Rock 'n' Read Project

MINNESOTA MUSICAL FITNESS MOVEMENT

October 2025 

Dear Friends,

We need your help!! We are initiating a new project focused on the injustice of illiteracy...more than 1/3 of Minnesota 4th graders can't read at a BASIC level. This project with be based on cutting-edge neuroscience that has revealed how to prepare young brains for reading BEFORE they start kindergarten. Singing every day and learning basic music skills develop auditory processing and memory, and THAT is the key to langage and literacy. 

With partner organizations, we will hold a Science of Music and Reading Action Summit to share the research, launch a Musical Fitness movement, write action plans to communicate the science to parents and create new practices, policies, and research, and form a Musical Fitness Coalition to continue the work.

Here's what it looks like to get all children singing: Sing, Baby, Sing! 

Starting a movement is no easy task. We truly need your support. Thank you for your donations!

Warm regards,
The Rock 'n' Read Project Board

WHO WE ARE
The Rock 'n' Read Project's Mission: We help families, educators, and organizations use singing and basic music skills to develop young brains for reading by providing training and resources. 

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE NEUROSCIENCE OF READING
Research has revealed that auditory processing is the KEY to reading, and that singing and basic music skills develop auditory processing. For example, children who cannot pat a steady beat are likely to struggle with reading.

WHAT WE OFFER

1. A free Musical Fitness Assessment to use with young children
2. Free Brain Train Activities for pre-readers
3. A Song a Day! Brain Prep for Pre-Readers, 50 fun, short lessons for 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds that use singing and basic music skills to prepare young brains for reading. 
4. Workshops for early childhood and kindergarten teachers

OUR EVIDENCE

1. 1st graders with better music skills (as assessed on the Musical Fitness Assessment) scored higher, on average, on the FastBridge reading assessment.
2. PreK and K students' basic music skills improved significantly after participating in A Song a Day's 50 daily lessons for 10 weeks.
3. 2500 elementary students made one year (avg.) gain on the MN state reading test (MCA) after using a singing-based software program for 14 hours.

OUR WEBSITE
See lots of information here!

  https://www.rocknreadproject.org

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!