Sing me a story! Read me a song! Let's make literature come alive by creating beautiful music with it! My students are ready! I teach in a small, rural school district. Community members often feel isolated as they must drive 20 minutes to the nearest town to buy groceries and other necessities. The community offers no local fine arts performance opportunities or musical venues. Students must travel over an hour for cultural events like concerts and art museums.
I teach music to students in Preschool through Eighth Grade. These students are excited to make music and express their creativity. Although the resources are limited, the students' enthusiasm is anything but!
The No Child Left Behind Act has caused educators to put increased pressure on students to read, read, read. I have noticed an increasing level of frustration with students who are bombarded with this message. My solution? Let's jazz it up!
With the help of a book called "Mallet Madness" by Artie Almeida, I've been inspired to incorporate more literature into my music classes. Students are taking phrases, patterns and rhymes from these stories and using them to compose their own music. Simple phrases can be turned into rhythm songs and rhythm songs can be turned into songs with melody and accompaniments.
Unfortunately, our school library does not always contain the needed resources for these types of enrichment activities. This grant will provide a variety of story books that we will use to make music with. These books will be housed in the music room so that they are always ready for music making.
Another obstacle that students are challenged with is limited supplies for music making. We have a small number of Orff instruments such as xylophones. In order for every student to get a turn, it make take several music classes as we must play and share.
Your generous donation will provide a selection of story books with music themes, repetitive text and rhymes. This grant will also provide additional mallets so that students get to make music every time they come to class!
Students will benefit musically by making more music during each class period. By integrating literature into the classroom student interest in reading and seeing these books in a new and creative way will increase. How exciting to read an book and see the musical possibilities within its pages!
You can make a difference in the lives of these students with your generous donation. Let's do something new and creative. Let's spark not only an interest in music, but a love of reading as well!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. King and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
