Step By Step Instructions:
1. Before you present this material to your students, prepare by watching the videos and practicing the movements and choreography that go with each song and activity.
2. Read along with the lyrics on the song cards to learn how to sing along with each song.
3. When you are ready, gather the children in the group space. Have your audio player ready with the music. Have the song cards ready to guide you with the Instructions, Introduction (what you say to the children to introduce the song before starting the audio) and the Song Lyrics.
4. Introduce the first song then start the audio track and model the movements to show the children how to move their bodies.
______________________________
Tap Tap Spell
Tap Tap Spell Audio:
Tap Tap Spell Video:
Instructions:
This is a directed movement song that combines actions with spelling words. Practice the spelling of the words tap, dig, nap and hop before starting the song. As the song plays, model the actions and encourage the children to sing the letters as they perform the actions.
Intro:
T A P spells tap. D I G spells dig. N A P spells nap. H O P spells hop. Now we are going to tap our fingers, tap our toes, tap our knees and tap our nose.
Lyrics: Chords: D A G D
Tap your fingers
tap your toes
tap your knees
and tap your nose
T-A-P, T-A-P
All day long I tap, tap, tap
Dig in the ground
Dig all around
Dig a big hole; nice and round
D-I-G, D-I-G
All day long I dig, dig, dig
Nap all day
Make a big snore
Nap on your mat and
sleep some more N-A-P, N-A-P
All day long I nap, nap, nap
Hop up high
Hop up and down
up to the sky
from the ground
H-O-P, H-O-P
All day long I hop, hop, hop
______________________________
Letters & Words
Letters & Words Audio:
Letters & Words Video:
Instructions:
This is an imaginative movement song that helps children learn to spell the words cat, dog, bat and fox. The children will be moving around the group space together so have them put on their ‘invisible bubble’ before you start.
Intro:
Now we get to move our bodies like different kinds of animals. Listen carefully and sound out the letters and sounds to discover which animal to move like.
Lyrics: Chords: A D E
Letters and words
letters and words
I can make anything with letters and words
I can make you into a C-A-T, C-A-T, C-A-T
Now you are a cat, cat, cat
Now are you crawl like a cat, cat, cat, cat, cat
Letters and words
letters and words
I can make anything with letters and words
I can make you into a D-O-G, D-O-G, D-O-G
Now you are a Dog, dog, dog
Now you crawl like a dog, dog, dog, dog, dog
Letters and words
letters and words
I can make anything with letters and words
Bat, Fox
______________________________
Down to the Farm
Down to the Farm Audio:
Down to the Farm Video:
Instructions:
This song helps the children learn some of their spelling words. Encourage the children to sound out the words and make the sounds of the animals in the song. A variation is to have the children move their bodies like the different animals in the song.
Intro:
C A T spells cat. D O G spells dog. C O W spells cow. P I G spells pig. H E N spells hen. Let’s sound out the names of the animals!
Lyrics: Chords: Verse: G C G D G C D / CH: G D C G
Let’s go down to the farm today
and see if the animals want to play
each one has its own particular sound
look at the animals all around
C-A-T likes to chase a mouse
keeps them out of the farmers house
the farmer says “Chase that mouse!”
the cat says meow
the cat says meow
CH
Let’s play right now
with our animal friends
I’ll show you how
D-O-G likes to lay in the sun
he likes to jump and he likes to run
playing with the dog is so much fun
the dog says woof, woof!
the cat says meow
CH
C-O-W is munching on some hay
wiggles her ears in the sunny day
we all know what cows like to say
the cow says moo
the dog says woof, woof!
the cat says meow
CH
P-I-G is rolling in the mud
he says it feels oh so good
invites us in, do you think we should?
the pig says oink, oink
the cow says moo
the dog says woof, woof!
the cat says meow
CH
H-E-N flaps her wings all around
pecks for corn and scratches the ground
She bobs her head and makes a sound
The hen says bok, bok, bok
the pig says oink, oink
the cow says moo
the dog says woof, woof!
the cat says meow
CH
______________________________
Walking Across the Bridge
Walking Across the Bridge Video:
Instructions:
Place two chairs at one end of the group space and another two at the other end to mark the entrance and exit of the imaginary bridge. Have the children line up on one side, ready to walk across the bridge. After they cross, guide them to line up at the entrance again.
Intro:
All my friends; line up and get ready to walk across the bridge. Listen carefully to the song to know how to move your body when you are crossing the bridge.
Lyrics: Chords: G C G D G
Walking across the bridge
walking across the bridge
walking, walking, walking
walking across the bridge
hopping
skipping
flying
dancing
tip toeing
walking backwards
crawling
walking on your elbows
scooting backwards
______________________________
Sorida
Sorida Audio:
Sorida Video:
Instructions:
“Sorida” is a term of greeting in the Shona language, similar to “jambo” in Swahili. Familiarize the children with the vocal sounds sorida, rida and dadada by singing the words individually as a call and response activity. Demonstrate the movements with another teacher or one of the children. Have the children try out the movements on their own and then with a partner.
Intro:
This is a song from Africa called Sorida. In Africa the word sorida means hello.
Lyrics:
So-ri-da, So-ri-da, Ri-da, Ri-da
Sweep hands up Clap Sweep hands up Clap Patty Cake Patty Cake
Da-Da-Da, Da-Da-Da, Ri-da, Ri-da
Up and down patty cake Up and down patty cake Sweep hands up Clap
So-ri-da, So-ri-da, Ri-da, Ri-da
SWEEP HANDS UP CLAP SWEEP HANDS UP CLAP PATTY CAKE PATTY CAKE
______________________________
A Bug or a Bee?
A Bug or a Bee? Video:
Instructions:
This song helps the children learn some of their spelling words. This song can be sung in the group, played as background music during other activities or played during instrument time with the children playing the rhythm on their instruments.
Intro:
Now it’s time to learn how to spell some words! This is a bug (point to the picture of the bug). We spell that word B-U-G. This is a bee (point to the bee). We spell that B-E-E.
Lyrics: Chords: E B A
I was sitting by myself
reading by a tree
when I heard something buzzing
all around me
Is that a bug or a bee
buzzing around this tree?
Is it a B-U-G or a B-E-E
What I want to know
is it a bug or a bee?
I was playing in the sandbox
because I like to dig
when I heard something sniffing
and it sounded pretty big
Is that a pup or a pig
sniffing where I like to dig?
Is that a P-U-P or a P-I-G
What I want to know
is it a pup or a pig?
I was playing in the yard
playing fetch with my dog
when I heard something rustle
behind a log
Is that a cat or a dog
behind that log
Is it a C-A-T or a D-O-G
What I want to know
is it a cat or a dog?
I was working at the farm
I was feeding a sow
when I heard something grunt
from behind the plow
Is that a hog or a cow
behind that plow
is that an H-O-G or a C-O-W
what I want to know
is that a hog or a cow?
I was feeding all the chickens
from the chicken feed box
when I heard a commotion
over by the rocks
Is that the hen or a fox
over by the rocks
Is that an H-E-N or an F-O-X
what I want to know
is it a hen or a fox?
One spooky dark night
I was feeding the cat
when I heard something squeak
I said what’s that?
Is that a bat or a rat
I said what’s that
Is it a B-A-T or an R-A-T
What I want to know
is it bat or a rat?
______________________________
Rhythm Sounds: Digidigi
Rhythm Sounds: Digidigi Audio:
Rhythm Sounds: Digidigi Video:
Instructions:
It’s time to introduce a new sound: digidigi. Digidigi is actually four sixteenth notes. These four notes are played twice as fast as ti-ti and four times as fast as ta. Digidigi takes the same time to play as one ta or one ti-ti. Keep your tempo consistent when combining it with the other rhythm sounds.
Intro:
Now it’s time for rhythm sounds. Today we get to learn a new sound: digidigi. How many dots does digidigi have? One, two, three, four. Four dots; that means four sounds. (playing) Digidigi. Let me hear you play digidigi. Good job.
Lyrics:
______________________________
B-I-G Cookie Story
B-I-G Cookie Story Audio:
B-I-G Cookie Story Video:
Instructions:
In this story the children play instruments to make the sounds. The shakers make the sound of shaking the flower, cracking the eggs and pouring the milk. The scrapers make the sound of the turning crank. The bells and triangles make the sound of the dripping honey and the bell ringing. All the instruments play the rhythm of the song.
Intro:
This is the story of the B-I-G Cookie. You will make the sounds in the story. Listen carefully to know when to play your instrument. The shakers make the sound of shaking the flower, cracking the eggs and pouring the milk. The scrapers make the sound of the turning crank. The bells and triangles make the sound of the dripping honey and the bell ringing. All the instruments play the rhythm of the song.
The Song: Chords: A E D
Shake, shake, shake in the flower
Shake, shake, shake in the flower
Shake, shake, shake in the flower
for the B-I-G Big Cookie
Crack, crack, crack the eggs
Crack, crack, crack the eggs
Crack, crack, crack the eggs
for the B-I-G Big Cookie
Pour, pour, pour the milk
Pour, pour, pour the milk
Pour, pour, pour the milk
for the B-I-G Big Cookie
Drip, drip, drip the honey
Drip, drip, drip the honey
Drip, drip, drip the honey
for the B-I-G Big Cookie
Turn, turn, turn the crank
Turn, turn, turn the crank
Turn, turn, turn the crank
for the B-I-G Big Cookie
Ring, ring, ring the bell
Ring, ring, ring the bell
Ring, ring, ring the bell
Now the cookie is done
The Story:
One morning in the land of cookie, where everyone eats cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the King woke up and said, “I want to make a big cookie, a B-I-G, big cookie. So he called in his cookie baking chefs and he said “Every day you make me the finest cookies in the land. You make me chocolate cookies, peanut butter cookies, strawberry, banana, peach, apple, but today I want you to make me a big cookie. I mean big, B-I-G big! I want you to make me the biggest cookie anyone has ever seen. Before the cookie chefs answered they sang a little song: “The King want’s a big big cookie… a B-I-G big cookie”.
