Stations or Centers in general music

[nafmeadmin]

Does anyone use any sort of stations or centers that students rotate through during class? I’ve considered trying it in the past, but I’ve never seen it in action in a general music room, and I’m looking for ideas to use. Any tips? Thanks!

[nafmeadmin]

A fantastic article on music centers is by:
Susan Kenney
The Importance of Music Centers in the Early Childhood Class
General Music Today Fall 2004 18: 28-36, doi:10.1177/10483713040180010106

This article provides excellent hands-on ideas that work.

In our age of technology, the following adaptations could include:

To generate very low sounds (if you don’t have bass bars or wish to hear sounds lower
than your bass bars), use an iPad with an application such as MorphWhiz, which will
enable you perform a broad pitch range of sounds.

For a personalized steady beat experience, children could wear an iPod with headphones (kept at a “piano” dynamic level), select their metronome sound from a metronome app, and generate 3 different ways to keep a steady beat while sitting on a chair.

The possibilities for variations on ideas for musical centers are limitless.
Enjoy!

Dr. Katie Carlisle
Southern Representative NAfME Council for General Music
Georgia State University

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