Playkids: Rhythm and Rhyme 8 Week Course Level A

The 8-week course is divided into four two week units. Each unit has a theme and will introduce a movement concept, a music theory concept, and a rhythm instrument.
Winter Session

Unit 1 Carnival of the Animals/Swirl and Twirl
We’ll read and listen to Saint Saens “Carnival of the Animals” and move like the different animals. We’ll ‘Swirl and Twirl’ like snowflakes and create our own snowflake dance. We’ll learn the important musical term ‘rest’, and how to clap and rest, and move and rest.  We’ll learn about our rhythm sticks, and ‘play and rest’ them.

Unit 2: Orchestra Instruments/Ice Skating
We’ll listen to the different instruments from “Carnival of the Animals”and do a paper plate ‘Ice Skating’ dance.  We’ll learn what a quarter note is and what a quarter rest is and draw them.  We’ll learn about our maracas and play and rest them along with rhythm sticks.
 
Unit 3  Chinese New Year/Black History Month
We’ll sing traditional African-American folk rhymes like Miss Mary Mack and Shoo-fly, and move like Chinese New Year dragons to the song Xin Nian Kuai Le.  We’ll learn the three notes and a rest rhythm and practice with our bells.  We’ll play bells and maracas along with rhythm sticks.

Unit 4: Jazz Instruments/Drum Beats
 We’ll listen to New Orleans jazz band instruments and march to them.  We’ll move to drum beats and “Che Che Kule”.  We’ll learn the seven notes and a rest rhythm and practice with our drums.  We’ll finish with an ensemble rhythm band song “Play A Little Song”.

Class Structure

Each class will begin with the opening "Hello Song", followed by a rhythmic follow-along song called "Music I Hear". Then, we will sing some fun and familiar sing-a-long songs.

Next, we’ll sing and move to movement story-songs and/or music based on each unit’s theme.

Then we’ll clap and tap rhythms with rests, and draw notes and rests

Finally, we’ll learn about and play our instruments to different songs and rhythms.