Category Archives: 2015-16 Curriculum

Foreword

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 Lowcountry as they develop listening, singing, and composing skills. The 2015-16 curriculum features artists who live in the Lowcountry and throughout the Southeast. 2015-16 also features Yacouba Sissoko, a Carnegie…

How to Use This Guide

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 listening. Prompts: As students encounter new songs throughout the curriculum, ask them questions about the music. We have included some scripted suggestions, which appear in italics. These prompts are…

Lesson 1: Becoming Musical Explorers

Aim: What can Musical Explorers do? Summary: Students identify themselves as explorers of the Lowcountry’s music. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Time Required: 40 minutes (two 20-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.4, 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, opposite   Introduce the “Musical Explorers Song” Introduce Melody on…

Lesson 2: Exploring Our Voices

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…

Unit 1: Soul Music with Laiken

Find Laiken’s Hometown Melody will take us on a journey to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to meet our first singer, Laiken. Use page SG5 and help the students do the following: Locate your hometown. Locate Laiken on the map in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Complete the activity.   PDF Downloads SG5 ↓ Download File

Lesson 1: Learning “I Got You (I Feel Good)”

Aim: How can we explore steady beat and rhythm with “I Got You (I Feel Good)?” Summary: Students learn to sing and move along to “I Got You (I Feel Good)” while building vocabulary to describe musical opposites and differences. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, Rhythm Sticks (optional) Time Required: 40 minutes (four 10-minute…

Lesson 2: Exploring “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

Aim: How can we explore backbeat by moving to “I Heard It Through the Grapevine?” Summary: Students learn to sing and move along to “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” while building vocabulary to describe musical opposites and differences. Materials: Music Explorers CD or online audio Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA:…

Unit 2: Cajun Music with Megan, Drew, and Kelli

Find Megan, Drew, and Kelli’s Hometown Melody now takes us on a journey from Hilton Head, South Carolina all the way to Lafayette, Louisiana to meet our next singers, Megan, Drew, and Kelli. Using SG11, help students do the following: Locate Laiken in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Locate Megan, Drew, and Kelli in Lafayette,…

Lesson 1: Learning “Two Step des Yeux Bleus” (“Blue-Eyed Two Step”)

Aim: How can we explore steady beat in duple meter with the song “Two Step des Yeux Bleus?” Summary: Students learn to sing and dance in duple meter along to “Two Step des Yeux Bleus” while building vocabulary to describe Cajun music. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, scissors, markers or crayons Time Required:…

Lesson 2: Learning “Bonsoir Moreau”

Aim: How can we explore steady beat in triple meter with Cajun music? Summary: Students learn to sing and dance in triple meter along to “Bonsoir Moreau” while building vocabulary to describe Cajun music. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8,…

Unit 3: Musical Theatre with J.J.

Find J.J.’s Hometown Melody will take us on a journey from Lafayette, Louisiana to Port Wentworth, Georgia to meet our next singer, J.J. Use page SG16 and help the students do the following: Locate Megan, Drew, and Kelli in Lafayette, Louisiana. Locate J.J. on the map in Port Wentworth, Georgia. Complete the activity.   PDF…

Lesson 1: Learning “Do-Re-Mi”

Aim: How can we explore a musical scale while learning about musical theatre? Summary: Students learn to sing expressively to “Do-Re-Mi” while understanding the genre of musical theatre. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, scissors Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, 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,…

Lesson 2: Learning “Somewhere”

Aim: How can we explore our emotions through musical expression? Summary: Students learn to sing “Somewhere” expressively while understanding how music can convey their feelings. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, scissors, markers or crayons, popsicle sticks (optional) Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.8, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC:MGK-2.1,…

Concert Preparation, Semester 1

The First Concert Review the diverse artists the students have encountered so far. Laiken (Soul Music) Megan, Drew, and Kelli (Cajun Music) J.J. (Musical Theatre) Look at SG22 and have students identify the artists and genres represented on the map. What do you remember about the artists and their music? Brainstorm a list of responses…

Audio

Find all the tracks featured on the audio CD that is included with the teacher guide to stream online

Video

Warm-Up Rhyme with Melody from Savannah Music Festival on Vimeo.   Apple Tree Warm-Up with Melody from Savannah Music Festival on Vimeo.   Yawning Kittens Warm-Up with Melody from Savannah Music Festival on Vimeo.  

Student Guide Library

Browse and download the entire index of student guide pages from the 2015-16 Musical Explorers Teacher Guide or download all 43 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 Vibrations…

Glossary

adagio: a slow tempo allegro: a fast tempo backbeat: a rhythmic pattern where beats two and four are emphasized bodhrán: an Irish frame drum call and response: a common way to learn music in which one person sings part of the song (call), and another person repeats it (response) Cajun: a culture deriving from the…

Standards

Common Core Capacities Through hands-on classroom activities and two culminating interactive performances, Musical Explorers helps to address Common Core Capacities for College and Career Readiness, empowering students through learning activities in which they: demonstrate independence gain confidence through self-expression build strong content knowledge respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline comprehend,…

Acknowledgments

Recordings “Musical Explorers Song,” by Daniel Eliot Levy.  © 2007 Daniel Levy and ASCAP. Performed by Shanna Lesniak-Whitney and Shane Schag. “I Got You (I Feel Good),” by James Brown. Performed by Laiken Williams, Eric Jones, Linus Enokssen and Robert Saunders. © 1965 Fort Knox Music., Inc. All rights reserved. “I Heard It Through the…

