<p>This unit focuses on the weather in music, particularly wintry weather!</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Rain sticks</li>                                            </ul>

<h3>Rainsticks Music</h3><p>You can buy rainsticks that make a sound like rain but, if not, you can help the children to make their own from a paper towel tube, a Pringles tube or the inner cardboard tube from wrapping paper. Just pour (uncooked!) rice or lentils into the tube and seal both ends with parcel tape, then paint the tube in bright colors. Traditionally, a rainstick has nails, thorns or toothpicks pushed into it for the rice to fall against inside, but including these in your child-made rainsticks may not be a good idea unless you supervise closely and then cover any pointy ends with plenty of tape!</p><p>Make a gradual, slow sound with a rainstick by slowly tilting it from side to side.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rainstick.jpg" alt="Rainstick">    </div>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rainstick.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/daiga-ellaby-Ny1vyUgidMg-unsplash.jpg" alt="Daiga Ellaby Ny1Vy Ugid Mg Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>What's the Weather Like Today?</h3><p>New words to a well-known tune.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Whats-the-weather-like-today.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>What&#039;s the weather like today?</li>            <li>Sunny, warm and dry</li>            <li>And on a summer day we see</li>            <li>The sun up in the sky</li>            <li>With sunshine here, sunshine there</li>            <li>Lovely sunshine everywhere</li>            <li>What&#039;s the weather like today?</li>            <li>Sunny, warm and dry</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>What&#039;s the weather like today?</li>            <li>Think it&#039;s going to rain</li>            <li>And on a rainy day we see</li>            <li>Puddles in the lane</li>            <li>With puddles here, puddles there</li>            <li>Splashy puddles everywhere</li>            <li>What&#039;s the weather like today?</li>            <li>Think it&#039;s going to rain</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Frosty Weather</h3><p>A song for a winter's day!</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Frosty-Weather.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Frosty weather, snowy weather</li>            <li>When the wind blows</li>            <li>We all go together</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/nathan-wolfe-rtMiBkMCOsw-unsplash.jpg" alt="Nathan Wolfe Rt Mi Bk Mcosw Unsplash">    </div>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Rain Rain Go Away (pitch, pulse, rhythm)</h3><p>This is a rhyme for <a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184743/Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Introductory">sing-song voices</a>. </p><p>There are three activities in one here, reinforcing the concepts of pitch, pulse and rhythm. Best to do these over several days, building up the concepts step by step as in the audios. First sing the rhyme, then clap the pulse, then clap the rhythm:</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Rain, rain go away</li>            <li>Come again another day</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>Singing the song</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rain.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>Singing and tapping the pulse</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rain_pulse.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>Sing and clapping the rhythm.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rhythmrain.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382597715?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Remember to use the correct words, <em>pitch, pulse and rhythm,</em> for each activity. </p><p><u class="highlight">Tip:</u> most young children find it easier to clap by holding one hand out and clapping on it with the other.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/gabriele-diwald-Kwi60PbAM9I-unsplash.jpg" alt="Gabriele Diwald Kwi60 Pb Am9 I Unsplash">    </div>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Stormy Sound Pictures</h3><p>Great fun and very easy! Tell a story about the storm coming and show the children, at each part of the story, how to make sound effects:</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382598234?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>The Story</h4><p>I tend to make up the story as I go along, but here are some suggestions:</p><p>It was a sunny day at first but then the wind started to blow (blowing sounds like blowing out a candle). </p><p>Tiny raindrops started to fall, slowly and gently (tap with fingers of one hand onto the other hand). </p><p>The rain came quicker and louder (drum with fingers on a chair or the floor). </p><p>There was a quiet rumble crash of thunder (feet on the floor) and it rained faster (drum with fingers). Suddenly there was a big crash of thunder (clap). </p><p>Gradually the rain became slower and quieter (fingers go from drumming to tapping on hands) and the wind went from loud to quiet (blow quieter and quieter). </p><p>Soon the rain and wind stopped (fingers on lips and silence) and the sun came out (everyone smile).</p>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Hail (tempo, dynamics, character)</h3><p>This piece of music is from a longer work called The Seasons, composed by Glazunov. </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Winter_Hail_Naxos-8.550079-10-HKI199317010.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>The children could listen first and suggest words to describe the music, such as like quick footsteps or like running. You may need to supply appropriate words because describing music will be a new concept for many children of this age. Next, you might ask the children to move with quick, little steps to the music. Using dance scarves could enable some children to make the shape of the music getting gradually louder, then quieter - if you do this too, they will get the idea more easily. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/383076915?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Rain in a Bag</h3><p>Materials needed: plastic food bags, soil, spoon, handful of grass with roots attached (pulled from the ground), water, clear tape, masking tape, marker pen, drinking straw.</p><ul><li>Each child puts a few spoonfuls of soil into a bag labelled with their name.</li><li>Next they plant the handful of grass into the soil.</li><li>Pour one spoonful of water over the grass.</li><li>Put a straw in the bag (with most of the straw out of the bag).</li><li>Seal the bag around the straw.</li><li>Fill the bag with air by having the child blow into the straw.</li><li>Pull the straw out of the bag and quickly seal it, keeping the air inside.</li><li>Tape the bag to a sunny window.</li></ul><p>Soon, they should see condensation begin to form and eventually it will roll down the bag into the soil, causing â€˜rainâ€™ to water the plant.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/aaron-burden-sI8V_ax011I-unsplash.jpg" alt="Aaron Burden S I8 V Ax011 I Unsplash">    </div>

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

The Weather & the Seasons Level: Early Grades

Two-year plan for teaching music, for Pre-K and Pre-K, covering when Music Playtime recommends teaching each topic and in which order. Among the these there are both essential and optional topics, so that you can construct your music curriculum to suit your students and your setting.

Two-Year Plan: Pre-K - Pre-K

<p>This topic is about ourselves, focusing on rhythms, pitches and voices. Please read the ABOUT sections before beginning and download the Elements of Music cards. For advice on viewing and printing out the pdfs, please check &#039;How to Use Music Playtime&#039; in the &#039;About&#039; Sections.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Structure<span>:</span></strong> The way music is constructed.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Tuned and untuned percussion instruments</li>                                                    <li>Small objects for hiding around the room</li>                                            </ul>  

<h3>Introducing the Children (and Mrs Crocosaurus!)</h3><p>Here are the lovely Early Grades/Pre-K children of Forton School who demonstrate, in our videos, how they learned lots of the Music Playtime activities. The videos span a whole school year, three terms, so you'll see different groupings as some children move from Early Grades/Pre-K into Key Stage 1. Several of the children had only just started nursery and we begin with their very first music session.</p><p>But who's that green creature? Mrs Crocosaurus is half crocodile and half dinosaur and she comes to help us sing in tune. She likes to hear clear words and she enjoys only beautiful singing! She supervises the accuracy of the singing and the children seem to value her opinion over that of humans! </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382920283?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Introducing your Sing-Song Voice! (pitch)</h3><p>You will use your <em>sing-song voice</em> in lots of the topics in Music Playtime. It's a kind of initial building block that gives teachers the confidence to start singing and helps the children to begin pitching notes accurately. Sing-song voices are quiet and controlled, teaching the children that beautiful is better than loud.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/sing-song-voice.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>Learning Names Through Chanting</h3><p><strong><strong>Spaceships!</strong></strong></p><p>Chanting just means speaking rhythmically. Here's a chanting game that will help a new group of children - and you - to learn everyone's name. Children are learning new words every day and soon understand what chanting is if you ask them to join in with their 'chanting voice'. Line the children up, having already put out hula hoops, one per child.</p><p>Start by leading the first few children to a hoop as you chant their names in the rhyme. Once the children understand what to do, you can clap in time too. All the children will eventually stand or sit one per hoop. </p><p>To put the hoops away, reverse the game and chant, 'Sophie bring your spaceship' (line 1) and 'Harry bring your spaceship' (line 3), and so on.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Sophie go to your spaceship</li>            <li>We&#039;re going to chant, and say a rhyme</li>            <li>Harry go to your spaceship</li>            <li>We&#039;re going to chant and clap in time</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Spaceship_chant-copy.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>Meet Luchia, our Music Playtime Singer</h3><p>Next, I'd like you to meet Luchia Law, the singer on virtually all the sound files. Here she is singing <em>The Wheels on the Bus</em>, which you'll find in the <a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184827/Going Places Level: Early Grades - Introductory">Going Places</a> unit. Most of the songs lend themselves to mime, which you can see Luchia doing here. Mime is great fun, it helps with understanding the meaning and character of a song and the children can do it with, or without, singing the words.</p>                                                                <h4>The Wheels on the Bus - Activity</h4><p>Try asking the children if they think Mrs Crocosaurus would like Luchia's singing. Hopefully, they will say. 'Yes'! If you ask why, you may get the same answer from all the children and it will go something like, 'Because she likes it'. This is fine - little children will almost certainly never have been asked this question before and it gives you the chance to say what you like about it! You could say that Luchia:</p><ul><li>sings the right tune</li><li>uses her singing voice, not her talking voice</li><li>sings not too fast and not too slow</li><li>makes a lovely sound - not shouty and not as quiet as a mouse.</li></ul>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Iay3GrZb5DE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Paired Activities </h3><p>Music is good for learning how to work with a partner. Children also love to interact musically with an adult, so try to grasp any opportunity to join in with a child who is exploring instruments in the music corner. There is value in modelling a simple activity such as how to 'ting' Indian Bells so that they ring out, and having a child copy you. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/cross-legged.png" alt="Cross Legged">    </div>                                                                <h3>Circle Activities</h3><p>I like to do most music activities sitting on the floor with everyone in a circle. Children of this age are endlessly fascinating because of their phenomenal rate of learning and one of the things I found this group of children needed to learn first was how to sit in a circle! To make it easier, you could first put removable stickers in a circle, to act as place markers.</p>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Have You Brought Your Singing Voice? (pitch)</h3><p>This is a good introductory activity for helping children to 'find' their singing voice and humming voice as opposed to their talking voice. It's one of the first things to do in music with a new group of children. It's also a good attention-grabber to use at any time to settle the children down. Whatever voice the teacher uses, the children copy it when they reply. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/391981107?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Teacher says: Have you brought your talking voice?</li>            <li>Children say in a normal talking voice: Yes we have! Yes we have!</li>            <li>Teacher sing-songs: Have you brought your singing voice?</li>            <li>Children sing-song: Yes we have! Yes we have!</li>            <li>Teacher whispers: Have you brought your whispering voice?</li>            <li>Children whisper: Yes we have! Yes we have!</li>            <li>Teacher hums: Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm?</li>            <li>Children hum: Mm mm mm! Mm mm mm!</li>            <li>And so on ...</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Holly_sophie.png" alt="Holly Sophie">    </div>                                                                <h3>Hickory Dickory Bumble Bee (rhythm)</h3><p>Ideally, you need a furry bumble bee to help you to indicate which child you are focusing on. When the bumble bee looks at each child in turn, you sing, 'Hickory dickory bumble bee, won't you say your name for me? The child replies by saying their name. It's fun (and good for learning to count sounds) if you ask 'How many claps was that?' after each name is clapped. You can decide in what ways you want the children to copy the name pattern eg talking, humming, clapping, whispering.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/HIckory_dickory_bumble2.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>TEACHER - Hickory dickory bumble bee</li>            <li>Won&#039;t you say your name for me?</li>            <li>CHILD: Edward</li>            <li>TEACHER: Everyone say it</li>            <li>CHILDREN: Edward</li>            <li>TEACHER: Everyone clap it</li>            <li>CHILDREN: Clap clap</li>            <li>TEACHER: Everyone whisper it</li>            <li>CHILDREN: Edward</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Getting to Know You</h3><h4>Pat Pat - Names (pulse)</h4><p>Everyone sits in a circle, cross legged and spaced as widely as is practical. Pat your knees twice, making big movements, and then gesture in a welcoming way towards each child in turn, for just long enough for you to sing-song that child's name. Keep going, round the circle in order, until all the children have been included.</p><p>The children join in with patting their knees, in time with you. They could optionally join in with singing each child's name.</p><ul><li>Pat pat</li><li>Arms wide and sing-song Holly</li><li>Pat pat</li><li>Arms wide and sing-song Sophie</li></ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Holly2.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>The aim is to keep the pulse steady and keep going. If this happens, you can praise the children by saying, '<em>We're keeping a steady pulse going round the circle - well done!'</em> Children are learning new words all the time and they will pick up meaning of <em>pulse</em> if you use it in context.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/jelleke-vanooteghem-765781-unsplash.jpg" alt="Jelleke Vanooteghem 765781 Unsplash">    </div>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Fast, Slow and Walking! (tempo)</h3><p>Mrs Crocosaurus helps to explain fast and slow tempo in terms of movement. You can follow this up with singing a song at a fast tempo, and then sing it slowly. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/415979791?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Copy Me (rhythm, pulse)</h3><p>Using a <em>'sing-song' voice</em> the teacher sings the first line, <em>Copy me, copy me, clap like me,</em> then claps three times, which the children copy. For subsequent lines, the teacher sings then does something different, which the children copy. The idea is that the teacher does the singing and the children copy the actions, in time with the pulse.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/copy_me.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Copy me, copy me, clap like me</li>            <li>Copy me, copy me, stamp like me (stay sitting on bottoms)</li>            <li>Copy me, copy me, tap like me (tap on knees)</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Mel_and_class.png" alt="Mel And Class">    </div>                                                                <h3>Copy Kitten (pitch, rhythm, timbre)</h3><p>You need a toy fluffy cat for this game. Begin by asking the children to show you all the sounds they can make using their mouths and voices. Ask them to decide which is their favorite sound and then everyone practise copying each other's sounds. </p><p>Next, teach the song with everyone sitting in a circle. Child 1 holds the furry 'Copy Kitten' and makes a sound at the end of the verse for everyone to copy. Child 1 passes Copy Kitten to the second child in the circle; all sing the song again and Child 2 makes a sound for everyone to copy, and so on. </p><p>This activity also focuses on <em>timbre</em>, the essential difference between sounds made in different ways.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Copy-Kitten.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Copy kitten, copy kitten</li>            <li>Miaow miaow hiss</li>            <li>Copy kitten, copy kitten</li>            <li>Sounds like this</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/amy-baugess-MNju0A6EeE0-unsplash.jpg" alt="Amy Baugess Mnju0 A6 Ee E0 Unsplash">    </div>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Do you like copying games?</h3><p>Here's Maestro the Music Dog playing a copying game with his new friend, Coppie the Cat.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/146524468?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>All Maestro the Music Dog materials Â©E-MusicMaestroPublishing Limited</li>            <li>Original watercolors and story: Sandy Holland</li>            <li>Original music: Peter Noke</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Copy Cats</h3><h4>Number Copy Cat (rhythm, dynamics)</h4><p>Begin with clapping, asking the children to copy you (eg you clap twice - they clap twice, you clap once - they clap once). Then transfer this to other body sounds eg stamping. Next, this can transfer to untuned instruments (eg wood block, shaker), asking the children to copy the way you make the sounds. If they manage this easily, try varying between louder sounds and quieter sounds too (the term for louder/quieter is <em>dynamics</em>). </p><h4>Name Copy Cat (rhythm)</h4><p>Model how to clap the <em>rhythm</em> of your own name (eg Fiona = clap clap clap, Miss Jones = clap clap). Next, go round the group in a circle - say, then clap each child's name. The child claps their own name and everyone joins in. The children might notice that several names have the same number of claps. </p><h4>Untuned instrument Copy Cat (timbre)</h4><p>This is a music corner activity that needs an adult's help. The idea is to explore the sound (or <em>timbre)</em> of the instruments Put out pairs of the same instruments eg two wood blocks, two drums, two shakers.</p><p>First let pairs of children experiment to hear the different sound the instruments make. To introduce the word, timbre in context, you can say, 'The wood block has a different <em>timbre</em> from the drum - listen to how different they sound!' Next see if the children can guess which instrument you play if they cover their eyes.</p><p>Help Child 1 to say and play their name (Lyndsay = tap tap) on the wood block. Child 2 copies on the other wood block.</p><p>Child 2 says and plays their name on the drum (Jack Fazoli = bang bang bang bang). Child 1 copies on the other drum.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rene-peters-cs3tf8kDKEc-unsplash.jpg" alt="Rene Peters Cs3Tf8K Dkec Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h4>Chime Bar Copy Cat (pitch)</h4><p>This is a pairs or small group activity, needing an adult. Put out any two different chime bars (C and G OR D and A, so they sound very different) in the music corner. If the chime bars are in a case, it's best to take the two out. First model for the children how to play a chime bar with a beater - the beater needs to bounce off the bar otherwise it will clunk instead of chime! </p><p>When the children have their go, it's a great opportunity to say, 'That chime bar has a higher <em>pitch</em> and this one has a lower <em>pitch</em>!' Ask which of the chime bars sounds lower and which sounds higher - the long ones sound lower than the shorter ones. It's important that the children understand that the size makes the difference, not the color!</p><p>1/ Child 1 plays the two chime bars in any order. Child 2 copies what they do. Then swap over.</p><p>2/ Child 1 plays the two chime bars in any order. Child 2 covers eyes or turns away then guesses and copies what Child 1 did. Swap over.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/chime_bars.png" alt="Chime Bars">    </div>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>A Dance With Friends! (structure)</h3><p>Here's a circle dance with different actions that fit with each section of the music, helping to draw attention to the <em>structure</em> of the music. The music is from <em>Rondo Alla Turca</em> by Mozart, the second movement from his piano Sonata in A major. A rondo has a tune that keeps coming back at least three times, interspersed with different tunes, but I have not included the whole movement here, for the sake of simplicity. </p><p>When I started teaching this dance I thought the children would never get it, yet after just a few tries they were managing pretty well and loving it! The idea is that doing a different movement to each part of the music helps draw attention to its structure.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384798158?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Free Dance</h4><p>After the structured dance, I asked the children to do their own dance and there's an interesting variety of responses. One little boy who had just started nursery was a bit bewildered and walked around but, towards the end you can see one of the older boys (having slid around a bit previously) spontaneously clapping in time with the pulse of the music.</p>                                                                <h3>Hide and Seek (tempo)</h3><p>Ask the children to find one of these things, hidden around the room (hide more objects than children eg 6 white spoons, 3 pink mice, 6 blue beanbags)</p><p>For this game, play <em>The Runaway Rocking Horse</em> by Edward White. First the children listen, without moving, to the slow introduction. When the <em>tempo</em> becomes fast, they go and seek. When the music stops they sit down with what they have found. </p><p>To put away what they have found, the children listen again to the slow introduction then put the objects away in the right place as the quicker music plays. If the music is still playing, they sit down and watch the video. The music is played on an organ, which is interesting for the children to watch as many will not have seen an organ.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382922124?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Scary Hide and Seek! (tempo)</h3><p>The children watch the video of Hide and Seek by Schumann, played on piano, looking out for the eyes peeping from the trees! The could watch again and count how many pairs of eyes they see. Where was the quickest part of the music? </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/auDpvpOHuvg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Quick and Slow Sounds (tempo)</h4><p>Every child needs something that makes a sound - an instrument, a 'found sound' such as a rustly bag, or body sounds eg clapping hands. The teacher is the conductor - when you make big, slow hand movements, the children make slow, smooth sounds and when you make quick, jumpy hand movements they play quickly. Keep changing randomly from one to the other. </p>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>My Hand-print Tree</h3><p>Use finger paint in a tray. Each child puts the palms of their hands into the paint, then presses them onto a big piece of paper, with their name on, to make six prints. When the paint is dry, cut out the handprints. Each child paints a brown tree-trunk on paper and sticks the prints at the top, like leaves.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/bernard-hermant-1065742-unsplash.jpg" alt="Bernard Hermant 1065742 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>A poem and picture about me! (literacy link)</h3><p>Everyone, including the teachers, make a picture or yourself to show how you look in the mirror!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>In the mirror on the wall</li>            <li>Thereâ€™s a face I always see</li>            <li>Round and pink, and rather small</li>            <li>Looking back again at me</li>            <li>Itâ€™s very rude to stare</li>            <li>But she never thinks of that</li>            <li>For her eyes are always there</li>            <li>What can she be looking at?</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/shot-by-ireland-uMf8Ma02cvM-unsplash.jpg" alt="Shot By Ireland U Mf8 Ma02Cv M Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>What Would You Like To Be? (PSED Link)</h3><p>What sort of person would the children like to be? Here's a version of a song that we used to sing in my family when my sister and I were children. I wanted to be a cowboy so that I could ride horses all day and rescue people from danger (I didn't realise it had anything to do with cows or being a boy!) It's an opportunity for the children to talk about what kind of person they want to be when they grow up.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_What-do-you-want-to-be.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

A sheet for recording student progression in each of the topics taught as part of the Music Playtime Music curriculum. It allows you to make record progress across topics of students joining in, singing, playing, rhythm and pulse, creating music, and listening and responding.

Student progression recording sheet

A visual representation of duration as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'duration' in music.

Duration poster

A visual representation of dynamics as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'dynamics' in music.

Dynamics poster

A visual representation of pitch as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'pitch' in music.

Pitch poster

A visual representation of silence as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'silence' in music.

Silence poster

A visual representation of tempo as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'tempo' in music.

Tempo poster

A visual representation of texture as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'texture' in music.

Texture poster

A visual representation of timbre as a musical concept, designed to help students understand what is meant by 'timbre' in music.

Timbre poster

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades

<p>This topic introduces Maestro the Music dog and focuses on singing, listening, and actions with music. Download your Record of Activities &amp; Progress chart here.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Maestro the Music Dog toy</li>                                            </ul>                                                    

