All posts by G Turnbull

Music with Gordon Term 1

October 10, 2024 G Turnbull Leave a comment

The children have enjoyed a term of settling into their new classes and routines.

In Primary, there has been a focus on choosing from a range of songs and instruments to play and explore, plus a movement and relaxation end to the lesson. When the weather was kind, we were also able to take our music lessons outside.

A big group from Ochiltree and Duntarvie has focused on following musical instruction and instrument types. We have taken turns to wear a crown and conduct an orchestra of Tappers, Scrapers and Shakers, the musicians playing instruments in different ways. The group also explored volume control and followed instructions from the monarch to be loud or quiet.

A small group from Duntarvie explored guitars, learning to strum and pick the strings to both uptempo and more downbeat blues backing tracks, enjoying the vibrations that the strings make.

Have a great break and I look forward to making more music together after the holiday.

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

Summer Music

June 24, 2024 G Turnbull Leave a comment

It has been a busy Summer term in Music. In particular, secondary classes have focused on the culmination of a year-long project, with some of our young people working towards SQA National 1 Producing a Sound (alternative context).

For this, we have been choosing instruments and playing them correctly, then using our skills to tell a musical story. The story was a traditional tale from the Borders, that of Tam Lin and how Janet saved him from the Queen of the Fairies in the enchanted forest.

Ochiltree and Duntarvie had been working separately on the skills, but this term they came together to create the sounds. We had a star guest as Carol Robbie came back to narrate the story.

It was a great success and has opened up options for other musical stories together and with others. We will certainly we doing this again, hopefully at a time that will be easier for friends and families to participate.

Meanwhile, primary classes have been having fun continuing to choose favourite songs to sing and play.

Whole School

Spring into Music at Beatlie

March 28, 2024 G Turnbull Leave a comment

This term the children have enjoyed experiencing seasonal and Scottish music through songs and games.

In our Scottish topic, we focused on the Three Craws, with body percussion and sensory input for the calls of the birds. When the opportunity arose, we transferred the body percussion to hand held instruments to accompany the song. We used the giant scrunchie to help us move to ceilidh music and had great fun using the Circassian Circle as inspiration for our movement, passing it around and moving it in and out, up and down to the beat and where the music changed.

Across the school, Primary classes continued to build on choosing Nursery Rhymes to sing together, always a favourite activity, with the rhymes changing regularly to expand the choices.

In January, everyone sang All the Snow is Falling Down, using story massage techniques to reinforce the structure of the song and meaning in the words, in a relaxing and calming way.

As we moved into Spring, we played drums, and learned to hold beaters and keep time to When the Band Comes Marching In. The soft beaters provided a safe way to feel the beat by tapping on the arms, feet and tables.

Duntarvie and Ochiltree worked towards creating music to accompany the story of Tam Lin, choosing different instruments to play along to the Border Ballad. It’s all beginning to take shape and there will be more news on it next term.

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

Music Autumn 2023

December 21, 2023 G Turnbull Leave a comment

This term we have focused on making choices in Music. Lammermuir joined Hopetoun for some fun for Hairy Scary Castle, first choosing spooky sounds from switches for Halloween and then using symbols to select animals to sing about for Old McDonald’s Farm. Pentland also made musical choices with instruments and symbols and appreciated movement and relaxation.

In Lomond the children greatly enjoyed coming together, singing nursery rhymes and playing along with instruments. Sometimes this could be up tempo or more relaxed, depending on the needs of the day.

Glendevon focused on our regular routines, structure, and exploring instruments, including playing along on wooden instruments and dancing to a percussion track by Moondog – an American improvisational composer and performer.

Duntarvie worked towards their SQAs by playing different ranges of instruments for different moods and textures, such as tuned instruments in A minor or wooden instruments. This is to work towards a project in 2024 with Ochiltree, who followed similar lessons.

