Little Fingers - Lesson 8

• Music
• Age 3-5
• 1st,2nd Grade

Lesson 8

The purpose of these brief lessons is to review and strengthen the concepts students have already learned and to help them get ready for upcoming recitals.

Note: Xylophones will not be required for this portion of the class.

Class Expectations (5min)

1. Read over classroom expectations for the Little Fingers class.
2. At this point student do not need to provide examples of each classroom expectation.

Movement Activity (5 minutes)

• Begin with a movement activity to allow students to practice listening, maintain a steady beat, and release excess energy before class. 
• The video has been pre-selected on the next slide.

Movement Activity (5 min)

Have students dance along with the video. Draw students' attention to slow motion part at the end.

Tonal Practice (5 mins)

*Instructor Reference Only

If you are not comfortable improvising, you may use the patterns provided on the next slide. Please ensure that you are singing in the key of C major to avoid confusing the students later on.

Create 4-beat patterns using the syllable "bum" for notes do, re, mi, so, and la while mimicking playing a piano on your body. Students will then repeat the patterns using body piano.

Generate 4-beat patterns using the solfege syllables (do, re, mi, so, la) and body piano. Students will echo the patterns back.

Refer to the next slide for pattern ideas.

Tonal Examples for Instructors

*instructor reference only*

1. Instructor improvises 4-beat patterns using do, re, mi, so, and la and body piano or use reference provided. 

Learn Song

For Instructor Reference Only

1. Sing the entire song once for the students to hear.

2. Ask the students, "Once I’ve finished singing, can you tell me what animal is in my song?"

3. Sing the entire song again. After finishing, prompt the students to answer (sheep).

4. After singing, ask the students, "Can you tell me what movements the wind is doing?"

5. Sing the entire song once more. Students should answer (stops and blows) after you finish.

6. Following the singing, ask the students, "Tell me the speed at which the clouds walk."

7. Sing the whole song again. Students should respond with "slow" after you finish.

Echo:

Sing the first 2 measures, then have students echo.

Sing measures 3 and 4, and have students echo.

Sing the first 4 measures, then have students echo.

Sing measures 5 and 6, and have students echo.

Sing measures 7 and 8, then have students echo.

Sing the last 4 measures, followed by students echoing.

Sing the whole song, and have students echo.

Movement Activity (5 minutes)

1. Students dance along to video. Draw students' attention to slow motion. 

Movement Break

1. Students dance along to video. Draw students' attention to slow motion. 

Song Review & Practice with Xylphones

1. Ask the students to sing "Clouds" again, but this time, move in slow motion as they sing. You may need to explain the connection between moving in slow motion in freeze dances and moving slowly while singing the song.

2. Students who can sing the song and move slowly may receive xylophones.

3. Have a discussion about do, re, and mi on xylophones, including their corresponding colors and identifying which bar is the biggest and smallest.

4. Demonstrate how to sing solfege and play drm on the xylophone using fingers only (without mallets). Have students echo your demonstration.

5. Show students how to sing solfege and play mrd on the xylophone using fingers only. Students should echo your demonstration.

Adding "So"

*For Instructor Reference Only*

*Note: If students struggle to maintain a steady beat or start rushing, pause and have them sing the song again while dancing in slow motion to feel the song's movement.*

1. Sing the first measure of "Clouds" using solfege (dssm).

2. Ask the question, "What note did I add?" (so).

3. Follow up with, "What color is 'so'?" (green).

4. Prompt the question, "Will 'so' produce a high sound or a low sound?" (high).

5. Ask, "Will 'so' be played on a big bar or a little bar?" (little).

Playing "So" on Xylophones

1. Ask students to touch "so" with their fingers to see if they can identify the note.

2. Sing and demonstrate how to play the first measure of the song using solfege and fingers. Have students echo your demonstration.

3. Once students can successfully sing the solfege and play with their fingers, they may start using mallets.

Adding Second Measure

If there is no more time, we will start at this point and continue with the remaining slides in the next lesson.

Instructor Reference Only

1. "Now, I will begin playing from 'so.' Can you tell me if the second note is higher or lower than 'so'?"

2. Play the sequence and have students answer once you finish playing the second measure (higher).

3. Ask, "Which note is higher than 'so'?" (la).

4. Play 'so' and 'la' and confirm with the students, "Is that correct?" (yes).

Adding La

1. Students will play and sing "so" and "la" using fingers (without mallets).

2. The instructor plays the second measure again and asks, "Is the note after 'la' going to be higher or lower than 'la'?" (lower)

3. Ask, "What note is lower than 'la'?" (so)

4. Next, ask, "How many 'so's do I play at the end?" (2)

5. The instructor demonstrates the second measure on the xylophone, and students sing solfege and play the second measure with their fingers. If successful, students may transition to using mallets.

Measures 7-8

(For Instructor Reference Only)

1. Ask the student to listen. Start by singing the last phrase of the song for the students. After singing measures 7-8, ask them whicha part they already know how to play. ("White sheep, white sheep")

2. Ask, "Is the ending the same or different from what you just learned to play?" (Different)

3. Then ask, "Does the ending go higher or lower?" (lower)

4. Have the students play "White sheep, white sheep" again and stop after the second "sheep." Ask them, "What note did we end on?" (mi)

5. Follow up by asking, "So if the ending goes lower, what note is lower than mi?" (re)

6. Play measure 7 and the first note of measure 8. Confirm by asking, "Is that right?" (yes)

7. Repeat the same process for the rest of measure 8.

8. Have the students sing measures 7-8 with solfege, then add fingers on xylophones. Progress to mallets if the students can successfully sing solfege and play with their fingers.

9. Review measures 1-2 and 7-8 with the students.

Review and Movement Activity

1. Conclude the session with a movement activity.

Movement Activity

Have students follow along with the Super Yoga video.