Learning Activity

Singing, Speaking, Whispering, Shouting

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

K

Overview

Students will hear, practice, and demonstrate four types of voices: singing, speaking, whispering, and shouting.  The students will also learn appropriate ways to use each voice in real-world situations.

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): KG - Music

AE17.MU.K.1

Explore and experience music concepts.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.MU.K.1

Vocabulary

Rhythm
  • Steady beat
  • Long/ Short
  • One and two sounds per beat
  • Silent beat
Melody
  • High and low
  • Pitch set: So, Mi
  • Musical alphabet
Harmony
  • Accompaniment/ no accompaniment
Form
  • Like and unlike phrases
  • Echo
Expression
  • Speak, sing, shout, whisper
  • Solo/ Group
  • Unpitched percussion
  • Flute, trumpet, violin, piano
  • Loud/ Soft
  • Fast/ Slow
Other
  • Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette

Essential Questions

EU: The creative ideas, concepts, and feelings that influence musicians' work emerge from a variety of sources.
EQ: How do musicians generate creative ideas?

Skills Examples

Performing
  • Chant, move, play, and sing grade level skills.
  • Echo simple rhythmic patterns.
  • Echo a three-pitch melodic pattern using the correct syllables and hand signs.
Creating
  • Perform an improvised rhythmic pattern within a framework of four beats.
  • Perform an improvised melodic pattern on a pitched percussion instrument set to the pentatonic scale within a framework of four beats.
  • Improvise short songs and instrumental pieces using a variety of sound sources, including traditional or classroom sounds, body percussion, and sounds produced by electronic means.
  • Explore musical sources freely using found sounds, electronic sounds, or sounds from voice or instruments found in classroom, remembering to use sound and silence.
Reading/ Writing
  • Create a visual representation of sound.
Responding/ Evaluating
  • Respond to a musical call or question with an age- appropriate musical answer.
  • Evaluate peer performance to determine steady beat/no steady beat.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

Phase

Before/Engage
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The students will identify and demonstrate four different voices: singing, speaking, whispering, and shouting. 

The students will demonstrate appropriate times to use the four types of voices.

Activity Details

  • Sing a familiar song, such as "Eensy Weensy Spider". 
  • Whisper the words, then sing the song again. 
  • Tell the students "When we sang the song, we used our singing voice."
  • Show the “singing voice” picture. How else did we use our voice?  Show the “whispering voice” picture.  
  • Show the “speaking voice” picture.  Another way we can use our voice is to use our speaking voice.  I’m using my speaking voice right now.  
  • Recite the words to the “Eency Weency Spider” like you are telling a story.  
  • One other voice that we use is the shouting voice. Shout “Hey, spider!  What are you doing! Don’t you know it’s going to rain?”
  • Show the four types of voices again.
  • What kind of voice would I use if I wanted to tell my best friend a secret that I didn't want anyone else to know?  Whisper
  • What kind of voice would I use if I wanted to order a pizza?  The teacher could pick up her cell phone and pretend to order a pizza. 
  • What kind of voice would I use if I was at a birthday party and everyone gathers around the cake? Let's sing "Happy Birthday!"
  • What kind of voice would I use if I was watching a football game and my favorite team is about to score a touchdown?  Go, team, go!
  • Turn and talk or use equity sticks to have students share different examples of using their singing, speaking, whispering, and shouting voices.
  • Have students discuss appropriate times to use the different voices.
  • Let's practice other ways that we can use our voices.
  • Play "Singing Voice" by The Shenanigans from the album There's a Wombat in My Room.  The song can also be found here. 
Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Have pictures of the four types of voices. Have students point to the correct picture of the voice they hear.

Have students demonstrate each type of voice in a real situation.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Find or create pictures of singing, speaking, whispering, and shouting to print or display on the projector.

"Singing Voice" by The Shenanigans from the album There's a Wombat in My Room.  The song can also be found here. 

 

Digital Tools / Resources

"Singing Voice" YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7qTlEu_Zv4

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

ccruz
ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme