Sunday, May 22, 2011

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

Thursday, May 19, 2011

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! 
Goggle Docs: Sunny Enharmonics

Sunday, May 15, 2011

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


Friday, May 13, 2011

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


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

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!

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!




Wednesday, May 11, 2011

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