I introduce this song to 2nd graders to teach half note.
1) Each student has a copy of the song. I sing it and ask them to point along.
2) I ask them if they can find the half notes. How many are there?
3) I sing again, and they raise their hands on the half notes.
4) I point out other things, like the "upside down" notes - and I tell them they are the same things, whether they are right-side-up or upside-down.
5) I encourage them to continue to point along as we sing the rhythm syllables: "ti-ti, ti-ti, ti-ti..."
Another class period you could review the above and divide the students into 3 groups:
eighth notes
quarter notes
half notes
Practice this first without instruments, then add instruments. Each group claps only their note in the song. I conduct, but I also encourage them to look at their music. You could also have a student point along on a large copy of the music at the front of the classroom, either on a large sheet of paper, chalk/white board, or Smart Board.
Then add instruments, such as:
eighth notes - maracas, guiros, cabasas
quarter notes - hand drums, tambourines, woodblocks
half notes - cymbals, finger cymbals, triangles (Demonstrate how you chose those instruments to represent the half notes: their sound lasts longer than the other instruments' sound.)
On another day, introduce the game. This game ends up being a favorite for older students, who sometimes choose it as a game for their reward.
1) Each student has a copy of the song. I sing it and ask them to point along.
2) I ask them if they can find the half notes. How many are there?
3) I sing again, and they raise their hands on the half notes.
4) I point out other things, like the "upside down" notes - and I tell them they are the same things, whether they are right-side-up or upside-down.
5) I encourage them to continue to point along as we sing the rhythm syllables: "ti-ti, ti-ti, ti-ti..."
Another class period you could review the above and divide the students into 3 groups:
eighth notes
quarter notes
half notes
Practice this first without instruments, then add instruments. Each group claps only their note in the song. I conduct, but I also encourage them to look at their music. You could also have a student point along on a large copy of the music at the front of the classroom, either on a large sheet of paper, chalk/white board, or Smart Board.
Then add instruments, such as:
eighth notes - maracas, guiros, cabasas
quarter notes - hand drums, tambourines, woodblocks
half notes - cymbals, finger cymbals, triangles (Demonstrate how you chose those instruments to represent the half notes: their sound lasts longer than the other instruments' sound.)
On another day, introduce the game. This game ends up being a favorite for older students, who sometimes choose it as a game for their reward.
GAME:
(1) Students stand in a circle on the floor.
(2) One student stand/sit in middle and close eyes while students sing song and dance (keeping feet in same spot on floor).
(3) On the last word "mad," students freeze, student in middle opens eyes and looks for students who are moving - and they are "out." After a few minutes of getting students out, the student who is "it" closes his/her eyes and spins around while pointing: I count 1...2...3. The next "grizzly bear" is the one that "it" is pointing to.
