Hand Dancing: An Intro. to Conducting

Suggested Grades

K-2

Objective

Students will learn and practice moving their hands to the beat of music (conduct). Through conducting, students can develop an awareness and appreciation of musical beats.

Method

• Play or sing some familiar songs that have strong musical beats, such as Happy Birthday, Hot Cross Buns, Here We Go Looby Lou, etc..
• Ask students to listen for the beats.
• Clap or tap along with the beats to the song.
• Show students the different ways of conducting, beginning with the easiest, leading to the most complicated, as outlined below: