Overarching Principles
These principles should be kept in mind at all times when thinking about preschool
curriculum and working with young children.
1.
All children are capable of learning
2.
Children show individual differences in development
3.
Knowledge of child growth and development is essential for program
development and implementation
4.
Children’s language skills are the best indicators of academic success
5.
Developmental domains are highly interrelated
6.
Young children learn by doing
7.
Families are the primary caregivers and educators of their young children
Overview of the History and Social Science
Preschool Learning Experiences

Movement & Dance

Music

Theatre Arts

Visual Arts
Review the Overview of the Learning in the Arts document
before continuing this module.
Movement & Dance 1
1. Explore activities and vocabulary
related to movement, balance,
strength, and flexibility.
Preschool and Kindergarten play area
Image courtesy of flickr by WellspringCS
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4388327720_ce437a4ba4_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Image courtesy of flickr by Squiggle
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3182/2885627017_bfb410674f_z.jpg?zz=1
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Movement & Dance 2
2. Respond to a variety of musical
rhythms through body movement.
Do Re Me Maria Music curriculum
example
From Do Re Me Maria music at
http://www.doremeandmaria.
com/
Image courtesy of Darrens Ballroom http://darrensballroom.com/wpcontent/uploads/2010/09/kids-dance-classes-carmel-indiana-943x345.jpg
(2010)Creative Commons Share alike 2.5
Movement & Dance 3
3. Participate in simple sequences
of movements and dance to
various kinds of music.
Movement Dances
Hokey Pokey
Looby Loo
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Ring Around the Roses
Image courtesy of flickr by Julie70
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/106/256430574_c27fe18816_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Movement & Dance 4
4. Express themselves freely
through movement.
Teacher Resources on Creative
Movement
SoundPlay: Understanding Music
through Creative Movement by
Leon Burton
Dance, Turn, Hop, Learn!:
Enriching Movement Activities for
Preschoolers by Connie Bergstein
Dow
Time For Dancing Preschool Dance
Experience video + CD Set by Time
For Dancing, Emma Sutherland,
and Suzanne Denton
Image courtesy of ESM Schools
http://www.esmschools.org/Data/FileManager/Minoa/Patrick/cartoon_children.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Movement & Dance 5
5. Use props to explore space and
movement.
Image courtesy of flickr by Martin
Kimeldorf's Pixel Playground
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/378735
9600_4d0c794dfb_z.jpg?zz=1
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Image courtesy of flickr by acockle
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/288349
1950_99591cf9ab_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Props

Balls

Hoops

Bean bags

Carpet squares

Twister game

Ribbons

Parachute
Movement & Dance 6
6. Act out ways that movement and
dance can show feelings or
convey meaning.
William Tell Overture
by Mozart
Animals to Imitate
Ideas to Imitate
Snake
Cold person
Elephant
Bowl of jello
Turtle
Tornado
Frog
A leaf in the wind
Movement & Dance 7
7.
Develop audience skills by
observing performances
or artists at work in
various aspects of the
Arts.
How to be a good audience
member

Be quiet

Sit in your seat

Pay attention

Applaud at the end

Use the intermission to use the
restroom and move around

When leaving, wait your turn
Music 8
8. Sing a variety of songs within
children's vocal range,
independently and with others.
Children’s Songs and Lyrics
Image courtesy of ClipartPal.com
http://www.clipartpal.com/_thumbs/pd/holiday/christmas/Carolers_3.png
(2011) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Music 9
9. Sing expressively.
Bus Songs
Expressive Song Examples

Wheels on the Bus

If You are Happy and You
Know It

Five Little Monkeys
Image courtesy of Philip Sheridan Elementary School
http://www.wasd.org/wasdpa/lib/wasdpa/_shared/WASD%20Clipart/school_bus.jpg
(2011) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Music 10
10. Sing songs with
repetitive phrases and
rhythmic patterns.
London Bridge is Falling Down

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Build it up with iron bars,
Iron bars, iron bars,
Build it up with iron bars,
My fair lady.

Iron bars will bend and break,
Bend and break, bend and break,
Iron bars will bend and break,
My fair lady.

