Pre-K teaching times, Vol. 6, Issue 4 (Dec. 2009)

Pre-K Teaching Times

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
Making Music in Small Groups
Mentor Teacher Tips
Changes to the Environment
Outdoor Activities for Music
Assessment Ideas for Music and Movement
Tips for Family Conferences

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

DECEMBER 2009

Music Makes the World Go Round

This month were exploring ways music can be integrated in Pre-K classrooms. Music can be used throughout the day. From planned music and movement activities, to quick chants/songs used for transitions, and even background

music to help set the mood during work time or rest time, the music you choose is a large part of your classroom that can enhance childrens learning. This month experiment with some new
types of music, break out of

your comfort zone, and try listening to something new in your classroom. Invite your children to join you in singing, dancing, and playing music throughout the month.

Music expresses feeling and thought, without language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words. ~Robert G. Ingersoll
Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends. ~Alphonse de Lamartine

Inclusion and Georgia's Pre-K Program
by Pam Stevens, Pre-K Inclusion Coordinator

As I have traveled around the state promoting the inclusion of children with special needs in Georgias Pre-K Program, I have heard wonderful stories about the work teachers are doing in their classrooms. I have also learned that we need to spread the word about what inclusion looks like in Georgias Pre-K Program.
Georgias Pre-K Program currently has 90 state approved, full inclusion Pre-K classes that typically have a minimum of five and a maximum of eight students with individual education programs (IEPs). These classes are staffed by full-time general education teachers and assistants funded by Bright from the

Start and full-time special education support funded by the local board of education. Special education support must include at least four hours of direct services from a special education teacher daily. Inclusion classes can be school based or community based, and students in state approved inclusion classrooms who have IEPs are dually enrolled in Georgias Pre-K Program and the local school system. Inclusion models are designed to fit individual programs and are considered on an individual basis.
Bright from the Start supports success in inclusion classes by providing Pre-K training to special education teachers and in-

clusion training to lead teachers and special education teachers. Inclusion classrooms are fully funded for twenty students but are allowed to keep their enrollment at eighteen. Enrollment dates for the students with IEPs fully included in Georgias Pre-K are flexible. Providers who have inclusion classes are quick to talk about the benefits they have seen for all their students (with and without IEPs), families, and other staff members.
To learn more about inclusion in Georgias Pre-K Program, contact me at pam.stevens@decal.ga.gov.

PAGE 2
Making Music in Small Groups

This month were offering fun and simple ways to use music to differentiate instruction in small group activities.
Music Mix-Up Materials: poster board, tag board, colored markers. Directions: On poster or tag board create a written and rebus (picture) symbol song chart of the class favorite songs. Draw or place a rebus symbol beside the names of the songs. For example, next to the song title "Baby Bumble Bee" draw or place a picture of a bee. For Beginning Learners: Sing a familiar song with the children such as: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or other familiar song. The children can use the class-made song chart to help pick the song. After singing the song several times, ask the children how the song would sound if you sang it dif-

ferently, e.g., like a baby. Allow the children to practice talking like a baby. (Really high pitched, or as if crying: waa, waa,waa). Demonstrate how Row, Row, Row Your Boat would sound if a baby sang it and then ask the class to sing with you.
Ask children to identify other ways they would like to sing familiar songs. Suggest ways based on interests you have observed during center time, e.g., Kitty cat, dog, lion, etc. Practice singing like the examples children identify.
Ask children to consider story book characters to sing like, e.g., daddy bear, mama bear, Goldilocks, or other favorite storybook character. Practice singing like these characters also.
CD 2 b: Participates in group singing
CD 2 a: Uses music to express thoughts, energy, feelings
For Mid-range to Developed Learners:
Ask children to suggest other ways to change how they sing. Describe terms such as pitch (high/low singing), tempo (fast/ slow), loudness (loud/soft), length of sound (long/short). Write these terms on chart paper for reference. Then practice examples of all these variations.
Have children select a song they like or introduce a new song, but allow children to practice singing the song at varying speeds, pitch, etc. Ex-

amples: 1. Like a mouse at fast speed; then try in a high pitch. 2. Like a bear at slow speed; then in a low pitch.
CD 3 c Participates in activities using symbolic materials/gestures to represent real situations
Ideas for Follow-Up:
Record childrens voices as they sing songs in different ways. Play them back and ask children to remember who or what they were trying to represent with their voices. Encourage them to use terms previously mentioned: Pitch/tempo, loudness, and length.
Continue activity by exploring use of instruments or props to move with them in song speed and pitch. Example: Using drums, rhythm sticks, etc.. Ask: What would it sound like if Max and the wild things played these?"

