This is a reading song. Read the rhythms for “Ickle Ockle.” Write the rhythm on the board. When they know the rhythm, sing the note names using letter names or solfa. When the melody is learned, have them sing the song with words. Play the game.

A silent beat is a rest. Circle the rests in "Ickle Ockle." La is the solfa note just above so. If so is in a space, la is found on the line just above. If so is on a line, la is in the space just above.

Students form a circle with hands joined and raised - they are the "net." Choose one student to be the fisher and one student to be the fish. The fisher goes into the middle of the circle and the fish goes outside of the circle. Sing the song. At the end of the song, the students lower their hands. The fisher leaves the net (the circle) and tries to tag the fish before the fish can get into the net (the circle). Read about rests below. Then, read the notes and rhythms for the song.

Denise Tip: To make this game work, I choose the student to my immediate right to be the fisher, and the student to the right of them to be the fish. After they have had their turns, they rejoin the circle on my left side.

Teach the arrangement to your students, or have your students improvise and create their own. As students go “out” in the game, they could go to the instruments to play instead of rejoining the circle or sitting out.