Items to review that are incorporated below:
- watching the conductor
- who is the conductor?
- when to start and stop
- standing and sitting together
- volume control
OKAY, HERE GOES:
 |
| Besides yourself, a slinky is the only prop for this lesson. |
*Choose one familiar song to do this with. I'll be using I Am a Child of God, or a Program Song.
1. Get attention: Play "Same Shape". See if they can make the same shape you are making with your hands/arms/body. Congratulate them for paying attention to you with watching eyes.
2. Explain that the Conductor tells you what to do. Something like, "When we are going to sing a song, the Pianist plays an intro and when my arm comes up that means we are about ready to start! Watch!" (Tell Pianist to play intro and a phrase or two into the song). Get feedback, did they see your arm? Maybe even mess up on purpose to see if they are watching.
3. Divide the room in half, assigning 1s and 2s. Tell the kids to sing, only if you are holding up their number. They'll have to watch closely! Sing the whole song, switching off numbers.
4. Show stand up and sit down hand motions. Do it a few times. *Invite a child up to lead standing up and sitting down.
5. Explain the cut off 'pinching' motion. Have entire Primary sing any note (yes, any random note. It sounds funny, but who cares?), then cut it off. Do it a few times. *Invite a child up to be the person cutting off. Repeat. (JR loves this)
6. Show a slinky. Wide means sing loud. Close together means sing soft. Sing while manipulating the slinky for volume variances. *Invite children to use the slinky.
7. Show "Hand on Her Ear Means She Needs to Hear" more or less volume. (The motion is one had to the ear, the other hand either going up or going down.) Sing while indicating volume this way. *Invite kids to try.
8. End by telling them that watching the Conductor is important and now they know how to do it and they will do awesome and their parents will be so proud of them.
