chained my light to them using the chins that came with the fixtures.. I opted for 2 bulbs since my room is large and I wanted it to spread the light as much as possible. I also planned on using it on stage and having it seen by a large audience in a Gym. It worked and I may add 2 more bulbs for a presentation I'm doing for our chapter. One other thing I did was to ad a remote control on off switch so I wouldn't have to plug it in when I wanted to use it.

09/03 CD EFFECT: Hot glue two CDs together with the mirrored side out and then suspend them on fishing line for special effects! So easy especially with all the AOL and other throw weary CDs we get that are unwanted! - Contributed by Susan Michiels

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BROADWAY REVIEW

12/07 HOLLYWOOD: I am using a Hollywood theme in my classroom. I am making some boards with ping pong balls around them to simulate the lights on a movie marquee. -- Nancy Green
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06/07 SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC….I can see kids along the top row of risers holding up posterboards with two syllables/words each ... on the strong beats: super.......cali.....fragil....istic......
And so on. Maybe on the last one, instead of taking turns holding up the words, they all hold them up together and wave them back/forth to the beat??? -- Dan Fee
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SKITS: Each grade performed 4-5 songs and I split each class into 4-5 different groups - one for each song. We studied a little bit about each musical and then the groups wrote a 1-2 minute skit to introduce the songs. We also did a lot of dances with the songs. Then each hour I had different classes perform. It was a little difficult getting all the songs that I needed but here's what we did -

1st and 2nd -
"Hard Knock Life" -girls did dance; "I Won't Grow Up" - boys did dance; "Castle on A Cloud"; "Do Re Mi"

3rd -
"I Just Can't Wait to be King"; "Tender Shepherd"; "You're Never Fully Dressed";"Anything You Can Do"

4th -
"Pick A Little"; "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"; "Yellow Brick Road"; "Ease On Down The Road"; "Consider Yourself"

5th
"We Go Together"; "Greased Lightning"; "Seasons of Love"; "Freedom" in the SB series; "The Girl I Mean to Be"

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"ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATES"

07/13 Achievement Certificates
http://specialneedsinmusic.com/wkshlsn.html
http://sallyutley-elementarymusic.wikispaces.com/Award+Certificates+to+Share
Microsoft Publisher has lots of nice pre-made award templates. It's quite easy to fill in whatever information you want. If you only have a black and white printer, I'd go with the certificate paper.
http://www.certificatestreet.com/blank_6/music-award-certificate-template_382.html
http://www.makingmusicfun.net/htm/printit_award.htm
I usually make my own. It's so easy to do in PowerPoint. Graphics and text are easy to arrange, format, and create in PowerPoint. Plus, Microsoft Office online clip gallery has oodles of things you can use. Once you get a slide done, make copies of it, plug in your names in the text box, them print the whole PowerPoint onto card stock. Easy peasy. I bought some inexpensive parchment paper at Wal-Mart a few days ago, so I'm ready to roll 'em out. ----- Meredith Harley Inserra

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"THE COLORS OF MUSIC"

“THE COLORS OF MUSIC” (performance)
I did this program with 275 1, 2, and 3rd graders in our district auditorium. It ran about 1 1/2 hours.

The Colors of Music: Dialogue - Welcome to our performance of the "Colors of Music". We are going to take you on a journey through the world of the music classroom. We hope you enjoy the variety of activities that go on during our music instruction. We will be exploring melody, harmony, rhythm, emotion, movement, multi-cultural music, form, history, and cross-curricular applications. Welcome to the world of music.
1. Music All Over Me - John Jacobson - all students Dialogue: Let's begin with MELODY. Melody is the organized placement of musical tones of given pitches and duration. We learn very early on to sing our melodies on the correct pitch. This takes lots and lots and LOTS of practice. When we start to get really good at that, we begin to add names to the pitches. Names like Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So - WELL, you'll see.
2. Naughty Kitty Cat - with game.
3. Good King Leopold - One, two, Three, Echo Me with students "playing" the game on stage.
4. The Old grey Cat - playing the game on stage
5. Ebeneezer Sneezer - SB - with tone chimes
6. Solfege Sounds - from MK8 - Vol. 11, nr. 4 Dialogue: Let's move on to HARMONY. Harmony occurs when a combination of notes or pitches sound together at the same time. When this happens, it sounds really, really GREAT!
7. The Orchestra - 5 part piece about the orchestral instruments. Dialogue: RHYTHM comes next. Rhythm can be found in all things; music, art, poetry, dance, and even the sound of thunder and the falling drops of rain. Rhythm is simply the forward movement of sound in time, FAST or SLOW or getting FASTER or getting SLOWER are terms we learn to identify in music. A music class usually begins with what we call a warm-up. Something fun and active to capture the students' imaginations. Well, something like this! I will do a movement that must be exactly on the beat. I will repeat this movement 8 times. While I am doing this movement, the students are memorizing what I am doing. They echo my movement. Got it? Hmm.... only that would be way tooo easy. SO,while they are echoing my movement, I am moving on to a different movement, which they have to memorize and repeat. And so on and so on. TRY IT WITH US!
8. Celtic Rhythm Rondo - with audience participation
9. Crocodile Guy skit (vol. 12, nr 1) followed by
10. Whacky Song - with boomwhackers Dialogue: Benjamin Britten, a very famous British composer said of music: "It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness and of pain; of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature, and everlasting beauty of monotony." MUSIC puts sound to our emotions; from the silly to the sublime.
11. Yodelady - Vol. 12, nr. 3 with sunglasses and rap moves on the rap part of the piece.
12. A Song of Peace - Vol. 12, nr. 2 with sign language. Dialogue: Music is full of life, full of movement. Who can sit still and simply let the music wash over them? NOT US!
13. Big Underwear - Joe Scruggs - acted out on stage.
14. Dance With Your Hands - Plank Rd. 1997. This is the macarena set to a latin-type piece. We performed it in the dark with neon bracelets. Looked great.
15. 12th Street Rag - from Dances in a Line. A Line dance that we performed with glittery hats. Dialogue: Music of the world is so interesting. We will now travel to three different continents for your enjoyment; Australia, Asia, and Africa. From Australia, we present "Kookaburra", an Australian folk song set to the sounds of our own homemade didjeridoos.
16. Kookaburra - MK8 1997 - with didjeridoos we had made in class. Dialogue: Now we move to Asia and the fragile, beautiful Little Silver Moonboat.
17. Little Silver Moonboat - with Orff accompaniment Dialogue: Lastly, we move to Africa for the song that has been rocking the entire Activity Building all month - Siya hamba.
18. Siyahamba - sung Dialogue: FORM in music is very important. We learn to recognize it from its simplest to its more complex make-up. Form is the orderly arrangement of musical elements in time. When we have a section of music we call it "A". When something new appears, we call it "B". And so on. Some pieces are simple and use only A and B. Other pieces, however, are more complicated, like our next selection; Rossini's William Tell Overture.
19 - William Tell overture - performed with a paper plate routine. Also, signs with ABCD intro, bridge, coda were walked on stage as we heard that particular section. At the end of the piece, the entire form (one posterboard per section) was organized in a straight line on stage. Dialogue: Of course, we can go bavk in time and appreciate music of our past. For instance, let's take the medieval years. A long, long, LONG time ago , music took the form of "Chant". Much of that music has been lost. But, snuggled in an overgrown valley outside an old town in a remote corner of a forgotten city is the farmstead of Snouto Domoinko de Silo. Here, for centuries, the Domoinkan Pigs have lived humbly and quietly. Well okay, NOT quietly! Here, the pigs grunt the beautiful music of Pigorian Chant - the chanted responses of the cows, chickens, sheep, ducks and pigs. Listen to this timeless music!
20. Pigorian Chant with subtitles (kids on ground level holding up the translations as we sing.) Dialogue: During the Renaissance, music began to become very important not only in church life, but for socialization. Dances were in abundance, especially acrobatic dances.
21. - Hupfauf - from Renaissance Dances. Performed in two circles on the stage. Dialogue: During the Classic/Romantic period of music, Beethoven had a lot to say! "Beethoven can write music, thank God, but he can do nothing else on earth" Ludwig van Beethoven
22. - Variations on a Beethoven Theme - Orff arrangement by B. Bonner. Dialogue: Music moved into the "Modern" era and contained many pieces that have been STOLEN for movies and for other occasions. Here is our version of Richard Strauss' "Also sprach". You might recognize this from 2001: A Space Odyssey, or from other movies and commercials. But, we can guarantee that you have NEVER heard OUR version, complete with Boomwhackers and kazoos.
23. 2001 Kazoos - Plank Rd. 2001 - played with kazoos and boomwhackers. Dialogue: In music class, we study many other things; math, literature, science and social studies. All of our learning is tied together and music reinforces this.
24. Rap of the Presidents - with lighting effects. Dialogue: The next song is our very favorite. But there is a warning! It seems to end, but PLEASE don't clap - it will surprise you and begin again.
25. - The Comet - we did this with a fog machine running and movement - very cool. Dialogue: Music crosses all borders. Music includes every single child. Music speaks what we ourselves sometimes can not. Music heals us."This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before. " The late Leonard Beernstein. Finale - Music Alone Shall Live - sung by all 275 students and parents as a three part round. Patty Oeste in AR

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CHICKEN LITTLE

I'm using "Chicken Little" with my kindergarteners--it should work for pre-schoolers too. There is the recurring "The Sky is falling, we must tell the king" which I turned into a little pentatonic song. For each animal C. Little meets we sing a song or recite a poem (for the goose: Go tell Aunt Rhody or Goosey Gander; for the fox: The Fox went out on a chilly night; etc). I am using the book by Sally Hobson (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), where each animal CL meets has a different way of walking (jogging, waddling, marching) so the kids can act these out as they go from scene to scene. A narrator (or several) is needed and the animals spoken lines are so simple that a child (or all the children) can remember them.

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CIRCUS

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COMMUNITY

SONGS: Mr. Rogers song "Won't You Be My Neighbour" and Donna Otto's & "Hey There Neighbour" from her's and David Asplund's books "Let's Do It".
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CAREERS: There was a cute program, created about ten or twelve years ago, about Gerbert, http://kindervision.com/, that had songs about the mailman, the policeman, the fireman, the lifeguard, the zookeeper, the teacher, a neighbor song was included and some others. (Possibly entitled, "Growing Up") I received a copy of the accompaniment tape from the creator of Gerbert before the tape was even put into production.
The songs are mostly k-2 appropriate and I don't remember what age group you were trying to locate music for but the songs are great on this tape and the kids absolutely loved the music. I made a Gerbert puppet about two feet in length and then we invited actual community workers to be spotlighted in the program such as a policeman, dressed in uniform of course, a fireman, a mailman and all were asked to be dressed in their uniforms. We had a throne, (a big chair with some fancy irridesent material to look kind of gaudy and while we sang our song about them, they would each take a turn sitting on the throne.
There was some other things that we did, like if we didn't happen to have the community worker available that we sang about, some of the kids would dress up like a lifeguard or whatever and of course our puppet Gerbert was our little mascot that was a part of each song. For the teacher song, we had all of the teachers come to the front of the cafetorium and we had one child go stand with each teacher and present her with a rose while the choir sang the song about them. It's a sweet and special way to end the show.
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MUSICAL: The community songs and play is called "Growing UP Great" by Jill Gallina and it is still available. The cowboys songs I've used is from a collection called Cowboy Partners by Betty Barlow. They are all partner songs. "Ten Gallon Hat is included in that collection.
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MUSIC IS THE HEART and SOUL of a community. It also defines the altruistic temperment of a community. Name an event that any community has that does NOT include music!..When any community comes together...they figure out 1.What food they will have (whenappropriate). 2. What music they will get. Weddings, funerals, church, banquets, luncheons, picnics, parades, football, basketball, proms, sock hops, political events, graduation, fairs, contests, races, grand openings, dedications, arrival of anyone from dignitaries to Santa Claus and the Easter bunny, etc. etc. etc. In our town if more than 20 are gathering..they almost HAVE to have music. I think it's like that almost every where.
I also think it has been that way throughout history in most places. In past history..they could not even go into battle without music....pipes, bugles, drums... So what would "community" or "being together" be without music? Yet many communitites still do NOT value music education... A long time ago in a magazine (perhaps an MENC journal) there was an ad for something (perhaps pianos). It was a very dramatic black and white photo..caption..."What if it really were a silent night?" I have ALWAYS remembered that quote. It is an awesome thought. Perhaps your board could show all the events in a community and ask what would they be like without the band, choir, soloist, organist, DJ, etc. showing up! Also consider the sense of community of various ethnic groups. Native American Pow Wow and ceremonies, traditional choirs from various countries, Bag Pipers, Drum Corps, African Drumming and Dance, monks chanting in various religions, etc. etc.
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BULLETIN BOARD: What about a bulletin board with a "neighborhood of houses and buildings"and a little street down the middle.
Label each building a musical name which shows how community and music can connect: 1. Orchestra Hall2. Commercial Condo (as in T.V. commercials) 3. Christmas Cottage 4. Patriot's Palace 5. Folksong Hideaway6. Community Chorus Cottage 7. Thanksgiving House 8. Band Bungalow
9. Church Music Cathedral

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COSTUMES, PROPS

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS: SOURCE: The Costumer is in the Capital District of NY - and very reliable. Ask for Debbie Trowbridge. All of the people there are very helpful, but I always work with Debbie. She's terrific! thecostumer.com ---- Kathleen Bragle
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DYEING CLOTH I am an avid tie-dye fan and I will share my knowledge of what I know about dyeing. In my experiences, I have learned that 100 percent cotton is the best way to go. (of course, I realize this may not be possible). If the fabric has any polyester in it, it will mute the color (which really wouldn't be that big a deal for one solid color like you want to do). It will not be the true color, it will look kinda faded. I usually use professional Procion dye and soda ash fixer (which softens the fabric and prepares it for the dye) which I mail ordered through www.dharmatrading.com ----Contributed by Tamela Cook

COSTUMES (Alphbetically) ALIENS: It popped into my head that you could get milk jugs or similar bottles and make "extra sized heads" out of them - maybe add an eye on top. Also you could use old sleeves from shirts with latex gloves to make huge long arms.

02/03 BEE: I have taped yellow electrical tape to a black turtleneck and pinned on a "stinger" in back.
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We did the musical "To Bee or not to Bee" with fourth grade last spring. We made 100 bee costumes in one afternoon by taking yellow T-Shirts and dry-rolling black stripes across them. (We used 3" paint rollers and craft paint with sizing in it so they don't wash out.) They wore dark pants with them and the head boppers and it worked fine. If you want to be more accurate, add a set of "angel wings" . If you don't need many I might be able to send you our few extra shirts.
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I have made bee costumes using black garbage bags and taping yellow electrical tape in stripes around them. if you get the drawstring bags you can gather the bottom and stuff them with tissue paper to make them fuller.

12/09 BEARD: And there's the GREAT effect that you get with a stiff sponge with real big pores dipped in black (pick a substance - I use powdered charcoal professional makeup and a beard sponge- but it can be kinda messy) and patted on the face. Dust very lightly with transparent/flesh colored powder to protect. Use a towel while applying or the subject can get charcoal and powder on the clothes. Also don't touch the beard because it might smear. But it looks GREAT. --- Martha Stanley

07/11 BEE: I have yellow felt vests with black felt stripes sewn on, and they snap at the top with a black bow tie also cut out of felt. The mom that did them for us put stripes all the way around, but if you're pressed for time, you wouldn't have to do that unless you have your kids turn around. We also wear antennae headbands that have yellow ping pong balls on the ends of them. They are cute and easy to fit. ---- Janet Palmer

BELLS: We made bells from poster board and spray-painted them gold, then used different colors and lettering to put the names on. We then tied them sandwich-board style with colored ribbons. --- Nikki Febinger

BROOMS: Try this site. It's a discussion by "dance" moms about a chimney broomprop. http://tinyurl.com/699jj5

Pine straw, dowel rods and thin wire to hold them together? --- Martha Stanley

BUGS
06/04 You almost need a two layer outfit - one to fit against the body and one to be puffy on the outside. You could use the styrofoam popcorn as filler and tie it tight at two different places (3 segments - right?) Use a motorcycle helmet with a styrofoam ball cut in half for the eyes and get some antennae on top as well.

Here is a mascot costume I found through Google as well.
www.funfolly.com/h/mascots/c1761.htm -- Contributed by Bruce Richardson

10/02 BUGZ: (Musical) I did this a couple years ago with second graders and found a wonderful resource for "hats" (made like headbands") for all kinds of creatures. The teachers made them as an art project and they were SOOO cute and VERY simple -- then I had the kids dress in appropiately colored sweatsuits (i.e. yellow for bees, ) for antennae I bought cheap headbands from Oriental Trading Co and attached pipe cleaners to those. They really stayed on their heads that way.

The "hat" book is Paper Hat Tricks II (there are three books, I have them all and have used them extensively) by Patt Newbold & Anne Diebel can't remember where I got them but this info is on the back of the book:
Paper Hat Tricks 43346 Serenity Dr Northville MI 48167 810-349-2560 517-529-4343
(NOTE: for types of bugs, see Elementary Repetoire)click on “MK8 Choregraphy” then scroll down to “BUGZ”
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I did Fire-flies from BUGZ and I went to a hair-dresser and begged 30 black hair bands, bought long black pipe cleaners, styrofoam balls, sprayed them black with silver 'sprinkles'attached them to the hair bands, and even the oh so sophisticated 6th grade boys were willing to wear them. Each of the kids had a tiny flashlite which they 'lit up 'at the times called for. It was really cool. - Contributed by Eileen in MD

CATS and OTHER EARS: I made quick, easy, comfortable kitty-cat ears for my grandaughter for Halloween. Â Take felt rectangles measuring 3 or 4 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Â Fold together and cut ends to a point. Â Wrap each piece around a stretchy headband and either sew the points together, or you could glue them, or even staple. Â The ears float freely on the headband, but stay in place marvelously when the headband is on the head! Â You could do the same thing on a plastic headband. --- Melanie Murphy

12/09 CATS/DOGS: We did the show with my 3/4/5 chorus a few years back. I divided the kids into cats and dogs, then let them research what cat or dog they wanted to be. They came in with a photo, and I ordered white, black, brown, yellow and orange long-sleeved t-shirts, plus white hats (from Oriental Trading). The kids were allowed to either work on their costume at school at lunchtime, or take it home and work on it there. It turned out pretty well, but I really had to get on a few of the kids to get their costume done on time. --- Sonia Vining, Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, MI

CAT/FIDDLE Cat-jump suit,hood/ears,long tail, makeup nose/whiskers Make a mock wooded or cardboard fiddle / A Dish and A Spoon - Make if out of card board and string around the kids

CHEESE: for the limberger, have a slice or package and have a huge clothespin on the wearers nose - stinky cheese. String cheese comes in singles or multipacks - you have a group costume for that one.only place i've heard of asiago cheese is at subway. Maybe the blue cheese package could wear a lab coat - ala marie curie whoever - moldy cheese.
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CHEESE I just told all the cheeses to wear "cheese colored clothing" meaning, orange, yellow, or white. Then I ordered inflatable cheeseheads from cheesehead.com for like $3 a piece, real affordable (my parent volunteer group paid for them). I'm gonna put the names of each cheese on the side of the cheeseheads. It's working out really well.
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04/02 CHEESE We recently did "The Cheese Stands Alone." I am incredibly lucky in that my teachers are very creative and knock themselves out helping with costumes. We used foam that was donated by an upholstery shop and covered it with felt. We decorated that according to which cheese it was and also labeled it (like it was in a package.) We used yarn and hung it around their neck. They were really cute. We made the Velveeta look like a velveeta package. The fondue wore what looked like a fondue pot (complete with skewers) made from posterboard and colored with markers.
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04/02 CHEESE Since a lot of those swiss colony cheeses come in ovoid packages, just hunt down some of those M&M halloween costumes and put em on backwards.You also could simply use poster board and the kids could dress up as slices of cheese instead of the packages - color away - co jack would be very easy. ha ha. Of course he'd have to be sucking on a tootsie pop or carry a big blow up one around to make the parents chuckle. the swiss cheese could carry an alphorn or a dress like the swiss miss cocoa box. Wear a grater for a hat
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CHICKS-I've not done chicks before but maybe you could take the ideas from the duck and rooster, combine them and come up with a cute chick (feet, beaks,cape etc.) see below ; I used inexpensive painter's caps--also found at Hobby Lobby. I cut fun foam in the shape of the duck or chicken's beak and glued it to the bill of the hat. I put a little piece of red fun foam on top of the chicken's hat--along with some white "downy" looking feathers. I also glued big eyes on the hats. (The kind with the moveable black dot in them).1. Sweat pants and sweatshirts or t-shirts in yellow or orange. Nominal cost from Wal-Mart, etc.2. For wings: Cut 2 pieces of poster board in the shape of a wing. Hot glue feathers on the top or have students cut out construction paper feathers and glue on. (Real feathers look better.) Attach 2 pieces of strong elastic to the underside of the wing. Have the student slip their arm through and voila! Wings!3. For Beak: Fashion a cardboard beak out of yellow or orange construction paper. Attach a piece of elastic and slip over head. I like the construction paper beaks better than ordering rubber noses...easier for the kids to breathe and not as heavy to keep up on their faces!Christmas I do the white shirt/black pants or skirt thing too. I made black bow ties with black elastic and black grosgrain ribbon. I used about 12" black elastic (measure necks first ) and 1" wide grosgrain (about 7" looped ,ends stitched together). I used 1/4" wide black grosgrain to put around the wide grosgrain to make a bow, and stitched those ends together. Then I threaded it onto the elastic, and stitched the elastic ends together. It only takes a minute or 2 to make one bowtie, and can be done by hand (easier with a machine!) This year I need to make some more, and am going to experiement with velcro. It is hard for some of the kids to get the elastic over their heads and under collars without messing up their hair, etc. so I thought about maybe putting about an inch of velcro on the elastic instead of stitching it together. That way it would be more easily adjusted to neck size. The other thing I did last year was to make some red vests out of felt.I got a pattern for a child's vest, pieced the front and back pattern pieces together without the seam allowance, and cut it on the fold. The only sewing I had to do was the shoulder seams! No hemming, no buttons or snaps, just a vest. Loooked real cute with the black bowties and white shirts! They also wear Santa hats if they have them - I have a couple for some to borrow. Last year I enlisted 2 teachers to help me sew, and just copied the patterns on gift tissue paper. I allowed for different sizes by adding length (cutting pattern across midriff section and adding however many inches I needed. I did measure the kids to see what I would need to have, then this year everyone just tried them on to see what fit. To add girth I put the pattern edge [center back] farther from the fold - to add 2" I would put the pattern 1" from the fold, etc. I kind of made all this up as I went along. Someone earlier on the list mentioned using plastic lace tablecloth fabric to make collars out of. No hemming either. I guess you could either pin or put a snap or velcro to hold it together, or else make it so they could just put it over their heads. It would be cute with a red sweatshirt or turtleneck under it. Boys could maybe just wear the plain sweatshirt. Black would also look good. I probably would have tried that last year if I had thought of it, but instead I came up with the vests.

07/11 CHICKEN: I would look on oriental trading and see if they have any hats that would work. You could probably get some angel wings and attach them to the students arms instead of their back to complete the look. Have them wear a long white t-shirt and yellow pants to finish it off! --- RaeAnna Goss

An idea I used from Jill Gallina was using yellow cleaning gloves over the shoes for the feet. That was a hit!

CHRISTMAS TREES: use different sized boxes (refrigerator, appliance,etc.) ....do simple shape of tree from 1 side, but cut-out faceopening. Kids simply hold them up with faces showing through holes; They each cut 2 trees out of green tagboard and decorated them. Then we fastened them, sandwich-board style, with green duck tape (A REAL FIND!) across the shoulders....easy and cheap! We added headbands with stars attached.
12/03 CHRISTMAS TREE: Get large appliance boxes (fridge, especially. Cut out tree shape, then opening for head. Spray paint (or paint) green or white or whatever. The child simply holds the cardboard tree in front of them. Actually, different sizes look very cute. - Contributed by Liz Eggers
12/03 I've done "The Littlest Christmas Tree" three times in my school career. It is the most adorable musical for young children. My Christmas tree costumes were very simple, but cute, and I still use them with kinders every year when we sing "O Christmas Tree" in music class. They love to dress up! My trees are simply made of green poster board. They actually cover a kinder from neck to knees. I decorated them with glitter, and snow (white oil paint sticks). I also attached paper ornaments with a hot glue gun. They wear headbands with a glittery star attached and garland as a necklace. The stars are acutally ornaments. My costumes are at school, but I would be glad to send you a photograph of a child wearing one. It is simple and cheap! Mine are probably 10 years old.-Contributed by Monica Autry

CLOWN: make-up, crazy hair, wildly mismatched clothes. There are many books about clowns.

COWS-White sweat suits, felt black spots,tail, hood with ears/horns; Cows: basic white outfit of white turtleneck, sweatshirt, or long-sleeved white shirt and white tights, jeans or sweatpants, etc. , pillowcase-shaped over- costume with neck and arm openings with a couple of irregular brown or black felt spots sewn on, ears (white felt with black or brown shadowing)and horns glued or sewn on headbands. I used wide plastic girls' headbands, "fun foam" (you can find this at Wal-Mart or craft stores like Michael's and Hobby Lobby) and a glue gun to make cow's ears with horns. I cut a strip of the appropriate color that was a little bigger than the size of the headband. I then cut out the shape of the ear including a strip about 2 ½ inches wide by 2 ½ inches long at the bottom of each ear to glue to the headband. I first pinched the extra section together so that the ears would have a bend to them--glue the extra section--you will have to hold it together until the glue sets up. I then glued the ears to each side of the headband. It makes the ears stand up. (You could also use construction paper to make the ears and a band to go around the head. Felt would also work--they have a new felt that would stick up and not fold over.)

DINOSAURS
05/21 DINOSAUR: I told the kids (two wanted to be Blarney and so they shared the part) they would have to do their own costumes. One came with green hair and camoflauge (sp?) green vest and green sweat pants and the other came with green hair spiked into those scales that go up to a point and then had a stuffed green hump and tail with green triangles that stood up all down the back and tail. OOOOOOOOO that sounds strange and it's hard to describe but they bothwere cute.

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We made a volcano by draping brown paper in a cone shape around a desk with a chair stacked on top of it. I then dribbled red "lava" down the sides using tempera paint. Next came the finishing touch! A cool air humidifier sending "steam" out of the top of the cone. It looked great. Many of the children had dinosaur Halloween costumes. They were frozen on stage with the red stage lights turned on before the concert started. The American Museum of Natural History in NYC used to sell slides of dinosaur paintings and their corresponding fossils which we showed on a screen over the stage. I used "Night on Bald Mountain" for background music. I left it playing as my second graders entered the gym. The kids loved it!

DUCKS I made a sunsuit type of outfit with legs out of yellow material and added stuffing/elastic around the legs,yellow tail and hood, big orange felt beak attach with elastic, feet-orange felt shaped like duck feet w/the fake leather type of material for the bottoms kind of like slippers; I used inexpensive painter's caps--also found at Hobby Lobby. I cut fun foam in the shape of the duck or chicken's beak and glued it to the bill of the hat. I put a little piece of red fun foam on top of the chicken's hat--along with some white "downy" looking feathers. I also glued big eyes on the hats. (The kind with the moveable black dot in them).

01/07 EGG - A friend is going to dress all in white and put a big yellow circle on the front of her white sweatshirt....going as a hard-boiled egg. -- Judy in Wi.

