Do Vocal Warmups with Spooky Sounds

Do vocal warmups with spooky sounds.

Echo the sounds that you hear.

Play Freeze Dance with the Music

Invite the kids to move to the beat - dance, twist, hop, turn, sway.

Teachers starts the music. When the teacher hits pause, all FREEZE.
Some teachers play this as an elimination - if you're moving after the music stops, you sit down.
A fun variant is to have the kids freeze and make a pose. You might make a pose like a pumpkin or cat or skeleton.

Listen to "Today is Monday"

Teach the song by rote. This is a fun children's traditional song. It's fun to sing, and fun to accompany with unpitched instruments. The song is used to teach days of the week and the sounds of the consonants.

Create an Accompaniment for "Today is Monday"

What instruments do you have in your classroom?

Create an accompaniment for the song with instruments.

If you can find 7 different things to use for instruments you, can play each day of the week on a different instrument.

If you only have 1 "instrument" play it for all the days.

During the chorus (Today is Monday, today is Monday) you rest.
Play on the words - Monday meatballs

Try other ways of accompanying the song.
During the chorus play one instrument.
During the days (Monday meatballs) play on a different instrument.

Choose the Instrument to Play

Choose the instrument to play.

Use this interactive tool to choose your instruments for each day.

Learn to Sing "I Can Pretend"

Learn to sing "I Can Pretend" and move to the music.

Each verse will have a different animal.
Verse 1: bird
Verse 2: horse
Verse 3: frog

During the instrumental part, move like the animal.

Make up Your own Verses for "I Can Pretend"

Make up your own verses for "I Can Pretend."

I can pretend I'm something else can you.
I can pretend I'm something else can you.
I'll pretend that I'm a __________________
and then I'll ___________ around the room.
I'll pretend that I'm a __________________.
Can you?

Choose 3 different animals and sing and move to the song.

Optional: Dramatize "Witch's Cat" (or use the words Kitchen Cat)

This is an optional activity for those who celebrate Halloween.
-or-
Change the words "Witch's Cat" to "Kitchen Cat."

Dramatize the song "Witch's Cat" / "Kitchen Cat."

Act out all the parts of the song.
1. The witches/kitchen cat is sleeping...
2. The little mice are playing ...
3. The little mice are nibbling ...
4. The witches/kitchen cat is stretching ...
5. The witches/kitchen cat is chasing ...

Listen to "Personages with Long Ears"

Listen to "Personages with Long Ears."

Can you show with your arms or with a scarf how the sounds go high and low?

Watch the Listening Map for "Personages with Long Ears"

Watch the listening map for "Personages with Long Ears."

Sing "The Music Time is Over"