CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Let It Snow
Written and Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
ISBN: 978-0-545-20880-2

Read the story (each verse told in rhyme) to the children inviting them to respond with a simple "mi-re-do" pattern each time they hear "let it fall." The next time the story is shared, sing the words of each verse using the melody of the familiar piece "Ding Dong Digga-Digga Dong" (which can be found in the Orff Schulwerk, Vol.1 and in music curriculum series).

When you get the the end of the melody, sing the words "but then" on d and t, -- sing the rest of the words on this page as a l.-m pattern. This will give the story an interlude using the relative minor (la based). Sing the end of this passage (found on the next page) on mi-re-do to complete the interlude.
The next verse begins again with the "Ding Dong" melody.

The story can also be sung to the melody of "Twinkle, Twinkle."

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

MELODY

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STEADY BEAT

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CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

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CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Thanksgiving at our House
Written and Illustrated by P.K. Hallinan
ISBN: 978-0-824-95534-2

Read the story to the children -- each verse is told in rhyme.  The next time the story is shared, sing the words of each verse using the melody of the familiar piece "Pop! Goes the Weasel."

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

MELODY - SOLFEGE PUMPKINS

I use die-cut shapes of pumpkins that I found at my local teacher supply store and placed "s" or "m" in the center of each pattern. I use the peel-n-stick letters since they show up much better. Magnets can be added to the back of each pumpkin for easy magnetic use.

Place the pumpkins above or below a vine in the garden (a single line drawn on the board using a green marker). After a pumpkin "melody" is sung correctly, die-cut leaves can be awarded to the "vine" as children sing the m-r-d melodies correctly.

For a fun extension, mix the pumpkins up each time the story is read. If you have additional pumpkin shapes, add "l" to use with a more advanced group.  Consider solfege hand signs or even staff notation. Rhythm options would include Level I rhythmic concepts.

Finally have the children write (literacy) and play their Autumn Pumpkin Melody. Provide evaluation sheets for each child to encourage self-assessment.

STEADY BEAT

Type the names of different owls and affix to patterns. Each owl would have the name of only one owl written or posted upon it. You can find the larger die-cut patterns at a local card outlet or teacher's supply store.


After singing a owl song (My Owlet) or reciting a owl poem (A Wise Old Owl), create a B Section by having children speak and/or play the rhythm patterns of what the owls say when placed in a rhythmic sentence of 8. Each pattern will have only one type of owl written on it -- therefore, each pattern/owl equals one complete beat. For example, "long-whiskered" would be represented by an eighth note and 2 sixteenth notes; "barn owl" would be represented by a two eighth notes.  Use an owl finger puppet to tap each owl, keeping a steady beat as the B Section is created.  Allow different children to use the finger puppet.  Transfer the language to non-pitched percussion instruments and invite children to perform what the words say.

For an extension, try creating rhythmic sentences in different meters. Can you sing or chant your A section selection in that meter as well?   :)

You can also connect this rhythmic activity to other children's titles that have an owl theme.

MELODY - SOLFEGE OWLS

I use die-cut shapes of owls that I found at my local teacher supply store and placed "m" "r" or "d" in the center of each pattern. I use the peel-n-stick letters since they show up much better. Magnets can be added to the back of each owl for easy magnetic use.
Place the owls above, below or on a limb of a tree (a single line drawn on the board using a green or black marker). After a owl "melody" is sung correctly, die-cut leaves can be awarded to the "tree" as children sing the m-r-d melodies correctly.

For a fun extension, mix the owls up each time a story is read. If you have additional owl shapes, you can add additional solfege, solfege hand signs, or even staff notation. Rhythm options would include Level II rhythmic concepts.

Finally, once soprano recorder notes B-A-G have been introduced, have the children play their Autumn Owl Melody.

STEADY BEAT - RHYTHM OWLS

I use die-cut shapes of owls that I found at my local teacher supply store and placed sixteenth note rhythms in the center of each pattern.  Each owl pattern has only one full beat -- i.e. tika-tika, or ti-tika, or tika-ti.  Magnets can be added to the back of each owl for easy magnetic use.

Place the owls along a single line drawn on the board using a green or black marker to represent the limb of a tree. After singing an owl folk song (i.e. My Owlets), have the children correctly play the rhythm pattern that has been created on the "limb" of the tree.  If the rhythmic pattern is played correctly, die-cut leaves can be awarded to the "tree."

For a fun extension, mix the owl rhythms up each time the song is sung or a particular passage in a story (i.e. Owl Babies) is read. If you have additional owl shapes, you can add rhythm patterns. Additional options would include Level II rhythmic concepts.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Let It Fall
Written and Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
ISBN: 978-0-545-20879-6

Read the story (each verse told in rhyme) to the children inviting them to respond with a simple "mi-re-do" pattern each time they hear "let it fall."  The next time the story is shared, sing the words of each verse using the melody of the familiar piece "Ding Dong Digga-Digga Dong" (which can be found in the Orff Schulwerk, Vol.1 and in music curriculum series).

