Recycled Outdoor Music Area
Lesson Plan:
Activity:
Recycled Outdoor Music Area
Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed
Age Group:
* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with school-age children.
Objectives:
Children will:
- create music using non-traditional instruments.
- develop fine motor skills by controlling a paintbrush.
II.7.2a
- Activities and materials encourage children to dance, move and develop their musical abilities
- a) Music and dance/movement materials and activities are available for children daily
- a) Music and dance/movement materials and activities are available for children daily
Materials:
- paint
- paintbrushes
- cans
- Mason jar rings
- bells
- string or bendable wire
- hammer
- nail
- wooden spoon
- plastic kitchen utensils
Procedure:
- Begin the lesson by having children decorate the empty cans and rings using the paint and paintbrushes.
- **Be sure there are no sharp edges that the student’s might accidentally cut themselves on.**
- Allow the materials to dry.
- Next, using the nail and hammer make a small hole in the bottom of the cans.
- Tie the bells onto the string and tread it through the holes you just made.
- Tie the Mason jar rings together with the string so that they are able to clink against each other.
- Go outside and hang the instruments on a small tree or bush, making sure the children can reach.
- Invite the children to make music using the wooden spoons, kitchen utensils, and paint brushes (they can all potentially make different sounds).
Assessment:
- During the painting portion of the activity, observe and record the children's fine motor skills. How well were they able to control the paint brush? How did the children interact and respond to the different instruments? Did they sing or have any rhythm while they were playing?
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Science for early childhood education comes primarily in the form of sensory experiences.
Children are exploring the sights, sounds, smells, touch, and taste of things all around them. This includes children making observations, testing hypotheses, analyzing data and using these experiences as they explore new concepts in their world. Allowing children a space to concentrate on these scientific concepts and discoveries is a great outlet for their exploration and cognitive development as well as a fun sensory experience. Science and play really do go hand in hand and should be encouraged as much as possible.