The beat chants are a great way to welcome your students to music class or music time. Some music teachers teach more than a thousand students each week and it can be very difficult to remember the names. Starting your class with a name chant establishes a routine, introduces the term “beat” and will help the teacher remember all of the names.

Say the preschool chant, patting a steady beat as you speak. Say hello to four students, then say the chant again. Say hello to them using high and low voices, quiet and loud voices, fast and slow. Also use speaking, whispering, shouting or calling and singing voices. When singing hello use a variety of solfa patterns: so-mi so-so-mi, so-la-so-mi-do or mi-re-do-do-do. In the chants where children say their own names, encourage them to use different voices.

Read and Discuss the Music Room Rules.

Have the students give examples of good choices, being responsible, good manners, etc.

Extension: Give your students a piece of paper, and have them draw a picture of how they could follow one rule.

Put 5-6 instruments in a box so the children can’t see what you're playing. Play it, and they identify the instrument. It’s a great way to introduce them to the timbre of unpitched instruments, and to help build their vocabulary as they learn the names of all the instruments!

Read and echo the words to the song "I've Got the Beat"
Teacher: reads a line Students: Echo
Try 2 lines - then 4

Skip ahead if students can sing the song.

Do movements with JJ to the song "I've got the Beat"

Sing the whole song!

Have students stand and move in place to the drum.

Talk about the appropriate ways to move in the open space.
(no bumping or pushing, listen and move to the music)
If students are ready, have them move to the drum - or drum yourself and have students move and stop.