STEADY BEAT

I'll post this info on Sunday.  Thanks.

MELODY - LOW LA BUNNY

Big Bad Bunny
Written by Franny Billingsley
Illustrated by G Brian Karas
ISBN:  978-1-4169-0601-8

I love using this story during Easter time because it tells the wonderful story of a little mouse with a BIG imagination!  Mother mouse is putting her little ones to bed, only to realize that little mouse is missing.  All the while, little mouse is running around the neighborhood proclaiming himself to be a "big bad bunny."  The book has two lines which tell us that he has long sharp claws and pointy yellow teeth.  I sing these lines using the melody of "Willem."  The children love the minor sound and it sets up a great beginning to the story.  The book also provides opportunities for children to make the sounds - "scritch" and "chomp."  These become my ostinato while the children sing the song.

To reinforce the low la practice, I have the children begin to describe "big bad bunny."  Following the format of the folk song Willem, each verse is simply a different characteristic of "bunny."  Though there are only 2 characteristics listed in the actual story, the children have had fun creating different descriptive verses and singing the song.  This has become an annual favorite this time of year.

There are also many "Going on a Bear Hunt" moments in which your children can verbally respond while the story is being told.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE BIG BAD BUNNY FROM AMAZON.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE - BOOKS TO SING

Peek-a-Boo Bunny
Written and Illustrated by Holly Surplice
ISBN:  978-0-06-224265-5

Bunny is out with his friends and it's hide and seek time -- their favorite game!  This charming tale is a playful reminder of the game we all loved as children.  With beautifully delicate pictures, this story can be sung to familiar melodies such as "Skip to My Lou" and the old favorite "Ten Little ..."  I left the last word off since there are so many variations that each of us may know.

Enjoy the story and keep singing.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER PEEK-A-BOO BUNNY FROM AMAZON.

STEADY BEAT

MELODY

While currently traveling this weekend, I will post a new idea on Monday.  Thanks for visiting and please return Monday for another great activity.

STEADY BEAT

MELODY - MRD MOLES

Spring is Here - A Bear and Mole Story

Written and Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

ISBN:  978-0-8234-2431-3

This charming story opens with Mole's morning wake up to the wonderful smells of spring.  With spring around the corner, I thought it would be a charming way to reinforce mi-re-do with my third grade students as they are working on B-A-G on soprano recorder.

The first experience with the story is to simply include movement as the story includes words like "squish, tap, and swish."  As I read the story the first time, the children were in scattered formation and simply allowed to create movements for each of the words as they are spoken in the story.  By the way, each word is said 3 times in the text.

I created a poem for the students to move while hearing the story the second time that included movement.  I include this activity each time bear replies, "Snore."

"Spring is here, I must tell bear.

          Students create a large circle and walk 4 steps CCW.

He's still sleeping in his lair.

He'll miss spring if he stays there.

          Students stop for a 8-beat body percussion - pat twice-clap twice-neighbor clap twice-clap twice

I must tell bear."

          Students rejoin hands and walk 4 steps CW.

The melody is pretty simple - but I wrote it so that it would reinforce mi-re-do and be easy for them to play on recorder.  Play the first line on B, the second on A, the third on G.  The final line is played B-A-A-G (rhythm is ta ti-ti ta Z).

The third time I read the story, I play the first three lines of the melody on soprano recorder, inviting students to play the last line.  Then divide the students into 3 groups - asking each group to play one line of the melody.  Then all play the last line.  Eventually, they can all play the entire melody, or invite 3 students to play solos (one plays each line) - while the remaining students play the last line as an ensemble.

I hope this is useful to you.  My kids loved the activity and have even been working on writing a B Section - which I may use as a bulletin board to highlight their individual melodies.  I have included the MRD Mole blackline here if you would like to download and print for your student compositions.


CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE M-R-D MOLE PATTERN.


CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MRD MOLE SMART BOARD FILE.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR COPY OF SPRING IS HERE FROM AMAZON.