SMMART MUSIC: 50 States that Rhyme

AaaaalaaaaBAMA and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas...

Found this darling 50 States that Rhyme Song and have been trying to sing it with my girls by reading it off my smartphone.  I finally decided that printing the words would work better for us to learn it.  But what about my little ones who cannot read?  I found this image of the states in alphabetical order.  Put them together and we have a little song sheet to learn the 50 states.  Once the 50 States Rhyme Song and shapes are learned, we can sing the song while we point to the states on a map.

The 50 States That Rhyme Song
Tune: Turkey in the Straw

Alabama, and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas
California, Colorado, Co-nnecticut and more
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho
Illinois, Indi-a-na, I-o-wa ...35 to go...

Kansas, and Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine
Maryland, Massachusetts and good old Michigan
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana
Nebraska's 27, number 28's Nevada

Next, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, and way down, New Mexico
There's New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, now let's see
Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee

Texas and there's Utah, Vermont, I'm almost through
Virginia and there's Washington, and West Virginia, too
Could Wisconsin be the last state or is it just 49?
No, Wyoming is the last state in The 50 States That Rhyme!

(http://www.mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50states.html)

(http://www.jkcrafts.com/cricut-cartridge-states-p-10715.html)

SMMART MUSIC/ART: Mighty Books

Wow! Art masterpieces serenaded by the musical classics...slideshow and animation.  You really need to check it out!

http://www.mightybook.com/art_and_music.html

You can access Van Gogh and Bach, Remington and Dvorak(a personal favorite Czech composer), Renoir and Geig slideshows when you click on the left tab "Art and Music".

I am especially excited about the "Go to the Museum" tab where you can find an artist and see several pieces of his work, read a biography and learn about the art movement of his time. 

There are animated stories, songs, puzzles, animated Beatrix Potter stories and even some great science links "Pexi has a question" and "Pluto Rap".  All of the above is offered free!  You can pay a yearly subscription to open more options, but this is a super start!

Thanks to http://TeachKidsArt.blogspot.com for the heads up on this great educational tool!

SMMART MUSIC: Ukaleles-Lilo and Stitch Style

I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a promotional event for Disney on Ice: Mickey and Minnie's Magical Adventure.  Their wonderful promotions manager invited children from Shriner's Hospital to come and experience the magical adventure up close! 

The room was creatively decorated to depict the four lands of Disney on Ice- The Sahara (Lion King), Under the Sea (Little Mermaid-complete with continual bubbles), Neverland (Peter Pan) and Hawaii(Lilo and Stitch). 

Jana, a Disney performer from Finland, helped me to show the children how to make Lilo and Stitch ukaleles.  They turned out super cute!  The kids were so darling and it was fun to meet their parents too!

You'll need:
An Empty Tissue Box

Paper bag, butcher paper or construction paper

Ruler or Stick (can even be a wooden spoon)

About 4-5 large rubber bands

Duct Tape

Markers, Stickers, Stamps to decorate

1) Wrap the empty tissue box with paper.  Leave the hole exposed.

2)Tape the stick onto the back of the tissue box.

3) Wrap the rubber bands around the box so that it stretches to cover the hole (like an ukalele)

4) Let your child decorate the tissue box with stickers, stamps and markers.

Simple, but the kids really liked playing with the ukaleles. Check out a video on how to make these at:

http://www.sproutonline.com/sprout/Crafts/detail.aspx?id=ef2e3bc8-2c5a-433c-ae29-9a1800a14d62

The best part was watching their eyes pop when Mickey and Minnie walked in!  They posed for pictures with their families and left with some fun Disney memories.  So glad I could be a part of this great event!

As for the actual Disny on Ice show...spectacular and magical fun!  My girls wouldn't take their eyes off the ice!  Even my 16 month old little girl was clapping her hands and dancing throughout the program.  My little 3 year old exclaimed "Look! Ariel waved at me!"  I loved how interactive the "Peter Pan" story was told.  The girls clapped to show that they believed in "make believe" and saved Tinkerbell, and "tick-tocked" along with Peter Pan to trick Captain Hook into thinking the crocadile was after him.  It was a wonderful show!



Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" on Classical Violin...of course!

SMMART MUSIC:  Top 10 Classical Composers

I am not great at this, but when I remember, I try to help my girls recognize the composers to famous classical pieces.  For example, did you know that Disney did not just conjure up the music to "I Know You" in their film "Sleeping Beauty"?  Actually, Tchaikovsky composed the work...Disney just added the lyrics. 

What about the traditional "Wedding March"?...Wilhelm Richard Wagner.

