My first graders really respond to songs that teach. Can anyone share? I don't have any $$$ to purchase any more resources until my next paycheck. So far, I have songs for the days of the week/months of the year/colors/continents... Anything really cute and useful? Our school is bent on teaching only standards that are tested. ugh. Thanks in advance!
Looby loo, Hokey Pokey - right, left practice & body parts The opposites Song to the tune of Mary Had ...Lamb It goes ... up & down are opp., opp, opp. up & down are opp. that we learned today. I had my younger kids brainstorm opp. lists and then make up movements. We had about 15 of them. I purchased a book by K. Sheldon about following directions that is GREAT! It focuses on left & rt, numbers, animals, etc.. Also mailbox (best of songs & fingerplays) has great songs for every content area. See if you library has it. (They also have a great ASL one).
my class LOVES this one to teach the directions (north, south, east, west) and where the sun rises/sets. to the tune of "The Ants go Marching": the sun is rising in the east a ha, a ha (raise right arm slowly over head) the sun is setting in the west a ha, a ha (move left arm from above head down to side) my nose is north (touch nose; look up) my feet are south (point to feet; squat) and so I turn myself around (spin around once) and the sun keeps rising in the east (raise right arm slowly over head) and setting in the west(move left arm from above head down to side)
I need to do more songs in my room but basically know none. This is my first year teaching 1st. I'm interested in hearing suggestions too...
We do head and shoulders knees and toes, sing a rainbow for recognition of colour words, chicka chicka boom boom for letters. At least those are the ones we are doing right now. :3) A lot of other songs we do are just easy thematic lyrics to common tunes like twinkle twinkle little star, or mary had a little lamb. You could make them about anything you want. :3)
Ah yes, my little ones liked Head SHoulders ... I also had them choose different body parts and we tried that (ears, neck, tummy and legs, etc...) You can also practice listening skills by having them sing words silently. First sing the whole song, second time don't say head, only touch your head, third, don't say head or shoulders etc... The wee sing series is great too. I forgot to mention it earlier. I have Wee sing silly songs and the original we sing. They have CD to go with and their only like $10. I've used them with preK to 8th!
Another one we do to review short vowel sounds is: Old McDonald had a farm a, e, i, o, u (just say short vowel sounds, not letters) and on that farm he had a cat a, e, i, o, u with an a a (sound) here and an a a there here an a there an a everywhere an a a Old McDonald had a farm a, e, i, o, u (next verses: e - hen, i - pig, o - dog, u -duck)
Often I will also take a tune that I know well and fit words based on our content to them. That works very well and it helps to get the fun in as well as the content.
That's exactly what I do. Write them yourself using ABC tune, Ants Go Marching, She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Are You Sleeping tunes, most kids know the tunes. Put any curriculum you can in short little sentences with a few rhyming words and wala! I have an autoharp that I play to and some percussion instruments. Good use of your funds if you will have extra. It's easy to play CDE chord by just pushing that button and strumming. Very Easy to play and kids love the drums, cymbals, rhythm sticks, etc. I've had some books called Piggy Back Songs that are this exact thing. Familiar tunes put to new words. But you can do it yourself easily.
Over thwe years, i and collected a collectin of songs and poems. I have more that i will try to post. Rhyming Words Chorus Do you know the words that rhyme, The words that rhyme,the words that rhyme? Do you know the words that rhyme? Their endings sound the same! Do you know what rhymes with me? Bee and tea and he and we, Three and see and free and tree, Their endings sound the same! Chorus Do you know what rhymes with bed? Bread and fed and red and sled, Said and led and sped and head Their endings sound the same! Chorus PERIOD I' m a little period, Small and round. After a statement, I=ll be found. If there's information, I am there. At the very end , that's where. I'm a little period, One round dot, I'm very small, but used a lot If you make a request, I'l be there Look and find me. Be aware Solving ProblemsChorus If you have a problem, A problem , a problem If you have a problem, Then let=s talk it out! Let's look at our choices, And speak in calm voices, If you ever have a problem, Then let's talk it out! Chorus Lets do the right thing, The kind and polite thing, If you ever have a problem, Then lets talk it out! Chorus
August (Sung to Bingo) The month of August is so hot We love the sunny weather! A-U-G-U-S-T, A-U-G-U-S-T, A-U-G-U-S-T Let's sing this song together! September (If You're Happy and You Know IT) SEP-TEM-BER, SEP-TEM-BER, If you love the sunny weather Then let's spell it all together SEP-TEM-BER. We also do the phonics dance every day.
