Staff Board

Here are two different size staff boards for use in games.

If you need a big staff for bingo chips or other manipulatives, you can print out the Big Staff and cut and paste it together on card stock.

The One Page Staff is best used by putting it in a sheet protector.  This not only makes your materials last longer, but you can use dry erase makers on the sheet protector and the markings wipe off.

One great thing I like to do before I give my students their new piece for the week is write some of the melody on a staff and have the student analyze and sight read the section.  This improves focus and sometimes we can work a trouble spot that I know will frustrate the student.

Some of my students see a whole piece of music and want to jump right in, but isolating a section helps them concentrate on just that part. Sometimes I have the student write the passage on the staff, promoting note recognition.

Google Docs: One Page Staff

Google Docs: Big Staff

Summer Songs

Swimming in the sea  
Sung to: "Doo-wa diddy diddy"

There I was just swimming in the sea

Singing Dooo wah diddy diddy dum diddy doo

All the sudden there's a dolphin next to me

Singing doo wah diddy diddy dum diddy doo

She swam fast she swam fast

she dove deep she dove deep

she swam fast dove deep

Hey this dolphin's pretty neat!!

Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy doo

Other verses:

Dolphin-swimming

Crab-pinching

Whale - breaching

Shark swimming

Mermaids plug nose and shimmy down

Teaching Ideas:

1. Use pictures to show students the different animals in the ocean

2. Do the hand jive: Pat Pat, clap, clap, hand over hand 2x, hand under hand 2x, fist pound 2x, switch hand on top for 2 more fist pounds, right thumb over shoulder, left thumb over shoulder.

Google Docs: Ocean Creatures 1

Google Docs: Ocean Creatures 2

Five Little Fishies in the Sea

Five little fishies in the sea  teasing Mr. sharky

You can't catch me  you can't catch me

Well along came Mr. sharky (softly) as quiet as can be 

He snapped! a fish up right out of the sea. 

Count down to 0

Teaching Ideas:

1. Have children pretend to be the fishes and one be Mr. Sharky and act out the song.  Other children can pretend to be the waves or other fish or sharks

2. Use a higher number and subtract two or three fishies each time for a math lesson

Google Docs: Five Little Fishes

Sea Gull song Sung to: "Frere Jacques"

I see sea gulls I see sea gulls,
At the beach, At the beach,

Soaring, diving, fishing,
Soaring, diving, fishing,
At the beach, At the beach.

Other verses:
I hear the ocean, I hear the ocean,
At the beach, At the beach,

Crashing, splashing, foaming
Crashing, splashing, foaming,
At the beach, At the beach.

I feel the breeze, I feel the breeze

At the beach, at the beach

Windy, blowing, blustry

Windy, blowing, blustry

At the beach, At the beach

Teaching Ideas:

1. Think of other things you can see, hear and feel at the beach.

2. Add actions to the words.  You can clap on "at the beach" or act out the describing words

Slippery Fish

Thumb and forefinger close and open for this small fish

Slippery fish, slippery fish

swimming in the water

A slippery fish, a slippery fish

Gulp, gulp

OH NO! He's been eaten by a

Hand opens and closes

Jellyfish, a jelly fish

swimming in the water

A jelly fish, a jelly fish

gulp, gulp

OH NO! He's been eaten by a

Both hands joined at the palm open and close

Tuna fish, a tuna fish

swimming in the water

A tuna fish, a tuna fish

gulp, gulp

OH NO! He's been eaten by a

Both arms joined at the elbow open and close

Great White Shark, a great white shark

swimming in the water

A great white shark, a great white shark

gulp, gulp, gulp

OH NO! He's been eaten by an

Both arms make a big open and close

Enormous Whale, an enormous whale

Spouting in the water

Enormous Whale, enormous whale

Gulp, gulp, BURP!

Excuse ME!

