Kids are Kids - Indiana Music Education Association

Urban vs. Suburban:
Kids are Kids
Indiana Music Educators Association Workshop
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Holly Mullenix-Stack
Music Specialist
National Teachers Academy
Chicago, IL
hollymullenix@gmail.com
Laura Stack
Music Specialist
Highcrest Middle School
Wilmette, IL
laurastack1034@gmail.com
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack

Sansa Kroma
Objective: Students will experience a folktale song from Ghana through singing in the Akan language,
learning the translation and meaning of the piece, and perform the playground game in layered ostinato using
body percussion and unpitched percussion instruments while working together as one team.
Formative Assessment:
• Layered four part ostinato while singing
Summative Assessment:
• Simultaneous performance of singing, beanbag game, and playing instruments
Materials:
• Adzenyah, Maraire, Tucker. Let Your Voice Be Heard: Songs from Ghana and Zimbabwe. 1997.
World Music Press.
Process:
ü Teacher speaks entire song, Sansa Kroma, in rhythm.
Song: Sansa kroma ne na wuo okyekyer nkoko mba
Translation: Sansa, the hawk. You are an orphan, and so you snatch up baby chicks.
ü Teacher shares translation and meaning/story behind song.
ü Teacher speaks song again asking students to listen for any repeating phrases.
ü Students discuss with an elbow partner then share answers with whole class.
ü Students analyze how many times phrase was repeated. Which phrases were slightly different and how?
ü Students learn song through echo imitation.
ü Teacher sings song and asks students to analyze similarities/differences again with their elbow partner.
ü Students learn melody through simultaneous imitation.
ü While singing song all students move to circle on floor.
ü Teacher demonstrates circle game (tap, tap, pass, clap) with beanbags.
ü Beanbags distributed one at a time as passed around circle with rhythm.
ü Once all students have a beanbag and are comfortable with the rhythm, add melody while rhythm with
beanbag in motion.
ü Students discuss challenges and successes.
ü Once comfortable, teach clave rhythm to all students using words, Flying through the sky.
ü Teacher sings song while all students simultaneously speak clave rhythm.
ü Class divided into two sections. ½ sing melody:½ speak and clap clave rhythm
ü Switch parts.
ü Transfer clave rhythm to instrument and continue with game.
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack

Movement Exploration with Shapes
Objective: Individually, in small groups and whole groups, students will experience, move, and analyze
smooth and sharp movements through the interpretation of shapes.
Formative Assessment:
• Visual interpretation of geometric shapes through body shapes
• Movement of body demonstrating smooth and sharp
Summative Assessment:
• Improvisational movement in small groups through shadowing to demonstrate application of smooth and
sharp movements.
Materials:
• CD: Dreamcatcher by Secret Garden “Adagio”
• CD: Rhythmically Moving 6 “Iste Hendek”
• CD: Pieces of Africa by Kronos Quartet “Maraire: Mai Nozipo (Mother Nozipo)”
Process:
ü Teacher directs students to work together as a community to form the shapes they seen on the screen.
ü Students form a group circle
o Teacher prompts students to use smooth movements:
§ Melt into the center
§ Float to the outside
§ Sway in the wind
ü Students form a group square
o Teacher prompts students to use sharp movements:
§ Travel like a robot
ü Students form a group triangle
o
Teacher leads shadowing demonstration while students
simultaneously imitate smooth and sharp movements
ü Students scatter position and form individual circles
o Teacher prompts students to use smooth movements
ü Students form individual squares
o Teacher prompts students to use sharp movements
ü Students form triangles in small groups
o Student leaders leads shadowing using smooth and sharp movements
ü Teacher leads discussion in categorizing specific movements as smooth or sharp. SMARTBoard Vortex
Category is used as a visual aide.
o SMOOTH: *Glide, *Float, *Wring, *Press, Melt, Sway
o SHARP: *Flick, *Dab, *Punch, *Slash, Kick, Burst
§ *Indicates one of the basic movement efforts categorized by Rudolph Laban
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack

Shapes Unit
Objective: In small groups and whole groups, students will experience, speak, play, move, compose, and
analyze compound meter through the use and manipulation of shapes.
Formative Assessment:
• Manipulation of shapes through speech
• Hand drum performance-based
• Form analyzation of phrases (AABCBCA)
• Movement of body demonstrating smooth and sharp
Summative Assessment:
• Performance of seven measure B section composition including at least two of the following: body
percussion, creative movement, unpitched/pitched percussion
Materials:
• Gunild Keetman. Rhythmische Ubung (Rhythm Exercises). Schott Publishers.
Process:
ü Please shape manipulative measures are on board in random order.
ü Teacher taps shapes while students speak in rhythm.
ü Students come up to board and put the shapes in a different order.
ü Teacher places in order according to piece, Rhythmische Ubung #43.
ü Students speak while teacher taps downbeat in order from beginning to end.
ü Students, as a class, analyze the form of the piece: AABCBCA.
ü Once comfortable, students perform without teacher.
ü Transfer rhythm of shapes to hand drums.
Play down stroke on the downbeat of each triangle and square.
ü Once comfortable, add up stroke on hand drum of rhythm of triangle.
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
Circle, Circle, Circle
Triangle Triangle (down up up – down up up)
Circle, Circle, Circle
Triangle Triangle (down up up – down up up)
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack

Once comfortable, add a down stroke on the downbeat of circle.
ü Finally, add up stroke on the rhythm of circle
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
Circle, Circle, Circle (down up – down up – down up)
Triangle Triangle (down up up – down up up)
Circle, Circle, Circle (down up – down up – down up)
Triangle Triangle (down up up – down up up)
Triangle Square (down up up – down)
COMPOSITION
ü Review and act out Small Group Success Guidelines.
o Level 2 (noise level within a small group).
o Stay with group.
o Raise your hand for help.
o Stay on task as a team.
o 2 echo rhythms to return to Level 0 (no noise) and eyes on teacher.
ü Students are divided into groups of 6-8.
ü Students compose seven measures using shape manipulative envelopes.
o Create composition, which will later be the B section.
o Practice playing composition as a group.
§ Practice rhythm first.
§ Edit, if needed. All must be able to perform.
§ THEN, add movement, body percussion, percussion).
o Raise hand when ready to perform B section in small group for teacher.
o T gives feedback to students.
ü Final Rondo performance with student input on form.
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack

Hlnolofatsa
Objective: Students will experience a song from South African through singing in the Sesotho language,
learning the translation and meaning of the piece, and perform the piece in harmony with dance and unpitched
percussion.
Formative Assessment:
• Sing and dance South African song in harmony to foster community and celebration
Process:
ü Teacher sings middle line twice with rests in between each repeat
ü Teacher asks students to listen for the missing syllable
o Students identify the missing syllable at the end of phrase four before the repeat “te”
ü Teacher gives background on South African piece
o Song:
o Meaning: We are blessed. We are blessed in the name of the Lord
o Often the higher parts never get to finish their phrase
o Village/Community building
o Focus is on the singing on the movement – movement used to free the body
ü Teach speaks “Hlnolofatsa” in rhythm for pronunciation
ü Teacher sings the beginning of each phrase - Students speak “Hlnolofatsa” in rhythm every time teacher
points to them
ü Teacher asks students how many times they said “Hlnolofatsa” (3)
ü Students echo teacher singing phrase 1, phrase 1 & 2, phrase 3, phrase 1 2 & 3
ü Students sing phrase 1, 2, 3 and teacher sings phrase 4 - add quick repeat
ü Teach speaks “Ka Lebisto la ntate” in rhythm for pronunciation – Students repeat
ü Students echo teacher singing phrase 4 “Ka Lebisto la ntate” - add “yo, ka Lebisto la ntate”
ü Students sing entire piece
ü Teacher demonstrates typical South African dance (in & out)
ü Students stand in circle and join in with South African dance
ü Students sing and dance middle line
ü Teacher adds top line harmony
ü Teacher invites a group of singers to listen and jump in on the top part
ü Some students add drumming and unpitched percussion
ü Students sing, dance “Hlnolofatsa” in harmony with unpitched percussion
IMEA 1/22/2011 Holly Mullenix-Stack & Laura Stack