02/04 ELEPHANT EARS: Get a gray (grey for Helen) large sheet of construction paper They're about 24"- 28" long.....don't have one here to measure.
Fold the sheet in half lengthwise then fold into three so you have 6 rectangles. Imagine that each rectangle has a number starting from the left.
Top row 1,2,3 from left to right bottom row,4,5,6. The two center rectangles (2 and 5) will be the main part of the hat. The four side rectangles will be the sides. Fold one of the end rectangles (1) in half to make a triangle and do the same with another rectangle (3) on the other end. You now have a mitered corner. Staple sides then cut out giant ears and staple on the hat. Add a string to tie under chin . Toilet /paper towel roll noses paint gray to match hat. Depending on the size of the child, I fold back the front edge and glue it to make a firm edge. - Contributed by Susan Michiels
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04/03 ELEPHANT: For all the masks, I used "Chinet" Paper plates. I painted them, attached ears, then cut the center out and attached elastic to the back. Their faces will be seen. For the Elephants, I left a strip down the middle and attached a trunk. These seem to be durable, but I think it may take more time, unless you have an assembly line production thing going for you, as I did. -- Contributed by Deaetta Szulis

I made elephant "get up" by making two bigs felt ears. I hot glued the ears to headbands. For the trunk: I used slinkies. I attached an elastic piece to go around the back of the child's head. It was really cute! -- Contributed by Pamela Rezach

I did "Animotion" once and we had elephants in that show. I ended up making trunks and ears for them. The ears were big and made of gray felt attached to a headband (easy). The trunks were more of a challenge. I cut a long tube of gray material and sewed it up lengthwise. I used black marker to indicate the wrinkles. I attached this tube to a round O about 1/2 inch thick that we cut from laminator tubes. They are incredibly sturdy. We had to cut them with an electric saw! I wrapped the material around it and hot- glued it into place.

Then, we added elastic (the really thin type) to the O ring to go around the head. The trunks hung down and were really cute. I don't think it was TOO much work. Oh, yes, I stuffed them with tissue paper to make them fuller. I also added "trunk" choreography, which was quite funny!-- Contributed by Patty Oeste
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11/01 ELF: take green or red fabric (I used felt because it doesn't ravel), measure the length you want the costume to be and doubled it, cut your fabric that length, fold it in half and cut a hole for the head to come through, now deeply cut zig-zag at the bottom, have a stip of contrast fabric for a belt to tie at their waist, just have them add tights and a turtleneck and they're set to go (I also found some elf ears from Music In Motion catalog which are cheap and add a lot!)
// About 4 years ago I invested in what I call "elf collars". I asked my Art Teacher friend to cut a pattern out of paper and then I went to Walmart and bought green felt and made 12 "elf collars" and sewed 2-3 small bells on the points on the front. I then just ask the elfs to purchase red sweat suits, red socks, and a santa hat and, voila, they look adorable. Plus they have a perfectly fine sweat suit to wear after.// For elf costumes, we use green fabric in a large rectangle with a hole in the middle for the head. We laminated black paper for belts and taped them around the students. For hats, it was two triangles sewed together.

ELVES: a parent made elf "vests" out of red and green felt. They are basically a long rectangle with a hole cut out for the heads and they have cute candy cane ties on each side. They hot glued some plastic holly with red berries on the front. We put the opposite color t-shirt underneath them, and they have held up beautifully.

We cut an oval on the fold of the material and measured the material wide enough for the children's shoulders, then we rounded it off a little longer than their waists.? We used black ribbon to tie around the waist which held the poncho type Christmas fabric in place.? NO SEWING FOR ME! ---Caryn Mears

FISH: Get big pieces of felt that will extend across a child's back from one wrist to the other wrist when their arms are fully extended. Keep the top at that width then cut the shape of a fish with the tale at the bottom. If you need a visual, I could send you the design through snail mail. Then I took different colors of felt and foil to make the scales on one side. Put a ribbon in the center so it ties around their neck and one on each end for their wrists. They then dressed in then same color as the felt so when they "swam in the water" on the floor all you saw was their backs with the brightly colored scales. It looked very cool. It didn't take much time because I enlisted the help of some very creative parents.
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FISH: quick disposable one. cut bulletin board paper into horizontal fish shape. paint with tempera paint into fish designs. sandwich kiddo in it. staple the bottom. have mom who is helper the night of the show stuff from the top with wadded up newspaper to make body. staple top and sides. let head stick out LOL. fish need oxygen. after show, let kid rip off and throw away. ---Contributed by Patricia Albritton

FROGS: green jumpsuit (or just dress all in green) with cardboard green webbed feet taped over my shoes (swimfins would work) and I had a big frog head that I bought at a discount store. Links to "Frog Went a-Courtin" which is a song and a book.

FLOWERS/VEGETABLES were made out of foam liner for inground swimming pools (it goes between the comcrete and the liner. It is about 1/4 inch thick and was painted with acrylic paint in the shape of many veggies and fruits, and of course the weeds!) They fit around the students faces, don't impact their singing, and stay on all by themselves. The lawn ornaments were made out of shiny poster board like the "Gazing ball" ornaments in so many people's lawns. The ground hogs are wearing brown and we just bought hairbands and glues felt ears on them.

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Another idea for white George Washington wigs is using long whit fun fur. Make a loose fitting cap with seam down the center for the hair part. The long fur can be made into rolls on the side or just combed back for a que and sprayed with heavy hairspray. I have seen this done for theatre productions and if you have a talented parent ( or yourself) that has the time and is crafty enough you can achieve a pretty good look; One of my parents made an adorable wig for me out of the white material that you use in between a quilt. They measured the size of the head and sewed a back seam. Then took little strips of the fabric, rolled it and hot glued it onto the part that fits over the hair.

11/08 GARDEN: To keep it simple, I'm having all my girls be "flowers" and all the boys are "weeds" until the Garden Hoedown. Parents are doing the costumes: girls will have little "flower" skirts with flowy fabric glued to a band and tied around their waist - we will probably also try to do something for them to wear on their head - maybe a tiara with a flower or something. Boys will wear camo and a baseball hat that parents are going to hot glue plastic greenery to in order for it to look messy like a weed. Then during the Hoedown, they throw their hats on the floor and become "plants". The parents for the Scarecrow and Herb will be in charge of their own costuming. -- RaeAnna Goss
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Do a google search for "veggie costume", "flower costume", etc. I found cute ideas at www.bhg.com (search "costume ideas") (Better Homes and Garden website). I got primary colored plastic garden tools at WalMart, 3 for $3.00, that were cute for the Garden Hoedown. Weeds wore dark colors and dark sunglasses. -- Julie Jones

11/08 GINGERBREAD: Check Kohls online. They had some gingerbread aprons. I have also donegingerbread characters using cardboard with cutouts for the head.--- Becky Melhus

Dye sweatshirt & Pants brown and trim appropriate rick rack, buttons, etc. or use a paper bag and make a gingerbread mask...--- Liz Eggers

Have you ever seen the Wee See Train video? There is one scene where there are some dancing paper dolls. It looks like they are either wearing sheets of cardboard or foam cut to look like paper doll clothes. Their faces are bare. --- Donna Boylan
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I made a jump suit out of brown gingham and then a cardboard hood covered with the gingham and wide white rick rack. the buttons were large and had glitter on them. They are cute.

GROUNDHOG I happened to have my daughter's old Halloween costume, which was a grey fake fur mouse. I made it from a pattern, and was a long-sleeved, zip-up-the-front jump-suit that had a detached hood type deal with ears on it. I removed the ears, turned them inside out, and made little ground hog (?) ears and then re-attached them. I took the long tail off and cut off about 3-4 " and made a new short little tail which I also re-attached. Since my daughter wore this at a tall age 5, and it was the 4th grade performing, I selected the littlest guy in the 4th grade to be the ground hog!! (Even as a 5th grader, he asks if our program this year will have a ground hog in it!!) He came running induring the 'Groundhog Go!' chant in "Groundhog Galop" and raced around our audience, and timed it so that he ended back up on stage at the end and 'died' a dramatic death with legs/arms straight up in the air as he lay prone on the floor! It was cute, and he was the perfect ham to pull it off!HOBBY HORSE I made hobby horses out of PVC pipes and paper bag horse heads stuffed with tissue, a little cording for the bridle, yarn mane and some ferocious eyes - the prince enters on his "horse" brandishing his sword (plastic!).
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06/06 JUDGE: Judge - graduation gown and an outrageous white, long wig (English judge "look")
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MOUSE costumes can be grey sweatsuits with tails attached and headbands with mouse ears.

MULES: Brown blankets (2 Kids-front/back), Yarn tail,Hood with long ears

NATIVE AMERICAN: When I did a similar show, I went to a local restaurant that served shelled peanuts and collected their empty burlap bags - for free. Depending on thesize of the student, they can be cut as a "shift" or cut as a long vest andtied at the waist. The only bad thing - they are scratchy and smell oily.And, you want to be careful if you have anyone that has a peanut allergy.Obviously, it wouldn't work then! But, they looked great, were easy to cut,and were cheap! --- PattyO in AR

NATIVE AMERICAN: I asked for donations of cotton pillowcases, regardless of stains or color. I received a bunch! I bought liquid, brownRIT dye. I dyed them in my washing machine. They turned out various shadesof tan and brown. Even the ones with flowers looked neat! I basically didwhat Karen did for vests. I used some of them as dresses, too.Lee in GA

NORTH WIND For a North Wind costume...how about getting some of those long strands of silver tinsel...Wal-mart carries them...attach to a simple white sheet with a hole cut out for the head, so that it just rests on the shoulders and drapes down. It would certainly flow well! Be pretty on stage, too and CHEAP!; I picture white hair and a dress to the floor with lots of flowing chiffon (could attach scarves to a dress. For added effect, put a fan on "low" near the wind character.; you might try pinning many satin ribbons (1 & 1/2 to 2" wide) to the child's sweatshirt. When he/she moves, you'll get that "blowy" effect.

OLD MOTHER HUBBARD: dark shirt and skirt(preferably long), shawl, cane, rolled down nylons, old-age lines added to face with eyeliner pencil, hair full of cornstarch w/hairspray to forestall massive dandruff problem. Top off with a stuffed dog (poor thing-has no bone!)
Opera singer! I wore a black long skirt, with a black long-sleeved t-shirt. Here comes the fun part. I made a breastplate lookalike by taking an old sheet, dyeing it gray, gluing aluminum foil on it for panels of armor. It really turned out great.

I also bought one of those cheap long blond wigs and braided it into 2 braids to hang over my shoulders. The netting showed at the top, but I covered it with a helmet (complete with horns.) The art teacher helped me make the helmet using paper mache, a balloon, toilet paper roll cardboard to begin shaping the horns. What a hoot! Then I also sang an aria to the entire student body in full regalia.

07/05 I just bought a book from Clarus music titled "Nifty, Thrifty, No-Sew Costumes and Props" by Carol Ann Bloom. I highly recommend it. -- Ruth Garcia
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10/04 Fold 4" paper doilies into sixths and then cut out pieces while folded to make snowflakes....easy as you can show the kids how to do it.. -- Sue Michiels
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PIGS: Pink jumpsuits, curly tails, hood ears, and pig noses; Pigs: pink leotards, pink tights(no shoes), pink felt ears glued or sewn on headbands, a little stuffing for tummies, pink tightly-spiraled pipe cleaners for tails, pig snouts that fit on with a rubber band. (The snouts are really cute but make the kids hot.); You can make pig noses out of those little paper cups like you use in the bathroom. Just paint them (or color them with marker) pink and attach some elastic to them so they go around the kids' faces. You can make ears with felt and a headband. Cut out ear shapes and hot glue them to the headband. Have the students wear pink sweat suits. You could even make a pipe cleaner tail!

I used wide plastic girls' headbands, "fun foam" (you can find this at Wal-Mart or craft stores like Michael's and Hobby Lobby) and a glue gun to make mule ears, pig ears and cow's ears with horns. I cut a strip of the appropriate color that was a little bigger than the size of the headband. I then cut out the shape of the ear including a strip about 2 ½ inches wide by 2 ½ inches long at the bottom of each ear to glue to the headband. I first pinched the extra section together so that the ears would have a bend to them--glue the extra section--you will have to hold it together until the glue sets up. I then glued the ears to each side of the headband. It makes the ears stand up. (You could also use construction paper to make the ears and a band to go around the head. Felt would also work--they have a new felt that would stick up and not fold over.) I put a pink pig nose on the pig.
12/03 PENGUINS: I'm going with the black trash bags and white "bib" glued on front. Red bow ties. - Contributed by Sally Utley

06/06 PENGUIN: I cut out white bibs out of felt and had red or green construction paper bow ties glued onto them, along with three black buttons. All of the students wore white t-shirts, black pants and then they wore black socks on their arms. It was the most adorable costume. When the students did the choreography with their arms it was perfectly accented with the black arms against the white tops. The bibs were about waist length and I cut them on the fold and then cut a semi-circle out to make a neck. The teachers pinned the neck in the back with one safety pin. It was so easy and adorable! Caryn Mears

PENGUIN: I have used black leotards or sweatsuits, with a white paper/cardboard bib, with buttons, red bowtie. On the head, a simple paper cap-style hat with the bill mounted on the front. We're doings "Penguins" this year, too and I think we're going to try using pillowcases dyed black. This idea is in the back of the teacher's manual. I'm goin to ask each child to bring in a Queen or King size case, get a parent volunteer to dye them black, and maybe have the kids apply the white oval on front at school. Black clothes underneath, a beak hat, and yellow spat-type shoe coverings from stiff paper should do the trick.

07/11 PENGUIN: I had mine wear black, then cut out bibs from white construction paper. I did red and green bow ties as well. --- Susan Simandle Music Specialist

06/06 PIG: Hogney Dangerfield - Pig snout with LARGE pig ears and the suit with bowtie 3 Pigs - pig snouts, pick jackets, darker pick skirts (a la 50's style) (We had a Mom make the pig ears using a headband as a base.)

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COWBOYS

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CUP GAME

TURN THE GLASSES OVER: My 4th graders performed it last year with the song "Turn the Glasses Over" - in Share the Music 3rd grade. I had 1 class play an Orff accompaniment and 1 class do the cup game while the other classes sang. The audience loved it! - Contributed by RaeAnna Goss

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DRUGS

Dare Graduation
Teresa's song "I Will Dare" is great. It may be found in MK8's Vol.6, No.5.Another MK8 song: "Drug Free."

MY MIND IS MINE from MUSIC K-8 Vol. 2, No. 5. Both of them are available as Singles Reproducible Kits. See our latestcatalog for details, or check out our web site shown below. You can call us again toll-free 1-800-437-0832 for free sound samplers...We have also used (at our officer's suggestion) the song, "Lean On Me".

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ENTRANCES

01/07 I used some Mannheim Steamroller for my entrance music, Jingle Bells for transitions and Trepak from the Nutcracker for exit music. My choices are often reviews from a previous lesson or a tune coming up in a future lesson. I often will keep the entrance music playing softly while I call the roll. -- Artie Almeida

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FACULTY SKITS

Spring: One of the funniest skits I ever saw was a fashion show. You can do just about anything, but here are a few suggestions, I'm sure you can come up with more:

plunging neckline-toilet plunger;
doubled breasted suit-bra on top of a suit , a print dress-newspaper -magazine print , alligator shoes and bag - fake alligator , ball gown - tennis balls, baseballs, etc , spring hat - springs , picture hat - photos , pill box hat - pill bottles , sack dress , a teddy or a baby doll pj , housecoat , scoop neckline-scoops all around from measuring scoops , 14 carrot tennis bracelet and or necklace or both , turtle neck , spike heels , hand bag , slip over sweater , knife pleated skirt , a bibbed overall outfit , afternoon tea dress., Just put the hats and accessories together as you see fit. No right or wrong.

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FAIRY TALES

RUMPELSTILTSKIN: I will have the kids all make popsicle stick ribbon props from metallic gold ribbon (from the wrapping paper section)for a spinning dance, each time R. spins straw into gold. I plan for kids to create this dance. Also, I have selected "Hush a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep my little baby. When you wake, you shall have all the pretty little ponies. Black and Bay, Dapple and Grey, all the pretty little ponies" as the lullaby. As the song is sung, a "carosel" will form around the Queen rocking her baby, and do a carosel dance (again, created by kids). We will probably have some sort for an instrumental arrangement for the lullaby. I am still searching for the right inspiration for the spinning music. Am still looking into the volumes for inspiration here. We will have a fire dance for when Rum. is dancing around the fire, chanting his name chant, (with all kids chanting).
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JOLLY MILLER: We wrote a script for narrators (shared by 2). The 1st song/dance was the folksong, "Jolly Miller." It's available lots of places, 2 that come to mind are the Play Party Book, and Jill Trinka's folk song collection. It was perfect to introduce the miller and his daughter. The next musical number was #2 of No.21 on pg. 46 inn volume IV, a short ABA piece in Dorian. Since my 3rdgraders aren't quite capable of playing the whole thing, as written, this is what I did. I wrote a simplified BX part (C'C, C, ) for "A" and had AX players on the AX part, as ritten. In B, I had metallo's playing dotted half note octave A's. The piano held it all together. Also added random bell tree in B. I wrote words for "A", and wehad a spinning song!
We created a dance with gold wands. This is repeated 3 times in the story, so we spent lots of time making it special. We wrote a chant for when the miller'sdaughter is left to spinstraw nto gold: Miller's daughter spin that straw, spin it into gold; followed by a 3-part chant: Keep calm, keep calm ://, and "Do no worry, do not worry," and "Look, who is this? Maybe he can help you! Look, who is this? Maybe he can hep!" This introduced Rumpelstiltskin(along with a ratchet sound).
Another song we used was "Hush-a-Bye" We sang it for when the baby is intrduced to the story. Since it is the lullaby that sings about "all the pretty little ponies," I had each of the 3 classes create 4 carousel ponies. We first studied examples of real carousel ponies, then they went to work. They are incredibly wonderful! So I had "pony dancers" who encircled the king, queen and baby while we sang the song. The effect was pretty darn cool!!! We also had "fire dancers" with scarves, around which Rumpelstiltskin danced as we chanted "Today I brew, tomorrow I bake. Tomorrow the queen's pretty baby I'll take. I am going to win this game, for Rumpelstiltskin is my name!"
The kids had great fun deciding which names to guess. On each of the 3 days, we had 3 guesses. Some of their choices were Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwartzenager,and Tickle-Me-Elmo! We also sang the "jeopardy" theme as the miler's daughter was thinking about whether to accept R's offer to spin gold one last time in exchange for her 1st born child. This was a big hit with our audience!
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TWISTED TALES: My middle school chorus wrote scenes that I strung together into a musical. They chose their favorite stories and characters and wove them together into "Twisted Tales." I composed the music for lyrics that the kids wrote and then we produced the show. We had Robinson Crusoe meet Henry V and the wolf met Little Red Riding Hood (and her alter ego, Little Rap Riding Hood) as well as the Three Little Pigs and Cinderella. Snow White met dwarves that could dance a la hip hop. It was a tad bizarre, but, then again, being a middle schooler is a tad bizarre. It was interesting.

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FAINTING

01/02 Remind performers to sit if they feel faint? Ask kids to bring water bottles to all performances - any other ideas?

I remind the children to wiggle their knees every so often so that they are not locked into the mannequin mode. Sometimes they are so anxious to please they stand way too stiff.

Quick reminders to sit if you feel faint and all that good stuff!

It's a real hassle to sit down and get back up, and often I would prefer to keep them up. But I have noticed that when they get to sit down fairly often, while someone is doing a small speaking part or something, I have no fainters.

EAT something before coming to sing--I have had a couple of students faint at morning rehearsals, and they say they had eaten no breakfast. DO NOT lock knees--we forget that kids don't know this!!

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FOG & FOG MACHINES

I have used them and sung with them and the chemicals can be quite unpleasant depending on where the machine is in relation to your singers. I was very concerned last year about a severe asthmatic. I made sure the machine was on the opposite end of the stage and warned her to get off stage if she started to feel uncomfortable. Mine was on stage pointed sort of at them. Maybe something behind or in front would be better. - Contributed by Linda in MD
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I have used dry ice in a fog machine - that worked fine, but the person running it put too much dry ice in the machine and it "froze" up and quit working. It was a home-made machine a dad had that he made from a garbage can, a fan and a hose.A student brought in a machine one time that used a liquid chemical solution and I experimented with that. The problem was that the fog took so long to dissipate and it make my throat burn. I didn't use it because I was concerned with allergic reactions in the audience. - Contributed by Monica Laust in WI
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I use fog machines all the time and we own two of them for your musical productions. Because of the compound (in OUR machines, a liquid we buy from the theater supply store) the fog we make is non particular, and therefore we have had NO PROBLEMS EVER with anything like that.. (In fact, can I tell a secret to you?????) I have nasal problems, causing continuous coughing etc, sometimes worse than other times. When my stage crew sets up the machine and prepare to test it, I try to get in the auditorium and stand in the fog, as it actually HELPS my congestion and nasal problems. - Contributed by Bill Ahlman
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I used one for a musical about two years ago. I wanted smoke to come out of a steam boat. It did not work exactly like I expected. I thought you could push a button and get the fog when you wanted. The machine actually has to warm up and it has a mind of its own. It comes out at different intervals. Yes, it does get foggy. I am sure you could get it to work like you want, but you would need several rehearsals to get what you want. - Contributed by Lynn in NC
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There are several ways to make fog. I don't have any experience with the kind where you buy a special liquid to put in, so, about that I will refrain from speaking. Please give me credit for just this once NOT having an opinion on something I don't know anything about. It might be the only time . . . December 4, 2003, @ did NOT have an opinion. The other two ways that I know about are fairly straightforward, but entail some taking of care. . . They both involve dry ice.

st, you can plop dry ice down into anti-freeze, and it will fog like crazy. (You CAN put dry ice into hot tap water, but the water just gets cold really fast, and the fogging process kinda dies away. . .) Trying to control where the fog goes, and trying to determine how long it will last are two of those troublesome variables that only experience can tell. If you try the dry-ice-in-anti-freeze method, be sure to use a METAL CONTAINER, as I did it in a ceramic thing once for Hallowe'en, and it broke all to a smash. (And therein lies a tale, but I will restrain myself -- all about a French restaurant on Park Avenue, NYC, and the Morrocan waiters, and getting stuck with the tab for thirty-five or forty people. . . Another time, maybe.)

fog machine that I actually surreptitiously borrowed from a theatre tech friend some years ago worked fine. BUT. (A) It was heavy and unwieldy, so enlist some help. (B) It will most definitely whoosh fog out in one direction. If you want it to "ease" out, you have to be very careful of how you handle the dry ice. (C) It has a water heater in it, so you have to plug it in, avoid killing yourself on the cord, and keep it hot. There is a basket to hold the dry ice, which you fill and lower into the hot water when you want fog. (D) You have to devise a way to handle the dry ice. My tech friend told me that the best way to handle dry ice is to get lenths of cheesecloth and fashion some bags - - just lay the cheesecloth out, put a couple of scoops of dry ice on it, and bunch up the edges so that you can tie twine around it, then keep these bags in the ice chest. The advantage of this "bag" method is that you don't have to be so concerned about burning yourself on the dry ice. If you try to transport the dry ice directly from the cooler into the fog machine basket, you have to wear heavy oven mitts, and it's cumbersome and inexact and dangerous. Not to mention the kids are grabbing and snatching, not believing it will burn them. By preparing the dry ice in bags, you can just reach in there, get the bag (yes, it will be chilly, but it won't hurt you), and drop it in the basket, lower the basket, and WHOOSH! ! ! You got fog.

So, having been told that was the best method, I hied myself right out to the cheesecloth-getting-place, got me a trunk-load of same, the morning of the program dragged myself out to the dry ice place at the crack of dawn, bought I don't know how much of the stuff, and when I got to school, fixed those bags.
Now, I DID buy enough for a dress rehearsal and two performances. At the dress rehearsal, I had a fog machine on each side just off the stage, with kids sitting in a semi-circle all around the stage. When I dropped that dry ice in those machines, the kids in front of them DISAPPEARED. When they reappeared, they looked a little funny, and were choking a bit - - not a lot, and they certainly were not complaining, because they loved it! But someone had already explained to me that the reason the fog oozes across the floor like it does is that the dry ice is heavier than air - - thus, when it gets in your lungs, it's hard to get out.
SOooooooooooooooooooooo, I made the affected kids go to the side of the stage and hang their upper bodies over the side of the stage, to help expel the fog. AND, I put one fog machine out of business, and took the other one to the FRONT of the stage, RIGHT in front of ME. THEN I coerced the Art teacher to quick like a rabbit make me a giant pumpkin to go in front of it to disguise it. This put the fog into the middle of the stage where there were no kids sitting, dispersed it out around the stage very nicely but not choking anyone. AND I had full control of what happened instead of relying on very questionable (if well-meaning) stage hands!
At the appropriate time, it was dark in there anyway, and I just reached in the ice chest, pulled out a bag of dry ice, slipped it into the basket, lowered the basket, and BINGO! Whoosh! When it would start to die out, I would put in another bag of dry ice. It was great - - worked like a charm. When I took the machines back to my friend, he asked me how it had gone. I told him great! I had followed his directions, and had done it just the way he did, and it was great. And he looked kind of funny and said, "Oh, that's NOT the way WE do it, Carol! WE burn ourselves and drop it all over the floor, and it's just a total mess. I had HEARD that using cheesecloth was a good thing, and I just wondered how it worked! ! ! !"

Now, one last thing: If you are going to use dry ice, and you have never used it before, take heed! Talk to the people at the plant, tell them what you're going to use it for, and how long you will be holding it, and they will tell you how much to buy. Dry ice does not melt - - it sublimes. Goes from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state. So you can, without any trouble at all, buy a container full of dry ice, leave it setting too long, and open a completely empty container. So, ask the professionals. It does sublime at a predictable rate, depending on how much there is of it, et cetera.

Also, keep the dry ice in a cooler - - NOT a refrigerator, just an ice-chest cooler - - by itself, nothing else. NO ice, nothing. Reason is: if you put dry ice in a container with other items in there - - even regular ice - - the dryice will naturally be trying to lower the temperature of everything in the container - - and it will disappear even quicker. - Contributed by Carol Cantrell
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One time I rented a fog machine and it used some sort of liquid. When that liquid hit our wooden stage it became as slick as ice! My little dinosaurs were skiing all over the place and falling on their prehistoric tushies! - Contributed by Artie Almeida

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FOLK SONG PROGRAM

06/07 MICHAEL HERMAN’S FOLK DANCE ORCHESTRA : These were the folk dance albums I always used (plus the S/B Rhythms Today) and there was some wonderful material on there. The album First Folk Dances has some very nice but easy dances, and each of the 4 or 5 albums we had contained at least several very useable dances. [Gooble THEM) Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana
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STEP LIVELY SERIES BY MARION ROSE There are three books; I use the first and third the most; the second one is called Canadian favorites, and so some of the tunes are not as familiar. Right now, I'm teaching Bluebird and Sasha from her books.

The other resource I would recommend are Sanna Longden's CDs/videos. Every year, in December, I teach k-5 the dances Agadu; Yesh; and Sevivon; very cute. She has suggested grade levels for each dance, and suggestions for simplifying. These are wonderful dances for a multicultural program. I've recently taught the Penguin Dance to my 1st graders; also very cute. And I taught Hashual back in January to first graders for their program in April about animals. -- Julie Jones
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02/04 Opener (K-8): Some Folks Do, M. Donnelly/G. Strid. -This is a 2 pt partner song and I'll divide my classes between K-4 and 5-8 for performance.

(K/1): Animals A-Comin', J. Swofford. -This is 2 pt, but I'll be reworking it some for unison. It is a very cute spiritual.

(2/3): Blue-Tail Fly, J. Gallina. -This is part spoken part sung. It's for 2 pt, but again I'll be reworking it for unison, call-resp. style performance, plus I'm going to add a little more melodic material toward the end of each spoken section. Fun fun.

(4): Promised Land, N. Sleeth -A nice Spiritual-style piece.

(5/6): Old Dan Tucker, J. Althouse (from Folk Songs for Solo Singers, vol 2. -very fun and festive. OR Hi Ho the Rattlin Bog, L. Speveck (sp) -This is so cool, but my using it will depend on whether there's an available CD accomp. If I do this one, I'll have to rework its SAB parts into a unison version.

(7/8): Pick A Bale of Cotton, L. Berry. -This is going to be a blast for my middlers. Its SAB and the B part is easy. I'm gonna lengthen the into and the coda a bit tho.

