CHILDREN"S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

STEADY BEAT

STEADY BEAT

MELODY - FIVE LITTLE BELLS

Five Little Bells
Five little bells hanging in a row.
The first one said, "Ring me slow."
The second one said, "Ring me fast."
The third one said, "Ring me last."
The fourth one said, "I'm a chime."
The fifth one said, "Ring me at Christmas time."

Source: www.kinderthemes.com

I wanted to connect to last week's activity, so I am using the same poem.  I am also working with the inital stages of putting rhythm and melody together with my little ones -- they are "writing" their first holiday melodies this week.   Print the blackline master I created (the link is provided below). After printing 5 copies of the blackline, write a 4-beat melody pattern using the solfege syllables that are part of your current concept lesson on each bell. For example, at the primary level, you might only use s-m or s-m-l. For an intermediate lesson, you might want to consider including d and r, as well as d' and s, and l,. Consider making the bells without any solfege patterns, laminating them first, then using an erasable marker so that you can change patterns based on the grade level use of this activity.

Here is how I have adapted the poem to use it this month and support the melodic concepts in my lesson. Hope it is useful to you in your classrooms.

Five Little Bells
Five little bells hanging in a row. The first one said, "hang the first bell and read (say/play) the melody pattern on the bell"
The second one said, "hang the second bell and read (say/play) the melody pattern on the second bell"
The third one said, "hang the third bell and read (say/play) the melody on the third bell"
The fourth one said, "hang the fourth bell and read (say/play) the melody pattern on the fourth bell"
The fifth one said, "We're all hanging on the line.
Now sing the melody of our seasonal chimes.
     (hang the fifth bell pattern and read (say/play) all five patterns - ending the pattern by saying)
A melodic ringing time.

STEADY BEAT - FIVE LITTLE BELLS

Five Little Bells 
Five little bells hanging in a row.
The first one said, "Ring me slow."
The second one said, "Ring me fast."
The third one said, "Ring me last."
The fourth one said, "I'm a chime."
The fifth one said, "Ring me at Christmas time."

Source: www.kinderthemes.com

Print the blackline master I created (the link is provided below).  After printing 5 copies of the blackline, write a 4-beat pattern using the rhythms that are part of your current concept lesson on each bell.  For example, at the primary level, you might use quarter notes, eighth notes and quarter rest patterns (ta, ti-ti, and r).  I use stick notation -- but I left the blackline blank so that you can use the notation patterns your children are used to reading.  For an intermediate lesson, you might want to consider a 4-beat sixteenth note rhythm using tika-tika, ti-tika, and tika-ti.  You might also consider making your bells without any rhythm pattern, laminate them first, then using an erasable marker so that you can change rhythm patterns based on the grade level use of this activity.

Here is how I have adapted the poem to use it this month and support the rhythmic concepts in my lesson.  Hope it is useful to you in your classrooms.

Five little bells hanging in a row.
The first one said, "hang the first bell and read (say/play) the rhythm pattern on the bell"
The second one said, "hang the second bell and read (say/play) the rhythm pattern on the second bell"
The third one said, "hang the third bell and read (say/play) the rhythm on the third bell"
The fourth one said, "hang the fourth bell and read (say/play) the rhythm on the fourth bell"
The fifth one said, "We're all hanging on the line.
Now play the rhythms on our seasonal chimes."
(hang the fifth bell pattern and read (say/play) all five patterns - ending the rhythm pattern by saying)
A rhythmic ringing time.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE BELL BLACKLINE.

CHILDRENS LITERATURE CONNECTIONS

In searching my library, I found that I had 4 books about bells.  Of course, the Iza Trapni Jingle Bells is a must for any holiday collection.  Then there is also Lucille Colandro's I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell.


CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE JINGLE BELLS FROM AMAZON.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE I KNOW AN OLD LADY FROM AMAZON.

The Christmas Bell has a religious storyline.  The Bells of Christmas is set in the late 1800's.  I hope these are helpful to your search for children's literature connections.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE CHRISTMAS BELL FROM AMAZON.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BELLS OF CHRISTMAS FROM AMAZON.