Category: Songs

Waltz of the Drumsticks (The 1-2-3 Turkey)

This 2-chord song for voice, ukulele, and rainbow instruments (Boomwhackers & bells) is sure to be a hit! There’s no warbling going on here, just cantabile singing!

This song features:

  • 2 chords-G7 and C
  • 3/4 meter
  • ABA form
  • some terrific turkey rhyming

Sheet music is available on my Teachers Pay Teachers page.

Over The River & Through the Wood With Boomwhackers & Ukuleles

This resource of the Thanksgiving classic, Over the River and Through the Wood, includes parts for Boomwhackers, bells, and ukulele. Each part has audio and video files to support student learning AND in two different tempos-lento and adagio. Students learn about beats per minute (bpm) as they play their parts.

Play and learn in class or use it as a wonderful performance piece for winter concerts!

Music objectives include:

  • 6/8 meter and common rhythms
  • tempo markings
  • treble clef notation for melody
  • ukulele chords C, D7, F, and G7
  • classic American song repertoire
  • ensemble playing

Sound/Video File Example

Online Metronome

Metronome

Ukulele Seasonal Playalongs from Easy to Extreme

Find EASY ukulele holiday songs! These include themes of winter, December holidays, and Christmas songs for the ukulele.

Winter & Holiday Christmas Songs for the ukulele Blog Cover Image with title and cover image

Tuner provided by GuitarAPP.

What if I can’t play all the chords?

Here are some options if you can’t play all the chords!

  • Play just the chords you know and skip/stop strumming the ones you can’t play yet.
  • Strum only ONE time for every chord. That may give you time to get your fingers set for the next chord, even if it’s a hard one for you.
  • If you are in a group, divide the chords up.
  • I’m always ok with exchanging a seven chord for a triad. If a song has G7 and you know G, substitute. (Exchanging major and minor chords will not work. For example, Am and A sound very different)

Ukulele Songs for Christmas, Winter, and December Holidays & Celebrations

Run, Run Rudolph (C, F, G7)

Here Comes Santa Clause (C, F, G7, Am)

Continue reading “Ukulele Seasonal Playalongs from Easy to Extreme”

Winter Wind

 

Take the classic canon, “Ah Poor Bird”, add new lyrics, and you have the perfect Winter song!   

Questions…

As I worked with this canon, three questions arose. After much research, I still haven’t found any definitive answers. If you have thoughts on it, please leave a comment!

  1. Should it be written in 2/4 or 4/4?
  2. Should it be a 2-part, 3-part, or 4-part canon?
  3. Should the “C” be natural or sharp?
Instrumental arrangement
Continue reading “Winter Wind”

“One Piece of Pie” Round with Six Integrated Lessons

Take a look at this unique resource with EIGHT unique sound files to support student learning!

  • melody lines
  • accompaniments
  • Orff parts
  • beat keeping for rhythmic practice
  • vocal lines for solfege highlighting low so
    • sms
    • sls
  • listen in “round” form
Sound file for song
Continue reading ““One Piece of Pie” Round with Six Integrated Lessons”

Cephalopod Squid Game Music Activities

What’s here!

  • The parts are a just a framework. Let the kids explore how to create the sounds in measures 4-6.
  • The second note “A” in the melody sounds bent to me so not quite A and not quite Ab.
  • I used the games they play in the show, but wouldn’t it be fun to let your classes create their own B section with their favorite games.
  • This is not the original key so you could play around with other tonalities.
  • The vocal part can easily be played on the recorder. Mmm…
  • The melody is really popular on TikTok right now but might not work at some schools. Discretion advised.

If you are subscribed to my blog you can receive a PDF copy of Cephalopod Games! Just drop me a comment below and let me know if you’d like one.

America the Beautiful, Lyrics & Song Lesson Plans

Find elementary music lesson plans for K-5 to teach the history and meaning of the America The Beautiful lyrics.

One of the top ten songs EVERY child should learn to sing.

The PLAYLIST

America, The Beautiful Lyrics

Continue reading “America the Beautiful, Lyrics & Song Lesson Plans”

Pass the Pumpkin

Get your students playing barred instruments with this Orff arrangement (and other ideas) for the Halloween song, Pass the Pumpkin. Halloween is the perfect backdrop for engaging learning activities in music class.

This is a great beat-passing game! Whoever has the pumpkin on the last beat of the song is OUT! Continue playing until there is a final winner. As students get out, they can go get sticks and play to the beat as the game progresses.

Learn more about how to teach beat passing games.

A spooky picture to go along with the classic Halloween song Pass the Pumpkin.
Continue reading “Pass the Pumpkin”

Halloween Songs and Music Activities for Elementary

An image of the eyes, nose, and mouth of a backlit Halloween pumpkin.
Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay 

Find Halloween songs and music activities for elementary music that engage and delight with movement, Orff arrangements, minor scales, improvisation, and more!

And let’s add some fun Halloween games and vocal exploration! Boo! Awoooooo! Bwahaha! AaaaHaaa!!!!!!

This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.

Continue reading “Halloween Songs and Music Activities for Elementary”