Friday, April 23, 2010

Garden Songs

Plants Sung to: "The Farmer In The Dell"
The farmer plants the seeds The farmer plants the seeds
Hi, Ho and Cherry O

The farmer plants the seeds
The rain begins to fall
The sun begins to shine
The plants begin to grow
The buds all open up
The flowers smile at me

Parts of the plants Sung to: "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Do you know the parts of plants, parts of plants?
Do you know the parts of plants, parts of plants?
All kinds of plants that grow and grow and grow.
Do you know the parts of plants, parts of plants?

The roots hold the plant in place, plant in place.
The roots hold the plant in place, plant in place.
The roots store food and water too.
The roots hold the plant in place, plant in place.

The stem moves water up the plant, up the plant.
The stem moves water up the plant, up the plant.
The stem brings water to the leaves.
The stem moves water up the plant, up the plant.

The leaves soak up the sun, soak up the sun.
The leaves soak up the sun, soak up the sun.
The sun helps the plant to grow and grow and grow.
The leaves soak up the sun, soak up the sun.

The flower grows into a fruit, into a fruit.
The flower grows into a fruit, into a fruit.
Inside the fruit are little, tiny seeds.
The flower grows into a fruit, into a fruit.

Daffodils fingerplay
One little daffodil had nothing much to do,
Out popped another one, then there were two.
Two little daffodils were smiling at a bee,
Out popped another one, then there were three.
Three little daffodils were growing by the door,
Out popped another one, then there were four.
Four little daffodils were glad to be alive,
Out popped another one, then there were five.
Five little daffodils were wearing golden crowns,
They danced in the breeze in green satin gowns.

The Planting Flowers Song (sung to "Peanut, Peanut Butter, and Jelly
First you take the seed and you plant it, you plant it
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Next you take a shovel and you dig, you dig
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Put it in the soil and you cover, you cover
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Next you take the can and you water, you water
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Give it lots of sun and it will sprout, will sprout
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Look at all the flowers that are growing, are growing
Chorus: Planting, Planting Flowers, for Springtime

Five Spring Flowers
Five spring flowers, all in a row.
The first one said, "We need rain to grow!"
The second one said, "Oh my, we need water!"
The third one said, "Yes, it is getting hotter!"
The fourth one said, "I see clouds in the sky."
The fifth one said, "I wonder why?"

Then BOOM went the thunder
And ZAP went the lightning!
That springtime storm was really frightening!
But the flowers weren't worried–no, no, no, no!
The rain helped them to grow, grow, GROW!

Out in My Garden Sung to: "Down by the station"
Out in my garden early in the morning
see the little vegetables all in a row
see the rows of carrots
and the rows pf peas, water, hoe, grow, grow
In my garden please.

Teaching Ideas: Substitute carrots and peas for other vegetables

This is the way we plant the seeds
Sung to: "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush."
This is the way we plant our seeds,
Plant our seeds, plant our seeds.
This is the way we plant our seeds,
Early in the morning.

This is the way the wind does blow,
This is the way the rain comes down,
This is the way the sun shines bright,
This is the way the seed grows up,
This is the way we hoe the soil,
This is the way we pick our beans,

Earth Day Songs

Recycling In My Home
(to the tune of "The Wheels On the Bus")
Recycling in my home goes round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
Recycling in my home goes round and round,
All through the day.
Tie up the papers and take them back,
Take them back, take them back.
Tie up the papers and take them back,
All through the day.
Crush the cans and take them back.....
Rinse the milk bottles and take them back....
Save the glass and take it back......
Working on the Trash
(to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad")
We've been working on RECYCLING All the trash we can,
We've been working on recycling, It's a very simple plan,
Separate your glass and paper,
Separate your plastic and tin.
Take the trash that you've recycled To your recycling bin!
We've been working on REDUCING All the trash we can.
We've been working on reducing It's a very simple plan.
Don't go wasting any products, Use just exactly what you need.
Don't buy things in extra wrapping, Reduce and you'll succeed!
We've been working on REUSING All the trash we can.
We've been working on reusing, It's a very simple plan.
If it's a paper bag you're using, Don't use it once, use it twice!
Give old clothes and toys to someone, To reuse them would be nice! 

Reduce Reuse Recycle (to the tune of "The More We Get Together")
Reduce Reuse Recycle Recycle... recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle It's easy to do
Cause your trash And my trash
Make up way Too much trash
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Its easy to do! 
Down at the dump Sung to: "Down by the station"
Down at the factory early in the morning,
See the recycling trucks standing in a row.
See them dump the
plastic
In a great big pile, dump, dump, toot, toot
Watch them go.
Substitute plastic for metal, glass, paper, bottles, cans, etc. . . 

Recycle for our earth
Sung to Mary Had a Little Lamb 
Hear the cans go crunch, crunch crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, Hear the cans go crunch, crunch crunch, Recycle for our earth. 
Hear the paper go crinckle, crinckle, crinckle...crinckle,crinckle,crinckle,...Hear the paper go crinckle, crinckle, crinckle...Recycle for our earth. 
Hear the bottle go ding, ding, ding
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding,
Hear the bottle go ding, ding, ding
Recycle for our earth.
I'm A Piece of Litter (Sung To: "I'm A Little Teapot") 
I'm a piece of litter, Pick me up,
Put me in the garbage, Or recycle me,
When you do this, You'll make the earth,
Much more beautiful, For you and me,
See the pond all grimy, Help clean up,
You'll see more happy faces,
Where ever you go,
You'll make the earth more beautiful than ever before,
You'll be able to hear it say "Thank you!"

