A Baking/Cooking Theme for Musical Holiday Food lessons!
(Any questions on any of these, just click Ask Lynn on the homepage of Music Box! Not a member? send questions to info@musicrhapsody.com. Lynn is ready to help!)
Bake Some Pies! Check out Music Box Downloads (search or go to the Songs Category) for Pumpkin Pie
What are you baking? Sing or Chant this rhyme, the soloist will let us know what’s in the oven!
1, 2, 3, 4 Play on the beat for the numbers
Coming through the Kitchen Door Play the rhythm of the words
5, 6, 7, 8 Play on the beat for the numbers
Making (bisquits, turkey, muffins, gravy), I can’t wait! Play the rhythm of the words.
How many people are you feeding? How many sausages should we make? (Rhymes for rhythm sticks.)
Lets make two! Tap rhythm sticks while counting “1, 2“
Two little sausages, frying in a pan Quickly rub the smooth stick over the ribbed stick
One went pop Tap the smooth stick on the ribbed stick when you say “pop”
And one went bam! Hit both sticks on the floor
But what if you need four? Tap rhythm sticks while counting 1, 2, 3, 4
Four little sausages, frying in a pan, two went pop and two went bam!
But what if you need six? Tap rhythm sticks while counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Six little sausages, frying in a pan, three went pop and three went bam!
Eight little sausages….etc.
Give students a math challenge….How many are coming for dinner at your house? How many pop? How many bam?
Popcorn, popcorn, put it in a pan Tap sticks 8 times to the beat
Shake it up, shake it up Quickly rub the smooth stick over the ribbed stick
Bam bam bam! Hit both sticks on the floor on each “Bam”
The Bakery Truck (From Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! and Rhythm Readers Lessons and lynnkleinersmusicbox.com) See Music Box Downloads for free visuals and lesson videos. See Lynn’s Youtube Channel for videos of the lesson with students.
Holiday Time must include My Musical Gingerbread Man! Get the free lesson in Music Box Downloads or find the recording and lesson in the book In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music.
Peanut Butter Jelly (great for Orff, solo singing, echos) (From the book/CD My Trip to the Mountains Book/CD), www.musicrhapsody.com/shop
Apple Tree from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moosic and Rhythm Readers and Melody Makers lesson plans. The song refers to two things we can make out of apples. But its a lot of fun having students think of what they want to make from apples! Change the words of the song to what the students want to make. I have heard amazing ideas of what to make from the apples:
Apple Pie, Apple Cobbler, Apple Crisp, Apple Crumble, Applesauce, Apple Butter, Apple Fritters, Candy Apples, Apple Pizza, Apple Pancakes, Apple Stuffing, Apple Sausage, Apple Stuffing…..
And for more student decisions, students need to decide (and sing the solos) on what kind of apples and how many. Kinds of Apples? So many! Thousands! Here’s Some: Red Delicious, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, McIntosh,
Also from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moosic, guess who wants to come to dinner? My special friend, Donnie the Donkey! You know what happens if you don’t feed him!! Puppets, felts, books with CDS, available at www.musicrhapsody.com.
All Around the Kitchen from lynnkleinersmusicbox and Recorder Rookies lesson plans. Includes “Let’s Spice it Up!” FREE Downloads including the recording in www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Bake Some Pies! Check out Music Box FREE Downloads (search or go to the Songs Category) for Pumpkin Pie. includes student hand out, Orff Orchestration, activity ideas. www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
Homemade instruments using recycle items are a delightful and musical way to celebrate “Love our Planet.” I have many ideas for homemade instruments in In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music, Songs of the Sea, Farm Songs, Jungle Beat and My Trip to the Mountains. I think these themes celebrate our planet and so many of the songs in these collections are awesome when accompanied by homemade instruments!
Water bottles (I’m thinking of the ones that are ribbed) are great for a guiro. Soak in soapy water to remove the label. Use the water bottle cap to scrape or tap on the bottle. If you want it to also be a shaker, put small items like beads, pebbles or rice inside and close with the cap. Use a cap from another type of bottle to play it or use another item like a plastic spoon to hit and scrape.
Toilet paper or paper towel rolls can be used to make shakers. Decorate the tube, add small water bottle caps, cover with fabric scraps and use glue or rubber bands to fasten.
Old socks can be decorated to be silly worms. Add some small stones in a small dressing container, place inside the sock and shaka shake for “Lots of Worms” from Farm Songs and the sounds of Moo-sic.
Refer to the instrument making section in the back of my books for lots more ideas.
If you type in Earth Day using the Search feature in Music Box, you will find more ideas.
There is an order, a sequence of types of activities that will bring musical success. In the area of timing and singing, this is especially true if music is introduced at an early age. Goin’ on a Bike Ride is a delightful little activity for feeling the beat, hearing the rhythm and encouraging imaginative participation by easily creating new verses.
Here’s a couple ways we use the song to do this, depending on the ages and the setting of your classes.
Babies and Tots – adults alternate the child’s legs up and down, gently moving as each leg bends at the knew and straightens to the beat, as it would when riding a bike. Use the child’s name, Grandma, mommy, names of pets, puppets, etc, to create new verses of who is going along on the ride!
Preschool/K – Everyone stands in a large circle, holding on to the “Stretchy Band,” alternating hands while making the circular motion as if riding a bike. Teacher or Leader moves around the center, stopping on “who do you see?” The child sings who’s on the bike ride. (Imagination is welcome here! Ladybug? Dinosaur? Skunk?)
This adorable story book, Duck on a Bike, is a great way to give the children ideas of who may be riding on a bike!
Before you watch my video this week, I’d like to share how I got to this point.
This goes WAY BACK! My most vivid memory as a kinder was the day my teacher dumped out the rhythm band box of “instruments” and then called our name to come get one. I wanted the triangle and I remember worrying that someone would pick it before my name was called!
My most vivid memory as a brand new early childhood music teacher, adding preschool classes to my elementary teaching, was the disappointed faces of young children who did not the instrument they wanted. Some even had tears and a fight actually broke out over the largest hand drum! Shouts of “I WANT THE BIG ONE!” still haunt me. (I never brought that large set of nesting drums to the preschool again! lol.)
I quickly came up with a more joyful and musical plan. I purchased a class set of shakers. And as soon as I could, I purchased a class set of rhythm sticks, finger cymbals and hand drums. All the same size, all the same color!
I led activities with each child having the same instrument. Happy students, better sound! As lessons progressed, I introduced activities where everyone had 2 instruments, later in the year, three instruments, even 4 or 5! (For these activities, refer to online or live training!)
Thanks to the late great Remo Belli, the quality of the percussion I use now is by far the most durable, the most musical tone, the best quality! (Members, be sure to use your coupon code for 25% off!) Here’s a little story and song that the children loved to act out as they played their set of little percussion, creating sounds for a frog, snake, bird, train, and more.
Here’s some of my favorite puppets, felts, props and visuals for fall lessons.
You can keep the attention of young children when you use statements like “Look! How many numbers am I putting on the felt board?” And “what kind of animal is this?” (Or point to your screen if using the Digital Counting Set).
Or, “Look who was in my back yard yesterday!”
This picture accompanies Grey Squirrel from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! Participation in singing and ownership of the song comes quicker when I add the visual cues and I stop singing and wait for them to respond.
Drumming with Music Rhapsody materials using Sound Shapes have been one of the most successful activities for my special education classes. There are a variety of limitations for playing, but the sound shapes offer flexibility with the variety of shapes and sizes and ways to play (you can easily tap with the mallet, held on either end, their hand, even tap it on a knee or arm of a wheel chair to produce a sound). I have one student who is deaf. She loves holding the drum on her head, sometimes the frame, sometimes the drumhead and tapping the drum. At first, this was challenging for her to do by herself. When we first started our lessons, a caregiver would play the drum for her. She would lean close to place her head on the drum. Then came the sparkle in her eyes and the big smile! After many lessons, she was able to coordinate holding the drum on her head and playing it herself. She also entertains us as she presses harder on the drum, or removes it from her head, causing the drum to change pitch! Sounds like a talking drum!
Here are some of our drumming favorites:
Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too: Drum and Stop (Shake and Stop), Jig Jog (this one is great for the repeating words sung on the beat, which stimulates response), Somebody’s Knockin at the door.
