Pre-K is getting used to our music routines. Some of them are already experts from
last year and are proud to share their knowledge. All seem ready and excited
for music at each class, which is a great gift to me!
We've played drums, danced with shakers, and
have been singing songs related to being out on a picnic as well as others that work well with our instrument activities. Each Friday, I will aim to post
a list of any new songs we've covered so that families can have an idea of what
your pre-kindergarteners may be singing around the house. In general,
students will be exposed to a great variety of musical styles, sounds, and
rhythms all year long. By encouraging the children to use their voices in attempts to
match different tones and pitches, they really start to distinguish their
singing voices from their speaking voices. To nurture this and development of rhythm and recognition of
patterns, we do plenty of “finger rhymes” (using gestures to act out lyrics),
play instruments, and use scarves and even a parachute to enhance the movement
experience.
Here are some things we’ve done so far:
Rhymes
"Two Little Blackbirds"
(see details at end of post)
"A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track" (see details at end of post)
Songs
"Hello Song" (We use this every week and sing each child's name; it will change each quarter)
"O Mister Sun" (English and Spanish)
"Peanut Butter and Jelly Song" (see details at end of post)
"The Ants Go Marching" (with drums)
"Down by the Bay"
"A Ram Sam Sam" (we increase tempo [speed] with each time
through)
"Love Somebody" (with drums and bells)
Instrument Rhythm & Tone Activities
Drums (repeating patterns I play; playing at cues during
songs)
Bells—resonator bells (like a piece of a xylophone)
Rhythm Sticks
Egg Shakers
Hispanic
Heritage Month began September 15th, and in the coming weeks
we will be singing and listening to songs that explore and celebrate this.
***Because of our limited time together, I will be starting
to teach them parts of the things they will perform at our Christmas
Concert. I want them to feel
comfortable and excited to share when we get to that time. I will try not to teach them anything
about snow for a while longer, I promise!
Details…
“Two Little Blackbirds”
Two little blackbirds
sitting on a hill (hold up 2 pointer fingers as the birds)
One named Jack and one
named Jill (move 1 finger for each bird)
Fly away Jack; fly
away Jill (“fly” fingers behind back one at a time)
Come back Jack, come
back Jill (bring fingers back out front one at a time)
*ADAPT FINGER MOTIONS
AND VOICES FOR EACH NEW VERSE
Two little blackbirds
flying in the sky
One named Low and one
named High (use a
high pitched voice for High and low for Low, as well as making one finger go
high and one go low)
Fly away Low; fly
away High
Come back Low, come
back High
*Additional verses
(using opposites each time)
Sitting on a lily-
Serious and Silly
Sitting on a pole-
Fast and Slow
Sitting on the ice-
Mean and Nice
Floating on a cloud-
Quiet and Loud
“A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track”
A Peanut Sat on a
railroad track
His heart was all
a-flutter
Around the bend came
the Number Ten
Toot! Toot! SQUISH!
Peanut butter!
*We act out all of
these things and then make the peanut tiny to do again, then giant, then super
fast, that very slow… and we use different voices for each.
“The Peanut Butter and Jelly Song”
First you take the
peanuts and you crunch ‘em, you crunch ‘em (REPEAT)
Peanut, peanut butter (hands
dance high in the air to one side_
And jelly (hands
dance low to the other side)
Peanut, peanut butter
And jelly
Then you take the
grapes and you squish ‘em, you squish ‘em (REPEAT)
Peanut, peanut butter…
Then you take the
bread and you spread it, you spread it (REPEAT)
Peanut, peanut butter…
Then you take the
sandwich and you eat it, you eat it (REPEAT)
Peanut, peanut butter…
***** Then go through
each verse one time before signing “Peanut, peanut butter…”