Then the king’s expert cookie makers huddled together and they whispered “Whisper, whisper, whisper, whisper…” and then they turned to the king and they said, “Yes your majesty, we can make you a big cookie with our new machine; The B-I-G Cookie Machine, but we will need a lot of ingredients. The king said, “Whatever you need, just name it.” The chefs said, “Well, we’re going to need all the wheat from the fields ground-up to make flower, all the eggs from all the hens in the Kingdom, all the honey from all the bees in the Kingdom and all the milk from all the cows in the Kingdom. The King said, “Let it be done.”
The next day there were horse drawn carts lined up outside the castle bringing all the ingredients for the B-I-G Cookie Machine. One by one the chefs put the ingredients into the machine and they sang a song as they did their work: (see The Song)
Out popped a really big cookie; a B-I-G, big cookie. It was biggest cookie anyone had ever seen. Everyone cheered! The smell of that freshly baked cookie was so powerful and so magical that it drifted up into the sky and was caught by the wind and the wind carried it far away to the land of the Giants.
In the Land of the Giants, the Giant King was sitting in his castle with a grouchy look on his face. He was grouchy because he had never had a cookie that was big enough for him to eat.
Just then, the delicious smell of the B-I-G big cookie drifted in the window of his castle. The giant king said, “I smell a big cookie.” He got up and walked out of his castle. He followed the smell of that cookie with his big footsteps shaking the ground; boom, boom, boom across the deserts, boom, boom, boom, through the forests boom, boom, boom, over the mountains and through the jungles. As the Giant King got closer he could hear the chefs singing their song: “The King want’s a big big cookie… a B-I-G big cookie”. Finally he arrived at the Land of Cookie where the giant cookie had just popped out of the B-I-G Cookie Machine.
All the people were gathered around the cookie and the Cookie King was wondering to himself, “What are we going to do with this big cookie? It’s much too big for anyone to eat!”
Just then the Giant King walked up, his giant feet making big booming sounds and shaking the ground (drums). He reached down and scooped up the cookie in one hand. He smelled it and then he ate it in one bite. Then something magical happened; the Giant King’s grouchy face got a big smile… because he had finally had a cookie that was big enough for him to eat. All the people cheered and the King of the Land of Cookie declared that they would make a B-I-G, big cookie every year on that day so the giant king would never be grouchy again.
The End
______________________________
Spell One Two Three
Spell One Two Three Audio:
Spell One Two Three Video:
Instructions:
This is a rhythmic song that helps the children learn to spell the numbers one, two and three. It can be played during instrument time with the children playing along on their instruments. It can also be used during different times of the day with the children singing along.
Intro:
This song is about spelling the numbers one, two and three. Let me hear you play the rhythm of the song on your instruments.
Lyrics: Chords: F Bb G C
One two three, one two three
How do we spell numbers one two three?
One starts with ”O” then letter “N” and finally “E”
O-N-E, O-N-E, O-N-E spells number one
One two three, one two three
How do we spell numbers one two three?
Two starts with “T” then “W” and finally it ends with the letter “O”
T-W-O, T-W-O, T-W-O spells number two
One two three, one two three
How do we spell numbers one two three?
Three starts with T then it has an “H” then letter “R” and “E” and “E” again
T-H-R-E-E, T-H-R-E-E, T-H-R-E-E spells number three
One two three, one two three
This is how we spell numbers one two three
______________________________
Take a Nap on a Mat
Take a Nap on a Mat Audio:
Take a Nap on a Mat Video:
Instructions:
This song helps the children learn some of their spelling words. This song can be sung in the group, played as background music during other activities or played during instrument time with the children playing the rhythm on their instruments.
Intro:
C A R spells car. C U P spells cup. K E Y spells key. M O P spells mop. etc.
Lyrics: Chords: verse: Em A C G / ch: A C G D A C G A
Take a ride
in a car
C A R
That spells car
Take a sip
from a cup
C U P
That spells cup
Lock the door
with a key
K E Y
That spells key
Clean the floor
with a mop
M O P
That spells mop
These are words
that I can read and spell
I will show you
the stories I can tell
Wipe the table
with a rag
R A G
That spells rag
Cook some eggs
in a pan
P A N
That spells pan
Hit the ball
with a bat
B A T
That spells bat
Take a nap
on a mat
M A T
That spells mat
These are words
that I can read and spell
I will show you
the stories I can tell
______________________________
Music Time Is Done
Music Time Is Done Audio:
Music Time is Done Video:
Instructions:
This is a song to wind down the energy of the group as music time is ending. It will help the children to refocus their attention and begin to transition to their next activity. Sit in the group circle with the children and model the movements along with the children.
Intro:
Now it’s time for the last song of our music time today.
Lyrics: chords: A E D
Thank you friends for music time
We’ve had a lot of fun
Thank you friends for music time
Now our time is done
Stretch your arms above your head
Reach up to the sky
Now take a big enormous breath
and let out sea big sigh
Stretch your legs in front of you
and wiggle all your toes
Bounce your knees up and down
Now touch them with your nose
Now stand on your feet so tall
You’re taller every day
Take another deep deep breath
and say a big hooray!