CMAEYC 2014: iPads in Action – Supporting Music in Pre-K & Kindergarten

Thank you for joining me at CMAEYC - always an energizing experience. For a printable document, email me!

Brigid Finucane  * 847-213-0713 * gardengoddess1@comcast.net

http://prekandksharing.blogspot.com 

http://brigidfinucane.blogspot.com

@booksinger1

iPads  in Action – Supporting Music in Pre-K & Kindergarten

©2014 Brigid Finucane, Merit School of Music, Chicago, IL

iPads open up a new world of engaging and approachable technology easily used in the early childhood classroom. Apps supporting musical enhancement will be demonstrated,

supported by classroom use examples.   

NINE THINGS TO KNOW

1.WHAT’S NEW: iPad Air is the newest generation of  iPad. “New” (3) and 4 are discontinued.

iPad2 remains.  For an interesting comparison on The New iPad Air vs. the Old New iPad,

check out Oct.23, 2013, ReadWrite article:  http://readwrite.com/2013/10/22/ipad-air-old-differences?utm_source=ReadWrite+Newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bc2d394866-RWWDailyNewsletter&utm_term=0_9fbeb5d667-bc2d394866-201497257#awesm=~ol6Gql6nlws3Cn

2. RETINA: Is it worth it? Yes!  Documentation photos have a distinct quality difference.

3. THERE’S AN APP FOR FREE APPS! AppPriceDrops by Apple Sliced is my favorite.  It sets price alerts, and if they are met, sends a “Congratulations!” email. http://applesliced.com

4. APPS: Similar apps may be grouped together in a category icon and be self-titled.

5. SPACE:  If you’re not using an app, you may choose to  delete it  from your iPad.

**Deleted apps may be restored through iTunes “Purchased” option.**

6. MUSIC

iTunes is part of what’s “in the box.” With just a few taps of your fingers, you can find what you need to illustrate content.  Tracks can be grouped together in a playlist that are specific to a particular lesson.  Music can be selected to play as a background for other apps.

7. PHOTOS …can (often) be imported into other apps as backgrounds for new creations.

8.SCREEN SHOTS:

Press Home and Power(sleep/wake) buttons simultaneously to record an image on the iPad screen. It will store automatically in your photos, can be edited & used for picture cards, etc.

9. RECORDING WITH AN iPad 2  + newer generations: The iPad 2 and all later versions have a forward and backwards facing camera AND the ability to record video. The iPad1 does not.

iPad Air has 3x video zoom!

NAfME’s National Music Standards:

Noted in red under activities below

1.Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 
                       

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 
5. Reading and notating music. 

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, other arts, & disciplines outside the

     arts. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

-Singing Time ©Rose Fyleman

-Hello Neighbor!

  Hello, neighbor.  What do you say?                    (Rock side to side, hand to hand w/partner)
  It’s going to be a happy day.                                                      “                                "                                               

  Greet your neighbor! Boogie on down.              (Shake hands, then boogie or wiggle whole body)
  Give a bump and turn around.                             (Bump hips, turn in place, then a find new partner)                 

-Singing position – Hands placed on top of head, back straight. Float arms down to side.

1.WAKING UP OUR EARS

-APP: Sound Touch Lite (FREE). 180 sounds and images great for auditory discrimination. 

-SoundTouch ($4.99) offers 360 sounds and images.

NOTE:  Chanting “Sounds” is equally effective.

2. TUNING UP – Accurate Pitch; Solo, Duet, Trio, Quartet.  Recording& Assessing

-APP: Awesome Xylophone ($1.99). Multi-touch supported. Lite (FREE) version available.

-ABC- Magnetic Alphabet HD –Learn to Write! For Kids ($1.99). Lite version available.

   Good to know: Full (paid) version has upper and lower case letters, multi-colored or

   themed backgrounds, and a variety of shaped magnets and stickers ranging from

   snowflakes to butterflies. Magnets can be sized and rotated.  Save images in Camera.

ACTIVITY: WARMUP EXERCISE WITH GROUP

·      Singing position. At the beginning of class, sing a simple warm–up with the children echoing tonal patterns on the bars of the Awesome Xylophone app. The word “unison” is discussed and spelled. Magnetic ABC HD

©2014 Brigid Finucane

·       Warm-ups become longer each session. Introduce solo, duet, trio, quartet.

            NOTE: A simple song can also be used and sung on “vocables” (“ba,” “ la,” etc.).

·      Ensemble work: Go around the circle, starting with the child next to you, and let him/her chose whether to sing alone or with others, using the words solo, duet, trio, quartet, etc.

·      It looks like this; If a child chooses quartet, she/he stands up with the next three children in the circle. Using “singing position,” children echo the patterns

·      Repeat. The next child in the circle has the choice of singing alone (solo) or in a group. 

