Afternoon Ti

 Season Six Episode 128 Can We Just Say It's Hard I have started and restarted creating this episode multiple times and nothing I could think of to say felt like it had any bearing on what you might be feeling at this point in the year.  A dose of encouragement to tell you it’s going to get better or that’s it’s only for a season?  Not sure I can promise either of those things.  Yes, at some point our teaching scenarios will pivot and yes, it could be more difficult or easier, but there’s no sign of when that is going to happen.  As far as everything feeling hard in this season, it feels like this season has become several seasons - in fact in three months it will have been a full year.  And it feels like there’s no end.  And that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.  It’s hard.  So let’s just be honest about that: It’s hard.  All of it. It’s messy.  A lot of it. It’s tiring.  All of it. It’s wearing us out.  All ...

 Season 6 Episode 127 Mini Soundtrap Project In the last few episodes I’ve shared some Soundtrap lesson ideas that I created and used with students.  Podcasts, Fictional Character Themes, Found Sounds, and Poem with Loops.  Check out the resources provided for each of these lessons in the show notes or on the blog. Today’s episode is about a simple Soundtrap project that could be done as a collaboration by several students or by an individual in whatever time frame you provide.  The benefit of this lesson is that it’s incredibly flexible.  It could be done in as little as 20 minutes or as much as 45 minutes or more.  The idea is to allow students to create a piece containing a specific amount of loops that includes an introduction and ending.  Like I said super simple.  This might be a great way to introduce students to loops and even form structure depending on how you set up your rubric.   This was a lesson I used while I was out th...

 Season Six Episode 126 Soundtrap Project #4 Student Podcasts in the Classroom One of the greatest tools we can give our students is to help them use their voice and grow their confidence in speaking and sharing what they know.  I was always terrified - literally - whenever I was asked to speak in front of a class.  Even in middle school I remember tearing up or crying when it was my turn to read because I was so anxious I’d say something wrong and others would laugh at me.  Which now seems somewhat silly because I was a great reader and should have had lots of confidence about speaking, but I didn’t.  Something I love about giving students the opportunity to record their voices is that it allows them to speak about something they’ve learned while allowing them to present it in an aural way.  Sure you can have them present it in front of the class, but you can also allow students to present their project without the traditional speech at the front. ...

 Season Six Episode 125 Found Sounds Project Students are assigned a specific rhythm OR choose a rhythm to perform from options provided for them Students are provided a measure number for where their rhythm will begin (example:  Johnny is assigned measure 24… he will line up his rhythm to begin at ms 24) They choose an item from home to play this rhythm with (kitchen utensils, writing utensils, on waterbottle, outside,...) They record themselves playing their rhythm four times into the Soundtrap File and put it into the piece for their assigned measure Small groups… whole class… partners:  if doing this with a partner, ask students to record multiple rhythm patterns using different items **Share one of the pieces created by students** Other options:  specify what students should be playing on or with (use something metal, something wood, something plastic, your hands, your feet, etc…)

 Season Six Episode 124 Fictional Character Theme In this Soundtrap lesson I created a lesson plan where students design a fictional world, character, and theme song.   Links: Head to my shop at www.jessicagrant.org to purchase the Fictional Character Soundtrap Project!

 Season 6 Episode 123 Soundtrap Series: Poem with Loops One of the tech tools that I fell in love with during our spring distance learning was Soundtrap.  In Episode 114 I share Nine Tech Tools that I want to use and Soundtrap was on this list.  It has continued to be a favorite way for me to teach musical concepts in a new way.  In today's episode I'm sharing the first assignment I created for students.  I'll share the purpose and focus of the assignment, how I led students towards their composition, how I assessed their work, and a few examples of final student products.  If you're interested in learning how to do these assignments with your students, click the links below!  I've created a YouTube video explaining adding loops as well as one where I walk through the process I used with students.   Poem:  Betty Botter (though any poem will work!) Focus:  Steady beat- speaking on a steady beat; Learning how to record your voice and m...

Afternoon Ti Podcast Season 6 Episode 122 What's on Your Cart? Teachers are some of the most resourceful people in the world.  A few days ago I put a question up in my social media about what other teachers consider essential for their carts.  So many great ideas came in!  I’ve had several ‘oops’-es as I’ve been on a cart the past two weeks - I stole an eraser from one room after erasing the board, setting it on my cart and bringing it with me to the next room.  I left my lesson plan binder in the previous room I had been teaching in when I set it on the table.  I’ve completely forgotten to bring my water.  And my expo markers.  And my snack on a day that I didn’t have a break for lunch until 1pm.  I was so hungry.  Each time I’ve entered a room and didn’t have something I would have needed or left with something that had been in a room or left something of my own in the last room I taught in, it helped me learn what I really needed to hav...

 Season Six Episode 121 Virtual and In-Person Teaching I’ve been back teaching for just over two weeks now.  There’s been a large learning curve as I’ve had to rethink and reimagine everything I’m teaching - likely the same for you as well.  Our teaching situations have commonalities, but no two teaching situations are identical.  I’ll share how my teaching set-up looks this year to give you an idea of what I’m doing each day and especially what I’m finding that works as I’m teaching students who are home learning as well as students who are in the classroom simultaneously.  How do we best educate students in this scenario and is it even possible, right?   So here’s a short breakdown of my teaching scenario this year.  I teach middle school music grades 5-8.  I am a fifth grade advisor which means I have 11 students who are part of my homeroom and it’s one of the best things about my job.  Every morning I’m with them for just over an ...