(6th gr. Recorders): Amazing Grace or Oh When the Saints, MK8
(Audience Participation number): undecided as of yet, but am leaning toward MK8's PollyWolly Doodle
She'll Be Comin Round the Mt.
(Closer): Water Is Wide/Simple Gifts. This one I'm adapting from 2 different arrangements. Water is Wide is coming from J. Althouse's Folk Song Suite.
It's the first selection from the suite. I'm hoping to divide vs 1 btw 2 soloists and vs 2 btw the elem/middlers. vs 1 modulates into a new key for vs 2 which I will work into Simple Gifts (the accompaniment I'm taking from Hal Leonards Piano Method Piano Solo book 5). This works out wonder- fully. - Contributed by Gretchen in IL

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FOOD & DANCE

SKIT: Characters: Bob-dog puppet; Victoria-girl puppet; Ogden-boy puppet; Brooke(real live student)
Setting: Porch steps of Victoria's house. (wenger risers, one standing onedge for puppet stage)
Bob: (Acting bored, yawns, looks around, flops down head) Ho, hum. (makesbig yawning noise)
Brooke: (Enters from stage right, sits on steps by Bob) Hey, Bob. What'sup? Where's Victoria?
Bob: I don't know. I'm so bored. There's nothing to do; no cats around tochase and it's not even close to dinnertime and I'msooooooooooooooooooooooo hungry.
Brooke: Gee, Bob, why don't I order a pizza for us from the Pizza Barn?
Victoria: (pops up) Pizza? Did I hear someone like say pizza?
Brooke: Yea, I'm ordering now, do you want some, too?
Bob: (makes howling bark of agreement)
Victoria: Like, yea, get a double cheese with pepperoni.
Brooke: (orders pizza on cell phone)
Bob: (flops head down again) I'm sooooooooooooooooooooo hungry I couldeat a cow.
Brooke: Here, Bob, you can have my peanut butter chocolate chip cookie tomunch on while we're waiting for the pizza.
(sticks fake cookie in Bob's mouth)
You Gave Me Your Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie (4th Grade)
Victoria: You know, mashed potatoes are pretty good, too. Like I lovenothing better than a big ole plate of mashedpotatoes with lots of gravy.
Bob: (yowls) Pour on that gravy! Yeeeeeeeeees!
Mashed Potatoes (5th, 6th Grades)
Brooke: Hey, I really love Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, and I could eata ton of nachos!
Bob: I love that little Mexican Chihuahua babe in the Taco Bell commercial.(whistles)
Cha Cha Chihahua (recorders - 5th grade)
Victoria: Look, here comes our pizza deliver!
Bob: (perks up) I'd say it's about time.
Pizza Delivery Person (soloist for song, enters from stage right carrying apizza)
Pizza Love (6th grade)
Bob: Gosh, the pizza is all gone and I'm bored again.
Victoria: Yea, well, like at least you can't whine about being hungry. Youate more than half of the pizza!
Brooke: Bob, you really need to get a life. There's more to do than eat.
My favorite thing to do is to dance.
Why don't you learn how to dance?
Bob: Who, me? (swivels head around) Uh, uh. I don't think so.
Brooke: Oh don't be so negative. Look, here's a bunch of my fifth gradem
friends. We'll show you how to line dance.
Line Dance With Me (5th grade)
Bob: That was pretty cool. I guess I could do that. Boy, how do I getstarted?
Brooke: First you should practice feelin' the beat to some good groovymusic like this.
I'm Dancin' On the Rooftop (6th grade)
Victoria: Hey you guys, don't forget boogie music. That's like myfavorite. Boogie woogie, boogie woogie. (dances)
Baggie Boogie Woogie (4th grade recorders)
Boogie Woogie (4th, 5th, 6th grades)
Victoria: Wow, that was like way too cool. Bob, you were really likeboppin' ole boy. Oops, I think I have to go now.It's time for my piano lesson. Bye, you guys. Bob, don'tforget to come in the house for your dinner. Ha, ha,ha. Like you would ever miss a meal!
Bob: You know what? She really knows how to hurt a guy.
Ogden: (pops up) Hello, Brooke. (pause, turns to Bob) How ya doin' there
Bob, ole fur face?
Brooke: Bob's been feelin' a bit blue, lately. We've been cheering him upwith our favorite things to do.
Ogden: Well, I like school a lot. It sure keeps me busy. When you'reinterested in learning all kinds of new stuff,
you don't have time to mope around crying the blues aboutbeing bored.
Bob: Yo, there Oggie. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a doggie. Maybe abit of a poet, too. Ha, ha. Dogs don'tgo to school.
Brooke: Now wait a minute, Bob, Ogeden's right. Learning things in schoolis fun, but you don't have to go to schoolto learn. We'll tell you about what we've learned in school. First, there's science, my favorite subject.
It's Science (5th grade)
Ogden: Do you know that I can name all 50 of the states and their capitolcities? I learned that in social studies.
Bob: Wow! I'm so impressed. You must get tired carrying that big brain ofyours around.
Ogden: (flops head down) Yea, it sure is heavy.
Brooke: Hey, it's easy to learn things when you put it to music. Anyonecan do it, even you, Bob.
Rap of the States (4th, 6th Grades)
Ogden: Speaking of music, ya know, music just gets me down to my bones. Ilove music.
Bob: Bones? Allllllllll right. Let me see, where did I put that bone?(looks around, finds bone.)
Down to the Bone (6th grade)
Brooke: Music class is a lot of fun at school. We get to do rhythmactivities and we're learning how to sing byusing solfeggio.
Bob: Fedja' what? Songs about bones and gettin' fed. It can't get muchbetter than that!
Ogden: Solfeggio is just a way of assigning syllables to notes: (sing) do,re, mi, fa, so..........Warm Up in Gee (4th 5th 6th grades)
Bob: I think I really dig this music stuff. I have untapped " a bill ity." I wish I could go to school.
Brooke: I bet there's one thing you'd have to do at school that youwouldn't like, exercise day.
Ogden: Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Not exercise day.Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Exercise Day Rap (6th grade)Brooke: We were telling Bob about some of the great stuff that we get to doat school that keeps us from getting the boredomblues.
Victoria: Oh yea, like school is pretty cool.
Bob: Another poet! Wonders never cease!
Education Rocks (4th, 5th 6th grades)

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FOOD: SMORGASBORD OF SONG

"EAT IT" - This was a group of four 5th grade girls dressed up as oldladies and we called them the "Lunch Ladies."(retired, of course) Cutecostumes and choreography!

"Mashed potato"-MK8- 2nd Grade -With 3 dancing Idaho potato bags."Chiquita Banana" commercial- 4th grade girl dressed in yellow tropicaldress with fruit basket hat. She sang the "chiquita" commercial while sheshook her maracas.
"Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie" 2nd Grade- With 2 Dancing Cookies."McDonalds Commercial"
"Five A Day" 2nd Grade- From the Dole site. Carrot, apple, salad, grapesand potato costumes.

" I Love Rocky Road" - This was a group of four 4th grade boys we calledthe "Dairy Kings". They were dressed in "Dairy Queen" uniforms. This songis a Weird Al spoof of I Love Rock & Roll.

"Cheeseburger In Paradise" 4th Grade- With a girl in a cheeseburgercostume and hawaiian shirt. We used a version from an album called"TheParakeet Album" with words that are kid appropriate.

"Armour Hot Dog" commercial- 2nd grade boy in a hot dog costume

"JELLO" commercial -5 girls, each under a colored sheet. The 4th graderssang the Jello song through once slowly, while the jello jiggled slowly,then fast, while they jiggled ALL over. Then at the end, we sang J-E-L-L-Oand the girls through off their sheets to show a sign with the appropriateletter to spell out JELLO.

"Pizza Love" 4th Grade- With Elvis singing to a girl in a pizza box

"Oscar Mayer"commercials- Bologna & Hot Dog Commercials-Performed by 2ndgrade boys in costume.

" Addicted To Spuds" -4th grade. With 3 kids in a McDonald's Friescostume, a baked potato in foil costume, and a baked potato with bacon bitsand chives.

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GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

GROUNDBREAKING: My kids are singing "Agents of Change" for the ceremony at school. Great song, inspirational, kids LOVE it!!!

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HIGH SCHOOL THEME IDEAS

"Roots of American Music" - linking Ameican musical styles to immigration
"We've Got Rhythm" - from the depression through WWII
"Imagine" - From the post WWII boom through Viet Nam
Songs from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, War of 1812 and WWI
"Songs Our Grandparents Sang"

We'll send a letter home at this spring asking for suggestions from grandparents an greatgrandparents

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HOLIDAY ALTERNATIVE

Here's an alternative to holiday programs. Our song list was:
small group I'm grateful, 1st Things I'm thankful for, 1st,2nd Jacket song,
Kindergarten Jingle Bells (that's all they knew),
3/4 Peace Round - 4 part round, 5/6 Hine Mah Tov - 2 part round, small group
Gratitude Attitude, 2,1/2 I wish, 5/6 volunteers Just One Candle - all school join on refrain

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GRADUATION

SONG SUGGESTIONS:
06/06 WATCH AS WE WALK ON OUR WAY (http://www.musick8.com/ )at their graduation. It is now a tradition, as we've done it every year since it came out. We sing it as the last thing in the service, then we walk on our way......down the aisles and out the back door! Very effective! It's very simple to learn - very repetitive and easy lyrics, but the echo effect makes it sound cool. -- Pat Price

06/06 I like "Watch as We Walk on Our Way" for graduation from MK8 10.5:-- musick8.com-- Meredith Harley Inserra
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06/06 IT'S UP TO YOU AND ME by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller. It is in the Silver Burdett Grade 5 book, The Music Connection, pg. 90. I do it with the recorded accompaniment with soloists doing the verses. The whole class joins in on the refrain. It is wonderful - haunting almost! Kathleen Bragle-----------------------------
06/06 ON MY WAY from Brother Bear. My ensemble sang it in unison. There is a Brother Bear accomp. track available. Kids loved it! This year's fifth graders have already requested it. -- Kaye
I did "On My Way" for 2 years in a row, because the kids absolutely loved it!!! Susan Birchman
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06/06 GRADUATION SONG (Ending of the Beginning). It was surely written for elementary school. I do believe it is unison, but if not, it can certainly be done in unison. I think Joe Raposo was the composer. I got mine on JWPEPPER. If kyou can't find it let me know. Opening lines are.....It is the ending of the beginning, what a good place for us to start. -- Deaetta Camillus06/06 I WONDER: I've used this song for the past couple of years. Vol. 13:5 It still brings tears to my eyes. Delynne in AR
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06/10 EIGHTH GRADE SONG: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_fFJLIeD9s&feature=related
Green Day's “Time of Your Life.” --- Jyminia In Camden County
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12/07 TIME TO GRADUATE" (Plank Road Publishing, www.musick8.com) It's very easy and appropriate for Kindergarten. You can teach it in a couple lessons.
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06/07 WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE 21st CENTURYADIOS AMIGOS (Volume 10:1) (there are a lot of Hispanic families in my school) and CHAMPIONS (Volume 14:5) all from MK8. (www.musick8.com) We did "We are the People..." last year and the kids learned it very quickly. -- Dana Wessel
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01/04 FROM: http://www.musick8.com/
I WONDER from vol 13/5 of MK8 < br>KNOWLEDGE OF POWER MK8
BRAND NEW DAY Cristi Cary Miller
DAY OF CELEBRATION Jerry Estes
GIFT OF WHO YOU ARE Sherri Porterfield
GIVE ME WINGS Arr: Patterson
GRADUATION SONG Arr: Ed Lojeski
JUST FOR TODAY Carl Strommen
Like An Eagle Carl Strommen
Make Tomorrow's Memories Now Arr.Ed Lojeski
New Beginning (A) Arlene Ydstie
ON EAGLES WINGS Donnelly/Strid
ONE VOICE, ONE SONG Carl Strommen
SING YOUR SONG Sonja and Berta Poorman
STAND AS ONE Carl Strommen
THIS DAY Arr. Kirby Shaw
TODAY IS THE DAY Teresa Jennings
TOUCH THE SKY Darla Eshelman
WALK A LITTLE SLOWER, MY FRIEND Besig/Price
WALK ON Carl Strommen
WATCH ME FLY Greg Gilpin
WE, THE LEADERS Patsy Ford Simms
WE'RE THE FUTURE OF TOMORROW Patsy Ford Simms
EVERY CHILD'S PROMISE Lloyd and Marci Larson
LIVE YOUR DREAM Donnelly/Strid -- Contributed by Dee Szulis (& others)
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04/02 8TH: SURROUNDED BY LOVE with words about "this special night," etc. and "Just a Little While." Both are great graduation songs, "YOU ARE OUR HEROES

MK8 Songs (Plank Road Publishing: http://www.musick8.com/)
My favorite graduation song is "Look to the Future." 4:5br>"It's My Journey" 7:3
"The Future Begins With Us" 10:1
"Let's Not Forget" 8:4
We did "I Like School" 9:1"T-H-A-N-K YOU" 6:2"Make New Friends" 7:3"Candle for Remembering" 11:2

"For Just A Little While" by Sally Albrecht/Althouse.
"For just a little while, we were here together. For just a little while, we were side by side. And I know someday that we will reflect on this and see what a special time it was ...."

"The Tree Song" and "I'm Growin" by Ken Medema
The Noise Song, The Seed, Anato-Me, Mortimer Mole all by Joe Wise
High Hopes

From Silver Burdette Ginn Music Connection K:
Hurray! I Like It Here by Ned Ginsburg
Magical Me by Carmino Ravosa
You're Not Everybody by Carmino Ravosa
"When I Grow Up" and "I Like Being Little A Lot" by Carmino Ravosa ( this one would be a big hit I think)
"I Am A Promise" and "Kid's Under Construction" by Bill & Gloria Gaither
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04/02 THE KINDERGARTEN WALL (John McCutcheon) ...if you can find adults or older students to sing the verses and let the Kindergarten students sing the refrain. I have used this song with motions then real sign language for a couple of years. Last year one of our kindergarten teachers prepared a powerpoint presentation with photos of the kindergarten students to show on a big screen (actually a big sheet) that was set up behind the students.The song is in the Share the Music third grade book.
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THE GRADUATION SONG (Ending of the Beginning); Words and music by Joe Raposo
Arranged by Ed Lojeski; 3 pt. or 2 pt. Hal Leonard 08551467; choral-single copy; $1.50
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WATCH ME AS I GRADUATE musick8.com We did some movement to it and some marching and it was a big hit.
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6th grade Graduation:
I teach in 2 schools where we do this sort of thing! Lately, I have done:
WIND BENEATH MY WINGS, SHENANDOAH, WE GO TOGETHER (fr.Grease), IRISH BLESSING, LET'S NOT FORGET (musick8.com), I AM THE ONE (Christi C. Miller)
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HAPPY TRAILS and the kids really enjoyed it. Short, sweet, and nostalgic for parents.
BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME...Celine Dion....a real tear-jerker
GO THE DISTANCE at 5th Grade gard. - they loved it.
It's an R&B tune that was topping the charts a few years back. Des'ree's song, YOU GOTTA BE It's got a nifty melody and the words talk about being strong, wise, smart....basically, making it in the world.
LIKE AN EAGLE by Carl strommen is great! So is TAKE THESE WINGS by Don Besig.
TODAY IS THE DAY from a past issue of musicK8.com is a great graduation song.
07/05 RECORDINGS:
Pachelbel’s Canon by Vitamin C
Orb and Scepter - It's a very dignified British concert march and would work well for a processional
"Friends forever" Vitamin V for a Processional and "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly for a Recessional
"Coronation March" from Star Wars
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" from one of the Indiana Jones movies
"Chariots of Fire"...
Our fifth graders are using "Fly Like an Eagle"
"School's Out" by Alice Cooper
4th movement from Beethoven's 5th for my 5th's as they were leaving school on the last day...would also be great as a recessional.

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THANKSGIVING

See also Holidays/Thanksgiving (More extensive)
Three years ago, I switched JUST the second grades' concert to the Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving. Can I TELL you how wonderful it has been/is ?! A parent suggested "Sing and Give Thanks" and that is what the concert is called each year. Last year we did "The Giving Tree" where the boys and girls and I created some original Theme-based songs to go with the story using the Orff instruments. I mainly did the musical settings and the children did the words. It was very special. The year before and also this year I do a real hodge-podge of wonderful poetry, choral readings and songs. Here are a few:
All in a Word - Aileen Fisher (poem) The old-fashioned letters type poem (each child holds a letter from the word "THANKS") - each class recites one of the letters and they all join in at the end.
Great Day ; Real Treasure (both of these songs are from Thanksgiving Treasure-Roger Emerson)
Growing; Smiles -unknown (recited by all) Over the River... - traditional; Best Friends - Carmino Ravosa
America the Beautiful; Turkey Fling - Gallina (the kids LOVE it!)a few more little poems and some awful turkey jokes; Be Kind to Each Other - Ruth Roberts
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We also collect monetary donations the night of the concert. Parents know ahead of time that this will be happening and it is very clear that it is optional. The $ goes to the local City Mission Thanksgiving Dinner. Now by Thanksgiving week, everyone seems to have remembered to donate canned goods and turkeys for these community dinners. The need really hasn't been for more of the same. Our thought, after talking to the staff of the Mission, was that our $ would go for the little extras that they just love - a flowers for the tables, mints for afterwards etc. Just an idea - but I just love this and it is so much less stress! By the way, the second grade teachers are thrilled that I did this - December is crazy enough. I have had nothing but positive feedback from parents too.
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The First Thanksgiving by Ruth Roberts

"A Musical Play for Young People" Michael Brent Publications, Inc., Port Chester, NY 10573This traditional celebration of Thanksgiving is told through the storyn of Small Paleface and Bright Squirrel...Little Pilgrim and Little Indian...who find the true meaning of brotherhood and friendship by learning each other's ways.

My kids love to do this with books and then present them, one class to another in an informal setting. For example, one 2d grade to a 1st grade class. A favorite is "How the Sky's Housekeeper wore her scarves," by Patricia Hooper, ill. by Susan Roth (Little, Brown and Co.) It gives us a chance to use our weather songs, play unpitched percussion, add some movement, and sharpen our skills in watching and listening for cues to make a smooth performance. It's also a place to discuss the cross-over into the visual arts thru the illustrations, which are all collages.

Small Paleface and his family have travelled far across the Great Waters blown by a big storm. They have landed on the giant rocks and suffered hardship through the snows of winter. Now Bright Squirrel's people are helping them...plant corn, use fish headsto make it grow, make the sap of a maple tree into syrup, catch wild turkey...and Small Paleface and Bright Squirrel talk to each other bydrawing pictures with a sharp stone on a smooth bark of birch.This warm remembrance of Thanksgiving simply divides any size group into Indians and Pilgrims. There is a Pilgrim song, an Indian song and dance, and a charming universal communication song "Picture Talk". Also, there are two traditional Thanksgiving songs. Duration 25 minutes. Grade level 1-6. In all aspects of life...PAY ATTENTION!

Thanksgiving Songs That Tickle Your Funny Bone" (book)Over the River and Through the Wood", which I use as a game. I found it in a book called, It's Your Turn, by Cheryl Lavender. The game involves putting motions to all the key words in the song, and then gradually leaving out the words, until all you have left are the motions. It's very funny, and evereyone cracks up. You wouldn't necessarily have to perform it that way, but the kids really learn the lyrics in the process, and it's very do-able for Kdg.

SHOO, TURKEY, SHOO, SHOO - contained in Step it Down by Bessie Jones? Get about sixty of those turkeys up there on the stage in a huge oval with some loud, brave classroom teacher in the middle.

Also see file #47 Singing Games for more ideas.

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HANUKKAH

See also Holidays/Hanukkah - More extensive

Hanukkah: the celebration of the miracle of the oil (enough for only one day) stayed lit for eight days (important to the Jews of the time for the temple re-dedication) which allowed the people time enough to make more oil. The Greeks had taken over the Jewish temple in Palestine and ordered the people to worship in the manner of the Greek tradition. The Macabees(Judah +) were a small army of Jews that fought the Greek army for 3 years and did manage to win back the temple. The game of dreydl was played at that time by the students (studying the Torah) whenever Greek soldiers were in the vicinity to mask their purpose in gathering. Hanukkah is now an eight night celebration. Books: "Hanukkah" by June Behrens; older story, good photographs of both current (50's) family celebrations and historical events; thorough covering most common symbols & props

"My First Hanukkah" - Tomie De Paola (baby book) brief about symbols of Hanukkah

Symbols: menorah (candle holder for 9 candles including the "shamash" (helper candle to light other candles), mezuzah - a plaque placed on a door or wall indicating the familiy is Jewish, dreydl - game for children played with stones, latkes - potato pancakes (with applesauce & sour cream!)
Songs: I have a Little Dreydl (Judy Ginsburgh tape) preschool (great tape with booklet of games, dances)
One Little Candle Fire - elementary (beautiful melody, easily adapted to Orff)Burn Little Candles - primary ageCandles Burning One by One - elementary

Calendar: the date is determined by lunar calendar and is different every year.

Hanukah fingerplay:
Five Little Latkes
***There were 5 little latkes sizzling in a pan!
Show 5 fingers "sizzling" then turn towards the ground as if you'resizzling in a pan.......
*** One jumped out, said, "Catch me if you can!"
Make a fist with thumb sticking out and haul it over your shoulder as if toescape
***Then he ran and he ran all around the kitchen floor all fingers run around in a circle in front of you
*** When I turned around........
Turn your whole body to the side as if to look........
*** He ran right out the door!
Fingers (both hands) scadaddle off to the right or left as if to run away
*** There were four little latkes *** Sizzling in a pan
*** One jumped out said, "Catch me if you can!" *** Then he ran and he ran all around the kitchen floor***There were three little latkes....... When I get to the end..... I say in a very sad voice........
"There were noooooooo mooooooore laaaaaaaatkes.

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CHRISTMAS

See also file #20 Holidays/Christmas - More extensive ideas
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01/02 Candy Canes: I'm using the stove pipe type Dr. Seuss hats. Oriental Trading had both red and white and green and white. I think these will provide the candy cane effect!
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01/02 "Christmas on Candy Cane Lane". As always you guys came through. One of the suggestions was to have the kids wear white sweat suits and put red or green crepe paper around them. Well, I took that idea and expanded it a little. At Wal-mart they have felt in 9" x 12" pieces with sticky stuff on the back. I cut out 3" wide strips and put them diagonally on the white sweat suits. It is so cute! The nice thing about the felt is that when you are finished you just peel it off and there is no sticky residue. The sweat suit isn't ruined. It is expensive, though. They are between 87 and 99 cents apiece. The school bought them and the parents provided their own sweatsuits.
On the first song of this musical, the boys and girls are supposed to hold up red or green candy canes. I didn't want them doing this for several reasons, but mostly because they would get in the way for the other actions. But yet I wanted to show the division of the red canes being better than the green candy canes and vice-versa. Anyway, I came up with an idea. We have access to lots of plain white gloves. So, I figured out how many kids were in first grade and I dyed those gloves red. I did the same for the second grade and dyed their gloves green. So, at the beginning, instead of hold up red or green candy canes they raise their hands. It looks pretty nice! I must say though that for me, it makes my hands get very hot and it is difficult to turn the pages. I have taken so many suggestions from this list, that I wanted to share something with you.
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01/02 Collars: The kids looked adorable-all dressed up. I made them choral collars out of paper decorated with 7 different designs: Hanukah dreidles and stars, snowflakes, Kwanzaa kinaras, holly leaves, Christmas trees, gingerbread boys, and poinsettias. Very cute and cheery. Made little toy trumpets (design from a previous MK8 magazine).
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5/01 I have 4 Christmas productions - 'The Best Gift Ever' is very very easy,and every school that has used it has loved it. The other 3 are a lot offun, but involve a bit more work. The scripts and lyrics for the songsare posted on the web site, so you can get a good idea if this is what youwant before you make a decision.
Last year we ended up performing 'Santa wants to be a Millionaire' - thisyear 'Survival Santa' will get finished, and I'll share with all who askedfor it last year. I figure that after having Survivor in 2 hot countries,a Survivor at the North Pole will be timely. I hope to have both'Millionaire' and 'Survival' recorded and ready for fall.
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Check my website: www.musicplay.ca
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Songs:Little Baby Jesus(Bonnie Wilder, Orff accomp), Away in a Manger, Pat-a-Pan (with R. instruments & guitar) Friendly Beasts (using solos on verses)

Symbols: Advent wreath with 3 purple & 1 pink candles, one per week for the 4 weeks of advent. The new week begins with each Sunday. The pink candle is for the last week in advent prior to Christmas.
On Christmas day, a white candle in the center is lit; crech with the family of Jesus plus shepherds & Wisem*n who came to visit him; the star of Bethlehem shining over area of Jesus's birth; angels proclaiming the birth;

Books: "Christmas in the Stable" Lindgren in tradition of "The Tomten""Christmas in the Barn" Margaret Wise Brown for the very young
"Christmas: Why We Celebrate It the Way We Do" good descriptions of traditions of Christmas including Santa, trees, etc., history and customsCalendar: Christmas eve: Dec. 24, day: Dec. 25, Epiphany begins on Jan. 6 and continues thru the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday;

Since I'm stressing music history so much this year and last with my kids (K-8) I'm planning our Christmas program along those same lines. I'm notsure yet what I'll call it, but here are two ideas I've had: "Christmas Through the Ages" and "A Time Traveler's Christmas." I've even thought of having Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman emcee the whole thing, but maybe that's too hokey.

Christmas Tree
The Giving Tree - what I do This was something I saw years ago at a workshop, but we were to come up with our own rhythms, etc., so, to whoever had the idea, thank you -- to all of you, feel free to change to fit your own classroom instruments -Each part of the tree is given it's own sound and rhythm. A child reads the story, with the 'tree orchestra' arranged around him (I used to do it as the presenter did -- reader front, instruments facing, but this seems much nicer for presenting -- a type of 'amphitheater' look and sound). All instruments start at the start, as all parts of the tree are still attached! (You need to keep this in mind when choosing your instruments, as you don't want to overpower the story).
As the tree gives up parts of herself for the boy, the corresponding instrument drops out. I ALWAYS use my largest hand drum with my softest mallet for the stump, with a 'Ta rest rest rest' rhythm to imitate the 'heart beat' of the tree being all that is left (some classes talk about it being the tree's love, etc.). It is always very effective. I have even used it for music night, with all of the adults taking instrument parts and an adult reading the story into a mic - they loved it.
We have added overhead projector drawings that have one portion of the tree on each, with the corresponding portion taken away as it is taken from the tree - we have use a 'shadow' thing to do the same thing, with a student acting out the part of the boy - I use this with grades 1-2 - all parts are one measure long - we read the rhythms before we play - it is a great culminating activity to a rhythm unit - (in my opinion, anyway)

Parts I use - Apples - Sop glocks - all ti-ti - the kids can choose a note pattern or play 'haphazardly' (for want of a better word) on the correct rhythm Leaves - little chime things and rain sticks- half note, half rest Branches - alto and tenor xylophones, ta, ta, ta, ta (notes depend upon what the glocks choose - they can be specific if the glocks choose a pattern or' music of the woods', if they don't)
Trunk - Bass xylophones and small hand drums - ta, rest, ta, rest Xylo notes set up like branch xylos.Stump - Large hand drum, soft mallet - ta, rest, rest, rest
I am doing "A Sparkling Christmas Tree" by Jill Gallina with my 1st and 2nd graders and it is turning out to be soooo gorgeous.
They are singing soooo beautifully, I am almost in tears everytime they sing. I don't know what it is about that song, butthey all sing it better than the other songs! (My thanks to Jill Gallina!) I think 3rd graders would like it too.
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Poem: e.e.cummings: chanson innocent
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I call the show "Home For the Holidays". We stress families being together. This gives you the chance to include all holidays you wish as different families celebrate in different ways. Some years I have teachers who like to be part of the show and they are the Aunts and Uncles in the family. ONE teacher plays a flute solo. One sang the verse part of "The Marvelous Toy". One year a teacher read a book to the students that had a great message. I try to include things that one would do or sing at a family party, such as sing together, decorate, eat,dance, play instruments, etc. That leaves room for change of songs and whatever else.
This year we started with "We're All Together Again", followed by Family" (the one on Barney...a great song), Holidays are Coming (from K-8...originally Christmas is Coming), Deck the Halls, FIll the Bowls by the Dogs, "On the First Hanukkah Night"(On this we had xylophones accompanying and an instrument for each night and a candle lit for each night ), "The Pinata", "Turkey Dinner", "Mashed Potatoes" (So great), "Penguin Polka" (also great), "Ring a Little Bell" (also great), ending with "There's No Place Like Home For the Holidays", "Shalom" and "We Wish You....". I think that was it. It had a simple dialog.
I love the holiday show. The students always wear what they would wear to a special holiday party. We decorate with boxes wrapped as packages, a big sign that says "home for the Holidays", a Menorah, a tree, lights, and snowflakes, and sometimes poinsettias that they kids make. This is done with 2nd grade.
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I just made 80 ribbons for the Finale of my Christmas program 'Christmas Back to the Future'. They ended up being so cheap and easy to do, that I want to share with the list. supplies: popsicle sticks, 1/2" reinforced packing tape, needle, dental floss, 3' strips of crepe paper or mylar ribbonI taped the end of the popsicle sticks, so that a small flap of tape hung over the end of the stick. I folded the end of the crepe paper over twice and stapled, so it was thicker than one layer. I threaded the dental floss onto the needle and sewed through the flap of tape, and the stapled end of the crepe paper and cut it off so there was about 4" of dental floss, knotted the ends so that I had a loop of dental floss connecting the popsicle stick to the crepe paper streamer. The ribbons don't tangle up, and they are easy to manipulate. I'm going to use them in my classes next week with choreography to 'Trepak' from the Nutcracker as well as in the program.
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This year at one of my schools, I had one of my chorus sections come as Carolers and stop by the family party to sing. They arrived with bells singing jingle Bells. Then they begged to sing "I'm so GLAD TO Be Here". Then they sang "I Wish" on a more serious note.
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I bought The 12 Dogs of Christmas book at Meijers the other day it is a real hoot. It cost about 12 dollars. It has an upbeat CD recording with it. One with the recorded words and one without. It's a real bargin. I used it with all my classes this last couple days before break. (K-4) They ALL loved it. Thought you might want to check it out. The words were written by a 7 year old.
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It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas; Make A Joyful Noise;
Holiday Hoedown; It's The Very Best Time Of The Year; A Holly Jolly Christmas
Time Of Love; I Love Christmas; First Snowball Of The Season
Give A Little Love At Christmas; Christmas Gentle; Christmas Tapestry
Christmas Is A Special Holiday; Silver BellsThere Is No Christmas Like a Home Christmas (medley); Christmas Time Is Coming
The Christmas Song; Share Some Love; Christmas Crossword; Holiday Dance
White Christmas; Christmas Cookies; A Christmas Riddle; The Chipmunk Song
Happy Holiday; Chocolate In My Stocking; Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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We Are The People of the 21st Century, As Long as There's Christmas; from Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas. Light the Menorah, Do You Hear What I Hear, On the Roof I Saw Santa Claus and Jingle All the Way (A wonderful medley of familiar Christmas Songs)------------
A post a few days ago mentioned "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" and reminded me of a sing-a-long the specialists did for the students many years ago. Our librarian read the poem, specialists acted it out (our guidance counselor was Santa) - it was fun! (The kids loved seeing the teachers in their p.j.'s) At our school, so far, we are allowed to do anything we want at Christmastime so there's both religious and secular songs included.I know that's been a "hot topic" - but we will continue to do "what the community allows." If I end up getting some complaints sometime, we'll change what we do - I think the Supreme Court has ruled on this emotional issue and those of us who like doing "religious" would wind up losing. Anyway - here's what we did - hopefully you all know the poem so I'll justlist the line preceding each song.

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse - "Silent Night"
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there - "S.C. is Coming to Town"
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap - "White Christmas"
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter - (lots of off-stage noise)
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all! - "Jingle Bells"
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. "Up on the Housetop"
(Santa pantomimed the head to foot, ashes, soot, part.)
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly - no song but Santa did a big "Ho Ho Ho!"
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread - "Jolly Old St. Nicholas"
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose - no song - nice glissando
Happy (we changed to Merry) Christmas to all and to all a goodnight - you guessed it "We wish you a Merry Christmas"
This was easy to put together - took maybe 15 min. (I'm guessing) and we still had time for some other seasonal favorites.
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New year celebrations in Jan/Feb - VietNam, Korea, China (4636) (Student have researched and prepared vignettes showing customs) Art teacher helped 3 Grade make dragon costumes "Song of the Dragon" from MUSIC & YOU (3rd Gr?) w/ Orff acc.
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Holiday Haikus...
In October Deaetta shared a lesson composing melodies for Haiku. I thought I would try a holiday lesson building on her idea. I'm going to divide my class into groups to write a haiku about the holidays or millennium and then set it to melody using melody bells or xylophones. After they have written their haiku, I will give each group an instrument and 17 cards with syllable names to put into order for their melody. Deatta gave out cards with 4 low dos, 4 high dos, 3 sol, 2 mi, 2 la and 2 re.( Haiku has 3 lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables and the 3rd line 5 syllables...total 17 syllables.)Each group will perform their Holiday Haiku for the class.

Write a song of cheer
Holidays are here at last
Hope you have a blast
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Early American Christmas
I did "Early American" last year along with "Yankee Doodle Santa" from "All American Christmas." Fabulous pageant! The Jennings music was absolutely awesome especially their version of "Auld Lang Syne"--an absolute big hit. Soloist along with six-eighth grade girls sang the song in the most beautiful harmony. One boy dressed early American style, holding the original flag with thirteen stars while two little girls dressed in long gowns stared at the flag during the song.
George Washington just stood on the other side of the stage during that song. I opened the program with 20 couples (all 8th Graders) Girls dressed in old fashioned fancy dresses (I told them to go to the thrift store and pick out an old fashioned gown--they thought I was joking at first. Amazing one girl paid $6.00 for two gowns. They were old-fashioned and very suitable. The boys dressed with top hats, white long-sleeved shirts, and long coats. They danced to "Let's have a Christmas Celebration"--not sure if that is the correct name of the song--ballroom style.
2nd Graders sang and danced to "Christmas Makes Me Sing" along with George and Martha Washington.
4th Grade sang in very easy two part to "Tis a Joyous Reunion." Every song was fabulous. I must say that in the ten years at one school, "Early American Christmas" was the best pageant I enjoyed putting together. There is so much you could do with that theme. The students had a ball--all 721!

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CHRISTMAS HUMOUR PROGRAM

A few suggestions for a Christmas Humor Concert Theme:

"Jingle All the Way" (Girls song about shopping)
"I'm too old for Santa Claus, (but I still like the loot)" very cute with middle 5-8 grade boys
"The Reindeer Hop" 50's rock style about reindeer dancing I had 2/3 dancing the swing and the bunny hop
"I'm Getting Nothing for Christmas"
"All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth"
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How about Everlasting Fruitcake from MK8 (Plank Rd. Publishing)My kids love this and I bet it would be easy to act out
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Try "Grandma's Killer Fruitcake" and "He's Too Fat For the Chimney" . Both got big laughs at my school.
Another idea: I Saw Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus"Jingle All the Way" is from Shawnee Press words by Gloris Shayne Arr. by Lou Hayward

The words are so teenagy:
Jingle bells, jingle bells jingle all the way; Oh, what fun it is to go shopping ev'ry day. ...... OH!......I keep meeting Santa everywhere I go!"........Betcha I would faint if I got it all! "

This song is very fast and advanced piano
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The Elves' Rap. Cute song about how Santa's job is a snap.
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Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" It comes in two part or unison.
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"I'm Too Old For Santa Claus(but I still like the loot)" Jenson Publications distributed by Hal Leonard 40225066 by Joyce Eilers 1991. Some of the words:

"I'm too old for Santa Claus, the man with the bright red suit! Yet I cling to the legend 'cause I still love the loot! And I still write to Santa like younger boys and girls. But now when I write to Santa, I ask for different toys. (very different toys.) ......... I'll be mute and salute and your name I won't refute!"

Piano is intermediate level it isn't too hard, but is fast.

I performed these songs with my middle school show choir. The girls did the shopping song with shopping bags and packages and the boys did this song with one boy dresses like Santa and the other boys with Santa beards and Santa Hats.This year I don't have boys in the show choir and I know the 7/8 won't do this but I think the 4-6 boys would be cute singing this in unison.
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Chicken Soup...although not Holiday...I tied it into my program last year and it was great!
Also...

I'm Getting Nuttin' For Christmas
Chipmunk Song?
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
The Grinch Song - My 6th graders loved doing this! Christmas Kazoo Along from MK8
And...there is always the Christmas songs that tickle your funny bone book.
North Pole Rock And Roll MK8 - I did this one with our 2nd grade teacher dressed up as a rockin' Santa 2 years ago. A riot!

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LAS POSADAS

LAS POSADAS
Las Posadas celebrates/recreates the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem prior to Christ's birth. They go from house to house seeking shelter and getting turned away. When they come to a house with luminarias out in front, they're welcomed. One of my hispanic girls spent last Christmas in Mexico and said the whole town came out for the festivities. A local family portrayed the Holy Family and there was plenty of dancing, singing, and FOOD! Other friends of mine have told me of celebrations ending in an all-night-long Mass.

Here's how we're performing it:
On stage will be most of the singers with sarapes (boys) and big colorful tissue flowers in hair (girls), some non-singing lower el. kids dealing with a pinata, and a fake mariachi band incl. guitar, maracas, and trumpet borrowed from the middle school. We don't have enough sombreros for all, so the mariachis will get them. Then during the song, down the middle aisle of the aud/gym will come a las Posadas procession lead by Mary and Joseph in costume, followed by a priest-actor dressed in borrowed vestments (white for advent), and an altar boy-actor (white robe) carrying a crucifix (decorated cardboard cutout) on a long pole.

The great thing about Emerson's musical is that it's so inclusive, allowing us to do a show which represents all the major holidays of Dec. without feeling nervous about showing their spritual sides. We're going all-out as authentically as our puny resources will allow whether it's Hanukkah, Christmas, Las Posadas, or Kwanzaa

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KWAANZA

05/30 KWANZAA PRESENTATION WRITTEN BY ALLISON ROGERS, 2001
USED BY PERMISSION, CHANGE AS NEEDED EMAIL: [emailprotected]
HARAMBEE (Music Connection, 3rd grade)

Speaker #1: Thank you for joining us this morning. At ________________ Elementary, we have been learning about the different December holidays around the world. We have learned about Kwanzaa, and African-American holiday celebrated from December 26 until the New Year.
Speaker #2: In 1996, Dr. Maulana Karenga created this holiday based on the ancient traditions of Africa. Kwanzaa is a Swahili word which means "the first."
Speaker #3: Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday nor one that honors a heroic person. It is not a holiday celebrated in Africa. It is an African-American holiday where we join to honor past traditions and work together in peace.
Speaker #4: Umojo (YOU-MO-JOE) means working together in peace. Umojo mean unity. Ujima (YOU-JEE-MA) means working together and being responsible. We can work together to solve problems and have peace.

A SONG OF PEACE (MusicK8-Vol. 12, No. 2)

SANTA CLAUS

See also #20 Holiday/Christmas - More extensive
Songs: Up on the Housetop, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town + R. instru. (and Jingle Bell Rock w/R. instru.) Books: The Night Before Christmas (poem), "Christmas: Why We Celebrate It the Way We Do"

Last year we did Sights and Sounds of the Season by Jill Gallina (I think). It's seasonal (winter-baking-snowmen) but not really Christmassy at all.My kids LOVE 'Dealin with the Reindeer' by Sally Albrecht, published Alfred. Her choreography is what makes it a hit - the choreography was in a separate paperback handout given the year the octavo was published. Another all time favorite is 'Skateboardin Santa' by Emily Crocker. I have a 5th grade skateboarder come out at the appropriate moment in the song and it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

I have a Merry Christmas Macarena and a Christmas Line Dance in the musical 'It's a Magical time of the Year' - see www.musicplay.ca for the script.

In 'The Best Gift Ever' there is a Christmas Shopping Blues that the grade 5's performed last year. We dressed them in black fedoras, sunglasses and black suits and did some Blues Brothers 2000 kind of moves. With a choir, I'd turn them around, take sunglasses out of their pockets and then perform.

There is a great octavo entitled "Light Up The Tree" by Hank Beebe. I have used it a few times and am doing it again this year. There is flashlight choreography the kids do with gel covered flashlights. Pepper can get it for you.

I also have a Turkey Dance for K-1-2 in the book "K-3 Christmas Concert Ideas' that uses all the same dance patterns as the bird dance, but uses part of Jingle Bells for a melody. See www.musicplay.ca

Just call the 800# (1-800-437-0832) and ask for Sampler "A"... or any other sampler you don't have, and it will go out 1st Class immediately... BTW, An All-American Christmas is by far our most popular Christmas all-school revue. We hope you enjoy what you hear.

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INSTRUMENTS DURING A CONCERT

12/09 QUESTION: Should they bring their instrument with them from the beginning and set in on the floor/riser (scary...could be stepped on) or should they be passed out right before the song is performed (taking more time...)?

12/09 RECORDERS: if you don't have Periople, buy some rubber O rings (plumbing stores, hardware stores, etc. have them). These will fit nicely on the head joint of a recorder. String some yarn through it and wah-la...neckstrap. You will need to take a recorder with you to find the right size. I can't remember what I used to get. It really worked great. I notice some other companies that do neckstraps use one of these connected to a nice strap. --- Jill Young

Halo hangers for the recorders are wonderful! The kids have the recorders around their necks and they never have to get them from anywhere. For boomwhackers, I usually set them off to the side of where the kids are performing, and then each student grabs their own before they start the song. Takes a little time and practice (we always practice "transitions" in concerts), but it works for me. --- Mary Honegger

This sounds dumb, but it works for me. I have the kids tuck their recorder under their arm (in their armpit, I guess!)I run around like that, and have actually forgotten it was there. If I gave my gang recorder straps, half of them would be sucking on the mouthpiece, and the other half would probably be playing/squeaking! --- Mary Grebe, Shenendehowa Central School Music Department, Clifton Park, NY

12/09 BOOMWHACKERS: I have learned that things go much more smoothly if you can already have the instruments laying out where they will play them. Passing them out is a pain in the rear. When at all possible, the kids carry their instrument, wear their instrument, or have it laying on the stage (if room). It smooths things amazingly.
Also, before you sing a note, practice transitions. Seriously, say, "OK, after "Jingle Bells", who comes out to play instruments?"Make them do it. Go through the whole program like that. It saves an unbelievable amount of time. --- Jill Young
I keep my BoomWhackers in a large bucket I got from the kitchen at school. When I used them in a concert a few years ago, I handed them out right before we did that piece. --- Stephanie Menefee

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HOLIDAY LIGHTS

In preparing for this program, I did a lesson on each of the following traditions: Hanukkah, Christmas, Santa Claus and Kwanzaa. I wrote a letter for the parents explaining the approach I was taking. The children heard a story, discussed, did art projects in classes related to these traditions and learned songs from each tradition. The children's art work was featured at the concert.

Kindergarten: WE ARE THE STARS (MK 8)
Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome to our Christmas Program!
The theme of this year's program is LIGHT. We will be singing songs about candles, stars and light.
Speaker 2:We hope to put a smile on your face and LIGHTEN your hearts. Let's begin with the youngest among us........the kindergarteners.
BURN LITTLE CANDLES (Music and You, gr. 1) GREAT BIG STARS (Silver Burdett "Centennial", gr. 1)
Speaker 3:Weren't those soloists in the last song great? Let's give them another round of applause.
Speaker 4:Three kinds of lights at this holiday time, We'll sing one more song about stars that will shine.
TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR (Traditional w/"new" harmonization)
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Grade One Speaker 5: Three kinds of lights and all of them shine, Making things special this holiday time.
Speaker 6: The light that is in us today ...all the time, Is what our first song is about,"Let It Shine!" THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE (MK 8 )
Speaker 7: With all of these songs about stars, don't you know, We must sing of Santa, the "star" of some shows.
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN (Key Bb)
Speaker 8: Kwanzaa is a special new holiday time For African-American friends of mine. KWANZAA (MK 8)
Speaker 9:We cannot forget one special light, The red nose of Rudolph that flies through the night.
RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (Key Bb)
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Grade Two COME SEE THE LIGHTS (Music and You, gr. 2)Speaker 10:The flame of a candle, the lights on a tree, The stars in the sky that shine brilliantly.
Speaker 11:All three reminders and symbols that gleam, Today they remind us of our holiday theme.LONG, LONG AGO (French Carol)
Speaker 12:Once again we will sing of a light that's within All our hearts and our souls, year out and year in.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE ( MK 8)
Speaker 13: All that glitters and glistens is not gold, you see, For some like to sprinkle this season with glee!
Speaker 14: There are presents and goodies and silliness, too! So now.....we will "lighten" things up just for you!
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY TWO FRONT TEETH
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Grade Three WE THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE (Key Em)
Speaker 15: We have just sung of a star that was bright, Guiding Wise Men to Bethlehem on Christmas night.
Speaker 16: Now we will sing one more song just for you All about a bright star and a baby, brand new!DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?
Speaker 17:We'll lighten things up one more time for the cause. Let's do it again......a song about Mommy and old Santa Claus!
I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS
Speaker 18:May the lights of this season and the songs we have sung Remind us of Christmas and the New Year to come.
Speaker 19:The making of memories, we've all done our part, May the light of this season shine bright in your heart.
Speaker 20:One more song about candles and peace 'round the world, It's our wish for each woman, man, boy, and each girl.
ONE CANDLE (MK 8) SILENT NIGHT (Key A, "new" harmonization)
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9/01 TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

This year the theme of my winter program is :"The Twelve Days of Christmas." BUT, we are not singing the real lyrics. I have changed the lyrics to concentrate on things families might do together the last 12 days before Christmas. THEN, the program will be filled with songs and activities that are about the 12 things mentioned in the theme song.

Below are the lyrics. It should be sung in the same form as the original song. I will put each day's "thing." I'll also put the stage activity ideas (in parenthesis.) The stage activities will be songs and movement activities to be sung throughout the rest of the show:

On the first day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's string some popcorn for the Christmas tree."(Family will be stringing popcorn while singing:"Stringing Up the Popcorn," a song I wrote.)

On the second day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's wrap some presents, let's string, etc.(Class will say a rap as they wrap presents while reciting Wrapping Presents Rap, Music K-8 1/2.)

On the third day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's read a book...Let's string some popcorn...etc.(Class will do a version of "The Night Before Christmas." Music K-8 has an SK for this.)

On the fourth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's watch a Christmas movie"....let's read a book, etc."(Sing "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" and have a group of reindeer do a movement activity.)

On the fifth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's Sing a Song." Etc, etc.(A class will sing a song about singing. Possibly "Christmas Makes Me Sing" in Music K-8 10/2 or "Sing of Joy" Music K-8 8/2.)

On the sixth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's go to a concert."(The students on stage will become the audience and the audience will become the performers. The students will listen as the audience sings a sing-along. I will be using the sing along produced by Music K-8.)

On the seventh day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's go to the Holiday Parade."
(Fourth grade recorders will perform a VERY SIMPLE song - possibly long tones while a "real" Christmas song is being played on the CD - and march as if in a parade. OR class will sing "Holiday Parade" - Music K-8 52/8 while students hold plastic blown instruments and march in parade formation throughout the audience.)

On the eighth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's plan Christmas dinner."(Class will sing a song about Christmas dinner. Possibly "Grandama's Chicken Soup" Music K-8 6/3 - I can't remember if the lyrics are for Christmas or Thanksgiving or either????)

On the ninth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's go see Santa." Etc...(Selected students will come on stage, sit on Santa's lap, asking for presents while the classes sing "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas to the accompaniment of Pachebel Canon. These are great partner songs!)

On the tenth day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's bake some cookies." Etc.(Class will sing a song about baking cookies. Not sure what song yet.)

On the eleventh day of Christmas my parents said to me,"Let's watch our family movies."(Class will sing "That's a Family," Music K-8 8/1 while the audience watches a slide show of pictures brought in by students of their famlies' past Christmases.)

On the twelfth day of Christmas my parents said to me, "Let's go to the ice rink." (Class will sing a song about ice skating while some students move on stage as if they were ice skating.)
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Costumes: American Indian
Our kids take a plain white t-shirt and dye it brown. Then they cut fringeat the bottom and on the sleeves. Some of them tied beads to the fringefor even more decoration.
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Humorous Holiday Program
Everlasting Fruitcake
Blitzen's Boogie
two different versions of Jingle Bells variations
songs from Christmas Songs that Tickle Your Funnybone
The 12 Dogs of Christmas
Rocks for Christmas
Grandma's Chicken Soup
Must Be Santa
Did Santa Have the Measles?
Snow Days
If you wanted some cute jokes, I bought a book called "You know you're a Scrooge when..." It included lots of cute things a "scrooge" would do at Christmas. The kids got a kick out of that one.
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1999 Holiday Lights 1999
K-6: "Light the Candles" *enter singing - Teresa Jennings
K-3: "This Little Light of Mine" Arranged by Paul Jennings
Welcome Narration------->Theme: Shine the Light
K: "Christmas Makes Me Sing" Teresa Jennings exit Kinders
Narration------------->Theme: Share the Light
1st-2nd : "A Sparkling Christmas Tree" Jill Gallina*in the shape of a Christmas tree, holding candles
1st: "All I Want For Christmas" *plenty of props - traditional
2nd: "I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas" *props again - arranged by Ruth Artman
Narration----------->Theme: Remember the Light
3rd-4th: "Kindled By the Flame" Pat Finn (MK8)
3rd: "Shalom" *in round - Teresa Jennings
Narration----------> Theme: "Light"en Up
4th: "Kris Kringle's Jingle Thingle" *recorders M.C. Handel
5-6: "Holiday Lights" *use flashlights - Albrecht
5th: "Christmas Kazoo Along" * Kazoos - arranged by Paul Jennings
Narration---------Theme: Remember, Share, Shine!
4-6: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" traditional
6th: "One Candle" Teresa Jennings
K-6: "Light the Candles" - reprise Teresa Jennings

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SEASON OF LIGHT

My name is Jane Smith and I have been teaching elementary music in Staunton, VA for 31 years.When I read the posts about "December In Our Town", I thought some of you might be interested in the multi-cultural holiday revue that I have created for one of my elementary schools. This will be an all-school revue format which will include every student. Each grade level will sing a song and then they will all sing two songs together at the end. As we all know, light is a common element in all of the season's celebrations. "A Season of Light" features five stars who "shed some light" on why people celebrate this time of year. The speaking parts rhyme which makes it easier to learn. For example,

In the month of December when nights grow long,
People come together to celebrate with song.
And in every celebration you'll find many kinds of light.
Winter solstice has it Yule log, Hanukkah candlelight.
The kinara glows for Kwanzaa, Star of Bethlehem for Christmas,
Every celebration lights a flame that burns within us!"

Many of the songs that each grade level will sing are the wonderful Music K-8 songs. I do also include "The Innkeeper" and "Light the Candles" from "December In Our Town". Other songs could be substituted easily.At the end of the program we will be singing "Just One Candle" following these lines:

"Even when the threat of war suggest we all despair And the hatred in the world makes us think that no one cares. We can each make a difference, just let your own light shine And spread your light of love to one person at a time!"

If any of you are interested in ordering a copy of the script (for which a copyright is pending) just email me for more information. I am asking $19.95 plus $2.00 for shipping.
Jane Smith, Staunton, VA

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CHINESE NEW YEAR

See also Multicultural/China - More extensive
The Chinese New Year begins with the new moon of the lunar calendar. Days before are spent in preparation and include cleaning, planting, settling old accounts and cooking for the feast. On New Year's day, children paint pictures of favorite gods and parade them in the streets. Fire crackers are lit in front of houses to chase away evil spirits. People go to the temples to pray for their ancestors and to ask for good fortune. For 305 days there are Lion Dances to bring good luck. The lantern festival is celebrated on the 13-15th days.
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Southeast AsiaDuring the hot, dry season, many people celebrate with water festivals. On New Year's day, people walk to Buddhist temples following the beat of drummers. They wash Buddhist statues symbolizing the washing away of sin.

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RAMADEN

Ramadan is a month long, very solemn, usually quiet month of fasting and reflection. Like all winter holidays, it has its own traditions and mood. They are quite different from Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa... and it may not be considered appropriate to lump them in withother celebrations in a school performance. I know some Jewish folks who would just as soon not have Hanukkah lumped into other celebrations, either.
- Here are a few web sites to check out:
http://www.arabview.net/Ramadan/ - Arab View Network, Recipes
http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/ - Ramadan on the net
http://www.submission.org/YES/child2.html - Children's Activities in Ramadan, Fasting

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"LIGHTEN UP!"

05/21 I would HIGHLY recommend anyone doing this music next year! I teach in a K-4 building- so adding a few songs easily completed the show. Here is our concert order in case you are interested:
4th Grade Select Choir- Sarasponda
4th Grade: Lighten Up(MK8)
Kindergarten: Blarney Skit(MK8), Funny Face (MK8), Boom Boom Ain't It Great to be Crazy
A Mouse and Moose and Little Green Frog (MK8), Really Rich Person Skit (MK8)
1st Grade: Ebeneezer Sneezer with bell sets, Words of Wisdom (MK8), John Brown's Baby (MK8), Knock Knock (MK8)

2nd Grade: Yodelady (MK8)
Silly Song from "Snow White", Waddaly Atcha, Crocodile Guy into Wacky Sounds(MK8)

3rd Grade: That's Easy for You to Say (MK8), Wacky Song (MK8), Bees are Buzzing (MK8)
3rd and 4th Grade, What Did Delaware (MK8), This Show is Over (MK8)
The audience loved it! We had some shriner clowns come (4th graders grandpa)- and they painted lots of noses red- including mine-- during the concert. What a blast. My principal ( who is really a bit serious) had a horn- and he honked that thing through the whole concert. He even told me how much fun he had!
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(For choreography idea MK8 song, see Movement,Drama,Dance/MK8)My 3rd graders performed "Lighten Up" last night and the parents went absolutely wild. It was incredible! We had 85 3rd graders, (EVERYONE OF THEM SHOWED UP! 1st time I ever had that happen!)
Here are a few things I added:
1. I had the kids bring in their own jokes for the show
2. We added a 2 headed horse for the "Cowboy Lament", which danced with a "very tired back"
3. The crocodile guy and boomwhackers intermittently came runnning in and out of the auditorium between acts...
4. "Blarney" was a little boy in a wheel chair...we rented a Blarney costume.
It turned out so cute...
5. We used the boomwhackers on Whacky Song - they were great!
6. Every one of the 85 kids had a part...some of them 2 or 3 parts...
7. My "Carmen Banana" was a little girl from Africa..she begged me for the part - she had the authentic dress and everything. Three little girls backed her up, wearing hula skirts...
8. I had the audience join us on "Words of Wisdom", and the boy speaker "directed" the audience
9. I had 4 different classes, so each class wore a different colored t-shirt we designed for the program. We used lime green, bright orange, bright yellow and really bright blue. It looked GREAT on the stage.

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"MAKE MERRY MUSIC" - (script)

Welcome to our program today You'll find that our music has much to say Every song is a "merry" tune
We hope you enjoy as we sing for you
The Band will play now with lots of joy Cause they are merry, every girl and boy Sit back and hear their merry toot
We bet that you will soon tap your foot.
(South Grove Elementary Band)
We have lots to sing and much more to play As the 5th grade comes to lead the way
They sing their songs making joyful noise Their music delights all girls and boys
Grade 5 Sing Merrily, Sing For Joy, Make A Joyful Noise
It's The Very Best Time Of The Year
The 4th grade now has come to sing Their merry songs to you will ringThey play recorders with no mistakes Just listen to all the sounds they makeGrade 4 Minka
The Merry Time Of Year Fanfare Jingle Bells/Jolly Old Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Bells Santa Claus, Dear Santa Claus
It's time to hear the 3rd grade songs We promise that they won't be too longThe polka is fun to dance and sing But watch and see the message we bringGrade 3 The Merry Christmas Polka Singing Merrily Christmas CrosswordSanta is happy when kids have their fun He delivers his presents to all by the ton
The 2nd grade knows that he has lots of stops So they sing merry tunes while he's on the rooftop
Grade 2 Santa, The Happy Wanderer Merry Minstrels Merry Christmas Time
The 1st grades are here to bring lots of cheer Their merry tunes will be kind to the ear
They sing of bells and tidings of joy They wish you the best, every girl and boy
Grade 1 We Wish You The Merriest Merry Merry Sing Song The Christmas Merry Ha Ha Ha
The Kindergarten is here to sing With hearts full of joy, their voices will ring
Listen for light and mittens and snow Christmas without them would be strange, you know
Kindergarten This Little Light Of Mine Aw, Shucks Chubby Little Snowman Directed by Mrs. Dina Blummer

Our teachers and staff have much to share Their talents are many and beyond compare
They'll sing their songs with nary a tear To wish you the best in the coming new year
Staff Let Those Merry Bells Ring Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Before we leave you with one more last tune We like you to know we have wishes for you
We wish you the merriest and happy new year We wish you to have lots of fun and good cheer.
Our merry tunes are almost done But listen carefully to the last one The songs we'll sing next are known by all
So join us and sing as our sounds fill this hall! EVERYONE Christmas Medley (Please join us in the singing the songs you know)

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IT'S A SMALL WORLD

THEME SONG "It's a Small World" (may be over used, but the K children learned it easily and sang it with gusto!
SWEDEN: Santa Lucia Day (early December): Children did sign language to the words of the verses of Santa Lucia and sang the refrain, since the whole song is too difficult for them to sing. I got the Swedish words and a great translation off the internet.
ISRAEL: Chanukah (mid December): Dreydl Song & Burn Little Candles Both are in an old K Silver Burdett.
GERMANY: Christmas (Dec. 6- Jan.6, or even continuing on into February in some countries) : O Christmas Tree and an Oktoberfest-type dance (to the German Chicken Dance music)...all the kids loved learning this! This class had big green felt collars and did a neat little chorography to the old Silver Burdett 2nd grade recording. Ther are four harp phrases as an intro. On the first phrase, about 7 kids entered stage left and sat on the floor; on phrase 2 a smaller group of about 5 entered stage right and knelt behind the others; on phrase three, three children entered stage left and bent behid the others; on phrase 4, the last two came and stood tall behind the others holding a big star ---VOILE, a Christmas tree.
AFRICA: Kwanzaa (late December - early Jan.) Funga Alafia with drums (I've seen it spelled Fanga some times.) They loved this too.
MEXICO: Fiesta de Las Posadas (Dec.-Jan.) "Feliz Navidad "(we did the one off the old Silver Burdett K recording, butyou could do Jose Feliciano's version with guitar) and "Hit the Pinata" (a K teacher got this off a video somewhere)
CHINA: Chinese New Year: Chinese New Year is Here Again (newest 2nd grade Silver Burdett series) We had dragons, huge fans, lanterns and all the K kids said Gung Hay Fat Choy at the end.
REPRISE: It's a Small World (Off newest Silver Burdett 3rd grade recording..it has a nice intro)

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INFORMANCE/OPEN HOUSE

06/10 I have the most success with this age doing what is referred to as "Informances." In my case, it's sort of a yearly review of what we have learned in music class. Each class performs, in my room where they are the most comfortable, for just their parents. We sing, dance, play instruments - all the things that are 'normal' in the curriculum. I schedule these Informances during their regular music time, and invite the parents, who absolutely love seeing their children, 'up close and personal.'
Of course, the little guys also participate in the huge, all-school type programs. With the Informances, though, the parents get to see their child do all of the activities, not just stand on risers and sing.
The only person who stresses during these days is....Me! Depending on how many sections of a grade level there are, that's how many performances we do. This year, I've done this with 5 four year old classes, 5 kindergartens, and will do 4 more with second grade next month. That's the hardest part. The actual preparation is basically reviewing and refreshing what they already know. Kindergarten also does a "Spring Musical" that IS a big stage production. We just did "It Sounds a Little Fishy to Me" last week, which we've done for several years (it became a tradition!). Next year, we'll start a new tradition by doing "How Does Your Garden Grow?" The kindergarten teachers are more worried than I am - they handle all the costuming, stage decoration, dancing, speaking parts, etc. All I do is teach the music!!Shirley Nichols, Little Rock AR
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06/09 OPEN HOUSE: Anybody who came was welcome - we had visitors from 3 weeks old to over 80. I asked the custodian to put a row of folding chairs around the edge of my room (I am blessed with a wonderful, large room) and we held class as usual. 2 weeks before, I made a list of 10 songs and activities we had done this quarter and had each child vote on which 3 (or 5 without Recorder Karate) they wanted to share with our guests. I tallied the votes after they left class. 1 week before, we reviewed the pieces they had selected and filled out details on invitations that the district print shop had preprinted. (All the children had to do was circle the day and time for the visit and sign their name). They were so excited to know which pieces had "won" in their class, and so curious about what the other classes on their grade level had picked. I was really surprised at some of the choices. :-) It usually worked out to a nice mix of performance- style pieces and activities that those visitors who wished to could participate in. My 4th and 5th graders also performed their Recorder Karate pieces. I had about a dozen visitors to each class - more for grades 1 & 2. The feedback was fantastic. I heard over and over - "This sure isn't how I remember music class!" Great PR. ---- Judy Schneider
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OPEN HOUSE: We do an Arts Open House for one week in April or May. Schedules for all "related arts" classes go home w/ an invitation, parents attend during their child's scheduled arts classes. There is a returnable "permission slip" on the bottom- which really just makes people slightly more accountable to come, also a reminder the Friday before Open House. It is a review week for students- I have a number of activities that parents and small children can participate in (songs on song charts, dictation with cards, improvised movement games, play-party songs, Weikert stuff...), and everyone is invited to do or watch, as they wish. I would gently suggest that young siblings be able to attend your event- it's about selling the fun and inclusiveness (as well as the rigor). Stay-at-home moms will not be able to make it if you don't allow young children, and those moms are a good chunk of your target audience. They will be able to attend where working parents may not. ...an added benefit, those moms may also be more committed to advocating for your program if they see what you do (and how your kids love music). There is a "welcome to the music room" letter on a music stand by the door, containing an overview of the curricular units and the national and state standards. There are extra chairs in both the back of the room, and among the regular student seating. Take photos and send them to your administrator and sup't, even the local paper if you have a friendly one. --- Becky Dougan
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06/07 INFORMANCE: You could do a series of rounds and draw them out by singing each part on its own first, and then having the kids sing them in rounds, then teach the parents how to sing them? A personal fave: One Bottle o' Pop from Wee Sing Silly Songs. - Beth Delaney Miller
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We're dong an "Art Happening" next week- I have a concert then different grades are doing different art activities in their "pods" (grade areas), like the Native American stick game in 2nd (correlating w/ their Native American unit), quilt inspired poetry in 4th (we had a visiting artist who does neighborhood themed Af-Am quilts), science/art inventions, play-party songs in 1st, one-act student-written plays in 3rd, art displayed throughout the building, and a community drum circle at the end of the night. I would love more ideas for/discussion of integrated arts activities for nights like these. I think it is short-sighted (and a bit insular) to separate all of the arts in performances and neglect parent involvement. - Becky Dougan
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06/07 For the last couple of years we have had a Folk Dance Evening for our 1st and 2nd graders. All the first graders learn the same folk dance in their general music classes and all the classes perform the dance at once for the parents - in individual class groupings. Each second grade class learns a different folk dance to perform - (20 -30 min.) depending We do it as a theater in-the-round - chairs are placed all around the gym and performers are in the middle.

After the classes perform, we do some big group things which include the parents - Play party games and things like Hokey Pokey or a conga line. This year we ended with Brave Combo's Disco Hokey Pokey (the group that played for the convention banquet). The parents really get a kick out of getting up and dancing with their kids. -- Karen C.Foley, General Music Teacher, Wakefield Forest ES
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01/07 INFORMANCE: Some ideas from the top of my head: Do you have a colloge near you for the students to share their musical cultures? Ideas: bagpipers, mountain and hammered dulcimer players, folk dancing room, line dancing room, instrument petting zoo (could be high school band members), barbershop group, any of the orchestra instruments, especially harp or strings, karaoke, violin performer demonstrating classical and fiddling playing, folk song group gospel, group harmonica player, Music from different cultures, handbells parents who play or sing in groups, teacher talent performance; -- Millie Webb, Williamsburg VA
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01/07 INFORMANCE: We have done an "Event Day" at the end of our reading month for many years, and some of what we did might give you ideas. The day was divided into 20 minute segments, each set up in a particular classroom and led by special teachers or volunteers. The classroom teachers stayed with their classes as they moved through the day. At least one recess break was scheduled, and a special lunch was served in our elementary hallway, rather than down in the lunchroom with the non-participating grades. (Our classes were only K-3, and the building also housed 9th-12th.) Some fine-arts related activities I can remember have included origami, making puili sticks from tagboard, and parachute movement to groovy music. Since our day was K-3 & theme-related, rather than fine-arts, the activities (and probably time frames) would be different for you. About half of the sessions for each group consisted of reading by volunteers. In your case, you'd probably pick only books related to fine arts. It's important to have one or two people working together to schedule all groups ahead of time in order to keep the whole day flowing smoothly. Advance planning and scheduling is also necessary for making use of the community volunteers. One classroom was always set aside to provide a "snack room" for all volunteers and adult participants, and all the teachers helped by bringing chips, cheese/crackers, fruit, pop, paper products, etc. Connie Herbon
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06/06 INFORMANCE: My art teacher always has art exhibits up at our concerts and prints a Gallery Guide that is attached to my program given to the parents. This year we're thinking about doing a Mozart and Matisse evening which will be a family participation night. Fun guided listening lesson, folk dance activity, family sing-along and then in the cafeteria, three art activities that the families do. Families would show up and get a color-coded slip to tell them which order to attend the classes, so our crowd is spread out in the six different things. [The sessions are short and sweet, maybe 20 minutes each.] I am hoping to have two university music interns help me with the music sessions. I think I will lead the sing-along. Although the guided listening is definitely my favorite! Artie Almeida
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10/05 INFORMANCE: Each of the informances I have done started with me leaving a few instruments such as a djembe some hand drums, tambourines etc. an alto xylophone and some soprano glockenspiels on the floor in front of the audience. I encourage preschoolers and parents etc. to come an play the instruments. I put a backrground African rhythm on and also give out a few boomwhackers then get everyone playing some kind of rhythm rather like in drum circles and get them all to stop with the "cut" signal ...if they don't stop I blow a whistle but have never had to to doa that yet as i get the Chrous sitting on the auditorium risers or steps to stnad up and they all say shh and put their finger to their mouths! -- Sue Michiels
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10/05INFORMANCE: Our school is only informances, except for 5th grade musical. Each room does their own informance, so it stays right within the class schedule. Other classes are given the chance to see what the presentors are studying. Many parents are able to come, and I put pictures on my web newsletter. 20 minutes is about the max length. -- Kristi Keast
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07/05 INFORMANCE: This past Thursday my school held a Family Fun Night with the theme of Multiple Intelligences. We called it "Crinkle the Brain."In my room I had two sessions and we used Jack Prelutsky's poem "Rat For Lunch." I had an activity by Betty Anderson that Debbie Fahmie did for our local Orff chapter. What a thrill to be able to go through the teaching process and put it on the instruments. I had ages ranging from pre-school to grandparents singing and playing instruments. I don't know who had more fun - myself or my "pupils". Most importantly though, parents were able to see how I use music to help students with their reading/language skills, cooperative learning skills, socialization skills, and so much more.-- Randy Allen
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07/05 For our winter concert, which was Renaissance theme, the Orff Ensemble played the music for a Branle dance. Two sisters in the group helped me create the dance, which was a simple AB form. They helped me teach it to the Chorus. All but five of the Chorus members chose to dance on the program, and several of them, including me, dressed in costume. After we performed it the first time, each dancer went out into the audience and brought someone back into his/her circle. (5 circles). The two sisters demonstrated it first, with their audience members, then we taught it to the other audience members. It was a huge hit, and everyone had great fun participating.-- Margaret in GA http://webtech.cherokee.k12.ga.us/sixes-es/mswarts/
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07/05 My kids dramatized "Possum Come A'Knockin'" one year and I let the Mommies and Daddies (and all other adults) be "Ma" and "Pa" with vocal ostinati. It was a HOOT! I even let them give me suggestions of what they said to their kids and we picked one of the funniest as their vocal ostinato. It was repeated every time the name "Ma" or "Pa" was mentioned as the story was being read. One of the greatest "informances" I've done. EVERYONE went home with a smile on their face! Pat Boozer
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07/05 I don't know how much you've thought about "informances", but that's how I go, these days. The performance time is augmented by information about what concepts/skills the piece highlights- i.e. what you're already doing in class! Our last concert focused on improvisation, and I only have small groups (I'm currently instumental). I wrote a small four measure melody that all of the clarinets/saxes played, then the kids took turns improvising on the notes in the melody, then we went back to the head (thus, a rondo). The recorders led four beat echos, both straight eighths and swing. I spent a chunk of time discussing what the kids learned, but I'll have them do it next time. You might also consider giving a brief overview of the applicable standard before each piece. I've seen teachers define a term, then have students illustrate it through performance. Improvisational program pieces (like "rainstorm" or "circus"- with groups assigned and cued in) including the audience could also be very successful. Becky in Pgh.
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07/05 INFORMANCE: At my last school (I just started a new job), we did something called "Showcases". It was based on an idea I read about in the Orff Echo several years ago. Each grade level would come with their parents for an evening and rotate around the specialist areas (P.E., library, computer, music, and classroom). They would be in each area for about 15 minutes, one class at a time. The music portion of it would be in the music room, and might consist of a dance, a song, a game, a xylophone piece, a recorder piece, etc. I really liked it because it was more informal, the parents could actually SEE and hear their children (rather than in the gym peering over heads), and sometimes I had them participate as well (drumming or dancing with their kids). I feel like I have so little time with the kids that part of my job is to encourage music-making in the family, thus parent participation became important. Parents seemed to like it as well. -- Mary Evans
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10/04 INFORMANCE: I think an important part of an informance which no one else has yet mentioned is that it is small. One class performing for their family and friends. IN THE MUSIC ROOM. I even do them during the school day at their regularly scheduled music time. We do plan in advance together for what to present, but I'm pretty picky about having a balance of instrument playing, singing, speech/language activities, dance/movement, and creating/improvising, and that everyone does everything. I do talk a little (as little as possible! :-) to the audience as we move through our activities telling what the children are learning during this activity, so people realize it's not just "a cute song." It's a wonderful opportunity to PR your music program!

About doing it DURING THE DAY..... Most families, given sufficient advance notice, can arrange to take time off during the day to come for this special occasion. And those who cannot often enlist a ‘Gramma,’ care giver, or close friend to be there for their child. I used to do them in the evening, but since it's one class at a time, I only scheduled 2 or 3 max in one evening (half hour each, including time to exit, enter). Any more than that and it's too late for the kids (and for me! ha ha!). Once you combine classes for a "grade level informance," in my mind, it's no longer an informance. You have to move out of the music room to have space for kids and audience, and it becomes a way more formal presentation, one where you have to rehearse in the space. We just set up a ring of chairs and/or benches around the perimeter of the music room...sure, many have to sit on the floor, and they are a little crowded, but they truly don't mind.

Once parents (and administrators) experience informances, they are believers. Parents say things like "I didn't know they learned so much in music," and "it was so nice getting to see Susie play an instrument and do the dance and play the game....it used to be she only got to stand on the risers and sing!" Another hint: your principal should either be there or ask their teacher or the classroom assistant to be there if there is one. Sometimes kids get goofy in front of an audience, especially younger kids, and you don't want to have to speak to a kid in front of everyone. Usually all it takes is for that other adult in the room to sit next to that child, and voila! problem solved, and no one is embarrassed. Also: NAME TAGS. Be sure the students wear name tags. If you're like me, you'll forget everyone's name in the excitement of the moment! Here's another hint. To really get a good turnout, talk it up big with your students and their teachers; my teachers usually take time to have their kids make personal invitations to their family to come to the informance. -- Martha Evans Osborne
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08/04 INFORMANCE: What I did was take material that we were working on anyway and group in into a show. For example, One show was called “What Did You Learn In School Today?” and we included that song as well. A child explained to the audience how we were learning rhythms such as ta ta ti ti ta and then we sang BINGO and held up flash illustrate the concept.

We used Kodaly hand signs while singing and dancing Tideo to show how we had learned to isolate that pattern in a song. All the material we did in class was shown with short simple explanations of the concepts worked on, for the parents to see.

There were 3 classes in that grade so generally I had one in a circle in front of the rest doing play party dance, creative movement or skits that they had created to the songs being sung by the other group. They they rotated to instruments (I was lucky enough to have one for each child in a full class) and they played the very very simple accompaniments we had been working on for the next group's song.

They rotated around more than once so that every one sang, danced and played instruments and no one stood in one place for very long. The parents loved it. They got to see their child do so many different things and see how much fun they were having while learning music. The only concession to the program was teaching the title song to tie it together, everything else was just our regular lessons on stage.

The next year I used the same format but instead used the theme of Pioneer songs and dances. The kids got to dress up in cowboy hats, Indian head bands, and long dresses with bonnets. Once again we did all the different folk songs that we had been working on all year including the dances. One little girl was learning Suzuki violin so she volunteered to play Skip To My Lou for us along with the Orff instrument accompaniment.

We also had a new computer/synthesizer we were testing for the district so we programmed in a simple part for it, to let the parents see how well we were using all the goodies they gave us. My rule of thumb was that everyone sang, danced or moved and everyone played an instrument or else had some other special part. In this case, one child who just never got the instrument parts, happened to have a good voice and got to sing a tiny solo on The Fox Came Out On A Chilly Night. I had to really keep my eyes open for each child's unique talent, which was a good think in any case. This kind of program is hard work for the teacher to put together, co-ordinate rehearsals, make sure everyone had some special thing to do, etc but for this children it was more like playing than performing. Parents responded very well and kids had a great time. Hope that gives you ideas. -- Contributed by Alice Olsen http://www.aliceolsen.com
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04/03 INFORMANCE: On our music night we had 5-6 rooms set up as stations. The PE teacher taught some of the dances we use in music in the gym. I had an outstanding high school percussioninst come in and run his own drum circle. We had the computer lab set up with music internet sites. I ran an Orff session in my classroom and I think we were even going to have a game room, Name that Tune. -- Contibuted by Pat Daugherty
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05/02 We showed the parents activities and games that the children do in music class instead of doing a formal concert. I think it was well-received, but it would have been better if I'd had proper sound.
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05/02 I started doing informances last year, about one a month, a different grade each time. They were part of Family Night at school--pizza dinner, then the informance, then an activity in some classrooms. Parents enjoy them--I sometimes have the students invite their parents up to play (or sing/dance/whatever we are doing) along with them. I wish I had done this years ago!!!!!
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05/02 INFORMANCE: This year 2nd grade PTA night was only a month into the school year, so in desperation I wrote an "informance" program over the weekend and taught it in one 45-min. period the next week. It was a HUGE HIT!! We did a rain song with rainstorm sound effects and Eric Carle's Very Quiet Cricket. The parents and teachers were most impressed with the rhythm and solfege echoing, which of course took no extra teaching time at all. One word of warning: I got roped into doing one for every other PTA night!
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05/02 INFORMANCE: I just did my first informance tonight. I gave my rationale when explaining that I probably saw their kids less than 25 hours in a year (45 minutes per week) that I did not want to spend class time on stuff just to perform. Instead I wanted them to see what their kids accomplished in only one or two class periods. The 2nd graders did the Yankee Doodle Stick passing game and a conglomerate arrangement from 2 different arrangements of Who's That Knocking On the Window. It included a knock knock joke, Orff parts, stick tapping with partner - fun and more fun.

The 3rd graders did theirs by class - Kookaburra (Orff arrangement created with the class and a hand clapping B section - audience singing tune), Waltzing Matilda (explained the words and acted it out with audience singing along), a musical story presentation of The Singing Snake including a song the kids and I made up last week in class. I hadn't copied it off my staff white board, so I just wheeled it into the multi-purpose room to show the parents what we had notated as we wrote our song. They were impressed!!

Then we showed school pride by singing "You're a Grand Old School" and I discussed how the music program feeds into the social skills and good citizenship program. Next we sang and played the old play party game, "Draw Me a Bucket of Water".

The third graders did the game while the 4/5s sang. I explained that our music standards require us to teach songs from different cultures and historical times and that this African-American game song could be traced through slavery and back to colonial times.

Finally, the 4/5s played some songs on their recorders. I explained about the standard that requires us to play a variety of instruments and that the recorder was ideal in helping us learn theory- reading notation, reading rhythms, etc. We also gained dexterity, discipline, etc etc. The principal was thrilled. The program was short and sweet, it was standards based. ---
05/01 INFORMANCE: An informance is a way to inform parents about what you are teaching in your classroom in a more informal setting than a polished, rehearsed performance. I have had students demonstrate Orff instruments, taking them through the process of teaching parts and layering them, parents have come forward and learned to play alongside their children, and I have demonstrated folk dances and then invited parents to join in. Doesn't always include parent involvement, but it can. I get the feel from prior discussions that for most of those on the list who use informances, it's used more as an informal performance than having direct audience participation which I tend toward.
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01/02 INFORMANCE PROGRAM: The group is first, second and third grades. Approx. 250 students.

1. OPENING - Music All Over Me (John Jacobsen) ALL

2. MELODY - YELLOW medley of: Naughty Kitty Cat, Good King Leopold, The Old Grey Cat, Ebenezer Sneezer (complete with the upside man!) and Solfege Sounds (MK-8) FIRST GRADES

3. HARMONY - The Orchestra (Fifth Grade Orff Group) (ORANGE)

4. RHYTHM - (RED) Schulwerk fuer Kinder, vol. 1 (Orff) Rhythm over ostinato (involves snap/clap/patschen/stomp combinations) Yankee Doodle Stick Passing Game Crocodile Guy Skit (to introduce Boomwhackers) Whacky Song (MK-8) (THIRD GRADES)

5. EMOTION - (PURPLE) from the silly to the sublime (SECOND GRADES) Yodellady - MK-8 Song of Peace - MK-8

6. MOVEMENT - (LIME) Big Underwear (Joe Scruggs) FIRST GRADES Dance with Your Hands (MK-8) SECOND GRADES with gloves in black light 12th Street Rag (Dances in a Line) THIRD GRADES

7. FORM - (BLUE) William Tell Overture with plate choreography - THIRD GRADE

8. MULTI-CULTURAL - SECOND GRADES (TURQUOISE) Kookaburra - with homemade didjeridoos (MK-8) Little Silver Moon Boat - from MIOSM 2001 with Orff instruments Siyahamba - from Songs of the Rainbow Children with hand drums, timpani, conga drums, talking drums

9. HISTORY - (BROWN) Medieval - Pigorian Chant (FIRST GRADES) Old MacDonald in latin and pig latin Renaissance - Le Clarion de Dunkirk (SECOND GRADE) dance Classic/Romantic - Variations on Beethoven Theme (9th Symphony, fourth movement - Orff Group) Modern - Strauss; Also sprach Zarathustra - MK-8 for Boom- whackers and kazoos

10. CROSS-CURRICULAR (DARK GREEN) Social Studies - Rap of the Presidents (SECOND) (MK-8) Science - The Comet (THIRD) (MK-8) Literature - My Mama is a Llama - (FIRST) with pitched/unpitched instrumentation.

11. FINALE -Music Alone Shall Live (MK-8) beginning with first grade soloist, gradually involving the audience.
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01/02 INFORMANCE: Do Re Mi I Like Music Vowel March Whacky Song Born to Make Music (little kids with quarter note, eighths, and rest cards draped over them to educate the audience in rhythms) Golden Rule Hello, Goodbye (their classroom warm-up and cool down songs) the Do Scale.
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01/02 INFORMANCE: This has nothing to do with performance, but would be fun to use in class while you are preparing the show. Have you watched the Notes Alive video of Dr. Suess's "My Many Colored Days"? It is really cool.
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01/02 INFORMANCE: The perfect song for your upside down man would be "The Right Way Round" by Lorraine Milne from the book The Right Way Round (Songs for kids by Lorraine Milne). ISBN 0 949316 03 2, 1985 Bilarm Music, Australia. Just quoting a bit of the song:

"All the people who live in the northern hemisphere, think we are upsidedown. But if you happen to live in the southern hemisphere, it's the right way round..............................................................'Though we may be down under, you shouldn't make the blunder of thinking that we're upsidedown."

My best informance was with a fifth grade class for grandparents. Our theme was canons. We did a body percussion canon, a recorder canon, a movement canon(choreographed by the kids), a vocal canon with hand signs and then did the canon with no sound - just hand signs, a speech canon, and a drumming canon. The grandparents were surprised that canons could be performed in ways other than vocally, and said they would never think of "canon" in the same way again.
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01/02INFORMANCE: While my K-3 concerts are not strictly "informances," they are similar. Material is pulled from our year's work, although I usually have a theme in mind when school starts in the fall and aim my planning toward that.) Here are some things that I find stand the test of time.

1) A general K-3 opener - something fun and lively and accessable to even my K's. Our theme this year (today) was "The Building Blocks of Music," and our opener was "Born to Make Music" (MK8) with some simple riser choreography in spots. Today I had assorted rectangles of brightly colored poster board hanging behind the kids on the black curtain. Each rectangle had a musical concept on it: rhythm, melody, harmony, expression, tone color, form.

2) I write a complete narration to tie the whole concert together and also for audience control - I don't talk if they are talking, and the kids don't sing until I get to talk! I introduce all songs for a grade at one time. There are no printed programs.

3) A closer with 1st-3rd ties everything together at the end. Today we did "Music Makes Me Sing" (aka "Christmas Makes Me Sing", MK8) We did it with piano in the higher key only and used 1-clap, 2-dance, 3-laugh, 4-sing, plus a choreographed bow on the coda because the kids were dying to bow.
4)Medleys of short tunes for little ones tied together with some form of BX bordun. 1st did "See-Saw/Rain,Rain/Bounce High/Naughty Kitty Cat" 2nd did "Bees/If you Goad a Toad" by Elizabeth Gilpatrick with Orff accomp. from her book.

5) Lots of "stuff." Unpitched percussion, bells, barred instruments, autoharps, actions, signing, student-held visuals (large), etc.

6) I try to focus on what each grade does well and show the progress in abilities from K through 3rd, especially the growth in singing skills. For those still reading who might be interested, here's our concert from today:

OPENING: "Music Makes Me Sing" (K-3)
K: "1, 2, Tie My Shoe" (speech/signed numbers first time; singing/patsch-clap pattern second time.)
"Ho, Ho Watanay" (Iroquois language plus patsched beat, then English plus sign)
"At the Bottom of the Sea" (looooong and shows off the "cute" factor)
K-1st: "Epo i tai tai e" (in Hawaiian plus pueli activity, with ukelele)
1st: "Bingo" (traditional way, replacing letters with claps), "Ebeneezer Sneezer" (singing/actions + once through on bells), "Playground Medley" (see above)
2nd: "Rocky Mountain" (WOM 2) (shows off expanded control of singing voices)
"Bees/If You Goad a Toad" (singing/BX/AM, see above)
"Let's All Shake Hands" (MK8, plus choreog. from NETWORK; this was the control group for the creation of this choreography)
2nd/3rd: "Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a" (call-response form/6 autoharps provided accomp., also large humuhumu stick puppets made by students)
3rd: "Sandy Land/Bow Belinda" (partner-song harmony + autoharp accomp.)
"Whacky Do Re Mi" (MK8, students helped choreograph; showed off full solfege scale.)
"As You Walk Through this World" (MK8 with sign; This song is about as expressive as any I've ever heard!)
1st-3rd closer: "Music Makes Me Sing" (see above) (Toal time, 1 hour)
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01/02 If you have access to the song "My Favorite Things," it makes a good cover song for student favorites. (It's in the old S.B. World of Music 4) The classes could each choose one or more favorite songs/activities they've enjoyed during the year, polish them a bit, and present them to parents. Some of the singing games, like "Thorn Rosa," can take several minutes to sing/act out all the verses, and no costumes or props are needed - just cute kids and imaginations.
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01/02 The "specials" teachers at my school are planning an Informance for the first grade kids in March. The kids will go through mini-classes in each special (art, music, p.e., library, and health) for 15 minutes, and then the evening will draw to a close with the first graders doing a 10-min. singing thing in the gym together.
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01/02 We also decided that a large program at that school was not a wise choice. Instead I work with grade levels and we present a small program for each PTA which is thematic and reflects some things they have done in their classes. Thursday night we used "Hey Pilgrim", Drum Passing Game (Kriske holiday book), Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving (child read part of book and we sang a paraphrase one teacher had from somewhere to tune of "Over the River" - cute!!), "5 Smart Turkeys" (rather than all learn it, 5 kids recited verses as poems - dressed as turkeys - really neat), and "I'm Grateful"

The third grade staff asked me to suggest stuff, then together we made it workable and they practiced some without me to tapes and with me over the week before during their music time (a 3rd grade at end of day MWF). I will be doing Black History with some grade, and a Spring one yet. I just got a grant for that school for All That Jazz so will try to do some performing relative to that near end of year. Meantime, we have combined after school drama and chorus and are doing "Elfis and the Sleigh Riders" on December 14. No more large all-school stuff there. You do what you have to do and live and learn.

