Pre-K and General Music Contents and Teachers Guide

The RhythmBee material available for General Music instruction includes the Rhythm Instruction Elementary Edition, the Melody (Solfege) Edition, the Kodaly Rhythm Program, and the General Music Sets.  The descriptions and usage guides for the first two are posted under separate headings.  The General Music Sets usage and contents are detailed below.

There is consensus among students of brain theory that musicians often develop extraordinary brain characteristics.  This fact has been observed in post-mortem examination and in living subjects through the MRI process.  After finding unusual processing processes and larger than normal concentrations of myelin, scientists conclude that musicians' activities that develop the brain.  It seems logical that leading young children (as early as 3 years) in a simulation of a musician's activities could develop these highly plastic young brains to a noticeable degree.

The General Music Sets allow the very youngest students to engage in activities that simulate music reading.  That is, they see and interpret known images, then they say that interpretation in a prescribed rhythm.  The only difference is that the General Music Sets use pictures of objects that young students will recognize easily or can quickly be taught to recognize.  The elements of instruction that are addressed by use of the General Music sets include but are not limited to:

• Vocabulary development
  
• Sequencing practice
  
• Eye tracking
  
• ESL enhancement
• Language fluency
• Reading readiness
• Preparation for music reading and performance

The teacher will quickly see how the units are structured, and they are all the same in this regard.  Here is the sequence that exists in each:

1. Title
2. Review page (The teacher should be sure that the images can recognize all of the images and that the students can say the names of these images with fluency.)
3. Each unit then reminds the teacher to set the speed and press play to begin the activity.
4. The unit activity begins, encouraging the students to say the names of the featured images in unison (all students speaking together) and in rhythm.

The teacher may have to model the choral speaking in the very early stages.  But the students should be allowed to perform without the teacher's assistance as quickly as that is possible.  This puts the responsibility for recognition and interpretation on the students and allows the teacher to circulate around the room to encourage those students who may be likely to participate meekly or not at all.

The purpose of this activity is not "perfect performance."  The purpose is to place a demand (or load) on each student's brain, thereby encouraging the brain to develop the necessary means of participating enthusiastically and accurately.  Some student will have an almost innate ability to participate accurately.  Others will need many opportunities to develop the necessary skills.  Remember that this process is no different from any other physiological development process.  In summary:

Enthusiastic participation encourages the student to voluntarily stress the brain.  Consistent stress results in the development of completely new and unique neural connections, allowing the student to meet these new demands at progressively higher levels of proficiency.

The connections that are created assist in many activities and conceptual tasks which the brain will face for the entire life of the child.  These include but are not limited to:

• Spatial-temporal reasoning
• Creativity
• Reading
• Verbal fluency
• Aural acuity
• Synchronous criticality
• Problem solving
  

General Music Curriculum

The following are titles and image descriptions of the Early Childhood/General Music units that are currently available.

• Kodaly Rhythm Instruction
• April – Sun, Rainbow, Rainy (Rain cloud), Birdy, Butterfly
• Basketball – Court, Referee, Shoe, High five, Trophy, Basketball, Goal, Jersey
• Birds – Turkey, Eagle, Duck, Flamingo, Parrot, Owl, Hawk, Ostrich
• Coins – Penny, Nickle, Dime, Quarter
• Colors/Shapes – Yellow, Red, Black, Indigo, Green, Yellow, Orange
• Colors/Shapes – Triangle, Circle, Square, Oval, Rectangle
• December - Santa Claus, Stocking, Snowman, Star, Christmas tree, Cookies, Dreidel, Candy Cane
• Dinosaurs - T-Rex, Stegasaurus, Triceratops
• Easter – Lion, Lamb, Bunny, Easter eggs
• Farm animals – Goat, Horse, Pig, Sheep, Chicken, Cow, Puppy, Mallard
• February – Heart, Candy, Cherry tree, Valentine, Washington, Lincoln, President Obama, Whitehouse
• Football – Quarterback, Kicker, Mascot, Helmet, Goal post, Football, Coach, Thirty-three (jersey)
• Fruit – Lemon, Watermelon, Strawberry, Apple, Pear
• Community Helpers – Teacher, Fireman, Crossing guard, Garbage man, Mail man, Doctor, Policeman, Principal
• Insects - Lady bug, Ant, Grasshopper, Fly, Bumblebee, Butterfly, Caterpillar
• January - Polar bear, Skis, Mittens, Snowman, Ear muffs, Ice skates, Snow, Ice skater
• July – Flag, Hammock, Hat, Picnic, U.S.A, Fireworks, Canoe
• June – Diver, Hikers, Picnic table, Sand castle, Hammock, Tent, Picnic, Canoe
• Jungle animals – Elephant, Lion, Tiger, Zebra, Cheetah, Giraffe, Rhinoceros
• Junk food – Tacos, Pizza, Nachos, Hotdog, Hamburger, French fries, Cake, Donut, Ice cream
• May – Bumblebee, Butterfly, Cinco de Mayo, Sombrero, Flowers, Lady bug, May pole
• Months (words in English and Spanish) – January/enero, February/febrero, March/ marzo, April/abril, May/mayo, June/junio, July/julio, August/agosto, September/septiembre, October/octubre, November/noviembre, December/diciembre
• November – Pilgrim, Pumpkin, Turkey, Corn, Mayflower, Pie
• Numbers – Zero, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine
• October – Bat, Web, Skeleton, Pumpkin, Broom, Jack-o-lantern,
• Pets – Puppy, Hamster, Fish, Duck, Cat, Turtle
• Sea animals – Dolphin, Octopus, Sea horse, Crab, Snail, Starfish, Whale
• September – School, Scissors, Bus, Stapler, Crayons, Paper clips, Pencil
• March (St. Patrick’s Day) – Leprechaun, Hat, Shamrock, Pot of gold
• Texas – Mockingbird, Mariachi, Flag, Cowboy hat, Cowboy boot, Cowboy, Bluebonnet, Alamo
• Texas monuments - Ten commandments, Doughboy, Sam Houston, Texas Children, Battleship, Goliad, San Jacinto, Reunion Tower
• Transportation – Car, Motorcycle, Bicycle, Airplane, Submarine, Helicopter, Fire truck
• USA – Flag, Liberty Bell, Map, Uncle Sam, Eagle, Capitol
• Veggies – Tomato, Beans, Potatos, Celery, Cucumbers, Carrots, Lettuce
• Zoo Animals – Giraffe, Rhinoceros, Elephant, Polar bear, Kangaroo, Tiger, Lion, Zebra

Core curriculum

Math facts – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division

Nine different units in each category featuring addition facts using the numerals one through nine.