Nov. 2, 2007 - Kodaly Method for the Christian Homeschool -- Lesson Plan Three
I am including the third lesson plan here; and also a pdf copy for you to download. Enjoy!
Kodaly Methods for the Christian Homeschool
Week Three - 45 Minutes Class Time
Introduction to Music (~10 Minutes)
Listen to a March. A piece by John Phillip Sousa should be easy to find.
{Choose a recording you already own, or find one at the library. You might also check at Classical Archives. Have the music playing as children arrive and encourage the children march in place to the steady beat until you are ready to move on. If you need to purchase something, you can purchase one song from ITunes for 99 cents.}
“Did you hear the steady beat?”
Show the students a picture of John Phillip Sousa; and give a brief summary of his music.
“Who remembers what the highest calling of any musician is?” Great Job! Praise of God our Maker is the highest calling of any musician. Let’s speak Psalm 92:1-3 in rhythm with a steady beat.
Review these verses at the start of each class.
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.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method focuses teaching the steady beat through speaking rhythms, rhythm syllables, and the listen/repeat pattern. For this selection, Rhythm syllables will be added next week. The Kodaly method includes listening to the master composers at the earliest ages with a listening ear.
Rhythm Training (~10 Minutes)
1. Review the verses fro Psalm 92:1-3.
2. Now speak the verses using the Kodaly rhythm syllables of Ta for quarters and Ti for eighth notes; practicing once or twice with the syllables. Here is a link regarding the rhythm syllables: http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/training/rchart.asp
3. Have the students speak the true words again, this time marching in place to the steady beat.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method teaches the “steady beat” as a first skill in music training and uses rhythm syllables to teach rhythm.
Warm Up (~2.5 Minutes)
“Feel The Buzz” Have your children put their index finger over the vocal chords as you did last week. “Today we are going to warm up our voices a bit by singing what is called a pentatonic scale. A pentatonic scale is five notes.
Hum together up and down a scale with finger on vocal chords a few times. Alternate to open syllables such as Ahh. This is only a slight warm up; and introduces the pentatonic scale. Don’t forget to use the hand signs for So and Mi!
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly Method uses the pentatonic scale for warm up and hand sign practice.
Sign Training (~5 Minutes)
Review the Hand Signs for So and Mi; and have the students alternate for several minutes between the notes.
What’s In A Name Revisited?
Using the names of your students, compose a tune for each one using only the notes So and Mi. Make each one as different as possible. Have the students sing each one with you several times; and remember to use Hand Signs.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method teaches that hand signs facilitate accurate pitch and encourages simple composition at the earliest ages.
Singing (~15 Minutes)
Battle Hymn of the Republic (Protestant Hymn)
Listen to a recording of this song; written to a soldier song with a strong marching rhythm. Sing the song once through for your students; then teach them the first few lines using the listen and repeat method.
My Faith Looks up to Thee
Review and sing.
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (Folk Song)
Review this song for fun; marching in place. ☺.
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. The Kodaly Method promotes rhythm awareness through large muscle movement.
Music Theory (~10 Minutes)
Who remembers the musical alphabet? (Call on a student to name the musical alphabet.) Great Job __________!
Show A on the Musical Staff and listen to an A from the piano or pitch fork. Ask, “Who remembers the name of this note?”
Show C on the Musical Staff and listen to a C on the piano or sing it using the A as a reference. Say “This is C; and C is very close to A on the Musical Staff.”
Each week we will review and add a new letter on the staff.
KODALY CONCEPT: Teaching theory is to begin early, and starts simply with the introduction of the staff through visual presentation and active participation.
The bottom line is; We try not to insist on parent-led learning or gravitate toward child-led learning. We try instead to focus on God-led learning and ask for His input and perspective on every aspect of our home school. That way, when others fuss about what Dan and I are doing and make me second guess our decisions -- I can go back to our decision process and find God's fingerprints, reminding me that this is His way.
