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The "Big Kid" Rhythm Bundle (Grades 3-6) **30% OFF!**
By Jason Litt
Included in these rhythm bundle are 25 resources that you can utilize in grades 3-6. Games, dictation, worksheets, races, and more are in this bundle as the resources discuss longer rhythmic patterns, sixteenth notes, triplets, and long durations of rests.
Definitely a semester filler in here, terrific for reinforcing your 2nd half of the year with some of your upper grades, and with 30% off when bundled together, it's a sale you can't beat!
By Jason Litt
A fun activity to play with kids of all ages! Check out these Italian names and guess whether it’s a PASTA or a COMPOSER! See how many you get right! Some of these are quite tricky while others are pretty obvious :)
By Jason Litt
Trying to wean the kids off of the letter names but want to do it easily? Start with a warmup! In "Super Simple Recorder Warmups", you'll receive 25 4-beat exercises designed to warmup your kids while working on quarter and half note patterns.
Use the background accompaniment tracks if you wish (ranging from 80bpm to 117bpm) and reinforce the notes of the staff and rhythms throughout before heading into your recorder activity!
Included in this version are the recorder notes, G, A, B, and C
KING CAT - an ADVANCED Tubano drumming composition!
By Jason Litt
In "KING CAT", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations and advanced rhythms such as sequential triplets and sixteenth notes!
The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)
At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?
Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!
Have a terrific time with this one :)
By Jason Litt
The ultimate Boys vs Girls competition! If you're working on notes of the treble clef staff, this is a fun way for kids to competitively spell them out. First, we made a boys side (on the left of the screen) and girls side on the (on the right). A word will appear and the students have 10 seconds to spell the word out (there is a timer attached to the powerpoint and it will count down as soon as the slide appears). This games works best on a whiteboard that has magnetic backing as I print out notes and have the kids race as fast as they can to put them on. After the kids lock in their answer, the next slide reveals the notes. For notes that have F's and E's, the answer key has both top line, top space notes -- those F's and E's both count! :) Some are easy (CAB, DAB, DAD), some get a little tricky (BECCA, CABBAGE, DECADE) and so on. Towards the end they repeat, and feel free to edit and make your own! Have fun with this and if you have any questions, let me know!
By Jason Litt
11 great orchestral tracks to warmup your Chorus! These original choral warmups range from G below middle C to High Bb above the staff and reinforce vowel sounds, diction, and extension of range. Fun orchestral sounds add on to the piano and descriptions are given on all powerpoint slides. Included are 11 files in mp3 format to accompany your students.
By Jason Litt
Being able to identify rhythms being played is a key essential in any music classroom. How'd you like to make it extra challenging, partner?
In Rhythm Roundup, you'll have a variety of 1, 2, or 3 beat rhythms on the screen of all various notation (quarter, eighths, sixteenth, and rests). A musical example will be played and your little cowpokes will have to identify which rhythm is being played. Tap the right answer and it will illuminate green (all you need to do is advance the powerpoint or PDF!)
Included are 17 different music examples and tons of challenging rhythms to get your kids to think what they heard and line it up with what they see!
Uptown Funk - BUCKET DRUMMING!
By Jason Litt
Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music? Involve them in bucket drumming with Uptown Funk!
Although the previous shows 2, there are 6 color coded sections in "Sticktown Funk". Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!
All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head.
The CLEAN version of uptown funk (and we mean CLEAN!) :) is here for your resource for you to download or play in the background
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p5Clbtmd8M
Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!
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Looking for more Bucket Drumming Resources? Check out the library below!
[Geometry Dash] DJVI, Back on Track - BUCKET DRUMMING!
[Geometry Dash] Stereo Madness, Forever Bound - BUCKET DRUMMING!
What Makes You Beautiful, One Direction - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Blank Space, Taylor Swift - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
*EARTH DAY!* Heal the World, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Bad Day, Daniel Powter - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Lion Sleeps Tonight (mp3 included!) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Follow You (2021), Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns n' Roses - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd - BUCKET DRUMMING!
22, Taylor Swift - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Sign, Ace of Base - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Leave Me Alone, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from "Top Gun" - BUCKET DRUMMING!
A Thousand Miles, Vanessa Carlton - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Greatest Show, (from The Greatest Showman) - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Augie's Great Municipal Band, Star Wars Ep. I (John Williams) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Raiders March (Raiders of the Lost Ark, John Williams) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Motownphilly, Boyz II Men - BUCKET DRUMMING! (mp3 included!)
