Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Early Childhood

Overarching Goals / Theme

Curricular Overview

Song Collection (in order of use)

Example Experience Designs

Additional Resources (children’s books, methodology books, etc.)

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Overarching Goals / Theme

Grade Level Goals

Transfer Goals 1. Know the relationship between notes and their proximity to each other
2. Know “sol, mi, and la” and their proximity to each other
3. Gross motor movements

VA State Goals K.2.1

Addressed K.3.1
K.3.2
K.6
K.7.1
K.7.4
K.12.2
K.12.3

Acquisition 1. Sing solfege syllables 4. How to rhyme and to listen for words that rhyme
Goals 2. Play Orff instruments 5. 2 note songs
3. Know how to count 6. 3 note songs
4. Know how to make a
circle with each other.
5. Gross motor movement
skills
6. Pointing out icons for the
various subjects of some
of the songs

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 Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Curricular Overview

Grade Level Goals​​ (*indicates example experience design)

Goals/Foci- circle movement, voice recognition
Day 1​​ * Difference between singing and speaking voices.
“Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone?”
Singing 2-note song in-tune, eventually from memory

Day 2 Goals/Foci- Matching pitch and circle movement

Overview of Activities​- welcome song

“Ring around the rosie”
Match pitch games/ echo activities- individually and group

Day 3 Goals/Foci- Body movement and matching pitch

Overview of Activities​- ​“Teddy Bear” song

Day 4 Goals/Foci- sound directionality

Overview of Activities​- “Cuckoo” song and hide-and-seek

Day 5 Goals/Foci: Rhythmic notation/ syllables

Overview of Activities​ “Little Sally Water” song, iconic notation

Student-led notation (give them props- such as popsicle sticks- to show you the difference between sounds/syllables

Day 6 Goals/Foci Rhyming

Overview of Activities: Introduce rhyme

“Starlight”
“What Should Come Next?” Rhyming Game

Day 7 Goals/Foci Language/pronunciation, History

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 Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Overview of Activities​ “​Warya Djama”

Day 8 Goals/Foci Drumming and steady beat

Overview of Activities​: “Round and Round”

Pass around a hand drum and have students demonstrate the beat.

Day 9 Goals/Foci: Conversations/ Song Structure

Overview of Activities​ “One, Two, Three Four Five”

explain that some songs have more than one “part” and ask if they can find where this song switches from one person to the
other

Goals/Foci- exploring music with different instruments and improvising songs

Day 10 ​* Overview of Activities ​“Apple Tree, Apple Tree” (include comments on assessment and accessibility)

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Song Collection (in order of use)

Doggy, Doggy

Notation:

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​American Folk Song

Melodic Element: ​sol mi la Rhythmic Element: ​quarter notes

Mode: Lydian

Learning Facets: ​voice recognition, spatial awareness, animal characteristics (dog)

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Game:

Ring around the Rosie

Notation

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​Myth that this song is about the plague in Europe

Melodic Element: ​Mi, Sol, La Rhythmic Element: ​quarter and eighth notes

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Rhythm, melody pitch

Game: ​Teach them how t​ ​Hold hands and sing song until word “down” then everyone drops to the floor.

Teddy Bear

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide
Notation:
Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html
Melodic Element: ​sol, mi, la, (do)
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Early Childhood
Background: ​The rhyme itself dates back to the early 1700’s, but the
phrase “Teddy Bear” didn’t come around until Theodore “Teddy”
Roosevelt’s presidency. The original rhyme is unknown, but “lady bug”
“butterfly” “Shirley Temple” and many, many other versions have been
known.
Rhythmic Element: ​eighth notes
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Mode: ​Mixolydian

Learning Facets: ​gross motor movement skills

Game: ​students stand and act out the various movements indicated in the lyrics as we say them. Can be prompted with questions such as
“what does it look like when you (insert various motions)?”

Cuckoo

Notation:

Source: ​http://kodalysongweb.net/node/30 Background: ​This is a traditional English folk-poem about the

habits of the migrant cuckoo bird, which spends the winter in the
warmer climate of Africa, comes to England in April and leaves

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

again in August. The call of the cuckoo is a well-loved symbol of

the arrival of Spring. In June this call changes, usually to one
with the first note repeated several times. All over Europe the
children go out into the woods in April or May and listen for the
cuckoo call which they then imitate.

