Independent Music

Here's a fun musical way for children to learn about reading, writing, and mathematics. Phonics and numbers are presented in a meaningful context of colorful rhymes and stories. Through hand and finger motions, full body movement, and opportunities for verbal expression, children are fully engaged in the learning process.

This multi award winning CD earned the Parents' Choice Gold Award, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, and the Discovery School.com Award of Excellence.

The songs focus on the relationship between letter symbols (the alphabet) and sounds of the English language (phonemes).

The songs also encourage children to search for relationships, order and predictability as they work with numbers.

When the lyrics pose questions or problems, answers often come from children on the recording. There is always a musical interlude or a short pause before the answer is given. This gives the child listening a chance to answer first, then check the answer immediately following.

The 12 songs are presented first with vocal versions and then with instrumental renditions. Once children have learned a song, they can sing along without hearing the words or create their own lyrics and activities. The instrumentals have a soft piano melody line to act as a guide without overpowering the children's voices.

Included with each CD is a teaching guide that describes ways to actively involve children with each song. (Feel free to vary and adapt the ideas suggested in this guide, and to create new ways of using the songs to fit your school or home situation.) The ultimate goal is always the same: to foster enthusiasm and enjoyment of learning through music and movement.

REVIEW

One Little Sound: Fun with Phonics and
Numbers. Hap Palmer Hap-Pal Music. CD, $14;
cassette, $10. 818 885 0200. www.happalmer.com

Â Â Â Â How many "chunks" do you hear in "Chipmunk"? "What can you knock that starts with D?" "Hap Palmer proves again why he is one of the best educational music-makers in the country in this ear pleasing, think-along, sing-along release. Breaking words like "Chickadee and Chipmunk" into "chunks" helps young listeners understand the concept of syllables; sounding out letters is the key to a "Secret Word" song; and listeners "Bounce" through initial consonants.
Â Â Â Â Other tracks lead the way through recognizing vowel sounds consonant blends,and concepts of simple subtraction and addition. Vocals and instrumentals in jazz, folk and pop styles are top-notch. A guide with lyrics and learning activities is included.

Lynne Heffley
Los Angeles Times
Calendar Weekend, page 41
Thursday, May 2, 2002

Hap Palmer

"One Little Sound"
(www.happalmer.com)

Possessing a truly charming voice, an easy, varied tunefulness and a clear cut knack for crafting fun, educational constructs, Palmer has been an award winning children's artist for over 20 years (the LA Times recently dubbed him the "Dylan of the diaper set"). Subtitled "Fun with Phonics and Numbers," "One Little Sound" includes songs, a booklet with lyrics and extensive teaching hints (complete with each song's subject/lesson goals and suggestions for correlated activities, variations and follow-ups), and fills out the remaining disc space with insstrumental versions of the first 12 tunes. Remarkably clever and obviously effective as a learning tool, but it's pretty, too.

By Jim Musser
Iowa Press-Citizen
June 13, 2002

BIOGRAPHY

Hap Palmer pioneered the integration of music and movement in the area of early childhood education. His songs enhance the development of motor skills, language acquisition, reading readiness, and math concepts as well as nurture the imaginative process and encourage creative problem solving.

His widespread popularity in schools and day-care centers for over twenty years, makes him a living legend within the teaching community for young children. Teachers have used his music for more than two generations to teach letters, numbers, phonics, days of the week, colors, shapes and more. A third generation of children are now learning with his songs and movement innovations.

An accomplished musician, singer/songwriter and educator, his multiple skilled talent on guitar, bass, percussion, saxophone, and clarinet are heard on his various recordings. His "Baby Songs" live-action music video series for young children has sold over 2 million units. Hap continues to write, record and produce award winning videos and recordings which have received numerous honors including Parents' Choice Gold Awards, the American Library Association Notable Designation, the National Association of Parent Publications Gold Award, The Early Childhood News Directors Choice Award and the American Video Award.

As a teacher of teachers, Hap teaches classes and workshops for organizations such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the University of California at Los Angeles Education Extension, the Los Angeles City Schools, the Georgia Pre School Association, the Oklahoma Early Childhood Association, the New England Kindergarten Conference, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children and many other school districts and educational organizations throughout the nation.

Using his background in music, education, and dance, he helps teachers find innovative, imaginative and fun ways to teach their students with enjoyable music and lyrics that children love to listen to over and over again.

With a Masters Degree in Dance Education from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a love of music, Hap Palmer gives the world of early childhood education and young children a lasting gift of learning that spans the generations.

For more information, visit the Hap Palmer web site:
www. happalmer. com
or email:
hap@netwood.net

Check out the artist's website:
http://www.happalmer.com

Track List:
1. Chickadee and Chipmunk
2. Bop 'til We Drop
3. Marching Around the Alphabet
4. Ayee I Owe You
5. Mary and Marvin
6. Bounce!
7. Follow Along
8. One Little Sound
9. D-o-g Walkin' the Dog
10. Celebrate the Day
11. How Many Are Here?
12. The Secret Word
13. Chickadee and Chipmunk - Instrumental Al
14. Bop 'til We Drop - Instrumental
15. Marching Around the Alphabet - Instrumental
16. Ayee I Owe You - Instrumental
17. Mary and Marvin - Instrumental
18. Bounce! - Instrumental
19. Follow Along - Instrumental
20. One Little Sound - Instrumental
21. D-o-g Walkin' the Dog - Instrumental
22. Celebrate the Day - Instrumental
23. How Many Are Here? - Instrumental
24. The Secret Word - Instrumental

Other Genres: