Are you looking for fun ways to teach different types of voices to your young students? Teaching types of voice (whisper, talk, shout and sing) is a music standard for many states around the United States and abroad. However, in many classrooms it is often glossed over in favor of more “fun” activities like singing, playing games, and playing instruments.
However, I feel that discussing and exploring different types of voices is an important step in young children’s vocal development, and well worth the time and effort you put into it. I actually do a whole unit focusing on vocal exploration and different types of voices early in the year with my kindergarten students because I think it is so fundamental to building their singing voices going forward.
Furthermore, learning about different voice types doesn’t have to be boring. There are so many fun songs, games and vocal explorations you can do. I am happy to share a few of my favorites with you today.
Learning the Four Different Types of Voices
What are the different types of voices?
When you hear the four types of voices in music, you might automatically think of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voice. But in this case, I am talking about four different types of voices: whisper, talk, shout and sing. This is a music standard that is often found within kindergarten music curriculums.
Where should I begin when teaching whisper, talk, shout and sing?
I always begin with listening activities. This is a great way to get students exposed to a new idea without having to “put themselves out there” right away. Some students are shy or uncertain when first being introduced to a new concept. Making myself the model allows them to start off in their safe zone.
Furthermore, I want them to start off with a CORRECT model of what each voice (especially singing voice) sounds like before we muddy the waters by doing things as a group or with individuals. You would be surprised how many kids don’t correctly do a whispering voice … or maybe you wouldn’t!
I usually do activities where I model the different types of voices (often with puppets) and then ask students to label which type they heard. That establishes a clear foundation for the class as to what each voice should sound like.
What’s the next step in teaching types of voices?
Pretty quickly after listening to my vocal model, I have students do songs and activities where they get to try to whisper, talk, shout and sing as a class. This provides necessary practice while still giving uncertain learners a sense of security.
What’s the key to success?
If you truly want ALL students to have success, you will need to build in times where students use a singing, speaking, whispering or shouting voice all by themself. There are a couple reasons for this.
Have Students Whisper, Talk, Shout and Sing By Themself
First, the student will get to hear themself clearly. Have you ever been singing along with the radio and thought you sounded pretty amazing, and then turned the radio off to realize maybe it wasn’t as impressive as you thought it was. Only by singing alone can a child truly evaluate if they are correct or not.
Gently Correct Students
Second, you as a teacher can hear mistakes you may not have heard with the group and be able to make adjustments and correct common errors. This should be done ever so carefully. I would NOT tell a student they are wrong. Just repeat the phrase with the correct voice after they finish and thank them for their turn.
Have Students Listen To Other Students
Finally, other students in the class will get a chance to hear other student vocal models (both good and bad). This will help build their concept of what each of the four types of voices should sound like. “Ah! THAT’S what a shouting voice should sound like.” or “Ok. THAT’S not a singing voice.” We learn what things are by understanding what they AREN’T as much as by what they are.
Evaluate Peers
And that brings me to our final step. Students can benefit a lot from evaluating a peer’s performance. I will often do an activity where students get individual turns to perform a type of voice. The rest of the class then gets the chance to “guess” which voice type it was and why. Notice – I NEVER have students say whether another student’s voice was right or wrong. We just discuss what we heard and why it would be classified as a certain type of voice. Voices are very personal, so labeling something as right or wrong could really embarrass a child. Instead, we discuss in a way that is non-threatening and informative.
What are some activities to teach different types of voices in music?
I do my voice types unit in the fall, so you will notice a bit of a fall theme with these activities.
Jack-o-lantern, Jack-o-lantern
Here is a simple speech piece I made up that introduces the four voice types to the class.
I perform the piece the first time and ask students which voice types they heard in the song. I have four different jackolanterns on popsicle sticks (one for each of the four types of voices). Once we have named all four voices, I have the students help me with the response part (This is my singing voice, This is my speaking voice, etc). We all say the response together as a class.
