Purposeful Pathways: 1 Rhyme, 5 years!
Pathways, possibilities, opportunities…it all points to students learning about music by making music. Purposeful Pathways is designed to be fluid and flexible, allowing you to choose from multiple pathways, making it so classroom friendly.
These lessons offer lots of possibilities or purposeful pathways to reach your students through:
Singing
Literacy
movement
Improvisation
Composition
Instrumental ensembles
AND… pick what you want! Pick it all! Cherry pick what works for you, for where your kids are, or what calls to your teaching style.
Consider:
What do your kids need?
A song game to break the ice of a new year?
Or maybe practicing reading quarter/eighth notes?
Or maybe you’re looking for a framework to process a movement activity.
Here’s one way I’ve used pathways for grades PreK-fourth grade with “Engine, Engine” (Purposeful Pathways, Book 1):
Engine, engine number nine
Goin’ down Chicago line.
If the train should jump the track,
Do I get my money back?
PreK:
Students enjoy speaking the text while moving their arms to the steady beat like a locomotive. Add egg shakers, as they kinda sound like the “choo choo” sound.
Kindergarten:
Re-introduce the text as one of their first sol-mi songs while playing the “train game.” (p. 14)
First Grade:
Introduce reading quarter and eighth notes using the book’s accompanying electronic visuals.
Second Grade:
Introduce proper mallet technique while playing a chord bordun.
Add the guiro part as seen in the ensemble pathway, and consider bringing back those egg shakers from PreK as part of the accompaniment playing a steady eighth note pattern (“choo-choo”)
Third Grade:
Transfer all of the text to unpitched percussion or tubano drums (ask students to suggest what is played high and/or low). Add the familiar egg shaker part to create a percussion ensemble.
Create an 4-beat “B” section using word chains of other U.S. cities (i.e. San Fran-cisco-Clev-land- Al-bu-quer-que-Boston).
Fourth Grade:
Use the rhythm of the text as “guard rails” for melodic improvisation.
Now that’s a lot of juice out of one 16-beat poem! And really….I’m sure you could create another 10 possibilities!
That’s just it about Purposeful Pathways: it’s like the seed that is planted and you can witness the many stages of the growth that can occur. “Inside every seed is the potential for an incredible harvest.” -Dr. Farrah Gray
Ya know how you may have been told in a levels class that Orff always intended the volumes to be a framework of sorts? Like a workbook? Purposeful Pathways is similar in that the possibilities are numerous.
Remember, if your district purchases 40 books through MIE, included is a workshop with Roger and Beth Ann! Be sure to indicate it on the purchase order. Certainly, smaller districts can reach out too.
Happy “choo-chooing” and let me know your questions!
