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PBJamz!
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Congratulations to Steena Hernandez!!!! You're the winner of a signed copy of HOW TO BE A ROCKSTAR by Lisa Tolin. I'll send you messages to get you connected. Steena, I know you and your kids are going to love it so much! If you could do a. review after reading I know Lisa will appreciate it! Interview with Rekha RajanJoin Rekha Rajan (musician, educator, advocate, and author) as we talk about her brand new book (the first in a series of 4) THIS IS MUSIC: DRUMS. We discuss the origins of the series, her heart as an educator, the importance of music AND reading in early childhood and so much more. Thanks to the limitations of Zoom our little drum experience at the end didn't work out, so I trimmed that out, but it's super easy face-face to do your own call and response, allow children/students to keep that steady beat and so much more! PB (Picture Book Tasting) While this is a board book, it is NOT limited to Littles. Sure, it's perfect for toddlers and preschool, but you can also use it with school-age kids, in your family, homeschool, and in the larger school setting! My philosophy is picture books (including board books) are for everybody! It's a compact little nugget full of lots of ideas for drumming fun! For even more drumming fun, check out the jam below, and all the teacher tips linked up in those sections as well as in the links section. There is so much fun to be had. The words were written by Rekha, the pictures by the talented Tania Yakunova and the book was published by RISExPenguin Workshop. A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)This fun little ditty matches beautifully with the refrain in this book KEEP THE BEAT! It's perfect for singing along, playing along, and practicing that steady beat. The call-and-response makes it super easy for Littles, and it gives them many ways to feel the beat. Teacher Tips, Tricks and TopicsThere are several things you could highlight from this book in the general ed classroom. 1. Features of text -- There is bold print, different fonts, all caps, and different sizes of text in this book. It would be wonderful for teaching those aspects of features of text. 2. Onomatopoeia -- lots of sound words throughout the text. 3. Types of sentences -- Because this book is relatively short, and contains multiple examples of different sentence types, that would be a great mini-lesson. You'll find questions (interrogative sentences), exclamations (exclamatory sentences), and commands (imperative sentences) and even interjections. Music Vocabulary
Tips and Topics for Music TeachersWell, obviously, this book is all about drums, so that's the most obvious choice! Drums/Percussion -- as a musical instrument group. Definition of percussion: instruments that you shake, tap, or scrub. Defining and classifying what are percussion instruments and which category do they belong to would be a great topic to match this book. There are some different directions you could take the discussion: identifying different drums/percussion instruments and/or various cultures and their various percussion instruments. Keeping a steady beat. That is a big focus in the book, so that's a natural direction. Practice with a variety of percussion instruments, body percussion, and more. There are so many ways to keep a steady beat and the more children practice, the more adept they'll be in the long run. Tips for authors from RekhaShort, sweet, and super-important, here are Rekha's tips for authors: 1. Make a plan to write every day, even if it just one sentence or gathering ideas 2. Find colleagues, friends, avid readers and get feedback (not just from people who love you - like me asking my Mom to read everything and she loves it) but individuals who can help you shape and hone your craft 3. Never give up! Writing Prompts from Tonnye1. Write a story about the ____________ drum (biggest, loudest, most unusual . . .) 2. Write a story with the three different kinds of percussion: things you strike, scrub/rub, and shake. 3. Write about a drummer that couldn't keep a steady beat. 4. Listen around you for steady beat -- keep a list of things that make a steady beat. 5. Write an acrostic poem using using DRUM, PERCUSSION or STEADY BEAT. 6. Write a poem with a steady beat. 7. Write about your favorite kind of drum/percussion. 8. Write about a kid who finds a drum in an unusual place. 9. Write about keeping a beat on something very unusual. 10. Write about keeping the beat in the bathtub. Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
PBJamz Snack Well, a cake may not be a drum, but it would be the perfect snack to go along with this book! This one is full of delicious peanut butter and jelly (PBJ) yumminess! You can find the recipe here and make your own drum-shaped, but not a drum PBJ cake! I haven't yet, but it's definitely on my list to try! Guest Links and GiveawaysRekha has generously offered to do 2 giveaways:
1. a signed copy of THIS IS MUSIC: DRUMS 2. a PB critique (around 500-ish words or less) To be eligible for the giveaway, leave a comment below and let me know your preference (critique or book). I'll do two random drawings on Wed., Aug. 31 -- one for a book, and one for a critique. Here are all the pertinent links for Rekha and her book: Rekha's Twitter page Website Bring Me a Book site Here is the Penguin-Random House site with purchase information If you prefer to buy from Amazon, here's that link Reminder: If you enjoy these books and authors, please support them by: 1. Purchasing their books 2. Recommending them to friends, coworkers, educators, etc. 3. Requesting their books at your local library 4. Leaving positive reviews (just 50 reviews on Amazon bumps a book up to recommended status.) If you'd rather not support Amazon, review the books on Barnes and Noble or Goodreads.
