Nuts in May

folk song / traditional

Lyrics

(Folk song)

1. Here we come gathering nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Here we come gathering nuts in May
On a cold and frosty morning.

2. Who will you gather for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Who will you gather for nuts in May
On a cold and frosty morning?

3. We’ll gather [Jeanie] for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
We’ll gather [Jeanie] for nuts in May
On a cold and frosty morning.

4. Who will you send to take her away,
Take her away, take her away,
Who will you send to take her away
On a cold and frosty morning.

5. We’re sending [Willie] to take her away,
Take her away, take her away,
We’re sending [Willie] to take her away
On a cold and frosty morning.

Movement

Formation: Students stand in two rows facing each other.

Verse 1 – Both rows step forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, forward 4 steps, back 4 steps

Verse 2 – Line 1 steps forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, forward 4 steps, back 4 steps

Verse 3 – Students in Line 2 choose a student from Line 1 and sings that person’s name as they step forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, forward 4 steps, back 4 steps

Verse 4 – Line 1 steps forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, forward 4 steps, back 4 steps

Verse 5 – Students in Line 2 choose a student from their own line and sings that person’s name as they step forward 4 steps, back 4 steps, forward 4 steps, back 4 steps.

Option 1: The 2 students have a tug of war until one student wins, and both students joins that student’s line. Game continues until one line has all of the students.

Option 2: Teacher thinks of a number between 1 and 10. Both students must guess a number, and whoever comes closer to the correct number wins. Both students join that line.

Option 3: Both students can play an instrument while the game starts again.