Finally, in a different class period, I bring the activity back and we do individual turns, where students get to have turns doing a vocal solo. Four students get a turn each time (one for each type of voice). They get to use the pumpkin on a stick and have it perform the correct voice type. We continue to go through turns until everyone has had a chance to do at least one voice type.
I would love to look for some stuffed pumpkins, maybe in different colors, since kids love plushes! Side note: You may have to repeat this activity a few extra times, because students want to get a chance to do all four pumpkin voices. I can’t get around to four turns per student usually, but I do allow a couple lucky extra turns for students who are being really good examples of behavior.
Five Little Pumpkins
Five Little Pumpkins is a classic rhyme for fall. I start off performing this song with hand motions.
Five Little Pumpkins Hand Motions
Five (show five fingers) little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first (show one finger) one said “Oh my it’s getting late.” (tap wrist)
The second (show two fingers) one said “There are witches in the air.” (point up in the air)
The third (show three fingers) one said “But we don’t care.” (shake finger no)
The fourth (show four fingers) one said “Let’s run and run and run.” (running arms)
The fifth (show five fingers) one said “I’m ready for some fun.” (arms in the air)
Then woooooooo went the wind. (hand go up and down – wave style)
And out (clap on the word “out”) went the lights.
And the five (show five fingers) little pumpkins rolled (roll arms) out of sight. (hands behind back)
Next, we add the book Pete the Cat and the Five Little Pumpkins. How can I resist a Pete the Cat book? Once we are familiar with the book, I have the pumpkins use different types of voices to say their line. For example, the second pumpkin might WHISPER “there are witches in the air” instead of speaking it. Students listen and label each of the five examples.
Later in the unit, we come back to this story and I have voice type response cards that students hold up to tell me which voice they heard. I use this as a quick and easy assessment of identifying voice types.
Paw Paw Patch
Another fun activity is to take the folk song “Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch” and add solos. The student who is in the Paw Paw Patch gets to perform the end of the phrase “way down yonder in the paw paw patch.” But they get to decide which type of voice they want to do. Then the rest of the class guesses which voice they were doing.
I usually designate part of my room as the “paw paw patch” such as a rug, a pile of scarves or behind the piano. It just adds a little more of a fun element to the game.
Vocal Exploration
Another very helpful thing to do during this time is to do vocal exploration activities. They will help make students aware of their head and chest voice. You can draw lines on the board going up, down, spiraling around, etc. Then have the class match the lines with their voice (having it go up when the line goes up and down when the line goes down). The goal is to have students start to enter their head voice, so make sure when you go up you model going up into the head voice. But models of NON-head voice can be useful as a comparison too.
Some useful vocal exploration sounds include:
- Sirens
- Hoot like an owl
- Ghost sounds
- Wind in the trees
- Whoop
Next Steps After Learning Different Types of Voices
Once students have the fundamentals of what the different types of voices should sound like, you are ready to start working on developing their singing voice. Listen to lots of singing patterns to establish same and different (so they will have a clear idea of whether they are matching or not as you start to work on matching pitch). Then, like before, continue on to whole class singing and then individual turns with short singing solos.
Don’t forget to keep peppering in vocal exploration for those older kids that still have not mastered their singing voice. I have a favorite Halloween song that I use with older grades (around second grade) that works on vocal exploration. Even older kids sometimes still need a little help finding their head voice.
More Articles You May Enjoy
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Stirring Our Brew (Rhythm v Beat)
Where Can I Get Ready to Go Lessons About Different Types of Voices?
Want a premade unit all about teaching different types of voices?
Click here for my full Types of Voices Lesson Plans Unit.
It is a unit I had my sub do when I was on maternity leave in the fall, with lessons and resources for teaching about different types of voices with younger grades.
What Should I Take Away About Teaching Different Types of Voices?
Learning about different voice types is an important first step for students to understand singing voice. Start with listening, then responding as a group and work your way up to individual response. Finally, make learning a game, and teaching will be a breeze. Students will clamour for more!
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