A Sneak Peek into the Music of Christmas: a Course for Refreshing Homeschool Holiday Schooling in December
Today we’ll take a Sneak Peek into the Music of Christmas online course, which is perfect for homeschooling families looking to enhance their holiday season with music education. And, I’ll give you some tips to adapt it to your own specific situation!
Why Use the Music of Christmas course this December?
If you want to take a break from your regular curriculum for holiday or Christmas schooling, the Music of Christmas online course makes it a breeze! Homeschooling moms often struggle to fit everything into their busy schedules, especially during the holiday season. The Music of Christmas course is designed with flexibility in mind, with lessons taking only 15 minutes each. You can easily integrate it into your daily routines without overwhelming your schedule.
The Music of Christmas course course combines music education with history, geography, and cultural studies, providing a well-rounded learning experience that aligns with multiple subjects.
Homeschooling families often have children of different ages, making it challenging to find activities that engage everyone. This course can be adapted for various age groups, from preschoolers to teenagers, allowing the whole family to participate together.
Furthermore, the holiday season can often be stressful, and families may struggle to find meaningful ways to connect. Remember that there are therapeutic benefits of Christmas music, such as reducing stress and promoting family bonding through shared musical experiences.
Maintaining an educational structure during the holiday season can be challenging. The Music of Christmas online course provides a structured yet festive approach to learning during December, helping to maintain educational momentum.
The Music of Christmas course overview
The “Music of Christmas” course, created by Gena Mayo, is a comprehensive program designed to immerse your family in the rich tapestry of Christmas music and traditions
This course is unique in that it provides three years’ worth of material in a single package, allowing you to use it for multiple holiday seasons or to dive deep into various aspects of Christmas music
Year 1: 15-Minute Christmas Music Lessons
The first year focuses on classic Christmas songs, both secular and religious. With 16 different lessons, you can easily incorporate one lesson per weekday for the first three weeks of December
Each lesson is designed to take only 15 minutes, perfect for busy holiday schedules
Lesson Structure:
- Text lesson about the song
- Audio or video of the song
- Online quiz
- Printable activity (these are optional)
Some of the songs covered include:
- “White Christmas”
- “Joy to the World”
- “O Holy Night”
- “Sleigh Ride”
- “Silent Night”
Year 2: Christmas Traditions From Around the World
The second year takes a global approach, exploring Christmas celebrations in 12 different countries
This section beautifully combines music education with geography and cultural studies.
Lesson Components:
- Scripture memorization
- Information about Christmas celebrations in the featured country
- Suggested picture books
- Craft or art project
Countries explored include Australia, China, Russia, Germany, and Brazil, among others.
Year 3: Traditional Lessons and Carols
During Year 3, you’ll learn about the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, a tradition that began at King’s College, Cambridge in 1918.
This section provides a child-friendly adaptation of this beautiful Christmas service.
Lesson Features:
- Scripture readings
- Christmas carols and songs
- Famous artwork for picture study
What makes the Music of Christmas Course Unique Compared to Other Music Curricula?
- Three-year comprehensive structure: The course provides three years’ worth of material in a single package, allowing for extended use or in-depth exploration of Christmas music.
- Multidisciplinary approach: It combines music education with history, geography, cultural studies, and even religious education, offering a well-rounded learning experience.
- Flexibility and adaptability: The course is designed to be used with students of different ages, from preschoolers to teenagers, making it suitable for families with multiple children.
- Focus on Christmas traditions worldwide: The second year of the course explores Christmas celebrations in 12 different countries, providing a unique global perspective on holiday music and traditions.
- Integration of sacred and secular content: The course covers both religious and non-religious Christmas songs.
- Incorporation of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols: The third year is based on this traditional service, offering a structured approach to learning carols in a historical context.
- Short, manageable lessons: Each lesson is designed to take only 15 minutes, making it easy to integrate into busy schedules, especially during the holiday season.
- Variety of learning materials: The course includes audio tracks, videos, sheet music, coloring pages, and short teaching notes, catering to different learning styles.
These features combine to create a unique, comprehensive, and flexible Christmas music curriculum that goes beyond simply teaching songs to provide a rich, multifaceted learning experience.
User Experiences with the Music of Christmas online course
Homeschooling families who have used the Music of Christmas online course have praised its ease of use and educational value. Amy Roberts, a homeschool mom of nine, shared that her family enjoys snuggling up on the couch in the evenings to watch the videos on their smart TV, creating sweet holiday memories while learning about their favorite Christmas tunes.
Another homeschool mom, Leah, appreciated how the course allowed her family to change up their regular music studies during the holiday season, providing fun information about beloved Christmas carols that the whole family could enjoy together.
