Music Foundation
Ready to Play: Off We Go!
Music is truly our first language, even before we form words! Consequently, we focus on singing, establishing a steady beat using movement, learning the most key rhythm patterns, matching pitches to patterns, then mapping the pitch the patterns using multiple activities and tools.
Old Mister Woodpecker from Ready to Play! Off We Go!
Rhythm Goes on Top of the Beat!
After mapping out the melody using the colored hearts, we then put the rhythm notation flashcards on top of the beats. The melody shown here is created from the pitches “so” and “mi,” the most universal singing pattern in the world. The song may seem simple, yet the learning becomes increasingly complex with each layer of concept and applicaiton. We go from the rhythm to pitch, rhythm, singing/listening, playing tuned desk bells and the glockenspiel, to playing the piano keys, then playing duets with me!
Matching pitches to locations on the grand staff
Once a student can successfully sing a more complex song on pitch, map out the pitches using the hearts (as seen above), the student is ready to start matching the pitches on the staff.