Every classroom seems to have a favorite song that you end up singing all year long no matter what you try. So, what is your classrooms favorite song?
Leave the words and tune if possible in the comments.
The favorite around here is the 5 dinosaurs.
Showing posts with label songs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label songs. Show all posts
1/31/2010
12/07/2009
Three Little Fishes
I have a song that is always a favorite with the children. I’m not sure why, but I have yet to find a child who doesn’t enjoy this song. it goes like this:
Three little fishes and a mommy fishy too
Three little fishes in an itty bitty pool
Swim said the mommy fishy swim if you can
And they swam and they swam right over the dam
Singing boom boom didum dadum whatum shoo
boom boom didum dadum whatum shoo
boom boom didum dadum whatum shoo
And they swam and they swam right over the dam
That’s the first verse. There are more verses but I won’t post them here. Mainly because anything more than the first verse is too much when you are first starting this song with your group. Really I don’t introduce more verses until the children are getting close to kindergarten.
Then there is the child who will always respond, “Miss Jenni, that’s a bad word!”
11/12/2009
Bubble Gum
This is a favorite song at all the centers. I walk in and children bombard me requesting that I sing it:
Icky stick icky sticky bubble gum
bubble gum, bubble gum
icky sticky icky sticky bubble gum
my hands are stuck to my……(insert body part).
So I pulled, and I puuuuulled, and I puuuuuled them off!
Repeat until you can’t stand it anymore. Let the children decide where to stick their hands. They love the mouth and eyes. What’s fun is when they finally realize it doesn’t have to be a body part and can be the floor or even their classmate.
7/13/2008
Curriculum Ideas-From a song
There is a simple finger play song that goes like this:
5 little froggies sitting on a well
1 looked up and down he fell
Froggies jump high
Forggies jump low
How many froggies left in a row?
Of course, the simple thing is to sing this as a finger play putting down one finger at a time. But, why would I go with the simple here? Let's expand this idea:
First idea (this children LOVE this):
Get a container of water to be the well. I have found the disposable food containers work very well for this. You know the kind, ziplock or reynold's have. They are cheap and sturdy. Get one with mouth that opens 4-6 inches is best, but pretty much anything works.
Fill the container up to an inch from the top with water. Get a lincoln log or a long block from the block area and rest it on the edge. I should note here that when you do this teacher directed, put the log closest to you. Then get 5 little toy frogs (I use the frogs from this, but you can find little frogs anywhere). As you, and the children, sing, drop the frogs in the water one at a time.
The children get a HUGE kick out of this. Once you introduce this to them, make sure to put it out on the table as one of the activities. If you don't...they will! So, you might as well be proactive about it and beat them to it. If possible (read you have enough materials) set up 3 or 4 stations until the newness wears off. Then, now don't be afraid, put it in the language and literacy area. That's right! Maybe don't put as much water, but go ahead...trust them! It's only water and I have yet to have a huge disaster that got out of control.
Second Idea:
During a transition time, change the words to include the children. Let's pretend you are in circle time and it's time to go choose activities. There are 16 children there today so you start:
16 froggies sitting on a well
Jose looked up and down he fell (at this point Jose gets to stand up in his spot or in the center)
Jose jumps high (have Jose jump as high as he can)
Jose jumps low (have Jose make little hopping jumps)
And off he goes...(Jose now gets to go to his activity)
This is a longer transition song so it also works well for getting hands washed and bathroom runs done since there is ample amount of time between verses for the person to have washed his hands.
Third Idea:
You have the finger play puppets for 5 green and speckled frogs...use it here!
Fourth Idea:
Buy a long post at the lumbar store (one that has a flat edge so it won't roll) and put it out in the yard. Have children stand on it and sing the song, jumping off when it's their turn.
Anyone else have a great extension for this song?
This song is so closely related to the 5 green and speckled frogs you can almost do the same activities with that song as well.
5 little froggies sitting on a well
1 looked up and down he fell
Froggies jump high
Forggies jump low
How many froggies left in a row?
