Melodic+Shape

Below is a lesson for Kindergarten or early First Grade. The lesson focuses on recognizing ascending and descending melodic lines as well as simple pitch relationships (using only so and mi), with some kinesthetic activities and simple composition/notation as well.

National Standards addressed in this lesson include: Sing, Listen, Play, Evaluate, Compose/Arrange, Read/Notate, Movement

2,4,6,8: Pitch Relationships are Really Great Jean Spilker

Grade Level: Kindergarten, Early First Grade

Objectives: Students will be able to use their body position to identify pitch patterns as being ascending or descending. Students will be able to use voices to demonstrate and reflect upward and downward movement of manipulative. Students will be able to use hand signs to show melodic shape while singing "Two, Four, Six, Eight." Students will be able to modify melody of tune by altering manipulatives, and use voices and body position to reflect changes.

Materials: Recordings: "The Snowman" MacMillan/McGraw-Hill "Share the Music" Kindergarten CD 6:11 "The Roller Coaster" MacMillan/McGraw-Hill "Share the Music" Kindergarten CD 1:27 "Two, Four, Six, Eight" MacMillan/McGraw-Hill "Share the Music" First Grade CD 4:8 (opt.) "March Grandioso" MacMillan/McGraw-Hill "Share the Music" Kindergarten CD 5:38 (opt.) Cards showing numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8; Four cards showing garden gates; Four cards showing watches. "Roller coaster boy" (on a stick!)

Set up: Draw two sets of double lines on board (if possible make each pair of double lines a different color). Place cards reading 2,4,6,8 on first two lines, alternating top line, bottom line, top line, bottom line (reflecting the so, mi melody pattern of the song, see music) Note: "2,4,6,8" is the first AND fourth line of the song. Place garden gates on the second pair of lines (second phrase of the song), in appropriate melodic pattern (again, reflecting the so, mi melody pattern of the song). Place "watch" cards in a row beneath the garden gates (third phrase of the song. No lines for them - these lyrics will be using "speaking voices."). Procedure:
 * 1) Perform "The Snowman" with children. Remind children that our bodies will move up during interludes where melody is moving up, and "melt" down when melody descends. (Simple actions during song help keep the children focused).
 * 2) Ask children if they have ever ridden on a roller coaster. What directions do roller coasters move? (up, down, stay the same) Listen to "The Roller Coaster." Ask students to reflect motion of the music using their hands. (Alternatively, you could play the piano for about 60 seconds using ascending and descending patterns).
 * 3) Ask children to use their voices to reflect up and down movement of "roller coaster boy" as you move him. If time allows, let all children take turns passing roller coaster boy around and ask the other children to follow his movements using their voices. (Alternatively, and as an assessment tool, you could have each child make his/her own "sound effects" as roller coaster boy makes his way around the room.)
 * 4) Listen to or introduce the song "Two, Four, Six, Eight." Echo sing. Ask children to play notes on their "body pianos" (using only shoulders and waist for body piano notes). Ask students: "If we play "Two" here on our shoulders, where would we play "Four?" (waists) Ask students to copy you as they sing.
 * 5) Direct students’ attention to cards on board. Ask students to sing and play body pianos as you point to cards.
 * 6) Find a student who is watching carefully. Ask them to "compose" a new song by moving the cards containing 2,4,6,8 and/or the garden gates (direct them to keep the cards on one of the two same colored lines - simple "staves"). Have the class sing the new song and play on their body pianos. Repeat as many times as you would like. (Congratulate children on creating their new songs!)

This lesson will take about 15 minutes. If you have time this day or in the next class, you could use this additional activity:
 * 1) Ask students to identify which phrase uses speaking voices and not singing voices. (Phrase 3)
 * 2) Suggest that we could add music to this phrase as well. Draw two more lines on the board. Ask individual students to make suggestions or move cards. Sing and "play" this new melody. (As a way to assess, you could also have each of these students play and sing their own melody on this third phrase, instead of doing it as a group).

NOTE: This simple, two note, one chord song would also lend itself easily to Orff accompaniment. Almost any simple poem or nursery rhyme could also be used with a so/mi melody as well.

Opt. additional movement activity with //March Grandioso// (Kindergarten CD 5:38). While listening to recording of March Grandioso, ask students to march in shared space when you play a small drum, stopping their feet when you stop. Plan your "stops" so that when children stop, they listen to the distinctive ascending or descending scalar melodic pattern, pointing up when it is ascending, down when descending.

Attached are some sample cliparts I used for "manipulatives." You will need one each of the 2, 4, 6, 8 cards;three copies of the double garden gates, one of the single garden gate for "meet me at the garden gate"; one copy of double watch, three copies of single watches for "If I'm late, don't wait"; and one Rollercoaster Boy (put him on a stick!).