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Assemblies
#1: Reading
Comprehension Strategies through Music and Sound 
“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 Peter and the Wolf — complete with interactive questions, story
mapping, and think-aloud games!
#3: Math,
Science and Sound
Boost your students’ interest in math and science with Phil’s dynamic presentation on
Math, Science and Sound. During the presentation your students will learn how to apply mathematical concepts to scientific principles. Specifically, they will: estimate the distance of thunderstorms; measure sound volume and frequency using static electricity; learn how sound waves travel in the air, on strings, and over light; and participate in an interactive musical selection from
Peru!
#4: Reading Fluency
and Singing
“Fluent reading sounds like talking.” This simple principle
is at the core of the Reading Fluency and Singing presentation. Through the use of familiar rhymes, historical speeches, songs,
and popular TV/movie audio clips, students are engaged in an entertaining
model of fluent reading. Developed with Reading Specialists, this
program reinforces the basics of reading fluency: 1) Modeling
Fluent Readers; 2) Reading Together (shared reading); and 3) Repetition
and Feedback. Your students also experience the connections between
singing and reading which inspire a natural sense of phrasing,
meter and expression.
#5: Math and Music
In Math and Music, your students experience the fun of
Rhythm Mathematics — Phil’s new series of standards-based math activities that emphasize high energy drumming, popular math manipulatives, and entertaining rhythm games.
In addition, they learn how composers like Beethoven used melodic patterns to create symmetry and
form, and how mathematicians like Pythagoras discovered
fractions that form the basis for music we hear today.
#6: Rhythms of
Language
In Rhythms of Language, Phil supports your students’ vocabulary
development and comprehension strategies by demonstrating how people from around
the world use the elements of language to convey meaning through spoken and
written words. Specifically, he shows how we: use the alphabetic principle
to decode unfamiliar words; recognize a common set of high frequency words;
and figure out the meaning of words using vocabulary-in-context with
phrases and sentences. Best of all, your students will be actively involved in this high
energy program as they participate in interactive games, play rhythm
instruments, and experience music from Africa and South America.
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
Math and Science Night starts with a fun and entertaining
musical presentation on the mathematical and scientific principles
of sound. Students see a modulated laser made from a flashlight
and hear a sound cannon made from a plastic bucket. In addition,
Phil guides everyone through an enriching series of hands-on FOSS
experiments and Exploratorium displays on waves and
frequency. Then the students make their own gut-bucket basses,
stamping tubes, and Brazilian Guicas and join together for a dynamic
concert of sound and rhythm.
#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, hand and body movements, and a variety of Caribbean,
African and Latin American instruments. Next, the students make
their own rain sticks, talking tubes, and guiros, and then join
together for a concert of reading, rhythm and movement. In addition,
Phil also covers the major elements of how parents can read with
their children through a number of helpful handouts and displays
based on Jim Trelease’s classic, The Read-Aloud Handbook.
#5: Musical Math
Musical Math begins with an entertaining song from Rhythm Mathematics — Phil’s new series of standards-based math activities that emphasize high energy drumming, popular math manipulatives, and entertaining rhythm games. The students also learn how to make instruments with
geometric shapes and fractions, and then apply their knowledge to build origami poppers and drums. Following the instrument making, everyone assembles into a giant drum circle for a concert featuring rhythms from around the world!
#6: Language Rhythms
At the Language Rhythms family night, Phil shows parents how to help
their kids increase their vocabulary and become better readers through a variety
of entertaining games and activities. Then the kids make their own Tubongus,
Card and Comb Guiros, and Parade Trumpets. They perform authentic African
talking drum phrases on their Tubongu drums, and play Phil's Morse Code Mambo
with their Card and Comb Guiros. Then, for the final piece, they play
their Parade Trumpets in a giant conga line!
