After taking a Feierabend workshop, I added so many new elements to vocal exploration. Some come directly from the workshop while others are from blogs and my own use of resources available to me.
FROGS
I call this the Frog Family and there’s Freddy (dad), twin cousins Huey and Louie, and Baby Frog.
The big frog has long arms so I use him lots for beat bonding activities. I have a small parachute and we raise and lower it, making appropriate sounds with our voices. I throw daddy frog in the middle and the upward vocal slides increase because the frog gets tossed in the air on the ups. Then baby joins daddy and then finally the cousins get in. By the time we’re finished, it’s only been a couple of minutes but we’ve done vocal glissandos MANY times.
Other Great Tools
I got almost all of these things at Dollar Tree. From left to right, the three pencils and purple crayon are used to draw letters and shapes in the air with accompanying upward, downward, and same vocal sounds. I draw and sing, class echoes. I have three so I can use them at a learning station.
The microphone is another fun echo sing ploy; teacher holds mic and sings then points it to the class or to an individual. Fun!
A ball or anything that can be tossed in the air can provide an opportunity for upward/downward glissandos.
The pipe cleaner can be easily shaped and then as you follow the shape with your finger you make the appropriate sounds. Since pipe cleaners are cheap, this is always one of my make and take activities. I ask that the students take it home and make shapes and sing for at least 5 people. These are also great for learning stations.
MARIONETTES
SPIDERS
Here’s a video showing how I use a puppet spider and how to make your own spiders for a make and take activity!
