Creative Clutter and Music

I try to change my hallway display once per month so I thought I would post so far this year. This is always a go to board for the beginning of the year and I added pics with the description for the younger students. I have been incorporating art into the music room this year, as the students do not get an art class.  I started with a bang in September.  September 15 is International Dot Day, based on the book, The Dot by Peter H Reynolds.  This display was later accompanied by artwork from every child in the school!!  Each grade used a different medium and they loved the experience and discussions about leaving their mark on the world.  I was able to expand on the concept, discussing how musicians who have left their mark.  (Somehow I don't have a pic of the final wall.) http://www.thedotclub.org I love this one and the explanations (zoom in) but next time I will add pics for the little kiddos!!

As a music teacher I think it is important for students to recognize music that is familiar in the world around them.   For example a student several years ago, upon hearing the main theme of the Hallelujah Chorus, excitedly told me that he knew where the song was from.  Spongebob!, he told me excitedly.  Along these lines I teach third graders a unit based on the Nutcracker Ballet,  We focus on form, overture, ballet, theme, history, and instruments.  We do movement, rhythm and singing activities in addition to attending a performance at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.  The unit and activities are always very exciting for the students.  This year I added a Nutcracker Spotting wall where students could add where they had heard music from the Nutcracker outside of the music room.  Students from all grades participated in this activity and it was a huge success. After attending the ballet the students write a review of the performance. ...

  I am soooooo excited about the music staff in my hallway at school.  The caption is "Each of us a single note, together we create a masterpiece at DSE!"  Each note has a student's name and each color is a different class.  I am thinking I will leave it up the whole year as a teaching tool, but we will see how that goes.