June 22, 2015
Differentiation Guide: Music Mania
Music Mania
*Please note* This blog is intended for campers (ages 3+) but toddler teachers may find some ideas easy to adapt. Toddler teachers are also encouraged to review the toddler-specific differentiation ideas found in the Curriculum Notes.
Music is a language that we all understand. It is a powerful tool that is used to communicate emotions, celebrate milestones, and bring people together. Music Mania week is all about appreciating music through different art forms such as dance, language, art, and of course sounds. Music is a topic that can easily be differentiated for campers of all learning styles- kinesthetic, visual, aural, and verbal. Below you will find ways to differentiate Music Mania week and instruction for a variety of your learners.
Kinesthetic learners will enjoy music & movement activities such as parachute play, movement scarves, beanbags, and freeze dances.
- Provide kinesthetic learners the opportunity to lead a dance during the world’s largest dance party. They will be able to move and groove creatively with confidence as they lead their peers.
- Parachute play will be another kinesthetic learner favorite. Sing songs as you lead children through any of the parachute activities found
Visual learners achieve understanding through sight. While music that is played through your radio or tablet cannot be seen, there are elements of musical understanding that will develop as children age. Early exposure to music symbols will provide visual learners a head start on learning to read music. Some campers may already have experience with reading music through instrument or vocal lessons at school, or private piano lessons.
- A music note scavenger hunt will satiate the visual learners desire to see music. Utilize this link found here and choose symbols to print out for the scavenger hunt. Create a key with pictures of the symbols and the names of the symbols. Hide a second set of symbols outside and around the classroom for campers to find!
Aural learners will take like a fish to water during Music Mania week! There are many sound games and activities that can be differentiated and provided for aural learners.
- Repeat after me is a fun game that aural learners will enjoy! Using maracas, a drum, or even your voice make up a rhythm or melody and ask campers to copy you. Then, turn the tables on them. Provide campers to make up their own melody or rhythm and you copy them.
- Enjoy this musical listening and guessing game found
Verbal learners enjoy expressing themselves and learning through written and verbal communication.
- Rhyming bridge is falling down! Play the classic game of “London Bridge”. Campers who get caught in the bridge have to come up with a pair of rhyming words before they are released!
- Chants and tongue twisters are exciting musical activities for verbal learners. Campers will find this silly tongue twister a lot of fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp_STaLyd6s