<h3>Who is Maestro the Music Dog?</h3><p>Here's <u class="highlight">Maestro the Music Dog,</u> having an adventure in the playground. Every class needs a Maestro Dog! </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Maestro_face.png" alt="Maestro Face">    </div>                                                                <h3>Maestro Likes to Hear Us Sing (singing in tune &amp; pulse)</h3><p>Everyone sit in a circle. Put <u class="highlight">Maestro the Music Dog</u> in the middle of the circle. The song uses just your <em>sing-song</em> voice. To teach it, sing one line at a time in a <em>first me, then you</em> way. Ask the children to listen carefully and sing exactly the same notes as you. Persevere with reminding the children sing in tune because even very young children can, if the song is simple enough. Demonstrate <em>not-in-tune</em>! If you sing it wrong on purpose, the children will enjoy correcting you!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>MAE-stro LIKES to HEAR us SING</li>            <li>IN the MID-dle OF the RING</li>    </ul>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382620850?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>When the children know the song, everyone tap the pulse using hands on knees. Tap on the CAPITAL LETTER part of the words above, and use big movements so that the children can copy you. Remember to tell the children, 'Well done with clapping the pulse,' so that they learn the word, <em>pulse</em>. </p><h4>Passing Maestro On</h4><p>On another day when the song is secure, every time you all clap, Maestro is passed from one child to the next, naming each child, like this:</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Maestro likes to hear us sing</li>            <li>Pass him on to Lay-la (or Jon-a-than, and so on)</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>My Puppy</h3><p>Here's a poem for children to chant rhythmically and you can help them to keep a steady pulse by tap their knees on the strong beats (shown in capitals). </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>My PUPPY has a WIGGLY tail</li>            <li>He WAGS it when heâ€™s HAPPY</li>            <li>But WHEN my kitten WAVES her tail</li>            <li>It MEANS she&#039;s feeling SNAPPY</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/jairo-alzate-sssxyuZape8-unsplash.jpg" alt="Jairo Alzate Sssxyu Zape8 Unsplash">    </div>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Pass the Animals Round the Ring</h3><p>Everyone sit in a circle. Have several plush animals in front of you, fewer animals than children. First, go through who the animals are: Who is this? ... Yes it's Froggy! The children need to know what each animal is before you begin. Pass an animal to each child, one at a time, ask in a sing-song voice 'Who's got the elephant?' and model how to reply, 'I've got the elephant'. </p><p>Next teach the song a bit at a time, using <em>First Me, Then You.</em> When the song is known, pass one animal to the child on your right, who passes it to the next child, and so on. When you can see that the first animal is moving round, pass another one. If your group is around 15 children you need maybe 7 animals, otherwise you'll find one child holding onto a whole zoo! Before starting each new verse, it helps the children to start all together if you first sing, <em>Ready!</em> on the note you'll begin with. Here are a few favorite characters from my plush animal collection:</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/plush_animals.jpg" alt="Plush Animals">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Pass the animals round the ring</li>            <li>round the ring</li>            <li>round the ring</li>            <li>Pass the animals round the ring</li>            <li>And then STOP</li>            <li>Teacher: Who&#039;s got the tiger?</li>            <li>Child: I&#039;ve got the tiger</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>This was the children's first attempt. The song quickly became their favorite and they organised it for themselves when I wasn't there!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382620630?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Here's the Froggy Again!</h3><p>The children can do actions to this little song. If you can use an outdoor space the children can be spread out. In a hall, each child can have a hula-hoop 'water lily' to sit in and do their hopping and jumping. </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/A_Little_Frog.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>A little frog in the pond am I</li>            <li>Hippety hippety hop</li>            <li>And I can jump in the air so high</li>            <li>Hippety hippety hop</li>    </ul>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/nathan-hanna-693533-unsplash-1.png" alt="Nathan Hanna 693533 Unsplash 1">    </div>                                                                <h3>Tommy Tucker's Dog</h3><p>The song is easy to learn if you teach it a step at a time, First me, then you. You have to be up for a challenge to teach the movements, but it's all good fun! (Watch the video first and try the actions out yourself with a partner.)</p><p>When the children know the song reasonably well, put them into pairs and sort out who will cross their hands (this is the tricky bit) and in which direction they will turn. At this point the singing tends to deteriorate and you'll need to do a bit more work on it. Eventually it will all come together and the singing will be good as well as the movements being great fun. There is a 'progressive' version of this game in which each child turns 180 degrees to a new partner after every verse but, unless you are braver than I am, I think you will decide not to try it with this age-group!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Bow wow woo</li>            <li>Whose dog are you?</li>            <li>Little Tommy Tucker&#039;s Dog</li>            <li>Bow wow woo</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>Here's one of our early attempts!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/363897149?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Solo Version</h4><p>You can easily do this game without the children having partners. The children all stand in a space, inside their own hula hoop. The actions are similar to the paired game so that they can transfer readily, at some point, into working with a partner:</p><ul><li>Bow wow woo - clap hands</li><li>Whose dog are you? - point ahead and wag your finger</li><li>Little Tommy Tucker's Dog - turn around</li><li>Bow wow woo - clap hands</li></ul>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>A Great Big Pig</h3><p>The best way to teach this song is to use the <em>first me, then you</em> method, taking a line at a time and starting with just the words (Check that the children understand the word, 'sty'):</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>A great big pig once lived in a sty</li>            <li>And three little piggies had she</li>            <li>She waddled about saying &#039;Oink oink oink&#039;</li>            <li>While the little ones said &#039;Wee! Wee!&#039;</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_A-great-big-Pig.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/piggy.jpg" alt="Piggy">    </div>                                                                <h3>Big Pig, Little Piglet - Music corner activity </h3><h4>Loud and Quiet Pigs! (dynamics)</h4><p>Put out a selection of instruments. In pairs the children each choose an instrument - one loud for the big pig and one quiet for the little piglets. Make up a little sequence together: </p><p>Big Pig (loud) - Piglets (quiet) - Big Pig (loud)</p><p>Then swap over instruments and try again.</p><h4> Fast and Slow Pigs! (tempo)</h4><p>Make up another sequence:</p><p>Big Pig (play slowly) â€“ Piglets (play quickly) â€“ Big Pig (slowly)</p><p>Swap instruments and try again.</p>                                                                <h4>Piggy Sounds to Symbols</h4><p>To begin helping children to relate sounds to symbols, have finger paint and big sheets of paper ready. Ask the children make pictures of their three sounds, in a row, in the order they played them (eg loud-quiet-loud). They will need to think how a loud sound might look different from a quiet one, and how quick sounds can be shown as different from slow ones. </p>                                                                <h4>Your Piggy Song (pitch, structure)</h4><p>Everyone practise making high pitch and low pitch piggy sounds: grunt, squeal, running on trotters, talking 'like a pig' and so on. Make a 'pig sty' out of boxes then give each child the chance to go inside the pig sty and make up their own piggy song using words and noises.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/piglet.png" alt="Piglet">    </div>                                                                <h4>Big Pig, Little Piglet - Solo Version</h4><p>For 'Loud &amp; Quiet Pigs' and 'Fast &amp; Slow Pigs', the children listen to the song first then individual children choose just one instrument each for making up the sequences. You will need to put out instruments that are capable of playing loud and quiet, and fast and slow. 'Piggy Sounds to Symbols' is essentially a solo activity.</p>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Who Said Mice? (dynamics)</h3>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NgApv2uhZCk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Watch the video and listen to this music about a cat and a mouse. What do the children think is happening when the music gets louder? In pairs create a 'still image' of the cat and the mouse. (A still image is like a snapshot of something happening, frozen in time, that shows how each person or animal is feeling and what they are doing.)</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/willian-justen-de-vasconcellos-1hBWrLIDSCc-unsplash.png" alt="Willian Justen De Vasconcellos 1H Bwr Lidscc Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Tortoises (tempo, texture, timbre)</h3>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382922358?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Everyone listen to <em>Tortoises</em> from the <em>Carnival of the Animals</em> by the composer Saint-Saens. The children move their arms and legs on all fours, as slowly as a tortoise, then pretend to go to sleep at the end. You may notice that the tune is a slowed down version of the Can-Can tune!</p><p>Ask what makes the music 'sound like' the way tortoises move. You can introduce the phrase 'slow tempo'. Draw attention to the piano playing at the start of <em>Tortoises</em> and listen as it continues in a plodding way at the same time as the other instruments (more instruments creating a thicker texture). If you have a piano available, let the children hear the sound when they press the keys. Then take off the big panel under the keyboard and ask them to say how it sounds different when they pluck or strum the strings (don't worry - pianos are very robust!).</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/cedric-fox-597825-unsplash.png" alt="Cedric Fox 597825 Unsplash">    </div>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Generation Kind</h3><p>The RSPCA has an ongoing kindness to animals programme, with activities and resources suitable for Early Grades children. <a href="https://education.rspca.org.uk/education/teachers/earlyyears">Find out more here!</a></p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Caring-for-our-pets.jpg" alt="Caring For Our Pets">    </div>                                                                <h3>My Pet Poem (literacy)</h3><p>The teacher says the first part of the poem and the children think first, then take turns to make up the rest. When you have a good description, you say the poem again with the children taking turns to add their contribution at the right time. When you have practised this together a few times, each child paints their imaginary pet's portrait in finger paints. </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>I&#039;ve got a strange pet</li>            <li>You haven&#039;t seen him yet</li>            <li>He&#039;s got â€¦ ...</li>            <li>and ... ....</li>            <li>He&#039;s got a â€¦ â€¦</li>            <li>and a â€¦ â€¦</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>Here are some examples: </p><ul><li>He's got a blue tail</li><li>and three eyes</li><li>He's got tiny teeth</li><li>and a purple nose</li></ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/braydon-anderson-wOHH-NUTvVc-unsplash.png" alt="Braydon Anderson W Ohh Nutv Vc Unsplash">    </div>

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Pets & Other Animals Level: Early Grades

<p>This unit is about dinosaurs. It focuses on the difference between singing and chanting, and on loud and quiet dynamics.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Untuned percussion instruments</li>                                                    <li>Book: Noisy Dinosaurs â€“ Noisy Books (Board book) by Felicity Brooks  ISBN 9780746097847 Publisher: Usborne</li>                                                    <li>Early Grades Dinosaur Counters (e.g. C&amp;D make)</li>                                            </ul>

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/fausto-garcia-hYKG311mff8-unsplash.jpg" alt="Fausto Garcia H Ykg311Mff8 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>What's That Noise? (timbre)</h3><p>What sound could this be? The children guess. It's a dinosaur (well not really, but it might have sounded like this!) </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Dinosaur-sounds-from-Zapsplat.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h4>Timbre</h4><p>Timbre is the distinctive sound that enables us to tell one voice, instrument or sound apart from another eg mum's voice sounds different from teacher's voice. Animals do this too, of course - lambs and ewes recognise each other's sound from all the other sheep in the flock.</p>                                                                <h3>Dinosaur Rhythms (rhythm, pulse)</h3><p>With everyone sitting in a circle, first <em>model</em> (demonstrate) for the children how to clap some dinosaur names. I've chosen three that sound different because they have a different number of syllables. Then everyone tap a steady pulse on knees as you say the names in random order and the children clap the name-rhythms in response, like this:</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/leo.png" alt="Leo">    </div>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Dino_chant.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Rex</li>            <li>Rap-tor</li>            <li>Din-o-saur</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>I find that the children enjoy saying how many claps each word has. The youngest children take a while to learn to count sounds and may randomly say the first number that comes into their heads. They soon learn from other children by hearing the right answers, and saying and clapping each name twice also helps.</p>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/umanoide-112489-unsplash.jpg" alt="Umanoide 112489 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Dinosaur Lullaby (timbre, pitch)</h3><p>First ask the children <em>Have you brought your talking voice?</em> Get them into the habit of replying <em>Yes we have, Yes we have!</em> Then teach Dinosaur Lullaby using <em>sleepy voices</em> for the first two lines, with a scary roar at the end of line 3, then a Mummy <em>speaking voice</em> for the last line, when the children all stand up. You can choose a small group of children to be Mummy Dinosaur. Sophie wanted Daddy Dinosaur to have his turn at roaring too so we did it again!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Dinosaur asleep in bed</li>            <li>Has a pillow for his head</li>            <li>In the morning mummy roars</li>            <li>Get up little dinosaurs!</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Dinosaur-Asleep.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>And this is what we did with the song ...</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382921919?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Extension</h4><p> The children could learn to play the tune on chime bars using G and E.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Dinosaur Lullaby Â©Music-Playtime: Arts Enterprise Limited</li>    </ul>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Dinosaurs' Jaws and Paws (rhythm, pulse)</h3><h4>Mime a Dinosaur</h4><p>First of all say the words in a rhythmical way and show the children how to mime the actions of 'great big jaws and pointy teeth', 'little paws and great big feet' and looking horrified (or pleased, or excited) if you saw one one your street.</p><h4>Body Percussion Dinosaur</h4><p>Everyone practise tapping knees straight after you say the words, <em>pointy teeth</em>, <em>great big feet</em> and <em>on your street.</em> Then ask the children to make body sounds too, at the end of each verse eg 'little paws and great big feet' could be lighly clapping hands and then stamping feet.</p><h4>Instruments Dinosaur</h4><p>Divide the group into three and give out different sounding instruments to each group. After the last line of each verse, the corresponding group plays: </p><ul><li>pointy teeth - claves (tap, tap, tap)</li><li>great big feet - drums (boom, boom ,boom)</li><li>on your street - bells/tambourines (sshhhhaakkke)</li></ul>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Dinosaurs have</li>            <li>Great big jaws and</li>            <li>pointy teeth</li>            <li>___</li>            <li>Dinosaurs have</li>            <li>Little paws and</li>            <li>Great big feet</li>            <li>___</li>            <li>What would you do</li>            <li>If you saw one</li>            <li>On your street?</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Sing the Song (pitch)</h3><p>Finally, say<em>Have you brought your singing voice?</em> and teach the tune too. When this is known the children could add the instruments or boady percussion again, at the end of each verse.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Dinosaurs-have-great-big-jaws.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/daiga-ellaby-eB6RTmE2ky4-unsplash.png" alt="Daiga Ellaby E B6 Rtm E2Ky4 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Dinosaurs Jaws and Paws Â©Music-Playtime: Arts Enterprise Limited</li>    </ul>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Dinosaur Body Sounds (dynamics)</h3><p>What body quiet/loud sounds can we make with our hands? (washing hands movement: quiet clapping: loud). With our feet? (stamp: loud, shuffle: quiet). With our voices? </p><p>With everyone in a circle, the teacher alternates, at random, saying: </p><ul><li>Some dinosaurs are quiet (children make quiet sounds)</li><li> Some dinosaurs are loud (children make loud sounds) </li></ul>                                                                <h3>Loud and Quiet Dinosaurs (dynamics)</h3><p>Here are some ways in which the children can explore dynamics. For the best learning experience, children need to talk about what they are doing, with the teacher there to supply new words. This works well in a small, supervised group. Ask the children to:</p><ul><li>Find out how to play a drum louder: hit it from a greater height, then quieter: hit it closer to the instrument.</li><li>find an instrument that makes quiet sounds</li><li>find an instrument that makes loud sounds</li><li>find an instrument that can make loud AND quiet sounds</li></ul><p>Next demonstrate, then encourage children to play the rhythm of Din-o-saur with a little wait in between each time (shake, shake, shake â€¦ shake, shake, shake)</p><p>Everyone sit in a circle with an instrument each. When the leader plays loudly the children play loudly. When the leader plays quietly, they play quietly. </p>                                                                <h3>Book suggestion</h3><p>Noisy Dinosaurs â€“ Noisy Books (Board book) by Felicity Brooks ISBN 9780746097847 Publisher: Usborne</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Noisy-dinosaurs.jpg" alt="Noisy Dinosaurs">    </div>                                                                <h3>What sort of songs do dinosaurs sing? (pitch)</h3><p>This is each child's chance to take a turn at making up a dinosaur song. First you will need to model how to make high and low vocal sounds then ask the children take turns at making up a dinosaur family song using high and low sounds. Don't worry about whether the children will be able to think what to do because this is an improvising activity where they make up and structure the sounds as they go on.</p>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>High and Low Boomwhackers (pitch)</h3><p>The bassoon, which the children can hear in the final video on this page, is basically a long tube. The longer the tube, the lower the sound which is why the bassoon is much lower-pitched than a recorder. A fun way to let the children experience this is to buy a pack of boomwhackers. The different sized tubes make different pitched sounds and you really can whack without fear of breaking them! Here are a few of the ways children can use boomwhackers:</p><ul><li>whack them on the floor</li><li>hit the tube in the middle </li><li>hit the end of the tube with a piece of card</li></ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/boomwhackers.jpg" alt="Boomwhackers">    </div>                                                                <p>The children seemed to have understood high and low pitch when I'd previously asked them in the context of singing but what happened later shows the need for the same concept to be explored in a different way - hence the need for music education to be a '<a href="https://music-playtime.com/about/support-for-your-teacher">Spiral Curriculum</a>'. </p><p>Notice how the children all thought the longer tube made the higher sound even though they saw me whack the higher-pitched one and the lower-pitched one! They were looking rather than listening and they had already learned that high means 'tall' in a visual context. Once they really listened, they experienced the meaning of higher and lower <em>pitch</em> in sound and I was able to explain that long tubes make lower pitched sounds than short ones. Many children also mistake high and low for volume, as in television controls.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/372728166?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>More Boomwhacker sounds:</h4>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/boomwhacker_sounds.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>L'apres-midi d'un Dinosaur by Gordon Jacob (pitch, tempo)</h3><p>The children can listen to a bassoon in the video below. This music is about what a dinosaur does in the afternoon! The title is in French. It is low-pitched, slow music played on a big woodwind instrument called the bassoon and on the electronic piano. The children walk heavily to the music, like a contented dinosaur. The dinosaur goes to sleep at the end and has sweet dreams.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382923146?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Dinosaur Hunt (mathematics, counting and sorting)</h3><p>Use Early Grades Dinosaur Counters (eg C&amp;D make). Hide different colored dinosaurs all around the room and provide same-color boxes. When the children find a dinosaur they put it in the matching-color box. Count the dinosaurs up in each box at the end of the morning/afternoon.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rawpixel-973150-unsplash.jpg" alt="Rawpixel 973150 Unsplash">    </div>

