Kindergarten Music News
December 2019/ January 2020
We are enjoying listening and performing movement to selections from Carnival of the Animals, such as The Swan, Turtles, and Aquarium.
We continued our "ocean" theme by moving like sea creatures to the song, "Down By the Ocean," and playing hand drums to accompany the song, "Larry the Lobster," and chanting in rhythm to the book, The Pout Pout Fish.
Here are the lyrics:
Down by the Ocean:
Seagulls swooping down by the ocean/Down by the ocean seagulls swooping/ Oh how I love to go down by the ocean/ down by the ocean!
Larry the Lobster:
Larry the lobster, larry the lobster/ diggin in the sand all day (oh what a guy!)/ Larry the lobster, larry the lobster/ singing along his way, (oh my!)
Look out Larry! Here comes a shark! Here comes a shark! Run run Larry run! Hide in the water! Run run larry run! Run for your life!
November, 2019
Here is what we worked on in November:
Musical Contrasts: We loved moving with scarves to the different sections of the piece, The Sycnopated Clock, by Leroy Anderson. We explored playing the "tick tock" sounds on various percussion instruments and determined which ones were most suitable for playing them. We learned that musicians call these "tick tock" sounds staccato.
Solo Singing: Students sang their names in order to make my baby owl puppet "fly to them." They did a great job matching pitch and are developing confidence as solo singers.
Movement: We learned a song in Spanish called "Matarile." Students enjoyed performing various locomotor movement, such as galloping, jumping, hopping, and marching, to accompany the song.
We are enjoying listening and performing movement to selections from Carnival of the Animals, such as The Swan, Turtles, and Aquarium.
We continued our "ocean" theme by moving like sea creatures to the song, "Down By the Ocean," and playing hand drums to accompany the song, "Larry the Lobster," and chanting in rhythm to the book, The Pout Pout Fish.
Here are the lyrics:
Down by the Ocean:
Seagulls swooping down by the ocean/Down by the ocean seagulls swooping/ Oh how I love to go down by the ocean/ down by the ocean!
Larry the Lobster:
Larry the lobster, larry the lobster/ diggin in the sand all day (oh what a guy!)/ Larry the lobster, larry the lobster/ singing along his way, (oh my!)
Look out Larry! Here comes a shark! Here comes a shark! Run run Larry run! Hide in the water! Run run larry run! Run for your life!
November, 2019
Here is what we worked on in November:
Musical Contrasts: We loved moving with scarves to the different sections of the piece, The Sycnopated Clock, by Leroy Anderson. We explored playing the "tick tock" sounds on various percussion instruments and determined which ones were most suitable for playing them. We learned that musicians call these "tick tock" sounds staccato.
Solo Singing: Students sang their names in order to make my baby owl puppet "fly to them." They did a great job matching pitch and are developing confidence as solo singers.
Movement: We learned a song in Spanish called "Matarile." Students enjoyed performing various locomotor movement, such as galloping, jumping, hopping, and marching, to accompany the song.
October, 2019
This month, we enjoyed practicing “The Purple People Eater” song for the Halloween Parade. We loved playing glockenspiels to accompany the song, “Five Little Ladybugs,” and hand drums to accompany the song “Five Little Leaves.” Kindergarten students are doing a great job moving safely in the music room by galloping, marching, and jumping to the songs, “I Go Up the Apple Tree,” and “Look at How I’m Walking.”
This month, we enjoyed practicing “The Purple People Eater” song for the Halloween Parade. We loved playing glockenspiels to accompany the song, “Five Little Ladybugs,” and hand drums to accompany the song “Five Little Leaves.” Kindergarten students are doing a great job moving safely in the music room by galloping, marching, and jumping to the songs, “I Go Up the Apple Tree,” and “Look at How I’m Walking.”
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September, 2019
Here is what we worked on during the month of September. All songs may be found in the youtube links above. :)
Pitch Matching: We sang the echo songs "No More Pie" and "Wise Old Owl." Students took turns singing solos into the "microphone."
Movement: We used scarves to move to the song, "Rainbow Round Me." Students enjoyed creating their own lyrics to the song about what they see outside their windows. We also created movement to the song "Hawaiian Rainbows" and discussed how the song made us feel (calm, relaxed, happy). We practiced safe movement by walking, tiptoeing, galloping, and jumping to the song, "Look at How I'm Walking."
Instruments: In stations, we played fruit and veggie shakers, wrist bells, rainsticks, finger cymbals, rhythm sticks, and other non pitched percussion.
Here is what we worked on during the month of September. All songs may be found in the youtube links above. :)
Pitch Matching: We sang the echo songs "No More Pie" and "Wise Old Owl." Students took turns singing solos into the "microphone."
Movement: We used scarves to move to the song, "Rainbow Round Me." Students enjoyed creating their own lyrics to the song about what they see outside their windows. We also created movement to the song "Hawaiian Rainbows" and discussed how the song made us feel (calm, relaxed, happy). We practiced safe movement by walking, tiptoeing, galloping, and jumping to the song, "Look at How I'm Walking."
Instruments: In stations, we played fruit and veggie shakers, wrist bells, rainsticks, finger cymbals, rhythm sticks, and other non pitched percussion.
March and April 2019
On February 28th, we enjoyed a performance of Peter and the Wolf at our school, presented by the American Classical Orchestra. In music class, we explored different ways to move to the music for each character, acting out the story.
In March and April, our lessons had an "ocean" theme. We moved like different underwater creatures while we sang the song, "Down by the Ocean" and pretended we were "scuba divers," dancing with flashlights to Aquarium from Carnival of the Animals. In the solo singing game, "Scuba Man," we sang what we saw in the ocean, using a flashlight and different "ocean-themed" stuffed animals as props.
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February 2019
This month, we explored the various sound effects that can be created using hand drums. We created a rain "Soundscape" by experimenting how to create the sounds of raindrops, wind, and thunder. Then, we accompanied the songs, Stormy Day and Warm Wendall (I like to wear my hat, hat, hat). . We also had fun singing and creating movements to go with the song, "I Bought Me a Cat."
This month, we explored the various sound effects that can be created using hand drums. We created a rain "Soundscape" by experimenting how to create the sounds of raindrops, wind, and thunder. Then, we accompanied the songs, Stormy Day and Warm Wendall (I like to wear my hat, hat, hat). . We also had fun singing and creating movements to go with the song, "I Bought Me a Cat."
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January 2019
We brainstormed a list of animals that move staccato (bumpy, bouncy) and legato (smooth). Then, we moved like our animals to the piece, Pizzicato (see the youtube video above). We also enjoyed improvising on glockenspiels and metallophones to accompany the song, Yuki (Snow) and dramatizing the song, Five Little Snowmen.
We brainstormed a list of animals that move staccato (bumpy, bouncy) and legato (smooth). Then, we moved like our animals to the piece, Pizzicato (see the youtube video above). We also enjoyed improvising on glockenspiels and metallophones to accompany the song, Yuki (Snow) and dramatizing the song, Five Little Snowmen.
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November 2018:
Greeting Song:
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
It's a Sunday. It's a Monday.
It's a very beautiful day.
It's a Tuesday, It's a Wednesday.
It's a very beautiful day (everybody)
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
It's a Thursday, It's a Friday,
It's a very beautiful day.
It's a Saturday, It's a Sunday.
It's a very beautiful day.
Action Song: We created our own actions to go with the song, "Mi Cuerpo." The lyrics are in Spanish. Ask your student to perform it for you. :)
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace musica.
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace musica.
Mis manos hacen (Clap clap clap)
Mis pies hacen (stomp, stomp, stomp)
Mi boca hace (la la la!)
Mi cuerpo hace (cha cha cha!)
Instruments:
Shoo Turkey: We loved accompanying the song, "Shoo Turkey," with various percussion instruments. (See the youtube video above).
The Syncopated Clock: We moved with scarves to the different sections of the piece, The Sycnopated Clock, by Leroy Anderson. We learned the term, staccato, (when the music sounds short and bumpy, like the "tick tocks" in the piece). We explored playing staccato on various percussion instruments. We sorted the instruments and determined which ones were most suitable for playing staccato.
