Lyrics

(Folk song)

Grizzly bear, a grizzly bear is sleeping in a cave. (repeat)
Please be very quiet, very very quiet,
If you wake him, if you shake him, he gets very mad!

Game

Students stand in a circle on the floor. One student (the “Grizzly Bear”) stands/sits in the middle and closes eyes while students sing the song and dance in place. On the last word “mad,” students freeze, and the “Grizzly Bear” opens eyes and looks for students who are moving. If they move, they are “out,” and they sit down. After about a minute of looking for moving students, the “Grizzly Bear” closes eyes and spins around while pointing: I count 1…2…3. The person the “Grizzly Bear” is pointing to (It must be a person who is still standing and who is not “out.”) when I say “3” becomes the next “Grizzly Bear.”

Recorder Notes F#, G, A, B, C, D’

See also

YouTube

or purchase here (printables only)

  • Handout of notation
  • Song with chords in 2 keys, Lesson ideas for Rhythm (eighth, quarter, eighth notes), Unpitched percussion arrangement, Student copies (PDF)
  • MIDI file
  • Listen to the song

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3 thoughts on “Grizzly Bear”

  1. Pingback: My Favorite Resources for Teaching Loud and Quiet |

  2. I learned this game differently– one student is in the center with eyes closed (the bear), while another student sneaks up on them during the “please be very quiet” part, still singing (so that the bear can hear a voice). The “bear” opens his/her eyes on “mad” and the sneaker has to be back in their spot. The bear then tries to guess who snuck up on them.

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