Students may be able to read the rhythms and the solfa notes in this song.

Use this song to teach the students that not all phrases are the same length. As they sing the song, have them show the phrases by drawing an arc in the air with a finger. The first and second phrases are 4 beats long. (a a) The third phrase is 8 beats long. (b)

This would be a good song to have students draw how the melody goes. You may be able to take your students outside and have them draw the melody on cement with sidewalk chalk.

This song is a counting game. Have the students form a circle. Have one student walk around the outside of the circle as you sing the song. At the end of the song they’ll be standing behind a student while holding up one to five fingers. The student they are behind has to guess how many fingers are being held. You can have the student who is guessing sing the responses. This will give you an opportunity to assess pitch matching in your class.

#6. In this activity you will figure out how many sounds there are on each beat of the song. You will show how many sounds using pictures.

#7. In this activity you will figure out how many sounds there are on each beat of the song. You will show how many sounds using notes.

Teach the students the Orff arrangement. To extend the activity, use the song and orchestration as an A section and have students create a B section or movement. Discuss and decide on a final form for your performance.

B Section Ideas: Improvisation activity. Have the students create ostinati using numbers to try with body percussion or instruments. For example: 1, 2, 3-4, 5 ta ta ti-ti ta or 1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 ti-ti ta ti-ti ta

Select one of these to be the B section in your performance, or select several of them and perform them as variations in a rondo.

Try playing the melody on barred instruments or on Boomwhackers. If you are using Boomwhackers, use the arrangements in the Boomwhacker section under Instruments.