Each lesson is 30 minutes long.

LESSON 1 – Introduction

I do these lessons after my November 3rd grade program, which will explain the Thanksgiving and Hanukkah-themed songs.

LESSON 2 – Rhythm

LESSON 3 – Rhythm

  • Sing School Song & Character Counts
  • Old King Cole
    • Review chant and hand clapping
    • See rhythm cards on board – Review half note, quarter note, eighth notes, time sig, measure
    • As we chant “A,” I pick a student to rearrange notes into a 4-beat pattern.  Then we chant pattern.
  • Echoing Rhythms
    • Pass out instruments (I name and demonstrate each one and explain the rule of instruments: if anyone plays when they are not supposed to, they lose the chance to play.)
      • Membranes: Hand drums  / tambourines
      • Woods: Woodblocks  / claves
      • Metals: Triangles  / Finger cymbals
    • In front, I have tubano (membrane), temple blocks (wood), suspended cymbal (metal). I do a 4-beat rhythm pattern on one, whoever has the same “family” of percussion echos.
  • Long Legged Sailor
    • Students learn to sing and try to do hand jive in the air.
    • As time permits, students do hand jive in partners.

LESSON 4 – Rhythm

  • Sing School Song & Character Counts
  • Old King Cole
    • Same as last lesson. Choose different students to rearrange cards.
  • Put cards (turkey, mashed potatoes, Don’t forget the stuffing, Pumpkin pie) on board.  Make 4-ms. pattern. Barline, measure, t.s.
    • Back to seats, pass out instruments – pick up where we left off
    • Perform 4-ms pattern with me putting colored dots above each ms. to indicate which risers play (all blues play together)
  • Long Legged Sailor + hand clapping
    • Add xylophone on FC – if time

LESSON 5 – Rhythm

  • Sing School Song & Character Counts
  • Look at Long Legged Sailor rhythm cards:
    • Put “Long” “Legged” “Sailor” cards up on the board. Ask students, “Would these measures fit into my t.s. of 4?” (Answer: “NO” – Lead them to understand that we need to add quarter rests)
    • Sing song + hand clapping – students find partners
    • Add xylophones on FC – some students with partners, some on xylophones
  • BOOK: Rumble in the Jungle
    • I read a few of the pages (the ones that have corresponding rhythm cards)
    • Show rhythm cards – “ta” through each rhythm card.
    • Introduce whole note* with the snake card.
  • O Hanukkah   (more Hanukkah songs)   (Christmas songs)
    • Put cards with “hints” for Hanukkah on the board – students say rhythms “Festival of lights,” etc. Ask students if they know what holiday is referred to.
    • Intro O Hanukah PowerPoint.  Explain words.
    • Show dreidel.
    • Sing through song.
    • Roll dreidel to find out which notes to play, class sings.
    • Put together with “B” (board “hints”) – tambourines.

LESSON 6 – Rhythm

  • Sing School Song & Character Counts
  • Rumble in the Jungle
    • Review rhythm cards
    • Review whole note
    • Pass out instruments in groups (each group is one animal rhythm)
    • Students switch instruments as time permits

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