Musical Patterns to Teach Day Care Mathematics
Preschoolers Learn Math through Musical Activities
Apr 5, 2009
Music and math have many connections, one of which is patterns. Rhythms and melodies both are often repeated throughout a song. Exploring musical patterns can be a way for some children to better understand the concept and for others to expand their knowledge of the real world applications of math.
Music Math Lesson Supplies
- Musical instruments
- Crayons
- Paper
- Pattern blocks or colored cubes
- Pre-printed AB patterns
Teach Music Math Lesson
1. Tell the children that they will each get a musical instrument to play with; pass out the instruments, and let the exploration begin.
2. After children have had sufficient time (can be over several days) to explore on their own instruments, introduce the idea of creating patterns using those instruments. Start by having the children copy you and you model playing one instrument and then the other. For example, tap once with a rhythm stick and slide once with sandpaper blocks, tap once with a rhythm stick and slide once with sandpaper blocks, etc.
3. Another way to have the children practice creating patterns is to alternate playing with the teacher. For example, you shake a tambourine, they shake maracas, you shake a tambourine, they shake maracas, etc.
4. After many experiences creating patterns with you, challenge the children to create their own musical melodies, or patterns. As they are playing, circulate among the children, commenting on what they are doing, asking open-ended questions, and giving them language for what they are doing. For example:
- “What comes next in your song?”
- “Oh, I see. You are playing the tambourine, followed by the maracas, and then back to the tambourine.”
- “Can you create a pattern using just one instrument?”
5. Ask children to share their musical melodies. How you organize this sharing will depend on the ages of the children in your group. A few ideas are:
- Share songs individually at the end of the exploration or as a circle time activity.
- Have children play their melody for a partner.
- Have a concert where all of the patterns are played at once.
Ways to Continue the Learning
Going through the activity multiple times and allowing plenty of time for exploration allows children to build on their learning. They are able to observe other children and combine what they see with their own explorations to problem solve and create something new. Repeating the same activity several times will give new results.
Here are some additional ideas for related exploration of math and music in the classroom:
- Try the same activity with different instruments.
- Incorporate books about musical instruments into your day. Some suggestions are: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, by Lloyd Moss [Aladdin, 2000]; Meet the Orchestra, by Ann Hayes [Sandpiper, 1995]; and The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, by Karla Kuskin [HarperCollins, 1986].
- Set up an instrument center that includes a variety of instruments (purchased, homemade, and recycled items).
- Give the children pre-made pattern color strips (See examples at the bottom of the article) and challenge them to play the pattern using instruments. This skill is known as translating patterns and can be used to introduce children to the concept of musical notation.
- For older children ... ask the children to represent with blocks or crayons a musical pattern that they have created so that others may play it.
Using these ideas to incorporate music into the daily routine of the classroom gives children experience with instrumentation and also aids their development in other areas, such as mathematics.
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