Studying Star Wars Music With Preschoolers

Star Wars is so popular, why not study it in preschool.  Even if the kids haven't seen the movies, most of them are familiar with the music.  A great article about the music in the Force Awakens is Seven Things We Learned About Star Wars The Force Awakens From it's Music.  The article goes through each of the themes associated with the main characters.

We typically study pitched instruments and add in Carnival of the Animals or Peter and the Wolf during the second semester in preschool.  Last year we studied the music from Peter Pan the  musical and movie.  Here is how we will branch out and study instruments through star wars music this year.

I start every class with listening.  As the kids come into music we have something new we are listening to, and quietly moving to in our spots or patting the beat to.  To introduce Star Wars we listened to the Imperial March as the kids entered the class and kept the beat in our bodies.  We also sang the Star Wars version of A Ram Sam Sam.

A Jabba the Hutt, A Jabba the Hutt, A Luke Skywalker, and a Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader, Darth Vader, A Luke Skywalker and a Jabba the Hutt.

In the lessons to come we will listen to the theme music for each character and explore keeping the beat in some fun ways.  One fun post I found had a lesson on keeping a steady beat light saber fight with pool noodles or boomwhackers while listening to the Imperial March.  This will be a reward at the end of a class!  

We will also try a small part of the Imperial March and the Star Wars theme on boomwhackers.  There are free printables for these on Teachers Pay Teachers and Preschool Prodigies.