As you have probably heard, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are working on Recorder Karate in music class. In an effort to save trees and resources, I am not making individual packets of Recorder Karate for students. (It's a ten-page packet and that would mean well over a thousand pages of print!) Enter Voicethread.com! This is a fantastic website I found a couple of years ago that will suit our purposes perfectly! Voicethread.com is a place where you can have collaborative conversations on the web. Students will be able to view all the Recorder Karate songs, practice, and even test for their beads online.....But I am getting a little ahead of myself here!
What is Recorder Karate?
Recorder Karate is the recorder method that I use both at Centennial and Stansberry Elementary Schools. You might be familiar with the system of advancement in a Karate Dojo where students are awarded colored belts for the skills that they achieve. The same concept applies to Recorder Karate where music students receive beads or "belts" for every song they master. The belts begin with white and go all the way to black. It has been a great motivator for students to get their beads and a source of pride as they can display their achievements right on their recorders!
What is Voicethread?
Voicethread is a way to have a "collaborative conversation" on the web. It has enabled me to put our Recorder Karate resources in a place that anyone with access to the internet can find. Students can practice and even record their songs on Voicethread. Please watch the brief overview below.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions!