Monday, April 19, 2010

Flashcard Tip

Do you ever want to drill a student on notes or chords, but have to sort through the cards to find all the notes they know and take out the ones they haven't learned yet?  I finally came up with a easy system to help.  I have organized my flash cards according to the students level.  I use a sticker that is the same color as the students books and place it on the back of the card.  I use Faber and Faber a lot, so purple cards are all the notes they will learn by the end of the book.  Then red cards add High C position and some notes in G position.  This saves me a lot of time!!!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Group Lesson Easter Style

This week I am having group lessons.  I started giving group lessons about three years ago and am so glad I did.  I do two group lesson each semester.  Students sign up for a time and come for an hour.  The group lesson takes place of their regular lesson.  It is a great way to reinforce musical concepts and I always have my students share a piece they are working on, so it is a great motivation to get a piece ready for a performance.

This time I have an Easter themed group lesson.  We did a fun activity with Easter Eggs.  I take plastic Easter eggs and write A,B,C,D,E,F,G on them with a sharpie.  Inside the eggs I put slips of paper with questions or symbols to identify.  I try to have my students arranged by level in their group lesson so that we can focus on learning the same things.  Sometimes I have mixed levels and have to accommodate for the differences.  If all the students are the same level, then the eggs can be mixed up, but if you have different levels I assign the level a color of egg.  For example, purple eggs have questions for level one and orange eggs have questions for level two.

Here are some examples of what questions are in the eggs:
1. What is a skip above C?
2. Play an E major chord
3. How many flats are in the key of Db Major?
4. What note is 3 beats long?
5. Name the 5 lines of the Treble Clef
6. To gradually slow down.

I also have musical symbols they identify.

First I hide the eggs and the students try and find them.  I tell the students the can only find a set amount of eggs so everyone can find the same to be fair.  Then I have the student match the letter on their egg to a staff card, chord card or just a keyboard note, depending on the level.  After they match their egg they can place it in my Easter basket.  Then I tell them to pick an egg, a certain color if necessary and they answer the question inside.
Enjoy!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Lucky Penny

Lucky Penny

This game is fun around St. Patrick's day and great way to review note names.

Items needed:
Pennies
Staff cards
Green sticker
Candy

1. Place a green star or sticker on two - five pennies.
2. Place these pennies on the keyboard.
3. Students take turns taking off the penny that matches the staff card.
4. If they get a lucky penny with the green sticker on it they get a small candy (starburst, piece of bubble gum, etc. . .)





Saturday, March 13, 2010

St. Patrick's Day Songs

St. Patrick's Day Songs

The Leprechaun Song (sung to Mary Had a Little Lamb)
I'm a little leprechaun leprechaun leprechaun 
I'm a little leprechaun Who likes to hide my gold.
I dress in green from head to toe head to toe head to toe 
I dress in green from head to toe I wear green all day long!
You'll never catch me or my gold not my gold not my gold 
You'll never catch me or my gold I hide it much too well!




St. Patrick's Day (tune: If You're Happy and You Know It)
On Saint Patrick's day, you might see a leprechaun. (wee little lad)
If you close your eyes and wish, and pretend you are Irish, 
On St. Patrick's Day, you might see a leprechaun. 
On St. Patrick's Day, you might see a rainbow bright. (Ah make rainbow with arm)
On St. Patrick's Day you might see a pot of gold. (I’m rich Snap finger)
On St. Patrick's Day you might see a shamrock green. (Make a wish)
Leprechaun stew
Leprechaun stew, Leprechaun stew,
If I don't get some,
I don't know what I'll do.
Give away my pot of gold
Give away my shoe.
But don't give away my Leprechaun Stew.
Mix in potatoes, carrots too
Add some celery and broccoli too
Just wait till you taste my Leprechaun stew.

Go On A Leprechaun Hunt (an adaptation of the Bear Hunt)
Ask the children to listen closely and follow the directions. Instruct
them to clap the rhythm or slap their knees as you tell the story.
Going on a leprechaun hunt. I'm not afraid.
Let's go! Oh. look! I see a grassy field.
Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Can't go over it. Let's go through it.
Let's go! Swish, swish, swish, swish.
Oh, look! I see a giant tree.
Can't go over it. Can't go under it. Can't go through it. Let's climb it.
Let's go! Climb, climb, climb.
Oh, look! I see a river.
Can't go over it. Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Let's Swim it.
Let's go. Swim, swim, swim.
Oh, look! I see a dark cave.
Can't go around it. Can't go under it. Can't go over it. Let's tiptoe into it.
Let's go. Tippy, tippy, toe.
It's really dark in here. Better turn on my flashlight
Oh, no. I see something!
It's mean! It's green! It's a leprechaun! Let's go!
Run! Run! Swim! Swim! Climb! Climb! Swish! Swish!
Whew...safe at home again.




Sunday, March 7, 2010

Secret Color Game


The Secret Color Game

This is a great game to work on note location.  Many students can name notes on flash cards, but when it comes to playing the note in the right place on the keyboard, they sometimes are too high or low.

Directions:
1. Place bingo chips or jewels on the keys you want to review.  I have different colored jewels that I use.
2. Before you start the game you take one jewel and hide it under a book or cup.  This is the secret color.
3. The student takes a jewel off the key that matches the flash card. 
4. You or another student take turns taking jewels off.
5. At the end you reveal the secret color and that color is worth two points.  You add up your jewels and get two points for each jewel that is the secret color.  Whoever has the most colors wins!

Variations:
1. For beginners you can just use alphabet cards instead of flash cards.
2. For students who don't know many note names, you can put more than one jewel on a key.
3. Another way to start the game is to have the student put the jewel on the key as you review the note names and where the location of the note is.