Past projects 4
Making Music Playing Games
Funded Aug 2, 2023Thank you so much for your generous assistance in funding our play equpiment for Chorus and music students at RMS. It is often difficult to get students interested in learning more about music, and this equipment is helping me to make games out of learning. My students were very excited to use make baskets with the basketballs after doing well in a team rhythm game. They will love using the parachute, balloons, dice, and everything else to make music even more fun. It is exciting for them and for me to see their interest.
Today, my students got to create their own music games with the equipment. Many students chose the basketballs, dice, frisbees, and throw and catch equipment to create their own unique music activities. They had lots of fun and learned in the process.
I can't wait to play the games they designed next week. They had some really good ideas and were inspired by the new equipment! Every hook will get them learning more and making more music!
It has been a wonderful experience so far, and I am looking forward to seeing the students' progress!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Groves
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 5 other donors.Making Music Matters!
Funded Aug 11, 2020Thank you so much for your generous assistance in funding our ukuleles for all Chorus students at RMS. With COVID 19 procedures, we cannot sing as a choir usually does, and the ukuleles are a perfect and practical way to make music. My students were very excited to make noise and pick their favorite color to begin. They are now up to tuning their own instruments and playing some two-chord songs. We have a long weekend coming up, and I heard students planning a Facetime call to jam on their instruments. It is exciting for them and for me to see their interest. Many students are sharing moments they are having with other string players in their families, as well.
We will continue to progress to more advanced strumming and more chords so the students can play some of their favorite pop and country songs in class and for their families, and continue to reinforce music standards about chord structure, time signatures, rhythms, and ear training.
It has been a wonderful experience so far, and I am looking forward to seeing the students progress!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Groves
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 63 other donors.Pianos for Pioneers: Hands-on Learning for Chorus Students
Funded Mar 10, 2018Thank you so much for funding piano keyboards, method books, and accessories for my middle school classroom. I have had so many students ask if I could teach them piano along with Chorus, and now I can.
When the students helped to open up the boxes, they were ecstatic. I was planning to work on our Chorus repertoire, but they just wanted to experiment on the new instruments. I was glad to oblige. My eighth graders were occupied for the entire class period just trying them out (and that's a rare feat for an eighth-grade classroom!) They loved the different instruments, the rhythms, and the included songs. I had a few students who already take piano lessons, and they were excited that they could already play bits and pieces of our music for Chorus. I had two groups of students going back and forth between each other's keyboards to hear what sounds and tunes they had found and created. Another student was smiling ear to ear to tell me that she's always wanted to learn to play the piano. She was surprised that she had come up with a song that sounded like a track from a horror movie, of all things. Lots of students were playing enough that they were able to find and recognize melodies that they knew like "Jingle Bells" and the Mario game theme song. I have to admit, seeing and hearing their excitement had me smiling from ear to ear, too.
The plan now is mainly to teach them basic piano reading skills to help with sight singing in Chorus. These will be skills that they can build on if and when they continue with piano lessons in the future as well as the next couple of years in my class in middle school. I am certain that the students will want to learn to play songs that they know as well, so I have an easy pop music book that I will use with them when they're ready, and a few of my own songbooks that they can try out as they learn more about playing melodies and chords.
Honestly, I'm not sure who is more anxious to really get started, the students or myself, but I think it will be a wonderful joint venture for all of us. Thank you so much for supporting this endeavor!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Groves
Sing, Sing a Song!
Funded Feb 14, 2016Thank you so much for your donations that have enabled us to purchase mini recorders and batteries for our choral program! These recorders are allowing us to record students individually while the entire class sings, eliminating the stress of singing solo. We took a day to just get used to the recorders, and my middle school students obviously enjoyed trying them out and listening to their own voices. The pictures show it all – singing and smiles! We did an activity yesterday where they could self evaluate their progress on our Spring choral music, and although some were reluctant at first, I saw those same smiles on their faces as they listened to their own voices in song!
In the near future, we will be recording and assessing in preparation for our concert. I will be listening to each student individually and determining their progress on our repertoire. I will be able to give them specific feedback that will improve their singing, their confidence, and our group performance.
Thank you so much for helping us with this new technological venture! Our county is in a budget crunch, losing teachers because of a lack of money, and there just is nothing extra for the supplies that we need in our classrooms. We are so thankful that you are willing to donate to our program. It's amazing what a little help can do!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Groves
This classroom project was brought to life by Tony and Nanar Yoseloff and 17 other donors.