Kris VerSteegt Iowa Music Educators Association Conference 2012 Singing Games for Upper Elementary Sansaw Akroma eq e a: pass to right with right hand, change hands on "tsi tsi," tap n q on "nko kom ba!" b: pass to left with left hand, change hands on "tsi tsi," tap n q on "nko kom ba!" Me Stone m and E To begin, students stand in one large circle with a tennis ball resting on each upturned left hand. Downturned right hands rest on the top of the ball. On each downbeat, the ball is lifted and placed in the next person's left hand on each upbeat. Rhythmic speech of "Your own, your neighbor's" really helps. If a ball falls, it is ignored. Option 1: Students are put into groups of four. Gradually increase tempo. Teams sit down when a ball is dropped, until only one group remains. Option 2: Stay in one large circle. Keep track of the number of times each class can sing the song before only one ball remains.
Who is the Captain Now? (a.k.a.) Yo Ho, and Pull the Anchor solo singing descending minor pentachord, o Notation for this song is available in One, Two, Three Echo Me Use a rope with a large knot tying the two ends together. Students pull the line until who is the captain now? Student holding the knot sings alone I am the captain now, then all sing (NAME) is the captain now. Chili Go! Go! Go! musical symbols Thank you to Tom Michalek for teaching me this game. Slaves of Job j e One possible prnt source is 120 Singing Games and Dances by Lois Choksy. Children are seated in a single circle, each with one rhythm stick. Sticks are passed to right as indicated below. Dic Dictation m Game: Students stand in a circle with both hands outstretched, palms upward. One student (It) is in the center. "It" walks around the inside of the circle and dips the outstretched hands until the word "think." On that beat, the owner of the dipped hand suggests a number. The dipper continues until the word "out." The owner of the dipped hand on "out" is the new dipper. (Or, for a longer game, a new IT is determined when BOTH of a person's hands have been dipped out.) Once a student finishes his/her turn at being "IT," s/he sits down, thus reducing the number of students to "dip." The notation for this poem can be found in Susan Brumfield s Hot Peas and Barley-O
Big Fat Biscuit j e Thank you to Tom Michalek for teaching me this game. Students are divided into three person heats. Students are arranged in a longways set On each "Chew Bilew" (pronounced Bee-Lou) one student does a STANDING long jump. Winner of each heat forms more three person heats with the other winners until one winner is declared. Sometimes, I let the winner ring the gong. This game can also be played, with very slight variation, to Little Green Frog, Hop Old Squirrel, Hop Along Brother Rabbit Ye Toop Doram low la, eq e, e j e Seated in a circle, one person standing in center. A ball (or two or more) is passed around the circle on the half note. On "se!" The ball stops being passed and is rolled at the person in the middle, until it touches them. Play resumes with a new player in the center.
Crocodile! Oh, My! high do (and also sltd') My students taught this playground game to me. Children sit in a circle with palms raised and all right hands on top of the left hands of their right neighbors. Beat is passed from student to student's right hands. On "5", the student whose hand is touched is out. It is acceptable to pull your hand out on 5 but not before in which case the previous student would touch his/her own hand (and get him/herself out) on "5." This game can also be played, with very slight variation, to Cobbler, Cobbler; Icka Backa; Stella Ella Olla, Amse Adamse; Down by the Banks of the Hanky Pank; and Aquaqua Dance Josey (a.k.a. Chicken on a Fence Post) y one print source for this song is 150 American Folk Songs by Peter Erdei, ed. Game: Double circles move in opposite directions until the word Hello. A pre-determined gate opens on each circle. At that moment, two students (who have been waiting at a designated location) race to the center of the circles to obtain a rubber or stuffed chicken.
I's the B'y compound meter and the pitch ti One possible print source for this song is 120 Singing Games and Dances by Lois Choksy. Teacher numbers students and students practice the first turn (see below). Students side step left 7 beats, stop on 8. Students side step right 7 beats, and turn to partner on 8. Students perform that much while teacher sings directions (to tune of song)."side a-step-a to the left-a, side a-step-a sails her " Students perform while teacher sings words (repeat as necessary). Students perform while they sing words. Students learn R clap L clap with partner, and then with corner. It is helpful to use bell to indicate turn (during second clap). Perform that much with Teacher singing reminders (to tune). Teacher steps in as a "1" and teaches partner switch in "super ridiculous SLOW MOTION" Teacher asks other "1s" to join. Students review first turn (see below), and repeat with new partner until they reach their original partners.
Crow Rooster high do, fa round in upto 6 parts and o In a single circle, A: step forward four steps (on q) clap q q q Q, then step backward four steps (on q) clap q q q Q. B: student(s) with rooster winds up on crow and throws the rooster across the circle on the word rooster. This puts the highest action on the highest note. Someone catches the rooster and they wind up on the next crow and throw on the next rooster. NO ONE gets the rooster twice. If anyone ends up touching the rooster a second time, the game is over. C: pat nnnn clap qqqq, pat nnnn clap qqqq Johnny, Get Up and Light the Fire compound meter and low ti The first three games below were learned from Sue Leithold-Bowcock. The four games listed are all performed SEATED. Game 1: Dribble a tennis ball one-handed and catch on ache Game 2: Dribble a tennis ball two-handed and catch on ache Game 3: Bounce-pass a tennis ball to a partner at the same time they bounce-pass a different ball to you. Catch on ache Game 4: Bounce-pass a tennis ball to a partner at the same time they bounce-pass a different ball to you AND another set of partner s do the same. (My students invented this version) See below. O X X O Notation for this song can be found in Susan Brumfield s Over the Garden Wall. Another game variant is noted there, too!
Push the Business On compound meter and the pitch ti One possible print source for this song is Jill Trinka s book Bought Me a Cat. Phrase 1: side step left Phrase 2: side step right Phrase 3: turn to partner and high 10 three times on push, bus, and on. Then, turn around and do the same with neighbor. Phrase 4: turn back to partner and trade places with him/her. (They can right arm swing half way around to trade places.) On each repeat, the students should end up with a new partner that was their old neighbor.
El Floron compound meter, high do, fa Thank you to Sol Navarro for sharing this song with me as she remembered it from her childhood. Our Old Sow y and o and low so I learned this song and game from Melissa Danforth Garcia.