Warm up with “Oh, My Aunt Came Back”

Sign and do the movements.

Read about the "Japanese Frog Song"

Where did the aunt go in the song? "My Aunt Came Back"? One of the places was Japan, so we're going to learn a song from Japan!

Teach "Japanese Frog Song"

Tell the students that they are going to learn some songs about frogs. Find Japan on a map of the world. Tell the students they are going to learn a song about frogs from Japan.

The song means, "I can hear the song of the frog." The “gwa” is the sound that the frog makes. Some music stores sell an instrument that makes the sound of the frog. You could add this effect on the words. Learn the Japanese words by playing short sections of the song, then repeating the words. This song is not too difficult for Grade 2 students to sing in
Japanese.

When the song is well known, try it as a two part round.

Optional: If you have a frog guiro, play the sounds the frog makes on the instruments. Substitute a regular guiro or scrape rhythm sticks if needed.

Play Along with "Contradance I"

Choose instruments to play along.

Do movement to “Contradance I” with Plates or with Hands

Give out two paper plates to each student or give each student two scarves.

If you don’t have paper plates or scarves, just use your hands!

Try doing the movement for "Contradance I" along with the video.

Learn about Mozart

Teach "Frog in the Middle"

Have the students read the rhythms for this song. Teach the melody of the song by rote and play the game.

Learn the game for “Frog in the Middle”

Students form a circle. Choose one student to be the frog in the middle. The “frog” stands with eyes shut and arms outstretched. While students sing the song, the “frog” turns. At the end of the song, the two students closest to the frog’s hands step out of the circle and race in the same direction. The first one back to tag one of the frog’s hands wins. This variant of the game would work for distanced or no-touch classrooms as is.

Play the game and sing “Frog in the Middle”

Echo Sing do-re-mi so in C

Echo the solfa patterns.

Print or Draw Animal Cards!

Print the animal cards from Supporting Resources.
-or-
Save paper and ink and draw your own!

Teach “Bought Me a Cat” and Sequence Your Cards as You Sing

Teach "Bought Me A Cat" and put your cards in order as you sing the song.

Choose Instruments to Play the Animal Sounds

Choose or find instruments to play the animal sounds.

Sing and play with “Bought Me a Cat”

Sing and play your instrument with the song.

Option 1: Complete the solfa challenge for “Bought Me a Cat”

If you teach solfa, do the solfa challenge activity.

Option 2: Complete the note name challenge for “Bought Me a Cat”

Optional: Illustrate a Reproducible Story Book

Illustrate a story book of the song. Then, you can take it home and sing the song at home!

Sing “The Music Time is Over”