These are the fun facts that will help your little one appreciate and recognize the GREAT composers!

Everyone has their list, I suppose...but I really LOVE this site!  This is a suggested "beginners" list of the Top 10 Classical Compsers with whom to be familiar.

http://www.classical.com/label/beginnerscomposers

The beauty of this site is that not only do they list out the names of their Top 10 picks, but beside each composer's name is a PLAY button...and a music player pops up to play some of the composer's most recognized works. 

 I'm tellin' you, this is a gem of a site!



SMMART MUSIC: (2)4th of July Band

Our family LOVES a good 4th of July Parade! Every 4th our community hosts a Patriotic Pancake Breakfast, complete with a children's parade. They hand out mini-American Flags, Flashy beads and Kazoos. Can't beat it! The kids love marching around the Historic Benson Grist Mill grounds, circling around the old cabins, barns and country store...playing their hearts out!

In Utah, they have the second largest parade in the country on the 24th of July commemorating the arrival of the pioneers into the Utah valley. Our family has started the tradition of staying downtown in a hotel the night of the 23rd and then walking over to the parade the next morning (hoping for a shady spot). We love the big bands playing and the beautiful, creative floats glittering in the July sun.

You can have your very own family or kid-neighbor parade too! Better yet, bring these unique instruments along with you to a community parade...and play along!

CANCAN
empty food cans

duct tape
paper and markers

stickers or glitter glue

Collect 2-3 similar size cans (peas, corn, beans for one size and tomato sauce cans to form a larger size). Open the cans, empty the contents and rinse the cans well. The bottom can will keep it's base, but you'll need to use the can opener to take the bottoms off of the remaining two cans, so you can see through them. Place the double-opened cans on top of the base can and duct tape your tower together. Be sure to use duct tape around the top can's mouth to protect little fingers from cuts. http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer//can.html

Wrap your CANCAN in scrapbook paper, brown paper bag, or construction paper. Let your child use markers, stickers or glitter glue to decorate his very own CANCAN. Wrapping your CANCAN in paper will muffle the sound. If you wish to create a louder CANCAN, then be sure to take the can labels off of the cans and leave the metal can surfaces exposed.

If you create two CANCANs of different diameter and length, encourage your child to observe the pitch differences as you tap your CANCAN onto the floor or hit the bottom with a stick. The longer, wider CANCAN emits a lower-pitch sound.

Listen to the different sounds you can make with your CANCAN by hitting the bottom, top or sides with a stick, covering the opening with your hand, or tapping the CANCAN onto different surfaces.

Drop a few hard beans or small objects into the CANCAN and listen to the new sound you have created.

Check out this video of a group of students playing Venezuelan quitiplas (or CANCANs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shgQaI-cK7A&feature=related

RUBBER BAND BUZZER

2 Craft sticks (popsicle sticks)
1 wide rubber band and 2 skinny rubber bands

1 straw cut into 3 1/2 inch pieces

Zzzzzzzz, Zzzzzzzz,Zzzzzzz...as the rubber band vibrates in this double-reed instrument (more like double popsicle stick instrument).

Wrap the wide rubber band longwise around the ends of a craft stick. Take one 1/2 inch piece of straw and secure it between the rubber band and the craft stick. Be sure to push it to one side of the craft stick, about a pinkie finger away from the edge. Secure another piece of straw on the other end of the craft stick.

Place the other craft stick on top of the rubber band and straws to create your double-reed instrument. Secure the ends of the craft sticks together with the skinny rubber bands (on the outside of the straws).

Optionally, you can slide a third piece of straw in the middle, above the rubber band to lower the rubber band into a slight "v" shape and help keep the rubber band from "sticking" to the top craft stick.

Now blow through the craft sticks or reeds, resting your lips on the edge of the top and bottom craft sticks.

You should be able to create a buzzing sound from your RUBBER BAND BUZZER.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/afterschool/activities/index.php?activity=137&firstDisplayedItem=7

CLUCKER

Paper or plastic cup

Yarn or string

Paper clip

Piece of tape
Piece of paper towel and water (optional)

This funny little instrument sounds like a chicken clucking. So easy.

You need a paper cup or a can with a plastic lid. Poke a hold in the bottom of the plastic cup or in the middle of the can's plastic lid. (If you are using a can with a plastic lid, then be sure to use a can opener to open the bottom of the can. Wrap duct tape around the edge of the can to prevent cutting little fingers.)

Thread the piece of yarn through the hole and loop the end through a paperclip. Tie a knot in the end of the yarn around the paperclip and secure the paperclip to the bottom of the cup with a piece of tape.

