Special Topic:

Children’s Literature in the Kodaly Classroom

Colorado State University Aileen Brown, Instructor

Aileen43130@yahoo.com

“Mortimer” Book by Robert Munsch, Art by Michael Martchenko

Procedures:

1. Once students have learned the words “high” and “low,” read the book “Mortimer.”

2. Every time someone goes up the stairs, play the tone bells (C D E F G A). When they go

downstairs, play a descending pattern on the tone bells (G F E D C). Sing “thump” with each note

played.

3. When the policemen say, “Mortimer, Be Quiet!” say it in a low speaking voice, and have

students echo.

4. Every time Mortimer sings, sing this melody:

5. At the end of the book, have students “retell” the story.

6. Have students echo the policemen again. Were we using a high or low speaking voice? Try it in a

high speaking voice instead.

7. Play the ascending and descending patterns again on the tone bells. Which was the highest? The

lowest tone bar? Show the students the two bars, and ask them what they notice. Explain that

in music, the rule is the bigger an instrument is, the lower it is, and the smaller an instrument is,

the higher it is. Give examples of big/low and small/high instruments.

“Please, Baby, Please” Concepts: Quarter Rest, Composition Grade: 1st grade or 2nd grade review

Procedures: First lesson (7 minutes): Read the book “Please, Baby, Please” by Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, and Kadir Nelson. Discuss what happens in the book. Read again, having students clap the rhythm for each phrase.

Second lesson (7 minutes): Read the book “Please, Baby, Please” having students clap the rhythm for each phrase. Have students tell you what phrases are in the book. As they say each phrase (“Baby baby baby

please,” “please baby please,” etc.) put that phrase on the board (see attached.) Ask students to figure out the rhythm patterns for each phrase. For example, “Baby baby baby

please” would be “ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti ta.” Line up the rhythmic phrase next to the words. (Formative assessment)

Have students say the words, then the rhythmic phrase next to it. Third lesson (10 minutes): Have the phrases and rhythm patterns up on the board, and have students read through them. Tell them that they are going to get into small groups, receive envelopes of word patterns and

rhythm phrases (see attached), and compose their own piece using these patterns. Discuss what it means to compose.

Each group will first choose four word patterns, but one of the patterns has to be “Please baby please.”

If time, the group will then line up the rhythm patterns next to the word patterns, and try to remember them for next time. (Formative assessment)

Fourth lesson (10 minutes): Have the phrases and rhythm patterns up on the board, and have students read through them. Tell them they are going to get into their small groups again and rewrite their compositions.

What phrase HAD to be in the composition? (“Please, baby, please.”) After they rewrite their compositions, then they line up the rhythm patterns next to their words,

then they clap through the entire composition. If time, they decide what motion they will do for ti-ti, what motion they will do for ta, and what motion they will do for rest. The rest motion should be a silent motion. For example, for ti-ti they might pat their heads, for ta they might snap their fingers, and for rest they might touch their noses. Remember their motions for next time.

Fifth lesson (10-15 minutes): Get into groups, rewrite compositions and rhythm patterns, and recall what motions they did

for each rhythm. Practice as a group. Perform for each other!

Sixth lesson (10 minutes): Reread the book, having students clap the rhythm (two fingers in their hands.) Clap the pattern “Mama mama mama please.” What rhythm pattern is that? Hand out the worksheets and pencils, and have students draw a line from the word pattern to

the corresponding rhythmic phrase. (Summative Assessment) Integration: Discuss the clock on each page, and what time it tells. Possible Extension: “Please, Puppy, Please” by Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, and Kadir Nelson

please baby please baby please baby please baby baby baby please baby baby please baby please baby baby baby baby baby baby baby Mama Mama Mama please

“Birdsongs” Book by Betsy Franco and Steve Jenkins

Activity by Aileen Brown TRIKE Share Shop, April 24, 2010

Grade: Kindergarten

Concepts/ Skills: Vocal exploration, inside and outside sounds, music in nature

Process:

Read the book “Birdsongs.” Each time there is a bird sound, either play that bird call, or if you don’t have the bird call, make the animal sound and have students echo you.

At the end of the book, point to each bird sound and have students echo. Then have students decide which bird sound they want to do. They repeat their bird sound over and over while you play all of the bird calls. It will sound like a beautiful chorus of birds!

