Use body percussion or non-pitched percussion instruments to play along with the displayed rhythms.

The game is useful for teaching beat, rhythm, assessing solo singing, learning the students’ names, and learning high/low or so-mi.

Start by singing “Hello _____” to a student (e.g. , "Hello David"). The student continues the game by singing hello to a classmate. The classmate sings hello using a different classmate’s name. Eliminate those who don’t sing on the beat until there are only a few left. Practice many times before beginning the elimination part of this game. If you do not like to eliminate students, try this variation.

Non-Elimination Game: Each time someone misses a name, change tempo.

Try writing out some of the phrases for your students names using the One Line Staff Tool. Ask students if they want to try singing the phrase alone, or try as a group.

Review the song and lyrics.

Movement Extension:
Have students hold a scarf with a partner with both hands—one hand on each corner—so the scarf stays flat in front of them. As the music plays, students gently sway side to side to the beat. This helps them feel the triple meter and the gentle character of the music.

Added Challenge:
Place a balloon on top of the flat scarf. Challenge students to continue swaying to the beat without letting the balloon fall.

Review what is a a lullaby.

Review the song.

This song is fun to sing and a great springboard for creating new rhyming verses. Students love coming up with their own ideas!

Start by brainstorming rhyming pairs as a class. Write a few sample verses on the board for students to copy. Then, invite students to either use the class-created verses or come up with their own. Using the printable worksheet, students can write their verse and draw a matching picture.

Teacher Tip:
Students at this age may find the writing part challenging. Carry sticky notes with you and offer to scribe tricky words or full sentences to support their creativity and help them complete the activity.

Examples:

Did you ever see a hog sitting on a log?

Did you ever see a llama wearing red pyjamas?

Review the song and play the game. This is a fun way to have your students create movement.

Form a single circle. Choose one student to be Punchinello. On the words, “Look who goes here ...,” Punchinello walks to the beat around the inside of the circle. On the words, “What can you do ...,” Punchinello makes up an action. On the words, “We can do it too ...,” all students do the action that Punchinello made up. Spread this game over several classes so 4-6 students get a turn each class.

Teach the verses that are given by rote. Then ask the students for things that they are thankful for and make up new verses.

Extension: Choose and play unpitched rhythm instruments instead of clapping during the song. Sing the words of the first half of verse one, and improvise for four beats where the clapping occurs.

Teach the song by rote. This song is a call and response in which the response is an echo.

Have the students make a circle. Choose one student to be the turkey. The "turkey" struts around the outside of the circle while all the students sing the song. At the end of the song, the "turkey" tags a student, who chases and tries to tag the "turkey" before the "turkey" reaches the inside of the circle. Both the “turkey” and the “chaser” sit in the middle of the circle until all the students have had a turn.

Teach this song by rote and play the game.

Choose one student to be the "cook". The "cook" goes out of the room and hides their eyes. The teacher gives five feathers to five students in the class. All the students hide their hands behind their backs. When the "cook" returns to the classroom, the "cook" tries to guess which students are the turkeys. Play again with a new "cook". Keep track of which "cook" gets the most right. That "cook" is the winner.

An alternate way to play the game would be to have five guessers at the front of the room. Sing the song, then give feathers to five students. When you give them a feather they sing, “I am a turkey.” The five guessers try to guess who was a turkey. Choose five new guessers and the game continues. This also gives you an opportunity to assess individual singing.

Teacher note: We don't have a kids demo for "Five Fat Turkeys". If your students would like to see themselves on MusicplayOnline please review the submission requirements here: https://help.musicplay.ca/can-i-submit-a-kids-demo

Sing "The Music Time is Over."