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

PAGE 3

Assessment Corner

Teachers must ensure that children are engaged in music, dance, and the arts. Involvement in dancing, fingerplays, and musical games are all part of the prekindergarten day. Music and movement should be planned around childrens interests and developmental level and allow for creativity. Using props and musical instruments can help keep children focused and attentive.
One way to record childrens music and movement is to use matrices during large group time. Are children participating in group music experiences? Do they know the words of songs? Can they keep the beat with rhythm sticks? Play music with varying tempos and have children use scarves or ribbons to create different movements. Take observational notes on the movements they make and ask them how they are moving. When choosing music to play in class, make

sure you choose some multicultural music that represents the children in your class and other cultural groups.
Tips for Family Conferences As the year ends, you need to plan family conferences. Notify families about the conference schedule in advance. Encourage family members to participate in face-to-face confer-

ences. Before the conference choose

several artifacts from their childs portfolio to share with family mem-

bers.

When writing your comments on the progress report, remember the "glow

and grow" comments from assessment training. Check your spelling

and grammar before sharing forms with family members. Ask your direc-

tor to read a few of your progress

reports before you begin meeting with families.

Complete the top portion of every childs progress report (days absent,

tardy, EED, etc.) The family member should sign at the bottom of the re-

port and receive the top copy for

their records. If you type your progress reports, make a copy for you

and for the family member.

"A painter

paints

Making Music with Families

pictures on canvas. But

Teachers can use music in many ways to encourage families participation in their childs PreK classroom.
Talent Show
Use a short survey to find out if any family members have a musical talent. Do they play an instrument, sing, or dance? Invite family members into your classroom to demonstrate their skill to the students. The children will enjoy hearing and learning about music from familiar faces.

Making Instruments
Invite families to attend an afternoon of music celebration. Provide families and children with a variety of materials to make musical instruments and see what happens. Give children the opportunity to share the instruments they made with class. Discuss the different materials used and the different sounds that are produced.
Additional Ideas
Allow the class to parade around the center or

school campus playing their musical instruments.
Ask parents to help their child make a musical instrument at home and allow the child to bring it to share with the class.
Encourage parents to share instruments, music, and songs from their native culture with the class.
Take the class to a rehearsal of the local high school or middle school band.

musicians paint their pictures on silence." ~Leopold Stokowski

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Changes to the Environment Music Makes the World Go Round

Reading Area I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello by Barbara Garriel Listen to the City by Rachel Isadora Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes Mole Music by David McPhail Musical Instruments from A to Z by Bobbie Kalman Our Marching Band by Lloyd Moss Shoo Fly! by Iza Trapani The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub The Philharmonic Gets Dressed by Karla Kuskin Who Hoots? by Katie Davis Your Senses by Helen Frost Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss
Diversity Books Festivals by Samantha Berger Frozen Noses by Jan Carr Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney My Family Plays Music by Judy Cox/ Elbrite Brown The Song Of Six Birds by Rene Deetlefs
Writing Area Add vocabulary words and picture cards for musical instruments:
Accordion Bagpipes Banjo Bell Bongo drum Clarinet Cymbals Drum Flute Guitar

