Apple Tree
Students sing and walk in a circle keeping the steady beat. Two students (the “apple tree”) hold their hands above heads, creating an arch for students to walk under. On the word "out" the apple tree quickly lowers its branches and traps an apple.
That caught student becomes a new apple tree with the teacher and the game continues - catching more apples, creating more trees, until there is only one apple left.
Bluebird Bluebird
Students stand in a circle with hands connected above their heads to create “windows.” One student is the bluebird. They go in and out the windows, walking underneath students’ joined hands.
At “take a little partner,” the bluebird taps three other students on the shoulder. Those three chosen students fly behind the head bluebird in and out the windows. In the next round of the game, the head bluebird taps three more students on the shoulder. Continue until there are no students left in the circle.
Bell Horses
Song Analysis:
Tone Set: m s l
Scale: sol tritonic
Form: AB
Classroom Use:
Rhythm: ta ta-di ta ta-di; ta-di ta ta-di ta; ta rest
Melody: s m; s l s
Comparatives: loud/quiet; high / low
Game: Movement to text
Subject: Animals
Grade: Pre-school, Kindergarten, 1st
Cuckoo Clock
Doggie Doggie
Students sit in a circle. One student (the dog) faces away from the circle with their eyes closed. Another student is secretly given the bone or another small object to hide in their lap. At the end of the song, the dog sings, “who stole my bone” on a s-m-l-s-m melody. The student who has the bone sings “I stole your bone” on a s-m-l-s-m melody. The dog turns around and tries to identify whose voice they heard.
Tinker Tailor
Teddy Bear
Star Light Star Bright
Rain Rain Go Away
Goodnight Sleep Tight
Song Analysis:
TONE SET: m sl
SCALE: mi tritonic
FORM: aa
Classroom Use:
RHYTHM: ta, ta-di
MELODY: sol mi sol la
COMPARATIVES: quiet; slow; high/low
GRADE: Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st
SUBJECT: sleep / night / lullaby
Pajarito Tan Bonito
Song Analysis:
Tone Set: d m s
Scale: do tritonic
Form: AB
Classroom Use:
Rhythm: beat; ta-di ta-di ta-di ta-di; ta-di ta-di ta-di ta; 2/4 meter; ta rest
Melody: s m ; s m s
Comparatives: loud/quiet; fast / slow
Subject: Animals
Grade: Pre-school, Kindergarten, 1st
Jack and Jill
Little Sally Water
G A M E
Children join hands in a circle, with one child in the center as "Sally," covering his or her eyes with two hands. The circle moves around as they sing the song. The child in the center imitates the song all the way through, pointing to another child in the circle at the end of the song, still covering the eyes with one hand. The chosen child becomes "Sally," goes to the center and the game starts again
