I have seen teachers start way too hard, causing frustration by the students and the teacher. As one of my teachers said K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Silly!) I make a big deal about waiting until I have my turn. I use my body and cowbell to indicate when its my turn (looking like I’m trying to turn around) and when it is their turn to echo (leaning towrads them). I begin with playing on each beat while saying 1, 2, 3, 4. If that is successful, I do again with a louder voice, then a softer voice, then with no voice at all, just playing the 4 beats.
Repeat the same process with saying and playing just 3 beats and thinking the 4th beat is quiet. 1, 2, 3.
Next, try 1, 2, 3&, 4……with the same process.
End by going back to 1. 2. 3. 4
Songs of the Sea book, Lynn Kleiner, has a song called We are Gathered and it includes fish rhythms for echo playing. Have the students make up their own!
When we get the request in our schools for Earth Day ideas, it’s quite easy to offer suggestions by showing our “Love for Our Planet” theme books about the ocean, mountains, farms, and rain forest. If you are new to our Music Rhapsody & Music Box group, here they are!
I include instrument making in all of my books (This includes In All Kinds of Weather, Kids Make Music) and most of these are made out of recycled items. Since we celebrate Earth Day in April, this is a great time to choose an easy, fun to make project, and then enjoy using the activities and recordings to make music with the creative instrument that was made.
No time for instrument making? Set out a sample and encourage a little community clean up and make an instrument at home!
Here’s an easy one from my Songs of the Sea collection. Water Bottles! Water Bottles! So many water bottles! This is one item that’s easy to obtain for wonderful homemade instruments.
Water Bottle Shaker and Guiro
Use a water bottle that has ribs, not smooth. Empty and wash out the bottle, dry completely
Remove the label
Add sand, smaller sparkly beads, glitter, shiny items or other colorful bright objects
Decorate the parts of the bottle that are smooth with stickers or colored markers if desired.
Use hot glue or lots of colored masking tape to secure the bottle cap on the bottle
Ways to Play
Shake the bottle for a wonderful shaking sound. Create different sounds by moving it up and down, side to side, fast and slow, etc.
Use a chopstick to scrape across the ribs of the bottle to produce an entirely different sound, a guiro.
Produce yet another sound by tapping the bottle with the chopstick.
Have a listen to everyone’s favorite shaker song! Sandy Sandy Sand from Songs of the Sea.
Visit Music Box for more Earth Day songs and project ideas!
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.
I am excited to offer a WEBINAR on June 2 at 6:30PM Pacific Standard Time. All Teachers (Members and Future Members!) are invited to join me as I answer your questions as we explore some Music Box pockets and corners that hold many treasures!
Send your Questions NOW by messaging me personally in Music Box (just click on Members in the menu bar and type in Lynn Kleiner, click on message on the left and send OR, just reply to this email! Those of you who sent questions last time, you are first! But please send me those directly again so I’m sure to put you to the top of the list!.
Also during the webinar, take a peek at some of the NEW VISUALS that are coming just in time for the new school year. These will enhance all levels of our sets of lesson plans. I have been using them for Our Music Rhapsody Membership early childhood Modules, the elementary Rhythm Readers, Melody Makers and Recorder Rookies this year and they are so much fun. The best news for me was no SMARTBoard required. This is just one more new way to engage your classes. And for my long time friends, you know how much fun it is for us to have repetition with variety!
“I CAN’T WAIT for my Redondo Beach Vacation!” I heard this from a teacher who afterwards said the summer training was better than Disneyland! The Redondo Beach Hotel and conference room is gorgeous and our early evening practice space for ukulele includes incredible views and wine! Tuition increases by $50 after June 1 so go for it now!
Speaking of the beach, CHECK OUT OUR adorable 3 year olds in this video as they get ready for summer, celebrating the end of their school year with pompoms and creative movement to The Waves from Songs of the Sea.
And for all those preschool and kindergarten graduates, we have been talking about some delightful graduation songs in Music Box. There’s also some suggestions for those toddler classes. Thanks for all your contributions. I love hearing from you.
PROPS! Don’t forget all our colorful fun props! Consider using pom poms for The Waves
Or use the Stretchy Band for The Ship Goes Sailing on the Sea (from In All Kinds of Weather). Also from in All Kinds of Weather, use it with Five Handsome Sailors. These could also be fun with the parachute.
Our movement activities introduce musical concepts as it improves language development, and stimulates the vestibular system as it improves timing and coordination. Ten Fish in the Sea (Movement)
Orff with stories and puppets is always a hit with our 3-7 year olds. Everyone loves Larry
Hula Hoops – Going Over the Sea
Balloons– En Bateau – use the parachute to sail the balloon or each parent and child can sail them back and forth while listening to this beautiful piece of music, such a great one to introduce to your families from our Songs of the Sea CD.
