Past projects 14
Modern Music Making With iPads!
Funded Aug 19, 2024Thank you so much for the fabulous new iPad you so generously made possible. The iPads have already begun to make an appearance during our music stations on Fridays, and the students absolutely love using them. Our groups usually have 5 or 6 students in them and now, thanks to you, fewer of them have to share and take turns creating their beautiful music. I recently learned about Google Arts & Culture's Blob Opera, and I know my students are going to love it-you might enjoy playing with it too, check it out! We are continuing to work toward the goal of having a full class set to use for music and art. The art teacher is already planning to use them to have students research famous artists and create a work inspired by their research. We appreciate your ongoing support so much!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
This classroom project was brought to life by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and 2 other donors.Interactive Music Making With iPads!
Funded Aug 28, 2023We are LOVING the new iPad and the locking charging station! The iPads have already come in handy for so many fun activities, but I absolutely love them for gamified assessments. In the pictures I'm uploading, you will see 1st grade students locating notes on the lines and spaces of the music staff. This is an essential first step for reading musical notes on the staff, and the students really love taking turns going back to the iPads in the middle of class to "play a game" for 30 seconds. It quickly shows me which students have mastered the concept on their own, and who needs more help. In a 45 minute music class, you can't even imagine how incredible it is to have a 30 second assessment-let alone one that students are BEGGING to complete!
I also use the iPads to display recorder play-along sheet music for the 3rd grade students, ukulele play-along sheet music for the 5th graders, and so much more. I've purchased headphones and headphone splitters, which have been amazing to have small groups work together with just one iPad on a variety of listening and interactive assignments. We hope to eventually collect enough iPads to have a class set, and the locking charging station is such an asset to the classroom to keep them safe and properly charged. Thank you for helping my students access essential technology for today, tomorrow, and years to come!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
This classroom project was brought to life by General Motors Corporation and 5 other donors.21st Century Music Making!
Funded Feb 16, 2023Thank you so very much for helping us take another step toward a class set of iPads! The students love using them, and have already gotten to try them in many different ways. From little fingers playing music games and composing, all the way up to our big kids, your donation added another dimension to our music classroom.
3rd grade students have been using them weekly with their recorder playing. We have interactive music that helps them track rhythms and notes, so small groups are able to clap, practice, and play their recorder songs using the tablets.
5th grade has begun their final group project to create a Tiktok dance to a piece of classical music. They are using the iPads to choose their classical piece, and to play it while they practice their choreography. In the end, they will use the iPad camera to record their videos! It is so important for us to meet our students where they are, and they truly love using technology as they learn.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
This classroom project was brought to life by Black History Month Partners and 12 other donors.21st Century Music Making!
Funded Oct 4, 2022We are so incredibly grateful for your generosity! Our new iPad has already provided so much fun, interactive music making! In the photos I've uploaded, you can see our pre-school students creating rhythms with some "Fur-Cussion" animals by clicking and dragging animals onto the screen to make different patterns. I have also used an interactive game on the iPad with my 5th grade students to see who could listen to and identify the most Major or minor chords. They are loving have a different way to show what they know, and to get creative with their composing. Thank you so much for making our technology dreams come true!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
Buckets of Drumming Fun
Funded Aug 22, 2018Thank you so incredibly much for your generous donations to this project. We can all agree that it takes a village to ensure that our students have the best opportunities, and we are so grateful that you are a part of our village!
The buckets have been used mostly as seats for our music stations so far, but the students love sitting on them instead of the floor. They sit on buckets instead of on the cold tile at the listening station and the flashcard station every Friday. Our Preschool students have used the buckets as little tables where I can place other instruments in one part of the room ready to play, and they can stand behind the instrument of their choice. 2nd graders used the buckets with drum sticks a few weeks ago to show strong and weak beats in some of classical music's greatest hits. 4th graders have started their first real bucket drumming lesson this week, and are tapping in the center, rim, and sides of the buckets to create some awesome grooves. They love to sit on the bucket while they practice the quiet patterns with drum sticks on their legs, and then move them onto the loud buckets!
I can't wait to dive deeper into the world of bucket drumming with my students, and it would not have been possible without you! Every time I grab a bucket or a pair of drum sticks, the students' faces light up. Thank you so much for the functional seating, rhythm, and joy you've provided for my students!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 15 other donors.Elective Ensembles for Elementary Excellence
Funded Feb 17, 2014Thank you so much for supporting our school's music program! The brand new instruments are set up each day when the students walk in, and they excitedly tip toe around them to get to their seats.
This month's composer of the month is Beethoven, so the fifth graders have studied Symphony no. 9 and learned to play the melody on the instruments. I have a little bit of training in the Orff-Schulwerk method from which these instruments originate, and I've been able to put that training to good use! The fourth grade students played and sang an Orff arrangement of a song from their textbooks. First grade is even reading a two note melody from the staff and playing that on instruments.
The students are on their best behavior each day hoping to have the chance to play, and they leave thanking me for letting them! That thanks truly belongs to you. Even the preschool students have begun learning which bars make high sounds or low sound and practicing tapping the bars while holding the mallets the right way. We are so grateful for your generosity and support!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
Musical Stories Make Music More Fun!
Funded Jul 30, 2013Thank you so much for all of these amazing books! Today, the second grade students took a little break from preparing for our winter musical to read and enjoy the stories. The students loved the variety of books and the different concepts that are covered. One of the books is a pop up book, and that is a particular favorite! I also appreciate that we now have books for a variety of reading levels. I am looking forward to creating engaging lessons centered around each of the books which you have so generously provided!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
Help Us Move Into the Digital Age!
Funded May 15, 2013We are so grateful to you for your support and generosity! The iPod you donated just arrived and the students were so excited to see it! The clock app conveniently allows me to set alarms for the students to know when class is coming to an end so that we can quickly and quietly pack up each day.
Of course, the music is the best part! The sound produced by the Bose speaker system and iPod have such wonderful, high quality output! They fill up the room with great music from all around the world. This month, all of the students in the school are enjoying songs by our composer of the month, Leonard Bernstein.
The convenience of the remote control allows me to dance around the room with the students and start or stop at any time. I especially thank you for eliminating idle time in our classroom spent trying to put in and take out tapes and Cd's and find the proper tracks! The students love the fast paced, fun way we can listen to and explore music with this technology.”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
Dreams of Drumming
Funded Jan 25, 2013We are drumming away at school thanks to you! The students have had an amazing time beginning to explore the new drums you have provided for us! We are even using them for a community drum circle in April. The students are thrilled each time they walk in to see the drums out in the classroom. They are supposed to come in quietly, but I have to smile and agree when they point and whisper excitedly that we get to play drums. We are extremely grateful for your support to make our dreams of drumming a reality. The students were amazed when I told them how much all of these new drums cost, and they have been careful to follow the drum rules to keep them in great condition for years to come. Thank you for believing in these beautiful children and in public education in our community!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
Musicians Need Help to Write Their Masterpieces!
Funded Aug 27, 2012Thank you so much for donating to this project! We have had the chance to use our new resources a few times now and the students have been thrilled! Last year, we used paper towels as dry erase board erasers and as markers ran out, we just had to keep using them until they were completely dry. When the students started using the new erasers and markers you purchased them they were so excited! The 3rd graders loved taking their first quiz of the year (on the parts of their recorders) on the reusable dry erase pockets, and I loved not wasting a ton of paper. You have made our music class more green with these dry erase additions!
The students also love seeing our "Composer of the Month" on the large composer posters you purchased them! It is really enjoyable for them to not just hear each composers music, but also to see the pictures and read on the back of the posters about their lives.
I honestly think the students are most excited about the new pencils, erasers, and crayons. There truly is something special about using something brand new for the very first time, but the students who use the old pencils from last year never complain, because they get to use a brand new pink eraser if they get stuck with an old pencil. These are the simple pleasures that your gift has provided our classroom. Although they may seem like they do not make a huge difference, these things are the essentials that make our class work, so THANK YOU!!!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Beekman
This classroom project was brought to life by an anonymous donor and 6 other donors.