Musical activities: Distribute jingle bells. Play the freeze game: Shake bells and say, “freeze,” and everyone freezes. If you do not already have a nonverbal cue representing freeze for your class, create one with them now. Invite volunteer leaders to lead the freeze game using movement. Turn on Shake to the beat throughout the A […]
Musical activities: Stand up. Turn on Clap hands and dance freely to the refrain: “There was a girl from France…” Always return to this movement for the repetitive refrain. A fermata introduces the verse. Raise jazz hands in the air and shake them throughout the fermata. After using the suggested large movements provided for the […]
Musical activities: Distribute finger cymbals. Turn on or sing a cappella. Tap to the macrobeat (big) throughout the first repetition. Repeat and tap to the microbeat (little). Continue using finger cymbal variations, and invite children to share their ideas for movements and nonsense syllables. Partner up and sit cross-legged, facing each other. Tap your partner’s cymbals as you sing. Continue with […]
Musical activities: Open with silly voice play accompanied with matching wiggling fingers. Encourage all children to respond. Begin rhythmic rhyme with hands up, palms front, placed on either side of your face and rock side to side. Adjust as suggested below continuing each movement until the next. • Down: Pat hands on lap or […]
Musical activities: Visit each child for one repetition of the song. Hold them in your lap or on your knees, facing you. Use the following movements to help them feel the beat. Allow them to move freely throughout. If they pull away, model the movements, rather than touching them. • La la..: Rock side to […]
Musical activities: Stand. Turn on “Dai, dai…” section A, clap and march joyfully to microbeat around the children for them to see. Pick up one child at a time, dancing together while visiting the other children. Continue modeling the celebratory nature of the song with joyful movements and expression. “La, la…” section B, use a […]
Musical activities: Distribute bells, keeping an A and D bell for yourself. Tap either bell to the macrobeat while singing the song through once. Observe the children’s responses. How are they exploring the bells? Sing, “Ding, dong” as you play the A bell to the D bell. Repeat several times. Replace “Ding, dong” with each […]
Musical activities: Visit each child for one repetition. Tickle up the child’s body, and use silly vocal sounds, going from low to high voice. Tickle down their body, using the same sounds going high to low voice. Tap the child’s belly or back to the microbeat on “Handy Andy, fine and dandy all pop.” Change […]
Musical activities: Distribute scarves. Use opening high-low voice play to invite the children to use the syllable “oo” sliding their voice and stars (scarves) from a low position to high in the air. Simultaneously slide voices (high to low) moving scarves downward. Repeat. Follow instructions in lesson plan 17 Turn on or lead a cappella. Variation […]
Musical activities: Say, “meow,” and invite the class to join in. Be playful. Ask if they know what animal you are imitating. Create voice play with a question-answer game using “meow.” Meow a question and ask the class to respond with their own meow answer. The children may echo exactly until they become comfortable with […]