Creative musical experiences appropriate to children's cognitive and psychomotor development should begin in kindergarten. Structured creativity through the process of musical composition can be used at grade 4 and above. Lesson plans using Haiku poetry, penatonic scales, rhythmic durations, and melodic contour to create a song are provided. (VW)

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students' self-assessments of their musical compositions and experts' assessments. College students (N = 54) who were enrolled in a music fundamentals course for elementary education students participated in this study. Each student completed three composition-performance…

Discusses the importance of developing second grade student listening, singing, and composing skills. Explores the second-grade singing apprenticeship where students can sing alone, as a group, or listen to other groups. Focuses on teaching singing skills and allowing students to experiment with music. (CMK)

Examines the reliability of consensual assessment, where experts rate creative products. Focuses on musical compositions by fourth and fifth grade students. Addresses the reliability of certain types of judges using this method (composers, music teachers, theorists, seventh-grade children, and second-grade children). (CMK)

Describes how to teach elementary students about vocal improvisation using the Kodaly-based approach. Discusses the three steps involved in this technique: (1) develop familiar singing patterns; (2) use a question and answer format; and (3) begin improvisation. Includes examples of solfege patterns and a vocal question and answer. (CMK)

Presents results from a study that examined student assessments of their own musical abilities as related to compositional creativity. Focuses on nonmusic majors in a music fundamentals course for elementary education majors. Explains that the students were placed into high-,middle-, and low-creativity groups. (CMK)

Discusses how to encourage creativity in the music classroom for upper-elementary students by focusing on musical composition. Includes a description of a nine lesson unit that focuses on creativity in musical composition. States that students can continue working on compositions at home. (CMK)

Explains that music teachers can hamper student creativity in music composition by restricting assignments. States that teachers should assign only one parameter, focusing on a broad overarching idea. Provides examples of enabling parameters. Addresses the teacher's response to student work and nurturing musical independence. (CMK)

Music motivator projects that enable the elementary teacher to use social science methods (known as ethnomethodology) to observe and learn about students without testing are described. Working in groups and guiding each other, students compose a musical composition and then notate it. Discovery learning is encouraged. (RM)

Determines the best predictors of compositional creativity among a set of selected variables for upper elementary students in order to demonstrate the importance of students' musical experiences outside of school. Finds that the best predictors were musical achievement and academic grades, while the strongest predictor was informal musical…