|
||||
Assemblies
#1: Reading
for Meaning
“Reading for Meaning” is at the heart of Phil's program on
Reading Comprehension Strategies. Through the use of written text, interactive
games, songs, and sound stories, Phil engages students in the
process of strategic reading by: activating their prior knowledge,
visualizing the story, looking for clues, asking questions, and
practicing prediction. Phil also shows the students a number of
fun activities and games that connect their knowledge of sequence, prediction and
inference to everyday life. Finally, he brings it all together with
his new version of the classic Rudyard Kipling tale that explains how the
elephant got its trunk—complete with African drums and rhythms, interactive
questions, story mapping ideas, and think-aloud games!
#3: Math,
Science and Technology
Phil’s dynamic new presentation on math, science and technology
integrates hands-on experiments and multimedia tools that make learning fun and
engaging! Phil shows how energy and matter can be converted into
multiple forms. Using a FOSS sound cannon, he demonstrates how
motion and
mechanical energy is converted into sound. Next, he shows how
sound is
transmitted over a beam of light using a flashlight and a solar cell! After
that, he focuses on electricity and simple circuits. A highlight of the
presentation is when several student volunteers join hands to make an electrical
circuit that plays music! Phil uses technology tools that enhance the learning of
core subjects. During his presentation, he incorporates
sound and graphics in a
multimedia format. He also features inexpensive apps that work on an
iPad and
are readily available. Lastly, Phil has created a large collection of multimedia
web activities for your students to use as a follow-up to this program!
#4: Reading, Rhythm
and Rhyme
Phil’s new multimedia program explores the Common Core Language Arts standards
through music and rhythm. Through the use of rhymes, alliterations,
cartoons, and historical speeches, Phil shows your students how we determine the
meaning of our words. He accomplishes this through a variety of entertaining
activities on expression, phrasing, and meter. He teaches the students how to use
expression
and punctuation for effect, and integrates the musical
elements of pitch, tempo, and dynamics into their reading.Then, he shows them how to improve
their comprehension, and how to convey their ideas precisely, by grouping words into
phrases. Lastly, students learn how rhyme, rap, poetry
and song, use groupings of syllables called meter. Using two and
three syllable words, Phil and the students create rhymes and popular rhythms
from Africa and Latin America!
#5:
Know Your Math Facts
Phil’s new program features Rhythm Mathematics—his new
standards-based activities that use West African drum rhythms to teach and
reinforce math
facts:
doubles & doubles plus one, skip counting, multiplication facts, and fractions and ratios.
He presents both primary and intermediate assemblies, and
tailors each program so that it is grade-level appropriate. Phil also
provides a free site license CD so your school can continue to reinforce math
facts with these exciting rhythms throughout the year. During the assembly, your students will also participate in a Native American acorn grinding song based on repeating mathematical patterns,
and will learn how the ancient Greek mathematician, Pythagoras, used ratios and
fractions to make music. Finally, they will hear how fractions are represented
in music from Indonesia, Mexico, Africa, China, and the Caribbean.
Family Activity Nights
#1: Story
Reading Night
Invite your families back to school for this wonderful hands-on
activity night. The kids build their own didgeridoos, toad croakers,
bee buzzers, and duck quackers, and then join together for an
interactive Vietnamese musical story about a very special toad. Phil also shows parents how they can help their kids become better
readers by playing comprehension games at home. Finally, they
finish off the night with a sound effects concert featuring some
of Phil’s favorite old time radio broadcasts!
#2: Musical
Fractions
Invite your families back to school for this fun-filled evening featuring
hands-on instrument making, and music from the Aztec and Incan empires! Students
learn how to count ancient Aztec rhythms using pie fractions, and design pan
pipes with the fractional lengths used by the Incas. The students build their
own maracas and panpipes — based on fractions of length used by the Incas.
Then they join together for a dynamic concert featuring ancient Aztec rhythms
using pie fractions.
#3: Math and
Science Night
Invite your families back for a fun and entertaining musical presentation on the
math and science. Phil
guides everyone through an enriching series of hands-on FOSS experiments and
Exploratorium displays. Then,
the students apply their knowledge by making rhythm and string instruments and
joining together for an exciting concert featuring Dragon Dance Drumming
from China!
#4: Reading in
Rhythm
Get ready to move on this one! Reading in Rhythm begins
with an entertaining exploration of the rhythms of language through
shared reading, movement, and a variety of Caribbean,
African, and Latin American instruments. Next, the students make
their own Peruvian rain sticks, African stamping tubes, and Latin
American guiros. After everyone finishes, we all join together
for a dynamic concert of rhythm and shared reading. In addition, Phil
covers the major elements of how parents can read
with their children and encourage
their children to read through a number of helpful handouts
and displays based on Jim Trelease’s classic, The Read-Aloud
Handbook..
#5: Rhythm and Math
Night
At the Rhythm and Math Night, the kids learn how to make musical instruments with
geometric shapes and fractions, and apply their knowledge to build origami
poppers and tube drums. Then, they perform popular hand drum rhythms from
Nigeria, Guinea, and Liberia, and join together to form a giant drum circle
featuring rhythms from around the world!