Songs of the Sea: Ten Fish in the Sea, both the children and caregivers love this recording.
“Exploration Music” from Music Rhapsody’s “Our Favorite Shenanigans” (Cotton Eyed Joe, Louisiana Saturday Night)
The ukulele is another important instrument for the class. Each week, we have more participation. The caregivers help the children to put out their index finger. When it’s a child’s turn, we sing their name as a part of the Hello song as they strum the ukulele. Once again, my deaf student loves to hold the ukulele against her head as I strum.
Hello Song – A variety of Hello songs are available in lynnkleinersmusicbox.com. (I use one for the entire school year)
If All of the Raindrops from In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music, repeating this week after week has brought more and more participation. I also use Who’s That Hatching from this same book and use my adorable puppets: duck, turtle, hummingbird, robin, penguin (if you know me, you know I have lot of options! Ha)
Movement participation is quite limited for most of the children, however, more participation is observed from the weekly song “Up So High” from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too.
“High” – Arms up
“Low” – Arms low
“Shake” – Shake hand (jazz hands!)
“Around we go” – One arm over another
“Hold them So!” – Freeze hold after I say “On your chin!” or “On your nose,” etc
I think the caregivers I see each week are the most loving, caring people on the planet! God bless them! I hope I can bring some special happiness in their week. I know they bring lots in mine.
Kindergarten Music Lessons are so much fun when you have amazing lesson plans AND you know the tricks for smooth transitions, classroom management and engagement techniques for all (or hopefully at least most!) of the students. I have taught this age group for a very long time and still love to be in the music room with kindergarten and also the Pre-K music classes….well, that is, if I’m prepared with my Music Rhapsody lesson plans, using the “WHAT’S NEEDED” to be sure my set up is ready to go..
Variety, unpredictable, surprises, flexible..these are words that describe the lessons. Listening and looking for the children’s input, looking for those moments to show a child he has great ideas, she is influencing the music making, we are all music makers.
Unique cues, both visual and aural cues are used in a way that’s interesting for the students, not just the music teacher talking, talking, explaining, saying directions, talking ABOUT music, blah blah blah…. like they hear from “regular” teachers all day long. The music teacher is something special! We don’t need all this talking in the musical environment we are trying to create. The music teacher uses interesting sounds (tongue clicking, snapping, clapping, etc.) or instruments (tick tock block, cymbals, cowbell, etc) to signal what to do! An article in Music Box, The Young At the Bars (Orff Instruments!), lists the sounds (instruments or body percussion and vocal sounds) that signal putting the mallets down, moving to a different row or area of instruments, when its “free play” opportunities and repeating specific rhythmic or melodic phrases (echos). Singing directions are also much more fun and interesting for a group who hears mostly TALK. I have lots of transition songs (especially check out “Colors Are Gliding” for putting away scarves) in my book, Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too!
In the back of my books, I include suggestions for making lesson visuals. There’s also a category in Music Box called “Teaching Visuals.” I highly recommend printing these out in color on card stock, laminate and use year after year. Showing a visual that’s unexpected or interesting will grab the attention of students who are visual learners and are attracted to visual stimulation. Add to the fun with the homemade puppets or invest in the recommended puppets that are discussed in my books and lesson plans. Using puppets following my suggestions (check out “Lynn Kleiner’s Puppets with a Purpose” on YouTube or in Music Box videos), will guarantee you more participation and focus.
NO TEACHER SPOT! The teacher moves all over the music room, sitting between the children who were talking, standing next to the child who was gazing out the window, moving towards the child who was pushing, while all along continuing the flow and excitement of the lesson. DO NOT BE PREDICTABLE. Instead of saying what not to do, guide the children to participate in your beautiful lesson that’s full of moving, playing, storytelling, and so much fun!
If you are new to teaching early childhood (infants – age 8), check out these training opportunities this summer or online anytime. Detailed lesson plans, videos, recordings available too.
