We also improvised sounds with our mouths, hands, and other parts of our bodies. This led to a deeper under- standing of how the structure of our muscles and bones dictated the sounds that we were able to produce.
In creating these activities, I was
inspired by children’s inquiry, and also guided by the National Science Teach- ers Association’s (NSTA) resources for early childhood science education, as well as the NSTA’s Next Generation Science Standards. Their information on crosscutting concepts, or concepts which apply across all domains of sci- ence, was especially helpful. These con- cepts include pattern, structure, func- tion, scale, proportion, and quantity. My young students were able to develop understanding of these scientific con- cepts through music activities which were fun and age-appropriate.
So what did young children teach me about the science of music? Well, first of all, they taught me that it ex- ists – or rather, they reminded me. I’d known that science was there, of course; but I was too caught up in the artistic, expressive side of music to understand that children were eager to explore the nuts-and-bolts of how music worked. In music as in every other part of their lives, young children are endlessly, re- lentlessly curious about the concrete de- tails. Where I see a tambourine, they see an object, free of labels or history, with infinite unknowns. Why is it round, and what are these things on the side? What can it do, and more importantly, what can I do with it? Can I hit it, shake it, wear it like a hat, taste it, scratch it, turn it upside down, throw it on the floor, hide behind it? (Not that I en- courage all of these experiments!) Will it roll? Will it bounce? Will it be louder if I hit it harder? How about if I bang it on the floor? What is the top part made of? What are the shiny things made of and why do they jingle like bells? …and so on.
JANUARY 2018 43 TEMPO
From a purely musical perspective,
young children taught me that under- standing the science of sounds doesn’t detract from the magic of music, in fact, just the opposite. Learning the “what, why, and how” of music and musical in- struments helps them to develop ways to sing and play music more intentionally and expressively. It helps them to devel- op the beginnings of musical technique. Interestingly, the word “technique” comes from the same root as “technol- ogy” - the Greek root techno, meaning “art, skill, or craft.” The Greeks con- sidered music to be one of the sciences, like math, architecture, philosophy, and astronomy; but music still played a spe- cial emotional role in everyday life, reli- gious ceremonies, and drama. Like the
ancient Greeks, young children under- stand music as a science and as an art, with no contradiction between the two. We could all learn from them!
Abby Connors is an early childhood music educator, writer, and presenter. Her most recent book is “Exploring the Sci- ence of Sounds: 100 Musical Activities for Young Children.”
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