PreK & K Grade - Lesson 7B

• 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)

 

“Echo me”

“Wooooooop” 

You will be sliding your voice between D4-A4 to build flexibility in the students’ voices.

Siren through all vowels, going up and down. Use your hands to demonstrate when you are sliding up, down, or both.

Have fun sliding your voice, and the students will also find it entertaining

Use all vowels: A ,E, I, O, U 

Blank Slide

*next slide is for instructor reference only*

Rhythm Echoes

*The 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."

The instructor reads rhythms four beats at a time using the neutral syllable "bah." You may need to point to yourself at your turn and to class at their turn as a reminder when to echo.

Students echo.

Once all rhythms are read, repeat using rhythm syllables (quarter note = ta, eighth notes = ta-ti; cover mouths for quarter notes; refer to rhythm syllable cheat sheet if needed)

Students echo. 

"Now it's challenge time! Remember, I am going to say 'bah.' What do you say?"

Ta and ta-ti

Instructor reads rhythms a third time, 4 beats at a time, using neutral syllable "bah" while students echo using rhythm syllables "ta" and "ta-ti."

Preparing Rhythms Visually Drag & Drop

*song for instructor viewing will be on next slide*

"So last time, you told me that ta had how many sounds?"

1

"So ta is going to be the note with how many heads?"

1

"And ta-ti had how many sounds?"

2

"So ta-ti will be the note with how many heads?"

2

The instructor writes a 4-beat melody for students to practice reading. 

"Now we're going to learn the names of these notes! Ta is called a quarter note. Say 'quarter note.'"

Quarter note!

Instructor moves 4 quarter notes to the hearts.

"So I have 4 of what kind of notes here?"

Quarter notes!

"Read the four quarter notes. Ready, and here you go."

Students read.

"Now I'm going to take away these quarter notes and put in a different note. These are called eighth notes. Say 'eighth notes.'"

Eighth notes!

Instructor moves 4 paired eighth notes to the hearts.

"I have 4 of what kind of note here?"

Eighth notes!

"Read the eighth notes for me. Ready, and here you go."

Students read. 

"Now I would like you to sing the song 'I Am Me.'"

Instructor gives starting pitch. Students sing.

"Now sing the song again while pointing to the hearts. Remember, which side do we start on?"

The left

The instructor waits for all students to point to the heart on the left. 

Instructor gives starting pitch.

Students sing the song while pointing and keeping a steady beat.

"Hmm...I want you to focus on the silent parts. Remember the parts where we did the motions? Sing the song again while keeping a steady beat on the hearts."

Instructor gives starting pitch. 

Students sing while pointing and keeping a steady beat.

"Did we stop the steady beat during the silent parts?"

No (if students say yes, give starting pitch for students to sing and point again. If students continue to say yes, instructor sings and points alone for students to observe)

"How many heartbeats did the silent parts get?"

1

"Check to see if you were correct."

Instructor gives starting pitch. Students sing while pointing to hearts and keeping a steady beat.

Song - I Am Me

*for instructor viewing only*

Blank Slide

The instructor will stop sharing the screen here.

Rhythm Reading Assessment (1)

Invite 1 group at a time to come up and read rhythms. 

Assessment 2

Cont.

Assessment 3

Cont.

Blank Slide

The instructor will stop sharing the screen here.

Body Piano

*instructor will stop sharing screen*

Preparing La

*for instructor viewing only*

"Stand up, 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 each measure

See next slide for continuation of this activity

Tonal echoes continued

*for instructor viewing only*

Instructor uses body piano and sings each measure one-by-one using solfege and body piano

Students echo

"Time for our challenge! Remember, I am going to sing 'bum.' You sing sol and mi."

Instructor uses body piano and sings each measure using the neutral syllable 'bum.'

Students echo using solfege and hand signs.

Sol and Mi Visual Preparation

"Let's practice reading music. Remember, we had sol and mi. Where do you think sol goes? In the space on top of the line or in the space under the line?"

On top

"Where does mi belong?"

Space under the line

Instructor writes a pattern for students to read. Students sing and use hand signs (if hand signs are challenging, ask them to use body piano first and then switch to hand signs)

Write 3 more patterns for students to try.

Xylo Song Review - I Am

*song for instructor viewing on next slide*

Discuss xylo care

"I would like for you to sing 'I Am Me' again."

Instructor gives starting pitch.

Students sing.

"Sing the song again, but this time, I want you to pat this rhythm on your lap as you sing. Watch me first."

Instructor sings song while tapping half notes (students will be more successful if instructor shows half notes as large circles that are always moving: tap lap on downbeat, but rebound in a circular motion before tapping next down beat)

Instructor gives starting pitch. Students sing while tapping half notes (make sure students are also showing circular rebound)

Once students are successful

"Let's try that rhythm on your xylophones. Put one finger on the big red bar and another finger on the dark green bar." 

Students place fingers on C and G.

"Sing the song while showing that rhythm again."

Instructor gives starting pitch.

Students sing and play bordun (ensure students are rebounding in circular motion)

May add mallets if students are successful.

I Am Me

* For instructor view only*

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