1 Sing the echoes in "Welcome to School"
Sing the echoes in "Welcome to School"
In this lesson you will
Sing the echoes in #1 “Welcome to School”
Sing to Melody the Elephant – vocal improvisation
#96 “Wallaby Hop” – create a dance
#95 “Kangaroo” – play a bordun, play game, interactive rhythm activities
Listening – Kangaroo Carnival of the Animals, Dramatize
Review as time permits #97 “Hey There Friend” – play singing game (modify as needed)
Sing the echoes in "Welcome to School"
Practice distinguishing between speaking and singing voices by introducing a toy elephant named Melody.
Melody the elephant will do what the children tell her, if they tell her in a “singing voice.” If they speak, she does nothing.
Tell Melody to “jump up and down” using a speaking voice.
Melody won’t move. Then sing to Melody to “jump up and down” and make your elephant jump.
Invite the children to sing to Melody what to do. (The demo that follows will show how to do this)
This is a preschool class with children ages 3-4-5.
A few children in this age group were able to sing to Melody, but many needed help.
Keep bringing your "Melody Elephant" back to class until your students can sing to her!
Substitute whatever stuffed animal you have - Melody Monkey would work just as well!
Copy the movements for the dance.
Or have the students create their own!
Listen to the song.
Play the video again and sing along.
This is a guessing game. Choose a "kangaroo" and a "hunter."
The "kangaroo" covers eyes.
The class sings the question and the "hunter" sings the last line alone.
The "kangaroo" guesses who the "hunter" was.
Zoom: play as suggested.
In-person: If you aren't allowed to sing, play the recording for the first 3 phrases, then have the "hunter" say instead of sing the last line.
In this activity children learn to point to the beat.
As well, they practice tracking from left to right.
A beat pointing page will soon be available for this song.
Children benefit from tapping the beat on the pointing page manipulative even more than they do from watching the projected visual. Project the visual first so you can model how to point to the beat.
Then, copy the pointing page for each child and they can tap the beat themselves.
The purpose of this exercise is to help children develop "audiation" or "inner hearing."
Click on some beats. The children won't sing out loud on those beats. They'll sing them "in their head"
I like to keep taking away beats until the children sing just the first and last note.
If you have had your students tap the beat many times, they may be ready to learn about rhythm.
In Musicplay, rhythm is defined for littles as "the way the words go."
Sing the song and clap the words. (if not allowed to sing, say the words)
Clap (and sing) the words in a box and ask your students, "Is it one sound or two"
This is preparing the children to learn that one sound on a beat is a quarter note. (ta or du)
Two sounds on a beat are eighth notes. (ti-ti)
Use the rhythm names that you prefer in naming the notes.
While the children listen, ask them to think about whether the notes are long or short.
Ask the children to pretend they are a mama kangaroo who's lost her baby.
When they hear "jumping" or short sounds they jump to where they think they see their baby.
When they hear "looking" or long sounds, they look for baby.
- watch the kids demo of this singing game
- while watching think about ways to modify for Zoom or in-person
Adapt the game for your situation.
Zoom: Ask the children at home to find a stuffed animal to be their partner!
If they find 2 stuffies, they could even switch partners.
In-Person: The teacher chooses a student to be the "partner" for all in the class.
All students do the movements towards this person, but stay in their place.
(or have kids choose a distanced partner - but encourage them to be inclusive!)
You might invite kids to discuss what makes a good friend, and how they can be a good friend to others.
Sing and move to #10 “Skinamarink”