Save Your Tears, The Weeknd - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Tetris Theme (Trap Remix) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Coffin Dance Meme [Mp3 Included!] - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Build Me Up Buttercup, The Foundations - BUCKET DRUMMING!
WandaVision Ep. 3 Intro/Title Sequence - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Conga, Gloria Estefan - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Believer, Imagine Dragons - BEGINNING BUCKET DRUMMING!
Blinding Lights, The Weeknd - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Shut up and Dance with Me, Walk the Moon - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Mood, 24kGoldn (**CLEAN**) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Rolling in the Deep, Adele - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Black Pearl (from Pirates of the Caribbean) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Final Countdown, Europe - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from "Ghostbusters" - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Circle of Life, Elton John (from "The Lion King") - BUCKET DRUMMING!
24k Magic, Bruno Mars (**CLEAN**) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from "The Mandalorian" - BEGINNER BUCKET DRUMMING!
Girls just wanna have Fun, Cyndi Lauper - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Surfin' USA, Beach Boys - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Be True to your School, Beach Boys Cover - BUCKET DRUMMING!
We Will Rock You, Queen - CUSTOM BUCKET DRUMMING ARRANGEMENT!
Hotline Bling, Drake - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from "The Mandalorian" - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Levitating (**CLEAN**), Dua Lipa ft DaBaby - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Into to Unknown, Panic! at the Disco (from "Frozen II") - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Sunflower, Post Malone/Swae-Lee (from Spiderman) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Penny Lane, The Beatles - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Up on the Housetop, Pentatonix (PTX) - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Last Christmas, WHAM - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, Burl Ives - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
All I Want For Christmas is You, Mariah Carey - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Feliz Navidad, Jose Feliciano - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Mariah Carey - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
Underneath the Tree, Kelly Clarkson - CHRISTMAS BUCKET DRUMMING!
You're the One That I Want, Grease - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from the Munsters - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Les Toreadors (from Carmen Suite), Bizet - BUCKET DRUMMING!
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), The Proclaimers - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Heart Attack, Demi Lovato - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Wrecking Ball, Miley Cyrus - BUCKET DRUMMING!
We are Young, Fun ft. Janelle Monae - BUCKET DRUMMING!
We Go Together, Grease - BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Thunderer, John Philip Sousa - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Break My Heart, Dua Lipa - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Watermelon Sugar, Harry Styles - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Savage Love (CLEAN), Jason Derulo, ft. Jawsh 685 - BUCKET DRUMMING!
OK Not To Be OK, Marshmello ft. Demi Lovato - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Thriller, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Baby Shark, PINGFONG - SEMI-ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
This is Halloween, The Nightmare Before Christmas - BUCKET DRUMMING!
We're Not Gonna Take It, Twisted Sister - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Beat it, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Jump, Van Halen - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from Gravity Falls - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Light Calvary Overture, F. von Suppe - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley - BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Whitney Houston - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Party Rock Anthem (*CLEAN*) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Turn the Beat Around, Gloria Estefan - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Bye Bye Bye *NSync - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away, Toy Story 4 - BUCKET DRUMMING
We Belong Together, Toy Story 3 - BUCKET DRUMMING!
It's the Hard Knock Life, Annie - BUCKET DRUMMING!
It's Gonna Be Me, *NSync - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Footloose, Kenny Loggins - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Celebration, Kool and the Gang - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Livin on a Prayer, Bon Jovi - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Don't Start Now, Dua Lipa - BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Dynamite, BTS - BUCKET DRUMMING!
BANG! (Clean version), AJR - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Friend Like Me (Will Smith), Aladdin - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Prince Ali (Will Smith), Aladdin - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
YMCA, The Village People - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Stereo Hearts, Gym Class Heroes - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Africa, Toto - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Dance Monkey, Tones and I - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Stronger, Kelly Clarkson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
U Can't Touch This, MC Hammer - BUCKET DRUMMING!
You're Welcome, Dwayne Johnson (MOANA) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Love Rock 'n Roll, Joan Jett - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Don't Stop Believin', Journey - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Remember Me (Ernesto De La Cruz), Coco - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Theme from Superman, John Williams - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Hey Soul Sister, Train - BUCKET DRUMMING!