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Dinosaurs Level: Early Grades

<p>This unit is about all sorts of families, especially those with babies and twins. If focuses on same and different sounds.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Two identical sets of percussion instruments</li>                                                    <li>A set of two-dimensional, geometric shapes</li>                                            </ul>

<h3>Can You Pass the Little Drum?</h3><p>We often need to ask, 'Can you pass the ...' when we eat meals with our families or friends. Here's a passing song for you:</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382598612?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Find Your Animal Family (timbre)</h3><p>First everyone practises making animal noises: baaa, moo, woof miaow, squeak, hiss, oink.</p><p>The teacher whispers to each child which animal they are. Every child belongs to an animal family. The children walk around the room making their animal noise until the find their 'family', when they must sit down with their group. </p><p>Next, the teacher sing-songs: <em>Who are you?</em> The children reply in sing-song-voices: <em>We are the cows!</em> (for example). An easy way to show the children how to reply is to <a href="/admin/entries/faqs/277-faqs">model</a> what to do - first being the teacher asking the question and then pretending to be a child giving the answer.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/alaina-mclearnon-P_t9mRLFoRs-unsplash.png" alt="Alaina Mclearnon P T9M Rlfo Rs Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>The Alphabet Family</h3><p>The letters belong to the alphabet family! Here's a new alphabet song, specially composed for those who are tired of the usual one!</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/ABC_song.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/ABCD.png" alt="Abcd">    </div>

Families Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Woolly Tails!</h3><h4>Baa Baa Black Sheep </h4>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Baa-Baa-Black-Sheep.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/jonah-pettrich-427654-unsplash.jpg" alt="Jonah Pettrich 427654 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Mary Had a Little Lamb</h3>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Mary-had-a-little-lamb.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/sandy-holland-lamb_-twins.jpg" alt="Sandy Holland Lamb Twins">    </div>                                                                <h3>Clap our Hands for Baby </h3><p>Does anyone have a baby at home? How about twins? This is a poem for the teacher to say while the children do the actions. Aim to say the words rhythmically, or use your<a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184743/Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Introductory">sing-song voice</a>, and model doing the actions in time with the pulse. The children copy the actions in time with the pulse. It's best to sit on the floor as young children seem to find it easier to stamp their feet without worrying about balancing on one leg! Remember to make the verses sound different in character.</p><ul><li>Verse 1 - quietly - clap hands </li><li>Verse 2 - louder - stamp feet </li><li>Verse 3 - sweetly and slowly - rock arms </li></ul>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Clap our hands for baby</li>            <li>Clap them this way</li>            <li>This way, that way</li>            <li>Clap them this way</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Stamp our feet for baby</li>            <li>Stamp them this way</li>            <li>This way, that way</li>            <li>Stamp them this way</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Rock our arms for baby</li>            <li>Rock them this way</li>            <li>This way, that way</li>            <li>Rock them this way</li>    </ul>

Families Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>The Music Dog Goes Round and Round (pulse)</h3><p>Our pets are part of the family too! Here's a passing game and song about Maestro the Music Dog. I start off here with tapping the pulse on knees and many children eventually learn to pass the music dog in time with the pulse of the music.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382620209?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Instrument Twins (timbre)</h3><p>You need a set of identically paired instruments that make a different sound (timbre) eg two drums, two wood blocks, two scrapers, two maracas. Supposing you have six pairs of instruments, give one of each pair to a child, invite them to explore the sound the instruments make and help the children to name them all. </p><p>Put the other set of identical instruments behind a screen, keeping the others in the circle. One child hides behind a screen and plays an instrument from the identical set. </p><p>Ask the children 'Which instrument was that?' (invite hands up). Ask both children holding the identical instruments to make a sound on them again. Then a different child hides behind the screen and the game begins again.</p><p>Organisational hint - ask the children who have already played to put the instrument behind their back so they are not tempted to continue playing it once you have moved the game on to the next pair.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/frank-mckenna-720261-unsplash.png" alt="Frank Mckenna 720261 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Copy Cats </h3><h4>Copy Cat Mirrors (structure)</h4><p>This is a game to be played standing up, facing the children. The aim is for the children to copy you, as if in a mirror, as you do a sequence of movements. First you do one action and the children copy it after you, then you do a different action for them to copy. Next you do both actions over and over again without stopping as the children copy you at the same time, as if in a mirror. Build up to four movements, then do them again without stopping. </p><h4>Copy Cat Sounds (dynamics, pitch, duration)</h4><p>Next, you might do some movements with sounds, such as clapping and stamping, as well as some without sounds, such as touching your shoulders. You could vary loud and quiet dynamics, high-pitched and low-pitched vocal sounds and long-duration and short-duration sounds.</p>

Families Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Long and Short Sounds (duration)</h3><p>Start with modelling short and long sounds, before asking the children to experiment, with a partner, making short and long sounds. Next you could teach the song, <em>Some sounds are Short.</em> Finally, ask the children to take turns with their partner at making short and long sounds, first with body sounds and voices and later with instruments.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384792062?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Some sounds are short</li>            <li>Some sounds are long</li>            <li>Which sound will you make</li>            <li>After the song?</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Music Corner Sorting activity (timbre, dynamics, duration)</h3><p>Pairs of children go to the music corner, with an adult, and sort the instruments into families. It's an open-ended choice because they can base their sorting on similar-timbre sounds, on whether the instruments can play short or long sounds, or make loud or quiet sounds, or on what they are made of eg wood or metal.</p>                                                                <h3>Conversations (timbre, dynamics, tempo and PSED link)</h3><p>What kinds of conversations can you have with your friends, teachers, mums, dads? </p><p><u class="highlight">Role Play</u> In pairs, the children have a pretend conversation using puppets. The teacher could <em>model</em> this first, using a puppet in either hand.</p><p>With their partners, the children then make their puppets have a conversation by playing an instrument instead of talking to each other. Were the puppets asking questions, just chatting, or arguing? How does your partner's puppet feel about ...?</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/amir-abbas-abdolali-488723-unsplash.jpg" alt="Amir Abbas Abdolali 488723 Unsplash">    </div>

Families Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Rock-a-Bye Maybe (tempo) </h3><p>This little baby will not go to sleep! First let the children listen to the music and ask them if they recognise any of the tunes. Then they children move around the room, changing their speed as the speed of the music changes. Ask the children why they think the music is called Rock-a-Bye-<em>Maybe</em>? Encourage them to use describing words such as fast, slow, loud, quiet, smooth, jumpy. </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Rock-A-Bye-Maybe_tempo_changes_Z.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/minnie-zhou-1255606-unsplash.jpg" alt="Minnie Zhou 1255606 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Berceuse from Dolly Suite by Faure (mood &amp; character in dynamics &amp; tempo)</h3><p>The title of this music is <em>Berceuse,</em> which is the French word for <em>lullaby</em>. It's played here as a piano duet by brothers, Lucas and Arthur Jussen. The children each stand in a hoop, which is their 'baby's cradle', and make expressive movements to the music using their floaty scarf. They should move very quietly and not too quickly to the music. You can buy a set of different colored dance scarves very cheaply or, if you cut up a large piece of chiffon, each strip makes a floaty scarf.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KywhPwmS5Gg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Lullaby Corner (dynamics, tempo)</h4><p>Put out a range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments in the music corner. In small groups, the children work in pairs, taking turns to make <em>Lullaby</em> sounds that are quiet and sleepy and <em>Wake Up!</em> sounds that are louder and quicker. They might then show the other children in the group, who guess whether the sound is <em>Lullaby</em> or <em>Wake Up!</em></p>

Families Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>The difference game</h3><p>You need a set of two-dimensional, geometric shapes that have several differences eg large and small, thick and thin, different colors.</p><p>The children match the shapes by putting them into families of, for example, all the blue triangles, small thick circles, all the thin shapes. Extension work involves more specific differences eg 'Find a circle that has only one difference from this one'.</p><h3>Revisit Rock-a-Bye-Maybe?</h3><p>The music in the <a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184783/Families Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement">Listening</a> section of this unit had lots of differences. Listen again with the children and ask if they can put hands up when they hear more than one difference eg slower and also quieter.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/41L13JEmlfL.jpg" alt="41 L13 Jemlf L">    </div>

Families Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Families Level: Early Grades

<p>The activities are based on the (non-religious) story of how Maestro the Music Dog came to live on Hannah&#039;s piano at Christmas.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Structure<span>:</span></strong> The way music is constructed.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Texture<span>:</span></strong> A single sound, or combined sounds.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Book: Maestro the Dog and the Christmas Tree  by Sandy Holland &amp; Peter Noke Publisher E-MusicMaestroPublishing ISBN 9781999863524 Available at  https://www.e-musicmaestro.com/shop/books/childrens-picture-books</li>                                            </ul>                                                    

