Pre-Work

Resources needed. Only collect what is easily available.

Below is a list of information, materials and resources to collect to make your  course easier and relevant to you and your specific job situation. If the list looks overwhelming, don’t panic! You don’t need all of it, nor do you need to understand it. The more you have on hand, the easier your planning will be during the course.

Pre-work materials and resources to collect:

1. Your current music lesson plans/curriculums that you use throughout the school year.

  • Include storybooks & poems that you typically include.
  • If you are new to teaching K-5 music, I and the other class members will share tried and true resources with you and you can pick up ideas from others in the class.
  • You can easily use the Freddie lessons as a base for your K-3 curriculum. I’ve incorporated Common Core State Standards when feasible.
  • We will ALL be sharing. That’s what music teachers do.
  • Download the PreWork worksheet.
  • VISIT with your administrator of the K-5 grade levels you teach.    
    • Share your intention to take this course and create a plan for incorporating Common Core into K-5 music.  (Bonus points for you!)

2. ASK your administrator/curriculum director the following:

  • You don’t need to understand the answers, just collect the information. You will understand it in the course.
  • What is his or her expectation of you in regards to Common Core inclusion?
  • Would he or she be open to you planning intentional Common Core inclusion once a month in the next year, with a plan of increasing inclusion in the following year? (Less overwhelming for you, and might be all that is expected.
  • Is there an established or preferred method of reporting Common Core in your district?
  • Do the teachers use the full CCSS code, or an abbreviated method? If abbreviated, ask for an example.  (You don’t need to understand it yet.)
  • Common Core Math questions:
    • Is there an adopted Common Core Math Curriculum used?
    • If there is, is there an overview or Scope and Sequence chart (with CCSS codes) you could have?
  • Common Core ELA questions:
    • Is there an adopted Common Core ELA Curriculum used?
    • If there is, is there an overview or Scope and Sequence chart (with CCSS codes) you could have?
    • Is there a document listing the fiction and non-fiction resources used at each K-5 grade level?

3. ASK K-5 Teachers:

  • Are there specific storybooks, non-fiction books, patriotic books, chapter books that they use every year?  Do they have a list they could share?
  • Are there any special units that they teach every year with literature or math involved?

ASK K-3 teachers:

  • What manipulatives do they tend to use the most?  (colored cubes? dots? etc.)  Ask if you can borrow a few for the summer.

ASK 2-3 teachers:

  • Do they use time or money manipulatives?  (Ask to see and borrow.)

ASK 3-5 teachers:

  • Do they use any manipulatives in math for fractions or any other math concept?  (Ask to see and borrow.)

That’s it!
You will receive an email with instructions before the first session to walk you through the course.

 Looking forward to meeting you in the course!