Ways to Incorporate Instruments While Doing the Course
Incorporating percussion instruments into the Music of Christmas online course can enhance the learning experience and make it more interactive for students. Here are some specific activities and ideas tailored for using percussion instruments while engaging with the course content:
1. Create Homemade Instruments
- Shakers: Use empty plastic bottles filled with rice or beans to create shakers. Decorate them with holiday-themed stickers.
- Drums: Use pots, pans, or cardboard boxes as drums. Experiment with different materials to see how they change the sound.
- Sleigh Bells: If you have sleigh bells, use them to accompany songs like “Jingle Bells.” If not, create a similar sound using small bells attached to a string.
2. Rhythm Activities
- Clapping Patterns: Teach children simple clapping patterns that match the rhythm of popular Christmas songs. Start slow and gradually increase speed.
- Body Percussion: Use body parts to create rhythms—clap hands, stomp feet, and snap fingers in time with the music.
3. Listening and Movement
- Movement Games: Play Christmas music and have children move around while playing their instruments, encouraging them to listen and adjust their playing to match the tempo and mood of the music.
- Sound Exploration: Listen to recordings of Christmas music featuring various percussion instruments (like chimes or tambourines) and discuss what they hear.
How can the Music of Christmas course be adapted for different age groups
The Music of Christmas online course can be adapted for different age groups in several ways:
Younger Children (Ages 5-8)
For younger children, focus on:
- Simple carol melodies and lyrics
- Basic rhythm activities using percussion instruments
- Coloring pages and craft projects related to Christmas songs
- Short, engaging videos about Christmas traditions
Adaptations:
- Shorten lesson times to 10 minutes
- Use more visual aids and hands-on activities
- Simplify quizzes to verbal Q&A sessions
Older Children (Ages 9-12)
For this age group:
- Introduce more complex musical concepts
- Explore song histories and composers in greater depth
- Encourage students to sing the carols
Adaptations:
- Add narration or short writing components to assignments
- Include more challenging online quizzes
Teenagers (Ages 13+)
For teenagers:
- Explore cultural and historical contexts of Christmas music
- Encourage playing or singing of the Christmas songs
- Discuss how Christmas music has evolved over time
Adaptations:
- Extend lessons to 20 minutes
- Assign research projects on specific carols or traditions
- Encourage group discussions on musical topics
Multi-Age Families
For families with children of various ages:
- Core lessons can be done together
- Provide tiered activities for different skill levels
- Use group activities that allow participation at various levels
By adjusting the depth of content, length of lessons, and types of activities, the Music of Christmas online course can be tailored to suit learners of all ages, making it a versatile resource for homeschooling families.
How to Use the Music of Christmas course with Preschoolers?
The “Music of Christmas” course can be tailored specifically for preschoolers through engaging and age-appropriate activities. Here are some suggestions:
1. Interactive Songs and Movement
- Action Songs: Use simple songs like “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” with accompanying movements. Encourage children to clap, stomp, or mimic actions related to the lyrics.
- Freeze Dance: Play Christmas music and have the children dance freely. When the music stops, they must freeze in place. This helps with listening skills and self-control.
2. Craft Activities
- Musical Instruments: Create simple instruments using household items, such as shakers made from plastic bottles filled with rice or beans. Decorate them with Christmas-themed stickers.
- Holiday Ornaments: Make ornaments using paper plates, markers, and glitter. Children can decorate them while listening to Christmas music.
3. Storytime with Music
- Christmas Books: Read picture books about Christmas while playing soft background music. Choose stories that incorporate songs or rhymes.
- Sing-Along: Select a few favorite Christmas carols and have a sing-along session, encouraging children to join in with simple hand motions.
These activities not only introduce preschoolers to the joys of Christmas music but also enhance their listening skills, creativity, and motor skills in a fun and festive way.
Conclusion
The Music of Christmas online course offers a unique opportunity to bring the joy and history of Christmas music into your homeschool. With its flexible structure, comprehensive content, and focus on both secular and religious aspects of Christmas music, this course can become a cherished part of your family’s holiday traditions. Whether you’re looking to enhance your music education, explore global Christmas traditions, or simply add some festive cheer to your homeschool days in December, the Music of Christmas course has something for everyone. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, year after year.
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Music of Christmas Course
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See the YouTube Video “Top Homeschooling Expert Shares Easy Christmas Schooling Secrets”:
Listen to the Podcast Episode 41: “Sneak Peek into the Music of Christmas online course for easy Christmas Schooling for Homeschoolers”:
Listen here or subscribe and follow The Music in Our Homeschool Podcast through your favorite podcast app, such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
Read the Podcast Transcript here.
