Thursday, March 28, 2013

Recorder Time!!

It's my favorite time of year!!  Recorder time!!  The students love this unit so much that it really energizes me!  There is just something about putting a recorder in a student's hand that makes music come alive for them.  It is such a great way to synthesize all of the information that they have been learning throughout their elementary music career: rhythms, notes, vocabulary, score-reading, musicianship, and much more!

Fourth graders begin learning about the history of the recorder, parts, basic technique, and the first 3 notes: B, A, and G.  We use the Rockin' Recorder Method Book (created by Allison Friedman) as our main curriculum.  The students love this book because of the up-beat tracks that go along with each song.  We also supplement with lots of fun recorder warm-ups and games!

The classes have really enjoyed playing the game, "B-A-G Roll and Play."  It is a very simple concept but really engages them and allows them to practice their note-reading and technique individually.  Each group member takes turns rolling the dice and playing that numbered example on their card. 


I asked the partners to take on the role of "Recorder Doctor," an idea I got from "The Sweetest Melody" music blog.  As their partner plays the example, they "diagnose" any problems they hear:


As they play, this is also a great time for me to walk around and assess the students.  I can note which students are having trouble with fingerings, sound quality, or note-reading and which students are excelling in those areas.  It provides the students time to help one another with their weaknesses and allows me to work one-on-one with students if they need it. 


 

Another recorder game that 4th graders have really enjoyed is Recorder Rumble.  The students divide up into two teams (they usually prefer boys vs. girls) and compete to earn the most points by correctly playing the 4-beat patterns provided. 



This gives the students sight-reading practice and also a chance to play individually.  It's a great assessment tool and the students enjoy the game format.  I have each student take a turn to play a pattern and then, if they need to, they can consult with their team for help.  It has been so neat to watch them encourage each other and compliment each other's performances!  They've learned that good sportsmanship has its place in music as well! 



7 comments:

  1. I love your recorder doctor idea. It looks like you have this on a smart board. I would like to post it in my room. Do you have this available in a poster form. I plan to recreate it, but thought I would ask first.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda! Thanks for your comment! I took the idea from "The Sweetest Melody" blog and tweaked it a little. I created the visual using Smart Notebook and some basic clip-art from a Google image search. I'd be glad to send you a copy or you are welcome to create your own version! :)

      Delete
  2. This is a fantastic way to teach recorder! This has just opened my eyes to new ways to do it! Is there any chance of getting the resources you are using??!! My email is bree.hartley@education.wa.edu.au (I'm in Perth, Australia!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Bree! The links for the resources are provided in my blog post. I hope you can check them out! Thanks for reading! :)

      Delete
  3. I took over as music teacher at my school the last trimester of last year. This is my first full year, and I hope to teach recorders. Are 3rd graders old enough to be successful at recorders? Where do you purchase your recorders? Thanks for any help you can give!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lori! I definitely think 3rd graders can handle basic recorder playing! I would really focus on basic technique, good sound quality, and fingering B, A, and G. I start my students in 4th grade but I know lots of music teachers who start in 3rd. I purchase the recorders from MPI (http://musicproductsinc.com/) that have a zipper case. There are SO many different choices but I have found that those have a decent sound and are a great price. I hope this helps! :) Congrats on the job and good luck!

      Delete
  4. Love your first idea! Going to use it in my classroom today! Thanks for posting!

    ReplyDelete