| Song |
Suggestions |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Once I Caught A Fish Alive) |
- Split singers into 2 groups - sing one line each.
- Use the rhythm of '12345' as a repeating clapped or percussion
ostinato - but watch out for the different rhythm at the very end!
|
| Hickory Dickory Dock |
There is only one verse, but it is followed by
a set of regular tick-tock sounds to count up from 1 to 12 o'clock.
- First, just learn to sing the song without using the tick-tock section
at the end.
- Then set the hands of a clock to a particular time. During the
tick-tock section, ask the children to perform an 'alarm' at the exact
tick that matches the time on the clock.
There are 2 separate versions of the karaoke file: both have the
tick-tock sounds but only one version shows counts on the screen. Start work
using the version with the visual counts. Then when the children can
do their stuff, try again using the version without the visual
counts. This will make them count with their ears not their eyes.
Here's an
interactive colouring page for Hickory Dickory Dock. |
| Incy Wincy Spider |
- Use the rhythm of 'incy wincy spider' as a repeating clapped or
percussion rhythm.
- The middle verse is entirely instrumental. This is an opportunity for
physical movement - can the children move like a spider?
- Use vanBasco's Output window to find which two tracks play the tune in
the instrumental section. Which is high and which is low?
|
| Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush |
Lots of verses here, and a very 'country dance'
flavour.
- Ask children to perform actions in rhythm (stamp their feet etc.)
during relevant verses.
- In the last 2 verses, ask children to invent their own two 3-syllable
action phrases to replace the xxx and yyy shown on the screen.
- Use the song as an accompaniment to a country dance.
|
| Twinkle Twinkle |
There are 2 versions: a 'straight' version and
a 'pop' version (with alternative words!).
- In both versions there is a short dreamy introduction.
- Do children know exactly when to start singing after the intro?
- What physical gestures can they invent, appropriate for the mood of
the intro?
- The pop version is followed by eight repeats of an 8-beat drum kit rhythm
- Ask everyone to make a sound on a named beat of the repeating rhythm
- Ask individuals to make a particular sound on a named beat of the
repeating rhythm
- Try these tasks again without viewing the numbers on the screen (i.e.
using ears not eyes)
|
| Autumn Weather |
This song was composed by me to support QCA
unit 7 - Rain, rain go away There are 4 verses to the song, each mentioning a different aspect of the weather:
- Cold winds are blowing the leaves
- Thunderclaps ring in my ears
- Raindrops are falling from clouds
- Puddles are making me wet
The karaoke accompaniment includes matching musical sounds that suggest wind, thunder, rain and puddles.
- Children should be asked to listen to and identify these sounds.
- The sounds can eventually be solo'd using vanBasco's Output window. Can they find out which parts
supply each effect?
- Then children should think how they could make similar sounds using the instruments they have in their classroom. These could then be added to their performance of the song.
There is an optional 2nd vocal part in verse 3. This is simply an (overlapping) echo of the main melody and so is a
very simple way to introduce part singing for those that are ready for
it.
- Using vanBasco's 'output' window, mute the main melody but leave the echo part
sounding to support the 2nd part singers while they are getting used to it.
- A similar part could eventually be sung in all the other verses if the children like the effect.
Here is a musical score of
the song (PDF file)
Here is a text file of the
lyrics (TXT file)
|