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Congratulations to Cathy Sheafor! You are the winner of a critique from Megan Hoyt! Congratulations and best of luck with your manuscript! Please tell your friends about PBJamz and come back any time to find out more about picture books with musical connections and leave a comment. Everyone stay tuned and come back next week for part 2 -- tons of teacher tips for general education, music education, homeschool, preschool, and family fun! Tips, a Pinterest board and a YouTube playlist full of amazing ways to use this superfun book! Interview with Lisa Tolin where we discuss the book, musical connections, perseverance and not having all the answers!Lisa and I talk about all the musical connections, parenting, teaching, how to foster creativity, how important it is to learn from our children and students just like they learn from us! It's important to keep on going, but also important to be willing to be vulnerable and admit that you don't have all the answers. It's a rich, deep conversation ! PB (Picture Book Tasting)This book is part instruction manual, part ode to rock 'n roll, part treaty to persevere, and part plain family fun! Have you ever been in a family band? Come join this family with siblings who would like to rock the house together.  A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) Rockin' the Alphabet by Mr. AlPerfect for preschool, kindergarten, or any age that enjoys a rockin' edge on their alphabet! Mr. Al actually has a whole CD of cool rockin' music called "Kids Wanna Rock". Superfun, and I used it all the time with my second graders when I was in the regular classroom! Here's a link if you'd like to purchase the CD -- lots of old rock standards modified for a kid audience. https://melodyhousemusic.com/shop/music/mr-al-music/kids-wanna-rock/?v=ed5e635ddcfb I especially like Kids Wanna Rock and I Want Candy. This song below is awesome too -- a rockin' version of the ABC song. One thing I especially like about this one is that LMNOP don't get all clumped together in this version. There are lots of ways you could use it in the classroom (in addition to the obvious way of learning the alphabet). Accompany it with instruments, have kids hold up pictures of things that begin with that letter as he sings. Use it as an opener/attention-getter for ABC order activity or any alphabet related activity. Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist in next week's additions to this episode down in the links section. You'll find more songs and more ways to integrate rock into your regular or music classroom! Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
Music Vocabulary
Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
Tips for authors from Lisa!1. Silence your inner critic. You’ll face a lot of criticism and rejection as a writer. You don’t need to join that chorus. Personally, I find running, meditating and free writing help my brain get to a more creative place. 2. Play. For me, the best writing comes from a place of joy. Sometimes that means capturing something meaningful or joyful to you on the page. Sometimes that means stepping away for a while and filling your well with non-writing joy. 3. Take a bow. Try to celebrate small wins. Even if you get an agent or a book deal, those achievements are infrequent, not in your control, and can take years. Plus they’re usually bookended by rejection. Celebrate finishing a draft or figuring out a revision. Supply your own applause - or drop me a line and I’ll clap for you anytime! Writing Prompts from Tonnye1. What cool band name would you choose? Why? 2. Which is cooler? Electric guitar, Bass, or Drums? Explain. 3. Create a concert poster for your band. 4. Which rock sub-genre is best and why? 5. Where would you MOST like to perform? 6 What does it mean "Always leave your audience wanting more."? 7. Write another "how to" story. Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