When you get the the end of the melody, sing the words "but then" on d and t, -- sing the rest of the words on this page as a l.-m pattern.  This will give the story an interlude using the relative minor (la based).  Sing the end of this passage (found on the next page) on mi-re-do to complete the interlude.

The next verse begins again with the "Ding Dong" melody.

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

MELODY

TO BE POSTED SHORTLY.

STEADY BEAT

TO BE POSTED SHORTLY.

MELODY

TO BE POSTED SHORTLY.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves
Written by Lucille Colandro
Illustrated by Jared Lee
ISBN: 978-0-545-24198-4

Yet another wonderful retelling of "There Was An Old Lady" who is still eating and swallowing things! :) The children will love the wonderful autumn things that the old lady swallows -- but can they guess what will happen at the end? There is a wonderful surprise ending that will leave little ones giggling and crows flocking with glee. :)

This story can easily connect with The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything.

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

STEADY BEAT

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MELODY

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STEADY BEAT

WELCOME BACK!  I WILL POST A NEW ACTIVITY SHORTLY.

NEW IDEAS COMING SOON -- AUG 2010!

Be sure to come back to visit soon!  I will be posting all new ideas beginning August 2010.  Until then, have a safe and restful summer.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

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CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Ten Sly Piranhas
Written by William Wise
Illustrated by Victoria Chess
ISBN: 978-0-14240-074-6

This wonderful waterland of reverse counting opens a waterway of creatures that children may find in a river.  Each poem is 4-lines that can be sung to the tune of the familiar folk melody "Sweet Betsy from Pike." Read through the poems once before sharing with the class as the rhythm of words may need to be slightly adjusted to fit the familiar tune. Use each stanza individually or all together for a full springtime musical experience.

After singing each verse, invite the children to create a poem about either the piranhas or the creatures in the water.  This poem can be spoken as a B section.  Create additional ostinati parts to be performed on various non-pitch percussion instruments.

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

The Very Funny Frog
Written and Illustrated by Jack Tickle
ISBN: 978-1-84506-947-6

This pop-up book is a collection of fun spring-time poems about the many creatures and critters that children may find in their garden. Poems include butterflies, frogs, birds, rabbits, ladybugs, and spiders. There is even a mole! Could this be the same mole that grows up to become a musician (Mole Music by David McPhail) or even Gustav Mole (by Michael Twinn)?

Each poem is 4-lines that can be sung to the tune of the familiar folk melody "Cindy." Read through the poems once before sharing with the class as the rhythm of words may need to be slightly adjusted to fit the familiar tune. Use each poem individually or all together for a full springtime musical experience.

In the traditional refrain, "Get along home, Cindy, Cindy," invite the children to sing the beginning poem, "In my garden, in my garden, in my garden, so come and take a look. "

Extension: Divide the children into groups and have each group choose a favorite poem from the book. Invite one child to read each line of the poem. Have children improvise pentatonic melodies corresponding to the rhythm of the words in each line of the poem as it is read.

Example:
Read Line 1 / Have a child read Line 1
Children improvise a pentatonic melody based upon the rhythm of the words from line 1.
Read Line 2 / Have a child read Line 2
Children improvise a pentatonic melody based upon the rhythm of the words from line 2.
Read Line 3 / Have a child read Line 3
Children improvise a pentatonic melody based upon the rhythm of the words from line 3.
Read Line 4 / Have a child read Line 4
Children improvise a pentatonic melody based upon the rhythm of the words from line 4.

Sing the refrain mentioned above to create a verse/refrain selection.

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

The Night Before St. Patrick's Day
Written by Natasha Wing
Illustrated by Amy Wummer
ISBN: 978-0-545-14969-3

It’s the night before St. Patrick’s Day, and the children can't sleep. They are hoping to catch a leprechaun! They wake to the sound of bagpipes and the smell of green eggs cooking in the kitchen. And above all else, they’ve caught a leprechaun -- but can they find his pot of gold?

In the style of Clement Moore's traditional tale, each page includes a 4-line verse that can be adaptedly sung to the tune of the familiar folk melody "Cindy." Read through the story once before sharing with the class as the rhythm of words may need to be slightly adjusted to fit the familiar tune.

In the traditional refrain, "Get along home, Cindy, Cindy," invite the children to sing the following holiday refrain: Leprechaun! Leprechaun! Leprechaun! Please share your pot of gold!

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

The Night Before Valentine's Day
Written by Natasha Wing
Illustrated by Heidi Petach
ISBN: 0-448-42188-7

This book is a wonderful Valentine's story about the excitement of the sweetest holiday. The story introduces the reader to many of the wonderful traditions associated with Valentine's Day. Each page includes a 4-line verse that can be adaptedly sung to the tune of the familiar folk melody "Cindy." Read through the story once before sharing with the class as the rhythm of words may need to be slightly adjusted to fit the familiar tune.

In the traditional refrain, "Get along home, Cindy, Cindy," invite the children to sing the following holiday refrain:
Valentine! Valentine!
Valentine! Please be my Valentine!

Enjoy the story and keep singing. :)