Supplemental Sunday: It's Almost Time for the Olympics!

Yesterday was Music Therapy Mailings day! I heard a knock on my door, went to find the postal worker with an envelope with some goodies inside, and then I started to brainstorm based on the things inside the envelope!

My July Music Therapy Mailings Loot!

I received a CD - We Are Different, by Pat McManus. I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm enjoying some of the song titles - we are different, anger management, do that, chasing what you love. I have the lyrics to some of the songs as well, so I can see the themes that are being conveyed. I will listen to the songs tomorrow during my preparation time.

In the packet was a sheet with Olympic medals on it. Ping! That was the spark for my brainstorming process! What could I do with my students that would incorporate the spirit of the Olympics and still work on their therapeutic group goals? Hmmm.

I started my planning process. Now, to be fair, I had an idea for small cards that I wanted to use as part of my therapy, so I tried to find things that would let me use the cards. I still haven't finished them, because I am trying to find a way to make the cards so I can do more than just the Olympics idea with them. Eventually I will figure out what I want to do with the cards.

The ideas started to form pretty quickly. I decided to use the Olympics as a theme for the first three weeks of our fall semester. Here's what I've got so far...

Week One

Choose a Country for Class Team

Torch March - one step per beat

World Globe - How Do I Get There from Here?

Rhythm Bingo - Anthems

Week Two

Bach - Musician of the Month reveal (there you go, Janice, you know before ANYONE else!!)

Rhythm Reading Relay

Notation Marathon - around the school

Week Three

Olympics Rondo - Rhythm Instrument Composition

Closing Ceremony - STARS/Olympics Medals and World Anthems

Olympics plans and Cards-in-progress

The small cards that I've created could be what we use during the notation marathon or during the rhythm relay. I'm thinking the marathon would be better. I could write different types of notes on each card and then send them off on a hunt for each card. Ooh - the order of the notes could be a musical phrase that they have to play on the piano or Orff instrument when they find them all! They have to go to each of the locations in order to find the next note in the sequence. We could use the Star Spangled Banner to bring in the Olympics idea. If I put staves on each of the card and then laminate them, I could change the music indications for other songs for other themes...hmmmm. 

The cards pictured here were made with a 1 inch square punch and a 1 1/2 inch scalloped square punch. I used white cardstock for the squares and scrapbooking paper for the scalloped squares. There are two different colors for backgrounds - having two sets will allow me to have two teams going at the same time, if I want! Next time I make these, I will print out music staff lines on the cardstock before I punch the cards. Then I don't have to draw lines on all of the cards that I make. Maybe I'll make another set of cards with the lines and use these for words rather than notation. Hmmm... Now I have a plan!

I love it when one idea leads to another that leads to another. I find inspiration in all kinds of places and am thankful to Tracy at Music Therapy Mailings for my monthly envelope of things to think about. Check out her website and consider a subscription!

Are you going to do an Olympics theme this year? Are you looking for some ideas? I've got lots of winter Olympics ideas in my sing about winter theme packet. (Check out the link here.) I'll also be releasing a mini theme packet in early August for the Summer Olympics. Let me know if you're interested in purchasing the mini theme packet - cost will be $15.00 for three session plans, eight therapeutic music experiences, and suggested musical resources.

Happy Sunday, all. Have a wonderful week!