FOLLOW

Instant Outdoor Classroom: Just Add Water!


IF YOU WANT TO ADD IMMENSELY TO THE LEARNING THAT GOES ON IN YOUR OUTDOOR CLASSROOM, JUST ADD WATER: INSTANT LEARNING!


Scientific "Engineering"

4 yr old engineering an underground "water pipe system"!



The PVC pipe that is designed to install for the drinking water pipes of a house doesn't contain lead...check with your local hardware store!

4 yr old using plastic tubing & funnel to create a "canal"!


Geographic Land & Water Forms

Montessori Preschoolers creating an island after their "Landforms Lessons"


Group Engineering & Problem Solving Together

Preschoolers working together from carrying water to building a "dam" 
and everything in between!


Care of the Environment

4 yr old washing windows



Care of Self

4 yr olds washing and hanging clothes



Botany Study: Taking Care of the Garden & Learning About the Needs of Plants 

Preschoolers hand-watering


2 yr old watering the flowers

 Daily care of the fruit trees in the Preschool Garden

Cooperation!

4 yr olds scrubbing corn from the Preschool Garden

Preschoolers enjoying the fresh corn from the class garden

3 yr olds cleaning the garden tools

Don't Forget the FUN!


Hope you enjoy adding water to your outdoor activities for instant learning with your group. Please add comments if you have more outdoor water activities that you and your kids love!


Advertising Disclosure: Magical Movement Company may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Thanks for your support!
View Post

Little Kids and the Fancy French Horn!

MORE MUSIC CLASS FUN WITH THE BRASS FAMILY



 The little kids have really been enjoying our exploration of the instrument families and this week was more about the exciting "Brass Family!" Check out these past posts for information on a good cd for orchestra instrument exploration and also where to buy miniature instruments:
Little Kids & the String Family

Introducing the Orchestra to Little Children


                             Photos in this post are from the artists at Big Stock Photo


 Who can resist the wild sound of the trombone?! Our group was a little surprised to hear the trombone playing and there were lots of giggles with excitement since the trombone effects people that way!




The miniature trombone I passed around was fun and the children were of course fascinated that this instrument has no key buttons to press to make a melody. (the melody is made by moving the "slide" forward and back)




Pretending to play the trombone by creating an imaginary instrument with our hands and arms was a great way to enjoy the sliding trombone sound. 



Here's a little video from youtube that shows how the trombone is played. Your little one may enjoy this trombone rendition of the song from "Frozen":




UNFORTUNATELY, the little miniature trombone doesn't make any sound and the slide doesn't move...
FORTUNATELY, some of my classes had the treat of seeing Ms Mimi play her trombone for us! (Thank you Mimi, for bringing your trombone in and sharing your fun circus song with us!)



Next, we listened to French Horn music, which really got the children moving, since it was a marching song!



We all agreed that the French Horn has a very exciting and quite "brassy" sound.

Check out this fun little video on my Facebook page featuring my good friend, Oliver, playing with his 9th grade Brass Band at the Farmer's Market last weekend. He's playing the French Horn! Here's the link to that FB post:
https://www.facebook.com/magicalmovementcompanyandkids

Here's hoping you enjoy the Brass Family as much as we have!






Advertising Disclosure: Magical Movement Company may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Thanks for your support!
View Post

Music Lesson Plan Activities from the Montessori Music Shelf: "Forte & Piano"!

SHELF WORK: LET'S EXPLORE LOUD & QUIET



"FORTE & PIANO" ACTIVITY
Materials:

~ 2 plastic eggs that open in the middle for each child (preferably different colors)
~ A container filled with beans or small pebbles & a small scoop (for loud/"forte")
~ A container filled with rice or sand & a small scoop (for quiet/"piano")
~ Colored, plastic electrician tape
~ Scissors for cutting the tape
~ Sign that has the symbol "F" (for Forte) placed in front of the container of beans
~ Sign that has the symbol "P" (for Piano) placed in front of the container of rice
~ Permanent marker


All Photos in this post are from Jeri-Jo Idarius Photography

First, present this fun "LOUD & QUIET MUSIC ACTIVITY" to your group at music time. Here's the link: "Forte & Piano Game" at Music Circle

Later, the children can make the following project to take home.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:



~ Invite the child to select an egg to make a shaker that sounds LOUD (or "FORTE") and then proceed to scoop beans or pebbles into the plastic egg.