Maracas Piano Saxophone Tambourine Trumpet Triangle Violin, Xylophone
Math/Manipulatives Make your own "instrument" cards for lacing. Trace and cut various instrument shapes, laminate them, and hole punch around the edges. Provide string or yarn with which children can lace each card. Trace and cut musical notes in various colors and sizes for counting and sorting.
Dramatic Play Create a Pre-K recording studio where songs and music can be recorded. Include the following:
microphone tape player blank cassette tapes sheet music head phones Instruments performance costumes Include a mixing console by attaching knobs to a decorated box.
Art Area Kazoo Art Provide children with paper towel tubes, wax paper, and rubber bands. Allow children to decorate their paper towel tube using paint, markers, crayons, collage materials, etc. Help children secure a small piece of wax

paper across one end of the paper towel tube with a rubber band. Ask children to sing into the open end, and listen to how they sound. Their voices will have a kazoo-type sound.
Music-Inspired Art Combine art and music appreciation by creating music-inspired art!. In this activity, your children will create abstract art with a rhythmic flare that swirls, bounces, and moves around the paper. Start with favorite songs and introduce new music as the activity continues. Varying the types of music will help the children explore their own emotions as well as listen to music from other cultures. Materials:
Music from a variety of genres Paper Paint Paint brushes in different sizes Directions: Play music for your children. Ask them to describe how the music makes them feel. Happy? Sad? Energetic? Next, ask what colors they think of when they hear the music. A happy/fast song may remind them of bright colors such as yellow, while a slower song may cause them to think of blues and grays. Play the music again and encourage them to begin painting to the sounds. If they have trouble getting started, demonstrate for them. Move the brush to the music making long sweeps, dots, or splatters. Set the painting aside to dry. Give your children another piece of paper and introduce another song. This time change the type of music. If the first song was fast paced and up-

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

PAGE 5

Changes to the Environment Music Makes the World Go Round

beat, try a slower one the second time. Repeat the process as many times as desired.
Science
Making Music
Explain to the children that music is made up of different sounds. Fill small jars with different levels of water (ranging from full to empty), and allow the children to gently tap each jar using a metal spoon.
Are the sounds the same pitch or different? Does the amount of water in the jar change the sound? Which jars make high sounds? Which are low?
Music and Movement
Rain Sticks
Materials: empty potato chip cans with lids plastic 6-pack can holders (the plastic rings that hold cans together) contact paper or construction paper popcorn or dried beans masking tape or colored tape decorative materials; boot laces, raffia, commercially purchased feathers, beads, etc. Wide tape
Directions: Fold plastic 6-pack holders lengthwise and insert into each can. Pour popcorn or dried beans into the can adjusting the amounts until you find the desired sound. Tape the lid on the can. Let children cover the can with contact paper or construction paper and decorate it with cords, leather bootlace, yarn, raffia, feathers, beads, etc.

Musical Passports Materials:
Paper Camera Multicultural instruments Clothing to represent the various countries Directions: Make passport booklets using white paper and construction paper. Introduce multicultural instruments including their country of origin and place them and the multicultural clothing in the music area for children to explore. As children visit the music area, take their picture clothed in the garments provided and holding the appropriate instrument. Glue the pictures into each child's passport. These items could be placed in a prop box in the dramatic play area.
Making Music Props Materials:
Boxes Scissors Construction paper Markers Masking tape Choose a song with which the children are familiar and for which you can easily create props. For example use a large box to create a bus in which children can actually sit for the song, "The Wheels on the Bus." Or create a simple boat out of the box for "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Let the children decorate the box using markers or construction paper to make it look more like a rowboat. Add props such as wooden spoons or paint stirrers as oars for the rowboat. Provide dramatic play items to put

inside and outside their boats. Allow children to place a doll, stuffed animal, toy or other prop inside the boat. Encourage children to change the lyrics of the song,. For example, if they place a toy elephant in the rowboat, the lyrics become "Row, Row, Row Your Elephant..." Remember, the lyrics dont have to rhyme.
Outdoor Activities
Musical Hula Hoops (variation of musical chairs)
Place several large hula hoops next to each other. Encourage the children to walk around the hula hoops as you play music. When the music stops, everyone must step inside a hula hoop. Everyone is a winner because several children can fit in one hula hoop at the same time. Count the number of children in the hoops. Remove hula hoops throughout the game until it gets harder and harder for all the children to fit. Eventually, children who cant fit into hula hoops are out. Parachute Play Have children shake the parachute in keeping with the speed of the music. Vary the music from slow to fast.
Block Area
Block Band
Allow the children to use large hollow blocks to build a stage for a concert. Then allow them to perform using hollow blocks as guitars and drums or to make a piano. Tape paper strips onto the blocks to look like guitar strings and piano keys or simply pretend to play the block ,,instruments. If necessary, demonstrate for the class how easy it is to pretend to perform.