Consider Streamers instead of scarves and pretend you are dancing like an octopus for Ten Fish in the Sea.
Dancing Fish, turtles or Larry the Lobster are fun on top of the gathering drum and Echo Friends with FISH finger puppets can follow Ten Fish in the Sea is awesome with our little fish puppets. Don’t forget to let them dance on the gathering drum, hide underneath for the “low” verse and get up and run around the drum for swam in a circle! SPANISH version is on the Spanish Music Rhapsody CD!
Sandy Sand: Don’t shake until “Shake, shake, shake, shake it off now. Use shaker as a microphone and place shaker on every body part where there is sand. For example, place shaker on head after hearing “you’ve got sand on your head.”
Scuba Man AND the TREASURE BOX (for older classes) – be sure the children bend their knees to go gradually down as the singing goes down and go gradually up as singing goes back up. For older kids, let them choose something from the treasure box a few times during the summer – encouraging them to come back since when we sing Scuba Man, they may find a treasure they want to keep!
Fish finger puppets and big sea life puppets, www.musicrhapsody.com/shop, should be enjoyed for the beloved Larry the Lobster, Ten Fish in the Sea, and the rhymes from the Songs of the Seabook.
STORIES! For older kids, Froggy Learns To Swim is a great summer story. The detailed lesson plan with song, including suggestions for instrument parts and Orff, is available from Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box.
OCEAN DRUMS! Music Rhapsody will order whatever size you need: small, medium and LARGE! Slow tipping then turning is the key to the beautiful sound of waves you can produce with this unique drum. Enjoy for an accompaniment while singing Scuba Man, play along on some of the Sea Songs from our Songs of the Sea CD, or while you sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
Looking for my Ocean Lesson Plan Pack? You can get it here!
Music Rhapsody students often arrive for their Orff class a few minutes early. As they enter the classroom, familiar music is coming from the speakers and Orff instruments are set up in the same pentatonic key as the music. Immediately, the invitation to play along with the song is made by the teacher.
For students who are apprehensive to improvise, the recording of the song gives them structure and confidence. As more students arrive, the sound of the Orff instruments increases. The opportunity to “just play” has created an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Soon the teacher grabs the guitar and the students circle around for the hello song, the beginning of another musical adventure in an Orff Schulwerk environment.
Here’s a list of songs for a pentatonic play a-long! No accidentals required for these keys.
Sources:
FS: Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic! JB: Jungle Beat KMM: Kids Makes Music, Babies Make Music Too! SOS: Songs of the Sea W: In All Kinds Of Weather, Kids Make Music MTM: My Trip to the Mountains
The Colors are Gilding, KMM Page 25 Track 50 The Old Grey Cat, KMM Page 56 Track 38— Metals for the sleepy Cat, Woods for the Mouse, both during the running! Conducting the song using 2 hoops, 1 for metals and one for woods. This is very successful! Sally Go Round the Sun, W Page 16 Track 5 Whether the Weather, Page 10 Track 16 — This song is in d munor so F Pentatonic is the set up. D is the home tone Shoo Turkey FS Page 44 Track 16 Rocky Mountain MTM Page 50 Track 24
Key of G
Little Horses KMM Page 49 Track 46 — Woods for the horse galloping after verse one, Metals for “lullaby” after verse 2. Conducting with 2 hula hoops like the Old Gray Cat is successful for the song. Ten Little Frogs JB Page 30 Track 20 — This song is in in e minor so G pentatonic is the set up. E is the home tone. Misty Moisty Morning Page 23 Track 13 — This song is in in e minor so G pentatonic is the set up. E is the home tone. Metals free play during forst verse, woods keep the beat for the rhythm
Key of C
Bell Horses KMM Page 18 Track 29 — Free play after “run away”. Metals free play on Mistress Mary Rhyme. This can also be conduncted with 2 hoops: no playing, playing woods, play metals Rhymes in the Rain W Page 31 Track 21 White Feathers W Page 41 Track 21 Who’s that Hatching W Page 44 Track 30 Bought Me a Cat FS Page 14 Track 5 Row Your Boat SOS Page 17 Track 6, 7, and 8 Larry the Lobster SOS Page 7 Track 2 Five Little Monkeys JB Page 14 Track 9 Two Talking Toucans JB Page 18 Track 11 The Butterfly JB Page 26 Track 18 Peanut Butter MTM Page 34 Track 12 Let Us Chase the Squirrel MTM Track 41 Track 16
For 10% off on books, 25% off on lesson plans, use your Music Box Member Discount when orderin. To get your coupon codes or to join Music Box Click Here.
