We love children’s literature at West Music, and we’d like to share our favorites with you with a new series:
Children’s Book of the Month!
We’ll be selecting one book for early elementary and one book for late elementary/middle school each month.
- Post a blog with our ideas on how to use them in your classroom.
- Host a Facebook Live discussion session about a week after we post our blog. We want to hear how YOU would use this in your classroom and give you the opportunity to share those ideas with other teachers. The live session will be recorded and posted so you can refer to it if you miss it.
This summer we’re piloting this idea, so we’ll choose books for June and August. Let us know what you think! Here are June’s picks:
Early Elementary Selection
The Dot
Author: Peter H. Reynolds
This sweet book is one of my favorites this year. It tells the story of young Vashti, and how she discovers her talent and love of art through a simple dot. It’s simple but inspiring! Honestly, the first time I read it I must admit – I teared up a little at the end. It’s that kind of ending… We hosted a storytime event in our Coralville store to test out our ideas for “Dot” activities, and we had a great time! See our lesson suggestions below, along with some pictures of the work that the students did.
Lesson Objectives:
· Explore creativity through art and its connection to sound.
· Create a composition of “dot sounds.”
Lesson Steps:
- Read the book to students.
- Ask students to draw their own “dot” artwork using as many or as few, big or little, one color or many – whatever suits them. Have a few students share their drawing with the class and explain why they chose their dots.
3. Ask the class what their dot drawing would sound like? How do their dots transfer into sound (loud, soft, long, short, etc…)? Have students select instruments to make their sounds – or use their voice – and have them get into groups and share their sounds.
4. Arrange the dot artwork on the floor in a line (or several shorter lines depending on the size of the group). Have each student play his or her “dot” sounds one by one from left to right and play the “song” that their dot drawings create! How would the song sound if the dot pictures were moved around? Experiment with various composition options.
5. Create cardstock “frames” for each student and hand them out as they leave the room. Encourage each student to sign their dot drawing – just like Vashti did!
Late Elementary School/Middle School
Danza! Amalia Hernandez and El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico
Author: Duncan Tonatiuh, 2017
The first time I read this book I came up with a ton of cross-curricular connections, and I know you will do that same. It’s the story of Amalia Hernandez, the founder of El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. She began studying ballet, but then began to integrate folk dancing with ballet and started her own company. I’m oversimplifying, but it’s a beautiful story of finding your passion and making it your career.
The artwork is inspired by Mixtecs art – I had to look that up, but it’s beautiful, and I see the resemblance.
Here are a few lesson ideas to start with:
- Show videos of traditional ballet, and then video clips of El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico and ask students what they see? What do they have in common? What is different?
- Use the book as an introduction to learning Mexican folk dances. Teach students the “Jarabe” – otherwise known as the Mexican Hat Dance (the National Dance of Mexico). Try some other dances such as La Raspa, Corrido, and Los Machetes, found in the following resources:
Sanna Longden CDs / Videos
Rhythmically Moving CDs
- Use the book as an introduction to singing Mexican folk songs. Some suggested resources:
Join us on Facebook!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you could use either of these books in your classrooms. We’ll be live on our West Music Facebook page on Friday, July 6 at 2:00 pm. Tell us your ideas then, or email them to me ahead of the broadcast and we’ll share them!
Thanks in advance for being part of our West Music community of teachers!
Andrea Pelloquin is the Education Consultant specializing in print materials, recorders, Nuvo instruments, and puppets at West Music. She is a former public school music teacher and has spent the last 15 years in the world of music publishing and retail. She has also maintained a private flute and piano studio for over 20 years. She welcomes suggestions and recommendations from our community of teachers.
