Preschool Music Unit Around the World
/I love experiencing music from all over the world with the preschoolers I teach. Filling your lessons with music from many countries also ensures that your students are hearing a wonderful variety of tonalities. Here are a few of my favorite songs and activities we enjoyed this past year. (Click on the song titles tofind them in the iTunes store.)
Simple body percussion is a great way to experience the beat with this song. When that becomes easy add a closed circle clapping game or hand jive.
This “Waltz” is in 4. The word waltz in this song means to walk. Try moving around to the beat.
Now try waltzing to this European waltz. Can you also hear change your movements with the dynamics?
Dance of the Golden Snake (Asia - China)
Try small movement seated, or large movement up on your feet, with scarves. A follow the leader game like a Chinese dragon is fun. Follow the leader around the room and move up and down with the sounds you hear.
This is a great instrument play along or large movement piece. Can you change the way you move or play when the music changes from marcato to legato?
Russian Sailors Dance (Asia-Russia)
A fun large movement activity! How many different ways can you move your feet? March, tip-toe, run, hop?
A Tisket A Tasket Ella Fitzgerald Jazz (North America)
Game time. Have the students sit in a circle. Give each one a piece of paper to hold. The child who is “it” will walk around the outside of the circle until they get to the words, “lost it.” Then they will take a piece of paper from a child holding one up. The child chosen will chase the one who is “it” to see who can get back to the open spot first. Giving each child a piece of paper to hold helps ensure everyone gets a turn.
Star Spangled Banner (North America)
I recommend singing this song as a focus activity. The scholastic book has lovely pictures to accompany the song and help with understanding what you are singing about.
William Tell Overture (North America)
Use this piece to learn A,B,and C parts, and how to follow a conductor. Choose a different movement or instrument for each part. After listening to the song for a few weeks split the class into three groups and cue each group to move or play at the appropriate time.
Drumming along to this song is a lot of fun.
Try a passing game. Have the students sit in a line. Start the egg shaker (or other object) at the beginning of the line and help the students to pass by saying, “Pick it up and put it down” to the beat. See if you can pass it to the beat all the way down the line. When this is easy add more shakers or items to pass!
Don Alfredo Baila (South America)
A fun focus, large movement, or play along song.
This is a great song for a dance or play along.
La Marmotteuse (Europe/Canada)
Jump, pat, pat, pat (repeat this for 16 beats)
Strut or walk (for 16 beats)
Continue repeating the above 32 beats until you get to the middle section of the song. In the middle tap your toes, then run when the music gets fast. Freeze and go back to the beginning Jump, pat, pat, pat and walking until the end.
