Sep. 12, 2007 - Kodaly Method for the Christian Homeschool - Lesson Plans
Kodaly Methods for the Christian Homeschool
Lesson Plans
Week One - 45 Minutes Class Time
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Please note the PDF format does not include the "links" included below.
Introduction to Music (~2.5 Minutes)*
“What are the purposes of music?”** ( Possible answers include Fun, Pleasure, Artistic Expression, Instruction, and Worship.) Praise of God our Maker is the highest calling of any musician. Psalm 92:1-3 says this:
1 It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,
2 to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.
When this verse says “Proclaim your love… to the music of the ten stringed lyre”; it is talking about singing God’s praises! Our voice is the first instrument every person learns to use. Even tiny babies are heard to sing with their mothers from an early age; as early as 2 months old.
Ephesians 5: 19-20 says this:
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This New Testament verse instructs us to sing together for worship (psalms) and instruction (hymns).
Even if you do not have “fun” making music, or find any pleasure in your own song; we are expected to use music to glorify God through worship; both personal (morning and night as in the Psalms) and corporate. Singing with us in this class will help you improve in your music making skills.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method focuses on voices as our first instrument and as the primary tool for music instruction.
Rhythm Training (~10 Minutes)
1. Using “Peas Porridge Hot”, have students listen while you speak the rhyme. Ask “Do you hear the steady beat of the poem?”
2. Have the students speak the rhyme with you. You may choose another poem; but try to choose something familiar to all.
3. Speak and clap for your students, only clapping on the main beats. Remember to rest. (Peas Porridge Hot Rest, Peas Porridge Cold Rest. Peas Porridge in the Pot Nine Days Old Rest). Ask, did you notice anything odd about our steady beat? “Two odd things occur. First we do not clap for each syllable; only the main beats.” Demonstrate by speaking the 8th notes in “Porridge in the” while clapping quarter notes. “Second, sometimes we clap when no words are spoken. In music we call this rests. Rests are part of the steady beat, but no music is heard during rests.” Demonstrate the rests at the end of the first two lines.
5. Have the students speak and clap the poem, listening for the steady beat, the extra syllables, and the rests.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method teaches the “steady beat” as a first skill in music training. The Kodaly method uses Syllables to teach rhythm, and also uses listen-repeat method for teaching.
Introduction of the Voice (~2.5 Minutes)
“Feel The Buzz” Have your children put their index finger over the vocal chords. Then hum together. “Did you feel anything?” (vibration, buzzing) Vibration is what our ears interpret as sound! Our vocal chords create vibration, and we control our vocal chords to either speak or sing.” We can sing loudly (demonstrate and encourage participation for each example that follows), softly, up (demonstrate high notes), down (demonstrate low notes), slowly (demonstrate a slow scale) or quickly (demonstrate a fast scale).” Our vocal chords are an amazing instrument -- God’s amazing creation.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly Method focuses on the voice as our primary instrument and proposes that action facilitates learning.
Hand Sign Training(~5 Minutes)
1. Introduce the Hand Signs for So and Mi; and have the students alternate for several minutes between the notes. The children will enjoy doing the signs themselves; and this helps the kinesthetic learner.
2. Sing with them. Then allow them to sing without you. You may wish to use a keyboard to help them center the pitch at first.
3. End by having the students sing in two groups. Start this by having some of the strongest students sing So, and then add the other students with yourself singing Mi. Hold the notes for several minutes.
“Two notes sung simultaneously are said to be in harmony. We just sang in harmony for the first time!”
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method teaches that hand signs facilitate accurate pitch.
Singing (~15 Minutes)
Warm-up using a pentatonic scale with Hand Signs for So and Mi. You may choose to add the sign for Do; however it is not traditionally taught during the first year of Kodaly training.
My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Protestant Hymn)
Sing the song once through for your students. Then Clap the steady beat as you sing a second time through. Ask, “Did you hear the steady beat?” Now, teach the first couple of lines in sing and repeat style. Don’t expect students to learn the whole song in one week! Listen to a recording of the song.
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (Folk Song)
This time listen to the recording of the song first; and then repeat the same steps used in teaching the hymn. When the children join in, have them march along. When you finish; ask – “Did you hear the steady beat?” Of course they did, because 8 feet marching make a nice steady percussion! Have them sing one more time and listen to their feet. “Feet are another instrument God gave us with our bodies!”
KODALY CONCEPTS: The Kodaly Method uses the music of the people to encourage participation, promote National pride, and provide a common ground. Using familiar music aids in ease of learning the hand signs.
Music Theory (~10 Minutes)
Introduce the Musical Staff with the aid of a visual; even if it is a homemade drawing.
Game One – Learn Musical Alphabet -- Use Two sets of Alphabet flashcards or Alphabet tiles; and have students “find” the letters in the Musical alphabet (A-G). Put them in order and show how they start over. Show them on the piano, and by singing one octave with letters. Briefly mention the Musical alphabet on the staff. I have a rolling note that rolls over my staff***; so I just roll the note up from A to G to show how the lines work. If you are using a white board; you can simply draw them on as you say the letter.
KODALY CONCEPT: In the Kodaly method, teaching theory is to begin early, and starts simply with the introduction of the staff through visual presentation and active participation.
*Times are approximate.
**Words in quotation are to be spoken, or rephrased for the teaching portion. Flexible memorization is best, Note Card prompts are acceptable, reading from a full page is not.
***This handy gadget is called the Wright Way Note Finder.
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