Afterwards, discuss the types of birds in the book. Were they indoor or outdoor birds? What are some kinds of indoor birds? Did the birds sing songs with lyrics? Did it still sound like music?

Possible Extensions:

For more vocal exploration, in a second lesson, read the book again. Then choose four birds and assign each child a bird (for example, seagull, crow, duck, and cuckoo.) Then spread out in the room. Each child has to repeat their bird sound over and over and find other students who are the same bird. When they find them, they hold hands with them until you have 4 separate groups in the room.

Song/chant connections could include: “Two Little Blackbirds,” “Bluebird,” “Here comes a bluebird,” “Cuckoo,” “Kookaburra,” and many others!

Instruments:

Groth Music:

Acme Crow, Rook Call $7.95

Acme Duck Call $14.95

Woodpecker $10.00

White-Tipped Dove Whistle $18.00 West Music:

Audobon bird call with rosin $4.80

Woodstock Duck Call $2.40

Woodpecker $11.99

“Giraffes Can’t Dance”

Book by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees Grade: 2-3

Concept: Musical styles This book lends itself well to adding music. For each genre of music discussed in the book, I found a musical example and played it during the reading of that section. For example:

1. "Warthogs started waltzing": Play waltz music. I used “The Elephant” from Saint-Saens “Carnival of the Animals”

2. "Rhinos rock 'n rolled": Play rock 'n roll music. I used Counting Crows’ “Angels of the Silences” from “Recovering the Sattelites.”

3. "Lions danced a tango": Play tango music. 4. "Chimps all did a cha cha": Play cha cha music 5. "Baboons teamed up…": Play Scottish Reel music. I used “Haste to the Wedding” from “Chimes

of Dunkirk.” 6. "Listen to the swaying grass": Play clip of nature sounds 7. "With that, the cricked smiled…": Play solo violin music until the end of the book. I used Elgar’s

“Salut D’Amour” from “Violin Romances” by Gil Shaham. After reading, I ask the students what types of music were played, then ask them to vote on their favorite type of music.

Book List Vocal exploration: “Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?” by Dr. Seuss, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” by Jan Brett, “Roller Coaster” by Marla Frazee Fast/Slow: “We’re going on a bear hunt” by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury Lullaby: “Hush Little Baby: A Folk Song with Pictures” by Marla Frazee, “All the Little Pretty Horses” by Linda Saport Beat: “Possum come a knockin’” by Nancy Van Laan and George Booth Rhythm: “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, and Lois Ehlert Singing/ Speaking voices: “Sing Sophie” by Dayle Ann Dodds and Rosanne Litzinger (out of print but can sometimes be found cheap online, or check out at local library) High/Low: “Mortimer” by Robert N. Munsch and Michael Martchenko Sol-Mi: “So-Me Goes Missing” by Stuart Manins Rest: “Please Baby Please” by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Kadir Nelson Half note: “Click Clack Moo” by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin Instruments of the Orchestra: “The Remarkable Farkle McBride” by John Lithgow and C.F. Payne Composers/ Music: “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Anna Harwell Celenza and Joann Kitchel Singalong: “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates and Neil Waldman “When I First Came to this Land” by Harriet Ziefert, Oscar Brand, and Simms Taback “Oh A-hunting We Will Go” by John Langstaff and Nancy Winslow Parker “Follow the Drinking Gourd” by Jeanette Winter

"Miss Mary Mack" by Nadine Bernard Westcott, adapted by Mary Ann Hoberman "What a Wonderful World" by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele "Summertime" by George Gershwin, Dubose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin; paintings by Mike Wimmer "Senor Don Gato" by John Manders “Frog Went A-Courting: A Musical Play in Six Acts” by Dominic Catalano “Who killed Cock Robin?” by Kevin O’Malley

Order for new building

Title Author

Birdsongs Franco, Jenkins

Roller Coaster Frazee

America the Beautiful Bates, Waldman

The Crabfish Feierabend, Nguyen

Down by the Bay Raffi

Follow the drinking gourd Winter

Pecorino's First Concert Madison, Cantone

Jazz Fly Gallub, Hanke

Oh, a Hunting We Will Go Langstaff, Parker

Simple Gifts Raschka

Star-Spangled Banner Spier, Key

This Land is Your Land Guthrie, Jakobsen

We're going on a Bear Hunt Rosen, Oxenbury

My Little Sister Ate One Hare Grossman, Hawkes

Sunshine on my Shoulders Denver, Canyon

Yellow Umbrella Liu, Sheen

Dragon Dancing Morgan, Schaefer

The Important Thing Margaret Wise Brown

Greatest Composers: Mozart Venezia

Greatest Composers: Sousa Venezia

Greatest Composers: Beethoven Venezia

Feliz Navidad Diaz

Click Clack Moo Cronin

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and his Orchestra Pinkney, Pinkney