Preschool Music Concert, Kindergarten Music Program, Elementary Music Show can be tough planning for the music teacher Try a theme! Themes make it fun for you, the classroom teachers and the kids while children learn a lot more than just music! With related science, art, rhyming and reading, even cooking, this can be totally integrated into the classroom curriculum too!
Concert Plans available to music box members, can be purchased in music box downloads. www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com
These are the themes I have published in a book with CD and include instrument making, related arts and crafts, room decoration and theme snacks too. I have concert plans done for these which include printed programs with write ups on the learning objectives and highlights of each song. For these and their related puppets, felts and instruments, check out https://musicrhapsody.com/shop/
Jungle Beat – Rain Forest
Songs of the Sea – Ocean
Farm Songs – Animals, Plants, (Bugs, dirt and worms too!)
Trip to the Mountains – Camping, Trees and Critters, Bears, Owls and Eagles, Picnics
In All Kinds of Weather – Snow, Rain, Wind, Sunshine, Hail, Rainbows
However, a feature that is growing each year in www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com is a huge variety of themes! Ones that have been shared are ones that have been requested by members. Many have not yet been discussed but here’s a few I have enjoyed. Since I have been teaching in schools since 1978, I do have quite a few I’ve tried over the years, just to keep it fun and fresh for me!
These themes are also wonderful for music camps, for weekly plans and to integrate in classroom curriculum.
America
Bedtime
Blues/Jazz
Bugs, Worms and Ladybugs
Critters
The Circus
Colors/Rainbows
The Community, Community Helpers
Flowers and springtime
International/World Music or music from a specific continent, country or region
Love
A Day in the Park
Pond Songs
Transportation
Travel
Wheels
The Wild West
Wings
Work Songs
The State’s History – this has been very popular with 3rd and 4th grade who have requested this. I have an extensive one for California!
Books are available at www.musicrhapsody.com. Use your Music Box member discount code found on the home page.
See the forum for other lesson plan ideas using story books.
We are working on Songs of the Sea Concert plan and the 4 and 5 year old lesson plans with Orff instrument activities included. Coming soon to Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box! www.lynnkleinersmusicbox.com.
I adore Lynn Kleiner’s music and program. I have worn my Kids Make Music Babies Make Music Too book out, that I had to get a second copy, also her seasons book is just awesome. She uses puppets and Manipulatives that are so wonderful to have. She is Orff based...
Holiday Singalong – Choosing songs for maximum participation of youngest to oldest
Looking for that emotional connection with your audience and students? Consider a singalong! When looking for an easy multi-generational song to end your holiday program, here’s a few things to consider.
Repetition! The more repetition of the lyrics, the more participation – especially from your youngest singers and your audience! (I’m thinking of those 2 year olds and 80+)
Well Known Songs – We love what we know – Like an old friend coming back!
Easy Range An octave or less
Has a refrain or chorus Something to sing after the children sing their rehearsed line or verse
Here’s some lyrics from the easiest choices
THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine,
Let it shine!
FELIZ NAVIDAD (Sing-A-Long Lyrics)
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Feliz Navidad.
Prospero ano y Felicidad.
(Repeat)
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas (3 times)
From the bottom of my heart.
Repeat first section
IT’S A SMALL WORLD/Jingle Bells
Children:
It’s a world of laughter, A world of tears
It’s a world of hopes, And a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all.
Children and Audience
It’s a small world after all (3 times)
It’s a small, small world
Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way
Oh what fun, it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh HEY!
(Repeat Jingle bells)
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
And a happy new year!
Deck the Halls
Kids: Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Audience and Kids: Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la (Kids add silly movement)
(continue same form below)
‘Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
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Baby/Toddler Music Classes: I was asked about many questions about baby and toddler music so thought I would give my recommendations for teachers who are new to working with Early Childhood, specifically Baby/Toddler Ages.