When Can I See You Again, Owl City (Wreck it Ralph) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Pirates of the Caribbean (He's a Pirate) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Try Everything, Shakira (Zootopia) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Cantina Band, Star Wars - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Eye of the Tiger, Survivor (Rocky III) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
William Tell Overture, Rossini - SUPER ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
The Imperial March, Star Wars - BUCKET DRUMMING!
We're all in this Together, High School Musical - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Billie Jean, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Stars and Stripes Forever, Sousa - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Stitches, Shawn Mendes - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Beautiful People, Ed Sheeran - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Brave, Sara Bareilles - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Roar, Katy Perry - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Kids in an Adult World, Hello Sister - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Best Day of My Life, American Authors - BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Want You Back, Jackson Five - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Centuries, Fall Out Boy - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Wizards in Winter, Trans Siberian Orchestra - BUCKET DRUMMING!
ME, Taylor Swift - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Good Time, Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Firework, Katy Perry - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
If I Can't Have You, Shawn Mendes (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Never Really Over, Katy Perry - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Sucker, Jonas Brothers - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Girls Like You, Maroon 5 (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Havana, Camilla Cabello (CLEAN) - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Happy, Pharrell Williams - BUCKET DRUMMING!
This is Me, The Greatest Showman - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Bad Romance, Lady Gaga - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Treasure, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Gangnam Style, PSY - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Life is a Highway (2018), ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Grenade, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
I Knew You Were Trouble, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
How Far I'll Go, Moana - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Natural, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!
High Hopes, Panic! at the Disco - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Smooth Criminal, Michael Jackson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Bad Blood, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Animals, Maroon 5 - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Radioactive, Imagine Dragons - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Dynamite, Taio Cruz - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Shake it Off, Taylor Swift - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Grenade, Bruno Mars - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Fight Song, Rachel Platten - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
ABC, Jackson Five - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Feel it Still, Portugal. The Man - ADVANCED BUCKET DRUMMING!
Thunder, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Can't Stop the Feeling, Justin Timberlake - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Believer, Imagine Dragons - BUCKET DRUMMING!
Uptown Funk (CLEAN), Mark Ronson - BUCKET DRUMMING!
By Jason Litt
We got notes, yes we do, missing notes, all the way through! This is terrific on reinforcing aural training in the upper elementary students. Students are to listen to a short phrase of music made up of 5-9 beats. The music will be displayed on the powerpoint with several beats missing. Their job? Fill them in! I cut out paired eighths, quarters, and half notes and allow them to build them out on the floor and see if they can dictate what I'm playing. Only difference between regular dictation is there are a few cheaters in... but as we go through the examples (10 included), more beats disappear. Fill 'em in! If you have any questions or comments, you know where to leave 'em! Enjoy!
The Middle - Play Along Auxiliary Percussion! (Drumming)
By Jason Litt
Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music? Involve them in play along percussion with rhythm sticks/drum sticks, tambourines, and if you got a coffee can or similar, you're set, "The Middle" by Zedd, Morris, and Grey! There are three all-color coded slides along with the instrumentation listed in each beat/ Teach the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4, or 8 times). Then, apply it to drumsticks (played on the floor or clicked together, on a practice pad), tambourines, and on the coffee tin! This is an all rote notation powerpoint and most are quarter and two eighth rhythms. For those boxes with two instruments stacked on top, they can elect to play the top instrument or bottom one Here's the music so you can play along in the background https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQzS3JnZQZM
By Jason Litt
TIME to identify rhythms! A clock will appear with rhythms attached to the times of the clock. You will play a short 4 to 6 beat musical example for the kids, and they will have to identify which rhythm (or which time on the clock!) matches the example being played. 10 examples (including sound files, a powerpoint and a PDF) outlining pairs of Eighths, Quarter notes, Half notes, and Quarter Rests are included in this engaging lesson your kids. You can play it as a class, boys vs girls, or individually -- up to you! Have fun and if you have any questions or comments, leave 'em below! :)
To Tell the Truth! (* Distance Learning Approved! *)
By Jason Litt
Can your kids tell the difference between what rhythm is shown and what rhythm is played? Test it out with To Tell the Truth!
Students will see a rhythm on the screen and then a rhythm will be played. Does the rhythm played match the rhythm on the powerpoint? Students will use popsicle sticks (or whiteboard or can do it individually at the screen) to show their answers and the answer will then appear on the screen as you advance in the powerpoint - True or **False!**8 musical examples are included with 4 beat all the way to 7 beat patterns of Quarter and 2 paired Eighth Note rhythms.
