Our Program

MATB Lesson - Akiwowo

 

 

Introduction

This may turn out to be too difficult for the children.  If so, teach only part of the song, the first line maybe, and then come back to it later in the year. 

 

Music/Concepts

  1. Quarter rests
  2. Repeat sign
  3. Matching words and motives
  4. Another song using four fingers.


Difficulties

  1. Long song without predictable form or structure
  2. Difficult to follow along while playing.
  3. Keeping a steady beat with the quarter rests
  4. Singing in a foreign language
  5. New rhythmic patterns combined in new ways

Activities Away From the Piano

  1. Use the rhythm cards to clap all the rhythm patterns (6) in the song
  2. Using the cards, clap combinations of two measures
  3. Using the cards continue to increase the length of the patterns (up to 4 measures at a time)  Finally, clap the entire song from the poster
  4. Teach the pronunciation of the words
  5. Say the words in rhythm -- phrase by phrase
  6. Teach the melody -- by phrase
  7. Sing the whole song with words, and then note numbers
  8. Sing the song while pointing to the enlarged music. (Have some children come up and point.)

Ear Training

  1. Play a pattern using any of the four notes, CDEF, without skips and have the kids say what you played. (Ex: CDEF, FEFE, DDC, CCDD, etc.)
  2. This version of Akiwowo is the middle voice. The melody can be found in Piano Book 2.  (An advanced group might be able to sing both parts together.) OR sing along with the recording.
  3. Play a measure from the song and have the kids find it on the poster
  4. Echo singing/clapping patterns using these four notes
  5. Have the class play percussion instruments along with the recording and then turn the volume off and have them continue to play.  See if they can match up rhythmically with the recording when you turn the volume back up.


Activities at the Piano

  1. Exercise: 11-22-33-44-33-22-11 (eighth notes)
  2. Work on two measures at a time.  Allow the children to go ahead when they are able.
  3. Play one line at a time.
  4. Play the entire song.
  5. Have the kids sing the numbers and rests while playing. Teachers will hear lots of shh’s throughout the piano lab and the kids will find it easier to play. (They also enjoy the feeling of saying something on the rests.)


Extensions/Creativity/Exploration

  1. Listen to the recordings and discuss/compare them.
  2. Accompany singing (or the recordings) with drums and/or dance
  3. Talk about ways to say thank you in other languages
  4. Have outlines of train cars on paper and have the kids draw in the notes from each measure onto the train.  Or, have that already done and THEN have the class arrange the train cars (measures) accurately.  Even do just one line of the song.  The words can also be written under the notes.


Questions

  1. Which of the recordings was your favorite? Why?
  2. What does the “repeat sign” tell you to do?
  3. How many different motives repeat?
  4. How does this song begin? How many rests are there in the song?
  5. How many beats are in each measure of this song?
  6. Where and what is Nigeria? Where and what is Africa? What do you know/think about Africa?
  7. What is a train conductor?  Why would someone thank them?
  8. Do you know how to say “thank you” in any other language?

 

More Activities

  1. Form a train and stomp in rhythm as you listen to recording.  This can also be turned into a musical chairs game.
  2. In your train, different children can be the conductor and do a movement that the rest of the class imitates.
  3. Pass out a few rhythm instruments (Eggs, maracas, woodblock, etc.) to play along with the recording.
  4. Make sure everyone gets a chance. Emphasize the importance of cooperative performing, listening to and being able to hear everyone.
  5. Discuss the differences in the recordings.  What instruments are playing, what kind of voices (men’s, women’s, low, high) are singing? 


Observations and Suggestions

  1. This kids really love this song – after hearing the recordings.
  2. A common pitfall is speeding up the quarter notes at the end.
  3. For some kids, it was difficult to start a song with a rest.
  4. Measures 7-8 were difficult to play correctly and keep in time.
  5. Don’t sweat it if some kids don’t get the piano version perfectly.  It is good that they recognize discrepancies between the written and recorded versions.
  6. This often turns out to be more than a one day lesson.  It is also one to which the kids will want to return.  Remember, you can and should go ahead in the book before everyone “perfects” this song. Allow the children practice time to return to this song to work on it some more.
  7. One teacher chose to use this piece as a part of an African Heritage theme.  She also looked ahead and taught the children to sing the African songs from Book Two and Book Three. (See index.)
  8. One child suggested that the half notes were where the conductor stopped to let the passengers on and off the train!
  9. The song could seem quite “long” for children who are not enthused to play it. It really helps to get them excited and interested in the piece prior to moving to the keyboards. Discussing the lyrics, Nigeria, Africa and train travel, etc. will turn this piece into a much richer experience for them.
  10. One teacher introduced the piece with charades, singing through with exaggerated actions and having the children guess what the song is about.
  11. Make a theme of the number 2: The time signature, words are sung twice, half notes.
  12. Make African-like masks