Young children learn best through authentic and meaningful experiences. This week our young children in Minnesota are experiencing SNOW and COLD. This is an opportune time to utilize the Minnesota winter weather as a theme for Musical Storytelling. Adding these musical elements will enhance your literature themes based on such literature classics for children: A Snowy Day, The Jacket I Wear In the Snow, The Mitten, and Snow.
The recipe for success is to mix and match the listed selections below to augment your specific literature lesson based on winter themes.
Next week we will elaborate with a “Music in a Box” sample lesson.
Sound Effects:
- Slide Whistle
- Blowing Wind Sounds
Rhythm Instruments:
- Triangles
- Jingle Bells
- Hand Drums
Visual Props
- Cotton balls
- Ribbon Wands
- Parachute
- Snowman Prop
Some favorites- Song Bank
- Jingle Bells
- Frosty the Snowman
- Suzy Snowflake
- Winter Wonderland
- The Zipper Song- from MacPhail’s Sing with Me CD
- The Mitten Song
Listening Selection
- Winter Wonderland Vocals , Elvis
- Winter Wonderland Instrumental, Stephen Bennet
- Jingle Bells, Alvin & the Chipmunks
- Frosty the Snowman, Gene Autry
- Suzy Snowflake, Rosemary Clooney
- Holiday, Machito
©MacPhail Center for Music, 2010