<h3>Maestro the Music Dog and the Christmas Tree</h3><p>This story just happens to be set at Christmas time but it has no religious connotations - it's just a bit of make-believe.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h705vMJH-Ok" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>All Maestro the Music Dog materials Â©Music-Playtime: Arts Enterprise Limited</li>            <li>Original watercolors and story: Sandy Holland</li>            <li>Original music: Peter Noke</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Choose a Sound for Maestro (timbre)</h3><p>Ask the children to make a wax crayon picture of each of the characters in the story. In the music corner, put out a range of instruments that make different sounds and are played in different ways then, individually, the children choose an instrument that they would like to match with that each character. It's good to have an adult available so that the children can talk about how they made their choices.</p>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/India.png" alt="India">    </div>                                                                <h3>Music Dog</h3><p>This song is sung to the tune of Jingle Bells:</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Music-Dog.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Music Dog Music Dog</li>            <li>Maestro is his name</li>            <li>Maestro came at Christmas time</li>            <li>To live with Hannah Lane</li>            <li>Oh!</li>            <li>Music Dog Music Dog</li>            <li>Maestro likes to play</li>            <li>Hannah Lane was happy</li>            <li>That he came on Christmas Day</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Hannah_and_Maestro.png" alt="Hannah And Maestro">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>All Maestro the Dog materials Â©Music-Playtime: Arts Enterprise Limited</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star</h3><p>To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle, a firm favorite with children and an ideal song for the children to mime.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Twinkle-Twinkle-Christmas-Star.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star</li>            <li>Way up high is where you are</li>            <li>Shining bright for us to see</li>            <li>On the top of the Christmas tree</li>            <li>Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star</li>            <li>Way up high is where you are</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/star.png" alt="Star">    </div>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Screen-Shot-2019-08-27-at-16.49.58.png" alt="Screen Shot 2019 08 27 At 16 49 58">    </div>                                                                <h3>Hannah Played Piano (structure)</h3><p>Here's an action chant about the Maestro story. The children do actions for both verses - I suggest actions but you can, of course, make up your own. For verse 2, hand out some jingle bells to a few children to play on the second line.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Hannah played piano  (piano arms, out and in)</li>            <li>Charlie played the bells  (shake arms up and down)</li>            <li>Maestro came at Christmas time  (look into the distance, shading eyes)</li>            <li>That&#039;s what the story tells!  (pretend to read the book)</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Clap our hands for Hannah  (clap hands)</li>            <li>Then we shake the bells  (shake arms up and down)</li>            <li>Point up to the Christmas star (point upwards)</li>            <li>That&#039;s what the story tells!  (pretend to read the book)</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/looking_at_the_tree.png" alt="Looking At The Tree">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>All Maestro the Music Dog materials Â©Music-Playtime: Arts Enterprise Limited</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>We Wish You a Merry Christmas (pulse, rhythm)</h3><p>The tune is the one we know and love, so there's no recording, but the words are different and there are actions to be done in time with the word, <em>LET'S</em> in each verse.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>We wish you a Merry Christmas</li>            <li>We wish you a Merry Christmas</li>            <li>We wish you a Merry Christmas</li>            <li>And a Happy New Year</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little clapping</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little clapping</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little clapping</li>            <li>And spread Christmas cheer</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little jumping</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little jumping</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S all do a little jumping</li>            <li>And spread Christmas cheer</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S do a little waving</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S do a little waving</li>            <li>Now LET&#039;S do a little waving</li>            <li>And spread Christmas cheer</li>    </ul>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/jeremy-stenuit-636299-unsplash.jpg" alt="Jeremy Stenuit 636299 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Christmas Instruments (timbre, dynamics, tempo, texture)</h3><p>This is a for groups of three or four that can be done as a class if you have teaching assistants, or as a music corner activity. First put out a range of instruments and objects such as jingle bells, wood blocks, shakers, chime bars, shells on a string, paper for rustling. The activity has added value if an adult supplies the children with useful words to describe what they are doing eg loud/quiet, fast/slow.Then ask the children to find out how the instruments can make Christmas music. </p><p>The suggestions made by the children here included the sound of a tree (who are we to argue?), snow falling, reindeer 'feet', Santa singing and laughing, sleigh bells, a clock striking midnight. </p><h4>The Snow group</h4><p>This group decided to make <em>Snow Music</em>. Notice that they all played at the same time (thick <em>texture</em>) and that some children varied how they played their instrument.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/383076813?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>The Santa group</h4><p>The children in this group were asked to create a musical story line. They talked first about how they could show it was midnight (the bells chiming midnight), then came reindeer hooves on the rooftop (wooden claves), Santa and the elves laughing and singing (chime bars and voice), and finally sleigh bells as they all go off into the sky again. Notice the thinner <em>texture</em> when they play one at a time and how this changes at the end when they all play bells. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/383076533?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Peer Evaluation</h4><p>It's not too early to begin asking the children to comment on the musical creations and performances of other groups. You'll hear me ask this group what they liked, for the first time, after the Santa group's performance. Whatever the children say is fine so accept all responses as valuable. It's a great to hear how these children realised straight away that they could talk (however simply) about music. </p><h4>Spontaneity</h4><p>I hadn't planned beforehand that we would sing Jingle Bells but didn't they enjoy it? This was my final session with this lovely group of children.</p>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>The Nutcracker</h3><p>Hannah and Charlie were playing Christmas music on Christmas Eve. A piece of music from a ballet that is often performed at Christmas time is The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, about a nutcracker toy that also arrived on Christmas Eve. Here's the part of the story where Clara, the girl in the story, finds the nutcracker. Clara goes to sleep and dreams that some little mice are dancing. The children could watch this video first, then listen to the music again and dance to it, pretending to be the little mice with one child (or a doll to prevent falling out!) chosen to be Clara.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384722964?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Mouse Music (pitch, tempo)</h3><p>Input from an adult is recommended for initial discussion about what sort of sounds small animals make with their feet and voices. The children could work individually or in pairs, first choosing instruments that make high-pitched, quiet sounds then creating a little piece of quick-moving music. A keyboard can be useful here, or a set of chime bars. Many children start to make up a story-line as the basis of their playing and later they might paint or draw a representation of the story or the sounds.</p>                                                                <h3>Christmas Elves (structure, tempo)</h3><h4>An Elf and Fairy Dance</h4><p>Wrist bells needed - you can buy a pack of ten online, with small size adjustable fastenings.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/wrist_bells.png" alt="Wrist Bells">    </div>                                                                <p>This picture is from a very old Christmas card. The elves and fairies are doing a circle dance on the toadstool. In a large space such as a hall, help the children to dance a simple circle dance, accompanied by the bells on their wrists. They need to be evenly spaced for the dance with lots of room to shake their bells as you say the words that give the instructions: </p><ul><li>elves and fairies walk in a ring, this way (circle anticlockwise, then turn) </li><li>elves and fairies walk in a ring, this way (circle clockwise)</li><li>elves and fairies face the middle and clap your hands (clap clap clap)</li><li>everyone bow to the fairy queen and then sit down.</li></ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_lrg">        <img class="lazy_img" src="/internal/----/_lrg/fairies.png" alt="Fairies">    </div>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>A Maestro Frieze (art link)</h3><p>Make a frieze all around the room of characters from the Maestro story that the children have painted. These could alternate with potato stencil 'paw prints' using potatoes that you have prepared in advance, dipped into a tray of finger paint.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/smiling_ginger_cat.png" alt="Smiling Ginger Cat">    </div>

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

COVID-safe Activities - Early Grades Topics 1-5

Maestro & the Christmas Tree Level: Early Grades

<p>The activities are all related to Chinese New Year celebrations. This unit introduces using the pentatonic.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Pentatonic<span>:</span></strong> A five note scale, or set of notes in order, such as C, D, E, G and A. The black keys of a piano or keyboard make a natural pentatonic scale - notice that each black key has at least one white key between it and the next one, which gives a distinctive &#039;pentatonic&#039; sound.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                            </ul>                                                                    

<h3>The Chinese Zodiac Story</h3><p>Tell the story of how the Jade Emperor chose the animals of the Chinese New Year. You can learn or read the story using the Chinese Zodiac Animals pdf download.</p>                                                                <h3>Chinese New Year Song</h3><p>I sing the Year of the <em>Tiger</em> here but, depending on which year it is, please choose the appropriate animal from the Chinese Zodiac. The song is best sung unaccompanied but the tune is easy to work out and play on the black keys of a keyboard or piano, if you have one available.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>It&#039;s New Year in China</li>            <li>So we hear</li>            <li>It&#039;s the year of the .........</li>            <li>Happy New Year</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/New_year_china.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/mathew-schwartz-418954-unsplash.jpg" alt="Mathew Schwartz 418954 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Chinese New Year Song Â©Arts Enterprise Limited</li>    </ul>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Chinese Happy New Year Song</h3><p>This Chinese Happy New Year Song was sung, in Mandarin language, especially for us by Cheung Cheuk Hei Gordon from Hong Kong. Mandarin is the official language used in China, including Hong Kong, but Cantonese is often used and preferred for conversation in Hong Kong. Here are the words in English:</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/369410663?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Every street, everybody&#039;s mouth</li>            <li>The first sentence to meet is congratulations!</li>            <li>Congratulations! Congratulations! ...</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>This is how the words look in Mandarin Chinese characters:</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>æ¯æ¢å¤§è¡—å°å·· æ¯å€‹äººçš„å˜´è£¡</li>            <li>è¦‹é¢ç¬¬ä¸€å¥è©± å°±æ˜¯æ­å–œæ­å–œ</li>            <li>æ­å–œæ­å–œæ­å–œä½ å‘€ æ­å–œæ­å–œ</li>            <li>æ­å–œä½ </li>            <li>æ­å–œæ­å–œæ­å–œä½ å‘€ æ­å–œæ­å–œ</li>            <li>æ­å–œä½ </li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/henry-co-568066-unsplash.jpg" alt="Henry Co 568066 Unsplash">    </div>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Catch The Dragon's Tail</h3><p>A traditional Chinese children's game for you.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384792574?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Teaching in China (rhythm, pulse, structure)</h3><p>Here's an idea from Michael Roxas, teaching little children to speak English in a playful way, using an action song. The musical value is in matching actions with the rhythm, pulse and structure of a song. It's also an ideal way to help children whose first language is not English, who attend an English-speaking school.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/354863557?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Learning through songs is very powerful - I know the German alphabet much better than the French one because that's how I learned it! The song used here is Frere Jacques, a tune you will know, so you could also use this model to create your own action song for things you want the children to learn, such as right and left. It's important to have a helper to do the actions in front of the children, <em>facing the same way as the children</em> otherwise left and right will become very confusing! Here's an example:</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Wave your right hand</li>            <li>Wave your left hand</li>            <li>Touch your nose</li>            <li>Touch your toes</li>            <li>Now stand on your right foot</li>            <li>Now stand on your left foot</li>            <li>Sit down please</li>            <li>Stand up please</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>Songs like this are best sung unaccompanied (as are most songs for this age-group) - this gives you much more freedom to stop and start according to the children's needs.</p>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Play an Animal (dynamics, timbre, tempo, pitch)</h3><p>This is a music Corner activity for small groups. First put out a selection of instruments, enough for one each. You may have some that are a bit like Chinese ones â€“ you can check here:</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed//x4rktNO-65c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Include chime bars C, D, E, G and A too. This is one of the many sets of five notes that form a pentatonic scale. The pentatonic has a definite <em>Chinese sound</em> and the great thing about a pentatonic set of notes is that they all sound good when played at the same time!</p><p>Allow the children to explore each instrument, encouraging them to use their own words to describe the sounds, while also supplying some words of your own based on the <a href="https://music-playtime.com/about/support-for-your-teacher">elements of music</a>.</p><p>Next, ask the children to make up music about this year's Chinese Zodiac animal. For the Year of the Pig, they may find an instrument to play slowly or one that can go <em>grunt, grunt</em>. The Year of the Horse sounds might move fast, or go <em>clip, clop</em>. Even if the sound doesn't seem to relate to the right animal, the child will still be making some kind of connection that you can talk about together. Children generally find it easy to believe that an instrument can 'be' an animal, either making the sound or representing the movement.</p>                                                                <h3>Winning and Losing (pitch, social studies)</h3><p>In the story of the Chinese Zodiac there was a winner of the race. Using puppets and vocal sounds, the children might make up their own songs as they explore how it feels to win and to lose. Making up songs at this stage is about exploring, selecting some sounds but not others, and changing the sounds to reflect their ideas, thoughts and feelings. Aim to say something positive about each child's song and also offer an additional idea or suggestion. The children could use the words (or not):</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Happy you won</li>            <li>Sorry I lost</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/monkey.png" alt="Monkey">    </div>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Be a Dragon! (tempo, pulse)</h3><p>Choose one child to be the dragon's head, wearing a dragon hat or mask that you have previously made. As you all listen to the Chinese Festival music, the children dance in a space on their own, pretending to be dragons. Only the child with the dragon's head moves around the room and each child she passes by joins the chain as the children, one by one, hold each other round round the waist, becoming a long dragon in a procession. Ideally, every child will take a turn at being the dragon's head over the next few days.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Chinese_Dragon.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>Which Animal? (pitch)</h3><p>First ask the children to listen to the music and to stretch up high when they hear high sounds and crouch down low then they hear low sounds. You will need to model this as the children join in with you because many children of this age will have no concept of low and high pitch in music.</p><p>Before the next part of the activity, you'll need to have shown the children pictures or videos of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and discussed how they sound and move. As the children listen again, ask them to move around the room pretending to be the animal they think of when they hear the music. You could circulate and guess which animal each child is being, asking individual children to show what they were doing, for others to guess too.</p><p><em>Pentatonic Tune by Bartok</em> (played on piano, which has become a very popular instrument in China).</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/BArtok_pentatonic_tune.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>The Panda</h3><p>This Chinese music is about everyone's favorite bear, The Panda! </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YuLbYnnySV8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Make Chinese Fans (art link)</h3><p>You need rectangular pieces of paper around 40cm by 15cm. The children make <em>Chinese</em> pictures choosing from these alternatives:</p><ul><li>Use wax crayons to draw tree branches and leaves, then finger paint to add blossom</li><li>Painted dragons </li><li>Wax crayon lanterns </li></ul><p>Next, fold the paper like an accordion to make fans. Secure the fan at the bottom by wrapping it with a thin strip of paper, glued in place. Pull out the folds to make the fan. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Chinese_fan.png" alt="Chinese Fan">    </div>

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

<h3>The Chinese Zodiac Story</h3><p>Tell the story of how the Jade Emperor chose the animals of the Chinese New Year.

