Music Notes: Sing Loud! Music for Families by Melissa Green CD Review

Sing Loud! by Melissa Green is a CD that celebrates families through a variety of music genres.  I was very drawn to Melissa's engaging style and use of the "older" tunes.  She brilliantly draws her audience to engage in exciting and fun times with her lyrics and song themes.  Melissa has a unique style which touches young and old hearts and joins them together to embrace love and joy in the sweet moments of life.  My children and I enjoy listening to her friendly voice as she entertains us.  Get ready to bee bop, bounce, and boogie any way want with Melissa's new CD project.

*This product was provided to me free of charge for purpose of this review. This is my honest opinion of this CD and no monetary compensation was received for my opinion.*
 

Check out her music video for Sing Loud!:





Find Melissa on Facebook!

While teaching at Beginnings Nursery School in NYC in 2003, Melissa Green began singing with kids. Encouraged by her success, she honed her guitar skills and ultimately became the school's music and movement specialist. Wishing to make her teaching more meaningful for the students, Melissa began writing and recording songs that grew out of their shared experiences. Now living in Los Angeles, Melissa manages to teach music classes and workshops while also maintaining an active national touring schedule.

Melissa Green's previous albums include Sweet Little One (2011), Round and Round (2008), and Here We Go (2006). In 2008 she released a DVD, Clap, Shake and Roll, and a song-turned-book, The Seahorse Song. Her music is featured on Putumayo's Rock & Roll Playground (2010), and she was a John Lennon Songwriting Contest finalist for "The Seahorse Song" from Here We Go.Parade Tour - A trio made up of Melissa, Lisa Parade and Chris Payne. They will be touring from DC to Boston performing Green and Parades Music.

Melissa Green's music is upbeat/eclectic/pop-folk that is fun and interactive for the whole family.

CD Details: SING LOUD!

For ages 0 - 9

Label: Green Circle Music 

SRP: $12.99

Run time: 34 minutes.

http://melissagreenmusic.com

Sing Loud! Track list: 

Baby I love you

Sing Loud

Four Nickels and a Dime

The Playdate

Get Up

Aboard That Train

Free to Be...You and Me

Two Birds

Heyo

We Got the Beat

My Love

Will I Dream Colors?

Summer Reading Challenge 2012 Week #5

 Check out all the details at No Time for Flashcards and enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Week #1-77

Week #2-69

Week #3-58

Week #4- 60

Week #5- 51



Total so far- 315

Goal- 500

All About Reading Preview of Material

       

I have made a little video to preview the All About Reading Level Pre-1 program. Click here to view video.   I have received this program for review and I will be posting my full review at a later date, but I was so excited to share this program with you as soon I got it in the mail!



Now I can't wait to get started with this program for my son!  

All About Reading Level Pre-1 is our pre-reading program for preschoolers and kindergarteners. Your child will enjoy the special games, crafts, and storytime read-alouds, while as the parent and teacher, you will love how your child effortlessly learns the five essential pre-reading skills that we call the Big Five Skills.

What are the Big Five Skills? Print awareness, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, listening comprehension and motivation to read.  Learn more at All About Learning Press.
 

Learning Activity: Strawberries and Spelling!

Yesterday morning we had strawberries for breakfast and we started doing math problems like 2+2=4 and so on. A few minutes later Shrade said, "I'm going to take some out for my word."  I was curious to see what he was doing.  Then he started spelling his name as he took out one strawberry at a time.  I was amazed!  And I hate to admit this as a teacher, but I'm not sure what to call that except that that I'm finding out that Shrade is a tactile learner.  He went on to spell other words like his sister's name and mommy and daddy.  I would say the letters and he would move the strawberries!  I guess strawberries work for spelling.  Who knew?

Learn Your Letters Learn to Serve Curriculum SALE!

Teach your child to serve…one letter at a time!  This 240+ page downloadable or hard copy kit  includes thorough lesson plans, games, crafts, recipes, memory verses,  Bible story suggestions, vocabulary stimulation and discussion, play,  books to read and so much more…all while encouraging service to God!

Each letter you study includes suggestions for service, such as “Take a new Bible to B__________” on Bb week, “Make soup for someone who is sick on Ss week, and “Deliver flowers  to F_______________” on Ff week.  Your child will make gifts or food,  offer help and learn to think of others.  As a family you can delight in  praying together about who you would like to serve and what form of  service you would like to offer!

This curriculum kit can be used as a supplement to what you are  currently doing to teach your child preschool basics…or it can be used  all on its own as a complete early learners curriculum tool.  It is absolutely not just for home schoolers.  Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve is for any family who would enjoy learning and serving together with little ones.  In addition, Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve Curriculum Kit may be purchased for use in a Sunday School Classroom or Preschool Classroom.