First of all, Get Training ASAP! Why not use the expertise available and offer the very best you can to your youngest students, at a time when you make the biggest difference in their development! Good training will eliminate fails and make the experience positive for you and your families. Online Training is available anytime, anywhere, completely around your schedule. Live training is available in the summer. If you do online, you can attend live for half tuition. https://musicrhapsody.com/teacher-training-early-childhood/
My Babies Make Music and Toddlers Make Music Lesson Plans have video of every activity. Watch complete lessons to see how to transition. This lets you see classroom set up, how to work with the adults, how to present props and visuals, what instruments are appropriate, parent tips, etc. It also gives you all recordings in order or your lesson playlists, printed music, and lyrics, details plans, and more. Once you complete training, become a Music Rhapsody Member! Its only $25 per month and you will get access immediately. https://musicrhapsody.com/membership/ There are FORTY lessons for babies, FORTY lessons for Toddlers, 45 minutes each. Each Module has 10 lessons. (Membership comes with 5 modules included)
lynnkleinersmusicbox.com has additional resources that are very helpful, most downloads are free to members! Use the SEARCH feature. Type in Baby. Type in Toddler. Babies. Toddlers. So many helpful discussions and downloads! There’s also many videos, lessons, recordings in Music Box Downloads! This will let you see the variety of activities to include in your classes and give you sample activities. So important is the GATHERING DRUM! I would not want to be without this amazing instrument. Floor games, Folk Dance, Small unpitched baby/tot safe instrument activities, activities for scarves, Beat keeping activities, Activities for Vocal Response. Log into www.lynnkleinersmusicboxcom, click Music Box Downloads. Click on the left menu: Music Downloads. There’s lots of free recordings I use with Babies and Tots:
Shake Those Bells
The Snail and the Mouse
The Grand Old Duke of York
Ladybug Song
Little Red Wagon
Hickory Dickory Dock
There’s also free downloads of the printed music and lyrics, click on Songs (or use the SEARCH feature)
Watch an entire workshop with parents and toddlers and print out the detailed lesson plan! https://lynnkleinersmusicbox.com/videos/4/26/toddlers-make-music-introductory-workshop
This and lots more in Music Box videos (use the search feature for this category, use baby, toddler, babies, toddlers and see lots of class activities so you see what to expect from these ages.
Wow, just in time for a Mother’s Day celebration, my son and I finished 38 recordings with vocals and accompaniment tracks for my upcoming book Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures! I’m so excited!
And, to make it an EXTRA happy Mother’s Day for me, my daughter is here in Los Angeles because she’s playing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic the next two weeks.
Whether you are a mom or not, you are all raising musical children, so Happy Mother’s Day!
This song has been a great one for the end of the year kindergarten graduation. Give some love and thanks to the parents, principals, and anyone else who has helped along the way. The download includes 4 recordings (slow, fast, slow instrumental, fast instrumental), movement directions, lyrics and music. Find it here.
As always, Music Box members, use your coupon code for 25% off or purchase directly from Music Box Downloads.
Need more ideas for Kindergarten Graduation and end of the year celebrations? Use the SEARCH feature in Music Box and you find all sorts of fun options!
Oh no, little music maker!!! Don’t throw that maraca!
When your little music maker throws their instrument – those of us working with young children know this is something that usually comes up! Visit Music Box and share how you could handle this or read what’s there now. There are plenty of other great forums there too!
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
Many teachers ask, “what do we do when we don’t have snow in the winter months and the curriculum is all about snow and cold weather?” Some even go: “my students can’t relate to snow songs! They’ve never seen it!” We think this is a great opportunity to share pictures and props and let the learning about other climates happen!
Music Rhapsody is in Southern California by the beach. We don’t get snow but that doesn’t stop us from pretending we do! Classroom props are our best friend during the winter months. Here are some snowy ideas on how to create a winter wonderland in your classroom! Download our mini workshopfrom October 2022 for more on this topic.
Let It Snow!
Cotton balls and a parachute are great to make it snow in the classroom. Cotton balls are easy to pick up and use again and again. Use recorded music such as “ Let it Snow. ” (Composer Jule Styne and lyricist Sammy Cahn)
Paper Plate Ice Skates
“Ice skating” on the thin, cheap paper (not plastic!) plates is always fun (works well on carpet). Skating from A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi is awesome for paper plate skating! Consider forward and backwards, spinning, figure eight, etc!
Paper Snowflakes
Use props like paper snowflakes for rhythmic notation for snow songs such as Snow (Yuki) and White Feathers from In All Kinds of Weather Kids Make Music and Each Little Snowflake from Holiday Songs and Winter Adventures. Music Rhapsody Members, Snow (Yuki) can be found in your Big Kids and Young Musicians curriculum in your member area.
Snow Cloud and White Feathers
Wrap a strip of white fur around a hand (frame) drum and fill with white feathers. When the feathers fall, the children play their instruments (I like metals such as finger cymbals, triangles, metallophones and glockenspiels for sparkly, glistening music!). See In All Kinds of Weather Kids Make Music for the song and activity White Feathers. Music Rhapsody Members, this activity can be found in your Big Kids and Young Musicians curriculum in your member area.
