CAPE After School 2020-2021:
Renato Ceron / Marisol Ceron

We believe music has much value and can teach students many necessary skills in other subject areas. Many commonalities exist between music and literacy, especially in the pre-K to second grade years, and therefore music education is an important element in children’s literacy development.

Students at Telpochcalli School had so much fun during our music and literacy program.  We held meetings Fridays and Saturdays. Each session was 45 minutes long with a total of 2 sessions with 4 students in each group.  Our sessions consisted of students grade kindergarten through 3rd grade.  

Our students concentrated on learning about the history of world music through the study of animals in different parts of the world.  We also looked at rhythms used in traditional songs which we learned how to play using our hands and feet.  Another aspect we looked at were the verses and the imagery used in the different songs.   Students were given an opportunity to change the lyrics to the songs thus creating a sense of ownership to these songs.  We delved deeper into the songs by studying the animals mentioned in the songs by reading non-fiction as well as fiction books about the animals through online read-aloud videos using apps such as YouTube EPIC and RAZkids.  Students learned about myths, legends, fables from around the world.   Throughout the program we reviewed the differences between these types of stories and how these have been passed on orally for generations.  Students also learned about the habitats and characteristics of the iguana, macaw, the rabbit, head lice, the butterfly, and the spider and much more.  We also investigated whether they are in the endangered species group. 

Telpochcalli Orchestra