Lesson Ideas?

[DevilDog-2013]

I am currently working at a summer child care program. One of the other teachers and I do music lessons once a week. But we are running out of ideas. The children we are working with are ages 5-12. Any ideas for classes? So far we have taught them different types of notes, and how different instruments sound. We both got lucky because I can play wind and percussion instruments and she can play strings. Any ideas welcome.

Thanks

[Rev Rob]

Have you done any singing with them? Instrumental music teaching is great. Vocal music teaching will help train their ears. The voice is the easiest instrument to use and practice with - it is free.

[DevilDog-2013]

Now there's an idea
But...I don't sing...

Also, just to clarify, these aren't typical music lessons. I am just trying to keep little kids entertained and maybe teach them a thing or two.

[SplatterTone]

For a multi-day, maybe learn to read some music, maybe do some "multi-culturalism" (ooooh aaaaah), Google: how to make a quena.
Easy to make from PVC pipe with hand tools, but requires a genuine embouchure to play. You can't just blow it.

[Nick Pierce]

+1 on the singing. Start them very simple, on songs that have one or two notes, and work them up. Some activities to throw in would be teaching them the difference between high and low pitch (for the younger students), and seeing if they can take the different type of notes you've taught them (quarter note, half note, etc.) and work them through steadily more difficult rhythmic dictations that line up with songs they know.

Also, don't forget the potential behind movement. Teaching them dances to songs they know will help them learn to feel time, rhythm, and groove.

Finally, an underutilized skill in general music is a composition and improvisation. For instance, you could do a call and response improv lesson in which one student plays (on ground, clapping, drum, etc.) a rhythm that he/she improvises, and the rest of the class either duplicates him/her or can transcribe (through writing on paper or white boards) what the first student "improvised." For composition you can do something similar, having students make up a rhythm, and then have them pick from a limited number of notes to plug into the rhythm. I have used this composition activity with a four grade class for a general music practicum, in which the class wrote a short "Fanfare for a Fourth Grade Class" while using Coplands "Fanfare for a Common Man" as a model.

Go out there and try a few different things, with a few different back-up dances and activities on hand in case something doesn't work. More often then not, kids will surprise you with what they are capable of musically if you just give them a chance too. Best of luck, teaching music to young kids can be an incredibly rewarding musical experience if you approach it with an open mind.

[DevilDog-2013]

Thanks for the replies!

@Rev Rob, I am extremely lucky because my friend who I teach the lessons with sings! So last time we did some ear training. We wrote the note on the chalkboard, she played it on her violin, she sang it, and finally we had the children hum then sing the pitch. I thought it worked great because they could see, hear, and play the pitch. But they started loosing focus. So if we continue that, we will have to break them up into groups.

@ bloke, I was actually just thinking about the recorders. I think that would be our best bet in the long run. IF we split the kids up into age groups, younger and older.

@SplatterTone, that sounds like an excellent idea!!!!!

@ Nick Pierce, As far as improvisation and drumming, (etc.) I have taught the younger children the different types of claps and was thinking about enlisting a friend or two and teaching them body percussion. I think this will work well. I will definitely look into dancing as well!

Again, thanks for the replies!!!!!!!

PS: I love my job!!!! I didn't think I was a kid person at first, but as soon as I brought music into the equation, that changed! Something clicked, I feel like I connect with them now. This is extremely rewarding and I think it's a great experience for me. Especially considering I am looking into becoming a band director in the future. I think this is the first step in becoming a successful professional musician.