Vivaldi’s Spring With Orff Arrangement, Movement, And More

Are you looking for the classics taught with ACTIVE music-making?

This resource with lots of movement teaches students to play and sing (new Spring lyrics) the main theme to Vivaldi’s Spring Concerto with Orff barred instrument ostinati, AND a recreation of the thunderstorm using instruments.

What I love about this resource!

  • PLAYING this famous theme, not just LISTENING to it
  • The “B section” thunderstorm is SO fun
  • Learning with speech and movement
  • Differentiated with the use of colors, images, and stepwise learning
  • An ARTS Integration activity-draw a picture!
  • Teacher helpers with
    • higher-order questions
      • “I Can” statements
        • pre-filled checklist that can go into your evaluation folder

Rattlin’ Bog Song And Orff Arrangement For St. Patrick’s Day

You can now sing, do the motions, and PLAY this Irish favorite, The Rattlin’ Bog, with a lively Orff barred instrument arrangement (and optional ukulele part) for St. Patrick’s Day, all during March, or whenever you want that cumulative song, breathless laughter FUN!

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I Love The Mountains | Round With Orff Arrangement, Motions, and Creating

If you’re looking for a multi-lesson flexible unit that includes a fun round with an Orff arrangement, this is it!

This low-prep resource can be used for

  • classroom learning
  • a spring concert
  • an Earth Day selection
  • subject integration (geography, science, language arts)
  • rewritten BY YOUR STUDENTS for any special event! (see below)

Listen to it on TPT!

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How to Use “We Shall Not Be Moved” In the Classroom

“We Shall Not Be Moved” transforms itself into a song to remember Black History, Civil Rights, freedom rights around the world, and the power of music with its simplistic style perfect for learning in the music classroom. Perfect for exploring in class or performances, and easily integrated into-

  • Black History Month,
  • Women’s History Month
  • Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Juneteenth
  • Civil Rights Lessons
  • World History

Table of Contents

  1. Protest & Spiritual Black History Song w/Orff Arr. on TPT
  2. Origins of the Song
    1. African-American Spiritual
    2. Early 20th Century
    3. 1930s Labor Rights Song
    4. “I Shall Not” to “We Shall Not”
    5. Union Song to FREEDOM Song
      1. The Freedom Singers at the March on Washington, 1963
    6. The Benefit of Protest Songs
      1. Mavis Staples
    7. “No Nos Moverán”
      1. No Nos Moverán with Joan Báez
    8. The Song Travels Around the World
  3. Summary
  4. Verses
  5. Performance Videos
    1. Mississippi John Hurt
    2. Rhiannon Giddens
  6. Books to Reference
  7. References
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Ukulele Storage From Easy to Expensive

Do you need a storage solution for your ukuleles? Maybe the ukes are new or you’ve had them a while and your current storage isn’t working. Here are lots of ideas for hanging, shelf, and rolling cart solutions, or repurposing storage in your classroom.

  1. Commonly Used Hardware
  2. Building Plans
  3. Hanging Storage
  4. Cart Storage
  5. Shelf Storage

Commonly Used Hardware

Some of these items are from Amazon and as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Jumbo
Command Hook
6-Pack

IKEA Tjabba Magazine File
Set of 2
About $0.99

Wall Mount Hanger 6 Pack, with Screws – Easy To Install – Fits All Size Guitars, Bass, Mandolin, Banjo, Ukulele
Set of 6

Heavy Duty Vinyl Coated Screw-In Tool Hanger 50 lbs from Home Depot. A little over $2 each.

I initially used this toy storage bin (to the right) to store my ukuleles. (to the left) I used the tubs, which are SO strong, for small percussion storage in a shelving unit. Loved that the bins were in different sizes.

Building Plans

Building Plans $10 for this rolling cart.

Hanging Storage

Cart Storage

Shelf Storage

Hanukkah Activities for the Music Room

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights and is celebrated on different days every year. Based on the Hebrew lunar calendar, it usually falls in December.

In music, I like to take all celebrations, holidays, and observances and look at several factors that are common to all of them-food, colors, traditions, and music! I then love to teach about them using a book, game, dance, and music. Wish we could add FOOD!

October through December is a perfect time to talk about traditions including Diwali, Halloween, Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. I always asked, “Does everybody in the world celebrate everything?” It was a way to say that we can learn about it all, even if we don’t personally celebrate it.

Some links may contain affiliate links.

Hanukkah Resources

I love to use board books or ones with rhyming words. I want the learning to come from mainly the images.

I Have a Little Dreidel SONG

The Game

We always played the Dreidel game in class. I projected the meaning for each side of the dreidel so groups could refer to it. I played with K-5 and they always looked forward to this every year.

I found dreidels in bulk at Target (ages ago before Amazon) 🤣 and then bought pony beads for the “candy.”

Ukulele C & G7

Hanukkah Google Slides Presentation

This Google Slide presentation was shared by Ms. Stern from the Facebook Music Teachers Idea Bank group. It has lots of different activities to learn about Hanukkah. She says to feel free to change the bitmoji and make it your own!

Spotlight Musician José Feliciano

I remember my older brother playing (on guitar and recordings) José Feliciano songs. I instantly fell in love with Feliciano’s sound and cool vibe and have followed him for years.

Laura

José Feliciano is a musician, singer, and composer. His greatest hits include “Feliz Navidad” and “Light My Fire.” “Feliz Navidad“, was written in 1970. Feliciano said the feeling behind the song was what he felt in his home country of Puerto Rico, celebrating Noche Buena, Christmas Eve, eating pasteles and lechon, and caroling in parrandas.


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50th Anniversary

Biography

José Feliciano, one of 11 children (all boys), was born in 1945 in Puerto Rico and moved with his family to New York City when he was 5. He was born blind from congenital glaucoma.

By the age of 9, he was performing in theaters. One of his first instruments was a concertina but then he switched to guitar.

He continued to perform and gain in popularity because of his ability to play the guitar (virtuoso) and sing, and how he arranged the songs to make them sound so unique. He became popular in the 60s and still tours today. (2020s)

Light My Fire

This shows his incredible guitar and arranging skills.

Listen to the Falling Rain

Give Thanks | Echo Song for Orff, Movement, Ukulele, Scarves

Pull out this versatile echo song for primary students that’s about appreciation, thanksgiving, and thankfulness in November or for other celebrations throughout the year. A simple Orff arrangement, one-chord C ukulele part, scarf activities, and movement will make this a great concert piece or SEL activity in the classroom.

Give Thanks is available as a single resource or part of this Thanksgiving Bundle!

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The Mitten

Many of us are familiar with the Jan Brett book, but this 
Ukrainian folk tale has a very interesting history! Here are songs, lesson plans, and resources for the beautiful story.
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The Best Children’s Literature for the Music Classroom

A list of books from newly published to classics for the music classroom with links, music connections, activities, and lesson plans!

A growing compilation of great books and musical connections that work with them!

Books Reviewed + music connection ideas

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