Journal #2

Over the past few weeks we have been examining several education avenues covering the general topic of teaching music to children. We have discussed topics such as using relative topics of songs with the appropriate age groups to ensure that the music lesson is as effective as possible. We learned the techniques such as tone syllables and hands signs to teach songs by notes. We spoke about utilizing tangible object to assist in the children visualizing and understanding the concepts behind music notes and rhythm. Recently we concluded our first lesson plan projects, which we taught a musical concept to several of our classmates as they were children of a desired grade level.
One of the most interesting aspects of this class is how we learn to utilize the lessons and concepts that are conveyed to us as possible techniques to teach children. We took a closer look at the interest of various age groups- whether it is food, animals, nature, family, or abstract ideas we simply brainstormed ideas according to the grade. Usually we grasped concepts best when we actually go thru the motions; we learned the hand syllables for music by making our own dance using the hand signals that we were suppose to perform for the class. We took a look at sheet music outlined with pictures that depicted the rhythm and notation value to help us understand the importance of getting across the ideas of keeping count in music. There was also the lesson plan that we recorded and critiqued as a class that enabled us to see what it is like to be on the other side as a teacher. It was interesting teaching the lesson plans and seeing how teachers improvise throughout the day when things do not go as previous plan. We learn how to plan for the gap of mysterious given the fact that nothing in life is perfect.
It is important to learn these concepts to be great effective teachers. It is the teacher’s responsibility to relay messages to the students to understand. Teachers have to possess the capability to achieve that goal, no matter how much of a hard time the student is having understanding the material. We have to understand the fact that children learn differently, one has to be able to incorporate sufficient skill techniques to capture the entire classroom and the lessons we complete as a class ensures that we are capable of doing such things.
It is important for music to be present at all age levels- therefore it is essential that the lessons be age level appropriate to keep the interest of the students as they advance through grades.
Problems these past few weeks occurred because of scheduling and life. There were not any real problematic issues.

1a- Preschool and kindergarten ages 4 and 5
1b- Vocal Characteristics

• voices are small and light
• children are generally unable to sing in tune
• Singing in range of D-A for most; D-D for most
• children can sing play chants and easy tonal patterns
• children can sing short melodies in major, minor, or pentatonic scales
• children can sing melodies with one note to a syllable
• children can sing with awareness of a steady beat
• children can sing repeated rhythmic patterns accurately
• children can sing softly and loudly
• children can sing melodies with or without a simple accompanient

1c- Children of this age like songs that tell a story.

2a-Early Primary: 1st and 2nd grades ages 6 and 7

2b- vocal characteristics and abilities

• most voices are light and high; few maybe be low
• many children are still unable to sing in tune at age 6
• by age 7 most children will be able to sing short phrases in tune and begin to sing alone
• children can understand high and low pitches
• children can sustain a single pitch
• range expands from five to six consecutive pitches (D-B) to a full octave
• Children can sing from simple music notation
• children began to understand the importance of breath in singing

2c- Children at this level appreciates songs about tangible objects and animals.

3a- Intermediate: 3rd and 4th grade 8 and 9 years old

3b- Vocal characteristics and abilities

• children can sing in tune
• boy's voice adjust accordingly
• some children are able to sing melodies or parts of musical notation
• children can sing rounds, partner dongs, canons, and descants- there is little use of alto or lower parts.
• children can harmonize parts or chords by ear, such as 3rds and 6ths

3c- At this age children appreciate music about broader subjects such as American culture, transportation, geography, the circus, planets.

4a- Upper Elementary- 5th and 6th grades- ages 10 and 11

4b- vocal characteristics and abilities

• unchanged voices remain clear and light; boys' voices become more resonant
• some children show greater ability to sing in two and three
• some children have a heightened rhythmic sense and respond to music with strong rhythms
• some children can read simple music notation.

4c- Children like songs related to adventure, work, and history

2. Improving Posture- this is important to develop because the body is it's own instrument itself. Therefore, the head must be held high upper body must be positioned right.

Teaching Good Breathing Habits- this technique is important in order that children learn how to develop the ability to breath appropriately for particular musics tones and pitches.

Finding the Head Voice- this technique helps children learn how to utilize the proper tones and pitches to sing. It is done by using a follow the leader technique, I sing you sing.

Reflection Journal-

What We Learned-
Thus far in this course we have learned number of things, ranging from skills, ideas, terminology, and techniques. We began by discussing the idea of theory teaching music and how it can be done with different age groups. Through song and dance many ideas can be conveyed. We learned how to gain total participation from students by singing songs incorporated with music. We took songs and made them social activities where the students interacted with one another, such as the name game. We learned how to play the recorder, an instrument that I did not know even existed. We learned how to begin to read music and create music of our own. One of our main concepts that we mastered was rhythm, due to the significance of the function of rhythm in music.

