Music and Sounds, Listening

Our current theme is music, sounds, and listening.
We have explored the concepts of an echo, made musical pie tins with a variety of beans, played a cooperative version of musical chairs, and participated in a very interesting music class with Miss Casey. She brought special ear phones that cover the ear and block out most external sounds. They are used by people at a shooting range. It was fun to watch the children explore the absence of sound and not really mind loud screaming and beating on metal pans. They were also intrigued by the way their own voice sounded internally.

The books we are reading together:

Little Beaver and the Echo by Amy McDonald
Listen! Listen! by Phillis Gershator
Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell
My Family Plays Music by Judy Cox
The Amazing Adventures of Andy Owl: A Children's Guide to Understanding Music by D.Z. Russell

How Music Came to the World: An Ancient Mexican Myth by Hal Ober
Animal Music by Harriet Ziefert
A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound by John Irving
Musical Life of Gustav Mole by Kathryn Meyrick
The Music Box: The Story of Cristofori by Suzanne Guy
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Raschka
The Listening Walk by Paul Showers
Too Much Noise by Ann McGovern
Marsh Music by Marianne Berkes
The First Music by Dylan Pritchett

This week we will be making our own tambourines, playing a game of hide and seek the sound, exploring the way a variety of music makes us feel, watercolor painting to music, starting special musical sounds at resting/nap time, learning many new songs and poems about music and sounds, hearing The Story of Echo, and discussing the anatomy of our ears.

A small sample of our morning talks:

Monday:

What part of our body do we use when we listen?
Let's be quiet and still for a minute and listen.
What sounds did you hear?
Name a few sounds that can be loud.
Name some sounds that can be soft.
Let's look at pictures of ear parts

Tuesday:

Sounds can make us feel different. Some sounds can make us feel happy, like listening to our favorite song. Other sounds can make us feel calm like listening to a running stream outside.
Today we will paint a picture as we listen to different types of music. You can paint how the music makes you feel.

Wednesday:

Do you enjoy listening to music?
What are some ways that you can hear music?
Have you ever played a musical instrument?
What types of instruments have you played? Which are your favorites?

Thursday:

Listening is very important in other ways as well.
Why is it important to listen to others?
When we listen to others speak, we let them know that what they are saying is important to us.
Listening to adults that we trust also helps us to learn and stay safe.

Friday:

Where are some places to go and hear music? (concert, band, chorus, church choir, musical, etc.)
Have you ever played an instrument in front of others?
Let's each play a song for our friends. It can be one you know or one you create.

Full Crow Moon:

This month we will see the first full moon of the Spring season. Native American tribes often called this moon the Full Worm Moon as the ground is no longer frozen and the earthworms soon reappear inviting the Spring birds to return. Other variations among tribes include the Full Crow Moon, The Full Crust Moon, and The Full Sap Moon.

Consider taking a Listening Walk during the evening of the full moon to listen to the nighttime sounds with your children.

Try to take your child to a local musical, concert, band performance, or church choir this week. In an age where most of our entertainment is provided by radio, I-Pods, computers, and television, many children rarely experience the clarity of sound and voices in a live performance. Going forward, try to seek out opportunities to take your family to live events.

Our new sleeping cots have arrived and we are now transitioning to them. We will be using them in the main house and introducing our new sleeping spots to the children one at a time, so that they are first comfortable sleeping on the cot, then sleeping on them in the classroom, and then sleeping on them as a group.

This week on Thursday, wear something green and bring a green treat to share for our St. Patrick's Day celebration. We will be exploring St. Patrick, shamrocks/four leaf clovers/ and Leprechauns and this theme will extend into next week as well in preparation for Spring!

Please join us on March 26th (weather permitting) from 10 a.m. - 12 noon for our first Parent Workday and Potluck. We will be cleaning up the outside play areas and putting finishing touches on our sand area. Bring your favorite lunch to share with everyone!

Nature Walk Verse:

"I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more"
-William Wordsworth

This week's reflection: Listening

"There is a voice inside of you
That Whispers all day long,
"I feel that this is right for me,
"I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide
What's right for you - just listen to
The voice that speaks inside."
-Shel Silverstein

"Stop, Look, and Listen. What is going on around you? What do you hear? What do you hear inside of yourself right now at this moment? What is working right now? What is not? What does your body need? What does your soul need? What can you use more of in your life? What do you have too much of? The world is always speaking to you. Everything is a sign. Are you listening?"

-Little Acorn Learning