Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Toys Lesson 12

Hi folks, hope you all had a good week. I am busy, busy, busy! Apart from the usual chaotic hustle and bustle of three kids in three directions, I am also helping out in a children church camp preparing crafts for 300 kids for 5 days. The logistics are mind boggling! I thank God I have other mummies helping me.

Alright, down to business. We had great fun transitioning into the train series. The kids built a train, tested the various functions of the train, and even learn to read a map while we travel to various places with the train last lesson.

This week we are going to see what we can pack for our train journey while we are Standing on the Platform. What are some of the things we put in our suitcase when we travel? Clothes? Snacks? TV? Haha.....let's see what the kids come up with. An activity which has element of pretend play and composing.

Hear the Train is an activity that gives the kids the opportunity to take turns singing ( echoing) . The kids are challenged to listen, watch, remember and reflect as I sing, and then be prepared when it is their turn to sing. The kids become more musically aware of how important it is to preserve the flow of the song between the teacher and kids.

On Our Way....I quote from the teacher's guide:

This activity encourages the development of body awareness that goes beyond labeling and moving specific parts to focusing on and controlling the movement of one's body. This activity is structured to take body awareness a step further by including aural signals. When a specific signal such as walking, running, jumping or ready stop is played on the drum, it allows the child to focus on the signal, to understand the meaning of the signal and then to transfer the meaning to a self-controlled action.

And finally we reached the train station where will do a spot of music listening Hine Rakevet.
In this activity music listening skills are developed as the children discriminate and categorize relationships in sound. There is also the opportunity to develop an awareness of the concept of accelerando in the section of the music that becomes faster and faster.

Finally, we get a further chance to reinforce this concept of accelerando during parent sharing time when we move to Hine Rakevet.

I see you all in class.....

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