Build it up with gold and silver,
Gold and silver, gold and silver,
Build it up with gold and silver,
My fair lady.
Jerry Daykin; Wikimedia Commons
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/LLW_London_Bridge.jpg
(17 July 2003) CC BY 2.0
Music 11
11. Listen to various kinds
of instrumental music
and explore a variety
of melody and
rhythmic instruments.
Homemade Instruments
Children’s World Music
Michael miceli; Wikimedia Commons
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Cajun_instruments.jpg/8
00px-Cajun_instruments.jpg
(March 30, 2009) CC BY 2.0
Music 12
12. Play instruments using
different beats, tempos,
dynamics, and interpretation.
Hutchins, P. (1989) The Doorbell Rang.
New York: Greenwillow Books.
Created by Jay Hafling
http://www.listoftopten.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/kidsgiftlist_musical-instruments.jpg
(2011) CC BY 2.0
Music 13
13. Listen to, imitate, and
improvise sounds, patterns, or
songs.
Tapping Sticks Video
Image courtesy by Amber Friesen
(2011) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Theatre Arts 14
14. Listen to storytellers and watch
puppet shows.
Image courtesy of flickr by jrayfarm1980
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/2187382074_266e41dbcc_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Theatre Arts 15
15. Use dramatic play, costumes,
and props to pretend to be
someone else.
Firefighter Video
Image courtesy of flickr by B. Tse
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3897172982_20d2fc7012_z.jpg?zz=1
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Theatre Arts 16
16. Create characters through
physical movement, gesture,
sound, speech, and facial
expressions.
Stories to Act Out

Three Little Pigs

Five Little Monkeys

Little Red Riding Hood
Image courtesy of flickr by riaskiff
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1216/1333506560_0be5221e8f_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Theatre Arts 17
17. Create scenarios, props, and
settings for dramatizations and
dramatic play.
My Machine Video
Image courtesy of flickr by artfulblogger
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/86482101_7cda7cc4c9_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 18
18. Explore a variety of age-appropriate
materials and media to create two
and three-dimensional artwork.
Types of Projects
Preschool Art Tools

Paint-finger, tempera, watercolor

Crayons

Collages

Clay or playdough

Sculpture

Wood

Paintings

Glue

Drawing

Pipe cleaners

Building

Paper

Feathers

buttons
Visual Arts 19
Children's Safety Rules
19. Observe and safe and
appropriate use and
care of art materials.
Rules from
http://www.ci.tucson.az.u
s/arthazards/child3.html
1 Control the art materials the child uses; purchase only art
materials approved for children; investigate donated art
supplies
2 Discuss w/their physician, limitations that children w/special
needs might have in terms of art materials
3 Preschool age children should only have access to a small amount
of art materials at a time, to limit the amount they can ingest
4 Supervise children's art activities; don't allow food or drink in the
area; cover open cuts and sores
5 Be alert to any unusual reaction by children to art materials
6 Contact poison control center in case of accidental ingestion; keep
product label handy for label info.
7 Children should wash hands after use of art materials
Image courtesy of flickr by Silly Eagle Books
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/5119435052_b20b299122_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 20
20. Explore and experiment with wet
and dry media in a variety of
colors including black and white.
Media Choices

Crayons

Markers

Chalk

Paint

Tissue Paper
Image courtesy of flickr by Cockburn Libraries
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/4522570003_da96ea5276_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 21
21. Explore how color can
convey mood and
emotion.
Image courtesy by LucasKrech.com
http://lucaskrech.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Pigment.jpg
(2010) CC BY-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 22
22. Explore various types of lines in
artwork and in nature.
Image courtesy by Angi Stone-MacDonald
(2011) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 23
23. Experiment with the use of texture in artwork.
Tools for creating texture

Wallpaper

Sponges

Cotton balls

Sand paper

Leaves

Fabric

Ceramic tools
Visual Arts 24
24. Use basic shapes and forms of
different sizes to create
artwork.
Image courtesy of flickr by Steel Wool
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5257250948_1f06648a74_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 25
25. Explore concepts of pattern and
symmetry in the environment
and artwork.
Image courtesy of flickr by Steel Wool
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5256643465_4b713cf324_z.jpg
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 26
26. Create artwork from memory or
imagination.
Image courtesy of flickr by Simply Wen
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/21/26074402_58235d6495_z.jpg?zz=1
(2010) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Visual Arts 27
27. Choose artwork for display
in the classroom, school or
community or for a
personal book, class book
or portfolio, and explain
why they chose it.
Image courtesy by Angi Stone-MacDonald
(2011) CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Next Steps

Read the articles included below that support why these
standards are being taught and the best ways to teach
them.

Look over the Arts scope and sequence checklist and
inventory for meeting Arts standards and keeping track of
how you meet them. This is also a tool that can be used to
plan progress monitoring for students. Remember you can
work on multiple standards simultaneously.

Complete the Arts module quiz.

Complete and turn in your Arts module assignment via
Blackboard.
Congratulations!! You have completed the Arts Module.