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"Koromiko" by Angeline Hamiora

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Learning Contexts:
Singing; Literacy; Te Reo Māori; Learning languages 		Learning Contexts:
Singing; Literacy; Te Reo Māori; Learning languages
YEAR/S: 1-3 DURATION: 4 - 8 sessions
CURRICULUM LEVEL: Level One CURRICULUM LEVEL: Level One
Values highlighted in this unit How will these values be encouraged?
Excellence Singing in tune and in time while also reflecting the mood and meaning of the song.
Innovation, inquiry and curiosity Constantly reflecting on how they can improve their practical skills and creative ideas. Asking meaningful questions.
Diversity Developing knowledge of Māori tikanga and legends.
Equity Having opportunities for all to participate to the best of their ability.
Community and participation Joining in all activities and working collaboratively in creative activities.
Care for the environment Recognising the importance of the environment in Māori culture.
Integrity Sharing resources and ideas openly. Respecting others in their group.
Key Competencies highlighted in this unit How will these competencies be encouraged?
Managing self Setting personal high standards.Showing enthusiasm and commitment.
Relating to others Sharing ideas.Listening to others.
Participating and contributing Participating actively in all activities. Tolerating and understanding individual differences.
Thinking Drawing on previous learning to ensure correct pronunciation.Thinking creatively.
Using language, symbols and texts Using te Reo correctly.Interpreting text through song, instruments and movement.
Achievement Objectives highlighted in this unit
  • Understanding Music - Sound Arts in Context (UC)
  • Developing Practical Knowledge in Music - Sound Arts (PK)
  • Communicating and Interpreting in Music - Sound Arts (CI)
  • Developing Ideas in Music - Sound Arts (DI)
Learning Outcomes

In this unit the children will develop the ability to:

  • Describe how the elements of music can be used and changed to create a mood or atmosphere in a song. (UC, PK)
  • Use an extended range of the voice to explore pitch. (PK)
  • Sing rhythmically, with expression and in tune. (PK, CI)
  • Create simple ostinati using rhythm patterns from “Koromiko”. (PK, DI)
Information for teachers
  • You can teach children this song in order to achieve a variety of music and language goals. They will be developing a feeling for beat and rhythm as well as practising their Māori pronunciation and learning the Māori names of native trees. They can also identify instrumental and environmental sounds in the song, practise singing in gentle, expressive voices, and locate and then play an accented beat with untuned instruments.Teachers may want to integrate this unit with some learning in titi torea , Māori stick games.Soh - me interval - the words “soh” and “me” represent two pitches that are a minor third apart, for example, G (soh) and E (me) or F (soh) and D (me). These two notes occur in children’s rhymes in many cultures and are easy for children to sing or chant. “I’m the King of the Castle” is an example of such a chant. It’s a useful interval to use when you want to make up a song.An exemplar, Exploring Pitch , where you can view aspects of the learning, will support your teaching and assessing of this unit.
Resources

Koromiko

D G DKoromiko, Karaka, Tī KoukaG A7 DNgā rākau o te ngahereNgā rākau o te ngahereD G DTarata, Ngaio, TōtaraG A7 DNgā rākau o te ngahereNgā rākau o te ngahereG DTitiro ki ngā puāwaiTitiro ki ngā rauHe rerekē tēnei i tēnaG A7 DHe rerekē, he rerekē.He rerekē, he rerekē.Translation:Koromiko, Karaka, Tī KoukaThe trees of the forestTarata, Ngaio, TōtaraThe trees of the forestLook at the flowersLook at the leavesThis one is different from that oneThey all differ, they all differ.
Games and Starters

Follow the finger

The children respond with their voices (singing or humming up and down) following a conductor’s finger drawing in the air. Give the children a turn at being the conductor.

Graphic notation cards

Create a set of cards with simple curves and lines that the children can follow with their voices.

Who’s got the rākau?

This is a soh-me song. One child holds the rākau and sings, “Rākau rākau, who’s got the rākau”, and then passes the rākau to another child. That child sings, ”I’ve got the rākau”. The class sings, “Tara’s’s got the rākau”. The song begins again and repeats as the rākau passes around others.

Candles, balloons and leaky tyres

The children pretend to blow out candles, blow up a balloon, or cool down a hot pie as fun ways to practise breath control. They can also pretend to be leaking tyres or wind blowing gently through a forest of tall trees by taking a big breath and slowly letting the air escape.
Learning experiences

 

  • Listen to the vocal version of the song and give the children some questions to reflect on and discuss:
    • What did you notice in the music?
    • What sounds did you hear?
    • What instruments are playing the accompaniment?
    • If this were music for a movie what would be happening in the movie?
    • Reflect on the expressive nature of “Koromiko” and discuss the visual picture it creates using soft music, bird sounds, rākau (sticks).
     
  • Children may like to draw or paint a picture of what they have heard or create a class mural.
  • Go through the pronunciation of each of the Māori words and discuss the different native plants. Look at some pictures of the different plants.
  • Warm up for singing by using songs that practise Māori vowel sounds. For example Ahaka ma ( You-tube clip ) or Piko Toro .
  • Hum the song to focus on the melody .
  • Speak and clap some of the rhythms of the words.
  • Listen for, then re-create, the soft, gentle singing style.
  • Draw the children’s attention to the long, held notes at the end of some phrases, and encourage them to hold these notes.
  • Sing the song with guitar or ukulele accompaniment or use the backing track.
  • Hand each child two rākau and teach them a floor/together pattern to accompany the song.
  • Tap out the rhythm to the names of the trees. For example: Koromiko, Ngaio, Tī Kouka, Tōtara and ask the children to guess which rhythm you are playing.
  • Divide class into four groups and give each group one of the tree rhythms to repeat as an ostinato .
  • Using the instrumental track, children play along with their ostinato on the rākau.
  • Some children may like to create movements to express the mood of the song, movement of the trees, or patterns of the rhythms, and so on.
  • Devise a performance that combines singing the song, playing the rhythms and dancing. For example: 1st time add instrumental with floor/ together rākau pattern and some bird sounds; 2nd time, sing the song with floor/together pattern and dancers; 3rd time, play a rhythmic ostinato using rākau; 4th time, sing the song again with dancers.
  • Combine this performance with the legend of Rata’s Waka or another favourite legend that has the forest as its setting.
Assessment

Giving positive, specific feedback about a child’s progress in singing is the most effective way to develop a confident singer.

Describe how the elements of music can be used and changed to create a mood or atmosphere in a song (PK, UC)

  • How well can the children identify and talk about the elements of music using appropriate music vocabulary?
  • Can they discuss the way composers use the elements of music to create a mood?

Use an extended range of the voice to explore pitch (PK)

  • Can the children identify and show the difference between high and low?
  • How well can they explore high and low pitch with their voices?

Sing rhythmically, with expression and in tune (CI)

  • Can the children sing in time with the accompaniment and with each other?
  • Can they sing in tune with the accompaniment and each other?
  • Can they keep a beat on their bodies and with rākau?

Create simple ostinati using rhythm patterns from “Koromiko” (DI, CI)

  • Can the children keep in time as they play their repeating ostinato pattern?
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