The story of the Chinese Zodiac animals

A poster showing animals in groups of 1, 2, 3 and 4 so that children can match the picture of animals shown with the number

Matching cards - Animals in groups of 1,2,3 and 4

A poster showing animals in groups of 5,6,7 an 8 so that children can match the picture of animals shown with the number

Matching cards - Animals in groups of 5,6,7 and 8

A poster showing animals in groups of 9 and 10 so that children can match the picture of animals shown with the number

Matching cards - Animals in groups of 9 and 10

A poster showing the numbers 1 to 10 so that children can match the picture of animals shown with the number.

Matching cards - Numbers

Chinese New Year Level: Early Grades

<p>Everybody loves bears! This unit relates music to voices, characters and stories, exploring virtually all the elements.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Structure<span>:</span></strong> The way music is constructed.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Ladybird First Favourite Tales by Nicola Baxter ISBN: 1409306291 Publisher: Ladybird</li>                                                    <li>Tuned and untuned percussion instruments</li>                                                    <li>Art materials for making paper plate bears</li>                                            </ul>

<h3>The Three Bears (pitch)</h3><p>Tell the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You could tell this from memory or use the suggested story book. Whichever way you choose, it would be great if you could differentiate each character strongly by high, low or medium pitch voices. Afterwards you could ask the children about the three bears' different voices: </p><ul><li>Which bear had the highest voice? The children could think of of words to describe baby bear's high voice: high is like a cat's mew, a tweeting bird, a tinkling bell.</li><li>Low is like a dog's growl, grumbling thunder, a big drum â€¦ the children could think of more.</li></ul><p><u class="highlight">Tip</u> - High and low pitch are often confused with loud and quiet volume, like the TV.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/9781409306290.jpg" alt="9781409306290">    </div>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>My Little Bear </h3><p>This is a counting song to the tune of Alice the Camel. </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>My little bear has one nose</li>            <li>My little bear has one nose</li>            <li>My little bear has one nose</li>            <li>I love my little bear</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>My little bear has two eyes</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>My little bear has two ears</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>My little bear has four legs</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>My little bear has four paws</li>    </ul>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382597360?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>We don't sing all the verses here because it was the first time the children had sung My Little Bear but you can listen to it all here:</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_My-Little-Bear.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>Walking speed (tempo)</h3><p>After the song, I took the opportunity to add on an activity that demonstrated slow speed and walking speed by passing the bear round the circle.</p>                                                                <h3>High &amp; Low Bears Chant (pitch)</h3><p>To encourage the children to control the pitch of their voices, recognising high and low, point to baby bear and mummy bear in the picture, switching from one to the other. Everyone chants: </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Baby Bear are you there? (high voice)</li>            <li>Mummy Bear are you there?  (lower voice)</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_lrg">        <img class="lazy_img" src="/internal/----/_lrg/marco-secchi-E0su4LQzQ4c-unsplash.jpg" alt="Marco Secchi E0Su4 Lqz Q4C Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <p>What would Daddy Bear sound like? Why do bigger bears have lower voices? The children could compare chime bars - the longest bars have the lowest pitch.</p>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Bounce the Teddy (pulse, pitch)</h3><p>You need one teddy for this passing game. Children love taking their turn at bouncing the teddy and you'll see that some children will naturally bounce the teddy in time with the pulse of the song. The tune is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star but we began by chanting the words and helping the children to bounce the teddy at the right time and then pass it on.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/363901769?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>High and Low Bears (pitch)</h3><p>You'll need two chime bars, the smallest and the largest to give a significant difference in pitch. Play each chime bar for a few seconds, alternating between the two as the children move around the room into a space, putting their hands high in the air for high sounds, and crawling low down for low sounds. It's good to give the children the correct words, high pitch and low pitch, when you first demonstrate what to do.</p><p>You could play to the rhythm, in your head, of any phrase (eg Walking like a teddy bear). It's important to play at the same speed and loudness to avoid confusion over what high and low pitch means. </p>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>High and low Sounds (pitch, dynamics)</h3><p>Put out some pairs of musical instruments and pairs of everyday objects that can make a high or low sound eg big/small chime bars, big drum/little bells, little plastic bottle/big plastic bottle, big kitchen pan, little kitchen pan. Remember to put out beaters too. These are things that you could ask the children to explore:</p><ul><li>Which are higher/lower in pitch?</li><li>Which size makes the highest/lowest sounds?</li><li>Put them in order of high to low.</li><li>Do the high-sounding things sound louder too, or not? (Larger = greater <em>capacity</em> for loudness, but can also make quiet sounds. Small = lesser capacity for loud sounds.)</li></ul><h4>Make a sequence</h4><p>In pairs, or in a small supervised group, children play:</p><ul><li>High / low / high</li></ul><p>Then change the sequence to:</p><ul><li>Low / high / low</li></ul><p><u class="highlight">Hint</u> - It's really helpful if you model the activity first - as you play the high note, sing: <em>This is a high note</em>, then as you play the low note, sing: <em>This is a low note</em>. Children can easily distinguish high from low pitch, even as babies, but they need lots of opportunities to understand the words high and low in relation to pitch. High and low in music always describes pitch, never volume.</p><h4>More sequences (dynamics, timbre, tempo, duration)</h4><p>What other sequences could the children make up? They could experiment with using different instruments, or body sounds, for sequences focusing on these elements:</p><ul><li>Loud / quiet / loud (dynamics eg using drums)</li><li>scratchy / hollow / scratchy (timbre eg using found objects)</li><li>fast / slow / fast (tempo eg using claves)</li><li>long / short / long (duration - you'll need an instrument that can make a long sound, eg jingle bells)</li></ul><p>Here's an example of hollow / scratchy / hollow using found sounds:</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/hollow.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/marina-shatskih-1299054-unsplash.jpg" alt="Marina Shatskih 1299054 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Graphic Scores (structure)</h3><p>This is an ideal opportunity for the children to make graphic scores of their sequences, using whatever medium you choose. This is Holly's graphic score of <em>Loud Quiet Loud</em>. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Holly_paint.png" alt="Holly Paint">    </div>                                                                <p>Holly wrote the words, <em>loud quiet loud</em> on her score but, if the scores have no writing, it's fun for the pairs of children to swap and try to re-create the original meaning in music. You may be surprised at how accurate they are!</p>                                                                <h3>Teddy Day (pitch)</h3><p>Every child could bring in a teddy on an agreed day (please have spares in case anyone forgets or doesn't have a teddy). Ask the children, using your sing-song voice, to tell their teddies what to do today using <strong>their</strong> sing-song voices. At the end of the day, each child makes up a little lullaby to put teddy to bed. You could suggest the words:</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Sleepy time for teddy bears</li>            <li>Time to go to bed</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Teddy_asleep.png" alt="Teddy Asleep">    </div>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Walking Like a Teddy Bear (pulse, structure)</h3><p>You could teach this activity using the <em><a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184750/Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Key Stage 1 - Songs & chants">first me then you</a></em> method and then introduce a teddy bear for demonstrating the movements, or you could simply do it and have the children join in and copy you. The way in which this begins to teach structure is by linking each line with a different movement.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384797117?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Walking_like_a_teddy_bear.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Walking like a teddy bear</li>            <li>Touch the ground</li>            <li>Wave your arms</li>            <li>Jump in the air</li>            <li>Walking like a teddy bear</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>I am Bear (rhythm)</h3><p>Just for fun (and why not?). This music is in the style of a <em>rap</em>. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382925030?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Which bear? (pitch, timbre)</h3><p>Show the children and demonstrate the sound of three completely different-sounding instruments, each representing a different bear eg low-pitched drum for Daddy Bear, shakers for Mummy Bear and finger cymbals for Baby Bear. Next demonstrate or explain what the children have to do when they hear each 'bear':</p><ul><li>Daddy Bear: make a big star shape, standing tall</li><li>Mummy Bear: sit down</li><li>Baby Bear: curl into a ball</li></ul><p>All the children walk round the room into a space, as you sing-song three times: <em>Which bear will it be? </em>Then everyone has to stop, listen, and make the right shape.</p><h4>Quick and Slow Bears (tempo)</h4><p>All walk round the room into a space. This time the teacher plays a single instrument at a slow, medium or quick tempo - to do this, try saying to yourself: slow ... slow ..., walking-walking, running-running-running-running. The children move at the speed of the playing. If the sound stops, they become a 'frozen bear', completely still until the sound begins again.</p>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Paper Plate Bear (art)</h3><p>You can used a variety of material, depending on the bear you want. Each child needs a selection of these:</p><ul><li>one paper plate </li><li>tissue paper (brown bears and noses</li><li>cotton wool balls (polar bear)</li><li>eyes (felt circles, tissue paper or bought 'eyes')</li><li>glue</li></ul><p>Here's Lindsay's polar bear!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Teddy-Bear.jpg" alt="Teddy Bear">    </div>

Bears Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Bears Level: Early Grades

<p>This unit is about going places via all sorts of different transport.</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Structure<span>:</span></strong> The way music is constructed.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Untuned percussion instruments</li>                                                    <li>Medium sized spongy balls</li>                                                    <li>Toy trains, cars and buses</li>                                            </ul>

