Making+Music+Accessible+to+All

===The focus of this Wiki has been incorporating literacy skills and more specifically, children's literature into the music classroom. This can benefit all students. In Spring of 2011 I took a class called Music in Special Education with Mrs. Wanamaker, a professor at the Crane School of Music and also a certified Music Therapist. I decided to interview her about using books with students who have special needs. I wanted to find out how they can benefit from books in the music classroom. I interviewed Mrs. Wanamaker and she has graciously given her permission for me to put an audio file of the interview on this page. From this interview I learned that books can indeed greatly enhance and improve the music experience for students with special needs. Listen to the interview for more details! ===

__**Audio File of the Interview:** __ media type="file" key="Interview with Mrs. Wanamaker- 5_9.m4a" width="300" height="50"

===During the interview Mrs. Wanamaker suggested certain books that she uses in her own practice. She also emailed me a few more that we talked about after the interview. The following is a list of books that are great for using in the special ed music classroom or in an integrated music classroom as well: ===

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 * ==If You’re Happy and You Know It: A Sing-Along Action Book by Jane Cabrera ==

This book goes with the familiar children’s song “If You’re Happy and You Know It” but adds in some other actions (roaring, spinning, flapping, squeaking, jumping, ect.). Each action has a picture to go with it of an animal doing the action. The animals include a monkey, an elephant, a giraffe, a lion, a lemur, hippopotami, a bird, a mouse, and a frog.

Teachers can use this book for many musical activities! One would be to sing the song. The new actions are great because the same melody is repeated with each action. Also, students may already know the song so adding new movements and actions will keep them on their toes! The actions are varied and will get students moving around which is important for kinesthetic learning. The pictures are also a great visual aid for students.


 * ==//Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type// by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin ==

This hilarious story will have students chuckling in no time. Farmer Brown’s cows have found a typewriter in the barn and have started making demands for themselves and the chickens. When the Farmer won’t give them what they want, they decide to go on strike.

In our interview Mrs. Wanamaker says that this book is one of her favorites. It’s a great way to introduce composing to the students. There are many sounds in the book (animals sounds as well as others) and the students can create a soundscape to go with the book.


 * ==//When Marian Sang// by Pam Muñoz Ryan and illustrated by Brian Selznick ==

This biographical book tells the story of Marian Anderson—a girl with a voice like velvet. Many people recognized her talent when she was just a young girl, and with the help of her family and friends Marian pushed past the many obstacles she faced to accomplish her dreams.

This book is an inspiration to everyone who reads it. Teachers can use it to show their students that it doesn’t matter what others think of them—they should follow their dreams and never give up. In life we all face various opposition, but with support from those who care about us, things we think impossible can become possible.

This is the story of Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan. An interesting child who leads an interesting life with a very eccentric name. The text from this book is really an old camp song. The fun pictures on each page go with the text and at the end of the book the author explains his inspiration for the book. He also has the music for the song and other variations of Catalina’s name that he has heard over the years (of course his version is the correct one…).
 * ==//Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name// by Ted Arnold ==

While the words of this song are a tongue twister, it is a great challenge for students and the tune of the melody is quite simple. Many of the words also rhyme so teachers can use them as a learning tool. Children of all ages will enjoy this quirky song-book.


 * ==//The Jazz Fly// by Matthew Gollub and illustrated by Karen Hanke ==

The Jazz Fly is trying to get to town and on his way he stops to ask a frog, hog, donkey, and dog how to get there. When they speak he hears music and cannot be silenced! His name is the Jazz Fly, after all. The illustrations of this book are beautiful and engaging.

The Jazz Fly speaks in scat, and therefore this book is a great tool to introduce jazz to students. It also comes with a CD of music so students can listen to samples.