Music Curriculum Pre-K

First Steps by John Feierabend is used in Pre-K through 1st grade. First Steps teaches students to be tuneful, beatful, and artful. The goal is for students to "develop accurate rhythmic skills, accurate singing skills, and sensitivity to the expressive qualities of music." (Feierabend, J. First Steps in Music)

Dr. John Feierabend says, "The First Steps in Music series attempts to preserve the rich repertoire of traditional and folk literature and to enable today's families to recall and learn songs and rhymes that have nurtured wonder and joy in young people for generations. The authentic affection, innocence, and wonder of these songs and rhymes have the potential to plant the seeds for lifelong sensitivity and imagination." (First Steps in Music)

First steps contains eight steps

• Pitch exploration- exploring the voice
• Song Fragments
  • Echo songs
  • Call and Response songs
• Simple songs
• Arioso (Child-created tunes)
• Song Tales- stories sung to the children by the teacher
• Movement Exploration- Exploring different ways the body can move
• Movement for Form and Expression
• Movement with the beat