CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Summer Days and Nights
Written and Illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9078-9

From the author that wrote Tracks in the Snow (blog activity from Jan 2 and Jan 9 2010) and Who Likes Rain, Wong takes us on a delightful journey with an adventurous little girl that discovers the many joys of summer.

This story can easily be adapted and sung to the familiar folk melody of "Skip to My Lou."

Enjoy the story and keep singing!

STEADY BEAT - SYNCOPATED PATTERNS

In this activity, I wanted to connect to another summertime reading.  I'm using the children's book Summer.  The book was written by Alice Low; illustrated by Roy McKie.

Have children play the rhythm of the first 2-line phrase, "We like the things that summer brings" with a syncopated pattern.  For example, the rhythm pattern would be:

We like the things that       sum - mer brings.
ti     ta    ti    ta      ta      I    ta       ta       ta       (r)

Have children repeat this rhythmic pattern at the beginning of the story.  Then have them repeat the syncopated pattern after 2 of the 4-line phrases throughout the story.

Extension:  To extend the rhythmic pattern, add a second line "Summer brings so many things!"  This line is taken directly from the story.

MELODY - M-R-D SUNSHINE CHIPS

This week, I wanted to create an activity that would inspire reading, singing, playing and improvising with m-r-d.  I am specifically connecting the to children's book Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee.

Place the painter's tape across the floor or on your white board.  This will be the re line.  If you are using your white board surface, your chips will need to have a piece of magnetic strip affixed to the back.  Chips placed on top of the tape line will represent re, while notes placed above and/or below the painter's tape will represent mi and do.

The book has a similar rhythmic pattern to the familiar folk song "I Bought Me a Cat" -- so sing each 2-line phrase using the melody of the folk song.  When you get to what would be the animal portion of the song, insert "my melody went ..."  Use 3 of the chips to create a m-r-d pattern.  Have children sing the pattern that you create.

After they have successfully been able to read and sing your patterns, give each child 3 sunshine chips and a piece of painter's tape (string, yarn or even a pipe cleaner will work as well).  Have the children place the painter's tape on their table top or floor space.  This will be the re line.  Chips placed on top of the tape line will represent re, while notes placed above and/or below the painter's tape will represent mi and do.  Ask the children to create m-r-d patterns using the sunshine chips.  Repeat the story as above, allowing a different child to sing his/her pattern each time you complete a 2-line phrase.

Extension:  Have the children begin to read the sequence of m-r-d patterns created by classmates.  Much like the sequence of animals in the folk song story, children will sing a collection of m-r-d patterns that have been created, adding one new pattern each time.

STEADY BEAT - DIVIDED BEAT SUNSHINE CHIPS

In this activity, I wanted to work with divided beat.  I purchased plastic chips (wooden disks would work as well) and sunshine stickers.  Place a sunshine on each sticker.

After having the children find partners, give each group a set of 8 chips (with affixed stickers) and a sentence strip (or a long piece of paper 3"x12") or wooden paint stick.  Write 8 quarter rests on the strip.  I usually place a green line at the far left and a red double bar line at the far right.  Have the children place a sunshine chip on each quarter rest.  For easy storage, consider hook-n-loop along the bottom of the stick and on the back of each chip for easier storage.

As you read a summertime story (Example:  Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee), have the children touch as say the word "sunshine" after each 4-line phrase.  After completing the story, repeat the story asking children to remove 1 sunshine each time a 4-line phrase is completed.  When the read their "sunshine" line, invite them to say the words "sunshine" and "rest" when they touch the sticker chip and quarter rests respectively.

For an extension, repeat the activity above asking children to say and clap what the words say.  Finally, invite children to only play their "sunshine" lines -- reinforcing their divided-beat experiences.  As you read, take turns inviting different groups to read, say/play or play their "sunshine" lines.

Extension:  Add additional chips with moon stickers to create a beat, divided beat, rest activity.

Click the link below to to purchase the sunshine stickers from Teacher Storehouse.

120 Sunshine Stickers for $1.99