PBJamz SnackWell, this is a FIRST, and I LOVE it! When Lisa and I were chatting, she said, "Oh, BTW, I have a great peanut butter and jelly cookie recipe if you want it. . . IF I WANT IT. . . .LOL . . . so this week, a special treat -- a PBJ snack recipe from the author herself! Lisa Tolin’s PB&J thumbprint cookies (about 30 cookies) I love this recipe because it’s easy and gluten-free, and it’s now my kids’ favorite! Ingredients: 2 large eggs ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed light brown sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon kosher salt 16.3 -oz container smooth peanut butter 2/3 cup jelly Heat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, vanilla and salt for a few minutes until smooth. (You can use a mixer for this, but it’s not necessary.) Add peanut butter and combine until smooth. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets. Stick your thumb in the center to create a little thumbprint well (or use a rounded teaspoon bottom). Bake for 6 minutes, then pull out the sheet and add about a teaspoon of jelly to each thumbprint. Stick the cookies back in, rotating the sheets, for another 6-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly. Guest Links and GiveawaysLisa is offering a signed copy of her book HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR to one lucky winner. To be eligible, simply leave a comment below! I'll choose a winner at random before the next episode airs. You'll have until 11:59 on 8/17 to leave a comment and get in the running for this great prize!
If you'd like to order a copy of HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR, here is a link for you Lisa's socials/contact info: Linktree Website Congratulations to Jennifer Thomas!! You are the winner of one of Kimberly Gordon Biddle’s books!!! And congratulations to Steena Hernandez! You have won a Zoom session with Kimberly!! Thanks so much for joining me and Kimberly for PBJamz! Kimberly will be in touch about your prizes!! Chatting with Megan about Carnegie, Music, lyrical language and more!Megan and I are both Carolina girls with a love for music, beautiful language and gorgeous picture books, so I really enjoyed our conversation about Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern, music in the schools, music as a universal language and so much more! I hope you enjoy our chat as much as we did! Megan is giving away a critique of a picture book manuscript, so PB writers, be sure to leave a comment below to be eligible! I'll do a random drawing from everyone who comments. PB (Picture Book Tasting) -- THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL Whether you are traveling to New York City or teaching a unit on activism, teaching about Carnegie Hall in music class, or looking to focus on ELA standards for figurative language and literary devices, this book literally has something for everyone. There are so many layers, you won't have any difficulty finding a way to use it in your family or school. Notwithstanding it is simply beautiful to read and absorb. The book, published by Quill Tree Books and beautifully illustrated by Katie Hickey is about the journey to save Carnegie Hall, when it was slated to be torn down. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! Please remember to support the authors by: 1. purchasing the book if you'd like 2. requesting the book at your local library 3. leaving a review for the book on Amazon, GoodReads, or Barnes and Noble 4. Sharing this episode with a friend who might enjoy it 5. Sharing book recommendations with friends, family, or on social media. A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)This is a short performance from Mr. Stern himself. There are some others included in the YouTube playlist in the links section if you'd prefer something different. This performance is NOT at Carnegie Hall. He was in China for this one, but it is short and beautiful for those teaching littles, just to give them a little taste of Isaac Stern's playing. You could certainly compare this to his beginning violin as talked about in the book, and discuss how he moved from one to the other. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! :-) Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
Tips and Topics for Music TeachersSo many ways to use this book in the music classroom!