Melodic Element: ​Sol, mi Rhythmic Element: ​quarter and eighth notes

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Voice recognition, spatial awareness, parts of a conversation

Game: ​For this game, we play “musical hide-and-seek” where one person from the class hides and the rest of the class has to find their
classmate. The class sings “Cuckoo where are you, cuckoo where are you?” and the person hiding responds with “Here I am, I see you!” as
they come out of their hiding spot.

Little Sally Water

Notation:

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Source:​​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​From Eastern US and Great Britain

Melodic Element: ​Mi, Sol, La Rhythmic Element: ​Quarter notes and eighth notes

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Might learn pitch, rhythm and melody

Game:​​ Children join hands in a circle, with one child in the center as "Sally," covering his or her eyes with two hands. The circle moves around
as they sing the song. The child in the center imitates the song all the way through, pointing to another child in the circle at the end of the song,
still covering the eyes with one hand, so that the choice is accidental. The chosen child becomes "Sally," goes to the center, and the game
starts again.

Starlight

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Notation:

Source: ​http://kodalysongweb.net/node/63 Background: ​European nursery rhyme/lullaby that touches on the

subject of shooting stars and making a wish.

Melodic Element: ​sol, mi Rhythmic Element: ​Quarter and eighth notes

Mode: ​ionian (Duplicated in the CKC Kindergarten group)

Learning Facets:​​ shooting stars, rhyming

Game: ​For this game, the teacher brings the “Starlight Rhyming boardgame” game board and player markers to class, and students get into
groups of about 4 or 5. The students roll the dice and move their marker that many spaces, and then they look at the object on that space and

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

say a word that rhymes with that object. For example, if the student landed on a star with a frog on it, they would say something like “dog” or
“fog” etc.

Warya Djama

Notation:

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Lyrics: ​Warya
Djama Warya Djama Ma huruudah Ma huruudah Sa'adee iskolka Sa'adee iskolka Way da'aday,
Way da'aday.

Source: ​https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5504 Background: ​Somalian lullaby

Melodic Element: ​do, re, mi, fa sol la Rhythmic Element: ​Dotted quarter, eighth note

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​pitch, rhythm, melody, hi context, different language

Game: ​sit in circle and pass cups or small object to the right or left for beat (if class is small enough) teach solfege first.

Round and Round (Hattie)

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Notation:

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​African self-defence game played with sticks.

Melodic Element: ​do re mi sol la Rhythmic Element: ​sixteenth notes (oh my!)

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets:

Game:

One, Two, Three, Four, Five

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background:

Melodic Element: ​Mi, Sol, La Rhythmic Element: ​quarter and eighth notes

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Counting, rhythm, melody, pitch, naming objects

Game: ​Call and response activity, could use to count objects

Al Citron

Notation:

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Source: Background: ​Mexico

http://kodalysongweb.net/sites/default/files/Al%20Citron.pdf

Melodic Element: ​do, re, mi, sol Rhythmic Element: ​Dotted quarter, eighth note

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​pitch, rhythm, melody, hi context, different language

Game: ​sit in circle and pass cups or small object to the right or left for beat (if class is small enough) teach solfege first.

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Apple Tree, Apple Tree

Notation:

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​American Folk Song

Melodic Element: ​Sol, mi, la Rhythmic Element: ​quarter and eighth notes

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Seasons, Fruits, plants

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Game: ​Similar to “London Bridge is Falling Down,” students join hands in a circle, with two students making an “apple tree” with their arms on
either side of the line. Students walk as a circle and when on the word “out” the two “apple tree” students bring their hands down to “knock me
out.”

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Example Experience Designs

Lesson Plan 1:

Rationale​​:
The purpose of this experience is to introduce the concepts of Voice Recognition and Voice Directionality to learners
through a fun game. In addition, it introduces three-note songs and the solfege Sol, La, and Mi (however, other versions of
this song involve only 2 pitches- sol and mi- and can serve as an adaptation with this learner set)
Understanding Statements​​: Students will understand the difference between singing and speaking.
In addition, students will be able to demonstrate the song and sing a 2-pitch song in tune.
“I can” statements/standards:
● I can tell the difference between singing and speaking and show my teacher (VA K. 2)
● I can sing a 2-pitch song with my class or follow my teacher. (VA K 3)
Materials​​:
● Dog-related toy of some sort: Bone, stuffed animal, etc.
● A chair
● A circle rug (optional)
Detailed Process​​:
● First, we begin with a ​welcome song​. As the majority of students are in the classroom, we prompt
them to listen and repeat what we sing as we sing the opening lyric- “Let’s join hands and get in a
circle.” Some kids may automatically notice that the song is instructing them to do something, but if
not, prompt them with the question: “What do you think we should do with our bodies when we sing

