Spring is attempting to make its way in, and everyone is excited for a little bit warmer weather, more outside time, and the newness of spring. Here are three great songs to engage students in the spring time.
Lemonade
Tone Set: Sol/Mi
Rhythm Set: Ta, TiTi
Rhythmic Form: ABC
Melodic Form: AAB
Grades: K-1 Perfect for working on High/Low, Sol/Mi or if you are working on Tiptoe/Walk, or Ta/TiTi.
The Game
Group Formation: Players divided into two groups.
Action: Group 1 huddles and chooses a trade to pantomime. When they have chosen a trade, the game begins. Group 1 sings the call phrases and Group 2 trees to guess the trade. When they have guessed correctly, group two choses a trade and the game begins again.
Variation: One child is in the center as Group 2. They choose a different beverage and sing answer alone.
Resource
Bluebird, Bluebird
Tone Set: drmsld’
Rhythm Set: Ta, TiTi, Ta Rest, Half Note
Rhythmic Form: AAAB
Melodic Form: ABAC
Verses:
Vs2: Take a little redbird, tap him(her) on the shoulder (3x),
Oh Johnny are you tired?
Vs3: Redbird Redbird through my window (3x)
Oh Johnny are you tired?
Vs4: Take a little bluebird, tap him(her) on the shoulder (3x),
Oh Johnny are you tired?
Grades: 2-3: Great for half note, and high do
The Game
Vs 1: Children stand in a circle with hands joined and raised to form “windows.” One child weaves in and out the “windows” as all sing.
V2: The child stops behind one of the children in the circle and pats them on the shoulders.
Vs3: The second chid leads through the windows with the first child holding onto her shoulders. They stop behind a third child during the next verse, and so on.
Option: You may say the color of the shirt the children are wearing. A child wearing a pink shirt will be a pinkbird, or a child wearing yellow will be yellowbird. Make sure that bluebird is reinforced before adding this element so that rhythmic properties are clear!.
Resource
This has slides for teaching half note and high do.
TPT | Website
Who Stole My Chickens and My Hens
Tone Set: drmfsl
Rhythm Set: ta, dotted half rest, tim-ka, ka-tim
Rhythmic Form: AABA
Melodic Form: ABCD
Grades: 4-6: Tim-ka, ka-tim, and fa. Probably one of my FAVORITE games, Who Stole My Chickens and My Hens just feels springy. It’s great for your older students who are ready for a little challenge as well and you can add the levels to the game if you bring the song back for rhythm after using it with fa (or visa versa).
The Game
Formation: Double Circle
Level 1 Facing Partner: On the beat: Knees, clap, right, clap, left, clap, both, clap
Level 2: Extend left elbow and cup partner’s left elbow with right hand, clap, reverse, clap
Level 3: Hold out cupped left hand and pick “grain” with right hand from partner’s left hand. Raise hand to “eat” the grain, reverse.
Extra Fun!! Players must move right when the teacher calls “Gee” and left when the teacher calls “Haw”
More
This post is all bee songs and activities.
Check out this set with 96 pages of worksheets, and more springy folk songs.
I hope this has given you some fun things do to for spring with your students as the weather warms up! Maybe you can even take these games outside!
