This is an old song that tells a story. Meredith/Covell/Brown (Folk Songs of Australia, Volume 2, pages 130-131) says that the tune for this song came from "The Evening Stars," a waltz by Joseph Franz Karl Lanner (1801-1843). The author is unknown. The earliest recording was in the early 1920s.

Teach the song by rote. You could divide the class into two groups to tell the two sides of the story. The traditional words have been adapted slightly to avoid the use of the words “smoked his cigar” in a song for elementary school. We substituted the words “ate chocolate bars”.

Use the song to teach or reinforce the 3/4 time signature. You could use this song to teach about simple meter. The term simple means that each of these beats can be broken into two notes. For example, 3/4 is classified as simple triple. The rhythms are reading material, but the melody should be taught by rote. Review how to read first and second endings.

Teach the song by rote. Teach and play the game.

Play a passing game using CDE GA Boomwhackers® or rhythm sticks. Use the following patterns or create your own.

Waddally acha, waddally acha ~ tap floor, tap floor, hit hand, rest
doodleeedoo, doodleeedoo, ~ tap left knee, hit hand, tap right knee, hit hand (2x)
Waddally acha, waddally acha ~ tap floor, tap floor, hit hand, rest
doodleeedoo, doodleeedoo. It’s the ~ tap left knee, hit hand, tap right knee, hit hand (2x)
simplest thing, there’s nothing much to it. ~ pass to the right, pick up the tube in front of you (4x)
All you gotta do is doodleeedoo it. ~ pass to the right, pick up the tube in front of you (4x)
I like the rest, but the part I like best is ~ pass to the right, pick up the tube in front of you (4x)
doodleeedoo, doodleeedoo! ~ tap left knee, hit hand, tap right knee, hit hand (2x)

Repeat the pattern, getting faster each time. Invite the students to create their own passing patterns. The sound of the Boomwhackers or rhythm sticks adds a rhythmic accompaniment to the song. View the kids demo of this game.

If your students are good music readers, they may be able to write out their rhythm compositions. If your students are just beginning to read and write music, you may want to give them note squares to help them start notating music. Each square represents one beat. If they are to have 16 beats in their composition, they should have four rows with four squares in each. You may copy and cut up the note squares from the Printables section on MusicplayOnline. Place 20+
different note squares in an envelope and make enough packages for all the groups in your class.

This song gives the students the opportunity to create a rhythm rondo. The song, “Play That Rhythm” will be the theme of the rondo. The variations will be rhythm compositions created by the students. Teach the song by rote. Create 4 bar rhythm patterns to play on Boomwhackers or rhythm instruments. Use the song as the theme of a rondo and your rhythm patterns as the B, C, D sections. The final form will be A B A C A D A.

Your students will create the B-C-D variations using a variety of rhythm instruments. You could have the class as a whole create the rhythm compositions and decide which instruments to play them on. If your students are good at working independently, you could divide them into small groups to create their own rhythm compositions. If they are not good independent workers, you may prefer to do the composition as a teacher-led activity with the entire class. Choose a variety of unpitched rhythm instruments with which to play the rhythm compositions.

Teaching Purpose/Suggestions: This song gives the students the opportunity to create a rhythm rondo. “Play That Rhythm” will be the theme of the rondo. The variations will be 8 measure rhythm compositions created by the students. Teach the song by rote. Your students will create the variations using a variety of percussion instruments. If your students are good at working independently, you could divide them into small groups to create their own rhythm compositions. If they are not good independent workers, you may prefer to do the composition as a teacher-led activity with the entire class.