The 2nd graders did the Yankee Doodle Stick passing game and a conglomerate arrangement from 2 different arrangements of Who's That Knocking On the Window. It included a knock knock joke, Orff parts, stick tapping with partner - fun and more fun.

I explained the pentatonic scale, made a plea for money for more Orff instruments - and we all had fun and smiled a lot. The chorus sang all Jennings stuff - Warm-up in Gee (with antics - hilarious!!), Autumn Leaves (with real live leaves), Down to the Bone (my boys tried to sound big and bad on the low part - at least looked it), and Irish Farewell (beautiful way to close). I'm tired down to the bone but so pleased - and so are the parents!! I got lots of "I just don't know how you do it...." I invited them to come and watch any time.....
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01/02 INFORMANCE: We had our informances in the evening, as part of Family Nights, when families from either 1 or 2 grades, or early/later el as a group, would come for pizza dinner (provided through Title I funds) and then break into small groups in classrooms for a curriculum-related activity, like science exploration, or Family Math, etc. Between dinner & activity, students from a chosen grade would give an informance.
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01/02 How about doing a simple instrument/Orff arrangement that the students can play and then have the students teach their part to their parents?
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01/02 INFORMANCE: One of my favorite things to do for Music in Ours Schools Month is a Sharing Assembly. I guess it's an informance. However, we have no audience other than ourselves and a handful of parents who happen to drop in. Each grade level shares one or two activities they have recently done in music. I always provide narration explaining why this is sound learning and what we are trying to achieve. We usually will sing one or two songs as a school that we all have learned at the end. The kids & teachers really enjoy it. It's low key, no pressure sharing. My principal really really likes it.
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01/02 INFORMANCE: I did several informances last summer for a summer arts integration program. ALL students participated; certain students who were more capable than others played more complicated parts, but in preparing for it, all were given a chance. Everyone had something or some part to play. I included: folk dances, in which the parents participated, Orff lessons, recorder pieces, songs, dramatizations of story texts; I wore a head microphone which freed up my hands to conduct and I could speak when I needed and everyone could hear. (Sort of a Spice Girls act!) My principal loved it and asked me for more this year.
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01/02 INFORMANCE: I did an informance with the entire school last year. The parents and the children who were not "performing" sat in the round while the classes who were performing did so in the middle. We did games and fun music activities that I thought the parents would enjoy seeing. I teach all Kindergarten and First Grade, so this was perfect for them. Everyone had a good time, and yes I did have the parents participate. I think it's a wonderful idea - something I plan to do yearly!

BACK to Program topics

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JOKES and SKITS

JOKE AFTER EACH SONG
TEACHER: How old were you on your last birthday?
STUDENT: Seven.
TEACHER: How old will you be on your next birthday?
STUDENT: Nine. STUDENT: No, it isn't, teacher. I'm eight today.

TEACHER: George, go to the map and find North America.
GEORGE:Here it is!
TEACHER: Correct. Now, class, who discovered America?
CLASS: George!

TEACHER: Willy, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WILLY: Me!

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: Are you chewing gum?
BILLY: No, I'm Billy Anderson.

TEACHER: Alfred, how can one person make so many mistakes in one day?
ALFRED: I get up early.

TEACHER: Didn't you promise to behave?
STUDENT: Yes, Sir.
TEACHER: And didn't I promise to punish you if you didn't?
STUDENT: Yes Sir, but since I broke my promise, I don't expect you to keep yours.
TEACHER: Tommy, why do you always get so dirty?
TOMMY:Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

HAROLD: Teacher, would you punish me for something I didn't do?
TEACHER: Of course not.
HAROLD: Good, because I didn't do my homework

TEACHER: Why are you late?
WEBSTER: Because of the sign.
TEACHER: What sign?
WEBSTER: The one that says, "School Ahead, Go Slow."
TEACHER: I hope I didn't see you looking at Don's paper.
JOHN:I hope you didn't either.

GARY:I don't think I deserve a zero on this test.
TEACHER: I agree, but it's the lowest mark I can give you.

TEACHER: Well, at least there's one thing I can say about your son.
FATHER:What's that?
TEACHER: With grades like these, he couldn't be cheating.
TEACHER: In this box, I have a 10-foot snake.
SAMMY:You can't fool me, teacher... snakes don't have feet.

HYGIENE TEACHER: How can you prevent diseases caused by biting insects?
JOSE: Don't bite any.
TEACHER: Ellen, give me a sentence starting with "I".
ELLEN: I is...
TEACHER: No, Ellen. Always say, "I am."
ELLEN: All right...I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.

TEACHER: Max, use "defeat," "defense," and "detail" in a sentence.
MAX: The rabbit cut across the field, and defeat went over defense before detail.
TEACHER: If you received $10 from 10 people, what would you get?
SASHA: A new bike.

TEACHER: If you had one dollar and you asked your father for another, how many dollars would you have?
VINCENT: One dollar.
TEACHER (sadly): You don't know your arithmetic.
VINCENT (sadly): You don't know my father.

TEACHER: If I had seven oranges in one hand and eight oranges in the other, what would I have?
CLASS COMEDIAN: Big hands!
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When I am in the audience at a beginner's music recital, I find it uncomfortable to have to applaud after every 8-measure solo. In order not to impose on my own audience in this way, I sometimes give a comedy act in which there is a joke after every solo, and I only expect the audience to applaud after the entire comedy act.

Here are some suggested dialogue jokes:
A: I think you made a mistake there.
B: [takes musical score and shakes it]
A: What did you do that for?
B: There was a fly on my music and I played it.
A: Do you know you played nearly every note wrong?
B: No, but if you hum a few bars I could fake it.

A: You play very charitably.
B: Charitably? How?
A: Your left hand doesn't know what your right hand is doing.
A: You could really make money with your musical skills.
B: How nice of you to say that. How's that, by playing?
A: No, by threatening to.

A: You know, I've been taking music lessons for three years.
B: You should meet my uncle, then.
A: Why? Is he a musician, too?
B: No, he's a lawyer. He could help you get your money back.

A: I've played for the King of Siam.
B: Really?
A: At least that's who he said he was; he said, "If you're a musician, I'm the King of Siam."

A: I've found music to be highly profitable.
B: Wonderful! How's that?
A: I've been able to buy all the real estate in my neighborhood at half its assessed value.

A: I've become very popular since I started taking music lessons.
B: How's that?
A: I told my neighbors that I practice when I get lonely.
A: Have you heard about the rehearsal in which Thomas got through the whole hour without screaming at any of the students?
B: No.
A: Neither have I.

A: You know what you call one hundred music teachers at the bottom of the ocean?
B: No. What?
A: A good start.

A: I think you played a note wrong.
B: Oh, I did not!
A: Don't you ever admit making a mistake?
B: Oh, yes, one time I thought I was wrong when really I was right.
[B repeats the fifth note in the scale while the other ensemble members play a bichordal song]
A: Why do you keep playing the same note over and over? Don't you see the rest of us playing high, low, and in between?
B: Sure. That's because you're looking for the right note. I have found it.

A: Did you notice how my glorious sound just filled the auditorium?
B: Yes, and I also noticed people leaving to make room for it.

A: How do you like the solo I just played?
B: I thought it was just awful, but you're so conceited, you'll never believe anything negative about yourself.
A: No, seriously, how did you like it?

A: That was a very difficult piece I just played.
B: Too bad it wasn't impossible.

A: You know how [a student on a string instrument]'s fingers are like lightening?
B: No, how?
A: They never strike the same place twice.

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and here are some suggested monologue jokes:

A man walked into a restaurant with an alligator on a leash. He said, "Do you serve music teachers here?"
The waiter said, "Sure! We don't discriminate." The man said, "Fine. I'll a hamburger and French fries, and a music teacher for my alligator."

A little boy was walking through the cemetery with his father. He said, "Look, Daddy! Here's a grave where two people are buried!"
Daddy said, "Two people? Let me see." So Daddy took a close look and, sure enough, the marker said, "Here lies a music teacher and a humble person."

SYMPATHY ORCHESTRAEach member of the ensemble is provided with a handkerchief. After each number, someone comes on stage with a joke which involves some sort of misfortune for that person. After the punch line, all of the members of the ensemble take their handkerchief and cry. Here are some suggested jokes:

My girlfriend says I remind her of the sea.
Why, because you are so wild and romantic?
No, because I make her sick.

My new boss said I can really go places.
How nice! Places like where?
Home.

My girlfriend's parents say I'm a real bargain.
How nice! How's that?
Half off.

The teacher says I have potential for being a scuba diver.
How nice! How's that?
Because my grades are all below C level.
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COURTROOM

The scene opens with JUDGE and JURY at their positions in the courtroom.
|: Enter BAILIFF with DEFENDANT.
JUDGE: What's your name?
DEFENDANT introduces him/herself.
JUDGE: What were you doing?
DEFENDANT: I was picking up pebbles on the beach?
JUDGE: What's the verdict of the jury?
JURY: (stamping their feet and clenching their fists) Guilty!
Exeunt BAILIFF and DEFENDANT.
Enter BAILIFF with WITNESS.
JUDGE: What's your name?
WITNESS: I'm Pebbles.
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BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA
The scene opens with a CONDUCTOR holding a baton and standing in place in front of the BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA, which is seated in a row on the ground, with one stick in each hand.
Enter ANNOUNCER.
ANNOUNCER: (with affected sophistication) Ladies and gentlemen, Camp Montvale proudly presents the Australian Boomerang Orchestra.
Exit ANNOUNCER.
CONDUCTOR gives the upbeat. While CONDUCTOR beats time with the baton, The BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA beats the sticks on the ground and chants.
BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA: Boom-ba, boom-ba, boom-ba, boom-ba, etc.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER of the boomerang orchestra stands up, waves arms, and screams. CONDUCTOR stops conducting and BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA stops beating sticks and chanting.
CONDUCTOR: What's the matter?
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER: My boomerang didn't come back!
CONDUCTOR: Sit down.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER obeys.
CONDUCTOR gives the upbeat. While CONDUCTOR beats time with the baton, the BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA beats the sticks on the ground and chants.
BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA: Boom-ba, boom-ba, boom-ba, boom-ba, etc.
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER of the boomerang orchestra stands up, waves arms, andscreams. CONDUCTOR stops conducting and BOOMERANG ORCHESTRA stops beating sticks and chanting.
CONDUCTOR: What's the matter?
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER: My boomerang came back!
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BALONEY

This one is especially good for reinforcing the minor third.

Enter ANNOUNCER. ECHO is backstage.
ANNOUNCER: Today's lesson is about the word "echo." An echo is a sound which bounces back to you. Let me demonstrate: Salami!
ECHO: Salami!
ANNOUNCER: Pepperoni!
ECHO: Pepperoni!
ANNOUNCER: Baloney! [waits a few seconds] Maybe I wasn't loud enough. I'll try again. Baloney! [waits a few seconds] I'll try again: [camp director's name] is a real nice guy!
ECHO: Baloney!
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My favorite skit is the one where everyone is lined up, sitting side by side...sitting in chairs or on a bench (whatever). They all sit with one leg crossed over the other (all going the same direction). On one end is a little kid and on the other end is the oldest of the group "Grandpa". The whole line appears to be waiting for something. Suddenly the little one at the end asks the one next to him/her "Is it time yet?!" The next person in line responds "I don't know, let me check". The question is passed on down the line until it gets to the guy on the end (in this case "Grandpa"). Grandpa responds with "Nope, not yet". Now the message gets passed down the line until it gets back to the little one on the end...who appears disappointed at the response. A short while later the little one at the end asks the question again...it is passed down again and Grandpa gives the same response...this gets passed back down to the little one. This happens a total of three times. The fourth time the question is posed again. When it gets down to Grandpa he responds with "Yes, it is time."...the group passes the response down to the little one, one at a time, with each person appearing elated that it is "time". When it gets to the little one everyone uncrosses and crosses theirOTHER leg over the other in unison.
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Here are some good Web sites on the subject:
http://www.macscouter.com/Skits
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"The Millennium Celebration" went very well...thanks to all of your help! Good teaching is "creative sharing"!
"America, the Beautiful" thanks to Nancy N. for sharing Susan Ramsay's paper plate choreography.
"This Little Light of Mine" thanks to Paul wonderful arrangement that the kindergarten and first graders sang
"Happy 2000 to Us" thanks to Connie H. for sharing with this list
"When the Kids Go Marching" thanks to Carolyn N. for sharing in the K-8 Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 1
"We are the People" thanks to Teresa for writing such a kid-friendly song for the whole school to sing and celebrate.

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LIGHTING

12/09 C-STAND is a stand especially made for handling large stage lights. A source 4 is a focusable light that you can spot light with or put gobos (which are plates that make designs on the wall). A source 4 is usually 3 feet long. Now what it sounds like is you need a bunch of par 64 and 32's. Those are simple "can" lights that will fill the stage with light. If the company is only providing you with one source 4, it will definitely not be enough to do anything unless you have other lighting available. --- Jessie Stoel, Production Manager of Professional Audio Services, Inc.
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07/05 Being a public school, we have no money for stuff like this either! So my drama partner and I came up with this: we bought halogen worklights and hung them from the ceiling - they clamp onto the cross pieces that hold up the ceiling tiles. We leave them there with the cords wrapped up and when we need them we attach long extension cords (the heavy duty ones) and run them across the ceiling and down to the outlets. We plug them all into those surge protector outlet strips with the on/off switches so we can control them. This past show we had the main spots plugged into one strip, a center spot plugged into another, and footlights plugged into a third. All 3 of those strips were also plugged into 1 more strip. We then could turn all the lights off and on with 1 switch, or we could turn each set on and off individually. Last year I ran another spot and switch over to light up the chorus on the side of the stage and I placed the strip/switch right by me so I could light them up only when they sang. Worked great! The halogen worklights are those orange bases with the wire fronts that clamp-on. They are very bright and do a good job of lighting up the stage. Very effective, very user-friendly, easy to disassemble and take down (fire marshall requires us to take them back down) and not expensive at all. -- Pat Price
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07/05 If cheap spot lights are needed, consider using several overhead projectors. These could be placed behind decorated boxes wrapped to look like Christmas presents and could serve as stage decorations to hide the projectors. -- Linda in KY
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If you do not have access to commercially-manufactured spotlights, it is possible to construct them from 3-lb. coffee cans and materials available from your local hardware store.

For each spotlight, you will need:
1 empty 3-lb. coffee can
1 medium base keyless porcelain lampholder (not plastic, because of the heat generated by the lamp)
1 2" x 1/2" mending plate with 2 screws, 4' or more of electric cord, 1 electric plug, 1 2" C clamp
2 3/4" wood blocks, each 2" square, 2 wood screws, 1 standard 200 watt light bulb, Black spray paint

Spray the outside of the coffee can and the wooden blocks with black paint and let them dry. Poke a hole through the center of the bottom of the can. Attach the electric cord to the keyless porcelain lampholder, as directed on the package. Put the lampholder inside the can, pulling the cord through the hole in the bottom.

Using the knockouts on the lampholder base as a guide, poke two more holes through the bottom of the can to receive the wood screws. Fasten the wooden blocks together with the mending plate, leaving 5/8" space between them. Position the blocks on the outside of the bottom of the can so that you can gently (so as not to crack the porcelain) screw the lampholder in place. Attach the plug to the cord and insert a light bulb. Insert the C-clamp under the mending plate.

Spotlights like this can be clamped to a board for use as footlights, or to a light tree made from pvc pipe or a wooden pole. They can then be plugged into a multiple outlet box so they can be controlled by one switch.

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LEARNING SONG TEXTS

12/16 To memorize an entire new song, I like to take lyrics to a song, break themdown by line and write each line on a separate sheet of construction paperand lay them out in a big oval or circle them on the floor in order. Then Iinvite each student to claim/sing 1 line a piece. Too many students? Somecan partner for a line. Not enough students? Some can straddle 2 lines.Then start the song. Each student sings just their line when it comesaround. Next time through, move 1 line to the right. Keep moving to theright until the end of the verse. This really boosts comprehension andmemorization. Next time, change positions! Kids love this ----Jess

It wasn't me, but I think the person said they type out the words on slipsof paper and everyone has to put them in order.If I have a song with lots of words I will either a.) have different groupsfocus on different verses (ie. 3 - 3rd grades so first class does 1stfirst, 2nd class does 2nd verse etc..) . Or b.) If it's a familiar tuneto the audience I will get them involved and have them sing a verse or soor c.) I will play a game where we all sing the song a capella. If I pointto myself I sing, if I point to the class they sing what comes next. Imight start with them singing key words only. Then, I might change tohaving them sing every other line (longer). I'll continue giving them moreand more to sing until they are able to sing the whole thing a capella.Another thing I will do is challenge them to see "how fast they can singthe song" a capella. My theory is, that if they can sing it quickly, theirbrain is working quicker to think of the words so that after they learn ingoing fast, they should then have no probelm singing it at the speed it hasto go. It really works great! The kids usually say something like "Thisfeels really easy now!" ---- L.V.M.
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04/03 My biggest challenge when I'm smack dabb in the middle of rehearsing for my whole school programs, is how to make repeating a song or section several times meaningful and not drudgery for the kids. Well, I just got a new book all about practicing(The Practice Revolution, http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+practice+revolution) which deals with just about everything you'll ever need to know about how to get students to practice with purpose, and there are several interesting games suggested for making a piece reliable as you prepare for performance. Here is one of the games I will be using in my rehearsals this week (that I also used successfully with several of my piano students this past week):

1. Get a regular deck of cards (remove jokers).
2. Decide which section of a song you want to rehearse to perfection and have the kids turn there in the music.
3. Deal 2 cards, face up, to the "house". All numbered cards=their own value (2=2), face cards=10, and Ace=1. Make sure the kids can see these 2 cards and their total (write on board).
4. Tell the kids that the goal is to beat the house total by earning class cards from the deck. Only when the class total exceeds the house can you move on to another section in the song.
5. Begin the game by taking the next card from the deck. Now, if they sing the given section with NO mistakes (faulty notes, missed words, dynamics, cut-offs, etc.), then they will earn that card toward the class total. If there are any noticable mistakes, that card is added to the house total which is now higher but still has to be beat in order to move on.
6. Keep taking a new card from the deck for each repetition of the section and add it to one of the piles depending on how accurate the singing was. The "round" is over when the class total exceeds the "house". Then choose another section, gather up the cards, shuffle, and play again.

My piano students really seemed to enjoy this and they really improved their performances on various sections of their music too. Here's another, perhaps most effective for memorizing a song.

1. Tell the class they will be competing with an imaginary opponent (put "class" and "opponent" on board).
2. Choose a section or verse of a song to start w/.
3. Explain that the goal is to earn 20 points (or whatever total you feel works best for you) before your opponent by winning points rolled on a dice. To earn the roll, the section must be sung accurately (no missed words, faulty notes, all eyes on director, whatever). If there are mistakes, the opponent earns the roll.
4. Here's the catch. The dice is imaginary and the class can choose the roll. So if they're feeling confident about the section, they may opt for a 5 or 6. If insecure, maybe just a 1 or 2.
5. Ok, decide on the roll and sing the section. Award the roll to the respective side. Then repeat until one side reaches 20. If the class gets there first, great. If the opponent, then that section still needs some more work later on.
6. Now, if they want to combine sections (1 verse and the refrain, or the last verse, refrain & coda, etc.), the roll can be doubled or tripled for however many sections will be sung. So if a roll of 4 is chosen, and 2 sections will be sung, then a total roll of 8 will be awarded. The class may even want to go for the whole song which would be an automatic win. -- Contributed by Gretchen in IL
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8/02Something that I learned at a conference last year was that singers need to HEAR the music many times BEFORE they sing. (This is for younger kids or nonmusic readers. Students that can read music of course should attempt to sight sing in some capacity.). In this way they can internalize the music and know it in their head before they actually produce it. I thought that was interesting. I don't do this enough. I just want to jump right in!A couple of ideas for memorizing in class:

1. Have everyone stand up without their music and begin singing the song. As soon as they make a mistake or forget the words they should sit down. Of course this is the honor system for the most part. See who can make it to the end. this is also a good way to see where you need to start working. I've done this with memorizing and also with just learning the notes.
2. Say the beginning of the line and have the class end it.
3. Alternate words. You say one word the class says the next and so on. Try to ONLY say the word that you are on ...not the other side or not the teacher's or whatever.
4. Rap it baby! Throw on a funky rhythm from your keyboard and rap the words over a few times.
5. Sing the words to a different unison tune. It's hard, but boy do you have to know the words. Gilligan's Island, Skip to My Lou and Jingle Bells are good ones to try.
6. Make a copy of your music with all of the nouns or verbs whited out. I usually just make an overhead of this if I do it. Sing with it a few times.
8/02This is the way I teach a brand new song: (Of course there are variances...)

Listen with eyes closed.
Listen watching the words.
Read the words to gain full understanding.
Hum along with music.
Sing quietly with music with voices.
Sing with music with voices.
Sing with music...no voices.
Sing a bit accapella.
Tell them they sound just like the singers on the CD.
"YOU should make a CD!" I say.
Send home lyrics.
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8/02 I keep my lyric sheets in folders for use during choir practice. As we approach performance date, I take them away during practice (scares them a little) and make the folders available for checkout. I encourage them to check one out with a friend or neighbor and quiz each other at home.

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MICROPHONES, SOUND SYSTEMS

See also: Holidays12/16 In general, here's what you need to consider:Speakers - I recommend powered speakers (10 in. or 12 in.). They can also be used individually in smaller, more portable settings.
Speaker stands
Mixer - probably analogue
Microphones (dynamic and condenser? portable hand held?)
Microphone stands (boom?)
Cables for the microphones (XLR, consider lengths - 20' at least)
Cables for the speakers (XLR, consider lengths - longer)
Power cables for the speakers (2, consider length)
Power cables for the mixer (1, consider length)
Cables for playback device (iPad, phone, iPod, etc)
Cart for mixer/storage?
For decent, middle of the road equipment you can plan on around $3000-5000 for retail. Probably on the lower end depending on the equipment you have already. There are some really good companies that will help you put together a package. I'm happy to recommend brands and places if you'd like. ----- C.McGill
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06/16 I got a class set of "school" headphones (Califone) with a grant. They really were surprisingly durable.
As for microphones, you may just want to get the headphones with microphones attached, although I'd have to check to see if they'll work with iPads since iPads have no separate mic input.
I will say I have used the ear buds that come with the iPhone to record vocals in Garage Band and the built-in mic on those worked amazingly well! ---- Norm Sands
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01/16 DO NOT get head-set mikes. The kids will tear them up, even if it's just accidentally.DO use stationary mikes, and caution the students not to touch them because that lovely WHEEEAAAEEEEE sound will occur.In the past, I have let the students hold the mike instead of it being on a stand, but it gets complicated. Turning it on and off, bending down to put it down and pick it up, not knowing exactly where it is -- that's too much confusion, which is why we don't touch our mikes anymore.Hook up the music so that it will come out of the amplifier, and set it BEHIND the students. They will sing louder because they can hear the music. Hopefully your amp will also allow you to hook up the mics also. If not, then you will need a second amp solely for microphone usage.---- Nikki Febinger
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We use three stationary mics, but they have a flexible 'neck' on them. This helps, because it makes it very easy to change the angle to adjust for both younger and older groups (preschoolers are a lot shorter than fourth graders!) This is fairly effective for my groups that perform on risers with 15-50 students in a gym (and a substantial audience), but the mikes are only about five or so feet away from the group, and movement is pretty restricted.----Emily in KS
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To buy something to meet your needs will be expensive.Last spring I had to buy my own sound system because the one we have doesnot work. I have an 8 channel mixer, 2 powered speakers, 2 overhead mics,2 stand mics, and a piano mic. It was well over $2000.I also agree with setting up the stand mics for speakers and have usethose. Last year I did use one wireless headset and it worked really well.But I also knew the student using it. If you have a small step stool, you could put that in front of one of the mics for shorter students.---- Tina Bossingham Music K-12, Owyhee Combined School, Owyhee, NV
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12/13 KIDS USING A MICROPHONE IN CLASS: We use it for auditions for solos or sometimes just to have turns talking or sining into it. I also start training them from the beginning how to use a microphone, how to move it up or down, and how to NOT, EVER, EVER, tap on the microphone to see if it is on. You should see how cute they are on stage when they walk up to the microphone and sweetly say "is this thing on?" or "testing 1, 2, 3." Much better than whacking it with your hand and messing up the speakers and the audience's ears. ---- Jennifer Scroeder
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07/11 SOUND MIXER: http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=XP800L-LM12&cid=101
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07/11 REQUIREMENTS: If *I* were putting together a new sound system, I would want:
* A mixer with at least 6 input channels and 6 output channels that would mount in or on top of a rack
* A Rack-mounted CD player/recorder
* 2 area mics and mic stands
* wireless lapel mic system
* 2 speakers mounted in my room
I would use 2 input channels for the CD player, two for my computer or iPod, and two for the mics (lapel or area as I needed that day). If I wasn't using the mics and needed the iPod and the computer, I could just switch them out. I would use two of the outputs for the speakers and two of them for the CD recorder. The other two would be reserved for students with FM transmitters, so that I could plug them into the board and they could receive the full effect of music class - not just my voice ---- Stephen Wight
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06/09 CHATTERVOX – AMPLIFICATION: I have a chattervox that I take with me to workshops when I'm not sure if they'll be an amplification system or not. It is a great backup. I presented at the Long Island Orff Chapter this year. It's a big chapter with over 100 members and the teacher who is in charge of the sound system forgot to bring it --- all I had was the Chattervox. It saved me from disaster. The advantage of the Chattervox is: it goes with you WHEREVER you go --- outside, to the gym, classroom to classroom. It's portable. It's affordable - $250. But - you will get better sound if you purchase an actual FM system with wireless headset microphone for $500-1000. If you are in one place all day long, I'd suggest spending the extra money for an FM system. If you need a system to move with you, the Chattervox is a huge help. You can find information on them at: www.musicplay.ca --- Denise Gagne Musicplay – the Sequential Text Series
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[emailprotected]06/09 LISTENING STATIONS – MULTIPLE HEADPHONES: Radio Shack is where I start to look for this. 2 way, (6-Inch 3-Way Headphone Y-Adapter, 1/8" Plug to 1/8" Jacks) 3 way (Boostaroo® 3-Channel Headphone Audio Amplifier and Splitter) Don't worry if your jacks are 1/4 inch instead of 1/8. There are large to small and small to large adapters! Make sure they have two rings on the connector... Stereo connection is always better (Mono has only one ring). 5 way splitters are out there. Seemed to be perfectly designed for ipods or such. (Belkin RockStar 5-way Headphone Splitter) Just not at Radio Shack. I left some "brand type" names above for googling.--- Chris Ann in ND

My son has one from Belkin, I believe. It splits the one headphone jack to 5 or 6. Go to Amazon and look for: Belkin RockStar 5-Way 3.5-mm Headphone Splitter (White) --- Jennifer Scroeder
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11/08 USING A MICROPHONE
PROBLEM: My voice feels more tired already- and I think it's because I'm trying too hard! I'm really talking alot quieter than usual. I'm too aware of the microphone I guess.SOLUTION
Try to raise your speaking voice a third above where you normally speak...I know this sounds weird, but having gone through speech therapy for vocal stress it really works. Use a head voice more than a "throat" or chest voice. ---Joni Kotche, Erickson Elementary, K-5 Music/Chorus