To get a feel for what this kit is like, help yourself to this free sample lesson!

What Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve includes:

• 159 Page Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve Book of ideas,  instructions, recipes, tutorials and service planners  (the majority of  this book can be left paperless, unless you choose to print it and bind  it)


• Alphabet Practice Packet (26 pages of printable letter writing practice)


• Alphabet Project Packet (printable projects that go along with various lessons)


• Memory Verse Packet** (26 printable memory verses to decorate and place on the wall or in a binder)


• Parent Planning Packet (planning pages, teaching suggestions, scheduling ideas)

 Recommended for ages 2-7.  I am starting to use this curriculum with my preschool plan!

Learn Your Letters Learn to Serve Curriculum Kit

On sale until July 6!

Only $35

You will see that it is normally $45, but if you click on Add to Cart it automatically comes up as $35.

Summer Reading Challenge 2012 Week #4

 Check out all the details at No Time for Flashcards and enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Week #1-77

Week #2-69

Week #3-58

Week #4- 60



Total so far-264

Goal- 500

July Monthly Plan

BIBLE: 

*Bible Verses:
I verse- "May my prayer be set before you like Incense."  Psalm 141:2

J verse- "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will Joy in the God, in the God of my salvation." Habbukuk 3:18

From Songs for Saplings 
We are making a little book for these verses and we sing them everyday during our "Bible study" time.
And while we learn our Bible verses for each letter of the alphabet we are also learning the sign language for that letter.

Bible verse activities and printables from Totally Tots

ALSO---We are reading a verse in the Bible every day this summer.  Come join our Summer Bible Reading Adventure and sign up HERE.

And this month we will start reading from a children's Bible that was given to us by grandma called The Bible Story Ten Volume Set by Arthur Maxwell.  I have read many Bibles and Bible story books to my kids, but I'm excited to start this longer series!  See my Summer Worship Series for ideas on what Bibles I have read to my kids.

LESSONS:
*Milk N' Honey Preschool:
Last month we started Preschool.  I know it is summer, but it will take me about 2 years to get through all my stuff I have planned before I start teaching Kindergarten, so here we go!   See my Preschool Plans. I've been busy working on a lapbook that I will use for each letter.  This month we will at least do letter B.  See my Pinterest board for letter B.  Also here are my lessons plans for Letter B.

Last month we did letter A.  Here is the link to what I did with Shrade.

Letter A- lapbook with books, crafts and activities
Blog post

*Brightly Beaming Toddler:   Jessna is now 14 months old and has moved to the next level in the Nursery Age lessons. I am having so much fun doing things with her.  She is a sponge!

This curriculum includes 24 lesson plans.  There are 2 lessons for each month of your toddler's life from 13 months to 24 months of age.  You can spend approximately 2 weeks on each lesson plan with your toddler.  The lessons are geared to a toddler's development as he/she progresses through the second year of life.  Keep everything fun and only do activities when your toddler wants to.

14 months: Lesson 3

14 months: Lesson 4

*Sensory Play:
-water play- loves this!
-playdough 
-outside!

Everyday Sensory Alphabet Activities by Melitsa Avila

We will be using a lot of these activities when we learn the letters!

*Literature Connection
Right now we are reading alphabet, color and counting books from lists at the library.

*Daily Music time: Songs from Music Notes and CD's we get at the library. 


*Art:
 -watercolor painting
-using paintbrush
-coloring
-chalk drawing outside

*Field Trips:
Playdates
MOPS Park Days
Library story time for Preschool
Mall playground
Nature Center
Exploring new parks with friends
Outdoor concerts


Pretend Play:
-building a fort
-cooking
-dress up with scarves and hats

*Other Activities
Check out my Pinterst Boards for Preschool Ideas! 


We are also working through a BIG Preschool Workbook for ages 3-5.

*Skills/Chores:
 What Shrade is working on: 3.5 years of age
-Responding with "yes, mama" without whining or crying
-brushing teeth
-brush hair
-playing gently with sister
-setting the table
-wipe up spills
-sort laundry

*Academic
-cutting
-tracing
-letter sounds

Jessna is working on:
*first moments of discipline- what to touch, what not to touch
*learning how to sign "more"
*learning to sign "all done"
*playing in play pen for 10-15 min independently

I get a lot of these skills/chores from What Every Child Should Know Along the Way (Teaching practical life skills in every stage of life.) by Gail Martin.  I HIGHLY recommend this book that has so many practical ways to teacher your child along with many Bible verses.  I will be sharing more about this book this summer.