BLOG- TEACHER TAKE OVER!

This week, I'm having the BLOG "taken over" by two teachers!

First, Abby Casey from Talbot!

Check this out!

I wanted to make guitar playing accessible for all students, regardless of their previous experience. Drawing off the elementary "Recorder Karate" program and adapting the success rubric that we'd used for our bucket drumming unit, I implemented this plan for "levels" that encourage independent learning with teacher coaching as opposed to exclusive direct instruction.
Every class, we open with a quick review, a Do Now question, or listen to a song that uses the chords that we're working on this month. Then, we move out to guitars and I conference with each group to assess and troubleshoot. Students who have shown aptitude have become "peer coaches" who take 2-3 students and guide them through finger placement and the day's work period. This leaves me available to work with struggling groups or to give extensions to other advanced students, not to mention empowering the Coaches by having them rotate through this leadership role. This also leaves room at the end of class to share out as an exit strategy-the kids will eventually choose their plan for the upcoming week in several areas (be a coach, get assessed, work in small group with me to get close-up review, etc).

Check out the RUBRIC!

Guitar Playing Success Rubric

How Will My Team Earn Our Grade? 

	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Tempo	Lacks consistent tempo.	Tempo difficulties throughout performance.	Slight tempo imbalance during performance.	Steady tempo throughout entire performance.
Rhythm	Performance has many errors.	Several errors causing a disruption to the rhythmic flow.	Very few rhythmic inaccuracies; mistakes were not distracting to the overall composition.	All rhythm patterns were played without mistake and with confidence.
Chord playing	Plays chords  with many major errors, pauses, or incorrect chords.	Plays chords with 3+ errors, pauses or incorrect chords.	Transitions smoothly between chords with only 1-2 errors.	Transitions smoothly between chords with no errors.
Performance style	Players refuse or show great resistance to perform. The piece lacks a pattern and a sense of completion.	Players are reluctant to perform or act inappropriately during their performance. The piece has somewhat of a pattern and sense of completion.	Players perform appropriately when called upon. The piece has a basic pattern and has a sense of completion.	Players volunteer to perform, and do so with appropriate confidence.The piece has an intricate pattern and has a sense of completion.
Participation	Does not contribute to group nor provides kind & specific feedback.	Contributes little to group and/or provides little kind & specific feedback.	Contributes to the group OR provides kind & specific feedback.	Contributes to the group AND provides kind & specific feedback.

My group’s grade should be: _________/20

My personal grade should be: ________/20

Our group’s MVP today is: ______________________

Yellow Level:  I can play the EZ G & EZ C chords (4 strums each)

Advanced Yellow: I can play the D and EZ G chords (4 strums each)  

Orange Level: I can play a chord progression of: G-C-D-G

   Songs I can play with these chords:

• All the Small Things-Blink 182
• The Tide is High-Blondie
• Three Little Birds-Bob Marley
• Born This Way-Lady Gaga
• Whole Lotta Love-Led Zeppelin
• Royals-Lorde
• Sweet Home Alabama-Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Everyday People-Sly & the Family Stone
• Chasing Cars-Snow Patrol
• Paperback Writer-The Beatles
• AND MORE!!

Take Over, Part II:
Kerin McGillicudy from Tansey/Watson!

First, a Blendspace! Check out this link for the lesson..
BLENDSPACE

Students in first grade have been working on self portraits- I included a hand out (below) and the Blendspace (above) so students could be SUPER successful.  We listened to two stories- What I Like About Me, and Colors of Us to help us see how everyone is unique and different.  

This is a third grader using a step by step YouTube video on his Chromebook.  How, you ask?  Safeshare.tv is a great resource that filters YouTube videos that you can upload onto your account.  Quick and easy account set up!

And Some Deets:
Concerts/Performances on the Horizon!

• 11/22-11/23- Lizzie Borden of Fall River- A Drama in Two Acts- Kuss
• 12/6-12/8- Mama Mia- The Musical- Durfee
• 12/10- Morton Concert
• 12/11- Talbot Concert
• 12/12- Durfee Concert
• 12/17- Kuss Concert
• 12/17- HLCS and Doran Collab Concert at HLCS

NUTS AND BOLTS REMINDERS:

• Lesson Plans are due on Monday morning.
• Emergency Sub Plans need to be prepared and left on your desks (Durfee has a specific folder) in case you are absent.
• Workshop Model aspects should be present (in your room and in your planning):
• Posted Agenda
• Warm Up (up to 5 min)
• Opening (10-15 min)
• Work Period (30-40 min)
• Closing (5-10 min)

Thank you!

Such great work happening in our district!  
So proud of you all.