Piano Is Fun!: Road Trip USA! Piano Summer Camp 2014

This summer students took an 8-hour "road trip" in the studio. We "visited" Washington D.C., New York City and Hawaii. Each day campers discovered various styles of music, learn about gifted composers, learned and reviewed music fundamentals.

First Day- Washington DC- Patriotic Theme

Starting with our nation's capital, students chose a patriotic necklace to wear upon arrival. We started out watching a YouTube video of the story behind the national anthem. I really think it’s important for children to know this. They enjoyed it, a few knew the story already (yay for school teachers!) but many had not. We also talked about why we put our hand over our heart when the national anthem is sung.

Afterwards we used reviewed music symbol names to prep them for the Laws of Music Game played later.

Moving onto rhythm, students played Rhythm Riot, a game where they recognize rhythm and clap it in a particular tempo using the metronome.

Laws of Music was next, students needed to give the definition to all those symbols and notes that are found in their music.

We played a couple patriotic rhythm themed games and then we saved the best for last and played Rhythm Cup Explorations. A fun rhythm activity using cups. We did this activity with patriotic music such as Stars and Stripes Forever, This land is Your Land, etc.

2nd Day- I Love New York Day- NYC/Star/Broadway Theme

On the 2nd day students were STARS and received a pair of star shaped shutter glasses. We began camp by watching the Rhapsody in Blue clip from Fantasia 2000 composed by George Gershwin. We talked about what they learned in the clip and learned more about George Gershwin.

Then we played a game called Taxi Cab Races where students clapped, found the missing beat and found the correct rhythm.

We played Where Everyone is a Star, a terminology game. Reviewing our music symbols again, students were given a symbol and guess what they had.

We had a craft break and made picture frames. While they were making this craft I had my NYC slideshow showing of when I toured the Steinway Factory, Steinway Hall and Carnegie Hall.

Then it was time to review our notes and intervals!

Our NYC day wouldn't be complete without learning about the history of broadway musicals. We finished off by doing Boomwhackers on Broadway. They played Lion Sleeps Tonight from Lion King, Matchmaker from Fiddler on the Roof and George Gershwin’s, I Got Rhythm. Then students created their own Boomwhacker composition.

3rd Day- Luau Day- Hawaiin Theme

As students walked in on the last day of camp, they received a Hawaiian name and a lei. We began by watching a Hawaiin montage with IZ Kamakawiwo’ole’s, (well known Hawaiian ukulele player) popular version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.

Our first game was a lighter game, Musical Truth or Dare game passing around a plastic coconut in hot potato style. Inside were musical truth or dares. An example of a truth would be things like- “Do you sing in the shower?”, Did you practice this week?”, “Is your piano tuned?” Dares were things like “Pick a partner and dance the hula”, “Do some air guitar”, “Sing the Mickey Mouse song in a Mickey voice,” etc…

Keeping with the more relaxed destination we made a couple crafts. We first made hawaiin themed wind chimes. These turned out really cute. And then for our 2nd craft we made Pu’ili sticks. Before making the Pu’ili sticks we watched a video of a Hawaiin dance using the Pu’ili sticks. Pu'ili sticks are rhythm sticks used in Hawaii made out of bamboo.

Then we played a gameFlip Flops and Leis a note matching relay game.

After winning a game at ASMTA conference, my last camp group was able to try a game called Musical Words. This is one that I plan on using again soon. It has them create music based on adjectives.