Unit 1: Soul with Laiken – Grapevine Collaborative Mural Project

Project Overview: In this project, students will work together to create a large scale collage mural of a grapevine. The Grapevine Collaborative Mural Project gives students the opportunity to draw connections between the patterns that they can hear in music and the patterns that they can see with their eyes. This project also allows students…

Unit 2: Cajun Music with Megan, Drew, and Kelli – Little World Fais Do-Do Painting

Project Overview: In this project, your students will each paint a picture of a fais do-do, or a big party, at which Cajun songs are performed and people dance the two-step. Students will have opportunity to visually express their knowledge of meter and understanding of strong and weak beats. Vocabulary from the Musical Word Wall:…

Unit 3: Musical Theatre with J.J. – Do-Re-Mi Accordion Book

Project Overview: In this project, students will create an accordion book/wall chart that features the solfège symbols and syllables featured in the musical scale and the song “Do-Re-Mi” from the musical The Sound of Music. The book/wall chart will give students a visual aid for understanding the concept of pitch. Students will illustrate each solfège…

Unit 4: Country Music with Shannon – You Are My Sunshine, I Am My Sunshine

Project Overview: This project gives students tools to explore concepts of solo, duet, melody and harmony. In addition to understand these musical concepts, students will have an opportunity to think about the way they interact with their peers and family— sometimes we get to be part of a harmonious duet, and sometimes we hold down…

Unit 4: Country Music with Shannon

Find Shannon’s Home Town Melody now takes us on a journey from the Trustees Theater to Brevard, North Carolina to meet our next singer, Shannon. Using SG26, help students do the following: Locate Trustees Theater in Savannah, Georgia. Locate Shannon in Brevard, North Carolina. Complete the activity.   PDF Downloads SG26 ↓ Download File

Lesson 1: Learning “You Are My Sunshine”

Aim: How do we sing solo or in a duet? Summary: Students deepen their understanding of solo and duet while learning to sing “You Are My Sunshine.” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, scissors, markers or crayons Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.4,…

Lesson 2: Exploring “Walkin’ After Midnight”

Aim: How can we learn about form and patterns with “Walkin’ After Midnight?” Summary: Students deepen their understanding of form and pattern while exploring “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Time Required: 40 minutes (four 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9, MK-2GM.10 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6…

Unit 5: Irish Music with Harry

Find Harry’s Hometown Melody will now take us on a journey from Brevard, North Carolina to Savannah, Georgia to meet our next singer, Harry. Use SG30 and help students do the following: Locate Shannon in Brevard, North Carolina. Locate Harry in Savannah, Georgia. Complete the activity.   PDF Downloads SG30 ↓ Download File

Lesson 1: Learning “O’ro the Rattlin’ Bog”

Aim: How can we explore fast and slow tempos in “O’ro the Rattlin’ Bog?” Summary: Students learn to sing and move along to “O’ro the Rattlin’ Bog” while building vocabulary to describe musical opposites. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, markers or crayons Time required: 40 minutes (four 10-minute activities) Standards: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7,…

Lesson 2: Exploring “Goodbye to Jenny”

Aim: How can we explore musical and emotional opposites in “Goodbye to Jenny?” Summary: Students learn “Goodbye to Jenny” by exploring musical and emotional opposites. Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, chart paper, markers Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, 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, MGK-2.6…

Unit 6: Music of Mali with Yacouba

Find Yacouba’s Hometown Melody now takes us on a journey through New York City, New York to meet our next singer, Yacouba. Using SG36, help students do the following: Find Melody on the New York City Subway. Find Yacouba in Manhattan, a borough of New York City. Complete the activity.   PDF Downloads SG36 ↓ Download…

Lesson 1: Learning “Kele faba”

Aim: What musical patterns can we hear on the kora in “Kele faba?” Summary: Students listen for musical patterns on the kora and sing along to the chorus of “Kele faba.” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio, markers or crayons Time Required: 30 minutes (three 10-minute activities) Standards: GA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9…

Lesson 2: Exploring “Wawanko”

Aim: Where can we find patterns in the lyrics and movement of “Wawanko?” Summary: Students learn the lyrics and movements for “Wawanko.” Materials: Musical Explorers CD or online audio Time Required: 20 minutes (two 10-minute activities) Standards: GGA: MK-2GM.1, MK-2GM.3, MK-2GM.4, MK-2GM.6, MK-2GM.7, MK-2GM.9 SC: MGK-2.1, MGK-2.2, MGK-2.3, MGK-2.5, MGK-2.6 Vocabulary: call and response, fable…

Concert Preparation, Semester 2

The Second Concert Review the diverse artists the students have encountered so far. Shannon (Country Music) Harry (Irish Music) Yacouba (Music of Mali) Look at SG40 and have students identify the artists and genres represented. What do you remember about the artists and their music? Brainstorm a list of responses with the students. Listen to…

Unit 5: Irish Music with Harry – Rattlin’ Bog Paper Sculpture

Project Overview: In this project, students create a 3-dimensional free-standing paper sculpture of the scene described through the many verses of the traditional Irish song O’ro the Rattlin’ Bog. The song, as well as this project, brings students the message that nothing is as simple as it seems at first glance… especially if you are…

Unit 6: Music of Mali with Yacouba – A Djely, Like Me!: Bookmaking Project

Project Overview: In this project, students will reflect on the meaning of “Kele Faba” and “Wawanko” and write poems or songs about peace and friendship. Each student will create a book with a picture of a kora on the front. The book will feature their poems and illustrations, as a way to share their words…