Submitted by Amy Taylor, Illinois
Idea posted September 6, 2007
Last year, with grades 1-3, I began every class with a fun "beginning song" that had lots of movement. I used the song to teach elements like dynamics and tempo by letting the children choose how we would "change the song." It took about five minutes at the beginning, and was SO worth it.
We would sing the song once through. Then, I would choose what we'd change. (For instance, "We're going to change the dynamics this time.") I had a bulletin board that had various tempos and various dynamics listed, and I'd call on a student to decide how to change it. (For instance, "Forte" - oh, how they loved this one!) It was good for reinforcing, also, that loud does not equal fast and soft does not equal slow.
A couple of months into the year, I'd ask a student to choose (instead of myself) whether we'd change tempo or dynamics (and they'd have to tell us what it means), and one other child to decide how to change it. By the last trimester, I'd choose a "teacher" from the classroom to lead the whole thing. It worked BEAUTIFULLY... and the principal was impressed a couple of times when she walked by and saw that I was getting instruments out, or dealing with a behavior issue, and the students... yes, primary... were leading themselves!
I'm sure you could do this with some of the other elements, too. My students really know "tempo" and "dynamics" - or dy-"man"-ics as the little ones call it. :)