Tips for authors from MeganWriting Prompts from Tonnye1. If you could perform at Carnegie Hall, what would you like to do? 2. Write an acrostic Poem for CARNEGIE HALL. 3. Write a "How to" article for how to be an activist/how to make a difference. 4. Write about something in your community that needs changing and how you would go about helping the change happen. 5. Write a biography for one of the people mentioned in the book. 6. Write a letter to Isaac Stern or Robert Moses telling them what you think about their efforts. 7. Listen to a performance from Carnegie Hall and write something to respond to the music. 8. Write a travel brochure for Carnegie Hall. 9. Listen to several performances from Carnegie Hall and write about which was your favorite -- and why. 10. Do you think Robert Moses was a villain in this story? Why? or why not? Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!Pinterest board containing lots of links to go along with THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL YouTube playlist with performances, history and more from Carnegie Hall www.youtube.com/c/carnegiehallCarnegie Hall YouTube channel Carnegie Hall education resources www.carnegiehall.orgCarnegie Hall website PBJamz Snack After a night at the theater or a musical performance, a late night milkshake is the perfect go-to. You could grab one at your local drive-through or craft your own at home. This amazing PBJ milkshake comes to you courtesy of hip2save.com, and is inspired by a Disney shake. They give lots of options for personalizing your own PBJ shake. You can find the link to the recipe below: https://hip2save.com/recipes/peanut-butter-and-jelly-shake/ Or, just let your imagination run wild and compose your own PBJ shake worthy of an encore performance at Carnegie Hall. Guest Links and GiveawaysMegan has generously donated a Picture book manuscript critique, so make sure you comment below if you're a writer who would like Megan's eyes on your manuscript for some constructive feedback. If you're NOT an author, feel free to comment as well. Just let me know you don't want to be entered for the prize.
Here are some ways to access Megan and her beautiful book(s): Website for Megan Megan's Amazon page To purchase THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL; Amazon Barnes and Noble GoodReads page Congratulations, Steena Hernandez! You are the winner of the Zoom session with Jeni Chen! and. . . . Congratulations, Jany Campana! You are the winner of digital art from Jeni Chen! I'll connect you all so you can work out details! Thanks for your support of Jeni and PBJamz! Enjoy your prizes! Chatting with Kimberly Gordon Biddle about Double Dutch dreams and music and more!I sat down, via Zoom, with retired professor, author, and musician Kimberly Gordon Biddle. Kimberly has written 3 picture books (linked in Guest Links and Giveaways section), along with some textbooks in her field of child development. She also challenges herself to write a song to go with each book, including the one we're focusing on for the next couple of weeks! Check the song out in the Jams section below! Make sure you comment on the blog post to enter to win a signed book or a Zoom visit with Kimberly! And stay tuned next week to the blog for part 2 -- teaching tips, writing prompts and more -- all related to Kimberly's book and her accompanying song! PB (Picture Book Tasting) DARLENE'S DOUBLE DUTCH DREAMS The Double Dutch competition is at stake. Can Darlene become the Double Dutch Queen? Her feet get tangled and she keeps messing up. But when push comes to shove, can Darlene do it? With the right motivation, Darlene learns to step in to hard things and stay one jump ahead in this picture book by Kimberly Gordon Biddle. Kids who love jumping rope, whether they're double dutchers or not will enjoy this story full of can-do attitudes, and stepping in when people are counting on you. Darlene not only becomes the queen, but the hero, too, of her own story! A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) Darlene the Double Dutch QueenClick on the link to get to the song Kimberly wrote for this story called Darlene the Double Dutch Queen Enjoy the song and the other resources available via Kimberly's website! Teacher Tips, Tricks and TopicsI hope you enjoy working Kimberly's book into your classroom! Here are some options:
Tips and Topics for Music TeachersRhythm is really the musical key to everything in this story! Rhythm is ever-present: the rhythm of the chants, the rhythm of the ropes, using the rhythm/internalizing it to be able to jump. This book would be a great way to introduce and talk about the difference in rhythm and beat (or jump rope in general.). The rope must maintain the steady beat. If it's not steady, it will mess up whomever is jumping and they won't be able to jump well. It must be steady, even, and consistent. The chants are where the rhythm comes in. They have long and short sounds, pauses, and words overlaying the steady beat of the rope. Possible lesson ideas:
Tips for authors from Kimberly 1. Write from your heart and what you love. 2. Always keep learning and honing your craft. 3. Publishing a book is a long process. 4. Keep hope alive! Writing Prompts from Tonnye1. Write about a dream you have -- something you'd like to be able to do, but you can't -- YET. 2. Write about a time you were sick or someone close to you was sick. 3. Darlene was the middle child in her family and she didn't feel like there was anything special about her. Write about your place in your family and what makes you special. 4.Write your own jump rope or double dutch chants. 5. Write your own song to match the story. 6. Write a letter to yourself, telling how to do something that is hard for you. What strategies should you try? What should you do when you feel like giving up? 7. Write a how-to article for "How to Jump Rope" or "How to Do Double Dutch" 8. Write an acrostic poem using your name. Each line should begin with one of the letters of your name. 9. Make a list of 10 things you can do when things aren't going right and/or you're feeling overwhelmed. 10. Write about an interesting dream you had. 11. Write about why you think Darlene was finally able to double dutch. What changed? Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!
