First Grade - Lesson 6A

• Music
• Age 5

Introduction (5 minutes)

Greet the students and introduce the K-Piano equipment and learning system.

Provide an overview of the lesson objectives and what students can expect to learn.

Class Expectations (5min)

• Read over classroom expectations for the Little Fingers class.
• Have students describe what these behaviors look like and don't look like.
• Example: A good choice is following directions. A silly choice is to be laughing at your friends.

Movement Activity

This movement activity at the beginning of class gets the wiggles out and helps mentally prepare students for the start of class.

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

Choose a video from either 3 slides

Vocal Exploration (3min)

 

"What is this a picture of?"

An elevator

"What does an elevator do?"

It moves people up and down in buildings

"I want you to point at the elevator. Use your finger and your voice to show the elevator is moving up."

Students move finger from low to high while making a siren sound going from low to high

"Now use your finger and voice to show the elevator is moving down."

Students move finger from high to low while making siren sound going from high to low

Try different combinations at various speeds. Make it fun!

Blank Screen

The instructor will stop sharing screen as next slide is only for instructor viewing

New Song - Sledding Fun

*Instructor will stop sharing screen*

"I want you to listen to my song. When I am finished, tell me what we are sledding down."

Snowy hill

"Listen again. When I am finished, tell me what word you hear that rhymes with hill."

Chill

"Listen again. This time when I am finished, I want you to tell me what other rhyming words you hear."

Cheer and here

"Now echo me."

Instructor sings first 2 measures.

Students echo.

Instructor sings measures 3 and 4. 

Students echo.

Instructor sings first line.

Students echo.

Instructor sings measures 5 and 6.

Students echo.

Instructor sings measures 1-6. Students echo.

Instructor sings whole song.

Students echo.

Second lesson review:

Invite students to sing Sledding Fun. Review playing first line with fingers on xylos (students must sing AND play)

"Sing the next part for me. Start with 'hands held tight.'"

Instructor gives starting pitch. Students sing second line.

"Was there anything that sounded like something we've played before?"

Yes

"What part sounded like something we know?"

Hands held tight, we slide with cheer.

"Sing and play that part."

Instructor gives starting pitch. Students sing and play measures 5-6

"Now listen to this part."

Instructor sings "Sledding fun is finally here."

"Did that sound the same or different than what we have already learned?"

Different

"What part was different?"

The end

"Was the end higher or lower?"

Lower. 

"Hmm...so look on your xylophones. If the last note is going to be a low note, what is the color of the lowest note on your xylophone?"

Red

"I want you to sing the song again. Do not play anything! I just want you to sing! But when you sing the last word, I want you to play the big red bar."

Instructor give starting pitch. Students sing and play on last note.

"Now I want you to sing 'Sledding fun is finally here (instructor sing this)' using sol and mi. Don't worry about the last note. Remember, we are going to play the big red bar on the last note instead."

Instructor give starting pitch. Students sing and play.

Put whole song together. 

Extra challenge: Divide class in half. Half play melody. Half play steady beat on C (may add G if they are ready to play with both hands). Switch roles. May also add some students on piano playing steady beat on C.

Rhythm Echoes

*instructor will stop sharing screen*

Instructor invites students to show an example of a steady beat. Pick one example for class to use.

"Ready and echo me."

Instructor reads rhythms four beats at a time using neutral syllable "bah." 

Students echo.

Instructor reads rhythms four beats at a time using rhythm syllables.

Students echo.

"Now it's time for our challenge. Remember, I'm going to say 'bah.' You use your rhythm syllables."

Instructors remember to assess for accuracy. Go back and correct mistakes if students make mistakes.

Instructor reads rhythms using neutral syllable "bah."

Students echo using rhythm syllables.

Rhythm Reading Practice 

Eighth and Quarter Notes with Rest Icons video

Instructor show first pattern in video. Do not play video yet! Invite students to read together. Assess for accuracy. 

Instructor continue onto second rhythm in video. Invite students to ready together. Assess for accuracy.

Practice each rhythmic pattern in the video until completed. Once every pattern has been practiced without background music, play from beginning of video and assess student reading for accuracy. Remember to account for possible time lag.

Blank Screen

The instructor will stop sharing screen as next slide is only for instructor viewing

Body Piano

*instructor will stop sharing this screen *

Preparing La

*instructor viewing only*

"Use your body piano and echo me."

Instructor uses body piano and sings each measure, one at a time, on neutral syllable "bum." 

Students echo.

Instructor uses body piano and sings each measure, one at a time, using solfege (la should be referred to as "higher")

Students echo.

See next slide for continuation of this activity.

Practice Sol and Mi

*instructor viewing only*

Instructor uses body piano and sings each measure on neutral syllable "bum."

Students echo in solfege.

Extra challenge:

Instructor may take out body piano/hand signs if students are ready (students should be able to sing solfege and use hand/signs or body piano on their own)

Sol and Mi Reading Activity

"Let's remember is sol a high note or a low note?"

High

"So that means sol will go on top of the line or underneath?"

On top

Instructor move sol to space above line.

"Mi will be a high note or a low note?"

Low

"So mi will go where?"

Under the line

Instructor move mi to space under line. 

"I am going to write a secret song. I want you to see if you can figure out my secret song."

Instructor drag dots to write sol mi sol mi

"Take 10 seconds to see if you can figure out what the song is."

Instructor gives starting pitch. Give students a few second to practice on their own.

"Let's sing it together."

Instructor gives starting pitch, points at dots, and listen to students sing. Do not sing with students!

If successful - "I have another challenge for you before we figure out what the secret song is."

Instructor drags dots to write next two measures (group paired eighth notes closer together: ss mm s)

Give students a few seconds to practice on their own

Instructor gives starting pitch, points at dots, and listen to students sing again.

"So if we put them together, we have (instructor sing) s m s m ss mm s. What does our secret song sound like?"

Hopping Through the Snow

Improvisation

Remind students on caring for xylophones

"I want you to make up your own 4-beat pattern using sol and mi. For example...(instructor improvises 4-beat melody using sol and mi). Sol is what color?"

Dark green

"Mi is which color?"

Yellow

"Ok so you are going to make up your own pattern using sol and mi. I am going to count the beats on my fingers. You are getting how many beats?"

4

"What do you do when I get to 4?"

Stop

"Ready and here you go."

Instructor counts down from 4 using fingers. Students improvise.

"You're going to get 2 more chances to come up with a melody you're happy with. Try again."

Instructor cues students in and counts down from 4. Students play.

Repeat one more time.

Ask students to share their compositions as time permits.

Movement Activity

This movement activity at the beginning of class gets the wiggles out and helps mentally prepare students for the start of class.

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

Choose a video from either 3 slides

Lesson Recap

Recap with students what they learned.

• 
  
• Steady Beat
• Low and High Sound