Steps and Skips

Warm-Up

1. Students are spread in the room.
2. The teacher plays a drum and a triangle (or any kind of other hand percussion)
   • ONE drum sound = step forward
   • TWO drum sounds = step back wards
   • THREE drum sounds = stop
   • ONE triangle sound = leap forward
   • TWO triangle sounds = leap backwards (this may need some practice)
   • THREE triangle sounds = stop

Activity

1. The teacher sings short phrases with music going up or down stepwise. Teacher uses one hand (or both) to show imaginary steps in the space. Students echo.
   • Teacher does the same with skips (a third or more)
2. Exploring the piano/glockenspiel/xylophone:
   • Music going up or down stepwise
   • Music going up or down, skipping keys
   • Students take turns exploring
3. In space:
   • Piano plays music going up or down stepwise, students step forward or backwards
   • Piano plays music skipping up or down, students leap backwards or forwards
4. Conclude by singing a song in which one or more of these are elements of melodic direction are represented.
   • “The Little Birch Tree” works well