Of course, the simple thing is to sing this as a finger play putting down one finger at a time. But, why would I go with the simple here? Let's expand this idea:
First idea (this children LOVE this):
Get a container of water to be the well. I have found the disposable food containers work very well for this. You know the kind, ziplock or reynold's have. They are cheap and sturdy. Get one with mouth that opens 4-6 inches is best, but pretty much anything works.
Fill the container up to an inch from the top with water. Get a lincoln log or a long block from the block area and rest it on the edge. I should note here that when you do this teacher directed, put the log closest to you. Then get 5 little toy frogs (I use the frogs from this, but you can find little frogs anywhere). As you, and the children, sing, drop the frogs in the water one at a time.
The children get a HUGE kick out of this. Once you introduce this to them, make sure to put it out on the table as one of the activities. If you don't...they will! So, you might as well be proactive about it and beat them to it. If possible (read you have enough materials) set up 3 or 4 stations until the newness wears off. Then, now don't be afraid, put it in the language and literacy area. That's right! Maybe don't put as much water, but go ahead...trust them! It's only water and I have yet to have a huge disaster that got out of control.
Second Idea:
During a transition time, change the words to include the children. Let's pretend you are in circle time and it's time to go choose activities. There are 16 children there today so you start:
16 froggies sitting on a well
Jose looked up and down he fell (at this point Jose gets to stand up in his spot or in the center)
Jose jumps high (have Jose jump as high as he can)
Jose jumps low (have Jose make little hopping jumps)
And off he goes...(Jose now gets to go to his activity)
This is a longer transition song so it also works well for getting hands washed and bathroom runs done since there is ample amount of time between verses for the person to have washed his hands.
Third Idea:
You have the finger play puppets for 5 green and speckled frogs...use it here!
Fourth Idea:
Buy a long post at the lumbar store (one that has a flat edge so it won't roll) and put it out in the yard. Have children stand on it and sing the song, jumping off when it's their turn.
Anyone else have a great extension for this song?
This song is so closely related to the 5 green and speckled frogs you can almost do the same activities with that song as well.
7/02/2008
Transition Activities-Put them in boxes
Today is a great transition activity. We have talked before about moving children in groups and slowly. So, here is a great way to dismiss from circle one at a time, or any other gathering time. This is a transition activity that moves pretty quickly, so it's not appropriate for going to hand washing. The best time to use this is after circle time or when they need to line up at the door.
First, have the children climb into imaginary boxes. Show them what it should look like. Then call out this rhyme to each child and have them respond:
Teacher: " (name) in a box, so quiet and still; won't you come out?"
Child: Jumps up and responds, "Of course I will!"
The child is then allowed to go find an activity to do or line up or whatever.
Helpful hint, if someone is really wiggly in their box, call them next! Also, remind any of those heads that pop up, "stay in your box". If you call the wiggly ones first, they are more likely to stay longer next time; plus you won't get frustrated with them wiggling about.
I have the experience of children hopping up and moving to the side of the room that I called the last child; so I have found that if I randomly call different children, they are most likely going to stay in their spot instead of hopping around where they will no doubt step on someone accidentally.
First, have the children climb into imaginary boxes. Show them what it should look like. Then call out this rhyme to each child and have them respond:
Teacher: " (name) in a box, so quiet and still; won't you come out?"
Child: Jumps up and responds, "Of course I will!"
The child is then allowed to go find an activity to do or line up or whatever.
Helpful hint, if someone is really wiggly in their box, call them next! Also, remind any of those heads that pop up, "stay in your box". If you call the wiggly ones first, they are more likely to stay longer next time; plus you won't get frustrated with them wiggling about.
I have the experience of children hopping up and moving to the side of the room that I called the last child; so I have found that if I randomly call different children, they are most likely going to stay in their spot instead of hopping around where they will no doubt step on someone accidentally.