Winter Lullaby Seuling, Newbold

Cat Goes Fiddle-I-Fee Galdone

Listen to the Rain Spier

Please, Puppy, Please Lee, Lee, Nelson

Gobble It Up Arnosky

All the Pretty Little Horses Saport

Dizzy Winter, Qualls

Peter and the Wolf: Book and CD Schulman, Malone

The Sound of Kwanzaa Tukunbo

Story of the Orchestra Levine, Levine, Hamilton

If You Find a Rock Christian, Lember

I Got Two Dogs Lithgow, Neubecker

Aileen’s Personal Inventory Picture Books: “The 12 Days of Christmas” by Sabuda “A my name is…” by Lyne and Cravath “Alligator Pie” by Lee “At the Crossroads” by Isadora “Baby Beluga” by Wolff “Ben’s Trumpet” by Isadora “The Best Place” by Meddaugh “The Biggest Frog in Australia” by Roth “Big Rain Coming” by Germein and Bancroft “Birds” by Henkes “Buzz and Ollie’s High, Low Adventure” by Thorne and Felts “Carnival of the Animals” by Turner and Williams “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Martin and Archambault “De Colores” by Diaz “Deck the Hall” by Long “Dinosaur Bones” by Barner “Drummer Boy” by Turner and Hess “Five for a little one” by Raschka “Fortunately” by Charlip “Froggy Plays in the Band” by London and Remkiewicz “Frosty the Snowman” by Cowdrey “Giraffes can’t dance” by Andreae and Parker-Rees “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” by Brett “Haiku Hike” by fourth grade students “Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah” by Roth “He’s got the whole world in his hands” by Nelson “Hush Little Baby” by Frazee “I Got a Car” by Decker, Brown, Helmuth, and Rapp “I know an old lady who swallowed a fly” by Westcott “Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse” by George “Imagine” by Lester “Little Note’s Musical Adventure” by Brown, Hassler, Helgerman, and Tyler “Mama Don’t Allow” by Hurd “Miss Mary Mack” by Westcott “The Mountain that loved a bird” by McLerran and Carle “Mortimer” by Munsch and Martchenko “The Music Inside Me” by fourth and fifth grade students “The Music Teacher from the Black Lagoon” by Thaler and Lee “My Many-Colored Days” by Seuss “The Nutcracker Ballet” by Vagin “Old Bear” by Henkes “Old MacDonald had a farm” by Jones “Orange Pear Apple Bear” by Gravett “The Orchestra” by Rubin and Daniel

“Peanut Butter and Jelly” by Westcott “Pete Plays Percussion” by Brown “Please Baby Please” by Lee, Lee, and Nelson “Possum come a –knockin’” by Van Laan and Booth “Quick as a Cricket” by Wood and Wood “Quiet Loud” by Patricelli “The Remarkable Farkle McBride” by Lithgow and Payne “Sing Sophie!” by Dodds and Litzinger “Skip to my lou” by Westcott “Sol-Me Finds Dough” by Manins “Sol-Me Goes Missing” by Manins (copy) “Strega Nona” by de Paola “Summertime” by Heyward and Wimmer “Ten Rosy Roses” by Merriam and Gorton “The House in the Night” by Swanson and Krommes “Three Billy Goats Gruff” by Rounds “Thump, Thump, Rat a tat tat” by Baer and Ehlert “Tikki Tikki Tembo” by Mosel and Lent “Today I feel silly” by Curtis and Cornell “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” by Trapani “Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco” by Berkner and Cole “Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack, Quack” by Skalak and Long “What a Wonderful World” by Bryan, Weiss, and Thiele “What Shall We Do with the Boo-Hoo Baby?” by Cowell and Godon “What Will Fat Cat Sit On?” by Thomas “Where the Wild Things Are” by Sendak “Who Killed Cock Robin” by O’Malley