Moisten the small piece of paper towel (doubled over for strength), reach up into the can as you wrap the paper towel around the string, and tug. Tug, tug, tug down the string.

The cup amplifies the vibration of the string and makes a chicken-like clucking sound.

Watch this video for visual directions: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-cup-sounds-like-chicken-271325/

Now go march around the kitchen with your kids...Make some music!

SMMART MUSIC: Patriotic Music

I love JULY! I love going to the parades, the pancake breakfasts, the family reunions...and dressing my girls up in darling red, white and blue attire!

Teach your children the classic, traditional songs of freedom!

This "Litttle People" CD is a great collection of songs for the month of July..and all year long, really.

My favorite song is #12. It puts the PREAMBLE to music. It's catchy and will play in your child's head so they can learn this part of the Constitution quickly.

SMMART MUSIC: FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS

Yes, I do love a freebie!

Little people learn so much from music...lyrics, tempo, rhythm, and how a song can lighten the soul and make clean-up a little less of a task.

Take a listen to the songs on the following sites. Download the songs that strike your fancy and burn a CD for your child's room, and for the car. A new CD will brighten their day...and yours!

http://freekidsmusic.com/ (click on the "[Filed under...]" link on the main page or in the sidebar by the little orange fish "Artists A-B")

http://www.victorjohnson.com/free-music-downloads.html

http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=eh (click on a country to see traditional regional songs, some have MP3 downloads)

SMMART MUSIC: THANKSGIVING TURKEY RHYTHM

Pilgrims, Wampanoag, Turkey and Tryptophan...

Here are a few fun activities for your little ones while you're busy baking the apple, pecan and pumpkin pies!

TURKEY RHYTHM SHAKER:

Help your child trace his hand on festive colored cardstock or construction paper. Make about 6-8 hands. Help him cut out his hand tracings and set them aside.

Set out a few Thanksgiving colors of paint and let your child paint the back of a paper plate. Help your child think about things that he's thankful for and encourage him to paint pictures of these things. Your child could color with crayons or markers, if preferred.

Fold the paper plate in half and have your children count as he drops in several pieces of dried corn, beans or rice. Your child can tell you something he's grateful for, for every corn kernal he drops into the paper plate. Place the traced and cut-out hands into the edge of the folded paper plate to look like turkey tail feathers.

Staple the two paper plate edges together and place masking tape over the pointy ends of the staples.

Now you have a turkey shaker.

NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN DRUM:

You'll need an empty cylindrical container...like an oatmeal cylinder, or a yogurt or cottage cheese container.

Wrap paper around the outside and secure it on the container with tape.

Let your child decorate the paper with markers, stickers, crayons or paint.

Cut out two felt circles that are slightly bigger than the top and bottom of your container.

Punch holes (1 inch apart) around the edge of the felt. Try to have the same number of holes in each circle. Be sure that the holes are not on the very edge, or else they will not be able to hold the tight yarn and rip.

Place one felt circle under the cylinder and one on top. Weave a piece of yarn from the top to the bottom felt circle, weaving through every other hole. You may wish to start the weaving pattern and then let your child help you finish. Tape the end of the yarn for easier threading.

Now you have a simulated Native American Drum for your child to keep the beat to the following songs and poem.

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♪♫♪♫♪♪♫

Now, let your little one shake his turkey to the beat of a fun Thanksgiving song! Practice shaking to the rhythm as you sing or recite. You can count out the beat first before you begin singing/reciting.

Have you heard this cute little song and poem from

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/fall/pumpkinsongs.htm?

In this song, you can shake/beat to a 1-2-3 rhythm or just the 2-3 (duh, dum) beats. ("Have you" is an upbeat, so start shaking on "ever" for the first beat.)

"Pumpkin Song" (3 Beats)
(tune: Have you ever seen a lassie?)

Have you ever seen a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin,
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?
A round one, a tall one, a fat one, a small one.
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?

Recite this poem and have your child shake to the beat. When you say the words bobble-bobble or gobble-gobble, shake the turkey rapidly.

"Funny Turkey" (2 beats)

The turkey is a funny bird
Its head goes bobble-bobble;
And all he knows is just one word...
And that is GOBBLE-GOBBLE!
Now, try this little song...sung to the tune of "Christmas is Coming".

"Thanksgiving is Coming" (4 Beats)

Thanksgiving is coming,
The Turkey's getting fat.
Put a turkey feather in your pilgrim hat!
If you haven't got a feather, than a dried corn husk will do.
If you haven't got a dried corn husk,
Than God Bless You!