All the classes enjoyed some Song Massage with All the Leaves and then All the Snow as we got to December. The children had a great time moving to some Christmas songs and playing along to Jingle Bells. In case things felt too busy, we also had some sensory music time, taking some time to relax while exploring instruments to gentle music with subdued lighting and festive lights.

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Hopetoun, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

Music Term 1

October 5, 2023 G Turnbull Leave a comment

This term we have had fun settling into our new space in Music. Some of the lessons, the1-1 and small group sessions have taken place in the new GP room while other lessons have been taking place in the classrooms.

Lammermuir have sociably been joining Hopetoun in their classroom and have had fun choosing nursery rhymes to sing together. Lomond and Glendevon had more relaxed afternoon lessons to meet the children’s needs at that time of the day.

Pentland used the giant scrunchie to sing about The Great Big Turnip at the Bottom of the field and it became a big favourite. Tommy and Matthew found it hilarious when the different characters shouted for help and that the mouse had the biggest muscles.

All of the Primary classes also enjoyed the The Wheels on the Bus. This turned into something bigger, with everyone taking turns choosing the different things that are on the bus from a range of choices on cards. The result was like a different remix of the song each time as the order kept changing.

As we approached Scarecrow Festival time, all of the Primary classes of course enjoyed singing the old favourite Dingle Dangle Scarecrow.

In Secondary, the groups focused on playing tuned percussion instruments to rock backing tracks and there has been lots of interaction and engagement, which bodes well as we head into a musical project together. More will be revealed in due course!

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Autumn Term Music in Beatlie

December 22, 2022 G Turnbull Leave a comment

In Music this term, we had fun once more sharing and playing music together with our friends.

One of the focus points across the school has been making choices in music. In Ochiltree and Duntarvie the children have been exploring genre, from disco to indie and rock, with more to come after the holidays. In mixed groups doing ASDAN and NQs, they selected from a range of music on switches and then chose instruments to play along with the selection, including drums and electric guitars. It was surprising to find out who are the secret rock and rollers in the classes!

In Primary and Lammermuir, we have been choosing from a range of nursery rhymes and instruments. The Pentland children had great fun deciding whether songs should be loud, quiet, fast and slow. At Halloween The Hairy Scary Castle song made a return, with all the spooky sounds inside, which the children always enjoy.

Across the school we continue to have opportunities for individuals to have short Music as Therapy sessions that allows an opportunity to focus on the particular needs of some of the children. While this is different from Music Therapy with Aisling, we do confer and ideas overlap. Importantly, it is an opportunity for the children to express themselves through music away from distractions.

We ended the term with music for the Christmas show, quite a change after the last few years, with lots of creative ideas. Next year, we will continue to have fun with new and familiar songs alike, and also take time to use music for wellbeing and to celebrate Scotland as we head to Burns Night.

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Seasonal fun in music – December 2021

December 20, 2021 G Turnbull Leave a comment

We began the term in Primary with Halloween and our regular visit to the Hairy Scary Castle, using switches and instruments for all the creepy sounds of the monsters in the castle. We matched the sounds to the monster and worked together to create a sequence for the song.

As Autumn went on, we explored fast and slow songs together, singing about the falling leaves blowing around in the wind and playing instruments at faster or slower tempo. Glendevon played bass bars in sequence for this, and everyone concentrated so well. When we had the cold snap, we switched the lyrics to snowflakes falling, which felt very seasonal.

Then of course we have had Christmas songs at the end of term, which everyone enjoys.

The Nursery and early Primary groups continued their intensive interaction music and are enjoying the recognition of the increasingly familiar songs and games. The secondary groups and the 1-1 sessions have also continued their musical journeys and they have enjoyed choosing their favourite instruments and exploring genres.

Next year, the children will build on their good work and add in new seasonal songs and music. We will also explore Scottish music and dance leading up to Burns night and beyond to the February break.

Duntarvie, Glendevon, Lammermuir, Lomond, Ochiltree, Pentland

Music October 2021

October 7, 2021 G Turnbull Leave a comment

Mr Macarella and a mission into space!