5/05/2008
Transition Activities
I spent the day in the classroom subbing for one of my teachers. Through this time I discovered I was teaching the assistant a bit more than I expected to be teaching her. The major thing was Transition Activities! It's so much easier to move a group of children a little at a time rather than as a whole group. One activity that I used is here. This is the simplest activity:
Pick anything (shirts, shoes, pants, jackets, etc...) and call out colors. You need to make sure that you don't call blue jeans first or else the entire group gets up at once! But find something that sticks out. Here, I was actually very surprised to find, that most of the children had laces. Only three children had velcro on their shoes, so I started with that. This allows for a slow movement.
When we were coming in for breakfast, I called by color of anything: "If you are wearing orange, go wash your hands for breakfast." The assistant teacher was inside at the sink ready to receive children to wash their hands and direct them.
My favorite, and best controlled for a long transition, is to sing a song that sends one at a time. I used the frog today:
Pick anything (shirts, shoes, pants, jackets, etc...) and call out colors. You need to make sure that you don't call blue jeans first or else the entire group gets up at once! But find something that sticks out. Here, I was actually very surprised to find, that most of the children had laces. Only three children had velcro on their shoes, so I started with that. This allows for a slow movement.
When we were coming in for breakfast, I called by color of anything: "If you are wearing orange, go wash your hands for breakfast." The assistant teacher was inside at the sink ready to receive children to wash their hands and direct them.
My favorite, and best controlled for a long transition, is to sing a song that sends one at a time. I used the frog today:
10 little froggies sitting on a well
Jose looked up and down he fell
Jose jumps high
Jose jumps low
And off he goes
This works well for getting ready for lunch. Now, Jose can go put his mat out, get his blanket, and start washing his hands before the next child is done with their verse of the song. You can change any counting song to do just this. The cookie song also works well for this time:
Rachel took the cookie from the cookie jar
(Rachel responds) Who me?
Yes you!
Couldn't be!
Then who?
(Rachel then chooses another child then goes and washes her hands)
(Rachel responds) Who me?
Yes you!
Couldn't be!
Then who?
(Rachel then chooses another child then goes and washes her hands)
These transition times can also be a great time to test the children in what they know. Call them out by a concept:
If your name starts with a B, go find an activity
If your birthday is in March, go find an activity
If your last name is Smith, go find an activity
If you are a boy, go find an activity
You will quickly be able to tell if they understand these concepts; especially when you have that boy sitting down at the end with black, laced, velcroed shoes!
Transitions should be a time that move the children in an orderly fashion from one place or activity to the next. Once they arrive at the next place, there shouldn't be waiting.
Most importantly, unless the whole group jumps up at once, if one or two children wander off before they are called, don't make a big deal. They are obviously not ready to wait. If you see a child is getting antsy waiting, make sure the next one they call is them. Don't torment the child by making her wait until the end because she can't sit still. Do both of you a favor and let her go!
Slideshow Music found!
Okay, I have found the perfect duo of songs for our slideshow. Since I am able to include pictures of the children from the last 3 years, I had to encompas growing up and moving on, etc...
The end is going to be The time of your life by Green day. Man people are going to cry. I was already tearing up with just the pictures; add this song to it, and it's difficult to hold it together:
The beginning, I am using Peter Pan's I won't grow up. This is a fun up beat song to begin things with. Plus it illustrates the fun childhood. It's going to be a great slide show.
The end is going to be The time of your life by Green day. Man people are going to cry. I was already tearing up with just the pictures; add this song to it, and it's difficult to hold it together:
The beginning, I am using Peter Pan's I won't grow up. This is a fun up beat song to begin things with. Plus it illustrates the fun childhood. It's going to be a great slide show.
4/21/2008
Dinosaur Curriculum
Okay, I bunch of you have been searching and asking for some Dinosaur Curriculum. So, here are my five best ideas:
1. I have talked before about the sensory table and an archaeological dig. This is always fun!
2. Of course there is my favorite song. This is great fun to act out, use at transition times, or just to sing together. My favorite time to use in transition is getting ready for lunch. It gives plenty of time between each child to go potty, get their hands washed, put out their blanket, and sit down for lunch. This doesn't work if the children are going from one activity to line up and wait for everyone. They wait in line way too long!
