KINDER: LEARNING MUSIC THROUGH MOVEMENT

As an essential part of their music learning, Kinder students explored how to use their bodies as an instrument of expression. In Music class we use movement as a medium to develop conscious awareness and intention and to internalize a sense of beat, meter, rhythm, phrase, melody, and a general ability to listen and respond.

These have been some of our movement experiences:

Conceptual mapping:  Going from the concrete to the abstract, students used their bodies to map music concepts. They moved hands in the air to mirror the shape of a melody, expressed high or low pitch, and other opposites such as long and short, or slow and fast, using different parts of their bodies.

Students showing in their bodies slow/fast and high/low with the rhyme Slowly, Slowly

Mapping high and low in Io Sonno un Bambino

Singing games and folk dances: Kinder students continued learning new singing games as part of their Unit of Inquiry. They had a great time learning new songs and games as Bluebird, Button You Must Wander, along with Bow Wow Wow, Apple Tree, Grizzly Bear, or Cuckoo Bird. Each of these songs has several important music concepts that the children are practicing and internalizing as they repeat the game over and over. The songs are a gratifying medium for children to develop music skills like intonation, sense of beat, rhythm, along with self-management skills (following rules, control of impulses, respecting turns), and cooperation.

Students singing and playing Bluebird

Creative movement: Students moved creatively to express what they listen to and feel, exploring tempo, direction, spatial levels and body weight in response to specific elements of the music.

Students walking and stomping like giants.

Swirling with the music

Mirroring movements

Skipping to the music

Body percussion: Students learned several clapping games to accompany multicultural songs.

Clapping game: Las Vocales

Kokoleoko

Echo clapping

Dramatic Play:  students created movements as part of a story,  including singing and poetry.

The story of the elves who lived in the forest.