Ideas From Our Workshops

Red Grammer and Maria Knickerbocker have been giving workshops at education conferences for over 20 years. The ideas below have been collected from teachers and parents just like you or created up by our “braintrust” at Red Note Records (which features two former teachers).

Click on the song titles for activities.
Click on the CD cover photo to purchase a CD.

Circle of Light: Songs for Bucket Fillers
	Bucket Fillers, That's Who We Are Circle of Light Everybody Here Has A Bucket I'm All Filled Up Power To Change The World
Teaching Peace
	Barnyard Boogie – Rooster Hat and Simple Square Dance Movement Hooray For The World – Exploring Our World Hooray For The World – Mini Performance With Props I Think You're Wonderful – Dove & Wonderful Flower I Think You're Wonderful – Coupon I Think You're Wonderful – Sign Language Say Hi! – Movement Lesson Shadow Play Screen – Shadow Puppets Shake Your Brains – Maraca See Me Beautiful – Riser Choreography Teaching Peace – March & Quilt Teaching Peace – Banner Use A Word – Toothpaste Lesson Use A Word – Helping Hands With Two Wings – Parachute
Be Bop Your Best
	Bebop Your Best – lamps Bee Bop Your Best Caring and Compassion – mirrors Citizenship – energy ball Fairness – “that’s not fair” Gratitude Gratitude - Tree Listen to Your Heart – year long album Kindness – sweet cookie Respect Responsibility – “irresponsible” Trustworthiness – trust game and movement
Down the Do Re Mi
	Down The Do Re Mi – Class Photo Album Dreamtime Rendezvous – Animals Heading On Down To The Barn — Puppets Headin' On Down to the Barn — Movement Land Of The Silver Birch – Acting It Out Land of the Silver Birch - drums Place in the Choir – Activities and Costumes Place in the Choir – Short Play Two Hands, Four Hands
Hello World
	Digging For Diamonds – Line Dance On The Day You Were Born – Birthday On The Day You Were Born – Sign Language On The Day You Were Born – Body Image On The Day You Were Born - Card Shining Eyes Were all in this together When I get a feeling When I Get A Feeling – Emotions
Sing Along Songs
	Grand Old Flag – Hand Banners with Movement Simple Gifts – Dance Tickle Song – Movements
Can You Sound Just Like Me?
	I'm Lucky – Hula Hoop Duet It's Another Beautiful Morning Let's Go Riding – Vehicles Monster Song Rhythm Sticks It's Another Beautiful Morning

Inspiration from the Music

A Chance for All to Become Inspired
The Grammer's music not only teaches us about community awareness, problem solving, and cultural uniqueness, it is fun, uplifting and it allows us to be who we are. It inspires movement, art, stories, quiet times. It gives teachers and parents inspiration to begin again. That's what the workshop is all about – a chance to become inspired by the words, the music and the incredible tenor voice of Red Grammer.“The joy of physical movement is the sparkling common thread among dozens of ways to enliven children's learning” (Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld).

Rhythm Training and Physical Awareness
Rhythmic and repetitious movement activities allow children to develop body coordination, and an increased ability to sense the beat and rhythm of their experiences. Most music programs recognize the need for physical awareness of music and include movement. Rhythm training through movement, which is then applied to the instrument, can be very effective for both beginners and for students who are more advanced. Kinetic experiences link music concepts with physical sensation to clarify relationships between musical ideas. Movement and body awareness is part of the learning process, to not only build left brain dominance, but to integrate the right brain into every experience. There have been many studies that show that exercise makes learning easier as unnecessary stress is eliminated.

Switching ON the Brain
This workshop will show simple rhythmic and repetitious movements to go with a variety of Red's songs that can be used to “switch on the brain”. Typically, children learn to read by first being taught letters, then part of words, then complete words, and finally sentences. This must be true for physical education as well. Before children can be taught games or dances they must first know the 8 basic locomotor skills – walking, running, hopping, skipping, galloping, sliding, jumping, and leaping. children will have lots of opportunities as they grow to learn games and dances but first they must learn the basic skills needed for successful participation. (This information and more can be found in Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, Third Addition by George Graham, Shirley Holt/Hale and Melissa Parker).

It Comes Naturally
For many children these movements come naturally. A fun way to assess what skills a child has mastered is to play or sing “The Barnyard Boogie” while the children move in a circle. Like in a square dance, call out which skills you would like the child to perform in a circle. To add to the fun, do the Macarena movements during the chorus. For a greater challenge you can combine some of the skills (ex. 2 hops and 1 jump and then repeat).

As children become ready, they begin to combine skill themes and form movements that we call gymnastics, or dance. During this workshop we are going to share with you some ideas about moving with music that will include dance, improvisations, and simple hand gestures.

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