3. I also love to have the children see how big dinosaurs actually were! Find the measurements for dinosaurs. There are so many different types and sizes I can't begin to give you links. You'll have to look those us. But once you get those lengths, measure them out on the playground. Use chalk and draw a line on the sidewalk or wall to show the length. You can also use yarn, but make sure you attach is securely so it doesn't come undone and trip people up. Have the children lay head to toe to show how long they actually are. Another way is to have them stand with their hands wide spread. Mark along the line how many children it took to measure the different dinosaurs. Make sure to post pictures of the dinosaurs you choose to use to show how tall they were.
4. You can do the same with the weight, in a way. This takes more math for the bigger dinosaurs, so stick to some smaller ones. Using a picture of the dinosaur, find out how much that dinosaur weighed. Then, weigh all the children. You'll have to add them all up; unless you have a really big scale! Take a picture of the groups of children that equal the weight of the dinosaur and post it underneath the picture.
5. Sorting dinosaurs by type (land, water, flying, meat eater, plant eaters, etc...). Have pictures or play dinosaurs and let the children sort them. Even better: help the children make a land area in the block area or on any expanse that can be left out where they can put the dinosaurs accordingly in the areas.
1. I have talked before about the sensory table and an archaeological dig. This is always fun!
2. Of course there is my favorite song. This is great fun to act out, use at transition times, or just to sing together. My favorite time to use in transition is getting ready for lunch. It gives plenty of time between each child to go potty, get their hands washed, put out their blanket, and sit down for lunch. This doesn't work if the children are going from one activity to line up and wait for everyone. They wait in line way too long!
3. I also love to have the children see how big dinosaurs actually were! Find the measurements for dinosaurs. There are so many different types and sizes I can't begin to give you links. You'll have to look those us. But once you get those lengths, measure them out on the playground. Use chalk and draw a line on the sidewalk or wall to show the length. You can also use yarn, but make sure you attach is securely so it doesn't come undone and trip people up. Have the children lay head to toe to show how long they actually are. Another way is to have them stand with their hands wide spread. Mark along the line how many children it took to measure the different dinosaurs. Make sure to post pictures of the dinosaurs you choose to use to show how tall they were.
4. You can do the same with the weight, in a way. This takes more math for the bigger dinosaurs, so stick to some smaller ones. Using a picture of the dinosaur, find out how much that dinosaur weighed. Then, weigh all the children. You'll have to add them all up; unless you have a really big scale! Take a picture of the groups of children that equal the weight of the dinosaur and post it underneath the picture.
5. Sorting dinosaurs by type (land, water, flying, meat eater, plant eaters, etc...). Have pictures or play dinosaurs and let the children sort them. Even better: help the children make a land area in the block area or on any expanse that can be left out where they can put the dinosaurs accordingly in the areas.
3/14/2008
Homemade Fridays- Favorite songs
We have discs upon discs of music to play in the classroom. And, like any other CD collection, each disc only has about 1 or 2 songs that the children enjoy listening to. The children will ask over and over for the same song, and completely ignore the rest of the disc.
Then there are the parents who come to you and say "What's that song about a dog?" or "How does that waddle song go?" or "Do you sing something about a bee named wally? And you have to guess that they mean Oh I want to be a dog, or waddelee acha, or willabee wallabee.
So, I had a coworker once who solved all these problems...and more. She made a collection on one disc of the classroom favorites. It was great to have in the classroom! It was the only disc that the children listened to the whole things and you never had to skip over or repeat songs because they couldn't wait to hear the next one too! She also made copies and gave it to the parents so that they would know what the songs actually were that their children were singing.
A simple idea? Yes! But sometimes you need to use someone elses simple idea to spark it in yourself.
So, what are you classroom favorites?
Then there are the parents who come to you and say "What's that song about a dog?" or "How does that waddle song go?" or "Do you sing something about a bee named wally? And you have to guess that they mean Oh I want to be a dog, or waddelee acha, or willabee wallabee.