<div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/clapping_in_hall.png" alt="Clapping In Hall">    </div>                                                                <h3>One Two Buckle My Shoe - three ways!</h3><h4>Pulse</h4><p>A rhyme for going places! It's ideal for doing actions or for tapping knees in time with the <em>pulse</em>. You'll need to model keeping a steady pulse by doing big actions for the children to copy. Here's how it sounds: </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/shoe_pulse.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h4>Rhythm</h4><p>The children encounter the same <em>rhythms</em> again later in this unit, in the Creative Music section so this chant is good preparation, followed by later consolidation. Once the children know the words, they can tap out the rhythms too - I suggest you do this just one line at a time in a <em>First Me, Then You</em> way.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/shoe_rhythm.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h4>Pitch</h4><p>You can also sing-song this rhyme:</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/One_two_buckle_my_shoe.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>One two, buckle my shoe</li>            <li>Three four, open the door</li>            <li>Five six, picking up sticks</li>            <li>Seven eight, go through the gate</li>            <li>Nine ten, say it again!</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Leo2.png" alt="Leo2">    </div>                                                                <h3>On the Bus - for developing listening skills</h3><p>This is an active listening game, good for expending some energy. First, lay parallel lengths of skipping rope to make the 'road', the 'bus' and the 'train'. With the children facing you, show the 'road' in the middle, the train on one side and the bus on the other side and have a little practice moving from one to the other. To play the game, call out in random order:</p><ul><li>'On the bus' </li><li>'On the train' </li><li>'In the road' </li></ul><p>It's surprising how much fun this game can be!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/roman-fox-qoXgaF27zBc-unsplash.png" alt="Roman Fox Qo Xga F27Z Bc Unsplash">    </div>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Can You Hear the Train? (dynamics, tempo)</h3><p>The original song, included here with the permission of Lancashire Music Service, the original publishers, was just one verse but I liked it so much that I made up extra ones. When the children know the song, practise singing it slowly and then gradually quicker. </p><p>After singing the song, everyone chant 'Chugging along, chugging along' starting slowly and quietly then getting louder and quicker as the train comes closer, then gradually slower and quieter as the train goes away. The teacher leads the tempo (speed) and dynamics (volume changes) by making a big arc shape with arm movements. For the changes in loud and quiet, encourage whispering through to loud voices, but never shouting.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Can-you-hear-the-train.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Can you hear the train?</li>            <li>Can you hear the train?</li>            <li>Speeding through the town and then</li>            <li>Slowing down again</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Can you hear the bus?</li>            <li>Can you hear the bus?</li>            <li>Taking children home from school</li>            <li>Hope it stops for us</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Can you hear the plane?</li>            <li>Can you hear the plane?</li>            <li>Taking us on holiday</li>            <li>Hope it doesn&#039;t rain</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Can you hear the car?</li>            <li>Can you hear the car?</li>            <li>Driving to the swimming pool</li>            <li>Hope it isn&#039;t far</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/darren-bockman-N6kkI32Oh7g-unsplash.jpg" alt="Darren Bockman N6Kk I32 Oh7G Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Lightly Row</h3><p>This tune seems to appear in virtually every tutor book for every instrument so it's really well-known but I didn't realise for years that it's actually an old song! Verse 1 lends itself to doing rowing and gliding actions and verse 2 could have splashing and swimming actions. I've altered some of the words to make them more suitable for children.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_Lightly-Row.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Lightly row, lightly row</li>            <li>Over the glassy waves we go</li>            <li>Smoothly glide, smoothly glide</li>            <li>On the silent tide</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Watch me splashing in the sea</li>            <li>Swimming round so easily</li>            <li>Then I float in our boat</li>            <li>On the salty sea</li>    </ul>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Roll the Ball (pulse, tempo, structure)</h3><p>For this game, you need sing-song voices and medium sized, spongy balls, one between two. In pairs, the children sit facing each other with wide, outstretched legs and feet touching. The idea is to roll the ball in time with the singing, giving an idea of timing and structure. The best way to teach this is to model it with one of the children as your partner. </p><p><u class="highlight">Hint</u> - there's a little wait, just enough time to take a big breath, after the word 'again'. If the children rush on, you can put in an extra word 'and' before starting the next time.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Roll the ball</li>            <li>Hold it still</li>            <li>Roll it back again</li>    </ul>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/363894012?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Hi-Lo, Hi-Lo (pitch)</h3><p>You need hula hoops for this game, enough for one per child, and a fairly large space is needed to lay them on the ground. Although I don't generally use a piano much in my teaching, it's useful for this game because there's a lot of difference between high and low pitch notes (cover the middle keys with a cloth so that they can't be used). If you don't have a piano, use the longest and shortest chime bars you have, or the biggest xylophone (take the middle bars off first). You will first need to play and sing some high and low pitched notes and name them as high or low until the children begin to understand that it's pitch that changes, not volume - the game then reinforces their perception of pitch. </p><p>Everyone sings the song as they walk round and round, weaving in between the hoops. At the end of each verse, choose a different child to come out and play either very high or very low notes. If the note is high, the children jump into a 'boat' (a hoop) and stretch up high, and if the note is low, they crouch down low in the 'sea' (not in a hoop).</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/HiLo.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Hula_hoop.jpg" alt="Hula Hoop">    </div>                                                                <h3>Down the Road (pulse)</h3><p>A song for practising walking in time to a song. </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Down_the_road.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Down the road</li>            <li>Down the road</li>            <li>Everybody walk together</li>            <li>Down the road</li>    </ul>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>The Train (pulse, rhythm, tempo)</h3><p>First say the poem and encourage the children to walk in time to the beat by copying you - they will need lot of practice doing this but it's good practice for keeping a steady <em>pulse</em>! </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Tickerty_pulse.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>Next, demonstrate how to the make the <em>rhythm</em> of the word, <em>tickerty-tack</em> by slapping hands on thighs (easier than clapping). Then help the children to do the same â€“ this is great for motor skills because it involves alternating hands!</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Tickerty2_rhythm.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>Say the poem every day for a while, teaching it a line at a time if necessary. Practise starting slowly and very gradually speeding up, like the train gathering speed. Remember to say something like, 'We're making the tempo faster and faster,' so that the children learn the meaning of <em>tempo</em> from the context.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Tickerty-tack, over the track</li>            <li>Far away, puffing all day</li>            <li>Tickerty-too, hurry up, do!</li>            <li>People can&#039;t wait, mustn&#039;t be late</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>Tickerty-tack, nickerty-nack</li>            <li>Speeding along, singing a song</li>            <li>Tickerty-tackerty, pickerty-packerty</li>            <li>Tickerty-tackerty, TOCK!</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/corry-9esc0d8cW08-unsplash.png" alt="Corry 9Esc0D8C W08 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>My Train Music (structure, rhythm, texture)</h3><p>When they know the poem, the children can go in pairs or small groups to the music corner to make up their own train music, choosing untuned percussion instruments. At this stage I wouldn't expect all the children to be capable of using 'tickerty-tack' rhythms but that's not important - their music will mean something to them! If the children can work in pairs or groups they might create different textures by playing instruments on their own and also together. Giving a basic structure to the task can enhance creativity (rather than limit it, as you might expect) and you could ask the children to follow a simple story board: </p><ul><li>The whistle blows</li><li>The train starts up</li><li>The train goes very slowly up the hill</li><li>The train comes quickly down the hill</li><li>The train stops </li></ul>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Train Music</h3><h4>Pleasure Train by Johann Strauss II (tempo)</h4><p>During the 1860s the Southern Railway in Austria ran popular 'pleasure trains', offering surprise journeys with mystery destinations. The title of this piece in the original German language is <em>VergnÃ¼gungszug - Polka-schnell</em>, meaning <em>Pleasure Train - Quick Polka</em>. The polka is a lively dance and this one was composed by the younger Johann Strauss (the elder Johann Strauss being his dad) for a grand ball, held in 1864. </p><p>I was very surprised to notice that all the musicians in the video are men! There are statistical gender differences in girls' and boys' choices of which instrument they would choose to learn but most European and USA orchestras actually employ a fairly equal balance of men and women.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384724925?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>What to do (tempo, pitch)</h3><p>The children could imagine where they would like to go on a train journey with friends. Then put them in little groups of three or four to play follow-my-leader, moving quickly as they listen to the music. It is good for the children to watch the video too to become familiar with which instruments make the sounds - ask them if they can spot the glockenspiel. You may have a glockenspiel at school - they are identified by having shiny, smooth metal bars whereas xylophones have wooden bars and metallophones have frosted metal bars.</p><p>This is a good time for the children to explore any tuned instruments you have available and for you to help with describing words for high pitched notes, low pitched notes and playing at a fast or slow tempo. Children need lots of exploration and feedback to reinforce the concept of high and low meaning pitch as in notes, not volume as in loudness.</p>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Playing outside (social studies)</h3><p>The children may be lucky enough to have a play-train in an outside play area. If not you can improvise using chairs put in pairs to make train seats in a carriage. They take turns to be the engine driver and the ticket collector. </p><h3>Indoor play </h3><p>Make toy vehicles from Lego.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/yogi-purnama-546593-unsplash.jpg" alt="Yogi Purnama 546593 Unsplash">    </div>

Going Places Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Going Places Level: Early Grades

<p>The yummy ingredients of this unit are food, shopping and cooking!</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Structure<span>:</span></strong> The way music is constructed.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Tempo<span>:</span></strong> Fast or slow speed of the PULSE, or BEAT</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Timbre<span>:</span></strong> The individual quality of a sound.</li>                                            </ul>                                                    <h3>Resources</h3>                    <ul class="resources">                                                    <li>Child-safe cooking utensils for making sounds</li>                                            </ul>                                                    

<div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384792409?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Pop-up Toast</h3><p>The children loved this little activity and it's great for when you don't have much time for a game.</p><p>Enjoy your toast!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/toast.png" alt="Toast">    </div>                                                                <h3>... with Pease Pudding?</h3><p>I included this song because it's one of a collection from the excellent collection at <a href="http://www.rhymes.org.uk">Amadeus Nursery Rhymes</a>. The arrangements are delightfully based on Mozart tunes and it's well worth getting the whole album. The children could learn the song and sing along with the video.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/360129564?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Who Likes Ice Cream?</h3><p>This sing-along video is included with the kind permission of Little Baby Bum.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/360128641?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Ten Little Oranges</h3><p>Holly would like to sing this delicious counting song for you!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/428200436?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>What Would you Like for Tea?</h3><p>The credit for this song goes to my mum, who sang all kinds of versions of it with us when we were children! Mmm - beans on toast!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/beans_on_toast.jpg" alt="Beans On Toast">    </div>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_What-would-you-like-for-tea-copy.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h3>I Like Apples </h3><p>You can substitute the word 'apples' for any different, healthy food eg broccoli for as many verses as you like. This structure of this song is, appropriately, like a sandwich â€“ the verse is sung at the start and at the end each time.</p><p>The original song is by Beth Bishop and the version recorded here, with our own extra verse, is included with the kind permission of Lancashire Music Service.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_I-like-apples.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>I like apples with my tea</li>            <li>Eating apples is good for me</li>            <li>Ice cream is ok</li>            <li>As long as I don&#039;t eat it every day</li>            <li>I like apples with my tea</li>            <li>Eating apples is good for me</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/benjamin-wong-qVywyNo9_-E-unsplash.jpg" alt="Benjamin Wong Q Vywy No9  E Unsplash">    </div>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Does Your Doggy Like Eating Bones? (timbre)</h3><p>Everyone sits in a circle. One child is in the middle, holding the Maestro the Music Dog. She keeps her eyes closed while the teacher gives the (plastic!) bone to another child. Start the game by singing <em>Ready?</em> just on one note.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Maestro_face.png" alt="Maestro Face">    </div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Everyone: Doggy Doggy where&#039;s your bone?</li>            <li>Child in the middle: Someone stole it from my home</li>            <li>Everyone: Who stole your bone?</li>            <li>Child with the bone: I stole your bone</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>The <em>Doggy</em> child guesses, from the <em>timbre</em> of the thief's voice, who stole the bone (you will find that the children are good at guessing). Then the thief becomes the doggy in the middle, the bone is secretly given to a different child and the game starts again.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/364047351?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>Down to the Baker's Shop (pulse)</h3><p>An action song that children can sing, as they walk in time and hop. To help the children to walk in time, model it first so that they can copy your feet. You could also think of actions for the words, <em>for my mother said, "Buy a loaf of bread'.</em></p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Down_to_the_bakers_shop.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Down to the baker&#039;s shop</li>            <li>Hop hop hop</li>            <li>For my mother said</li>            <li>Buy a loaf of bread</li>            <li>Down to the baker&#039;s shop</li>            <li>Hop hop hop</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/anthony-ievlev-8ot0vffB3cc-unsplash.jpg" alt="Anthony Ievlev 8Ot0Vff B3Cc Unsplash">    </div>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Kitchen Music (timbre)</h3><p>First allow the children exploration time to make different sounds with safe kitchen utensils.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/415978874?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Working in pairs dynamics, tempo, texture)</h4><p>In pairs or threes, the children next find out which utensils can make a loud or quiet sound, and they try playing fast sounds and slow sounds. They might also experiment with making two or more sounds at the same time.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/415979345?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>More Kitchen Ideas</h4><p>Try using a graphic score as a timeline to suggest when children might play each 'instrument'.</p><p>Individual exploration - Listen to Hannah playing My name is Hannah, using a beater on three saucepans that were hanging in a row from a bean pole. They only make a good sound if you hang them up.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Hannah_what_can_you_play.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/three_pans.jpg" alt="Three Pans">    </div>                                                                <h3>I'm a Little Teapot (rhythm, pulse, dynamics)</h3>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>I&#039;m a little teapot</li>            <li>Round and stout</li>            <li>Here&#039;s my handle</li>            <li>Here&#039;s my spout</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>When the tea is ready</li>            <li>Hear me shout</li>            <li>Pick me up and</li>            <li>Pour me out</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>Because this is a traditional rhyme, there are several versions of the words and various tunes have been made up for it. It goes well with imaginative play and lends itself to a range of music activities. I suggest you first teach it as a rhyme then - for the creative part of the activity - ask the children to invent actions they could do to each line as they chant it. Demonstrate how to say the last two lines louder. Next practise tapping the pulse and clapping the rhythms - each line of verse 1 sounds the same as the corresponding line in verse 2. </p><p>Some children may be able to make up their own tune to go with the words. 'How do I get them to do that?' you may be wondering. Not every child will want to try and not every child has 'found' their singing voice at age three but a few children will probably, spontaneously start to sing their own made-up tune when they are playing at making tea later. This is the opportunity for you to show how delighted you are with their tune - it's the beginning of something wonderful! </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/teapot.jpg" alt="Teapot">    </div>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>Cooking Quiz (timbre)</h3><p>Everyone listen to the sounds of cooking. Can you guess what is happening?</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/zapsplat_food_eggs_boiling_in_pan_15909.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/zapsplat_food_frying_egg_in_frying_pan_27020.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/zapsplat_food_cooking_oil_shake_in_plastic_bottle_002_13389.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/zapsplat_household_food_mixer_hand_held_electric_on_off_med_burst_10501.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h4>Answers</h4><ol><li>Eggs boiling</li><li>Frying an egg</li><li>Emptying oil from a bottle</li><li>An electric blender</li></ol>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/hannah-tasker-333889-unsplash.jpg" alt="Hannah Tasker 333889 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>French Pastry (pulse)</h3><p>This music is called French Pastry! Because it has a steady pulse, it's good for learning to march in time. In the middle section, you could ask the children to listen out for the boom of the drum and do a 'bang the drum' action when they hear it - this is easier if you march too and model how to do the drum action. Take the opportunity to tell the children that the music's steady <em>pulse</em> makes it good for marching so that they experience the word, pulse in context. </p><p>Can the children say whether they think it is happy or sad music, and why? At this stage, children tend to latch onto one quality of the music and all say the same thing so you could say the you think it's happy because it has such a cheerful tune. </p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/French_Pastry_Naxos-8.555009-11-HKI190005011.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <h4>Pastry-Making (Cross curricular)</h4><p>The children could help with making (and eating) real pastry and would then be able to mime the pastry-making actions to this music. (Remember to check for food allergies.)</p>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Make slime!</h3><h4>Two safe slime recipes</h4><p><u class="highlight">1/ Soapy Slime</u></p><ul><li>What you will need..</li><li>4 Cups Water plus a tablespoon or two of hot water.</li><li>2 big squirts of dishwashing liquid (you can leave this out if concerned about using - it still works just not as frothy)</li><li>4 spoons edible gelatin powder (You could also use the sachets)</li><li>Whisks and spoons</li><li>Large bowl or container â€“ I just used an old 4 litre ice cream tub</li><li>Edicol dye if you want to color your slime (optional)</li></ul><p><u class="highlight">2/ Frothy Slime</u></p><p>What you will need..</p><ul><li>3 cups lux flakes (or any pure soap grated)</li><li>Around 2.5 litres of warm to hot water (you may need more or less )</li><li>Glitter if you want to make sparkly slime</li><li>Edicol dyes or food coloring if you want to make colored soap slime.</li><li>Whisks or egg beaters to mix it together and froth up</li><li>Large tub or bucket for mixing</li></ul><p>Enjoy!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/slime.jpg" alt="Slime">    </div>

