First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond: The Curriculum and CDs

Written by national leader in early childhood music education John Feierabend, this creatively illustrated book contains everything you need to lead a music class for preschool and early elementary students. The teaching materials include echo songs, call-and-response songs, simple songs, song tales, action songs, circle games, beat motion activities and more. The repertoire is based on folk or traditional songs and rhymes because of their natural melodic expressiveness, language flow, and wonder. Complete lesson plans are included for a 3-year curriculum. The book is fully coordinated with high-quality recordings that contain all the rhymes and music from this book - perfect for parents to play at home or in the car.

Suggestions on setting up a class, preparing parents, record keeping, expanding your music program, and planning ahead are provided, along with a classical music component - perfect for movement exploration.

Also included in this package are the correlating CDs: Had a Little Rooster CD (first-year lessons), There's a Hole in the Bucket CD (second-year lessons), Old Joe Clark CD (third-year lessons) and Keeping the Beat with the Classics CD. The Move It DVD also correlates with this curriculum but is purchased separately.

Contents:
Getting Started
The Musical Workout
Pitch Exploration (Vocal Warm-ups)
Song Fragments
Echo Songs and Call-and-Response Songs
Simple Songs
Arioso
Song Tales
Movement Exploration (developing expressive sensitivity through creative movement)
Creative movement with and without classical music accompaniment
Movement for Form and Expression (singing/speaking and moving with formal structure and expression) -
Non-Locomotor (fingerplays, action songs, circle games, with recorded music) -
Locomotor (circle games, with recorded music)
Beat Motion Activities (developing competencies in maintaining the beat in groups of 2 and 3) -
Child-Initiated Songs and Rhymes - non-locomotor and locomotor
Teacher-Initiated Beat Motions - non-locomotor and locomotor
Planning Lessons (templates)
Sample Lessons (3 years, 2 semesters each year, 12 sessions each semester)
Final Thoughts