This week’s new play-along video is one that focuses on movements and rhythms so that you can choose how to use them in your classroom. In the States, Autumn begins this week. I chose a medley of songs that include the months of September and October, and the seasonal weather that is associated with fall in certain parts of the world. This video does not mention Halloween or pumpkins, but more in the lines of leaves and weather becoming colder.
Medley
The medley consists of four songs that have a variety of tempos and styles from country, to ballad, to R&B. I chose to emphasize movements on this medley so that my students could feel the whole note rhythms, the subdivided eighth note rhythms, and how that leads to the dotted quarter note rhythm followed by an eighth note.
The songs are:
“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk)
“Harvest Time” by Luke Bryan featuring The Bartaks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4QTpRoYLdg&t=20s)
“Just Like Autumn” by The Tuesday Crew · Jordy Searcy · Carly Bannister (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I--bUH-JJdA&t=87s)
“Autumn Leaves” by Ed Sheeran (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vpk9zYYeBs&t=22s)
Rhythms
If you choose to focus on the rhythms, the following patterns are used:
Four quarter notes
Whole note
Two quarter note and two quarter rests
One quarter note, two eighth notes, and two quarter notes
Two quarter rests and two quarter notes
Four eighth notes and two quarter notes
Dotted quarter note, one eighth note, and two quarter notes
Two half notes
Two quarter notes, two eighth notes, and a quarter note
Dance party
Movements
The movements are as follows:
Whole note = Clap on beat one and then wave your hands in the air for beats two, three, and four
Dotted quarter followed by an eighth note = Pat your knees on the first best, slide on the downbeat of beat two, and clap on the upbeat of beat two
Quarter rest = shh
Two eighth notes = two snaps or flicks in the air
Quarter notes = stomps or claps
Half notes = Step then slide
I hope that you and your students enjoy this medley!