So, I had a coworker once who solved all these problems...and more. She made a collection on one disc of the classroom favorites. It was great to have in the classroom! It was the only disc that the children listened to the whole things and you never had to skip over or repeat songs because they couldn't wait to hear the next one too! She also made copies and gave it to the parents so that they would know what the songs actually were that their children were singing.
A simple idea? Yes! But sometimes you need to use someone elses simple idea to spark it in yourself.
So, what are you classroom favorites?
3/03/2008
Curriculum Ideas-Stone Soupd comes to life
Have you ever read the story stone soup? It's one of my favorites. I especially love to do a storytelling rendition of it in the classroom. I have a special stone that I once found that only comes out for this purpose. I have been using it for years! Anyway, I would encourage you to find a special stone for this purpose. I get a clear bowl and set it aside; I also fill a cloth bag with all sorts of play food (carrots, lettuce, corn, salt/pepper shakers, etc...). I also have a pitcher of water available and a long wooden spoon. I start the story by showing my special stone, "Do you see this stone? This is a very special stone. It's very old and it has a very special, magical story that goes with it. Would you like to hear the story?" Well, of course they are all enamoured and want to hear the story. Wouldn't you? As I tell the story, I bring out the supplies as needed. The whole storytelling is one which leaves the children in awe and wondering...and always begging for another telling. I usually tell it everyday (sometimes several times a day) for about a week. After this, the children are eager for my next lesson plan idea...we make a classroom, very edible, stone soup.
I send home a request list to the parents of items we need to be shared with the classroom. I have done this a couple of ways: 1, make a list and post it on the door; 2, send a list home and ask them to bring in something off the list; and 3, send a paper bag home with each child with a specific item listed on the bag to be brought in. The last one works best. This one gets every parent to remember to bring in something and you don't end up with tons of carrots and no corn.
Leading up to this, I talk to the children about parties and dancing and singing, and we decide on the activities for the day of the soup making (I also plan a few surprises of my own). On the day of the making, we start immediately after breakfast. I set up a crock pot at circle time. I pull out the special stone and start the story telling process. "Let's see if this stone will work for us." I announce as I place it in the crock pot. Then I tell the story as if they are the villagers. They get all excited when I mumble to myself "It tastes all right, it just needs a bit of corn." "Oh, I have corn Miss Jenni!" Then, after the story telling, I have to leave it hanging because the villagers all dance and sing and have a party (in this version: "while they wait for it to cook"). And we have party games and I always include a dance lesson (square dances or line dances work well). We play musical instruments and it is a VERY busy morning hopping from one activity to the next. Then, of course, lunch time comes and we enjoy our soup!
This is a fabulous activity that totally wears them out (nap time is a dream!). It also takes some preplanning on your part. You have to introduce the story at a time that they are ready for it; and you have to get them so enamoured with the story that they ALL are eager to hear it and experience it. During this process, you also have to pick your window of opportunity. Have your soup party too early, and only some will be interested; have it too late, and they'll be tired of the story by this time and won't be interested. It is a great language and literacy experience; it's great for sharing and community; and it's fabulous for introducing some dancing and singing that maybe some of them would never try otherwise.
It's also a very busy day that, for the most part, the whole group seems to travel together (no one really breaks off into their own areas for fear that they will miss the magic of the soup).
In the end, however, it is well worth it!
I send home a request list to the parents of items we need to be shared with the classroom. I have done this a couple of ways: 1, make a list and post it on the door; 2, send a list home and ask them to bring in something off the list; and 3, send a paper bag home with each child with a specific item listed on the bag to be brought in. The last one works best. This one gets every parent to remember to bring in something and you don't end up with tons of carrots and no corn.
