Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Room, Book 1

Created by Roger Sams and BethAnn Hepburn, Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Room, Book 1 is a flexible collection of developmentally sequenced lessons designed to help students learn about music by making music. Drawing from the approaches of Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Kodály, and Orff Schulwerk, this resource integrates singing, movement, instruments, literacy, improvisation, and play into engaging classroom experiences.

Rather than offering scripted, one-size-fits-all lessons, each of the thirty pathways provides teachers with multiple ways to explore musical concepts. Teachers can adapt and shape the material to fit their own classroom needs, teaching style, and student readiness levels, making this resource valuable for both new and experienced educators alike.

Ideal For

• Elementary general music classrooms
• Orff-inspired teaching
• Kodály-inspired teaching
• Movement integration
• Active music making
• Rhythmic and melodic literacy development
• Flexible, student-centered instruction

Concepts Covered

Rhythmic and melodic concepts explored throughout Book 1 include:

• Steady beat
• Quarter note
• Two eighth notes
• Quarter rest
• Sol
• Mi
• La
• Do

Includes

• Teacher resource book
• Digital download of printable manipulatives

Optional Companion Visuals Available Separately

Electronic visuals are available as an additional purchase in both CD-ROM and digital download formats, including:

• SMART Notebook™
• Promethean ActivInspire™
• Microsoft® PowerPoint®

Sample Lessons Included

• Name Riddle
• Burnie Bee
• Cinderella
• Engine, Engine Number Nine
• Cobbler, Cobbler
• Rain on the Green Grass
• Bubble, Bubble, Bubble!
• Lucy Locket
• High in the Pine Tree
• Humpty Dumpty
• Jelly in the Bowl
• Apple Tree
• Little Sally Walker
• Garden Gate
• And many more!

Teachers Appreciate

• Flexible lesson pathways that adapt to different classrooms and grade levels
• Integration of singing, movement, instruments, and literacy
• Developmentally sequenced concepts
• Practical “Teacher Talk” guidance throughout
• Hands-on manipulatives and classroom materials
• Multiple pedagogical approaches working together in one resource

What People Are Saying

Purposeful Pathways is endorsed by leading experts in all three pedagogical approaches utilized.

"This book is a collection of music lessons to introduce beginning students to the excitement of discovering and learning music by making it. The variety of musical pathways presented becomes a road to rhythmic and melodic literacy, with clearly mapped goals and objectives. The journey is enriched by the variety of musical elements and behaviors included, providing many choices for exploring each of the 30 examples in the collection. Movement ideas enhance opportunities for students to actively explore musical material.

The expert guidance of two experienced author/teachers is evident on every page, and is highlighted in special inserts called Teacher Talk. Icons, charts, and drawings add to the playful presentation of the material ñ many of which are available in an optional CD-ROM. The carefully selected collection of songs and rhymes provides artful early encounters with music, establishing a solid foundation for future musical experiences."

-Jane Frazee
Founding Director, Graduation Programs in Music Education, University of St. Thomas
Past President, American Orff-Schulwerk Association

"Purposeful Pathways provides the music specialist with valuable tools to integrate singing, playing of instruments, and creative and purposeful movement. While these lessons can be used across many elementary grade levels, Roger and BethAnn have created movement ideas for young children to imitate animals or characters and explore rhythmic pathways, and movement for later grades that coordinate specific durations or rhythmic ostinato patterns with the text and music. This book would be helpful not only for new teachers, but for experienced music educators interested in learning how to integrate our learning approaches."

-R. J. David Frego, Ph.D.
Chair of the Department of Music, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Past President, Dalcroze Society of America

"Whimsy all but leaps off the pages of this wonderful collection of creative activities for developing music reading, improvisation, composition, and instrument playing skills. Fresh melodies composed to time-honored rhymes are paired with clever ostinati leading to simple and effective instrumental arrangements incorporating movement and song. The Teacher Talk sections contain gems and jewels of advice that can only come from extensive experience with children. I am excited to use many of the ideas with my education majors! You will certainly be successful with these pathways in your classroom!"

-Jill Trinka, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Coastal Carolina University
Past President, American Association of Kod·ly Educators