Stay tuned!

Welcome back!
Well, my 5 for 5 was almost complete until today. I just didn't have the time to get my next post online.
It was one of those days where I had the post all lined up, song ready, good intentions,etc., but zero time to execute and get it online.

So, be sure to check back Friday night, where I'll do a double post! :) You won't want to miss it!

I hope it's been a great week for all of you!

Happy Friday!

A double post!

Welcome back!

After a busy week, I'm very glad to see Friday evening!

I've been posting about a variety of topics this week, and I have to admit-more variety is coming! :) I experience so many topics and themes during the workday, that I decided to share as I can and not worry about the randomness of it all.

Tonight's post will feature a double song post, as promised! The topics are Space and Gravity.

For a unit/theme about space, I like to start simple. The song below, Up, up to Space, briefly talks about the sun, the moon, and the stars. It is very basic and the main goal of the song is that the student learn that those three things are up in space. Many of the students I've worked with this past month have enjoyed pointing up high each time the chorus sings, "If we go up, up to space...". Students that cannot speak can also sing the chorus with the support of a voice output device.




The second song is about Gravity.
Gravity is a force and seems quite abstract to some students. My goals when writing this song about gravity were to: give students a better idea of what gravity is, explain what gravity does, and give examples of ways we normally experience gravity everyday.



If you would like song sheets for either or both of these songs, simply send me an email to morewithmusic@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Safety Signs

Welcome back!
Today's song post is about Safety Signs.

When I wrote this song about Safety Signs, I thought about many students with special needs. Some of them drive, some of them don't. Some of them walk unassisted, some of them don't.
So, I decided to pick 5 main safety signs that all students, whether they walk or drive independently, will most likely see around town everyday.

The 5 safety signs in this song are:
Stop
Crosswalk
Railroad Crossing
Poison
Exit

I hope you'll take a moment to listen below. If you would like to request additional signs to be mentioned in this song, feel free to email me at morewithmusic@gmail.com with the additional signs you would like.
If you would like a song sheet complete with lyrics and chords for this song, feel free to email me at the same address above.





As always, thanks for stopping by!

Here's another song for you!

This one is fun,upbeat and addresses comparing numbers for math.
Greater than, less than and equal to are all words we use when we compare numbers.
I can remember drawing an alligator to help learn how to tell if one number was greater than another when I was in elementary school (just a few years ago).

This song states the meaning of each separate sign we use when comparing numbers. It would be great to have picture cards of each separate sign and show them to students as the song plays.

Another idea would be to have several cards made of each sign, and pass them out to your students. Play the song and as each sign is mentioned, those students have to hold up their cards (if they have that particular sign).

I think it's a very upbeat song to introduce greater than, less than, and equal to for a group of students! What do you think?





As always, thanks for stopping by! Be sure to come back tomorrow for another song!

Spring is in the air!

Spring is such a nice and pretty season. I love the cool breeze mixed with warm sunshiny days. Very little sweat involved, not a lot of humidity, but all the benefits of the sun! :)

I wrote this song to use with students in a severe profound elementary classroom. I designed a couple of different visuals for this song, but the coolest part is that I added sound effects to illustrate the sounds mentioned in this song.

After hearing the song and seeing pictures of the wind in trees, bees and birds, I asked the students which sound they would like to hear. They could choose any of the three sounds (I had mp3 sounds of all three).

Relating this information to them with the sound effects was very neat! Many of the students were very attentive and interested in the sounds. Several of the students quickly made choices (via picture cards, and using eye gaze, hands, and/or Big Mac switch programmed to answer, "I want to hear that one.").

I left a good amount of space after each spring sound so that visuals could be shown, sound effects could be played, and or signing could be done to represent each item.

I'll post the lyrics below. If you like this song and would like to use it with children and/or students you work with, the song can be downloaded for just $1! Click on the download button under the song and after you log in payment info, an mp3 can be sent to your email inbox. It's that easy!




Sounds of Spring

There are many new sounds in the Spring.
And I can hear them all around with my ears.
I can hear the wind in the trees,
And I can hear the busy, busy bees.
I can hear the birds in the trees.

There are many new sounds in the Spring
and I can hear them all around with my ears.
When I hear the wind in the trees,
and the busy,busy bees,
when I hear the birds in the trees I know it's Spring! (Repeat)
© 2010 Amanda Ellis

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Elements of a Story

Welcome back to More with Music!
This week I'm starting another weekly topic post about different elements of a story.
Today's song will focus on the setting of a story.
I wrote this song to help students identify what a setting is and also introduce some examples. Sometimes the elements of a story can be rather abstract for some students

A setting is a place (or time) where (or when) the story takes place.

So, when I wrote this song, I wanted to mention that exact definition and try to give some examples along the way.

The lyrics are posted below. This song is also available for purchase by pressing the "Buy" button below the song. All songs here on More with Music are only $0.99!

Hope you have a great Monday! Stay tuned for a song later this week! :)



Setting
The setting of a story is a place or time, where or when the story takes place, that's right. (Repeat)

A house, a car, a cave or a mine
Read the story to find the place or time.

The setting of a story is a place or time, where or when the story takes place, that's right.

Yesterday, tomorrow, or on a certain date
Read the story to find the time or place
Because...

The setting of a story is a place or time, where or when the story takes place, that's right.
The setting of a story is a place or time, where or when the story takes place, that's right!

Gettin' ready for Green!

Here's a song to help you celebrate the day of green-St.Patrick's Day!

It's a simple song that I wrote to explain St.Patrick's Day and what students should expect to see for this holiday.

If you know of any other St. Patrick's Day songs that are cool I'd love to hear about them!

What songs do you like to sing to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day?



Lyrics:
Shamrocks and 4 leaf clovers too.
Leprechauns with gold and rainbows too.
These are all things that we'll see today,
On St. Patrick's Day!

I will wear something green today.
Today we celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Green's the only color that can guarantee-
No one will pinch me!

Shamrocks and 4 leaf clovers too.
Leprechauns with gold and rainbows too.
These are all things that we'll see today,
On St. Patrick's Day!