Kindergarten
April 2017 Update:
Kindergarten students utilized Willowwind's brand new set of Remo drums as they traveled around the world performing and learning about world music. The beginning of each day was spent learning a song from a specific world culture. Then we moved to the drums where we warmed up through various call-response and question-answer patterns. The question-answer activity was a great opportunity for students to improvise different rhythmic patterns. Then we moved to performing various 2 and 3 part ensemble music. Performing steady rhythms with a consistent tempo, and using our hands to make high and low pitches were the goals as we played. Throughout the music block, students completed Travel Books, where they learned where each region of the world was as well as the other musical instruments commonly found in each country. We ended the music block by composing our own 3 part ensemble music. See below to see where we traveled!
North America: Native American culture, "Peace Drum" song
Africa: "Harambee" and "Get It Together" songs
Peru: "In the High Andes" song
Class Composition:
- 3-part song about river valleys. Part 1: wash; Part 2: river valley; Part 3: river valley pretty
- 3 part song about music. Part 1: drum; Part 2: music is pretty; Part 3: notes
Favorite Drumming Games: Alligator Pie
Overview of Music Class
The Kindergarten Fine Arts block is shared between Music and Visual Arts, with students visiting each in 3-week rotating sessions throughout the year. During each music session, students have music class three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, for 45 minutes at a time. This schedule is a great opportunity for students to engage in an in-depth study of musical concepts.
Based on the National Association for Music Education's National Teaching Standards, the Kindergarten curriculum builds on and develops the foundation from the preschool curriculum. It expands students' ability to keep a steady beat, sing on pitch and gain a deeper understanding of musical opposites. For instance, instead of understanding that musical sounds are fast or slow, we learn about music getting faster and getting slower. To build upon the understanding that sounds are either loud or soft, students learn about sounds getting louder or softer, also known as crescendo and decrescendo respectively. Expanding students' knowledge base takes place through the form of singing songs, playing instruments, playing games, and movement activities.
April 2017 Update:
Kindergarten students utilized Willowwind's brand new set of Remo drums as they traveled around the world performing and learning about world music. The beginning of each day was spent learning a song from a specific world culture. Then we moved to the drums where we warmed up through various call-response and question-answer patterns. The question-answer activity was a great opportunity for students to improvise different rhythmic patterns. Then we moved to performing various 2 and 3 part ensemble music. Performing steady rhythms with a consistent tempo, and using our hands to make high and low pitches were the goals as we played. Throughout the music block, students completed Travel Books, where they learned where each region of the world was as well as the other musical instruments commonly found in each country. We ended the music block by composing our own 3 part ensemble music. See below to see where we traveled!
North America: Native American culture, "Peace Drum" song
Africa: "Harambee" and "Get It Together" songs
Peru: "In the High Andes" song
Class Composition:
- 3-part song about river valleys. Part 1: wash; Part 2: river valley; Part 3: river valley pretty
- 3 part song about music. Part 1: drum; Part 2: music is pretty; Part 3: notes
Favorite Drumming Games: Alligator Pie
Overview of Music Class
The Kindergarten Fine Arts block is shared between Music and Visual Arts, with students visiting each in 3-week rotating sessions throughout the year. During each music session, students have music class three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, for 45 minutes at a time. This schedule is a great opportunity for students to engage in an in-depth study of musical concepts.
Based on the National Association for Music Education's National Teaching Standards, the Kindergarten curriculum builds on and develops the foundation from the preschool curriculum. It expands students' ability to keep a steady beat, sing on pitch and gain a deeper understanding of musical opposites. For instance, instead of understanding that musical sounds are fast or slow, we learn about music getting faster and getting slower. To build upon the understanding that sounds are either loud or soft, students learn about sounds getting louder or softer, also known as crescendo and decrescendo respectively. Expanding students' knowledge base takes place through the form of singing songs, playing instruments, playing games, and movement activities.