God Bless You!

SMMART MUSIC: THANKSGIVING SONGS/POEMS

I thought I'd share a few little ditties with you so you can sing and recite these with your children before the big turkey day!

Pumpkin Song
(tune: Have you ever seen a lassie?)
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin,
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?
A round one, a tall one, a fat one, a small one.
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?

Mr. Turkey
(tune of "Frere Jacque")
Mr. Turkey, Mr. Turkey
Run away, Run away
If you don't be careful
You will be a mouthful
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day

Funny Turkey Poem
The turkey is a funny bird
Its head goes bobble-bobble;
And all he knows is just one word...
And that is GOBBLE-GOBBLE!

(http://www.dltk-holidays.com/fall/pumpkinsongs.htm)

Try this little song out:

Thanksgiving is Coming
Thanksgiving is Coming,
The turkey's getting fat!
Put a turkey feather in your Pilgrim hat.
If you haven't got a feather, than a dried corn husk will do.
If you haven't got a dried corn husk,
Than God Bless You!
God Bless You!

SMMART MUSIC: ALLITERATION/ ASSONANCE RING

Alliteration- n. The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in “on scrolls of silver snowy sentences” (Hart Crane). Modern alliteration is predominantly consonantal.

Assonance- n. The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds, especially in stressed syllables, with changes in the intervening consonants, as in the phrase tilting at windmills. www.answers.com

You can find lyrics of a song, nursery rhyme or in a book that shares several examples of alliteration or assonance, or you can make up several phrases of these forms and use them in a story that you create. You can find these concepts in the rhythmic lyrics of music, prose and poetry.

Give your child a bell or rattle. Share with her some examples of what alliteration and assonance would sound like. Tell your child that you are going to read her a story and she should listen for several words together that have the same letter sound. Every time your child hears alliterative or assonance words, your child should ring her bell or rattle.

You could even create several phrases using alliteration and assonance and give your child two different noise makers (bell, rattle, whistle). Have your child make a noise when she hears alliteration and a different noise when she hears the assonance phrase.

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC: Moist Music

Lay a towel on the floor and place a large bowl of water on the towel. Let your child experiment in making different sounds with the water.

What does the water sound like when you splash, when you swirl. Does it sound different if you swirl the water with a large spoon vs. an egg beater?

What does water sound like when you pour it from a cup into an empty bowl or into a bowl full of water?

Listen to the sounds as you drop ice cubes into the water. Now swirl the water with a spoon and listen.

What else can you do to make water sounds?

Lisa

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SMMART MUSIC II: JUMP ROPE RHYTHM

Hold one end of a jump rope and let your child hold the other end. Turn the jump rope together or shake the rope back and forth. You can also let your child hold both ends of the jump rope and try to jump over the rope as you help him. As you play with the jump rope, sing a simple song or chant to keep the beat of the moving jump rope. You could also count to 10 to the beat of the jump rope.

Reciting poems or counting, and singing songs to the jump rope beat helps build rhythm skills.

You can practice spelling words or spelling your child’s name to the jump rope rhythm. Take turns spelling the letters of a word each time the jump rope taps the floor.

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC I: SING SOUNDS

Write down the letter combinations that make different sounds. Show your child the letters. Sing a familiar tune while saying different letter combinations.

For example, you can sing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” while making the sound for “CH”,"SH", "TH", or "GH". Sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” while making the sound “SH”, “TH”, “La la la” or “Doo doo doo”.

Ask your child what other sound he’d like to substitute and sing. Write down those letters and show him how the sounds are spelled.

This activity also works well for deciphering between hard and soft sounds of a letter. You can hold up a feather as you sing the soft sound of a letter and then switch to a rock to sing the hard sound. Switch it up so your child must pay attention to see what sound you will sing for each line of the song.

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC IDEAS on "GOOD THINGS UTAH"


Check out the video clip from the abc4 website. Hurry and catch it before it goes!

http://www.abc4.com/content/about_4/gtu/featured_on/story/SMMART-Ideas/nxYz0U3c5UiPt54UEp7Amw.cspx

♪♫♪♫♪

SMMART MUSIC: NAME SONG

Does your child have a name song?

Count out the number of letters in your child’s name and find a familiar tune that has the same number of notes.

For example, you can use the first line of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (5 notes) and substitute with the letters “J-A-M-E-S”.

Creating a name song with your child and singing it repetitively will help your child to recognize the letters that are in his name and help your child to know the order of those letters.