Teaching Idea:

1. Before you sing see if the students can put the fishes in order from smallest to biggest

2. Act out the song with students pretending to be the fish.

Google Docs: Slippery Fish

Sunny Primer Notes

For my younger students I wanted to include a game that drilled the introductory notes from Bass C-Treble G.  For the notes they have not learned we either take turns or figure out what the unknown note's name is.

Students draw cards and match them to the correct note.  You can use bingo chips to cover the notes they get right.  I also went around the sun and had the students play the note on the piano.

Google Docs: Sunny Primer Notes

Sunny Enharmonic Bright Spots

Here is a matching game to reinforce Enharmonic Notes along the same lines as my Sunny Circle of Fifths.  Students pick from the pile of cards and match the card to the correct note on the sun.

There are other ways to use this resource

• Flip the cards over in a grid pattern and play a memory game.  Try to pick the two cards that match.  F# - Gb
• Pick a card and play the note on the piano
• Players pick a color to represent their player (red bingo chips, pennies, candy, etc.) Take turns picking a card and placing a token on the correct key.  If you get two tokens on the same note, then you win that note.  Whoever has the most notes at the end wins the game.  You will need a lot of matching tokens, so I use bingo chips on a paper keyboard to play this version.

By the way, I have had bingo chips and pennies get stuck in my piano.  I had to call the tuner for a pennectomy, as he called it.  I now use paper keyboards when games call for tokens and things that can get stuck.  I've learned my lesson! 

Sunny Games on TPT

Goggle Docs: Sunny Enharmonics

Sunny Circle of Fifths UPDATED 5-15-2011

Here is a game to reinforce the Circle of Fifths.  You simple match the sunglasses to the correct key on the sun.  You could simple use the sun part and have students write the key.  As always, for a worksheet that will last and last you can laminate it or put it in a page protector.

This new version adds a back to the cards and sunglasses that only have one key on them.  You could just focus on minor keys or major keys.  The cards could also be used a lone for a matching game.

Google Docs: Sunny Circle of 5ths

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Songs

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a classic book for children.  It has beautiful pictures and a presentation of the story that is engaging.  You can use this book to teach many different things: Life cycle of the butterfly, days of the week, food categories, healthy eating habits, counting and many more.

Click on the picture for a copy of these songs

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Songs

Hello Sunshine Sung to "Goodnight Ladies"

Hello Sunshine

Hello Sunshine

Hello Sunshine

I'm glad that you are here

Children pretend they were just born and are seeing things in the world for the first time.  Children take turns naming things to say hello to.

I'm a little egg Sung to "Pop Goes the Weasel"

A little egg lay on a leaf

In the light of the moon

It wiggled and wiggled 

What will it be? 

Pop! A caterpillar

Think of other animals that are born from eggs and put them in the story.  Change the leaf to nest, sand, grass, etc...:  A baby bluebird, A baby turtle, A baby chick, A baby snake, A baby duck, A baby Ostrich

Recommended Reading:

1. Chicks Aren't the Only Ones by Ruth Heller

2. Guess What is Growing Inside This Eggs by Mia Posada

Today is Monday

Today is Monday, Today is Monday

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up

Today is Tuesday, Today is Tuesday

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up

Today is Wednesday, Today is Wednesday

Wednesday three plums

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up!

Today is Thursday, Today is Thursday

Thursday four strawberries

Wednesday three plums

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up!

Today is Friday, Today if Friday

Friday five oranges

Thursday four strawberries

Wednesday three plums

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up!

Today is Saturday, Today is Saturday

Saturday too much food

Friday five oranges

Thursday four strawberries

Wednesday three plums

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up!

Today is Sunday, Today is Sunday

Sunday one green leaf

Saturday too much food

Friday five oranges

Thursday four strawberries

Wednesday three plums

Tuesday two pears

Monday one apple

Hungry caterpillar, come and eat it up!