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

Graphical score for 'Kitchen Music' with visual representations of what in the kitchen is making the noise. 

Kitchen Graphic Score

Food & Eating Level: Early Grades

<p>Using tuned instruments, including keyboards, in relation to the Maestro the Music Dog story</p>                                    <h3>Elements</h3>                    <ul class="simple elements">                                                    <li><strong>Pitch<span>:</span></strong> High pitched and low pitched sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Duration<span>:</span></strong> Long or short notes, RHYTHM.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Dynamics<span>:</span></strong> Louder or quieter sounds.</li>                                                    <li><strong>Texture<span>:</span></strong> A single sound, or combined sounds.</li>                                            </ul>

<h3>Maestro the Music Dog</h3><p>The original story about Maestro the Music Dog, who lived on top of Hannah's piano. When Hannah did her piano practice she liked Maestro to listen to the tunes she made up.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/159955427?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h3>The Music Dog Goes Round and Round</h3><p>A little passing-round-the-ring song. Mrs Crocosaurus is joining in the singing!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/372728007?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>All Maestro the Music Dog materials Â©E-MusicMaestroPublishing Limited</li>            <li>Original watercolors and story: Sandy Holland</li>            <li>Original music: Peter Noke</li>    </ul>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Introductory

<h3>Snail, Snail</h3><p>First you could take the children outside to look for snails. Perhaps you will be lucky enough so to see the trail left by a snail or slug. I like to introduce this song by taking in an empty snail shell in a box. The children are always intrigued. </p><p><u class="highlight">Hint:</u> I learned (the hard way!) that it's essential to wash the snail shell first, otherwise it stinks.</p><p>This is a <a href="https://pango.education/lesson/184743/Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Early Grades - Introductory">sing-song voice</a> song and it's great fun to do.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/363900095?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Everyone join hands in a big circle. You don't need to teach this in advance â€“ just do it, as long as you sing the words clearly! As you all sing the song, slowly lead the children in a spiral, curling inwards so that you form the pattern of a snail shell. At the finish, you will be in the middle of the snail and you can sing the song again as, keeping hold of hands, you walk slowly outwards again.</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Snail, snail</li>            <li>Snail, snail</li>            <li>Making such a long, long trail</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/profelis_aurata-758367-unsplash.jpg" alt="Profelis Aurata 758367 Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Five Little Speckled Frogs</h3><p>A fun, counting song that is quite easy to learn and sing unaccompanied, with actions.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Lucia_5-Little-Speckled-Frogs.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Five little speckled frogs</li>            <li>Sat on a speckled log</li>            <li>Eating some most delicious bugs - Yum Yum!</li>            <li>One jumped into the pool</li>            <li>Where it was nice and cool</li>            <li>Now there are four green speckled frogs! Glub glub!</li>            <li>__</li>            <li>And so on, until there is just one green speckled frog</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/frog-2245024_1280.png" alt="Frog 2245024 1280">    </div>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Songs & chants

<h3>Two Little Dicky Birds</h3><p>A traditional rhyme, with actions. You could either sing it or chant it.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384794861?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall</li>            <li>One named Peter, one named Paul</li>            <li>Fly away Peter, fly away Paul</li>            <li>Come back Peter, come back Paul</li>    </ul>                                                                <h3>Humming Bee (pitch)</h3><p>Use a toy, furry bee or bee puppet for this game. The children sit on the carpet while you hold the bee and make it fly in a straight line, from your right to left as you face the children. Everyone hums on a steady pitch note (not going higher or lower).</p><p>Next make the bee fly up â€“ everyone hum higher (in pitch, not volume), and then down â€“ everyone hum lower in pitch.</p><h3>Hum the bee path (pitch, timbre &amp; graphic scores) </h3><p>You'll need to have a large picture ready of the bee going on a journey (you could use the pdf download for this). Explain the story first, pointing to the line, making the sounds yourself and inviting the children to join in. As the line goes up, the hum goes higher in pitch. When the bee sees the honey everyone says 'Yum Yum'. The hum goes lower then it rains and everyone makes a rain sound by drumming with fingers on chairs or on the floor. The bee sets off again, and the pitch goes higher. At the end the bee enters the hive and falls asleep 'Zzzzzz'. It's good to repeat with the children, as they become more confident with making the sounds.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/toy_bee.png" alt="Toy Bee">    </div>                                                                <h3>Ladybird</h3><p>This is a good rhyme for the children to chant rhythmically as they practise clapping in time, playing a drum in time, or walking in time. Remember that many children need to be shown how to walk in time, so let them copy you. They need lots of practice!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>Ladybird, ladybird fly away home</li>            <li>Your house is on fire, your children are gone!</li>            <li>All except one and her name is Anne</li>            <li>And she hid under the frying pan!</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Ladybird.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/ladybird.jpg" alt="Ladybird">    </div>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

<h3>Mouse and Cat (pulse, tempo, dynamics)</h3><h4>A Little Mouse</h4><p>A fun way to teach this is to say the rhyme first using a puppet mouse, and surprise the children with the loud last line. When they know the rhyme, the children move gently into a space and curl in a ball, chanting the words rhythmically and quietly until the loud, last line, when they jump up! </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>A little mouse hid in a hole</li>            <li>Hid softly in a little hole</li>            <li>When all was quiet, as quiet could be</li>            <li>OUT POPPED HE!</li>    </ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/little_snail.png" alt="Little Snail">    </div>                                                                <h4>A Naughty Cat</h4>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>A naughty cat ran round the house</li>            <li>He hoped to find a little mouse</li>            <li>But when the mouse came out to peep</li>            <li>The tired cat was fast asleep!</li>    </ul>                                                                <p>The children stalk around, being the bold cat, saying the words rhythmically then get gradually slower and quieter towards the end when the cat curls up and falls asleep.</p><p>The change in the mouse verse is sudden but the change in the cat verse is gradual. Talk through what the children are doing to give them the vocabulary to talk about louder, quieter, faster, slower.</p>                                                                <h3>Mouse and Cat on instruments (structure, pitch, tempo)</h3><p>Divide the children into two groups. One group is the mouse, the other the cat. Everyone chooses an instrument from the Mouse section or the Cat selection that you have put out earlier.</p><p>A capable child (or group of children) from the Mouse group says the words of A Little Mouse expressively, one line at a time. At the end of each line, the Mouse group instrumentalists imitate the speed and loudness of OUT POPPED HE!</p><p>Next the Naughty Cat group can do the same with their poem. You now have two little performance pieces and each group gets the chance to listen to the other group. It's a good opportunity for you to ask the listening group to do Three Stars and a Wish - say three things they liked about the performance and make one, positive suggestion for improvement. The performers might then have another try.</p><h4>'Think the words'!</h4><p>A variation on this activity is for the children to 'think the words' as they play the sounds without speaking. Sound recordings are easy to do on a mobile phone and there's no problem with excluding children who are not to be filmed on video. Here's a recording of our Naughty Cat group. The cat is represented by the xylophone and the mouse by a shaker and Indian bells. I like the way the 'cat' did fast, high-pitch sounds for running round the house, then slower sounds for going to sleep. One of my 'wishes' in Three Stars and a Wish was for the sleeping cat sounds to get lower and lower in pitch, which is what happened in this second recording.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Cat_mouse_EY.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/ryan-stone-6u64uoqRBZE-unsplash.jpg" alt="Ryan Stone 6U64Uoq Rbze Unsplash">    </div>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Creative music

<h3>The Flight of the Bumble Bee (tempo)</h3><p>This is <em>The Flight of the Bumble Bee</em> by the composer, Rimsky-Korsakov. The solo violin part is played by a young musician, Likia Yukupova. It's the tale of Tsar Saltan, which you can read by downloading the pdf. Ask the children if this music has a fast tempo or a slow tempo. They will begin to understand the word, 'tempo' from the context. </p><p>The children could imagine they are bees and run around quickly into a space, not touching each other. At the end they have to disappear into the hive â€“ when the music ends, all go to a place you have chosen to be the hive, crouch down and be silent.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDbPw50LD5M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>            </div></div>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

<h3>Hunt the Minibeast</h3><p>Here is a fun activity, especially if you are not keen on bringing real minibeasts into the room! This is what you need:</p><ul><li>Cornflour</li><li>Food Coloring</li><li>Set of plastic Mini Beasts</li><li>Water Tray</li><li>Aprons</li></ul><p>Heres' what to do:</p><ul><li>Mix up an appropriate amount of cornflour to fill the water tray and add the food coloring.</li><li>Line the bottom of the water tray with an assortment of plastic mini beasts and cover with the cornflour mixture.</li><li>Let the children use their hands to dig through the cornflour to find the mini beasts.</li><li>Ensure that the children are wearing aprons to avoid their clothes getting wet and dirty.</li></ul>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/bogomil-mihaylov-628820-unsplash.jpg" alt="Bogomil Mihaylov 628820 Unsplash">    </div>

Minibeasts Level: Early Grades - Cross-curricular activities

In <em>The Flight of the Bumble Bee</em> by the composer, Rimsky-Korsakov. The solo violin part is played by a young musician, Likia Yukupova. It's the tale of Tsar Saltan. Ask the children if this music has a fast tempo or a slow tempo. They will begin to understand the word, 'tempo' from the context. </p><p>The children could imagine they are bees and run around quickly into a space, not touching each other. At the end they have to disappear into the hive Ã¢â‚¬â€œ when the music ends, all go to a place you have chosen to be the hive, crouch down and be silent.</p> 

Music - Pre-K - Music Playtime