Warm up with Snowman Bobo

Teach the chant by rote, demonstrating the actions as you go. Have the children copy your actions. Ask the students to tell you if this singing game uses a singing voice or a speaking voice. (speaking)

This is a cumulative game. You begin with one action, and add an action each repetition. Begin the chant, snapping the beats from side to side. On “Turn the button with your left hand” begin waving your left hand to the beat. The second time through the song substitute the words “Turn the button with your right hand.” Now you should be waving both your left hand and right hand. Add the left leg, right leg, head and tongue. This is a fun way to keep the beat!

Teach the song by rote.

When the students can easily sing it, play the game. Ask all students to close their eyes. Give one student the pencil, one student a book (use a mini-book) and one student a ruler. If they are given an object they will sing the solo when the question is asked by the class. At the end of the song all the students open their eyes and hide their hands behind their backs. Ask students to guess who has each object. This is an excellent way to be able to hear each of your students sing alone. If you wish to use this as an assessment, you can use the rubrics that follow.

Teacher note: We don't have a kids demo for "Who Has the Pencil?". If your students would like to see themselves on MusicplayOnline please review the submission requirements here: https://help.musicplay.ca/can-i-submit-a-kids-demo

There are two sections to this song. The first two lines are the first section, or the A section. The students clap with a partner during this part. The last line is the second section, or the B section. The students “polka” during this part. Discuss the two sections of the song with the students. Ask if the two sections are the same or different. (different) Label them with two different shapes or as an A and B section. Make responders for your students. Glue the letter A onto a craft stick and the letter B onto another stick. Give each child an A and B stick. Have them hold up the A when they hear the first section and the B when they hear the second section.

Teach the song by rote. Sing and do the actions to the song.

Print a set of 5 penguins to use as manipulatives while you sing the song (manipulatives are available in the song's printables section). The first time you use them, the teacher should model. Each verse, you’ll take one penguin away and count the ones that are left. You can make class sets of penguins for the students to use. Cut them out and package five penguins in a ziplock bag. Glue the penguins onto different colors of cardstock. When you give out the ziplock bags, give each child a set with a different color background. This will help to keep the ziplock bags organized. The students enjoy singing and counting their own penguins as they sing.

This song is included to prepare the so-mi interval and to give students an opportunity to create movement. This song is mentioned in the So-me storybook #9 - “So-me Goes to the Party” by Stuart Manins.

Form a circle. All sing the song swinging their arms while the student chosen to be Old Mother Brown moves around the inside of the circle to the movements of the animal or person she chooses to become. The students guess what she is. If the students like, they can clap hands on “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, wham.” Sometimes Old Mother Brown falls down on the word “wham.”

Show the phrases by drawing a rainbow shape with your finger. Count the phrases. (4) Ask the students to tell you which phrases are the same and which are different. (1 and 2 are the same.) The phrases are not all the same length. Phrase 1 and 2 are only 1 measure. Phrases 3 and 4 are each 2 measures long.

Review singing and speaking voices with your students. Ask them to listen to the song and tell you when a singing voice is used and when a speaking voice is used. The interactive activity, Types of Voices, is linked to this song.

Teacher note: We don't have a kids demo for "Old Mother Brown". If your students would like to see themselves on MusicplayOnline please review the submission requirements here: https://help.musicplay.ca/can-i-submit-a-kids-demo

Teach the song by rote.

This song presents an opportunity to discuss the most appropriate way to choose partners. They need to learn to choose partners in a way that doesn’t leave anyone out and hurt their feelings. I often use an analogy that goes something like this. “If the principal came and asked if I wanted to go out for lunch with her today and I said “No way!” the principal would have really hurt feelings wouldn’t she? If the principal asks me to go for lunch, I’ll go, even if the principal isn’t my very best friend. In the same way, if a student invites you to be a partner, you should join him so you don’t hurt his feelings.

If I have an even number of students I don’t play. If I have an odd number of students I will play, and make sure that I choose the student that might be left out by the other students.

Form a circle. Choose one or two children to start the game. (It goes quicker with two.) These two children walk around the inside of the circle. On the words “On the way I met a friend” they shake hands with the child they are in front of. They pat the words “fiddledeedee” on their legs. Then they do the clap pattern with their partner - clap own hands, clap partner’s hands. Then, all four children walk around the inside of the circle and choose partners. Then eight children walk around, etc. until all children have a partner.

Alternate Game: The children in the class scatter throughout the classroom. The class sings the verse softly, while all walk slowly around the circle, looking for a partner. They should have chosen a partner by the time they get to the words “On the way I met a friend.” With their partner they do a simple clapping pattern: clap own hands, clap partner’s hands, etc. When the song repeats they go looking for a new partner. They shouldn’t choose the same partner twice in the game.

This song is included to teach clearly demonstrate the difference between fast and slow. Teach the first verse of the song by rote. The rest of the song should be easily learned. Play the audio recording and pause it to play one phrase of each new verse. Then invite the students to join in. When you come to verse four, ask the students how the music changes. (It goes slower.) When you get to verse five, ask the students how the music changes. (It goes faster.) Add actions as suggested by the words.

Consider adding instruments to the song. Sandpaper blocks or pool noodle scrapers make a sound that goes well with train songs. You will have another opportunity to observe how well your students play the beat with instruments.

Play a follow-the-leader game with the song. The first student in line is the leader and creates an action or motion that everyone copies. At the end of verse 1, the leader goes to the end of the line and the next in line is the new leader.

Play a follow the leader game with the song. The first student in line is the leader and creates an action or motion that everyone copies. At the end of verse 1, the leader goes to the end of the line and the next in line is the new leader.

Sing and move to “Skinnamarink”.