PAGE 6

Mentor Teacher Tips Music B9

(Focusing on the changes made to Music and Movement, Item B9 on the PQA)
Mentor teachers recognize that music combined with gross motor activities (large muscle movement) is a powerful tool to help children reinforce skills and concepts making the whole body an instrument of learning. Quality music and movement experiences enhance listening skills; invite intuitive responses; strengthen aural discrimination (phonemic awareness); build vocabulary; help children cooperate, think, and problem solve; create and build community; and most certainly make for smooth classroom transitions. A childs natural instinct is to move and be actively involved with learning. Music and movement make learning fun, purposeful, and memorable by addressing the various needs of young children.
We encourage you to review the PQA Clarifications for Item B9 and begin planning the fun you can have with your children as you learn through Music and Movement.
B9: Activities using props for music with movement are incorporated into weekly lessons
Fall: Use inexpensive wired ribbon cut into strips two feet long. Hot glue fake leaves onto the ends of the ribbon and allow children to wave them around in response to music.
Winter: Hot glue snowflakes to wire ribbon to create winter streamers.
Spring: Hot glue little eggs/butterflies onto sticks for children to wave in response to music.
Ashley Brim/Lee County Pre-K
Create microphones using wooden

spoons. Decorate the "spoon end" with silver/gold glitter.
Connie Ellington/Barrow County ELC
I use stuffed animals and clothes from the dramatic play area and encourage children to bring in props from home to go with their favorite piece of music. Children often come to me with ideas of various props to use with certain songs.
Ellen McNeil/Kings Bay CDC
We skate on plates to themed music. Use your childrens favorite songs and music as well as new types of music. This is a fun way to introduce children to different types of music: classical, jazz, hiphop, country, pop.
Paige Tiller/St Simons Elementary
Consider adding other props such as silly hats, balloons, cardboard guitars, pompoms, glow sticks, Chinese fans, and paper bag puppets to the dramatic play area.
B9: Activities are planned to familiarize children with music of various cultures
Children create drums from empty cans or canisters with lids. We then listen and respond to the Maori Chant or We Are Native American Tribes on the Ella Jenkins Cultural Songs CD.
Connie Ellington/Barrow County ELC
I found various examples of multicultural music on ITunes which I downloaded to my IPod so I can use it over and over. CDs representing various cultures such as People of the Rain Forest and World's Playground offer diverse, rich, and unique sounds. Many of the instruments used to produce these sounds are found in your collection of multicultural instruments. You can research and create these instruments in your classroom using real/

found materials. I incorporate the musical instruments into math activities when we learn about patterning,
Ellen McNeil/Kings Bay CDC
I saved a giant cardboard roll from our rooms new carpet and play Caribbean/Jamaican/Steel Drum music to do the Limbo.
Cindy Knowles/Palmetto Elementary
Around St. Pattys Day we listen to Irish music, watch a segment of "Riverdance," and invite Irish dancers to perform in the classroom.
Becky Gianino/The Greenbrier Preschool
We have Parent Music Day when parents come in and share a musical talent. This year a parent who speaks Spanish is coming in to share a childs music CD and photos of her family in their native clothes.
Karen Carpenter/Children's Friend #17
A website offering activities to familiarize children with music from various cultures:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/ multiculturalism/resource/8388.html
Websites sharing ideas on class made musical instruments:
http://www.perpetualpreschool.com/ instruments.html
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/ toppicks/tp/makemusic.htm
A website from which you can listen to and download music/movement titles:
http://www.songsforteaching.com/ preschoolkindergarten.htm

