General Music
For all my students, I strive to do what Dr. John Feierabend calls a 30–year plan.
"It should not be unreasonable to expect all adults to be able to clap their hands in time to the cheering at a sporting event. Dad should be able to sing "Happy Birthday" to his son or daughter without hearing, "Don't sing, Dad." A couple should be able to dance in time to the music at their wedding. A person should be able to sing at a worship service without persons in the row in front turning around. An audience member should possess sufficient sensitivities to be moved by a nuance in an orchestral performance. A mother or father should be able to soothe their infant with a lullaby and rock to the beat of that lullaby." -John Feierabend
Music Class at a Glance
Kindergarten–2nd Grade: Podcast: About First Steps in Music
The First Steps in Music Curriculum is designed to prepare children to become musical people in three ways:
1. Tuneful – to have tunes in their heads and learn to coordinate their voices to sing those tunes.
2. Beatful – to feel the pulse of music and how that pulse is grouped.
3. Artful – to be moved by music in the many ways music can elicit a feelingful response.
Following are musical workout activities that we use to practice what Dr. Feierabend refers to as “doing music.”
1. Pitch Exploration (Vocal Warm-ups)
2. Fragment Singing
3. Echo Songs
4. Call and Response Songs
5. Simple Songs
6. Arioso (Child created tunes)
7. Songtales (Teacher sings a story)
8. Movement Exploration (Movement Warm-ups)
9. Movement for Form and Expression
10. Movement with the Beat
11. Instrument Exploration and Techniques
3rd and 4th Grade:
In 3rd and 4th grade, students continue the same types of “doing music” activities but they begin to learn what music looks like using standard music notation. Students in 4th grade students have three instrumental units that include drumming, ukulele, and recorder. In order to be sure students are receiving a rigorous and well-rounded music education, it is important to include some activities that focus on music literacy and history. While these types of activities are important, the "doing" music category is still the most crucial component.
For all my students, I strive to do what Dr. John Feierabend calls a 30–year plan.
"It should not be unreasonable to expect all adults to be able to clap their hands in time to the cheering at a sporting event. Dad should be able to sing "Happy Birthday" to his son or daughter without hearing, "Don't sing, Dad." A couple should be able to dance in time to the music at their wedding. A person should be able to sing at a worship service without persons in the row in front turning around. An audience member should possess sufficient sensitivities to be moved by a nuance in an orchestral performance. A mother or father should be able to soothe their infant with a lullaby and rock to the beat of that lullaby." -John Feierabend
Music Class at a Glance
Kindergarten–2nd Grade: Podcast: About First Steps in Music
The First Steps in Music Curriculum is designed to prepare children to become musical people in three ways:
1. Tuneful – to have tunes in their heads and learn to coordinate their voices to sing those tunes.
2. Beatful – to feel the pulse of music and how that pulse is grouped.
3. Artful – to be moved by music in the many ways music can elicit a feelingful response.
Following are musical workout activities that we use to practice what Dr. Feierabend refers to as “doing music.”
1. Pitch Exploration (Vocal Warm-ups)
2. Fragment Singing
3. Echo Songs
4. Call and Response Songs
5. Simple Songs
6. Arioso (Child created tunes)
7. Songtales (Teacher sings a story)
8. Movement Exploration (Movement Warm-ups)
9. Movement for Form and Expression
10. Movement with the Beat
11. Instrument Exploration and Techniques
3rd and 4th Grade:
In 3rd and 4th grade, students continue the same types of “doing music” activities but they begin to learn what music looks like using standard music notation. Students in 4th grade students have three instrumental units that include drumming, ukulele, and recorder. In order to be sure students are receiving a rigorous and well-rounded music education, it is important to include some activities that focus on music literacy and history. While these types of activities are important, the "doing" music category is still the most crucial component.
Sources, Methods, and Materials Used:
John Feierabend- First Steps in Music & Conversational Solfege.
Carl Orff- Music For Children Vol. 1
Jim Solomon- D.R.U.M- World Drumming, and Hot Jams for Recorder
Kalani Das- Drum Fun -World Drumming
Plank Road Publishing- Recorder Karate
John Feierabend- First Steps in Music & Conversational Solfege.
Carl Orff- Music For Children Vol. 1
Jim Solomon- D.R.U.M- World Drumming, and Hot Jams for Recorder
Kalani Das- Drum Fun -World Drumming
Plank Road Publishing- Recorder Karate