WorkSheet for Chapter 4

Worksheet for Chapter 4

1) What are the differences in vocal characteristics and abilities of children? Give examples that are age specific.

(1a) Preschool/Kindergarten (Ages 4 and 5)

(1b) Their vocal characteristics and abilities:

§ Voices are small are light

§ Children are generally unable to sing in tune

§ Singing range is D-A for most, D-D for some

§ Children can sing short melodies in major, minor or pentatonic scales

§ Children can sing melodies with one note to a syllable

§ Children can sing with an awareness of a steady beat

§ Children can sing repeated rhythmic patterns accurately

§ Children can sing softly and loudly

§ Children can sing melodies with or without a simple accompaniment

(1c) Their song interests:

§ Like songs that tell a story

§ Songs that give them an opportunity for natural expression

§ Love make believe

§ Songs that deal with familiar experiences (bed-time, animals, the seasons)

(2a) Early Primary: First and Second Grades (Age 6 and 7)

(2b) Their vocal characteristics and abilities:

§ Most voices are light and high; a few may be low

§ Many children are still unable to sing in tune at age six

§ By age seven most children will be able to sing at least short phrases in tune and will begin to sing alone

§ Children can understand high and low pitches

§ Children can sustain a single pitch

§ Range expands from five to six consecutive pitches (D-B) to a full octave (D-D)

§ Children understand the difference between a playground-shouting voice and a singing voice

§ Children begin to understand the importance of breath in singing

§ Children can sing melodies in major, minor, and pentatonic scales

§ Children can sing call-and-response songs, as well as songs in two-or-three part form

§ Children sing with attention to dynamics and change in tempo

§ Children can sing rhythmical accenting strong beats and performing simple syncopation

§ Children can sing from simple music notation

§ Children can sing melodies with simple harmonic or rhythmic accompaniment

2(c) Song interests:

§ Children enjoy songs about animals, community, friends, action (with movement or creative motions), pretending, folk games from around the world, and special occasions

3(a) Intermediate: Third and Fourth Grades (Age 8 and 9)

3(b) Their vocal characteristics and abilities

§ Most children can sing in tune

§ Girls’ voices begin to develop the rich resonance of the mature boy soprano-alto voice

§ Some children can sing rounds, partner songs, canons, and descants. There is little use if alto or lower parts

§ Some children have much more control over expressive qualities of singing, for example, legato, dynamics, and sustained phrases

§ Some children are capable of singing melodies or parts from music notation

§ Some children can harmonize parts or chords by ear, such as thirds and sixths

§ Some children can sing songs with more complex rhythms

3(c) Song interests:

§ Children enjoy songs about America (Native Americans, Pilgrims), transportation, geography, the circus, planets, and people and songs that express emotion.

§ Songs from other lands are appealing because of their contrasting styles

4(a) Upper Elementary: Fifth and Sixth Grades (Age 10 and 11)

4(b) Vocal characteristics and abilities

§ Unchanged voices remain clear and light; boys’ voices become more resonant

§ Some children show greater ability to sing in two and three parts

§ Some children have a heightened rhythmic sense and respond to music with strong rhythms

§ Many children tend to imitate the quality and style of pop singers

§ Some voices begin to change—that is boys’ voices become lower, and girls’ voices become very breathy

§ Some children can read simple music notation

4(c) Song interests:

§ Children enjoy songs related to adventure, work, transportation, history, and feelings

§ Songs from other cultures and countries

§ Enjoy folk songs from American, songs about places or events and contemporary popular songs

§ They like to harmonize and accompany songs with classroom instruments

§ They are enthusiastic about dramatics and producing musical plays

2. List and explain the Techniques for teaching children to sing:

1) Creating an Environment for Singing Experiences

§ Song sung by a parent, teacher, or friend provide an effective model for them to follow

§ Play playing a book on tape of a children’s voice, children can learn to reproduce tonal sounds by imitation

§ Hearing sounds repeatedly will help them relate to pitch, melody, and rhythm

2) Improvising Posture

§ Children must stand with shoulders erect, head up, and spine straight

§ Create games and analogies to improve posture

o Ask the children to reach for an imaginary bar above their heads and pull their bodies upward toward it. They should relax and put their arms down to their sides

3) Teaching Good Breathing Habits to Support the Tone

§ As they learn to “feel” the pitches, they will be better able to “match” the pitches.

o Sip air as if through a soda straw and release it with a hissing sounds. Be sure to keep to sound steady and not like a radiator that has sprung a leak

4) Finding the Head voice

§ Children who cannot sing in tune are unable to manipulate their voices so that they can match the musicals sounds they hear. Before a child can sing comfortably, he must learn how it feels and sound to use the head voice

§ One game:

§ Different “voices” can be used when saying selected chants; For example: the chant “1,2,3,4,5” can be spoken this way:

§ Regular voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 once I caught a fish alive

6, 7, 8,9, 10, then I let him go again

§ Low voice: Why did you let it go?

§ High voice: Because it bit my finger so.

§ Low voice: which finger did it bite?

§ High voice: the little finger on the right!

5) Developing the Ability to Match Tones

§ It is directly related to breathing techniques, ear training, a relaxed jar, and singing with energy.

o Most children have sung childhood chants, such as

“Come over to my house”

6) Developing Concepts of High and Low

§ A basic skill in tone matching is to develop the concepts of high and low

o Ie: Show pictures that illustrate the concepts of high and low, such as a plane and a car

7) Discovering Patterns

§ All pieces of music have patterns that repeat. These patterns may be melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic. Have children:

o Examine repeated patterns on fabric or wrapping paper

o Show pictures with patterns that occur more than once