Link to food clip art

Fruits are Very Good For Me Sung to "Old Mac Donald"

Fruits are very good for me

EE- I- EE - I - OOOH

And so I eat them happily

EE- I- EE - I - OOOH

With an apple here, and an apple there

Here an apple, there and apple, everywhere an apple, apple

Fruits are very good for me

EE- I- EE - I - OOOH

Substitute other fruits in the song.

Recommended Reading

1. Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

2. A Fruit is a Suitcase for Seeds by Jean Richards

The Caterpillar is Growing Sung to "If you're happy and you know it"

I'm a tiny caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm a tiny caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I am tiny and I'm small watch me crawl on the wall

I'm a tiny caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm a medium caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm a medium caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm not to big and I'm not to small

I'm a medium caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm a big caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I'm a big caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

I ate too much food, now I have to make a cocoon

I'm a big caterpillar just for you (munch, munch)

Teaching Ideas:
1. Have a green ribbon or string represent the caterpillar.  Shorten and lengthen it according to the size.  Give each student one to practice with.  You can tie a red bead to the end of the string for the caterpillar's head.
2. Use your voice to change from a teeny tiny caterpillar to a big fat caterpillar.  The children love using a high squeaky voice and a big, low voice.

Caterpillar/ Butterfly Song Sung to "The Wheels on the Bus"
The caterpillars are wiggling around
Wiggling around, wiggling around
The caterpillars are wiggling around
All around the yard

The caterpillars are munching and a crunching
Munching and a crunching
The caterpillars are munching and a crunching
All around the yard

The caterpillars are building a cocoon
Building a cocoon, Building a cocoon
The caterpillars are building a cocoon
All around the yard

The butterflies are flying around
Flying around, flying around
The butterflies are flying around
All around the yard.

Teaching Idea:
1. Have a scarf for each student and use that in the song.  Wiggle it around, cover yourself in a cocoon and flap it up down for the butterfly.

The Life Of A Butterfly  Sung to: "Skip to My Lou"
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
What'll I be, my darlin'?

A chrysalis, now sleep like me.....
What'll I be, my darlin'?

A butterfly, come fly with me...
Come fly with me my darlin'.

Now all together, lets do all three.
A caterpillar, a chrysalis, a butterfly -- three.
Move your body like this with me.
The life of a butterfly, darlin'.

Check out these Great Resources!

Sunny Circle of Fifths UPDATED 5-13-2011

Here is a game to reinforce the Circle of Fifths.  You simple match the sunglasses to the correct key on the sun.  You could simple use the sun part and have students write the key.  As always, for a worksheet that will last and last you can laminate it or put it in a page protector.

Google Docs: Sunny Circle of 5ths
Sunny Games on TPT

Farm Songs

"Down on Grandpa's farm." 

We're on our way, we're on our way, 
On the way to Grandpa's farm. 

We're on our way, we're on our way, 
On the way to Grandpa's farm. 

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a black and white cow. 

Down on Grandpa's farm there is a black and white cow. 

The cow she calls her baby calf: Moo, Moo

The cow she calls her baby calf: Moo, Moo

Additional Verses:  
1. Crazy, gray goat.  The goat she calls her baby kid: Maa, Maa
2. Fluffy, white sheep.  The sheep she calls her baby lamb: Baa, Baa
3. Big, brown horse.  The horse she calls her baby colt: Neigh, Neigh
4. Fat, pink pig.  The pig she calls her baby piglet: Oink, Oink

HERE WE GO ROUND THE BIG RED BARN 
(Tune of "Round the Mulberry Bush") 

Here we go round the big red barn, 
The big red barn, the big red barn 

Here we go round the big red barn so early in the morning. 

This is the way we milk the cows, milk the cows, milk the cows 

This is the way we milk the cows so early in the morning. 

This is the way we feed the chickens, 
Feed the chickens, feed the chickens 

This is the way we feed the chickens so early in the morning. 

