Little Fingers - Lesson 1

• Music
• Age 3-5
• 1st,2nd Grade

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Greet the students and introduce the K-Piano equipment and learning system.
• Provide an overview of the lesson objectives and what students can expect to learn.

Class Expectations (5min)

• Read over classroom expectations for the Little Fingers class.
• Have students describe what these behaviors look like and don't look like.
• Example: A good choice is following directions. A silly choice is to be laughing at your friends.

Movement Activity (5 minutes)

• Begin with a movement activity to allow students to practice listening, maintain a steady beat, and release excess energy before class. 
• Click on one of the videos to choose a movement activity, or ask the students which one they would like to do.

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

• Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

Choose a video from either 3 slides

+Rhythm Echos (5 minutes)

Review Previous for Rhythm Echos

1. Read rhythms on a neutral syllable "bah" or using 1 and 2-syllable words such as "pear" and "apple" for students to repeat
2. students repeat (echo)
3. Read rhythms again, but using "ta" (quarter notes) and "ta-ti" (paired eighth notes) for students to repeat
4.  students repeat (echo)

Use this as an example to practice for next slide

Note: Do NOT show students yet

This slide is hidden from being shown to students during the class.

Play

Steady Beat Practice (10 minutes)

1. Start by introducing the concept of a steady beat.
2. Have students place their hands on their hearts to feel their heartbeat and describe what it feels like.
3. Engage students by asking whether the heartbeat remains steady (demonstrate with claps at a consistent pace) or varies in speed (show with fast and slow claps randomly). Encourage students to identify the steady beat.
4. Explain to students that beats are akin to the heartbeat of music. Practice maintaining a steady beat without using any visual aids.
5. To reinforce the concept, practice steady beat with the video, Prodigies - Steady Beet—Playtime click play to open the video

Rhythm Exploration (5 minutes)

1. Recite the rhyme for the students to listen to attentively.
2. After reciting the rhyme again, prompt the students to identify the body part mentioned in the rhyme.
3. Repeat the rhyme once more, and encourage the students to recognize the body part, such as "feet."
4. Invite the students to embody the beat with their feet.
5. Have the students stand and walk to the beat as the teacher recites the rhyme.
6. Inform the students that a change will occur, and they should follow the teacher's hands with their feet.
7. While reciting the rhyme, clap a steady beat as the students march along.
8. Once more, recite the rhyme and clap eighth notes as the students continue marching.
9. Engage the students by asking them to identify what the teacher did differently, drawing attention to the different rhythms.
10. Repeat the activity using various body parts, and optionally, allow the students to suggest body parts to keep a steady beat with, such as head, arms, elbows, etc.

Movement Activity (5 minutes)

1. Select another movement activity to practice active listening, steady beat, and to provide a brain break.

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

1. Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

1. Choose a video from either 3 slides

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Movement Activity Videos

1. Choose a video from either 3 slides

Tonal Practice (5 minutes)

1. Instruct students to echo the teacher's actions.
2. Demonstrate and improvise 4-beat patterns using "do," "re," and "mi" on a body piano, using the neutral syllable "bum."
3. Have the students echo the demonstrated patterns.
4. Proceed to improvise 8-10 tonal patterns following the same process.
5. Improvise 4-beat patterns using "do," "re," and "mi" on a body piano while singing the solfege.
6. Prompt the students to echo and replicate the patterns they have just observed.
7. Conclude by improvising an additional 8-10 patterns using the same method.

Hand Sign Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Introduce and explain the hand signs for "do," "re," and "mi."
2. Engage students in practicing the hand signs for "do," "re," and "mi."
3. Reinforce the learning by practicing the hand signs while watching a video demonstration, Prodigies - Campfire Song—Playtime 9 (see resources for link)

Play

Prodigies - Campfire Song—Playtime 

Click play to open the video.

Review and Movement Activity

1. Review hand signs and practice maintaining a steady beat.
2. Conclude the session with a movement activity.

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Little Fingers - Lesson 1

Little Fingers - Lesson 1