Puppets Galore!
Wintery puppets like the snowy owl are great additions to help to present and lead snow activities. Snowy the Owl is a must have prop to present and direct snow activities. Also great for pitch matching!
I have many requests for assistance with holiday shows from my own teaching staff, from preschools and elementary schools, as well as Music Rhapsody and Music Box members. Last week, one of our school’s director had a request. “Lynn, can you help us plan a holiday program that is from our Music Rhapsody curriculum? We love the weekly activities your teacher has introduced from the lesson plans. We want the parents to see what the children do in their music classes.” For me, this is An Early Childhood Holiday Concert DREAM COME TRUE! Let’s not just get in the new school year lesson groove and then shut it all down to work on nothing but holiday songs (often the songs they want are too difficult, too long or out of range for young children).
I am sharing the songs we selected from 3 different age levels of Music Rhapsody’s Module 2 lesson plan levels used by this school.
If you are reading this and not yet a member, I’d love to have you learn more about the online training and membershipbenefits and join our special group of Music Educators who love an ACTIVE approach!
Ev’ry Morning All Classes sing our Hello Song.
Since our classes typically sit for this song, in the lessons the month before the concert, we will be standing up (We use masking tape on the floor to keep us in straight lines.) Clap hands (going from low to high for each note as the melody goes up) on “oh child-ren” and then stamp one foot, then the other on “oh yea” which goes high to low on G to low C. We can pat the beat the rest of the time. Added verse: “Time for a concert, time for a concert, have a new song to sing…”
(See lynnkleinersmusicbox.com, SEARCH for Ev’ry Morning When I Wake Up, and find it FREE in Music Box Downloads, Hello/Goodbye Songs.
Kids Make Music, wearing little clown collars
Little Clown/He’s Dancin’ All Around/Down Down…..Repeat the set of these, then end with Little Clown. A fantastic little holiday story can be added here, “The Toymaker’s Clowns.” Use the SEARCH feature in lynnkleinersmusicbox.com to find the detailed script with music as well as a video of a performance by some precious little music makers! (In Music Box, Click “Got Questions, Ask Lynn” if you need my help finding anything!)
Big Kids Classes, (class #1) with shakers. Farmer Brown’s Cow use the shaker as a “microphone” during the verses (be sure to use the Farmer Brown Visuals to help remember the words and show what verse you are singing)
Big Kids Classes, (class #2) with jingle bells. Now My Bells are Up/Jingle Bells Where are You/Jingle Bells Chorus (repeat the set) If this is going well, we will add Five Little Jingle Bells. Ukulele to accompany.
Young Musicians with hand drums –
Shoo Turkey Hand taps the drum on “Yes Ma’am” and “So So” For the second section, we swish on drum for “shoo turkey.” A few solos will show how we work on pitch matching for “yes ma’am.” Music Rhapsody’s Turkey Puppet will make a special appearance during the repeat of the song. We will use the instrumental version of the song (repeated) from the Farm Songs CD.
Angel Band (will give them the option of adding a homemade garland halo using the rainbow mallet) – A section: Tap the drums on the numbers, B Section: Free play, C section shows playing the steady beat during “Wasn’t that a Band….” We will have a short demonstration of soloists, each taking a number. For example: Soloist 1 “There was one,” Soloist 2 “There were two” Soloist 3 “There were 3.” Etc.
We will end our concert with all classes singing this year’s goodbye song.
Goodbye Song, the students should be practicing this standing as well, showing the sad face after the first long phrase ends with “music time is done,” and then they shout (“YEA”) and one arm up after “we had lots of fun!”. Next, they sing “he would weep, if his symphony put you to sleep, Papa Haydn wrote this song, not too short and not too long.” This, and all our “orchestral” goodbye songs come from Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move.
Click below to watch two renditions of Turkey Feathers!
First up, a dress with multiple belt loops led this student to her idea for this dancing turkey! (the recording is Turkey Feathers Instrumental version) from Farm Songs and the Sounds of Moo-sic. A belt was used in later lessons so scarves could be tucked in at the waist.
The video that follows shows our beloved Turkey Feathers felt set (Lovingly made for us by Dr. Carol McDowell!) on the Felt Board. Surprise: The one doing all the singing has the CD at home!
There are still a few fresh turkeys (puppets) in stock for your Thanksgiving festivities! (NOTE! This big bird is no longer being made so don’t wait if you want one.)
Now it’s time for Holiday Shows! Don’t forget to use the SEARCH feature in Music Box to find what you need for your programs.
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