1. Curriculum Planning:
Music

2. Importance of Music Music is a form of communication
It teaches language skills, passes on culture, and communicates feelings

3. Use Music to: Provide a pleasant background for an activity
Release tension and energy
Calm angry feelings
Express feelings through movement and dance
Create a festive holiday feeling
Make learning fun
Teach listening and language skill
Help build and understanding of music concepts (loud/soft, high/low, fast/slow)

4. Music Center Equipment used to teach children music: Drums Kazoos
Melody bells
Clackers
Maracas
Rhythm sticks
Guitars
Tambourines
Cymbals
Recorders
CD player

5. Building Rhythm Instruments
Rhythm instruments can be made by teachers, parents, or sometimes even children. These instruments include:
Sandpaper blocks
Sandpaper sticks
Bongo drums
Tom-tom drums
Rattlers
Shakers
Rhythm sticks
Rhythm bells
Coconut cymbals

6. Selecting Songs The best songs for young children: Tell a story
Have repetitive, easy to learn phrases
Have a strongly defined and attractive rhythm
Encourage active involvement
Relate to children’s level of development

7. Teaching Songs Know the song well Sing the song clearly
Use expression, proper pitch, and rhythm
Sing with liveliness and zest
Children will learn by imitating your voice

8. Teaching Songs 3 methods to teach songs: Phrase method
Sing entire song, then stop and talk about the song
Next, sing short sections and have children repeat the sections after you
Keep singing, increasing the length of the section until children know the song
Whole song method
Have students listen to you sing the whole song
Then, have students sing song with you and repeat the song until the know the words
Phrase/whole combination method
Teach children a few key phrases then sing the whole song and have children join in when they can

9. Singing with Children Enthusiasm is the key factor
Use a light, pleasant voice
Do not push children to take part
When children are ready to take part, they will
Nonparticipating children generally need more time to take part in music activities. Show your enthusiasm and it will spread!

10. Music Activities Listening Games Fingerplays Mouthing Chants
Guess the instrument, what’s the sound?, body sounds
Fingerplays
A song that uses hand movements coordinated with words to engage children’s interests (ex: Itsy Bitsy Spider)
Mouthing
Animal, train, plane, traffic sounds
Chants
“Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around”

11. Activity:
With a partner, create two original songs that could be used for daily transitions in the classroom
Write the songs on a sheet of paper to turn in by the end of the period
If the songs are sung to the tune of a different song, make sure to explain which song!
*The best way to create a song is to use a known melody with new words!