Greeting Song:
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
It's a Sunday. It's a Monday.
It's a very beautiful day.
It's a Tuesday, It's a Wednesday.
It's a very beautiful day (everybody)
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
Oh, what a day, what a day.
What a beautiful day.
It's a Thursday, It's a Friday,
It's a very beautiful day.
It's a Saturday, It's a Sunday.
It's a very beautiful day.
Action Song: We created our own actions to go with the song, "Mi Cuerpo." The lyrics are in Spanish. Ask your student to perform it for you. :)
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace musica.
Mi cuerpo, mi cuerpo hace musica.
Mis manos hacen (Clap clap clap)
Mis pies hacen (stomp, stomp, stomp)
Mi boca hace (la la la!)
Mi cuerpo hace (cha cha cha!)
Instruments:
Shoo Turkey: We loved accompanying the song, "Shoo Turkey," with various percussion instruments. (See the youtube video above).
The Syncopated Clock: We moved with scarves to the different sections of the piece, The Sycnopated Clock, by Leroy Anderson. We learned the term, staccato, (when the music sounds short and bumpy, like the "tick tocks" in the piece). We explored playing staccato on various percussion instruments. We sorted the instruments and determined which ones were most suitable for playing staccato.
October:
Pitch Matching: We loved singing the echo song, "Purple Light." (See the youtube video above).
Action Song: We had so much fun creating own actions to go with the song, "Standing Like a Tree." Ask your student to perform it for you. :) Here are the lyrics:
Standing like a tree with my roots down deep.
My branches wide and open.
Down comes the rain (ch ch) Down comes the sun (ah ah)
Down comes the love to a heart that is open to be
Standing like a tree with my roots down deep!
Instruments: We tried out many new instruments, including castanets, cabasas, vibraslaps, and foot tambourines!
Locomotor Movement: We practiced safe ways to move in the music room, such galloping, walking, marching, and tiptoeing.
Pitch Matching: We loved singing the echo song, "Purple Light." (See the youtube video above).
Action Song: We had so much fun creating own actions to go with the song, "Standing Like a Tree." Ask your student to perform it for you. :) Here are the lyrics:
Standing like a tree with my roots down deep.
My branches wide and open.
Down comes the rain (ch ch) Down comes the sun (ah ah)
Down comes the love to a heart that is open to be
Standing like a tree with my roots down deep!
Instruments: We tried out many new instruments, including castanets, cabasas, vibraslaps, and foot tambourines!
Locomotor Movement: We practiced safe ways to move in the music room, such galloping, walking, marching, and tiptoeing.
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10/6/18
Here is what we worked on the first month of school:
Pitch Matching: We practiced matching pitch by singing the echo songs, "No More Pie," "Wise Old Owl," and "My Aunt Came Back."
Solo Singing: I used an owl puppet as a prop. Students froze in the shape of trees. When the students sang their names to the owl puppet, I made it "fly" to them.
Instrument Exploration: We had fun grooving to the song, "Mardi Gras Mambo" by playing different instruments in the music room, including: rain sticks, egg shakers, fruit & veggie shakers, finger cymbals, jingle taps, and rhythm sticks.
Hand Drums: We explored different sound effects you can make on the hand drums by accompanying the song, "Stormy Day."
Halloween Parade Song: We started practicing the song, "Scarin' Alive" for the Halloween Parade.
3/15/18
Here is what we have been up to in February and March:
Movement: We had so much fun moving to these selections from Carnival of the Animals. You can find them on youtube!
"The Cuckoo:" With partners, one student was the "tree" and the other was the "bird." When the clarinet played, the "bird" pretended to peek out from behind the branches of the tree. This was so much fun.
"Swans:" With partners, students explored slow, sustained movement.
Singing: We are singing songs about animals, such as "My Dog Rags" and "Tingalayo."
Instruments:
We enjoyed exploring many new unpitched percussion instruments, such as kokorikos, foot tambourines, and ocean drums!
1/30/18
Here are some highlights from January!
Movement:
We are enjoying performing creative movement to these selections from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens.
