Contributed by Julie Strahan, MA, elementary school music teacher   **This is the second post in a series on essential building blocks of reading**   The Basics Children of all cultures and languages spontaneously participate in rhythm activities including dancing, jumping rope, and bouncing balls. Reading experts think these movements are essential for development and […]

Contributed by Julie Strahan, MA, elementary school music teacher Phonics and phonemic awareness are related and both are important building blocks for emerging readers – but how do they work? And what can you do to help develop these skills?   The Basics Phonemic awareness is the understanding that words are made up of sounds. […]

  Contributed by Shannon McClintock Miller   As we are getting ready for the summer months ahead, we have the opportunity to arm our students with wonderful resources and tools that will prevent the summer slide and keep them reading, learning, and creating. Here are five meaningful and engaging ways to use your favorite Cantata Learning stories […]

Contributed by Julie Strahan, MA, elementary school music teacher As the days get longer and the spring sports begin, we all know summer is approaching quickly. And with it, the dreaded “summer slide” where children lose important information learned in school during the summer months. It is hard to imagine a slide when your elated […]

  Contributed by Elizabeth Draper, Cantata Learning Music Director   Music is a huge component of cultural expression and cultural identity. People and music have been intertwined since the dawn of human evolution. There is evidence that suggests even neanderthals played early forms of musical instruments such as flutes—not just drums and sticks as one […]