Music

Bear Exploration Center facilitates students' creativity and critical thinking skills through a collaborative approach to STEAM learning.

Objective

• Explore how sound is created by vibration

• Compare high and low sounds

• Observe loud and soft dynamics

• Discover how different playing methods change sound

• Perform an ostinato while matching loud/soft dynamics in a group
  
  

Overview

• Use classroom instruments and The Land of Lowdnsoff (Ostinatos) to explore sound

• Discuss that sound is created by vibrations

• Identify high/low and loud/soft sounds

• Learn and clap the steady beat drum ostinato

• Perform with changing dynamics:

  • Verse 1 – loud

  • Verse 2 – soft

  • Verse 3 – mixed

• Discuss best ways to create loud and soft sounds
  
  

Challenges

• Sound Challenge: create the loudest safe and softest controlled sound

• Vibration Challenge: feel and observe vibrations while playing

• Ostinato Challenge: perform a repeating pattern while changing dynamics

• Listening Challenge: identify high/low and loud/soft sounds
  
  

Activities

• Whole-group discussion about sound and vibration

• Small-group instrument exploration

• Practice steady beat and ostinato with clapping

• Perform The Land of Lowdnsoff with dynamics

• Complete a sound observation sheet

• Share discoveries using:

  • “When I played my instrument ___, the sound was ___.”
    
    

Guidelines

• Play instruments safely and respectfully

• Follow the steady beat and ostinato

• Change dynamics when directed

• Participate in group performances and discussions

• Record observations with drawings or simple words
  
  

Standards (Kindergarten – Music & Science)

• Music

  • AE17.MU.K.1 - Explore and experience music concepts.

  • AE17.MU.K.12 - Perform music with expression.

  • AE17.MU.K.8 - Explore and achieve awareness of music contrasts in a variety of music selected for performance.

  • AE17.MU.K.15 - Demonstrate how a specific music concept is used in music.

• Science

• SC23.K.1 - Plan and carry out investigations to determine the effects of forces of different strengths and directions on the motion of an object, including speed, direction, and distance traveled.