soundpiper.com

Songs for Children

Soundpiper has made their songs for children freely available to teachers, parents, and children through their website. You can click on the links to hear the sound files of each song in the Real Audio format (au). In addition, links to the song lyrics are provided in the pdf format. Links to lesson plans are also provided, giving teachers and parents ideas for how to use songs in the classroom or home environment as an educational activities and tools for learning. Songs and activities are based on the multiple intelligences and learning styles. Soundpiper song activities include:

Language Development: Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence Domain
Emotional Development and Self Esteem: Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Intelligence Domains
Understanding Concepts: Mathematical/Logical Intelligence Domain
Gross and Fine Motor Skills: Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence Domain

These songs and activities are particularly useful in teaching second language learners in developing an understanding of English vocabulary through active physical participation, modeling, and repetition. CDs can be purchased from the products page as well. Current Soundpiper CDs include I Like Sunny Days , Animal Parade, Mother Goose, Fun Songs , and ABCs and 123s.

Resources for Teachers

Current brain research is helping us understand of how children learn. Neuroscience has allowed us to see the effect of music on the brain. Musical participation stimulates brain activity, involving the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic senses. The relationship between language and music has been recognized throughout history, particularly as words are expressed through melody and rhythm. Melody is built on the natural phrasing, rhythm, pitch, accent, syllabication, and rhyme of language. Music and math are linked through the natural proportions of rhythm and acoustics. Music notation, like the written word or numeral, is a symbolic representation of sound in time.

What are the common elements in music, literacy, and numeracy?
How can music promote literacy?
How is the brain stimulated with musical activity?
How does singing a lyric and chanting a nursery rhyme promote phonemic awareness?
In what ways can singing and playing music help children develop language communication skills?
How can phrasing, pitch, modulation, accent, and syllabication be taught through rhythm and melody?
What is the relationship between music and mathematics?
How can math concepts be strengthened through rhythmic activities?
In what ways can music help with memorization?
How can reading music symbols support the process of learning to read text?

Online Activities

Welcome to Soundpiper - music for children and resources for teachers. Soundpiper is dedicated to improving lifelong learning through the arts and technology. We believe in fostering creativity through artistic expression using the contemporary tools and innovations of technology. Soundpiper began as a children's music production company in 1976. The original goal of Soundpiper was to produce music that actively engaged young children in learning. Soundpiper has produced music for language development, gross and fine motor activity, and social development. A major theme of Soundpiper has been to help children develop a positive attitude and self concept.

Products

I like Sunny Days, Fun Songs, Mother Goose, Animal Parade, and ABCs and 123s were created to provide teachers and parents with a way to help children have fun while they practice some very basic skills. Although the activites on the CDs are most appropriate for children in the ability range of 2 to 5 years, other children will also enjoy the songs. Contact Us for downloadable lesson plans, activity sheets and Powerpoints to go along with each song. Wall Cards, Flash Cards, Alphabet and Number Grids are available for the "ABCs and 123s" CD. Downloadable files are free for teachers and parents who have purchased the Character Connection and accompanying CD - ABCs and 123s.

Projects

Music for Zoophonics
Urban Dreams
Early Childhood Education Courses
Music and Artwork for Character Education

Lifelong Learning

Research is currently being conducted on the impact of music on learning. Studies indicate that the left and right brain functions used in processing music are similar to those functions used in processing language. Much of the music we share with children is sung - vocal or choral music. The lyric of a song is poetry, using extensive rhyme, repetition, rhythm, melody, and form. Rhyme, rhythm, and repetition can provide us with helpful tools for short and long term memorization. The rhythm, accents, and metric patterns of the words flow along above the steady beat. The melody naturally flows up and down in pitch in imitation of speech and oral expression. The musical phrases follow the rules of oral conversation naturally punctuated with the rising tones of a question and the response of the answer ending with a period. The dynamics of sound relate to the volume of tones from soft to loud. Musical notation is symbolic, using notes, rests, and symbols that have meaning much like letters, words, and sentences in language. Written music reinforces the concepts of print with notes moving from left to right on the musical page along the musical timeline.