PBJamz Snack If you're going to spend some time double-dutch jumping, you might need a yummy hand-held snack. This one fits the bill -- and it's vegan and gluten-free, too! A delicious way to build up your strength for some serious jump-time. PBJ all the way. Jump in, jump out. Hey, hey, hey! You can find the recipe here, courtesy of Sarah Bakes Gluten Free. I haven't tried these ones on my own yet, but they look quite delicious! If you give them a try, leave a comment below and let us know how you like them! Guest Links and GiveawaysKimberly's website
Goodreads Amazon links for Kimberly's books Kimberly has offered 2 prizes for this episode of PBJamz, which will be available through 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, July 6. To be eligible for giveaways, leave a comment on this episode any time before then. I will draw 2 random winners for a copy of (any one of) Kimberly's picture book, and a (separate winner for a) Zoom session with her. Angel Gantnier, you are the winner of a signed copy of ROCK STAR RECESS! Nelly Nunez, you are the winner of a zoom session with Patrick and Emily! Congratulations to BOTH of you! Thanks so much to Patrick and Emily for joining me and sharing about ROCK STAR RECESS! You both ROCK, too! :-). I'll connect you all and hope you enjoy your awesome prizes! Starting this week, episodes of PBJamz will air in segments. This episode will begin Thursday, June 9 and will conclude Wednesday, June 22, which means you have 2 weeks to get your comments in and enjoy this episode before a new one airs! Stay tuned next week for tips for elementary teachers, and music teachers, writing prompts, and a yummy PBJ recipe! Interview with Jeni Chen, author/illustrator of EMET'S BOXThis is a creative conversation you do NOT want to miss! Not only is Jeni absolutely charming, but she is full of great information and beautiful insights about finding our spark! We talk art, music, writing, teaching, and more. If you've lost your creative spark, if you're a music teacher, artist, art teacher, if you haven't yet found your "element" (Watch the video to see what I mean), this one is for you! I'm pretty sure you'll be blessed! Be sure to leave a comment to be eligible for Jeni's prizes (Yes, plural! There are two prizes! Check out the Giveaway section to see what Jeni is offering! :-)) PB (Picture Book Tasting) EMET'S BOX What a lovely book! Jeni helps us see the world through Emet's eyes -- at first full of color, zest, vibrance, and LIFE. Then, as he loses touch with his artistic creativity, his world changes to grayscale -- literally and figuratively! When his grandparents give him an art set, he 's reminded of how much he loves art, and rekindles the spark. Once his world is full of color again, he's equipped to help others regain their own zest for life. It's a wonderful book for kids, but it's also a wonderful book for adults! Whether your zest/element/passion is art, music, handcrafts, welding, travel, gardening or something totally different, my wish for you is that you find and maintain your connection to your creativity -- whatever that looks like. This book will inspire you to do just that! A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind) |
PBJamzThis page is the official space for PBJamz -- multimedia Jamorama celebrating all things PB (picture books) and Jamz (music), although we'll indulge in the other PBJ snacks where appropriate :-). Join us each Thursday for new content connecting picture books and music! Archives
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