Everybody Make An.....

You may have happened across this absolutely adorable video on Pinterest.

After watching it and thinking how stinking cute those little voices were, I decided I had to try it out with my own Kindergartners.  I always include a solo singing opportunity during my K lessons, so this week instead of doing our Question of the Day, we started playing this game.

Before we learned the song, we took a look at the letters on the board and practiced making them with our rhythm sticks.  I had already listed the letters that are possible on the board so that we would just have to practice making them.  Here are our letters and what they look like with rhythm sticks.

A, F, H

I, K, L

N, T, V

X, Z

If you try this song, you will probably want to preface this activity with a disclaimer about not having all of the parts of the letters but the basic shape.  Otherwise, you are going to here "but what about the middle line in the A", "we could use the line on the rug", "but I don't have a line in front of me!"  It could be earth shattering to a Kindergartner and, yeah, I didn't think about that one the first time through this lesson.  :)  If they really can't get past it, they can use their arm to make the other part of the letter.

After we practiced our letters, we moved, with our rhythm sticks in park, and made a circle around the rug.  Then I asked them to be my echo.  This lesson we only focused on the singing portion, next time we will add the spoken part and discuss the contrasting voices.  After echoing a few letters and making them in front of us, we went around the circle and each child got to be the leader.

They loved this!!!

We finished our lesson by creating a soundscape to go along with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  This is a great story to practice playing up/down, high/low sounds.

The Magic Microphone

What can possibly elicit a more excited response from a 5 year old than a sparkly microphone?  Well okay, maybe any sort of drum but if they aren't getting to play that instrument the magic microphone is the next best thing.

Now I know that you may have a different process but I start my K year off (after rules of course) with a chance to practice our "Four Voices".  I don't go very in depth with this process at this point just looking at the four voice posters and then some simple echoing.  I also give each child a chance to share one of their four voices using the magic microphone.

I like this portion of my first lesson because it gives each child an opportunity to perform a solo where they have a choice in how they share their voice.  I have very little resistance to this activity because my more reserved little ones can choose to use their whisper voice.  This is a great way to ease into more solo activities and to reinforce being a good listener.

You may be thinking that I end up hearing all shouting voice, and the first few students did until I got smart.  Once we use a sign I turn it around so that the next friend has to choose a different voice.  Sometimes I will have two signs turned around.  I do this throughout the activity keeping the shouting voice turned as often as possible so that my lesson doesn't turn into a screaming match.  At this point, I keep corrections to a minimum and get a feel for where my students are in understanding  how to use their different voices.