It was great to see everyone happy to return to music and to welcome some new faces joining us for musical fun too.

We began the term with some familiar songs and activities to help settle everyone in before focusing on silly Mr. Macarella. This clapping song tells us how he didn’t use his umbrella to keep dry and how 8 raindrops fell on him. Then we all count and clap while learning about the different parts of the body where the rain fell. We then moved onto playing the rain sounds and the 8 raindrops on different instruments as the rain drops fell on his musicians.

This term we also have some smaller Music groups with Lammermuir and early Primary children focusing on musical play and exploration, intensive interaction, movement and nursery rhymes.

Secondary had two cross-class music groups and some also have 1-1 sessions this term. One group began working on choosing and playing instruments that will help tell the story of a journey into space. This will help them work as a group with solo spots on their chosen instruments that will go towards their SQA awards. The other group are enjoying playing and moving along to music from different genres as they work towards their ASDAN awards.

We will continue the fun into next term, adding in seasonal songs for Halloween and Christmas. Have a great October break!

Whole School

Summer term Music

June 24, 2021 G Turnbull Leave a comment

After several months of delivering music lessons live and online via Teams and YouTube, it was good to swap the living room for the classroom again this term. While the children were mostly engaged during lessons shown on the smartboard, there was a pleasing positive response to us being back in the same classroom again. The music and activities are more immediate and alive and there is more scope to adapt activities, depending on responses and interests.

This term we began by consolidating some of the songs and action activities from before that had become familiar over the smartboard. We then added new ones focusing on steady beats (Sugarplum Fairy), on fast and slow (Hare and Tortoise) and then on high and low (Five Little Froggies). We ended the term by improvising music together using some of the recently acquired instruments such as bass bars (wooden bass chime bars) and wooden tongue drums. We have also had more 1-1 music sessions that complement the work of Aisling, our music therapist.

The newer instruments were ordered in conjunction with Aisling, and due to not being able to be in the school, some are only now getting used by us. We look forward to being able to use them more next term.

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Music with Gordon 25 June

June 25, 2020 G Turnbull Leave a comment

What to do today

Please join in with the activities below. The more who can join in, the more fun, too. Not all of the activities are for everyone, so just do the ones you enjoy and as many times as you like.

Play along using any kind of instrument or use body percussion – clapping, tapping, clicking, stamping your feet.

Activities (links below)

Hello Song
Bounce and catch
Bounce a favourite soft toy on a scarf as we sing Charlie Over the Ocean
Sing and clap along to 123 Together and Hickory Dickory Dock
Clap and join in with your own soft toy for Yoshi Whoops!
Junk instruments: What can you find that sounds like rain?
Sing along and join in with I Hear Thunder
Sing along and join in with Rain Rain Go Away
Jam along, sing and do the actions to Funga Alafia
Time to move. Play the instruments along to the video or get up and dance as we revisit some songs from earlier in the year.
Time to relax. Two relaxing pieces of music that we listened to earlier in the year
Goodbye Song

Hello Song

It’s a time to settle down for some music and there are lots of ways to join in. Use it on its own or before doing another music activity.

Join in and sing, clap, tap and move along to the song!
Maybe you can try using your voice
Sign hello
Tap fast and slow
Sign “Stop” at the end
Have fun!

Words

Hello, hello
Very nice to see you
Hello hello,
How are you today?
Hello, hello
Very nice to see you
Hello hello,
How are you today?
We say “Hello”
We’re very pleased to see you
We say “Hello”

(can you say and sign hello?)

We say “Hello”
We’re very pleased to see you
We say “Hello”

(tap along with the music, sign “Stop” at the end)

More ideas with this video

If you can’t tap along, maybe a friend can tap your arm or foot for you so that you can feel the beat of the music.
Can you stamp your feet to the music? Can you tap your shoulders or your head? Move your fingers
Maybe try playing along with a shaker, or tap something that makes a sound that you like. A box of cereal?