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Activity

Hello Song with Tempo and Pentascale Exploration

Created November 17, 2023 | Added August 16, 2025

  1. Hello Song
    • Begin with an adapted folk song (I like to use Miss Julie Ann Johnson), inserting each student’s name.
    • After students know the song, explore singing it at different tempos.
  2. Tempo Vocabulary
    • Students identify the tempo using words: Adagio (slow), Moderato (medium), or Presto (fast).
    • If they don’t know the Italian terms, they can simply say “slow,” “medium,” or “fast.”
    • Sing the Hello Song with each student’s name at their chosen tempo.
  3. Tempo with Movement/Playing (subsequent weeks)
    • Students show the tempo by performing the beat in some way (e.g., stepping, tapping, clapping, etc.).
    • Compare their words with how they demonstrate tempo.
  4. Autoharp Name Game
    • Each student presses a button on the autoharp.
    • Teacher sings their name on the pentascale of the chord in their chosen tempo:
      • ^5–^1 of the chord, then ^1–^2–^3–^4–^5, then ^5–^4–^3–^2–^1.
      • The pentascales may be major or minor.
  5. Finger/Movement Signals
    • Tap ^1–^2–^3–^4–^5 on their fingers → signal to stand.
    • Tap ^5–^4–^3–^2–^1 on their fingers → signal to sit.

Adaptations / Extensions

If you are working with older students, you could extend the lesson with the following:

  • Chord Recognition
    • Students begin to recognize major, minor, and dominant 7th chords.
    • Students practice singing the ^5–^1 cadence and pentascales themselves.
  • Contrast major and minor pentascales:
    • If major → stand up or sit down.
    • If minor → sing “No No No No No.”
    • Special rule: if the teacher plays ^1–^1–^1–^1–^1 or ^5–^5–^5–^5–^5, students stay where they are.
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About the Author(s)

Author

Leslie Upchurch

Leslie Purcell Upchurch teaches Dalcroze and Dalcroze based classes for all ages, from toddlers through senior citizens. She holds the Dalcroze License and teaches for both The Marta Sanchez Dalcroze Training Center at Carnegie Mellon University and for the Dalcroze School at Lucy Moses. She maintains a private piano studio…
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