Create-Perform-Connect Halloween Elementary Music Education

I Am A Sharer

I love to share tibits of Educational Information that I have experienced over the decades and new tibits I am continuing to discover. I also like to keep things short and to the point.

Will It Work For Me?

What works with one group may not work with another group. Just as what works one year may not work the next year. This is why you need to have at least 1 gig of many ways to teach a concept. (Back when I first started to teach we called it a file cabinet! ;) ) You also do not want to get bored yourself, teaching the same lesson, the same way, over and over again. Keep it FRESH! Keep it EXCITING! If you are...your students are!

The LISTENING LOUNGE

Halloween Playlist

1. "Monster Mash" - Bobby Pickett
2. "The Purple People Eater" - Sheb Wooley
3. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson
4. "Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker, Jr.
5. "The Addams Family Theme Song"
6. "Addams Groove" - MC Hammer
7. "Danse Macabre" - Saint - Saens
8. "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" - Bach
9. "Hungarian Dance No. 5, G Minor" - Brahms
10. "Etude Op.2, No. 1" - Prokofiev

If you do not have these in your own music library, I find YouTube very helpful.

HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

"Monster Mash"         

Released: 8/25/1962

Genre: Novelty, Pop

Artist: Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers

Billboard Hot 100 Chart: #1 for 2 weeks 10/20-27/1962

Sound Effects:

Coffin Opening: Pulling a rusty nail out of a piece of wood.

Cauldron Bubbling: Blowing air through a straw into a cup of water.

Chains Rattling: Dropping and dragging chains across a tile floor.

Inspired by: 

• "Alley Oop" 1960, The Hollywood Argyles (also a #1 Billboard Hot 100 Chart Hit, #3 on the US R&B Chart, #24 on the UK Chart)
• "Mashed Potato" (Dance) 1962, made famous by, James Brown

Composed in less than 2 hours

Recorded in 1 Take

Picture Book by, David Catrow

The Activity Annex

A Foley Sound Effect Artist: recreates sounds for film, TV and radio using lots of props. Example: glass, cans, wood etc... anything to replace the original sound or to make it stronger. 

Have your students try making these Halloween Inspired Sound Effects:

• Bird Wing Flaps: a pair of gloves
• Whoosh!: swinging a stick
• Weird Sound: slide a straw up & down in a fast food plastic lid, rubbing a wet balloon
• Bones: Frozen romaine lettuce, carrots, celery
• Horse Feet: coconut shells, cup hands and clap them against your thighs
• Screech: scrape a metal hand rake across a sheet of metal
• Crackling Fire: crunch cellophane or wax paper
• Bats Flying: open & close umbrella quickly
• Walking on Grass: newspaper in a plastic bag, tap bag softly
• Walking in Brush: squeeze the whisk of a straw broom

My professional success is rooted in my effectiveness as an educator and continuing to master my craft. Success in any profession is grounded in how effective one is at their profession. 
    
I like to refer to Music as the "feeling" subject. 

Two questions I always ask my student teachers are "Who is your favorite teacher? Why?" All of them, in their own way say it is because they "felt" that teacher truly "cared" about them. 

Connect with your students on an "emotional" level that is natural to you. Mine is a sense of humor and honesty.

Remember how the teacher/s you respect, make you "feel". 

Remember and hold on to the passion that drove you to become a "teacher".

If you are looking for new resources, ready to use activities, I have a store on the Teachers Pay Teachers marketplace website called "Clancy's Classroom".

My Best Sellers are my "Classroom Instruments Play Along to..." Original Artist Recording Activities.

I have created Original Arrangements using Elementary Classroom Instruments for students to "play along with" songs they hear on the radio. I include Picture Icon Notation and Traditional Rhythm Symbol Notation versions. 

Also available at my store are Rhythm Stick Activities, Various Worksheets, Flashcards, How To Teach Music Resources for the General Classroom Teacher and Freebies to name a few.

Click on the link to check out my store.

Clancy's Classroom Store Link

                                               Click on the link to check out this activity.

Rhythm Classroom Instruments Play Along with The Monster Mash

for all you do!

Have a Great Day and remember to take time for yourself EVERYDAY!

Donna Marie & Mary