·      Record the children. At the end of the series, the class has the chance to hear themselves.  NOTE: For this activity, girls may go one week, boys the next.

·      Other benefits: This activity promotes good audience behavior – listening quietly and politely while others sing –a key element which is built gradually over time and repetition.

Extensions:

1.    Pictures of duets, trios, quartets, or a solo singer or instrumentalist may be taken using class members as subjects.  Still photographs or videos can be found online.

Solo, Duet, Trio, Quartet!
Diptic (APP) and YouTube screenshots

2.     Recording is ideal for Assembly preparation. After recording, students watch themselves and discuss their work. 

3.    Still photographs can document stage placement, replacing paper seating-charts.

4.    Self-portraits or group shots can be taken, since the camera is reversible.

5.     Special effects can be applied through Photo Booth (included), like “light tunnel,” “kaleidoscope,” or “x-ray,” and photos shared.

NOTE: Zoom works in all versions, but only the iPad Air video function allows zoom (3x). 

1.Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

7. Evaluating music and music performances.

3. INTRODUCTIONS: GETTING TO KNOW YOU

HOW PUNG YO (Looking For A Friend) / Traditional Chinese Folk Song

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueSBz0aV4Rs.

1. From: Teaching Tolerance: I Will Be Your Friend, Larry Long, ed.  

Make a circle, with one child in center.  This child is “It,” and walks or skips inside the circle while children are singing the first line, then he/she stops in front of another child.  On “Jeeng gah lee ah,” the two bow to each other, then shake hands on “Wah guh sho.” On the last line, they trade places, with the new friend going into the center.  Repeat. Continue until everyone has had a turn (no repeats!). 

2. From: Chinese American Service League (CASL), Chicago.

All the children play, looking for a friend simultaneously. Walk for the first two lines, then turn to a friend, bow and shake their hand. At the end of the song, wave goodbye. Repeat, finding a new friend.

3. From: .  Roots & Branches. A Legacy of Multicultural Music for Children, Campbell, P. S,. et al.

Follow directions for #1 (above), but instead of trading places, the new friend holds gently on to the shoulder of the first child (“It”). Repeat the song, adding a new friend with each repetition.  Each new friend is added to the end of the train, until everyone is selected.
Jow yah, joy yah, jow yah jow,                               Looking, looking, looking for,
Jow do wee guh how pung yo.                               Now I find a good friend.
Jeeng gah lee ah.                                                      I bow to you.
Wah guh sho.                                                            (I) shake your hand.
Nee shur wah duh how pung yo.                           You are my good friend.




4. COMPARATIVES: HIGH-LOW- Vocal Glides; Conducting:  High-Low Book

A. ACTIVITY: Vocal glides,  High/ Low Story – Adapted from “Fortunately” by Remy Charlip

-APPS: Kids Doodle – Movie Kids Color & Draw (FREE) – has ads. Kids Doodle Pro (.99) – no ads. NOTE: Kids Doodle’s name may vary, since the developer has expanded his offerings.

©2014 Brigid Finucane

·      Vocal Glides:

    Discuss high and low, then label on iPad screen.  Draw a continuous line, from left to right, using the full iPad screen. Demonstrate the vocal glide, conducting, by moving your finger on the drawn image, and following the shape with your voice.  

      Ask individual children to draw a vocal glide then conduct the class.

©2014 Brigid Finucane

Book: Draw a horizontal line across the iPad screen. Write “H”

     for “high” on the top half, an “L” for “low” on the bottom half. 

·      Write the words “Alright” (high) and “Oh no!” (low) on the screen. 

·      Tell the children that you’re going to read them a story where good, or fortunate things happen.Their part is to chant “Alright” in their highest voice when you cue them.
Sometimes bad, or unfortunate things, happen. Their part is to chant “Oh no!” using 
their lowest voices. Practice chanting the words – on cue- using the appropriate voice.

·      Read the story! 
NOTE: I usually split the book into two parts, to add to the suspense,
and to reflect on sequence when I bring it out a second time. Have fun.

 B. ACTIVITY: BASIC NOTATION OF SIMPLE, HIGH/LOW (SOL-MI) MELODY

-APP:  Noteshelf ($5.99) – Price fluctuates wildly. Music paper option, emoticons.

·      Visual cue: Arrange children in high/standing and low/sitting positions, and read pattern.

            Note: Use short, 4-beat patterns.. Ta = one (1) sound, Ti-ti = two (2) sounds (two children).

©2014 Brigid Finucane. Starlight - First two measures

·      Draw horizontal line across screen, and designate the top portion for high notes, and the bottom section for low notes. 

·      Indicate Steady beat by placing four, evenly spaced heart emoticons at the screen’s top.

·      Use emoticons to create simple and short high-low patterns using sol-mi (5-3) – the interval used in the first line of Rain, Rain Go Away, Starlight, Starbright etc.

Extensions  

·      Invite children to become composers and create high-low compositions.

Recommendations: Indicate steady beat with hearts, and keep initial patterns 4-beats long.

5. COMPARATIVES: PIANO (Soft) & FORTE (Loud) - Lullabies Activity: Hush Little Baby (book) &  Flashcards created with APP: ABC Magnetic Alphabet HD.

-ITunes: Comparative listening examples.

-SoundHound (FREE). “What’s that song?” APP searches for matches, links to iTunes, offers

  “look up lyrics” option, and links to “more videos” on YouTube.

-WatchLater (FREE - 2.99): Yo Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin

·      Explore lullabies. Ask children if they know what a lullaby is, and if anyone has ever sung a lullaby to them.

·      Teach Hush Little Baby.

·      Sing the song/book. Marla Frazee’s version is recommended.

·      Discuss how to sing a lullaby. Is it soft or loud?  What would happen if you sung it loudly?

·       Compare and contrast. Sing lyrics piano and forte, and legato and staccato (#6 below).
     Spell words and show musical symbols. Use flashcards made with Magnetic Alphabet HD.

©2014 Brigid Finucane

Extensions: 

1.    Sing song, letting students fill in last word of each line.

2.    Listen to Comparatives in Music Playlist  for Hush Little Baby.

·      Discuss similarities and differences: Is it sung or an instrumental.

·      If sung, who is singing? (a man, woman, child?). What instruments are used? What is the tempo? (fast or slow)
Modes? (major or minor).

o   Ask children to identify examples (among comparatives listened to) where musicians performed the song like the class sang it. Discuss stylistic difference.

o   Vote on a favorite version

3.    Find out more via SoundHound (APP).

·      Tap button and sing Hush Little Baby to find out “What’s that song?”

             The APP also links to “more videos” via YouTube.

·      Discover Comparatives videos:  Yo Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin, etc.

4.     Save via WatchLater (APP)- a video player and downloader, useful when Internet connectivity is an issue.  Download videos from YouTube, and use whenever desired.

6. STACCATO (Short and separate)  & LEGATO (Smooth and connected)
-APPS: KidsDoodle (FREE) - Staccato and legato drawing.
-ITunes:  St. Saens Carnival of the Animals.

©2014 Brigid Finucane

·      Movement Connection: The class sings and plays an American heritage game where the movement changes from legato to staccato (Jump Josie).

·      Air draw while learning song - rainbows for legato and little points or dots for staccato.

©2014 Brigid Finucane

·      Visual Art Connection: Demonstrate continuous staccato and legato drawing with KidsDoodle, or a whiteboard drawing app, while singing the song. Ask students to “air draw.”

·      Draw to music: Distribute paper and markers.  Ask students to draw to music, making different marks to designate staccato and legato.

·      Take a gallery walk, so students can look at other drawings. 

·      Repeat activity over several sessions.
    Applying Concepts to Other Music: Listen, move and air draw using different recorded music (St. Saens Carnival of the Animals excerpts).

·      Draw to music and go on gallery walk (see above).
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

8.Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

7. INTRODUCING MUSIC, STYLES & MUSICIANS THROUGH YOUTUBE VIDEOS - Music & Literacy

-APPS: Watchlater (FREE - $2.99), -iTunes – Recording of It’s A Wonderful World

ACTIVITY:  Refer to (#5) Extensions – Hush Little Baby  with Yo Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin

·      Talk to children about Louis Armstrong, who he was (musician), what instrument he played (trumpet) and the music he was famous for playing and singing (jazz). Tell class that you will listen to a one of his best-known songs  - one they may know!

·      Introduce book, What a Wonderful World  (by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele, illus. by Ashley Bryan). Point out illustrations of Louis Armstrong and his trumpet.

·       Listen to the song, turning the pages of the book as the song progresses.

·      Ask for children’s response to the song, for example: How the song made them feel, what instruments they heard, impressions of Armstrong’s voice, etc.

·      Show children the YouTube video of Louis Armstrong singing the song.  

·      Discuss video.

Extensions:

·      Explore Instrument Family (Brass) using Meet the Orchestra (APP) - #8 (see below)

NOTE: Use YouTube to introduce songs, composers, and to support repetition and practice. Three favorites: 

1.Charlotte Diamond’s Each of Us Is AFlower / Somos Como Las Flores  

                               2. Susan Salidor’s Peace in My Fingers

                               3. Laura Doherty’s Wheels in the City

Susan Salidor and Laura Doherty are both from Chicago!  Seek their work out!

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

8.Understanding relationships between music, other arts, & disciplines outside the arts.

Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

8. ORCHESTRA FAMILY APP

-Meet theOrchestra ($1.99) is direct and no nonsense.  Each instrument in the family is introduced by name.  When an instrument is clicked on, the other members of the family rush off the stage and a solo starts. This is a fine app for “guess the instrument” activities.

9. INSTRUMENTS – HYBRID APPS

-ABC Music – musical words with pictures, sounds and videos for kids ($2.99) (SLIDE to view)

Instrument info, interactive, YouTube video links

-Mini Adventures - Music (FREE) Less examples than ABC Music, YouTube links. (TAP to view)

 BONUS: Workshop comparison between the two apps using ZITHER YouTube Download

BONUS APP: Magic Zither (FREE)

9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

8. INSTRUMENT APPS – For Accompaniment and Student Play

           ACCOMPANIMENT                                                    STUDENT PLAY
          -Autoharp (.99)                                                           -Awesome Xylophone  (FREE-$1.99)                      
          -Echo String Free                                                       -Magic Zither (FREE)                           
          -iAmGuitar (.99)                                                          -Music’O’Baby (.99)  

          -Percussive ($1.99) or Lite (FREE)                              -Percussive Latin ($1.99)             
          -SimpleMusic ($1.99) Superior paid version!              -Virtuoso Piano Free 3  

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

9.  APPS THAT AMAZE – COMPOSITION

-Gravitarium 2 ($1.99): Music, art, science and relaxation.  Promotes finger control.

With the addition of each finger, the patterns on the screen change.

-Falling Stars by Trident Vitality Gum (FREE): Create melodic loops by drawing.

  Mood and sound is determined interactions of generated images.

            3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 
                                         

4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

10. LITERACY BOOKS & PICTURE CARDS – Screen Shots Rule! 

            APPS: Captions                                          APPS: Multi-Frames

            -Motivational Poster ($.99)                           -Diptic (.99)- has text                                                    

            -Phoster ($1.99)                                           -Frametastic (FREE-$1.99)

                                                                               -Pic Collage (FREE) – has text

1. Picture Cards: Apples & Cherries      /     Pumpkin Patch – Song by Fran McKinney, CMN

Chinese New Year / Zodiac Animals

2. Listening – Book: Come to the Meadow by Anna Grossnickle Hines. Soundtrack: Pachelbel’s Canon in D. 
Book idea courtesy of Margaret Hooton, CMN.
Book: Snow by Uri Shulevitz. Sountrack: George Winston's Holly and the Ivy CD: December.
Book idea courtesy of Margaret Hooton.

NOW WHAT? Post-Conference Resources

       I. FINDING FREE APPS – There’s an app for that!

*-AppPriceDrops by Apple Sliced. Sets price alerts! http://applesliced.com

-Appsfire: http://applesliced.com/apps?search=AppsFire

 *-AppsGonefree. Well curated, though emphasis on gaming: 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apps-gone-free-best-daily/id470693788?mt=8

-AppShopper (info gathering):  http://appshopper.com/

 -Discovr Apps (FREE- $3.99). Radiating search

https://itunes.apple.com/app/discovr-apps/id440101665?mt=8

 II. NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITES, ARTICLES, ONLINE JOURNALS

*-Joanna Sisk-Purvis on 2/7/12. PREZI. Highly Recommended Viewing: http://motleymuse.blogspot.com/

-ASCP SmartBrief: http://www.smartbrief.com/news/ascd

-SmartBrief on EdTech: http://www.smartbrief.com/news/edtech

*-Cool Mom Tech: http://www.coolmomteh.com/apps_apps_and_more_apps/

-James Humberstone: http://composerhome.wordpress.com/

-iPad and Technology in Music Education: http://ipadmusiced.wordpress.com/

-Katie Wardrobe: http://www.midnightmusic.com.au

-Tech & Learning: http://www.techlearning.com/index

-Tech & Learning Blogs: http://www.techlearning.com/blogs

Look for these Tech writers:  David Andrade, Bob Sprankle,  & Vicki Windman

  III. HOW-TO  & APP COLLECTIONS

-AppStart foriPad – 2012 Edition (FREE - .99): 
New iPad Owner’s App Buying Guide. http://applesliced.com/app?n=appstart-for-ipad

-The Student Guide to iPads & iOS 6 –  Jac de Haan (FREE iBook)

-AppGuides – Curated, themed subgroups: http://appadvice.com/appguides

NOTE: iOS7 is newest operating system


Please contact me with any additional questions!

Brigid Finucane 

Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St., Chicago, IL  60607.   312-786-9428.   

I’m a proud and grateful member of ECMMA, GCAOSA, NAEYC & the Children’s Music Network. Check it out! http://www.cmnonline.org