A Mile to the Nile - an original Tubano/Djembe Composition
By Jason Litt
In "A Mile to the Nile", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations!
The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)
At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?
Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!
Have a terrific time with this one :)
12 to 12 - an original Tubano/Djembe composition!
By Jason Litt
In "12 to 12", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially in the selected meter of 12/8
The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)
At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?
Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!
Have a terrific time with this one :)
Stick it to the Buckets! (Sticking Patterns for Bucket Drums)
By Jason Litt
Working on alternating hands and reading down true percussive stickings? Try on "Stick it to the Buckets" with 30 great exercises that will get your upper elementary and lower middle kids reading with ease!
All regular notation is to be played on the middle of the buckets (the head of the drum) and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as side clicks on the bucket (or on the rim, however you choose!)
In this resource, there are multiple levels of rhythms along with percussive background tracks to get your kids grooving (or you can select any song of your choice in common time!)
Rhythm Lineup 2.0, great for Aural Theory (* Distance Learning Approved! *)
By Jason Litt
Quarter and Eighth Note pairs are the foundational elements of elementary music -- let's work on our aural skills with **Rhythm Lineup 2.0!
**Students will have a baggie of cards (or alternatively they can write them down on a whiteboard or make their own cards) and hear a rhythm played. They will have to use their cards and place the cards down on the floor in the order that they are heard.
After the example is played, I usually give them another listen to 'check their work' or go back and fill in the missing gaps. Then on the next powerpoint slide, the answer appears one beat by one beat. Check your answer and celebrate if you got it correct!
Can be applied for distance learning as well! Kids can just use sticky notes and write down three eighth note pairs and 4 quarter note pairs and play along!
Included are 10 examples with brass and woodwind instruments. Have a great time!
TUMBLER RHYTHMS - Rhythm practice with the latest craze!
By Jason Litt
If you're in the winter of 2024, chances are your older kids have come in with their Stanley tumbler, and what a way to connect!
This resource Tumbler Rhythms is terrific for your kids as an introduction to quarter notes+rests, eighth notes+rests, and sixteenth note patterns
40 rhythms with 4 different levels
Quarter Notes + Quarter Rests with Eighth Notes (4 beat patterns)
Quarter Notes + Quarter Rests with Eighth Notes**(6 beat patterns)**
Quarters, Eighths, with Eighth rests (4 beat patterns)
Adding all of the above with sixteenth notes
This colorful resource can be used with instruments (such as rhythm sticks, Orff, etc), and can be put to background music (at any tempo you desire) or even be played by itself. Or you can use it as a sightreading exercise, counting which whatever system you prefer.
Have a great time with this and have your kids light up when they see their favorite color! :D
By Jason Litt
Learning the values of quarter and eighth notes are a good solid foundation to start off, but when it gets to rests, understanding a beat of silence is a little different! In "Give it a Rest!" students are introduced to the quarter rest, which is a note, but a note of silence. They watch "Give it a Rest!" from Music K-8 and then are given an activity -- try to decipher where the rest occurs in a musical example. The students will be told how many beats are in the example and then a four beat percussive introduction is played. Students will be asked to dictate the quarter notes AND quarter rests in the musical example. The teacher can play this again for reinforcement (but for kids in upper grades, playing it only ONCE can be a challenge!). There are 12 examples, each one getting a little more difficult than the last! You can run this activity in many ways: - Student can write on whiteboards with dry erase markers - Pairs of students can team up in a race to spell it out - Use as a whiteboard/smartboard/IWB activity - Print out cards of quarter notes and rests and have them line it up on the floor - Any other way you find creative! Enjoy this with your class and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!
By Jason Litt
With Halloween (or in general... anytime is good) around the corner, Candy Rhythms are a tried and true way to engage students to introduce them to aligning syllables. Mix it up a little with Candy Rhythm Matchup!
In this lesson, students will see a rhythm on the board that matches the name of some of their favorite candies. They will then have a choice between 2 or 3 different candy brands and will have to choose the best match for the rhythm shown
The answer is outlined in green on the following slide. You will get 10 rhythmic examples in this mini-lesson
Have a great time (and avoid those cavities)...
Hi Fi - An Original Tubano/Djembe/Tambourine Percussion Composition!
By Jason Litt
In "Hi-Fi", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially in the selected meter of 3/4
The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)
At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?
Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!
Have a terrific time with this one :)