~ Close up the "Forte egg shaker" and then cut a length of tape to fit around the plastic egg so it doesn't open when shaking and tape it shut securely.



~ Then, the child can look at the Forte label and write the "F" on the outside of the plastic egg (or adult can do so). This step is optional.

~ Next, have the child choose a different colored plastic egg to make a shaker that sounds quiet (or "piano") and proceed to scoop rice or sand into this egg. 

~ Likewise, apply tape to close it securely as done before with the "Forte egg shaker."



~Once again, the child can look at the label for "Piano" and write the "P" on his/her "Piano egg shaker." (Optional step)

~ Have fun playing egg shaker music that is "FORTE" and also "piano!"

GET THE TEMPLATES!

These are a free download for you at my T.P.T. Store. Just click here to check it out: Musically Montessori: Forte & Piano Lesson Plan Activities.






Advertising Disclosure: Magical Movement Company may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Thanks for your support!
View Post

Music Lesson Plan Activities from the Montessori Music Shelf: "High & Low"!

SHELF WORK: "LET'S EXPLORE HIGH & LOW" 


HIGH & LOW ACTIVITY

       Materials:
~ "High & Low" music staff paper
~ 4 colored paper "balloon" cutouts
~ 4 pre-cut lengths of ribbon
~ Glue stick or a glue bottle & applicator 
       Adjustments:
~ Older children can cut out their own balloons and ribbon (supply scissors)
~ Balloons can be printed on white paper so that children can color them in (supply crayons, markers or paints)

First, present this fun "HIGH & LOW" SINGING ACTIVITY to your group at music time. Here's the link: Preschool High & Low Music Circle
Later the children can make the following project to take home.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:


~ Glue the first balloon onto the top line (for "high") or the bottom line (for "low")


~ Continue to glue each balloon on the top line or the bottom line proceeding in a linear manner moving from left to right. This creates a simplified "music score."



~ Glue a ribbon to each balloon and then SING the "notes"!
(This one is sung: "High-Low-High-High")



GET THE TEMPLATES!

You can download these music lesson plan activities at my T.P.T. Store for just  $2.99.  Click here: Musically Montessori: First Pitch Lesson.







Advertising Disclosure: Magical Movement Company may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Thanks for your support!




View Post

Little Children Enjoying the Excitement of the Brass Instruments!

INTRODUCING THE "BRASS FAMILY" TO CHILDREN


Get ready for some excitement when you first introduce the Brass Family of instruments to young children! Little ones are such sensitive "musicians" they will pick up immediately on the zaniness of this group of instruments and there may be lots of giggles of excitement in music class.


Brass Section of the Orchestra (All photos from the artists at Bigstock Photos)



We had such fun exploring the sounds of the trumpet and also the tuba during our Preschool music classes this week!





The children are becoming accustomed to the miniature models of the various orchestra instruments that I bring in each week. I think they really enjoy seeing the small versions of real instruments up close and the Brass Family are shiny and golden...so even more fun!



We always begin by rubbing gently around the edges of the ear to get ready for listening and then I play excerpts from my favorite cd for the children:


This cd is available on Amazon at this link: Baby's First Instruments of the Orchestra (not just for babies, by any means---and unfortunately not available for downloading currently)



The children were delighted with the sound of the trumpet and became very animated! The sounds of the Brass instruments are very energizing! (great for marching with little flags)


Photo from Carolyn's archives


I like to feature the tuba next since it is such a contrast to the sound of the trumpet and very dramatic. I remind the children to prepare their ears for listening and that they might be a bit surprised since the Tuba sounds very, very, very low!





What a FUN SOUND!

Makes you want to celebrate and dance like a clown!
And, of course, the children love to touch and see up close the miniature tuba.
Even though I truly love the String Family of Instruments, you can't beat the excitement generated by those big "oompah" sounds of the Brass!




Happy May! Hope you can celebrate with your children in a big way! Try going outside with a selection of children's instruments and have a parade to celebrate the beautiful weather! (Don't forget the drums and cymbals...outside is a great place for those.)



Advertising Disclosure: Magical Movement Company may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Thanks for your support!
View Post
Next PostNewer Posts Previous PostOlder Posts Home
BLOGGER TEMPLATES BY pipdig