Wow, what a Pre-K music week I had! Talk about music for the masses! After 6 rehearsals with delightful 2-5 year old preschool concerts, I had assemblies at a school district for their Pre-K and K classes. See the photos below for one of the activities that we did with these kindergarteners (They are great for PK and 1st Grade too!) LOVE. Check out the process for this Five Little Monkey lesson from Jungle Beat. http://www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com/blogs/4/135/pre-k-and-kindergarten-music-5
See the video below, and check out the success of these preschool teachers playing glockenspiels for the first time. Dear Carl Orff, thank you for this amazing idea to remove the 4th and 7th tones. This song is from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music, Too book. Music Box Members: get your FREE download of this fun hello song. Click here (Music Rhapsody members, this is in Module 1 for the Big Kids Make Music lesson plans.)
Thank you to everyone who attend our very first webinar. The response was so incredible. Here is a link to the recording in case you missed it! Click here for the video.
We hope to have you at one of our Dynamic Teacher Trainings this summer. If you have previously attended a teacher training, we would love to have you join us again. Click here for more information about teacher training. If you a returning attendee, you pay 1/2 price! Thank you to all the teachers for sharing the following comments. I appreciate it so much.
Here are the top 5 benefits according to teachers and participants about teacher training!
Testimonials!
“I want to tell you, I just love teaching the Music Rhapsody Curriculum and thank you for encouraging me to attend the training and becoming a member:) I am grateful to you for the role you played in getting me to come out to receive the training in California last summer.” – Caryn Thomson
“Your program is fantastic! My son (2 years old) walks around the house singing “Sally go round the sun…” Jill Fenske, Parent
“Lynn is like a great kid – she’s lots of FUN! The class is well formatted and the Orff ideas are perfect!” Christina Purcell, Santa Cruz CA
“Lynn’s boundless energy, enthusiastic encouragement of all teachers, and all of her great creative ideas are only a few of her gifts. Lynn is doing some amazing work! And inspiring others to do more of the same!” Phoebe Fazio, Redding CA
“I loved Lynn’s summer teacher training course. It’s the best workshop I have ever taken!” Lynne Levy, Falmouth MA
Due a request by a valued Music Box member, here is a post all about CLOWNS! Some people think clowns are spooky but I disagree – they are silly, stylish, groovy, and help us sing solos! In a time that is occupied by ipads, ipods, video games, smart boards, computers, etc., you would be amazed how a simple clown puppet (even a D.I.Y. one) can entrance a whole class and draw a singing voice out of even the shiest young musicians. The “Toymaker’s Clowns” from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! (https://musicrhapsody.com/product/kids-make-music-babies-make-music-too-book-teachers-book/ ) has been a favorite for years, and never gets old. It is not uncommon that singing “come-out” or just “out” to the hiding clown is the very first vocalizing that a toddler does in your class. Here are some resources for Music Box members to bring the clown to life in your classroom:
Such a great theme! Everyone looked so great in green and the Christmas trees were fun decorations. Lots of the materials were from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! I will be putting this concert plan in the box – it was a huge hit!
The Donkey puppet joins the Folkmanis pack ready to carry your imagination to adventure. Sweet faced with movable mouth, wide eyes and perky big ears, this adorable burro has super soft body plush for cuddly comfort.
Tip from Lynn: Following the lessons in their sequential order will provide the repetition necessary for successful participation. As I always say, repetition with variety because we love what we know!
Download link will be available on invoice. Just click on the title.
Cocoa is the star of Bell Horses, Little Horses, Come to the Farm and When horses Get Up in the Morning (original says sheep) from Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too!
Get ready to swish your bushy tails with Grey Squirrel! This delightful puppet features a movable mouth and arms, and his own acorn so he won’t raid your precious nut bowl. Grey Squirrel is featured on Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music, Too!. Detailed Sheet Music and Activity Information can also be found in Lynn’s Kids Make Music, Babies Make Music, Too! Book.
Little Folk Visuals Sealife Set. A must-have with Songs of the Sea, the variety of sealife in this set results in tons of solo singing, such as in “Scuba Man” on Page 20. Be inspired to make up verses using these colorful felts for “Down by the Ocean” on page 26 or “Ten Fish in the Sea” on page 15 as well. Have fun with “Going on a Boat Ride” (changed from “Going on a Bike Ride”) inKids Make Music, Babies Make Music Too! Book page 38.
Click on link above the video thumbnail
