S’Cool Sounds is thrilled to announce the release of the S’Cool Sounds Curriculum, a series of ten lesson plans intended for music educators and recorder enthusiasts. These lesson plans can be used well beyond the classroom, for individual or group teaching, both in person or via remote platforms. Our curriculum focuses on developing strong recorder technique together with ensemble skills, which are advanced through the addition of various percussion instruments. The method was developed by S’Cool Sounds Artistic Director, Nina Stern, and S’Cool Sounds Communications Associate, Isabella Pagel.
This beginning curriculum was designed as a 10-week program, with full lesson plans consisting of recorder and general music instruction for young children. Students are taught B, A, and G as first notes on the recorder and progress to a full octave later in the program. Sound production and articulation technique are introduced and then reviewed throughout the curriculum. The method is intended for children in grades 3-4 but can be adapted for younger and older grades. Six original three-note songs, inspired by musical cultures from around the globe, are provided as ensemble performance pieces. The introduction contains beginning percussion instruction as well as ideas for arranging ensemble pieces and for teaching improvisation.
Expanding our ensemble, we are excited to be adding a plucked instrument to the curriculum! Teaching Artist and jazz guitarist Juan Manuel Trujillo is writing a ukulele addendum that will be published this fall. Ukulele accompaniment will be included in select three-note songs as well as instruction and suggestions on how to introduce ukulele to children. In Juan's words, "the ukulele has a lot of potential, first because it is small which makes it optimal for younger students, second because it is a stepping stone for students to start hearing harmony, and lastly, it can be used to learn a lot about rhythm."