Here are some ideas for name song tunes, using the first phrase of each tune according to the number of letters in your child’s name:

3 Letters: The NBC station tune
4 Letters: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (could be for 5 letters too)
5 Letters: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
6 Letters: Once There Was a Snowman
Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack (hand clapping song)
7 Letters: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
8 Letters: We Are a Happy Family (last phrase of the tune)
9 Letters: Baa, Baa Black Sheep

If you improvise with spelling your child’s name within 5 beats, it may fit within the parameters of “B-I-N-G-O”. You could make up your own version, similar to this:

“There is a sweet girl/boy I know and Nicea/Daniel is her/his name-o
N-I-C-E-A / D-A-N-I-E-L
N-I-C-E-A / D-A-N-I-E-L
N-I-C-E-A / D-A-N-I-E-LAnd Nicea/Daniel is her/his name-o!”

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC: BUBBLE BEAT

Although simple, this activity will engage your child and help him to practice rhythm and beat.

Lay down a piece of packaging bubble wrap (bigger bubbles are better bubbles) on the floor (or better yet, on concrete...a driveway?) and give your child a meat mallet.

Play a song or sing a simple song with your child and have your child hit out the beat on the plastic bubble wrap. Be sure to beat along to help your child keep the rhythm.

Other fun things to practice on are pots and pans with spoons, or a meat mallet on crushed ice that is on a cookie sheet.

You can also fill a plastic bottle with dried beans and let your child shake out a rhythm.

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC: QUIET LISTENING

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Beauty in simplicity.

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Sit down on the floor and hold hands with your child. Explain to her that you are not going to make a sound for 30 seconds and you need to listen carefully to the sounds that you hear.
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After you both listen for a while, ask your child what kinds of sounds she heard. Ask your child if she heard the same sounds that you heard.

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It’s nice to take the time to listen to your surroundings and be together for a little moment.

Lisa

SMMART MUSIC: SHADOW DANCE

Shadow- 2. The rough image cast by an object blocking rays of illumination.


Moving all around to create shadows promotes body awareness and comfort.


Inside the house, you can set up a lamp or flashlight to shine at a wall.
Turn on some fun music to move with.
Stand in front of the light with your child and move to the music as you watch your shadows.




Go outside when the sun is up and sing a fun song to your child as he dances a shadow upon the ground. Help him find the different parts of his shadow. As he dances to your songs, encourage him to observe how his shadow moves. Call out different ways to move: like a rabbit, like the rain, like the wind...


Help him to try new movements that he’ll enjoy seeing his shadow doing.


Chase your child's shadow with your arms outstretched so your shadow looks like it's chasing your child's. Encourage your child to chase your shadow and catch it. Suggest that your child step on your shadow's hair, hands, elbows and other body parts.

Lisa

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SMMART MUSIC: RHYTHM STREAMER

Tape a piece of crepe paper, a tissue, scarf, or a ribbon to the end of a stick, or toy that is shaped like a wand. You may also use a bamboo skewer as the handle if you cut off the sharp end and tape the entire skewer in masking, duct or painters tape to protect little hands.

Turn on some music and let your child wave the streamer to the beat of the music. Help your child shake the stick back and forth quickly when the music is fast, and wave the streamer softly when the music is slow.

Teach your child to lead music. Find simple leading patterns online with a 2/2 or ¾ time signature. Write out the shapes with arrows for your child to follow and post on wall. Stand in front of child and demo or behind your child to guide his arm at first. Explain that you are keeping the beat of the music as you follow the leading pattern. Sing a song to your child as you both beat the leading pattern together. When your child is comfortable leading with one hand, he may wish to try both hands together. The left hand will lead opposite the right in the leading pattern.

Just let your child feel the rhythm and soul of a song and move around the room to the music with his streamer.

Lisa

THANKS FOR WATCHING SMMART ideas on "Good Things Utah"!

Thank you for watching SMMART MUSIC ideas today. Little Halee assisted in a darling demonstration of the "Rhythm Streamers"(up for the next post, Oct. 19) and "Beastly Bowling" (SMMART Music: Bowling Sounds, Sept.7) activities.

You can check out today's activity procedures on the "Good Things Utah" site:
http://www.abc4.com/content/gtu/featured_on/story.aspx?content_id=718992d9-dadf-4dd1-bb84-93249e2a07be

Check out the video from today's segment:
http://www.abc4.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=87938@video.ktvx.com&navCatId=462

The co-hosts expressed that a lot of you have written e-mails or phoned in your support of SMMART ideas...and so for that, I thank you!

I will be presenting SMMART ART ideas on Monday, December 15, abc4 at 10:00am!