September and October have come and pretty much gone and I’m finally getting around to using this website.  You can see more pictures in the photo albums, but here are some updates of what we’ve been learning:

Kindergarten musicians have been working to develop their singing voices.  We learn songs & play singing games.  One song we learned was “teddy bear, teddy bear.”  We sing and do the motions with the song.  Then, we practice audiation, which is singing part of the song in our head and singing part out loud.

These are the pictures the kids use to remember the words:

Some of the kids… touching the ground and showing their shoes!

Another kindergarten music goal is learning to name and play lots of instruments.  This is a favorite activity of many students.  So far, they have learned the..

Rhythm Sticks

Cowbell

Gurio (sounds like “weero”)

maraca

Tambourine

Wood block

one song we sing to practice playing our instruments is “I can play an instrument”

I Can Play an Instrument  (video link)

We also play singing games to help us sing.  One game we love is “Find a friend.”  We sing to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”
Ashley finds a friend, Ashley finds a friend, hi-ho the dairy-o, Ashley finds a friend.  Whoever “Ashley” lands behind at the end of the song joins the chain and we end up with a whole circle of kids walking and singing around a very small circle of kids sitting.

Kindergarteners also learn what a note looks like.  They learn that notes have heads and stems and how to identify them.

Practice makes perfect

That is just a touch of what we’ve done in kindergarten music so far.  Stay tuned for more updates this year & check out the picture albums for more pictures of kindergarten musicians in action! 🙂