What’s next?

Kids have heard the story, they have named the 4 voices and they can say the chant easily. What can we do with this? For this class, I not only wanted them to remember and practice their 4 voices, but to also put them into context. So often we read how important it is to put a concept into a larger picture so that kids can connect to the information, understand it and remember it! The very next class was the perfect time!

My idea was for the students to think about when they actually use these in their lives. I wanted to cut out magazine photos for the kids for them to sort ~ a great idea……if you have the time and can find magazines with such photos! 1. Magazines are farther and fewer between nowadays, and 2. Everyone uses the internet. ….. especially when you only have 30 minutes for class and there are other things you need to cover!

SO, last night I googled various scenarios and chose 9 photos. I put them in a folder on my laptop, so they would be easily accessible during class. (I am sure an iPad would work well for this!!) I decided on:
1. A library
2. A rock concert
3. An orchestra concert
4. A mall
5. A music class with a teacher playing a guitar and kids sitting around her
6. A regular classroom
7. A group of musicians playing instruments outside
8. A public soccer game
9. A restaurant

The first activity was to tap the steady beat and say, sing, shout and whisper the rhyme. We tiptoed for the whispering voice and stomped for the shouting voice. I then asked us to name the voices. and to name examples of when we might use them. I then proceeded to show them the photos and have them tell me what voice to use when. For a couple of these, 2 voices worked; one can sing at a rock concert or shout excitedly as the musicians come on stage and for an orchestra concert I asked kids what voice would they use if they absolutely needed to tell their mom something in the middle of this concert ~ why a whispering voice, of course!! I don’t know if I would use this example again, as most kids have never been to an orchestra concert. Food for thought.

Next week we will use our “fishy song” to have kids practice using their different voices (as mentioned in the Beat the Clock eBook). It will encourage explicit examples and the kids will have a blast in the meantime!

If you have a fun way for your students to practice their voices, please share in the comments below!!