Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Prize Patrol

My students have been working diligently on counting and understanding rhythmic concepts, so it was now time to unveil the prizes. Just a few of the many items my students may purchase with their "Renditions Dollars"...



Knowledge cards!



Treble clef pencils - very popular.


Mozart Mouse from the Music for Little Mozarts Series



I love Pachelbel Penguin


Sunday, November 2, 2008

Count Chocula

This year the theme for my teaching studio is to focus on rhythm - specifically counting. To this end, a character --- "Count Le Musique" was created to motivate my students. My students receive "Count Le Musique" points as they master specific rhythm goals that I've set for each student. Goals include counting out loud while playing, writing in counting in various meters, rhythmic dictation, memorization of note values and meter definitions, etc. Points are redeemed for "Music Dollars" and then my students use the money to buy prizes. So far, the program has been very successful, especially in October, because in honor of Halloween - "Count Le Musique" morphed into "Count Chocula" and double points were implemented for the entire month.


Boxes of "Count Chocula" cereal were given out as prizes for students who earned 50 points or more in October. Bags of candy were for other students with less points, but who still earned points in the program.

more gift boxes...and pumpkin lollies for good students...


If my students earned 100 points or more - "Count Chocula" made personal visits to the student's home ("Count Chocula" made personal visits to six students)



However, no students received a visit from Frankenberry...and what is Count Chocula doing in bed with Frankenberry?!?!....What would General Mills say?!?!

Visit YouTube for some great "Count Chocula" commercials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMjgDjEZfa0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ViAELRM3I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xG4_7qSCSk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m_jtEXDNG0