“Aquarium:” We explored moving with scarves like fish, matching the gentle expressive quality of the music.
“Turtles:” We explored slow and sustained movements, mirroring partners.
Singing:
We had so much fun creating alternate lyrics to the song, “A Sailor Went to Sea.” We replaced the word "sea" with different motions like "chop, chop, chop" or "jump, jump, jump."
Here are the lyrics:
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what he could sea, sea, sea,
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea
We also played the solo singing game, “Charlie Over the Ocean.”
Instruments:
We tried out some new percussion instruments, including jingle taps and fruit/veggie shakers.
Here is what we have been up to in February and March:
Movement: We had so much fun moving to these selections from Carnival of the Animals. You can find them on youtube!
"The Cuckoo:" With partners, one student was the "tree" and the other was the "bird." When the clarinet played, the "bird" pretended to peek out from behind the branches of the tree. This was so much fun.
"Swans:" With partners, students explored slow, sustained movement.
Singing: We are singing songs about animals, such as "My Dog Rags" and "Tingalayo."
Instruments:
We enjoyed exploring many new unpitched percussion instruments, such as kokorikos, foot tambourines, and ocean drums!
1/30/18
Here are some highlights from January!
Movement:
We are enjoying performing creative movement to these selections from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint Saens.
“Aquarium:” We explored moving with scarves like fish, matching the gentle expressive quality of the music.
“Turtles:” We explored slow and sustained movements, mirroring partners.
Singing:
We had so much fun creating alternate lyrics to the song, “A Sailor Went to Sea.” We replaced the word "sea" with different motions like "chop, chop, chop" or "jump, jump, jump."
Here are the lyrics:
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what he could sea, sea, sea,
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea
We also played the solo singing game, “Charlie Over the Ocean.”
Instruments:
We tried out some new percussion instruments, including jingle taps and fruit/veggie shakers.
1/18/18
Here are some highlights from December. Many of our activities had an "ocean" theme.
Instruments:
Students explored the glockenspiels by creating their own "seashell songs" in between repetitions of the song, "I Hear Seashells."
Creative Movement:
We performed creative movement with scarves to "Aquarium" from Carnival of the Animals by the composer, Camille Saint Saens. Students chose which underwater creatures to move like, such as "puffer fish," "mermaids," and "swordfish."
Book/Listening:
We listened to the book, The Crabfish, adapted by John Feierabend. (See the youtube link above).
Echo Song:
I hear seashells (I hear seashells)
Pretty seashells by the sea (pretty seashells by the sea)
Whispering their songs to me (whispering their songs to me)
I hear seashells (I hear seashells.)
11/1/17
Here is what we worked on in the month of October :)
Steady Beat:
-Students were made conscious of the term "keeping the beat." We continue to warm up each class by performing steady beat motions to various classical pieces. Students demonstrate their favorite ways to keep the beat.
Instruments:
-This month, we explored many new instruments, including finger cymbals, guiros, tone blocks, vibraslaps, stir xylophones, and tambourines.
Action Song:
-We sang and acted out the book, If You're a Monster and You Know It by Ed Emberly (see above) and created our own actions/verses for the song.
Echo Song:
-We had fun performing the actions to the echo song, "My Aunt Came Back." We also enjoyed singing it with the book adapted by John Feierabend (see above). Here are the lyrics:
Oh my aunt came back, (Oh my aunt came back)
From Timbuktu, (from Timbuktu)
She brought with her, (she brought with her)
A wooden shoe, (a wooden shoe)
Oh my aunt came back (Oh my aunt came back)
From Old Japan, (from old Japan)
She brought with her (she brought with her)
A waving fan (a waving fan)
Oh my aunt came back (oh my aunt came back)
From Guadalupe (from Guadalupe)
She brought with her (she brought with her)
A hula hoop (a hula hoop)
Oh my aunt came back (oh my aunt came back)
From the county fair (from the county fair)
She brought with her (She brought with her)
A rocking chair (A rocking chair)
Oh my aunt came back (Oh my aunt came back)
From the city zoo (from the city zoo)
She brought with her (She brought with her)
A nut like you! (a nut like you!)
