Current questions:

1. “I am wondering if using ‘Jump Right In’ book 4 for 4th, 5th, and 6th grades can work (there is no JRI for 5 & 6)?  The songs and activities seem a little young for 6th grade.”

Response(s): I would think that JRI book 4 would probably work for grade 5 as well.  As you mention, the activities might be a little young for grade 6.  Perhaps you can adapt the classroom activities for sixth graders while still addressing the skills for developing the students’ audiation.

 

2. “Is it recommended to start Grades 1, 2 & 3 with JRI Level 1, 2 & 3 respectively, or should I start these three grades with Level 1 since they are all new to MLT?”

Response(s): The JRI books have both classroom activities and learning sequence activities in the lessons.  I would start the students with the respective levels for the classroom activities while being sure to keep the learning sequence activities at the appropriate beginning levels (such as aural/oral, for instance).

 

Additional Responses:

I only teach up to 3rd grade, so I haven't even looked at the grade 4 book.

I would pick and choose what seems appropriate and not too young for your students.  If you find appropriate songs for the older grades outside of the Jump Right In series, then you can adapt a lesson around them that goes with MLT.  Since I don't see my students more than once a week, I would not be afraid of using the same book with multiple grades.  There are enough songs in there probably for multiple grades for a year.

 

If kids are unable to keep the beat I will have them move with fluid movement at all ages.  The way I get them to do it is I have them imagine the following:

1) slow motion martial arts, but no straight sharp movements, everything must be circular (like the fluid and circular blocks and kicks from "crouching tiger hidden dragon", or the movements from "the matrix")

2) swimming, paying attention to move their shoulders and hips

3) leaves falling from trees or blowing in the wind to match the fall season

 

I do use songs in book 1 for some grades other than 1st.  I find 3rd and 2nd graders now requesting songs from book 1, which they remember from 1st grade.  One favorite is Bubblegum (we use a parachute and bounce it to the little beat during the 1st 2 parts of the song, then in the 3rd part when we get to "see that bubble it grows and grows" we bring it all the way to the ground and slowly raise it to our heads and at "pop" we pull it down.  Whatever we put in the middle then flies up and hits the ceiling.)

 

I really like the halloween songs and chants in book 3 and will use them with both 2nd and 3rd grade, just adapt the lesson to my 2nd graders' level.  And even though I try and do new songs, chants and activities with the kids, I find them requesting songs from last week, last month, and last year.  So now I'm finding it fun to add harmonies (singing the roots of the chords), rhythmic ostinatos, and orff type hand/ body percussion to favorite old songs.

I try and use each book with its corresponding grade, but I end up using some songs from book 1 with Kindergarteners, 2nd graders, and 3rd graders as well.

I think the most important is that you use songs and activities that interest and excite you.  If working from book one is less overwhelming, then do that and see how it works with the kids.

 

If there's a specific song or chant you're thinking of doing and you're curious about possible activities to go with it, please let us know.  Maybe if I've tried something fun with it I can let you know.

 

If you have 5-6 yr olds in kindergarten, I highly recommend "music play".  It has some wonderful songs.  Also, taking the GIML Early Childhood mastership course completely enriched every aspect of my teaching k-3 (i'm sure it would affect my teaching with older kids, I just don't get to teach these older grades).

Another wonderful resource is Diane Lange's book, "Together in Harmony".  She has really detailed lessons with multiple activities that combine Orff and MLT.

 

Good luck and have fun using your new books.

 

 

I usually begin grade 1 with Music Play or other early childhood activities. Gr. 2& 3 could use JRI 1. For 4-6, I would use the Experimental Songs and Chants text and the pattern instruction books. I have found PMMA to only be appropriate for the kindergarten level. Use PMMA to test the other students at the elementary level.

 

 

For my 2 cents worth, you can't teach music to children from a book.  Jump Right In will provide excellent materials for your music classes and wonderful and appropriate suggestions to enact a music learning theory approach; but, they cannot substitute for training in MLT.  Music education is not the enactment of a methodology.  MLT is a theory that cannot be learned exclusively by using the materials.  The series books do have one of the best collection of song material out there in my opinion.  But, nothing substitutes for the training with Gordon or his students.   If I am misreading the question, and the question is can you use materials from grade 4 in other grades, the answer is "absolutely."  It's all about presentation and understanding of the sequence of MLT and the developmental and musical needs of the students whatever their age.  When to start -- Gordon always says that you start at the beginning with oral/aural no matter the age.

 

 

 

 

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Last updated: June 17, 2008

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