After many years with a hefty voice, I decided I was tired out some days because I had spoken loudly all day. So I did a couple of things that I still do today:
1) stop talking when the noise level gets to the point where you'll have to raise your voice volume ..... just stop and wait. It takes a little bit to train the kids that you're gonna wait, but it sure helps.
2) make my voice higher pitched the louder I get. This is an amazing tip that I learned as a first year teacher and then promptly forgot for several years because the teacher retired and I didn't get prompted by her presence
3) avoid being loud. Make them change their behavior. And try a gentle voice all day. Amazing. --- Martha Stanley

I got a Califone mic system this year, and it doesn't encourage my students to talk louder at all. It just makes me more easily heard, and I don't raise my voice to talk over them, I just turn up my volume on the body pack. I mostly use mine if I have a cold, or if I'm tired or if we're working on xylophones. I have 22 instruments, and if I'm not on the mic, I tend to talk louder and louder to be heard over the instruments.---Jennifer Schoeder

When I started using a microphone I tended to not only soften the way I spoke but to use my lower voice range and it did not help the voice. I then realized as others have that I needed to use a higher pitch for speaking andbetter breath control just as if I was singing in order to not harm my voice. I am a soprano and cannot sing in my chest range for very long or it affects my voice. I can sing forever in my head voice and never experience fatigue. Same thing with speaking. After adjusting to the mike I loved it as I could speak softly and still be heard. The kids liked it too because it didn't matter where in the room they were sitting. I could also move my mouth closer to the mic rather than strain my voice getting more volume in those rare moments of needing to speak above the "mob". One lesson learned the hard way - if you step outside to correct a student, remember to TURN OFF or mute the mic. I really told the kid (5th grade) how I felt about his behavior in private, only to step back in the room and learn my wireless mic broadcast my words loud and clear in the classroom. Kids and I laughed about that for a long time!! -- Ardie Roddy
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12/07 CHATTERVOX: When I'm travelling, I take [it] with me. This is a portable voice amplifier. You have a little waist speaker that goes on just like a "travel pouch", and you wear the microphone like headphones. (sort of) An FM system in your classroom is still preferable, but this is a great solution for times when you're not in your classroom, or if you can't afford an FM system. (It costs $250) Denise Gagne www.musicplay.ca Musicplay - the Sequential Text Series [emailprotected] 888-562-4647
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12/07 PROFORMANCE: About 7-8 years ago, I purchased [this] wireless system made by Audio-technica. It was a VHF Wireless Mictophone System and included a VHS received, a transmitter and a headworn microphone. It connected very easily with my sound system which was an AIWA 5-cd system that also contained a turntable (remember this is now old technology).
The system requires AA batteries and I invested in rechargeable ones which I recharged every night. This system served me very well while I was in the classroom.
[In a metropolitan area…] You should be able to find an updated similar system ina guitar/music store such as George's Music or Guitar Center. I purchased mine at George's Music and found that the sales staff was very helpful. I found the system to be very helpful. You wear the transmitter on a belt or in a pocket and the receiver attaches to the back of your stereo system. I don't remember what plug you would use, but the place where you purchase the system will be able to help you. Hope this was helpful. -- Rose Grelis
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12/07 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT: I have an infra red system from [this brand] which has 6 speakers mounted in the 16 ft. high ceiling. It carries my voice throughout the large room and I don't have to strain my voice over instruments or music that is playing. I couldn't live without it! And I highly recommend the Audio Enhancement system. -- Patty Oeste in AR
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06/07 SOUND SYSTEM: My first suggestion is NOT to get one of those all-in-one shelf systems so popular as home units these days. The audio guys I speak to say they're not meant to last and are notorious for problems. Indeed everybody I know who's had one has something on it that doesn't work now. If one component has a problem, you might as well toss out the whole thing, 'cause the repair guys I've spoken to won't touch them - too much trouble to mess with. Buyseparate components: a receiver, a CD player, and speakers. I spent about$400 on all three combined and I have a good system. My components are Kenwood and the speakers and Polk Audio. I got all at Circuit City and my PTO payed for it. I don't really use cassettes anymore, but I have a small portable that will if I need it. It's my back-up too. If you go to Circuit City or Best Buy online you'll find most items also have customer reviews for every product too. Try googling audio component reviews online and see what the "experts” say. - Meredith Harley Inserra
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06/07 CALIPHONE: http://www.califone.com/pa/pa282.php This is called Voice Saver 282 and it is a portable audio system. You do not have to be hooked up to any other amplifiers and do not have to drag around a microphone or any monitors. I wear the head set around my neck, rather than on my head and then the little amplifier is riding on my pocket. You have to always remember to have a pocket or belt to hook onto and it is just enough amplification for my area. -- Caryn Mears, Kennewick, WA
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06/07 CALIFONE: I have heard good things about Califone systems. I was looking at the Califone 2455AV-02. It is a strong BoomBox style CD/Cassette system that has input jack for "accessories". It can be used with a microphone and the Califone website claims it has enough power to be heard by a group of 100. This is important because I teach 2 classes at a time in a very large room. My room is partitioned off from the MS/HS choir room and the partition does NOTHING to mute sound! The poor kids on the back row have to decide whether they're listening to the HS Concert Choir or my lesson! I can't imagine what they think on the other side when I teach 48 kids a recorder lesson! -- Julia Long
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06/07 SOUND SYSTEM: If you aren't looking for anything too fancy, I found a pretty good CD player at WalMart that has a cassette player/recorder and a MP3 plug-in. It only cost 29 dollars or so. The brand is Durablend, I think. It's light and easy to carry, which helps me, since I travel. -- Cheryl Elder
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06/07 CALIPHONE: (classroom use) At most of my schools they have a unit, made by Califone I think, it looks like a regular speaker but has a handle that raises and lowers like the ones on suitcases. It has 2 wheels on it and you can roll it from place to place. There is a CD player in the back, as well as a place to plug in a microphone. It's great, I use it in the auditorium just for the CD, but if I had to constantly raise my voice, I would use the microphone. It also has a battery, recharges when plugged in, and they use it outside on the yard when they have a large school assembly. Pretty neat little piece. Website: http://www.califone.com/portable.php-- Linda in Long Beach, CA - Linda Garrett

My afternoon school uses Phonic Ear in every classroom...except music. I have a different brand that is more powerful. html -- Contributed by Kristin Lukow

06/07 I have to store the large sound system in my classroom. I set it up and I use a standard wireless lapel mic. Works great! I even managaed to run my ipod through the sound system. Now all I need is to get a CD player to run. -- Gwenn Weston
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06/07 SENNHAISER: I have a Sennheiser that I have been extremely happy with. The best feature is you can change the frequency, so if I need to borrow one from another school we don't have interference. -- Delynne in AR
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06/07 CORDLESS MICS: You definitely get what you pay for. We've got a bunch of Sure clip-ons, and my favorites are the more expensive ones. I think we've got about 4 or 5 that were around $250 each for all the parts. These are great for our small auditorium, but they sometimes have problems with feedback or crackling, etc. Then last year, we bought 2 new Sure mics for around $500 each. Those are fabulous. As usual, I can't remember the exact model number or anything. - Jennifer Schroeder
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FRONTROW TO GO as the portable system for PE - I haven't heard any complaints about them06/07 ITUNES: Open the play list in itunes (so the song list that you want to print shows on your screen) click file print then select CD jewel case insert or song listing click print -- Sherry in AR
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06/07 CONVERTING FILES: <>Wouldn't wav and mp3 work on both platforms? I'd try that and avoid the AAC. Go for common ground, I say. -- Martha Stanley
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06/07 CHORAL MICS The mics most people think of for Choirs are condenser mics, I think. Many are designed to hang from a boom and are separated from the boom by an elastic web. This insulates the mic from vibrations traveling the stand, helping avoid some low frequency feedback (I believe). Solo mics are the unidirectional ones that go on stands or are handheld. I think this is accurate. Something at MusiciansFriend.com makes me think these are called "dynamic" mics...? -- Stephen Wight
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06/07 CHORAL MICS I've also heard condenser mics called choral mics. Most need "phantom power". Our main PA system does not have that, so we purchased a separate mixer system. We hung five condenser mics from the ceiling. It really makes the stage live. Individual students who speak fairly loud need to position themselves near the mics. Those kids that really project could stand almost anywhere on the stage. We have a super powerful amplifier. They even put in an electronic equalizer to prevent most feedback. The whole sound system was over $8000. -- Linda Z in Florida
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06/07 PRINT PLAY LIST: I highlight the play list and then hit "control P" and that works just fine. - Becky in NH

01/07 Go to www.samsontech.com adn look for the XP300 active PA speaker: (only 46 pounds in weight,) listed at $499.99. It has a built in mixer with 3 Mic/4line inputsand has built in wheels and telescoping handle so it is easy to move. you can easily add another active speaker(XP 200) for @299.99 or a passive speaker (XP 100) for $199.9. You can daisy chain speakers to it. You just go from a boombox headphone out to an in line with CD/cassettes.Sam Ash stocks these and will sell them to you for less than the listed prices. --- Sue Michiels
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01/07 ALTEC LANSING: I love, love, love my Altec Lansing "In Motion." It is kind of cylindrical (Apple's looks like a breadbox). We did lots of research before buying, and I am happy as a clam with it. This puppy is LOUD (if you want), and the sound is astonishing. Amazing bass response for a relatively small system... Julie in CO
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CONDENSER MICS need a powered board to run (called phantom power), while a dynamic mic does not need the phantom power to work. Condenser mics tend to be more sensitive - both to picking up sound but also to being beaten up. The dynamic mics are more rugged mics and can withstand more abuse. - Keith Maxey
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06/06 QUESTION: We need to mic the stage [and] when I use the system, the kids can't hear the soudn on stage--no feed to stage.
ANSWER: You can use a couple of monitors at the foot of the stage. The best mics to pick up all around a stage are the nice, omni-directional ones that hand above the stage. I think they're called choral mics. -- Meredith Harley Inserra
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06/06 CALIFONE PERSONAL AMPLIFIER..., I couldn't use the headset mic that came with it. It was WAY to big for my head and would only adjust by 1"!! In addition, everytime I would get close to the piano or the board, I would get feedback (you wear the amplifier) I have returned the califone and DO NOT recommend it.

WIRELESS MIC…What I have done and LOVE...is I purchased a wireless mic and transmitter off of EBAY. Mine is a LANE and it only cost me about $7 for the mic and then $13 for shipping...so, for $20 I have a wireless mic transmitting through my receiver. (i have the wireless receiver plugged into the phono input in the back of my receiver.) I did have to purchase a 12 volt battery charger and a couple of rechargeable 9 volt batteries (my charger can also charge AA batteries, so I bought a few of them too (the receiver takes 1 AA and the transmitter takes the 9 volt). A 9 volt battery lasts about 1 day - a day and a half. Then I just swap it out and switch it for the other. The AA battery in the transmitter is holding on MUCH longer. I also had to get a short cord that was RCA male to 1/4" male and then a coupler so I could put in the receiver. Then...we also had to put my speakers farther apart in the room so I don't get feedback and can have the mic on higher. Now, with winter, I'm wearing turtle necks and I have the lapel mic (which the wireless came with) right next to my larynx....it works BEAUTIFULLY and has really helped my voice. I haven't felt strained and haven't lost my voice yet this year. However....I'm also on Prisolec (for reflux...which I didn't know I had) and that has helped IMMENSELY with my voice!! - Rhonda Schilling
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10/05 RADIO SHACK MICROPHONE: At my morning school, I have a simple little [microphone] that works just fine. It fits around my head with a little boom mic that comes out front. I think it was around $50.00. The receiver was around that also. It is sturdier, but both work equally well.-- Kristin Lukow
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10/05 RADIO SHACK SYSTEM:I have a fairly inexpensive system bought at Radio Shack. It has a wireless lapel mike and the receiver. Then I have an amplifier and speakers. I also happened to have a hand held mike, so I use that sometimes. The students especially love to use it. It's a great way to do vocal assessment. Everyone is singing, but I can hear the "featured soloist" above them all.-- Monica in Tennessee
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10/05 AUDIO CHOICE: I have a portable P.A. system called Audio Choice QM4 by Sound Tech. I has a 4-channel amp and two good sized speakers. I think we paid about $250 for it, but that was at least six years ago. It is intended for connecting mic cables, and that's usually how we've used it, however, the high school wireless receiver will also sit on top of my portable amp and plug in with a ¼" jack. Ours is a Nady Wireless 331 and includes Nady wireless mics. We've had it at least 5 years, and I don't know how much it cost - just know it CAN be done quite simply with the right equipment. This is the same wireless set up they use for high school musicals, except then they plug it into the sound board. -- Connie Herbon 10/05 To find Windows Sound Recorder in Windows XP Click "Start" Click "All Programs" Click "Accessories" Click "Entertainment" Click "Sound Recorder" - Sarah Rienzi
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07/05 CHORAL MICROPHONES: Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. 1221 Commerce Drive Stow, Ohio 44224 Tel: 330-686-2600
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07/05 We opted for a company to put different parts together to come up with something we could use in the gym or our classrooms. I'll put the model names etc. down and hope you can use this info.
We worked with a local consultant service - PFCS Phillips consultant service, LTD. 3181 Fenton Rd.
P.O. Box 010 Holly, MI 48442
<248-634-1319 Fax.- 2248-634-2018
Parts list M/N
4 adapter phone plug to 1/4" 274-320-RS
4 Dual Audio cables 3 ft. 42-2351B-RS
2 PEAVEY patch cables 5 ft. 0014367-004854
2 PEAVEY speaker cables 25 ft. 014376-002119
1 MARANTZ Dual Well Deck PMD510
1 DENON 5 Disc CD player DCM280P
1 MAP 15 AMP Power rack PD-915R
2 SPEAKER Brackets WB-3
2 BOSE speakers 310IV
1 RAXXESS Case w/ Casters CR10/10
1 PEAVEY Stereo MIXer UNITY 1002-8RQ
1 PEAVEY Power AMP PV-500 (8 channel professional Stereo)
We all in all our 11 schools love these! We wheel them down to our gyms and plug in our microphones and we're set to go. Great as we have pitch control, volume control, can copy tapes, or CD's to tape. Record voices, balance control, split tracks.... We can't burn a CD from a tape. Oh well.... If wishes were pennies! Good luck with your search Christine Goodearl
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07/05 SHURE: I just purchased two Shure something-or-other 58 microphones. They were highly recommended. I believe they were $104 and have a switch. Some solo mics like this don't have a switch to turn them on and off. We have 3 mics hanging over our stage, but I have no idea what brand they are. As far as hooking them up, I would think if you have the plugs already installed on the stage or wherever, all you need are the mics, stands and cords. Otherwise, you may need longer cords to reach back to wherever your sound system lives. Our stage has 5 plugs on the front edge, so we just open up the little cover and plug in the microphones which then correspond to the main sound panel at the back of the auditorium. -- Jennifer Schroeder
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07/05 AUDIO TECHNICA: I invested in some choral microphones. I got 2 from Audio- Technica. They were $99 each. They work great! I love them! I was able to do my spring musical without passing microphones around. The only thing you need to check out is if your sound system has phantom power. If not, you have to have something to power the microphones. -- Denise Rives
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07/05 LEVALIER: If you could get some wireless Levalier mikes that clip on the kids for the main speakers it would be the best situation otherwise hand held held mikes but you are talking quite a bit of money........ -- Sue Michiels
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07/05 PZM: I would try a boundary microphone, also called PZM mics. The ones I've seen run a few hundred, but should pick up what you need to hear. They sit on the floor, so views wouldn't be obstructed and kids don't have to carry mics or have them pinned on. Delynne in AR
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07/05 AKG: I found the greatest microphone! It's a condensor mic made by AKG. It picks up the whole stage! We did a program a few weeks ago and it picked up every speaking part! It was about $250. It requires phantom power on your sound board.

I have a large boom mic stand. We decided on that because of the portability it would give us. For the last show I had it placed in the front and center of the stage, over the kids' heads. We were amazed that it picked up all the dialogue as well as the 100 kids on the risers! Two of them would really be awesome! Laurie in Jacksonville
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07/05 I like [my Califone] because it is 5 watts and so gives better amplification. Joe did the research on which one would be better. It is bigger though, about 4" x 6" and weighs a little more. It is called a voice saver and I know it will do just that. There is a smaller califone one too. Joe told me to get the pA 285AV rather than the 282 for amplification. [Later]I then bought a Chattervox which is lighter and mot so loud but works well even when teaching in an auditorium. I think iI prefer the Chattervox due to size..-- Sue Michiels
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07/05 CALIFONE: [I purchased] a Califone personal amplification system ...cost about $90 although listed by Califone as retailing for $150. I bought it through schooloutfitters.com who are somewhere like Florida or Texas and the unit was shipped from Califone (who you can't buy direct from although they are the manufacturers) who are situated about five miles from me in California! It gives out 5 watts of amplification. They have a smaller one but not so powerful. Yesterday I had to teach several complete grade levels the songs for the winter program and I realize how tired my voice was as I hadn't use a mike. Next week my handy dandy Voice Saver PA 285AV will be with me fully charged! -- Sue Michiels
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07/05 LIGHTSPEED: I use a system from a company called LightSpeed, their website is : http://www.lightspeed-tek.com/. On their web site they have lots of information about the importance of the students ability to hear you. With the sound system, I have the Brittany Spears type microphone and a portable amplifier that is about 18 inches tall with a handle on it so I can just pick it up and carry it here and there. It is wonderful and I could not function without it. Joyce from Michigan
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02/03 I have the SAMSON aerobic instructor headset mic. It's FABULOUS! You need an amp of some sort to plug into, but it is so worth every penny you spend on it!
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This is a great little mic. If you're on a cart you surely have a power strip on it and could put a small guitar amp for it on the bottom shelf. I have one I run it through, but am in a room. It does feedback if I get right in front of it. You might need to experiment with the cart setup, but this little mic is comfortable, lightweight, easy to mute, etc. It uses about one AAA battery a week. Well worth it! ( I did try rechargeable batteries but they run down in only a few days.)
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02/03 I own a SHURE wireless headset. This system cost $395.95. It does require an amp and mixer board to make it work. The head set is nice because the mic can be adjusted and it has a very long wire from the headset to the transmitter. It also has a little device that you can wrap the extra wire around so that you don't have excess wire sticking out. It keeps the wire from getting hooked onto things like doorknobs.

When I first got my system the headset didn't have this little device and I did hook the wire on the doorknob. It ended up pulling the wire out of the connector. The company replaced my mic and I ended up with a newer model which had the little device. Now I put the wire down through my shirt and I put the transmitter in my pocket. You can clip it to your pants, but every time I do that ittends to fall off whenever I bend over. I guess if I clipped it in the back rather than the side of my pants it would be better. The only problem with this is it would be hard to turn it off when I don't need it. The other nice thing about the SHURE is the transmitter has a mute switch on it. I use it all the time when I want to talk to a student privately. It's better than turning it off because when you turn it off you get that thump noise from the amp. I'm sure this is not good for the amp.
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02/03 I tried the RADIO SHACK a few years back and found it unreliable: crackles, fading in and out, and not working for no apparent reason. I would definitely go to the next level: the SAMSON(etc.) aerobics-type mic for $350 or so. I LOVE mine.
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Mine is a SAMSON headset mic made for teaching aerobics. It's great. The mic was $450. At first I ran it through a Karaoke machine I had but wasn't using. At Christmas, my husband bought me a 14", 12# Peavy guitar amp on ebay for $30. It sounds FABULOUS. Even if you bought the new guiitar amp you should be able to get everything for $500-600.
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02/03 I got the SAMSON system from MusiciansBuy.com for $369. I plugged it into an existing CD player (it's pretty big) that I have that doesn't work anymore. It works GREAT!! I tried the sytem where you wear the speaker and I just couldn't be heard with as soft as I try to talk in order to preserve my voice. The only thing I wear is the headset. At first, I was wearing it around my neck because I didn't want to mess my hair up. One of my students showed me how to wear it under my hair so that's what I do now. Have you guys seen those clear mics that they are wearing on TV now? I want one of THOSE now! Anyway, I digress... I don't wear anything as far as a pack. That's all hooked to the amp and I'm totally wireless. I don't have rechargable batteries yet, so I go through a AAA battery per week, but it's worth it!!
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02/03 I bought a SHURE system mine is the wireless Headset UHF diversity system it cost $399.98. It includes the mic, transmitter and the reciever. I use an amplifier with it. You will also need a mixerboard to hook it up into the amp. Mixer boards start at $80 on up and Amps can go from $60 on up. Sometimes you can go to music stores or even pawn shops and find some cheaper ones. It just depends on what you want. I already had an amp and mixer board so I didn't have to worry about them.
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02/03 I've had my wireless system for about a year and really like it. It is a WA-100 from LIGHTSPEED TECHNOLOGIES, Lake Oswego, OR. It was around $600 for headset mic and amp. The headset is attached by a wire to a belt pack which holds the rechargeable battery. The amp is very small and portable but is powerfull. It is also rechargeable. The system was purchased because I have students with hearing loss who are supposed to have some kind of amplification used in their classes. They were coming from classes where the systems were not portable, so they couldn't bring them to music. After many years of teaching, it's been a GREAT relief to my vocal cords to have the system!!!!
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02/03 My microphone system is from AUDIO ENHANCEMENT and is around [emailprotected]$1,000.00. I have had it for four years and it has never had any malfunctions. I have had to replace the mic three times, due to wiring disconnections. The company replaced these free of charge. I have two ports on mine, that is, my mic has one port and a hand-held cordless has the other mic (I use this with my students). I have four speakers that are mounted on the walls in all four corners of the room. The microphone that I use is a "snake" type. It is a flexible loop that sits around my neck. The microphone itself is bendable and sits about 5 inches from my mouth. The pack for the microphone is attached to my pocket, or waistband, or whatever. I don't even know that I have it on. I know when I don't, though.

There is evidence that such speaker systems help reach all kids - as many are plagued with ear infections, hearing problems, attention problems, etc. There is also evidence that such systems cut down on teacher absences. In my room, every child has a front row seat as the sound comes from all directions, regardless of where I am standing (or sitting, or bending, or laying, or ???) at that moment. I noticed an immediate improvement in the attentiveness of my students.

I could not live without it! We went to schools who used the systems before we began to invest. We did our homework and came up with Audio Enhancement as the most reliable and most liked system available at that time. Like I said, in the four years that I have had my mic - they have been excellent to work with and the system has lasted. I use it all day, every day.
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02/03 AUDIO-TEC: I rarely amplify full chorus unless they cannot be heard in the back of the performance area when singing with good pitch and dynamics. If you find they cannot be heard, then I would amplify them. I use Audio-Tec MB4000C with my smaller chorus. They seem to be the best microphone for the money that I can find. They go on stands. At my old school we had Audio Tech hanging mikes-I don't remember the number-and they also worked, but were not as versatile.
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10/02 AUDIO ENHANCEMENT: I truly recommend them. We did considerable research before we started purchasing our systems. We visited schools that had various systems and talked with teachers that were using them. We also tried them out and ended up investing in Audio Enhancement. I have had mine now for going on four years. Never a problem. One time, the wiring from the mic to the transmitter got wiggly and caused interference. They sent me a new mic free of charge. Good company. The amplification unit we purchased is from Audio Enhancement.
Their address is: 12613 South Redwood Road, Riverton, UT 84065 1-800-383-9362.
We had a 30 day trial period that was free, except for shipping. The units were purchased in 1998 and cost at that time about 850.00.
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It was asked if wireless systems are noisy outside the classrooms, and I agree that they are not, however, there is one tiny possible problem. When using multiple systems in a building, be sure they are on different frequencies. Earlier this year, my singing was piping straight into a 1st grade classroom, and her reading was coming in on my speaker. If I kept my mic on all the time, I could block her, but she needed to turn hers off to work one-on-one with students. I've been told there are only a few (7?) frequencies, so just be sure you are ordeing one not in use, I guess. We were able to switch with a system from another building, so our problem was easily solved after we became aware of it.
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Radio Shack sells a 3-way stero speaker selector (that's the name of it). It's a little box that connects between your speakers and amplifier and allows you to select up to three different speakers. I bought it a few years ago and don't remember the cost, but it wasn't too much. Works great.
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01/02 WARNING: When choosing a mike be careful of what you get; make sure it has all the features you need. Our p.e. teachers have the one that you can plug directly into the stereo. The problem with this is that is uses regular batteries that burn out pretty quickly. The kind that I have cost about 1,500.00 and you charge it up every evening, although I've used mine for a couple of days without recharging. The thing I love about mine is that since it is NOT going through my stereo and has it's own ceiling mounted speakers, I can talk over the music by turning the volume up on my headset. If you try to do this with one that plugs into your stereo directly, you want to talk louder and you turn up the volume, you also turn up the volume of the music. I have a Madonna/Brittney Spears headset that I wear. Every classroom in my school has one of these systems. It is the most valuable tool I have!
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01/02 SONY DC-6: It is a little bigger than a Walkman, and does really excellent recording. I bought it for use of monitoring myself during performances. It is so small (and black) that I could actually hide it on stage and record live performances. It also has a feature that will not automatically adjust the frequencies down when you go for the higher register. I use it often in class to record the kids. The last time I looked (at least six years ago!) it was running about $600.00. The Sony Store carries them. I have had this particular one for at least 15 years. It never gives out!
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01/02 MAGNAVOX: I have a Magnavox boom box I bought at K-Mart, and it has a place to plug in a mic. I bought a Magnavox "Universal Microphone" - also at K-Mart! - and it works great. It is very sensitive. A nice feature is that you can start the tape going, but recording doesn't start until you also push the record button on the mic itself. It wasn't very expensive, and should work with any tape player with a jack.
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01/02 LENOX: I found ONE cheap jambox at Walmart - a Lenox brand, I think that does. I agree that its certainly becoming a thing of the past! I use it to record church choir rehearsals for people who can't read music and want to hear things repeatedly; and for one man who travels on the job and misses a lot. He picks up the tape, and learns it for Sunday.
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5/01 I have some clip on mikes that are MULTI-DIRECTIONAL. That's the term you're looking for, as opposed to unidirectional. I can clip one child and pick up the two on either side, as long as they're similar in height. I do have trouble with feedback from the ceiling speakers, but we're working on that. I, too, have been told I could spend money on a new system but don't know what I want. We had a group do an assembly with three small mikes taped to the floor at the front of the stage. The sound was fabulous, but I haven't priced the system.

I just purchased one of these, the Shure MX202B/C. I actually purchased it to use with the high school chorus we started this year. I could only afford one this year but plan to purchase more next year. (Since my after-school chorus only has 9 members, one choir mic this year is enough!) The MX202 was recommended to me by a local sound equipment store that has sold these to other high school choirs. It costs $175.00. It also comes with a mic stand adapter so it can be mounted overhead or set up on a stand. I just got it this semester and haven't used it yet but I'm sure it will work much better than the standard microphones my school owns! I tried to find the MX202 on the Pepsinotes website but had no luck. They have Shure microphones but not the overhead mic.
I have some clip on mikes that are multi-directional. That's the term you're looking for, as opposed to unidirectional. I can clip one child and pick up the two on either side, as long as they're similar in height. I do have trouble with feedback from the ceiling speakers, but we're working on that. HANGING MICS: I got hanging mics last year, and it has been WONDERFUL!!! Our stage is,of course, in a huge cafeteria, so the sound was horrible. I now use a combination of hanging/stand mics, and was able to add a set of monitors to the stage, as well as a second set of house speakers with digital delay. It is fabulous, and I feel like a very lucky music teacher. As far as resources go, we had a local sound company come out, assess the situation, and give us a bid. The hanging microphones are Audio-Technica Pro 45, and the speakers are Community.

I have some clip on mikes that are multi-directional. That's the term you're looking for, as opposed to unidirectional. I can clip one child and pick up the two on either side, as long as they're similar in height. I do have trouble with feedback from the ceiling speakers, but we're working on that. I, too, have been told I could spend money on a new system but don't know what I want. We had a group do an assembly with three small mikes taped to the floor at the front of the stage. The sound was fabulous, but I haven't priced the system.