Creative Movement:
We continued to explore Laban Creative Movement Theme #1 (Awareness of Body Parts and Whole) through the game, “Hands Like This,” which I learned from Danai Gagne at a workshop. It goes like this:
Teacher: Hands like this! Students: clap
Teacher: Hands like this! Students: clap
Teacher: One two three! Students: four!
Teacher: One two three! Students: four!
Teacher: Make a motion with your head/shoulders/knees/arms/like a witch/like a Halloween cat/etc.
10/9/17
We are certainly off to a joyful start in music class this year! Here are the skills we have worked on in the month of September:
Steady Beat:
- We have been warming up each week by performing steady beat motions to recorded music from the album, Keeping the Beat, by John Feierabend. This is a great album with many upbeat classical music recordings! These motions include tapping different parts of our body, chugging our knees, etc. We call this "the copy-cat game."
Instruments:
-We have explored playing numerous percussion instruments, including wrist bells, rain sticks, maracas, egg shakers, rhythm sticks, and hand drums. We enjoyed accompanying songs like "Can't Stop the Feeling" from the Trolls movie, "Try Anything" from the Zootopia movie, and "Watolea," a song from the album, Putomayo: South Pacific Islands.
Action Songs:
-We had so much fun choosing body parts to shake along with the song, "My Poor Hand is Shaking." This also served to practice the Laban Creative Movement Theme #1, "Awareness of Body Parts and Whole."
We are certainly off to a joyful start in music class this year! Here are the skills we have worked on in the month of September:
Steady Beat:
- We have been warming up each week by performing steady beat motions to recorded music from the album, Keeping the Beat, by John Feierabend. This is a great album with many upbeat classical music recordings! These motions include tapping different parts of our body, chugging our knees, etc. We call this "the copy-cat game."
Instruments:
-We have explored playing numerous percussion instruments, including wrist bells, rain sticks, maracas, egg shakers, rhythm sticks, and hand drums. We enjoyed accompanying songs like "Can't Stop the Feeling" from the Trolls movie, "Try Anything" from the Zootopia movie, and "Watolea," a song from the album, Putomayo: South Pacific Islands.
Action Songs:
-We had so much fun choosing body parts to shake along with the song, "My Poor Hand is Shaking." This also served to practice the Laban Creative Movement Theme #1, "Awareness of Body Parts and Whole."
My Poor Hand is Shaking (Action Song)
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop.
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop.
Oh help me, Mama, I can't make it stop!
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop. STOP!
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop.
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop.
Oh help me, Mama, I can't make it stop!
My poor hand is shaking, I can't make it stop. STOP!
Echo Songs:
-These songs, in which students echo a leader, are great for matching pitch.
-These songs, in which students echo a leader, are great for matching pitch.
No More Pie (Echo Song)
Oh my (oh my)
No more pie (no more pie)
Pie's too sweet (pie's too sweet)
I want a piece of meat (I want a piece of meat)
Meat's too red (meat's too red)
I want a piece of bread (I want a piece of bread)
Bread's too brown (Bread's too brown)
I think I'll go to town (I think I'll go to town)
Town's too far (town's too far)
I think I'll take my car (I think I'll take my car)
Car won't go (car won't go)
I fell and stubbed my toe (I fell and stubbed my toe)
Toe gives me pain (toe gives me pain)
I think I'll take the train (I think I'll take the train)
Oh my (oh my)
No more pie (no more pie)
Oh my (oh my)
No more pie (no more pie)
Pie's too sweet (pie's too sweet)
I want a piece of meat (I want a piece of meat)
Meat's too red (meat's too red)
I want a piece of bread (I want a piece of bread)
Bread's too brown (Bread's too brown)
I think I'll go to town (I think I'll go to town)
Town's too far (town's too far)
I think I'll take my car (I think I'll take my car)
Car won't go (car won't go)
I fell and stubbed my toe (I fell and stubbed my toe)
Toe gives me pain (toe gives me pain)
I think I'll take the train (I think I'll take the train)
Oh my (oh my)
No more pie (no more pie)