How we learned-
The lessons we were taught by actively listening and interacting physically. We sang children songs and actually went through the motions in order to receive full lesson. We learned rhythm by discussing the objective and importance of keeping a steady beat. We patted our knees to hear the steady beat as a class, then we used batons to tap together to achieve a more crisp beat. We learned how to interpret music step by step, drawing the different elements in written music- ledger lines, clefs, notations, etc. We also have designated class periods in which we take recorder lessons.

Why is this important for us?-
It is important to learn these things in order that we will be able to teach these lessons ourselves in our own classrooms or to our own students. There is proper technique and procedure to everything, in this class we learn those steps and how to apply them to different age groups and grades.

It is important for children because-
Children benefit from music because it helps develop different function of their cognition, the affective functions, and various motor skills. As growing youth is it easier to grasp such ideas effectively. Children learn how to interpret sounds and visualize particular concepts with associated with music. They learn how to use music and interact with one another. Music makes for a better learning environment as a whole.

Music 373
Lesson Plan #1
Activity: Star Spangled Banner
Grade Level- 5th

Concept
· Musical- analyzing the variation in melodic range
· Non-musical- Patriotism

Skill
· Musical- Interpreting music notation and the difference in pitch, and recognizing the correlation between the two.
· Non-musical- Learning Americanism

Objectives
· Recognize the distance between notes
· Understand the terminology associated with aspect of music- range
· Learn an important concept of American culture

Materials
· Copy of music to song
· Recording of the instrumental
· Pencils

Procedure
· Play the instrument prior to the start of class, while students are settling in.
· Stop music and being class- attendance, homework, etc.
· Give a definition of melody and how it relates to range- examples are good too.
· Hand out music notation and read through it as the music plays
· Use hand or finger to point high and low for the give notations, to emphasize the idea of range.
· Point out the highest and lowest notes and show how the two connect through melody.
· Finally have the students sing along to really get the point.

Assessment
· Could the students recognize the different music notes?
· Could the students hear and point the different pitches that constructs the ranges?
· Could the students combine the two and make up the melody?

This is a worksheet for Chapter 2.
1.What are long- and short- term goals? Please give an example for each.

• long term goal: is an outline of the ulitmate outcome hoped for by a teacher- an example: a teacher wanting to teach students how to read music.
• Short term goal: an desired status that must be achieved in order to fulfill the long term goal- example: teaching the students the musical notation.

2.What is music concept about? Please list six musical concepts mentioned in the textbook.

• music concept is the techniques associated with the art of music that are used to construct music as whole- examples include; timbre, melody, rhythm, dynamics, texture, and form.

3.What is musical skill? (The things you do when you are engaged in musical activities). Please give three examples.

• Music skill is the art of being musically talented. Three skills can be, being able to hear and recognize musica tones, being pitch conscious, and simply the cognitive ability to learn to play an instrument.

4.What is the possible sequence of writing a lesson plan (p.27).

• What is the activity,
• grade level being taught,
• the key concepts being discussed

5.List the 9 national standards in music education (p. 26)

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
Improving melodies variations and accompaniments
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
Reading and notating music
Listening to analyzing and describing music
Evaluating music and musical performances
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture

6.Music is important in a child’s education because . . . (why do we need music? What is the purpose of music?)

• Music is an expression of self. Music can be an oulet for both childern and adults. For childern in particular music offers the opportunity to use the imagination and let the music create mental pictures. It is also healthy for math and counting.

Assignment #1 8-31-09

1. Psychomotor learning is the process of learning by physical contact and mental correlation. An example would be composing music from an instrument.
2. Cognitive learning consists of processing information psychologically. An musical example is reading musical notes.
3. Affective learning is the emotional reaction to music. Music can be an expression of many human feelings and emotions.
4. Teacher centered is environment where is the instructor is the primary focus, what he or she feels should be done despite the condition of the pupils who may or may not be interested or cooperating. While Child center environments are pupil based and sensitive to the condition and response of the children despite the intention of the instructor; who in this particular environment is aware that the lesson maybe subjected to change based on the reaction of the children.
5. I am a visual learning, watching and hearing works best for me. When I can make the lesson tangible, I understand the concepts more efficiently.

Bio

My name is Darrell Nelson II, my friends usually call me D. Currently, I'm a junior Elementary Ed major at NIU. My musical background consists of the acoustic guitar, in which i have been playing since I was 12. I have always had an appreciation for music, I love jazz and classical music. Many people call me old because of my liking of 70s and 80s music. Music is an expression of self, it can be soothing and helpful for people of all ages. I use music as a motivator, relaxer or outlet for my given state of mind.