Worksheet chapter 4

1a.Children who are ages four and five who attend preschool and kindergarten.

1b. Children who are ages four and five have vocal characteristics that include their voices being small and light, and they are generally unable to sing in tune. Also, the children's singing range is from D-A for some and D-D for most. Children who are ages four and five have the ability to sing play chants and easy tonal patterns. The children can also sing melodies which are short in major, minor or pentatonic scales. Children in this age range can also keep a steady beat and can sing melodies with one note to a syllable. Children ages four and five can also sing accurately repeated rhythmic patterns and can sing melodies with or without accompaniment. Lastly, children ages four and five can sing both soft and loud.

1c. The song interests of children ages four and five are ones that tell a story. Specifically, children of this age like songs about familiar experiences such as helping songs and wake up songs. Also, children liek songs about seasons, special occasions, and ones that overall deal with make believe.

2a. In the early/primary age range, children are ages six and seven.

2b. The vocal characteristics of children this age are taht their voices are light and high, with a few being a little low. The children still have a hard time singing in tune at age six and by age seven most of the children will be able to sing short phrases and tune and will try to sing alone. Also, the children can understand what high and low pitches are and can sustain a single pitch. The children's range in pitches can go from D-B to a full octave D-D. The children within this age group have the ability to understand the difference between a playground voice and a singing voice. The children can start to understand why breathing is important in singing. The children can also sing call and response songs, along with two and three part songs. The children can also sing while paying attention to dynamics and changes in tempo. The children can sing from simple music notation and can sing melodies with simple harmonic or rhythmic accompaniment.

2c. The song interests of six and seven year olds are songs about animals, friends, community, pretending, one with action and movement along with folk game songs.

3a. The children in the intermediate age group are ages eight and nine.

3b. The vocal characteristics and abilities of children in this age group are that they can sing a song in tune and some children can sing in rounds, partner songs, canons and descants. Also, the girl's voices are still very light and thin. The boy's voices are becoming more mature due to development of resonance and they have the soprano-alto voice. also, children in this age group have more control over their singings, specifically the legato, dynamics and sustained phrases. There are also some children who are able to sing melodies and parts of music notation and can harmonize. Children of this age also have the ability to sing songs with complex rhythms.

3c. The song interests of children ages eight and nine are ones that involve early America, specifically songs about Native Americans and Pilgrims. Children of this age also like songs involving geography and planets. Lastly, children ages eight and nine like songs that express emotion.

4a. The children in the upper elementary age group are ten and eleven years old.

4b. In the intermediate age group the childrens vocal characteristics are that their voices remain clear and light but the boy's voices become more resonant. The differences between children's ability to sing in two and three parts become evident. There are also differences in that some children have a heightenened rhythmic sinse and respond to music with strong rhythms. Also, children try and imitate their voices to sound like popular singers and celebrities. Lastly, some children can read simple music notes.

4c. The song interests of children ages ten and eleven have to do with adventure, transportation, work, history and especially emotions. Children in this age group like songs about happiness, sadness, and love. Children also like popular songs and songs about places and events.

2. One of the techniques teachers use to teach children to sing is creating an environment efficient for singing experiences. Specifically, teachers help students become ready to sing by singing to them or playing recordings of children their age singing songs. Children first learn how to sing the proper tones, pitch, melody and rhythm after hearing songs repeatedly. It is a good idea to have children be surrounded by good songs, with helpful instructors.

Another technique teachers can use to teach children to sing is by having them improve their posture. A good way to do this is to tell the children that their bodies are their singing instruments and that they must be held upright whether sitting or standing. A good way to practice this good posture is to have the students play games surrounding the idea and to get them used to the position.

A third technique used by teachers to help children learn to sing is teaching good breathing habits to help support tone. Specifically, teachers can help the students learn to support their tone by feeling the pitches by doing variuos breathing exercises like blowing out candles in a certain way and pretending to suck air through a straw.

A fourth technique used by teachers is to teach students how to find their head voice. One way to have the students try and find their head voice is by having them sing in various voices. Another way is to help the students find their speech inflection. Finding speech inflection can be done practicing speaking phrases in tonal intervals. A third way to accomplish this is by having the students imitate familiar sounds found in their environment like sirens and owl hoots. Lastly, teachers can help students find their head voice by using having the students read children's literature and talk in different voices for the various characters as well as say the different animal and environment sounds.