Nov. 7, 2007 - Kodaly Method for the Christian Homeschool -- Lesson Plans Four
Kodaly Methods for the Christian Homeschool
Week Four - 45 Minutes Class Time
Introduction to Music (~10 Minutes)
Listen to a Gregorian chant.
{Choose a recording you already own, or find one at the library. Have the music playing as children arrive and encourage the children to reflect quietly on the music and listen for rhythm (steady beat). If you need to purchase something, you can purchase one song from ITunes for 99 cents.}
“Did you hear the steady beat?” (Answer may very well be no. One of the characteristics of Gregorian chant is the lack of a steady beat!)
“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 this week.
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.
Now Review the verses again, but this time using rhythm syllables instead of the words. Go through this a couple of times.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method focuses teaching the steady beat through speaking rhythms, rhythm syllables, and the listen/repeat pattern. The Kodaly method includes listening to the master composers at the earliest ages with a listening ear.
Rhythm Training (~10 Minutes)
1. Review “Peas Porridge Hot”.
2. Now speak the poem 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. Can you say that?”
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.
Composing a Chant Using So and Mi
Have the students collaborate to write a Gregorian style chant that praises God using So and Mi as the main notes. Depending on the ages of your class, you will be heavily involved in the process. First choose a text together, perhaps a familiar Bible verse. Have each student take turns adding the next note and sing along as you go. We used a keyboard, and students took turns suggesting whether we go up or down. Gregorian chant is a little more complicated of course; but this is really just composition fun; not Music History/theory for advanced students.
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)
Review and sing.
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.”
Now Show B on the Musical Staff; listen and sing a B.
Finally alternate between the notes, singing along as you place different notes on the 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.
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.
Kodaly Lesson Update! I just wanted anyone using these to know that I have changed Lesson 2 so that it is less repetitive of Lesson 1. I changed the Rhythm section completely. We will revisit the Peas Porridge Hot Lesson originally included in Lesson 2 when we do Lesson 3 later this week. If you are just now uploading the files you have no need to be concerned as the files have already been updated.
If you are looking for the complete Kodaly Lesson plans as they are available, you can find them in the Kodaly category; and also you can subscribe to my RSS feed and get my updates delivered to your inbox!
Sep. 19, 2007 - Kodaly Method for the Christian Homeschool - Lesson Plans
Kodaly Methods for the Christian Homeschool
Lesson Plans
Week Two - 45 Minutes Class Time PDF Download:
Please note the pdf download does not include all of the links included below.
Introduction to Music (~10 Minutes)
Listen to a piece by Bach.
{Choose a recording with a clearly audible steady beat. Have the music playing as children arrive and encourage quiet reflection on the music until you are ready to move on. If you have Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring it is perfect for the slow steady rhythm. Any of the organ fugues would also work well. You can find free downloads at Classical Archives. The "free" membership includes five downloads per day and is not exactly advertised.}
“Did you hear the steady beat?” This piece was written by a man named Bach; and he named it _______________ . Bach was a man who loved God and understood his highest calling as a musician.”
“Who remembers what the highest calling of any musician is?” Great Job! (I am planning to pass out candy corn to those who answer.) 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 this week.
{Teacher should practice ahead of time to work out your tempo, etc. I am using 4/4 time, with two beats on Lord, O, Most, High; and eighth notes on “to proclaim your love in the morning” so that the steady beat falls on every other syllable. I also have as eighth notes the first two words at the beginning of each line; and all other notes are quarter notes, with a rest after faithfulness. This should be taught in a listen/ repeat pattern. Next week we will add more to this, so it can be a once or twice through as you please.}
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)
What’s In A Name?
1. Make a Steady Beat out of each child’s first and last name. Practice a few times.
2. Now add the Kodaly rhythm syllables for each name. Practice like this: Sam*son Blu*ber*ry, Ta*Ta*Ti*Ti Ta; Sa*man*tha Mich*e*len Ta*Ti*Ti*Ta*Ta*Ta -- practicing once or twice for each name before adding another name. Here is a link regarding the Rhythm Syllables
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. Can you say that?”
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)
This section is nearly the same as last week.
Review 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. 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. 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.
“When two different notes are sung at the same time; what is it called?” Harmony.
KODALY CONCEPT: The Kodaly method teaches that hand signs facilitate accurate pitch.
Singing (~15 Minutes)
My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Protestant Hymn)
Sing the song once through with your students. They should be able to sing along for at least part; as you worked on this last week. Add a few more lines with the sing/repeat method until they are able to sing independently on a few lines. Again, listen to a recording of the song. If you have a different recording that would be excellent. Don’t forget to use the hand signs for So and Mi.
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad (Folk Song)
Review and learn a bit more of this song. Learn at least the first stanza well enough for the next activity. For my students, this song was more familiar. “Today we are going to add something new. We are going to travel around the room as we sing. We will try a few different modes of travel; walking, skipping, and running. We will decide which is most appropriate for the steady beat of this song.” You may wish to use your recording of this song to maintain tonal contact with your running students ☺.
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)
Game – Learn Musical Alphabet -- Use the following letters (A B C D E F G A) of Alphabet flashcards or Alphabet tiles. Hand the set one at a time to each of your students out of order and with one (different) letter missing. Have them place the letters in order from A to A and tell you the name of the missing piece. You may have them work together in pairs if one at a time is not feasible.
Show A on the Musical Staff and listen to an A from the piano or pitch fork. 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.
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
Here is a (free) PDF Download:
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.
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.
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.