Leading up to this, I talk to the children about parties and dancing and singing, and we decide on the activities for the day of the soup making (I also plan a few surprises of my own). On the day of the making, we start immediately after breakfast. I set up a crock pot at circle time. I pull out the special stone and start the story telling process. "Let's see if this stone will work for us." I announce as I place it in the crock pot. Then I tell the story as if they are the villagers. They get all excited when I mumble to myself "It tastes all right, it just needs a bit of corn." "Oh, I have corn Miss Jenni!" Then, after the story telling, I have to leave it hanging because the villagers all dance and sing and have a party (in this version: "while they wait for it to cook"). And we have party games and I always include a dance lesson (square dances or line dances work well). We play musical instruments and it is a VERY busy morning hopping from one activity to the next. Then, of course, lunch time comes and we enjoy our soup!
This is a fabulous activity that totally wears them out (nap time is a dream!). It also takes some preplanning on your part. You have to introduce the story at a time that they are ready for it; and you have to get them so enamoured with the story that they ALL are eager to hear it and experience it. During this process, you also have to pick your window of opportunity. Have your soup party too early, and only some will be interested; have it too late, and they'll be tired of the story by this time and won't be interested. It is a great language and literacy experience; it's great for sharing and community; and it's fabulous for introducing some dancing and singing that maybe some of them would never try otherwise.
It's also a very busy day that, for the most part, the whole group seems to travel together (no one really breaks off into their own areas for fear that they will miss the magic of the soup).
In the end, however, it is well worth it!
2/27/2008
Favorite song
I just realized I have yet to give you a great circle time song! I think that I will try and make a regular posting on songs for the classroom. We always need new creative ideas right? So, here is my kids absolute favorite song. It's a counting song and is loud and soft all at the same time. So here it is:
5 dinosaurs sleeping on the cave floor (hold up5 fingers and speak very softly)
They woke up and started to ROAR! (stretch like you're waking up and ROAR LOUDLY!)
There's no more room (point finger and move it back and forth)
No more no more (continue wagging finger in the air)
There's no more room on this cave floor (point to floor)
So they tossed (roll arms in front of you)
And they turned (roll arms opposite way in front of you)
And they pushed galore! (push hands out in front of you)
And 1 dinosaur rolled out the cave door. (hold up one finger then roll arms again)
Continue until you get to 1:
1 dinosaur sleeping on the cave floor
He woke up and started to cry
He missed his dinosaur friends
So he goes to the cave door and shouts!
"Dinosaur friends! Come back!"
Then all the dinosuars rolled back into the cave and...
They all went to sleep.
The children love the last verse! The one's who actually remember after a few times get proud that they can remember that it changes! This is a huge hit!
This is also a great song to act out. Have 5 children stand in front of the group. The "actors" love it because they get to roll across the floor.
I have also succefully used this as a transition song dismissing the children from circle. I change the last line to say "and Rosy dinosaur rolled out the cave door." The child then rolls out of circle and then goes to an activity or whatever is next (hand washing for lunch, skill builder time, outdoor time, etc...). It's a great transition activity.
5 dinosaurs sleeping on the cave floor (hold up5 fingers and speak very softly)
They woke up and started to ROAR! (stretch like you're waking up and ROAR LOUDLY!)
There's no more room (point finger and move it back and forth)
No more no more (continue wagging finger in the air)
There's no more room on this cave floor (point to floor)
So they tossed (roll arms in front of you)
And they turned (roll arms opposite way in front of you)
And they pushed galore! (push hands out in front of you)
And 1 dinosaur rolled out the cave door. (hold up one finger then roll arms again)
Continue until you get to 1:
1 dinosaur sleeping on the cave floor
He woke up and started to cry
He missed his dinosaur friends
So he goes to the cave door and shouts!
"Dinosaur friends! Come back!"
Then all the dinosuars rolled back into the cave and...
They all went to sleep.
The children love the last verse! The one's who actually remember after a few times get proud that they can remember that it changes! This is a huge hit!
This is also a great song to act out. Have 5 children stand in front of the group. The "actors" love it because they get to roll across the floor.
I have also succefully used this as a transition song dismissing the children from circle. I change the last line to say "and Rosy dinosaur rolled out the cave door." The child then rolls out of circle and then goes to an activity or whatever is next (hand washing for lunch, skill builder time, outdoor time, etc...). It's a great transition activity.
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