Choose 4 student leaders and have them create movement to the beat.

The rest of the class copies.

View the kids demo to see how to play.

Then, play the audio and play copycat with the kids.

Lunar New Year worksheet package is linked in the supporting resources.

Read the slide to the students.

Teacher note: This song is a spiritual and contains religious themes. Please consider the needs of your students and community when deciding to use this song.

Teach "Michael, Row” by rote. This song may be familiar to your students. Discuss how music is used in different ways by people all over the world.

Teach song by rote. When the students know the song, teach one of the games.

The students in the class form a circle (or two circles). The class sings the verse softly while the first student walks slowly around the circle looking for a partner. The first student chooses a partner after the words “a friend of mine I chanced to meet.” The singing becomes louder as the two students skip around the outside of the circle. At the next verse, they both walk alone and both choose new partners. Continue until all students in the class are chosen.

Another way to play the game is to have the students move freely looking for a partner as they sing the first two phrases. On the words “I chanced to meet”, they shake hands with their partner and snap four times on "Hi ho! Hi ho! Hi ho!"

Begin a clapping pattern:
Rig a jig jig (pat pat pat pat)
away we go (clap own hands, clap partner’s hands 3x)
Hi ho! Hi ho! Hi ho! (snap snap snap)

Sing "The Music Time is Over."