MUSIC IN KINDER: WORKING ON THE BUILDING BLOCKS

During these weeks, the Kinder students and I got to know each other and reached a good level of comfort from which to build music learning. The students engaged in very diverse activities intended to develop basic skills for group learning, like understanding what is their role when instructions are given to the whole group or what are the social expectations in music class. 

Students listening to instructions

Responding to music with movement

We learned, for example, how to create a circle successfully.  It is not easy!  The students need to make social decisions, like choosing a space between classmates and hold hands, apply the mental concept of an abstract shape to their physical space and cooperate with their classmates to finally create the circle in eight counts (like the musical scale).

Working together to make a circle

In connection with the unit of inquiry "Friends", the Kinder students are developing a project about Singing Games.  Singing Games are a playful framework to develop fundamental social skills and learn many musical elements. So far, the students learned the songs and games of Apple Tree, Bow Wow Wow, Grizzly Bear and Lucy Locket. We will add more in the coming weeks. Here I share some wonderful moments of playing and learning.

Singing and playing Bow Wow Wow.

Passing an apple to the beat of Apple Tree

 

Playing a clapping game: Lucy Locket

A Ram Sam Sam