Our 4s/5s class embarked on an exciting journey through the world of music by creating an Alphabet Music Book. The project was designed to combine the children’s love for music with practicing letter sounds and writing. The project not only fostered a deeper appreciation for music but also helped the children explore their creativity, practice fine motor skills, and build teamwork through shared experiences.
The spark for the Alphabet Music Book began when the children discovered their shared passion for music. Their journey into music started with Joan Jett’s song “I Love Rock and Roll”, which they enjoyed singing and dancing to. This led to an interest in other music legends, and soon they were sharing their knowledge of various musicians. The class talked about Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan, and Joan Jett. Their enthusiasm for music and performing was palpable, inspiring us to channel their love for rock and roll into a creative learning project.
To create the Alphabet Music Book, we worked together as a class to associate each letter of the alphabet with a musician or band. Teachers helped fill in some letters when the children couldn’t come up with one, making sure that each letter was represented. For example:
B for The Beach Boys
J for Joan Jett
M for Michael Jackson
The class shared what they already knew about some musicians and discovered new information by watching videos or looking at pictures of the artists performing. This part of the project encouraged active listening and observation as they engaged with the artists’ music and performances.
The project took place over the course of our music study and incorporated various activities:
Exploring Music Genres: The children learned about different genres of music, such as rock, pop, rap, jazz, etc., and how these styles influenced the artists they were studying.
Cutting, Gluing, and Writing: First, they used their fine motor skills to cut out letters/pictures of musicians and glue them onto the pages. Then, they wrote the name of the artist or band, reinforcing letter recognition and early literacy skills.
Performing and Creating Stages: Throughout the project, the children dressed up in costumes, used microphones and instruments, and created makeshift stages with blocks. They simulated live performances, allowing them to role-play as their favorite musicians, enhancing both their imagination and understanding of the performance aspect of music.
Favorite Songs: The children’s excitement was evident as “I Love Rock and Roll” became the Blue Room anthem. Their enthusiasm for Michael Jackson grew as requests for “Thriller” became a regular part of gym time, showing off their MJ-inspired dance moves.
Music Appreciation: The children gained an understanding of different musicians, their songs, and their influence on culture.
Cultural Awareness: The project exposed the children to a variety of music styles, fostering an early appreciation for diversity in music and the cultural impact of musicians.
Collaboration: The project encouraged teamwork as children discussed and shared what they knew about various musicians and helped each other with letter associations and ideas.
“Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me; I can’t help it.” – Elvis Presley