RADIO SHACK WIRELESS: The wireless mic system from Radio Shack (or whoever sells it) is WAY, WAY, WAY better than nothing, but if you have the money, there is a large difference in quality, intereference and most of all DURABILITY. Ask around, it helps. Try them out - that is even better! Whatever is in your price range is where you will end up, I suppose. But, I work in a very disadvantaged school - my principal felt it was important enough for me to retain a healthy voice. He felt it is money well spent. Also, when you see the time that you are "sick" because of your voice, they save money by cutting down on sub pay and by getting us what we need to stay healthy and productive.

SURROUND SOUND: I have surround sound (four speakers mounted on the wall) and my receiver has two ports, one for my mic and one for a cordless hand-held for students. The microphone itself is of the "snake" sort, it hangs around my neck (I never feel it) and the mic part is angled up towards my mouth. I NEVER have to speak louder than normal. When reading books, I can use so many varieties of tone color, it is a blast. When I am speaking over other sound sources, ALL of the students can hear me. In fact, every student has a front row seat. With the children today having so many ear problems, learning disabilities, etc. it only seems fair to give all of them as equal a chance as we can. OF COURSE, I benefit also. I do alot of concert singing and the wear and tear on my voice was scary - and now I don't have to worry. I must be tired, because I can't think of the brand name. I visited other schools who had tried out different types, and we selected ours based on trial. The company gave us the system for 6 weeks free. They have been great. We had a broken mic and they replaced it free of charge, even though it was 1 1/2 years old. I have lots of research too - to back up the need for such a system. Lots of stats and interesting research findings. I would be glad to send this to you if you wish. Also, we have pursued grants to equip each teacher with such a system. No luck yet, so each year we buy 2 or 3. Mine cost approx. $900.00. Certainly not cheap, but very, very durable, excellent tone quality, no interference.

WIRELESS HEAD SET: Run, don't walk, to your nearest audio store and purchase, for around $300, a wireless head set mic - the kind Madonna uses. Don't even bother with the lapel mics, as you will still have to speak up to be heard. Don't even think twice about the cost, either - your school should pay for this. But even if they don't, this is your VOICE we are talking about here. And if you are like me, you aren't quite ready to give up singing for the rest of your life. The sound man at my church purchased mine for me, so I don't know much more than you do about electronics. But he rigged up a speaker and everything else for me on a cart. I wheel it around everywhere I go for rehearsals. It has saved my voice. That's the truth.

Our district has floor mics - the problem with them is that while they dowork fairly well, they pick up footsteps. Not good when being used with ashow choir that's doing a lot of dancing! Our district had a new system putinto one of our schools - using those teeny-tiny hanging mics. They wereadjustable - a pulley was used to raise and lower them. They put a soundboard at the back of the auditorium. The CD/tape player could be hooked upat this location. All of this was installed in January, worked great for anearly February performance, then that big ol' storm came Feb. 16 and blewoff the roof of the auditorium...

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MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH (MIOSM)

03/02 My students are decorating paper grocery sacks for the grocery stores to celebrate March...Music in Our Schools Month. We've done this several years in a row now.
So, we have a tradition in my classes now for MIOSM! The kids enjoy decorating, learn some names of musical symbols along the way, and it's EXCELLENT pr in our community!
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03/02 1. Mystery Voice - I tape a well-known teacher,using an easy Orff ostinato, saying a chant about guessing who they are. The kids then get to guess. I don't know why but they absolutely LOVE to do this. I sometimes have them write down who they think it is, or if time is limited, I just have them whisper the name in my ear.

2. Musical Symbols Mobils - I wrote that one out last year - basically, it is two sheets of musical symbols. We talk about them first, then color, then laminate, then cut out. After that, we put yarn on them, bend a hanger into a diamond shape and detach the curved hanger top. The curved hanger top then becomes a hanger to which attaches all of the four corners of the diamond shaped (bent) hanger - with yarn on each of the four corners. The four yarn pieces from the sides attach to the curved hanger top. The curved hanger top then gets hung in the hallway. Very, very colorful (third grade does this - 90 students). When March is over, I send them home, each in a plastic bag.

3. I sent out a note last year for the teachers to sign up if they wanted their door decorated in some sort of musical fashion. Out of 42 letters, 40 signed up! I ended up finishing about 25 of them. I can recycle them this year, and will try to add the rest. I kind of tried to gear it to that specific teacher's likes. Like, the fifth grade science teacher, I did a picture of the "musician's brain". There is one teacher who loves jazz, so I drew a picture of a group of jazz musicians playing their instruments and put a quote about jazz around it, etc.

4. Musical Lunch Club - (thanks Andrea Cope!). This was a HUGE hit last year. Over spring break any 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade student that wanted to would watch a musical with their parents, fill out a question sheet and return it to me. In return, they would be invited to the Musical Lunch Club. That is, they got a "ticket" to attend lunch in my room with me providing dessert. I dressed up in a different costume each time, and they were to try and guess what musical it was from. I wasn't counting on such great participation... There were about 125 kids that ended up being involved. I took 10 at a time for lunch. I bought those little ice cream cups from the cafeteria (chocolate, vanilla, and rainbow sherbert). That was an inexpensive and easy way to provide the promised "dessert".

4. WLC at the Capitol - my Orff group participates with 500 other Arkansas kids and with the Governor in attendance. This year we are doing the pre-sing entertainment (that is, 12 minutes of it). The pressure is on! We will do Bonner's Masterworks for Orff Ensembles, Variations on a Theme by Beethoven. Also, Amazing Grace and The Orchestra.

5. Wear a Musical Piece of Clothing - on a Friday, I ask all of the students to wear a piece of clothing that has musical motives on it. That is a hoot! If they wear something, they come to my room (this year I have my digital camera and plan to use it to photograph the kids) and receive a piece of Candy!

6. Musical Bulletin Board in the Cafeteria - I use the theme "Music Adds Color to _______ School" and put up pictures of the kids during music, or performing throughout the year, or throughout past years. This was very very popular. I cut the individual students out and use just their figures, scattered around the huge bulletin board in the Cafeteria. I spray painted the background in various tie-dye colors. It was really nice.
7. Parent Guest Artists - I have any parents that volunteer come and share their talents with their child's class. This year I have a vocalist (folk), an orchestra director (also, percussionist), an opera director, a bluegrass player, and a jazz musician. All of these are parents of the kids at our school.

8. Colors of Music; an Informance is on March 1 to open MIOSM. First, second and third grades perform. It will also be televised locally (and they just LOVE to see themselves!)
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1. Students color grocery sacks for each grocery store with "March Is Music In Our Schools Month" on it along with whatever else they want to decorate the sack with. Usually pictures including musical symbols etc. Then we return to the stores they use to sack groceries. Good PR.

2. Students will rename lunch menu items each day and make a placard to put up in the lunch room. I.E. Musical Mashed Potatoes, Piccolo Pizza

3. High School Tri-M students will come down to the elementary classes and either teach them a song or play/sing a solo for them. Instrumentalists will also show how their instrument is cared for etc.

4. High School Tri-M students are having one week of music triviacontest. A new question each day. Staff/students can enter theiranswer along with 25 cents. The following Monday, one name is drawnfrom the week's correct answers, and that person receives a large pizza delivered during lunchtime! Hopefully also a way for Tri-M to earn $$.

5. Last year I read a music trivia question in the am to the elementary classrooms. Each classroom competed against the other for the most correct answers during the entire month. The winner received pizza and pop for their next music class compliments of the principal and music teacher. This was very popular!
This website has some fun info for MOISM: www.thisdayinmusic.com

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MOTHER

For a memorial service for a mother: "Mama A Rainbow" from the musical, Minnie's Boys is a simple, short and poignant piece of music.
"Mama a rainbow, Mama a sunrise, Mama the moon to wear...
that's not good enough, no, not good enough, not for Mama......."
All the songs in the musical were written by L. Grossman and H. Hackady Pub. by Sunbeam Music Inc. BMI
It is the story of the Marx Brothers and their "stage mother" Minnie. I've always done it with sign language.
I've done a lot of church music ministry. I think this song would be very cathartic for the people attending, validating feelings without capitalizing on grief.

A good hymn might be "God of Eve and God of Mary" to the tune FARRELL.

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OF MICE AND MOZART

Of Mice and Mozart: I did this show a few years ago. It was great fun! I did it with 4th graders. To give the effect of jabots (frilly neck wear)for the boys, we used large coffee filters, folded them into a sort of fluffy triangle shape and stapled the pointy end over a piece of yarn which was then able to be tied around the children's necks. They wore white shirts and dark pants - tucked into long socks to look like knickers. The girls wore "old fashioned" looking long dresses. The mice had ears on headbands and tails.Stars: follow same procedure as Christmas trees.
Drums, bells,: try the same procedure as trees, stars

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MULTICULTURAL PROGRAM

Opening "Everybody Loves Singing" KDG from CELEBRATION! The Millenium & Beyond "Auld Lang Syne" - Whole school with interspersed Y2K jokes. New Year's "Time Passes" - 1st Gr. w/ choir From CELEBRATION! Then we start around the calendar.
March - Iran - Soloist and acrobat "Haji Faruz" - current Macmillan 6th Gr. Spring - Africa - 8th Gr. "Manguine Mpulele" - 7th Gr. World of Music (SB&G) Islam (1420) Summer -Native Americans 5th Gr. - "Many Moons Ago" from HAPPY NEW YEAR
WORLD by John Wilson & Marti Crow with recorders and Orff Instr. (d minor) September - Israel - 7th Gr, -" Havah Nagilah" - from GET AMERICA SINGING AGAIN with dancers India (6th Gr) - "Diwali Song"-current Macmillan 6th Gr. - Art teacher making "candle" holders with kids- for procession to stage.
Winter - Ecuador "Ano Viejo" from HAPPY NEW YEAR WORLD
Russia - "Snow Maiden's Dance" to part of Nutcracker (dance duet)
Germany/Austria -2nd Gr. - "Radetzky March" by Strauss, Sr. (with mywords added.) Italy - 3,4,5 and 6th choir "Celebration" from CELEBRATION "Auld Lang Syne" all - New year's 2000
"People of the 21st century" - Sept/Oct 1999 issue Music K-8

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MUSICALS

MUSICALS (see also Elementary Repetoire/Musicals)A LA MEDIA NOCHE: arr. Greg Gilpin (Warner Bros.) - an absolute gem. I am doing this with my Camerata Singers (select group of 4ths and 5ths). They LOVE it and the Spanish has not been overwhelming. What a stellar piece! Check it out for next year!

A TO Z - Gallina Myfirst grade teachers would love it if I taught that musical every year "Of Mice and Mozart" and "Goin' Buggy" by Michael and Jill Gallina are great for younger kids. "The Runaway Snowman" by Jill Gallina. It's a winter play "with a good story, good songs, and easy to stage." Every few years, she performs this piece with her 5th and 6th Graders. I have enjoyed every play by the Gallinas that I have done. Most of the Gallina plays are very good and appeal to children.

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS I have a copy of the script, which I have classes read through before we watch the video. They then know the story, and feel some ownership since they hav etaken turns reading the parts. Having the script to follow as they watch the video is also an option I offer. for some, it makes following the story and songs easier. My students LOVE this."
AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS : I got the script from the record jacket along with Menotti's explanation of how he came to write this Opera. It seems that he was born and lived as a child in Italy where at the time there was no Santa Claus. You see (according to Menotti, in Italy it was the Three Kings that brought the presents at Christmas. No matter how hard he and his brother would try to stay awake to catch a glimpse of the three visitors they never quite made it and would always fall asleep. But... he was sure that he heard the sound of the camels footsteps one time. Also... he remembers that his brother was convinced that Kaspar was partially deaf. He thinks it was because his brother never got all the presents that he asked for. Anyway... when he came to America he forgot about the Three Kings because of all the Santa Claus' that were around. So when NBC asked him to write an Opera for television he just used ideas from his childhood. Anyway... all of this is in the record jacket along with the script. Ask around if you don't have the record. I'm sure you'll find someone who does so that you can borrow it. Last year for the first time I decided that instead of having the kids read through the script I would have them sing through it instead. This really tapped the improvisation and use of singing voice. I also took a part so that I could model. We did not sing the actual melodies as they had not yet heard the Opera. It was really neat. Though they were shy about it at first they really warmed up to the idea. I did this in 4th grade. I wouldencourage you to try it.

AMERICAN POP FOREVER: with my high school choir. It's a choralrevue with a few lines of scripts. My kids love it! By Mark Brymer My kids loved Tales of Temples and Tombs (3rd grade) and Interplanetary Jammin' (1st grade). We chose those musicals because the classes were studying those topis in their curriculum. They are both very short and sweet. Songs are a little fluffy, but very singable and the kids loved them! In between each song one class would do a little "informance." Perhaps a poem about the creatures of Egypt, or mummy jokes, or an Egyptian fashion show. Etc. Each class was responsible for designing their own 5-minute segment. I taught the songs/choreography, the art teacher helped the kids prepare the costumes, props and sets. Lots of parent involvement too. The administration loves theseintegrated presentations.

THE ARTFUL DODGERS - Donnelly and Strid Shawnee Press, IncTHE CASTAWAYS. Did it two years ago and people are STILL talking about it. Tied it in to a collection of "personal care products collection" for our city's homeless shelters. Ties to Social Studies curriculum and oh so heartfelt. People were deeply moved by it. I think it is the best thing they have done

CLOWNS by Craig Cassails is fun and easy. It's about a troupe of clowns looking for the meaning of life. Pepper carries it and there is even a video of a group that performs and they talk about costumes, etc. We hung up the huge parachutes our coach has as a backdrop to look like a circus tent. I did this several years ago with an extremely talented bunch of 4th graders. It was incredible!!!! We had jugglers, acrobats, kid-clowns riding teeny weeny tricycles, practically a three-ring circus!! DECEMBER IN OUR TOWN: The best December program I've done. It's in all the music catalogs. It has a great script and touches all the bases with Christmas as a religious holiday, Christmas as a secular holiday, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. You could also add other musical selections into the program as you wanted. (I added some Christmas and Hanukkah standards as all the music is original.)

THE ELEPHANT'S CHILD: Absolute tops - - based on the story by Rudyard Kipling - How the Elephant Got it's Trunk Lyrics - John Jacobsen Music - Emily Crocker Hal Leonard - pub The CD is a must - the music is just great
THE ELEPHANT'S CHILD Wonderful music - great accomp cd - good story02/04 EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES: Every year on this three day weekend in January, we hold what we call a WORK DAY for our 5th Grade Chorus musical. This year we are doing "The Emperor's New Clothes"! We had some goals for the day which we accomplished. Here are a few :

COSTUMES - all of mine are donations from parents/community - about 20 years worth. If you ask, you will be amazed at what you get from all kinds of relatives and friends - old prom gowns, white blouses (which are great to have), graduation gowns, black leotards, ballet shoes, dance costumes etc.. We divi up jobs so that those who feel "unskilled" will be comfortable - eg. cutting felt for the tabords that the boys will be wearing. Cutting and designing coat of arms to go on the tabords . Making the "spears" that the Guards will be holding. We went through the 99 names of chorus members and made sure that they had been "fitted" for a costume. Some kids had been called and we had asked them to come in so we could get them a gown or fit them in knickers (boys). We made sure that all gowns had headpieces to go with the gowns and counted and figured out how many still needed to be made. We delegated sewing jobs among the people there and also prepared to send some sewing out to parents who had volunteered to sew. Some people were ironing and steaming and others had brought their sewing machines right with them to school and were doing some work right there.

MAKEUP - We have a few Mary Kay people who graciously donate goods each year. My makeup chair went through the show with me and went through each character and the possiblitlies for makeup for them. We also discussed rehearsal schedules and when and where the makeup stations would be set up. It was great to just sit with her and go over these things! When do we ever have time to do that.

SCENERY - I have two former students, now sophom*ores in college, who come back every year to help ! Angela is an art ed. major and is in charge of the painting of the backdrop etc. We had lots of parents working on that - the backdrop was on the floor of the Gym and will stay there until Monday morning. (This is why we use this weekend a three day weekend - so that there is enough time to let it dry.) You should see the backdrop! It is simply beautiful and it is done! Evan is an architecture major at RPI and was in charge of making the turrets which will be in front of the stage where the narrators will be standing. Ohmygosh! This boggles my mind - how they can build such things! We had about 6 Dads working on this! They also made the emperor's throne and so we had another set of parents working on that.

Now you have to understand that even though the "Day" was from 9:00 to 3:00, people came and went, which is how we wanted it to be. We didn't want people to feel as if they had to stay all day -Saturday is a tough day for families! Some folks DID stay all day, but the majority came and went. All in all, we had about 60 people in and out. We had a sign in sheet. This is for me, so that I will remember to write each of them thank you notes.
We did feed them too, halfway through the day!

The key was to be sure that when a parent arrived, someone was there and ready to give them a job to do. We started doing this about 8 - 10 years ago at the suggestion of my Parent Chair at the time. It is a great idea and some parents love to dig right in. I am always amazed at their generosity! This whole event, while exhausting, is well worth it and I would urge any of you who do musicals to think about this. We get so much done and it is such a community builder. People/parents emerge as leaders; you meet parents on a different level, and, I guess, they also see us in a different light too. It is a win'win situation all around! - Contributed by Kathleen Bragle
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FAIRY TALES: I've done several fairy tale musicals by Virginia Kolk Pedulla. So far we've one "The Three Little Pigs," "The Little Red Hen," "Three Billy Goats Gruff," and "The Sky is Falling." The tunes and lines are repetitive and very cute. I don't believe they have accompaniment tracks, but the piano accompaniment is very easy.

KIDS ARE KIDS THE WHOLE WORLD ROUND: A wonderful, easy choreographed program by Gemini. It is full of easy melodies, simple choreography and everyone gets a speaking part in the show. Have the children wear a simple hat or scarf and around the world costuming is complete. (Some students wore full costumes from their heritage, others just American school clothes.) The song, "All the World is a Rainbow," from the musical is beautiful done with scarves. We used tulle, on sale, cut into 18" squares. I think it called for seven different colors...The effect was breathy, floaty and colorful, too. An easy show, the children loved it--a Hit!

KIDS FOR AMERICA is pretty good, easy, and goes right along with American history.

LEWIS & CLARK: I've had much success with the musical "Lewis and Clark", having done it twice recently. (I omitted the "Tumblin' Waters" song) It really fits into the fourth grade curriculum, when the kids study Montana history. Also it might be a timely musical to consider, as the centennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition is approaching. // I would like to recommend "The Adventures of Lewis and Clark" by Roger Emerson and John Jacobson. I am doing it now with my fifth graders and they love it. It is funny, the songs are appealing to elementary kids and the staging is very easy. It also ties in well with the social studies curriculum.
A terrific musical that deals with a part of American History that I did several years ago is The Adventures of Lewis and Clark. Easy staging, great songs and dialogue! And I just finished a musical this past week called A Knight to Remember by Mary Donnelly and George Strid - it's a riot! Very funny!

"OF MICE AND MOZART": I had the 5th graders perform this by themselves but I'm sure a whole school could do it. We had been studying composers all year and they had just finished a pretty heavy-duty composer report (written and oral). I was shocked at how much they loved the music and didn't complain ONE BIT!!!!
My 3rd graders did "Of Mice and Mozart" in March, so of course, we learned all about his life and music. BTW, that's a great musical

THE PHANTOM OF THE MUSIC ROOM: K-5 performed this. I changed the names of the music teacher, the principal, the custodian, the school, etc. to reflect our school. (I think they make that suggestion in the teaching notes.) The kids who were cast as adults had a riot figuring out our mannerisms!
This is written by Janet Gardner and published by Alfred's. I've done this spin-off of the Phantom of the Opera a couple of times...and the kids LOVE it. You might want to take a look at it. The staging couldn't be easier....and the costumes are so simple...just school clothes! The songs are based on classical compositions (yes! a learning opportunity while they are having fun!!! ha!) Unison, part-singing, and solos are all a part of this great musical!

READIN' RITIN' AND ROCKIN: by Janet Gardner is a great musical! I did it with 2nd graders(singers) and 4th graders (singers/actors). They loved it! You can change the character name to fit the name in your own school.

RUNAWAY SNOWMAN: I have always liked this musical by Jill Gallina. It's a winter play with a good story, good songs, and easy to stage. Take a look! I do this one every 4 years or so with my 5th and 6th graders. Colleen Belgum

SANTA THIS IS YOUR LIFE. was based on the old tv show--"This is your life" with Ralph Edwards only we had "Ralph Ledwards. The show interviewed different guests that Santa of course knew such as the reindeer (who rapped), Mrs. Claus, his grade school teacher. The kids loved acting these characters out. The music is great. I had the audience join us on two of the songs--went very well. You can do 2 part or get away with one part most of the time. We had kids do solos and added dancing. It was great. That was my first year--now I have to find a something better for this year!! At the end, Santa is being told he is too fat by his tailor and started to measure Santa's waist. In the process, Santa started losing his "draws". It was histerical!! "Ralph Ledwards" didn't know what was going on and began to look at his zipper. I was so fortunate that Santa had jeans on under his pants.!! My copy is at school, but I'd be glad to look it up In trying to find "something better", I was also thinking about the different December celebrations with Hanukah and Kwanzaa. What edition of mk8 is the suggestions in for each holiday being presented by a mail carrier?

SIMPLE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS. I've done it both at school and church. It's very doable, especially with the Primary grades. I don't know the particulars such as publisher, etc, but have seen it available in many catalogs.

PUNXSATAWANEY PHIL: - Judy Stoehr Warner Bros. Publications
THIS OLD GINGERBREAD HOUSE Plank Road Publications. What a hit! I did it with grades 1-3. I had a lady make a playhouse size gingerbread house out of cardboard. It was totally amazing!! The songs were very cute and the kids loved it. I haven't had the pictures developed yet from my camera, but plan on doing it soon so I can send them into Music K-8. I do two musicals a year and have been teaching for 14 years. This is definitely at the top. The community was totally in awe.

TALES OF TEMPLES AND TOMBS: Artie's third-graders loved this musical. and his first-graders loved "Interplanetary Jammin'". He chose these two pieces because they related to topics which the children were studying.

A WORLD OF MUSIC: Here's what I did - we had large tagboard flags of the countries we sang songs from attached to yard sticks and placed in ice cream pail buckets of sand. These were placed behind us on the bleachers as a kind of backdrop (we perform in a huge armory). During the first selection, children dressed up in costumes representive of a flag/song we were to sing entered parade style carrying the flag and did some kind of formation (can't remember) and then placed the flags> in the buckets. We had a huge "world" on the floor and audience sat in the round somewhat.

I used those great big pieces of blue and green bulletin board paper and fashioned a big pic of the earth. I added gold glitter notes here and there and hung them from the ceiling. I like shiny for performances and the lights caught the glitter and made it look awesome! I covered the back of the stage with a solid color and then drew (lines about an inch or two thick) a staff. On the note heads I used little globes in blue and green. You could also use the faces of ethnically diverse children or even the shapes of various countries within the note head. Flags. Flags. Flags. Flags from around the world are easy to make from construction paper and make for a colorful backdrop.

Have you ever seen that Argus poster that has a globe and then children from various countries holding hands and says something like "children are the world's greatest natural resource" (or something like that) I completely recreated that poster (without the words) for a backdrop once. Very cool. I even had enough different paper children to hang on the walls of the gym so it looked like they were holding hands all along the gym. (I had a way easy teaching schedule that year. I would not recommend taking on a project like that alone!)

Turkey Fling - Gallina (great moves! It was the hit of our 2nd Grade holiday program. Some parents shouted "Encore! Encore!")

MUSICALS WEBSITE: http://www.badwolfpress.com

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MUSICAL SYMBOLS

BACH: For my Halloween costume I'm going a J.S. Bach. We've been studying him. I have a white wig, a ruffled shirt, my husband's black suit jacket, black leggins and white knee socks. Then I go around talking in a German accent. The kids are allowed to ask their substitute teacher, "Mr. Bach" about his life and they think it's pretty cool. (One year I had a tough time convining some first graders I wasn't really Bach.)

HALF REST: Black top hat and dressed in black. I also do a mask- face cut out- for a half note and a black construction paper tube that I stick one arm in for a stem. When I get tired of holding my arm up I switch arms and do a half note with the stem pointing down. The kids really like the quarter note mask better! I just use a paper plate covered with black construction paper and tiny holes to see through. I'm thinking of adding a black cloth flag to the stem for my eighth note costume. (I do a guessing game of "What am I?" to reinforce the notes we are learning. Yes, when I walk into the classroom holding the top hat upside down they know I am a Whole rest.

GARDENS: Lots of lawn ornaments are simply all white, maybe white costumes with powder makeup. (Swans, gnomes, etc.) what about those silhouttes and pictures of people bending over in their garden. Not that I recommend having your students moon the audience, but you could get the real thing and prop them up. Are you using any scarecrows or a dog house with big old hound dog on a chain. What about birdbaths. Kids could be bushes of all shapes and sizes. Private property signs, etc. Any rabbit costumes planned or kids dressed as veggies. Sunflowers!!!!!! Kid as a windchime. Bugs or worms could be used, snakes. How about a chain costume as a worm or snake. Birds of all kinds. Put up a swing set as scenery! A cheesy bird house.

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MUSIC THROUGH THE DECADES

This is what I did for my "Decades" concert. These songs were done throughout the school year in a number of concerts.

1920's: Side by Side, Charleston
1920's: Baby Face, 1940's - "A" - YOU'RE ADORABLE
1930's - YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY
1930's - SING, SING, SING + IT DON'T MEAN A THING (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
1940's - BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY
1940's - ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE
1950's - BANDSTAND BOOGIE
1950's - ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK/TEDDY BEAR
1960's - BEATLES MEDLEY
1960's - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE
1970's - JOY TO THE WORLD
1970's - YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND (James Taylor)
1980's - GHOSTBUSTERS
1990's - MUSIC OF MY HEART
1990's - YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME (Toy Story)
1990's - SEASONS OF LOVE from Rent
1940's - DITES-MOI from South Pacific - Contributed by Erica Davis
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Decade Music suggestions for VINTAGE MAGNET SPRING PROGRAM 2003:
1940’s Kindergarten
Over the Rainbow (1938) from the Wizard of Oz Best film award for 1939 Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.34
Flat Foot Floogie with the floy, floy 1938 great to dance to !Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.140
Three little fishes (Itty Bitty Poo) 1941 Great to act out! (Boop boop dittamdittam…..) Readers Digest Children's Songbook
Music, Music, Music! Put another nickel in (1949 The Music Connection Grade 4 p. CD)
Down By the Station (1948) Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.116 Teddy Bear's Picnic Readers Digest Children's Songbook p 1999
Mairzt Doats (1943)Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.138
Any World War II song
I remember that the Kinders did When the Flag Goes By as well as Teddy
Bears' Picnic.
1950’s 1st grade
Rocking Robin (cute hand jive)
Inch Worm - Danny Kaye 1952 Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.40
Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donnegan (1956)
Just Singing in the Rain (1952) umbrella choreography
This Land is Your Land (1956)Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.188 and music textbooks
Do re mi (Sound of Music 1959)Readers Digest Children's Songbook p44
1960’s 2nd grade
The Alley Cat Song (1962) the equivalent of a line dance Readers Digest Children's Songbook p 206
Puff the Magic Dragon (1963) Peter , Paul, and Mary Readers Digest Do Wah Diddy Diddy (1963 excerpt in the Music Connection Grade 4 p.19 CD1-14/15)
Yellow Submarine - the Beatles
1970’s 3rd grade
Rubber Duckie - Sesame Street (1970)
Sing, Sing a Song! by the Carpenters 1971Readers Digest Children's Songbook p7
Happy Days (1974) the Music Connection Grade 4 p.62 CD3-3/4 )
Tomorrow - from Annie (1977) Readers Digest Children's Songbook p. 25
The Rainbow Connection(1979) Readers Digest Children's Songbook p.22
American Pie by Don McClean
We are the Champions by Queen
Peace Train by Cat Stevens
1980’s 4th grade: Mission Control (1984) The Music Connection Grade 2 p 156 CD 5-15)
We are the World by USA for Africa (1985)
1990’s 5th grade any Michael Jackson song - Contributed by Susan Michiels