Teaching Ideas:
1. Continue with other farm chores (chop wood, mow hay, slop pigs, plant corn, etc., ask children for ideas and have them act out the verses as you sing) 
2. You can make a big circle and choose students to act out the motion in the middle.

The Cows On The Farm  (Sung to The Wheels On The Bus) 

The cows on the farm go mooo, mooo, mooo 

Mooo, mooo, mooo Mooo, mooo, mooo 

The cows on the farm go mooo, mooo, mooo  All night long! 

For additional verses, ask the children to name their favorite farm animal and what sound it makes. 


End with this verse: 

The farmer on the farm yells "Go to sleep!" 

"Go to sleep!" "Go to sleep!" 

The farmer on the farm yells "Go to sleep!" 

So I can get my beauty rest (snore!) 


If I Were a Farmer Sung to: "Did you ever see a lassie?"

Oh, if I were a farmer, a farmer, a farmer
Oh, if I were a farmer, what would I do?
I would milk the cows each morning
Each morning, each morning
I would milk the cows each morning, that's what I'd do.


Additional Verses: I would feed the baby chickens, I would gather eggs for breakfast 


Over In The Barnyard Sung to: "Down By The Station"

Over in the barnyard Early in the morning,
See the yellow chickies Standing in a row.
See the busy farmer Giving them breakfast.
Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep. Off they go.


Additional Verses: Spotted cows, Brown horses, Proud roosters, White sheep,  Pink pigs


Teaching Idea:
1. Have students line up across from each other.  Have pairs of students come down the aisle pretending to be the animals.  The teacher or a student could be the farmer giving them the breakfast.  On "off they go" they would go to the front of the line.  Then the back pair would come down the aisle as the next animal.


Farm Chores Sung to “Here we go round the Mulberry Bush”

This is the way we ______
This is the way we ______
So early in the morning.


Other actions: mow the hay, feeding the chicks, sow the seeds, pull the weeds, hoe the field, etc. 


Farm beat

Down on the farm with the beat in your feet

Tell me the animal that you’d like to meet

A cow, a cow, he wants to meet a cow.


Teaching Ideas:
1. March to the beat having students name animals they want to meet.

Baseball Game

One of my studio's favorite games is the Baseball Game.  I use a printable baseball field as the game board, though you could just put post its to represent Home Plate, 1st, 2nd and 3rd base.  Next I have my student choose four players.  I have an assortment of erasers they choose from, but you could use any tokens, coins, candy, etc. . .  The student lines up his players and puts the first token (player) on home plate.

Then using any kind of flashcards you want, you have the student identify the concept.  It could be staff notes, chords, keys, musical vocabulary, rhythm, etc. .   Teachers could even use spelling words, addition problems, the possibilities are endless.  If the student fails to identify the concept correctly, they get "Strike One".  The student gets two more chances "Strike Two" and then "Strike Three, YOUR OUT!"

If the student correctly identifies the flashcard then they pick a baseball card.  The baseball card tells them if they hit a single, double, triple, home run or foul ball.

Single: Advance one base
Double: Advance two bases
Triple: Advance three bases
Home Run: Every token (player) goes home and scores                                
Foul Ball: Player must identify another card

Play progresses and you can make the game stop when the player hits a certain score or when you have finished the flashcards.

Helpful Tip:  I review Staff Notes frequently with this game, so to save time I wrote  S, D, T, HR, FB on the back of the flashcards.  Students identify the note and then turn the card over to see what they got a S (Single), D (Double), T (Triple), HR (Home Run) or FB (Foul Ball).  Now Play Ball!

Reader Suggestion:  One of my readers, Jacki, had a great idea to make the single, double, triples and home runs into rhythms.  So on the back of her cards she wrote a quarter note (single), half note (double), dotted half note (triple) and whole note (Home Run).  You could also use rest or rhythm addition.  Thanks for the great idea!
Baseball Game on TPT

Google Docs: Baseball Game


Google Docs: Baseball Cards