1 Sing the echo parts in "Welcome to Music"

Sing the echo parts in "Welcome to Music".

Teachers: when your students are very confident singing this song, let them take turns being the leader!

2 Do vocal warmups with spooky sounds

Do vocal warmups with spooky sounds.

Echo the sounds that you hear.

3 Play Freeze Dance or play instruments 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.

OR - play instruments with the music.
If grade ones have not learned to read rhythms, have them play the beat with the recording.
If the students do know how to read rhythms, create some patterns as a class, and play them with the music.

4 Review the song "Today is Monday"

Review the song "Today is Monday".

Play instruments with the song, playing the day of the week and the name of the food.

Monday meatballs - would be played ta ta ta ta.

5 Learn to sing #29."Bats and Cats"

Listen to the video. Can you think of movements that you could do with the song?

Play it again, and sing and move to the song.

6 Create Sound effects for the song "Bats and Cats"

Create Sound effects for the song "Bats and Cats"

Think of ways to make sounds for each verse.
1. Bats fly across the sky: flap a newspaper or notebook
2. Black cats creep in the night: pound pool noodle scrapers on desk
3. Robots go clink and clank: play 2 metal spoons or triangle

Try out the sounds. If you like them, keep them. If not, try different sounds.

In-person? Teach the Orff arrangement for the song, then perform with movement and sound effects.

7 “Deedle Deedle Dumpling”

Teach the poem “Deedle Deedle Dumpling”.

Have the students take one shoe off and step the beat, starting with the shoe that has a foot.
Ask them if some beats feel stronger than others.

8 “Deedle Deedle Dumpling” and Accented Beats

Explain that a beat that feels stronger is called an “accented” or "strong" beat.

Draw an accent over the strong beat.

Explain to the students that a barline comes before an accented or "strong" beat.

9 Review "I Can Pretend" and move to the music

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.

10 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.

11 Dramatize the song "Witch's Cat" or "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 ...

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

Watch the listening map for "Personages with Long Ears"

Move to the music to show how the notes go higher or lower.

13 Sing "The Music Time is Over"

Sing "The Music Time is Over".