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this song?” or “What do you think the song is telling us to do?” Next, we repeat the song, but ask the
students to get in a circle as they sing it (Say + Do). (8 minutes)
● Once the students are in a circle, prompt them to copy you. Put your hand on your chest and begin
speaking in a low “monster” voice. Explain that this is the “speaking voice,” and that it isn’t the voice
we use in music class, most of the time. Then, begin humming, but put a finger to your lips as if
you’re “shushing” someone. If your finger tickles your lips, it means you’re using your singing voice.
Now repeat this with various pitches and allow students to get a feel for their singing voices. (6
minutes)
● Then, prompt them to “watch me,” and show them the hand signs “Sol,” and “Mi,” while singing those
pitches. Then prompt then to echo or “copy” you, and repeat the activity. Improvise different rhythms
and orders for “Sol” and “Mi” with hand signs, and eventually work to the rhythm of “Doggie Doggie”
(10 minutes)
● Then, have the students spread around the room for a “dance break.” I like to use “​Shake Your Sillies
Out​” after students have been sitting for a long time because it expends pent up energy in addition to
focusing on fine and gross motor movements and teaches various movements (jump your jiggles out,
clap your clappies out, etc.) If students still seem restless, repeat the song and ask them to sing along
if they’d like (6 minutes)
● Then, have students sit where they are in the circle and begin the next activity- “​Doggie, Doggie,
where’s your bone​?” To begin, instruct students to pass the doggie prop around the circle and listen,
while the teacher sings the beginning of the nursery rhyme. After a few repetitions of this, the teacher
can prompt students to join in singing if they think they know the song. (10 minutes)
● Once the majority of students are singing, give a new direction to sing the answer “I stole your bone”
ONLY IF they have the bone/toy when the music stops. Once students get the hang of it, explain the
game to them- if two teachers are in the room, it may be useful to demonstrate with them first (one
sits with their back to the students as the students sing and the other sings “I stole your bone” when
prompted, and have the teacher “guess” who stole their bone. (8 minutes)
● After demonstrating, have the students play. Have students sit in a block/ square and pick a student
to go first at “guessing” (either randomly, by best behavior, most excited, etc.) and have the student

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close their eyes as you give another student the “bone” or prop. Then, prompt students to sing the
song with you (with the “I stole your bone” part) while the student in the chair is still facing the other
direction. Once the song is completed and the student with the prop has sung, have the student in the
chair turn around and attempt to guess which of the classmates “stole” the bone. After three guesses,
have the student with the prop reveal themself and switch turns. Continue the game with new
students until all students have had a turn (or until the game is no longer engaging) (10-15 minutes)
● After this activity, begin a ​goodbye song​ that helps to end the lesson with music and movement and
calms students down before leaving (to home or another class)

Assessments​​:
The teacher can hear the pitches the students are singing and determine whether or not they are “correct”
The teacher can prompt students for their “singing voice” or “speaking voice” and determie whether or not
students are singing “in head voice” or speaking in “chest voice”
Extension
To extend this experience, the “Doggie Doggie” game could go for longer, the “dance break” could be
repeated, or the exit song could be repeated.
In addition, the solfege improvisation game could be extended to students by prompting “can you make a
song using ‘sol’ and ‘mi’?” and every student could

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Lesson Plan 2:
● Summary/Overview​​ This is an Orff activity to introduce instruments to young music learners. It uses technology,
xylophones, glockenspiels as well as rhythm instruments and the learners sing the song as well. It is a long
process of learning and playing the instruments and may not work to do it all at once.
● Rationale: ​This activity would be meaningful for the participants because they would be learning how to play
instruments they might not get to play at home because the instruments are expensive and not typical for an
American household to have. It also gives a chance for everyone to play or sing something so they have a
sense of belonging and choice when learning how to make music. In my experience when everyone has
something to do it is much more enjoyable for everyone and it might actually run smoother than expected
because everyone is occupied. Young learners developmentally have a short attention span but the new
instruments could keep their attention for longer than expected because they are enjoying the activity so much.
● Standards:
a.) With substantial guidance, explore favorite musical ideas (such as movements,vocalizations, or instrumental
accompaniments). (MU:Cr2.1.PK)
b.) With substantial guidance, select and keep track of the order for performing original musical ideas, using iconic
notation and/or recording technology. (MU:Cr2.1.PK)
● I Can Statements:
a. I can explore my favorite musical ideas (these “I can” statements are simplified so the young early education
students can say them at the end.)
b. I can keep track of the order of musical ideas like singing, playing instruments and using technology.
● Materials and Visual Aids​​:

Apple Tree, Apple Tree

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Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Early Childhood

Notation:

Source: ​https://songretrieval.weebly.com/level-i-songs.html Background: ​American Folk Song

Melodic Element: ​Sol, mi, la Rhythmic Element: ​quarter and eighth notes

Mode: ​Ionian

Learning Facets: ​Seasons, Fruits, plants

Game: ​Similar to “London Bridge is Falling Down,” students join hands in a circle, with two students making an “apple tree” with their arms on
either side of the line. Students walk as a circle and when on the word “out” the two “apple tree” students bring their hands down to “knock me
out.” (potential game)
● Glockenspiels
● Alto xylophones
● Ipads

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● Bongos and/or Djembes

● Link to full experience design and pdf of orff notation ​Here

● Detailed process​​:
5 min: as they are walking in tell them to make a circle in the room and hold hands while they make the
circle. Next, have them stop holding hands and sit down. You start singing the song with the words a couple times.
Next...
5 min: Start with the two fingers tapping on hand for melody rhythm while you are still singing. Tap first four
bars (with no singing) then have them echo. Have them repeat it a couple times then tag out when you think they
have it.
5-10 min: Sing the song, first words, then sing first four bars and have them copy you. Then next four bars,
copy. After that, have them do all of it a couple times and bow out again if you think they’ve got it. Ask them after
you sing the first two bars “what word in this part of the song sounded higher” (hopefully they answer “apple”). Tell
them you are going to sing the song on different words/syllables called “solfege”
5-10min: sing the solfege and sing it first without them and ask them what solfege syllables were sung with
what words. Or ask them which word went with which solfege syllable Then have them do the solfege (call and
response) first four, bars then next 4 bars, then all together. Then bow out again if necessary.
5min: have them sing “sol sol mi” over and over again (or the glockenspiel part) as you show them on the
glockenspiel what to play. (It will already be out) Have someone come and try it on their own.
5min: Demonstrate new rhythm then tell everyone else to tap the rhythm on their hand like before with you
(new rhythm notated in score). (Have ipads and drums already out) And select a few people to play on drums and
ipads, but demonstrate first
(transitions: switch students out while they either rest or play melody ostinato/other instruments)
5min: demonstrate on alto xylophone bass ostinato and select one or 2 to play that. (meanwhile have everyone still
do the rhythm on their hand if they don’t have instruments to play.)

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5min: have them start singing the melody and demonstrate the melody on the alto xylophone then select a few to
come play the melody while everyone else either sings or taps the rhythm.
5 min: stop them, then start the song over and do a run through a couple times.
5 min: at the end wind back the game a little for them and just have them sing the song as they hold hands in a
circle and just walk around the circle and on “out!” have them drop their hands (tell them to do this before hand.)

● Assessment:

✅ Standards to Fulfill

With substantial guidance, explore favorite musical ideas (such as

movements,vocalizations, or instrumental accompaniments)

With substantial guidance, select and keep track of the order for
performing original musical ideas, using iconic notation and/or recording
technology.

● Extensions:​​ If I ran out of things to do, I would play the potential game suggested in the visual aid.
● Adaptations:​​ Some adaptations I would make would be if the song was too low for their voices, transpose it for
the next time so it was higher.

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Additional Resources (children’s books, methodology books, etc.)

Videos:

Welcome Song: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As2qtcJT0FQ

Doggie Doggie Game: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tymwe7XPEVI

Shake your sillies out: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwT5oX_mqS0

Goodbye Song: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcws7UWWDEs

Blogs:

Teaching singing vs. speaking voice: ​http://www.wemakethemusic.org/blog/2015/10/4/teaching-kids-to-sing-three-ways-to-find-singing-voice

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