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4
Ask Pat

PAGE 7

Dear Pat, I recently observed another classroom but didnt get a chance to talk with the teacher. I couldnt help but notice how smoothly her classroom ran. I am so jealous--I want my day and my classroom to run like that. The most difficult time of the day seems to be when we change or move from one activity to another. Any suggestions you can give me would be most appreciated. Sincerely, Waiting
Dear Waiting, Transitions can be one of the hardest times of the day. Reflect on the transitions that take place in your own classroom. First, think about the amount of wait time and what you as an adult feel like when you have to wait in line or in

traffic: bored, restless, and looking for something to do. Now put this in a childs perspective- they feel bored, restless and will look for something to do. Keep your wait times to a minimum. You cant expect children to wait quietly on the rug or in their seats while everyone else finishes eating, finishes up an activity, or finishes cleaning up. They will find something in which to engage themselves (and you know what that usually means) unless you have a transitional activity to carry them to the next activity.
Second, transitions like everything else need to be planned for the entire day. Plan your transitions and have your materials and supplies ready. You dont want to be looking for the book you are planning to read or digging through a closet to find the materials you need. Another part of preparedness is being

ready for the unexpected- sometimes you dont know that an activity is going to take twice as long as expected or that lunch is going to be late, but you need to be prepared for it. I have seen teachers carry a little bag with them as they go from place to place like the bathroom, the lunchroom, etc. In it are books to read, laminated note cards on a key ring with songs, fingerplays, and other activities, etc. I am sure you can think of things you could add to an activity bag like this.
For other effective transitional activities and ideas, check out Georgias P.R.I.D.E. (Pre-K Resource and IDea Exchange) located on the Best Practices website.

Outdoor Activities Music Makes the World Go Round

Musical Chairs
Line up alternate facing chairs, one less than the number of children playing. The players move round the chairs while music is playing. When the music stops, the players sit down on a free chair; the player without a chair is out. Continue playing, removing one chair each round until you have only two players and one chair. The player to sit down first wins.
Advanced Musical Chairs
This variation of musical chairs is set up like normal musical chairs but with additional fun thrown in. Start the music and have the children walk in a circle around the chairs while the music plays. When the music stops,

the players sit on the chairs.
The player left standing pulls a piece of paper out of a hat on which is written an animal. Then, the player must act out the animal while the other children guess what the animal is. Start the music again and repeat the game until all the animals in the hat

have been acted out.
Upset the Fruit Basket - Musical Chairs Variation This variation of musical chairs works well with groups 10 or more children. Place alternate facing chairs, like in musical chairs, in a ring. Divide the children into groups of 5 or 6. Each group is named after a fruit, like apples, bananas, grapes, etc. To begin, all the children are sitting. The teacher calls out apples and only the apples stand up and walk around the circle. While they are walking, a chair is removed.
Now when the teacher calls apples
(Continued on page 8)

Outdoor Activities Music Makes the World Go Round

(Continued from page 7)
again, the apples have to scramble for the remaining chairs. This continues with the other fruit groups as well.
When the teacher yells "Upset the fruit basket," all fruits must stand up and walk around. The teacher either removes one chair from each fruit group or an entire fruit group!.
For example, you have four fruit groups of 2, 3, 3, and 4 children left. The teacher removes two chairs for the two-person group "cherries," and the cherries join a new fruit group. This way the groups remain large by combining groups. When the game gets down to two groups with two people, the teacher "upsets the

fruit basket" and creates a circle of three chairs so only one person is eliminated per round. The winner is the last fruit in the basket.
Hot Potato Supplies Needed:
boom box bean bag or a real potato Directions: Children stand or sit in a circle, and the teacher starts the music. Players pass the potato around the circle until the music stops. Whoever is holding the potato when the music stops is out. Play continues until one winner is declared.
Hot Potato Variation Instead of being ,,out when the music stops, have the child holding the potato do a dance step/ funny movement and then sit back down. Hula Hoop Contest Supplies Needed:
Boom box Hula hoop for each child

Directions: Play music to make this activity more fun. When the music starts, the players begin 'hula hooping' as long as they can. If the hula hoop drops or players touch it with their hands, they're out!
Freeze Dance
Supplies Needed: boom box
Directions: Play some wild music, and let all the kids dance. When the music stops, all the players "freeze." Any player that moves is out. The winner is the last dancer standing.
Musical Parade
Bring out your musical instruments and music props and let the children parade around the playground. The class could parade to other classes and perform for them. The children could also dress up in clothing from the dramatic play center. Using class/ child made instruments can be a fun way to personalize the parade.

www.decal.ga.gov