Welcome to Musical Explorers! This curriculum is designed to connect students in grades K–2 to the diverse musical community of the Georgia and South Carolina Lowcounty as they develop listening, singing, and composing skills. Each semester culminates in an interactive concert featuring musicians from a wide variety of musical styles and from different cities and…
Presenting and Discussing Music in Your Classroom: With your guidance, Musical Explorers develop habits of active and engaged listening through a process that includes using recurring prompts, follow-up questions, modeling, and short, repeated listenings. Prompts: As students encounter new songs throughout the curriculum, ask them questions about the music. We have included some scripted suggestions,…
Aim: What can Musical Explorers do? Summary: Students identify themselves as explorers of the Lowcountry’s music. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: explorer, community Introduce the “Musical Explorers Song” Introduce Melody on SG1. Where is our school on this map?…
Aim: What happens in our bodies when we breathe, hum, and sing? Summary: Students explore their singing and talking voices. The exercises learned may be done as a warm-up. It may take some time for students to know and feel that their singing and talking voices are very different from each other. Materials: Musical Explorers…
Find Carletha and Brenton’s Hometown Let’s hop on the bus with Melody to begin our journey to Darien, Georgia to meet our first musicians, Carletha and Brenton. Use SG8 and help students do the following: Locate Savannah Music Festival on the map in Savannah, Georgia. Locate Carletha and Brenton’s hometown in Darien, Georgia. Complete the…
Aim: How can we explore call and response while learning “Kneebone Bend”? Summary: Students learn the song “Kneebone Bend,” exploring call and response song form through singing, hand gestures, and movement. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5 Vocabulary: ancestor, Gullah Geechee, ring…
Aim: How can we explore a steady beat and rhythmic patterns through the song “Move Daniel?” Summary: Students learn the song “Move Daniel,” exploring the rhythmic pattern played by the stickman. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, chart paper with rhythmic pattern symbols, paper towel rolls, markers and/or crayons Standards: GA: MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4,…
Find Rebecca’s Hometown Melody now takes us on a journey to Pooler, Georgia, to meet our next musician, Rebecca. Use page SG14 and help students do the following: Locate Carletha and Brenton’s hometown in Darien, Georgia. Locate Rebecca in Pooler, Georgia. Complete the activity. PDF Downloads SG14 ↓ Download File Go to LESSON 1: LEARNING…
Aim: What makes a healthy classical singing style? Summary: Students learn to sing in a legato style on “Casta Diva” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: opera, aria, melody, legato, staccato, bel canto Meet Rebecca Meet Rebecca…
Aim: How do opera singers express emotion with their voices and bodies? Summary: Students explore the ways opera singers express emotion through dramatic musical storytelling, vocal effects, and dramatic gesture. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: ornamentation,…
Find Eric’s Hometown Melody now takes us on a journey from Pooler to Tybee Island, Georgia to meet our next musician, Eric. Using SG17, help students do the following: Locate Rebecca in Pooler, Georgia. Locate Eric in Tybee Island, Georgia. Complete the activity. PDF Downloads SG17 ↓ Download File Go to LESSON 1: LEARNING…
Aim: How can we explore expression and emotion through “Little Red Rooster?” Summary: Students explore how expression conveys emotions and influences the feeling of a song. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, chart paper, marker Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: lyrics, blues,…
Aim: How can we explore different interpretations of “Just a Dream” through movement? Summary: Students create movements to the verse of “Just a Dream” to express different interpretations of the song. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, chart paper, marker Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5,…
Let’s Go To The Savannah Music Festival! Review the artists and music that the students encountered during the fall semester. Look at SG21 and have students find the artists and genres represented on the map. What do you remember about the artists and their music? Listen to a brief excerpt by each of the artists…
Browse and download the entire index of student guide pages from the 2017-18 Musical Explorers Teacher Guide or download all 42 Student Guide pages in one file. Introduction SG1 Welcome to our Musical Trip! ↓ Download File SG2 Musical Explorers Song ↓ Download File SG3 Musical Explorers Song Sign Language ↓ Download File SG4 Create…
Find Audrey’s Hometown Melody will take us on a journey from the Lucas Theatre to Atlanta, Georgia, to meet our next singer, Audrey. Using SG25, help students do the following: Locate Lucas Theatre for the Arts. Locate Audrey in Atlanta, Georgia. Complete the activity. PDF Downloads SG25 ↓ Download File Go to LESSON 1: LEARNING “BLUE…
Aim: How can visual patterns help us hear musical patterns? Summary: Students deepen their understanding of melodic patterns while learning to sing “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, scarves or napkins, classroom parachute or flat bed sheet Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.5, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2,…
Aim: How can we sing the melody and short phrases of “Take the A Train” using scat? Summary: Students explore scat singing with “Take the A Train.” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.5, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5 Vocabulary: improvisation, scat Learn…
Find Carolyn and Jake’s Hometown Melody now takes us on a journey from Atlanta to Nashville, Tennessee to meet our next musicians, Carolyn and Jake. Using SG29, help students do the following: Locate Audrey in Atlanta, Georgia. Locate Carolyn and Jake in Nashville, Tennessee. Complete the activity. PDF Downloads SG29 ↓ Download File Go to…
Aim: What is the form of a bluegrass song? Summary: Students learn to sing “Uncle Pen” and use movement to identify the different parts of bluegrass song form. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: bluegrass, introduction,…
Aim: What gives music its expressive qualities? Summary: Students learn “In the Pines” and explore expressive qualities in music. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, chart paper, markers Standards: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: emotions, mood, waltz Listen to “In…
Find Huxsie’s Hometown Melody will now take us on a journey from Nashville, Tennessee to Savannah, Georgia to meet our last singer for the year, Huxsie. Have students turn to SG34 and help them do the following: Locate Carolyn and Jake in Nashville, Tennessee. Locate Huxsie in Savannah, Georgia. Complete the activity. PDF Downloads…
Aim: What musical opposites can we find in “This Train Is Bound for Glory”? Summary: Students explore the meaning of the song, and learn musical opposites of dynamics (loud/soft) and tempo (fast/slow). Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5 Vocabulary:…
Aim: What is the hidden meaning in “Follow the Drinking Gourd”? Summary: Students explore the hidden meaning of “Follow the Drinking Gourd” and create secret directions for finding their own school. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.2, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.5, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.4, MGK-2.5 Vocabulary:…
Let’s Go to the Savannah Music Festival! Review the artists and music that the students encountered during the spring semester. Look at SG39 and have students find the artists and genres represented on the map. What do you remember about the artists and their music? Listen to a brief excerpt by each of the artists…
