A New Tune for Your Classroom and Helping Friends Celebrate!

Hello Friends,

If you've been following me for awhile, you know I have a mild obsession with music for my classroom.  We listen to just about everything!  Here's a new one for you to check out:

Home of Song by Paul Spring

My nieces and I are loving "Peter Pan" and "Mermaid" right now...we're trying to learn the words to the rest of his songs.  All of his songs have an acoustic feel to them...it's like listening to a live concert.  You can sample his album by searching for it on iTunes or view a cute video by clicking on the "Family Music" tab on his website.  This is Paul Spring's first album for children and you can read more about him on his website:

Click here to view his website.

I think this album will make a great addition to any classroom!  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

I'm helping a few friends celebrate 200 followers on their blog!  I met Maria and Em from Curious Firsties at an Ohio Blogger Meet-up last fall and they were super kind and fun too!  I've loved reading their blog posts!  Hopefully you're following them...but if you're not, you really must!  Click on their button below to visit their blog and give them a follow!

Click here to get the information about their giveaway!

We're heading to Cleveland to see The Lion King tomorrow!  Can't wait! 

Take care!

Turn Up the Music Linky Party

Of course I had to join this linky party!  We always have music playing in our classroom!  I kind of wish I had a Juke Box in my room that the kiddos could choose a tune of the day or something...wait!  I bet there's an app for that!  I'd use iTunes but my library is just too overwhelming so I'd need something simple....hmmm....now I'm thinking....

Anyway!  Onto the linky party!

<center><a href="http://www.teachingmaddeness.com/2012/06/turn-music-up-linky-party.html"><img border="0" src="http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o601/madden_amanda/Music_Linky_Party_Logo-1.jpg"/></a></center>

Hope I did that right!  :)

Here's our top favorites...
Disney Soundtracks-The kiddos know them, they connect to them, and they help tap into some prior knowledge on just about everything!
We especially like listening to Choo Choo Soul!

And Imagination Movers!  There's a really great brainstorming song on the album below.  We use it while we're brainstorming on our own or in a group.  It's perfect!

Wayne Brady has a fun album too...it's hip hop for kids and they love it and to be honest...so do I!

We also listen to Ziggy Marley's Family Time...sometimes in the dead of winter to remind us that warmer weather will come eventually!

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is another album we listen to that has a hip hop feel to it!  You can't help but tap your toes!

When we're in need of a little quiet time we listen to music by:
George Winston
Danny Wright
Chris Botti

After Hours....
Anything by Justin James!  His music screams summer...which really helped me out during the month and a half after spring break!
Joss Stone
The Cab
I'll listen to anything once!  (Shazamm is the best invention ever!)
I think I have a pretty eclectic taste in music.
A teacher friend whose husband is in charge of the music department at a local college had a band from Canada visiting the college a few years ago and they visited our school and performed for us!  Within an hour, I had purchased all of their albums from iTunes and we listened to them every day!  The kiddos really connected to them so I just had to have all of the albums...did I tell you that they were French Canadian and all of their lyrics were in French?  We had no idea what they're singing about but they use interesting instruments and they have a great rhythm!  (Maybe I have a music addiction too.  I'm in trouble.)

Mauvais Sort

This linky party was a tough one!  I'm a sucker for a good beat, an interesting sound...or just something new whether it's for my classroom or my personal library!  There are so many more cool tunes that we listen to I think I could go on and on!

On another note...thanks for all of the advice on what to do with my collection of chapter books!  I think I'll be putting them on my Teachers Pay Teachers Shop or even on eBay (didn't think of that) in smaller sets for people to purchase.  Once they're there, I'll let you know so that you can help spread the word!

Northern Ohio is on the verge of a heat wave today so I'm off to the pool!
Hope you're keeping cool in your neck of the woods!