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.