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Part 1.
1:
General Song Activities for
Children’s Songs
www.americanenglish.state.gov
Sing out Loud: Using Music in the Classroom
Special thanks to the team at Iowa State University for editing and piloting the support material
for these songs in classrooms and with E-Teacher Materials Development participants.
Photo Credits:
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i

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ii


Table of Contents
USING SONGS IN CLASS: THE SING OUT LOUD SERIES................................. 1
How This Book Is Organized .............................................................................................. 1
PART 1: CHILDREN’S SONGS .............................................................................. 7
1.1 General Song Activities for Children’s Songs ......................................................... 7

Section 1: Pre-listening Activities ........................................................................................ 7
Pre-listening 1: Four Corners ................................................................................................... 8
Pre-listening 2: One Title – Many Possibilities ......................................................................... 13
Pre-listening 3: Swat ................................................................................................................ 13
Pre-listening 4: Carpet Square Challenge ............................................................................... 14
Pre-listening 5: Simon Says ..................................................................................................... 15
Pre-listening 6: Find Someone Who… .................................................................................... 16
Pre-listening 7: What Do You Know About…? ........................................................................ 17
Pre-listening 8: Where Is It? ..................................................................................................... 18
Pre-listening 9: Picture Predictions .......................................................................................... 19
Pre-listening 10: Can You See What I See? .............................................................................. 20
Index of Pre-listening Activities for Children’s Songs Units ........................................................ 21
Section 2: Listening Activities ............................................................................................. 22

Listening 1: Relax and Enjoy! .................................................................................................... 23
Listening 2: Mixed-Up Pictures .................................................................................................. 30
Listening 3: Listening Gap-Fill .................................................................................................... 30
Listening 4: Listening for Rhyming Words ................................................................................. 31
Listening 5: Musical Words ........................................................................................................ 32
Listening 6: Move Along! ............................................................................................................ 33
Listening 7: Song Bingo ............................................................................................................. 33
Index of Listening Activities for Children’s Songs Units .............................................................. 35
Section 3: Singing / Music Activities ................................................................................... 36

Singing 1: Sing Along With Me .................................................................................................. 37
Singing 2: Disappearing Song ................................................................................................... 38
Singing 3: Crazy Lyrics .............................................................................................................. 38
Singing 4: Show Me the Word ................................................................................................... 39
Singing 5: Your Moves ............................................................................................................... 40
Singing 6: Sing a Round ............................................................................................................ 41
Singing 7: Drum and Instrument Circles .................................................................................... 42
Instrument 1: Can and Bottle Shaker .................................................................................. 43
Instrument 2: Rattle Stick .................................................................................................... 43
Instrument 3: Rain Stick ...................................................................................................... 44
Instrument 4: Bottle Xylophone ........................................................................................... 44
Index of Singing / Music Activities for Children’s Songs Units .................................................... 45
Section 4: Post-listening Activities ................................................................................ 46

Section 4.A: Post-‐listening – Speaking Activities ............................................................................... 46
Post-listening – Speaking 1: Fluency Circle ............................................................................... 47
Post-listening – Speaking 2: Question & Answer ....................................................................... 48
Post-listening – Speaking 3: Fill in the Blank ............................................................................. 48
Post-listening – Speaking 4: Telephone .................................................................................... 49
Post-listening – Speaking 5: Let’s Build on It ............................................................................. 50


Post-listening – Speaking 6: Hot or Cold? ................................................................................. 50

Post-listening – Speaking 7: Go Fish! ........................................................................................ 51
Index of Post-listening – Speaking Activities for Children’s Songs Units .................................... 52
Section 4.B: Post-listening – Reading Activities ................................................................. 53

Post-listening – Reading 1: Find That Word .............................................................................. 54
Post-listening – Reading 2: Word Series ................................................................................... 54
Post-listening – Reading 3: Memory .......................................................................................... 55
Post-listening – Reading 4: Picture Story .................................................................................. 56
Post-listening – Reading 5: Follow Me ....................................................................................... 57
Index of Post-listening – Reading Activities for Children’s Songs Units ..................................... 61
Section 4.C: Post-listening – Writing................................................................................... 62

Post-listening – Writing 1: Gap-Fill ............................................................................................. 63
Post-listening – Writing 2: Trace Me .......................................................................................... 65
Post-listening – Writing 3: Crazy Lyrics ..................................................................................... 65
Post-listening – Writing 4: Copy Me .......................................................................................... 66
Index of Post-listening – Writing Activities for Children’s Songs Units ........................................ 68

USING SONGS IN CLASS: THE SING OUT LOUD SERIES
Songs and music in the classroom are fun, and they are also powerful educational tools that teachers
can use to help students learn English. This book accompanies three CDs of songs (all songs are also
available online at americanenglish.state.gov):
Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs:

The 13 songs included in Children’s songs are typically sung to (and by) young children in the
U.S. The supplementing activities are specifically designed to engage young learners with
beginning language skills in English.
Sing Out Loud: Traditional Songs:

The 13 songs in Traditional Songs are famous American folk songs that students around the
country learn while growing up in the U.S. They are often connected to cultural characteristics
and historical events in the U.S.
Sing Out Loud: American Rhythms:

The 17 songs in American Rhythms represent present-day genres of American music, including
folk music, rap and hip hop, jazz and blues, pop rock, indie, and acoustic music. Five additional
songs and accompanying materials are also available online.
There are many pedagogically sound reasons for using songs in the language classroom:
• to provide authentic listening comprehension practice
• to cultivate interest in listening activities
• to create intrinsic motivation for listening
• to introduce different intonation and stress patterns
• to develop sound and word discrimination skills
• to present opportunities to develop listening comprehension skills, including listening for specific
details
• to increase active participation in listening activities
Using songs in class can help students:

• learn and practice good prediction strategies
• encounter vocabulary and language forms in an authentic context
• practice speaking, reading, and writing skills in integrated ways
• enrich cultural understanding
How This Book Is Organized

This teacher’s book is divided into two parts: Part 1: Children’s Songs and Part 2: Traditional Songs
and American Rhythms.
Each part is accompanied by a set of General Song Activities (40 activities for Children’s Songs, and 50
activities for Traditional Songs and American Rhythms). Each activity includes a basic activity description
followed by possible modifications to vary the activities and materials to fit different proficiency levels,
language skills, and classroom contexts. These activities can be used with the songs included on the
three CDs, as well as any other song you wish to use in your class. These general activities are divided
into five main sections (an index of song units that model each activity is provided at the end of each of
these sections):
1

Five Types of General Activities
1. Pre-listening activities The pre-listening activities are intended to activate background
knowledge and generate interest in the song and the themes
represented by it. They also introduce vocabulary and/or language
structures that students will encounter in the song. Many of them
incorporate pictures to increase interest and comprehension.
2. Listening activities The listening activities provide tasks to complete while listening to
the song. These activities help students focus their attention on
particular aspects of the song including vocabulary, language
forms, and song meanings.
3. Singing / Music activities The singing activities help students learn to sing and perform the
songs. The purpose of these activities is generally to give students
practice producing spoken English in an enjoyable group
environment. The rhythm and melody of songs let students
practice pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. This section also
includes instructions for constructing four homemade instruments.
4. Post-listening activities The post-listening section is designed to develop three language

including skills: speaking, reading, and writing. At lower levels (Children’s
a. Speaking Songs), speaking activities help students practice the
b. Reading pronunciation of words and phrases, while reading and writing
c. Writing activities target the development of beginning literacy skills in
English (including recognizing and writing letters and words).
For older and/or more advanced students (Traditional Songs and

American Rhythms), these post-listening activities generally
reinforce and/or extend students’ learning of the language forms
and themes used in the songs, while at the same time giving
additional practice in developing speaking, reading, and writing
skills.
5. Extended classroom Activities included in this section involve students extensively in

approaches (Traditional the learning and practicing of songs in an English language
Songs and American classroom and may require more time in and out of the classroom.
Rhythms only) These activities may work best after your students have used the
songs in the classroom several times.
Each general activity description contains information about

• the educational purpose of the activity
• the proficiency level(s) for which each activity is intended
• the amount of time needed to complete the activity during class
• a description of materials that should be prepared before class
• step-by-step instructions for carrying out the activity
• possible modifications that can be used to adjust the activity for different songs, proficiency
levels, and classroom contexts
The proficiency levels indicated at the beginning of each activity are general guidelines that refer to the
language proficiency needed to complete the activity successfully. However, each activity can be
modified to match the needs of different ages, proficiency levels, and classroom contexts. In the activity
descriptions, many modifications are provided, which are discussed in more detail below.
2

The proficiency levels used in this book have been adapted from the PreK-12 English Language
Proficiency Standards Framework of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL).
(Used with permission; full standards are available at: http://www.tesol.org).
TESOL Proficiency Description (http://www.tesol.org)
Level 1 – Starting Students initially have limited or no understanding of English. They rarely use
English for communication. They respond nonverbally to simple commands,
statements, and questions. As their oral comprehension increases, they
begin to imitate the verbalizations of others by using single words or simple
phrases, and they begin to use English spontaneously.
At the earliest stage, these learners construct meaning from text primarily
through illustrations, graphs, maps, and tables.
Level 2 – Emerging Students can understand phrases and short sentences. They can
communicate limited information in simple everyday and routine situations by
using memorized phrases, groups of words, and formulae. They can use
selected simple structures correctly but still systematically produce basic
errors. Students begin to use general academic vocabulary and familiar
everyday expressions. Errors in writing are present that often hinder
communication.
Level 3 – Developing Students understand more complex speech but still may require some
repetition. They use English spontaneously but may have difficulty expressing
all their thoughts due to a restricted vocabulary and limited command of
language structure. Students at this level speak in simple sentences, which
are comprehensible and appropriate, but which are frequently marked by
grammatical errors. Proficiency in reading varies considerably. Students are
most successful constructing meaning from texts for which they have
background knowledge upon which to build.
Level 4 – Expanding Students’ language skills are adequate for most day-to-day communication
needs. They communicate in English in new or unfamiliar settings but have
occasional difficulty with complex structures and abstract academic concepts.
Students at this level may read with considerable fluency and are able to locate
and identify the specific facts within the text. However, they may not
understand texts in which the concepts are presented in a decontextualized
manner, the sentence structure is complex, or the vocabulary is abstract or has
multiple meanings. They can read independently but may have occasional
comprehension problems, especially when processing grade-level information.
Level 5 - Bridging Students can express themselves fluently and spontaneously on a wide range
of personal, general, academic or social topics in a variety of contexts. They
are poised to function in an environment with native-speaking peers with
minimal language support or guidance.
Students have a good command of technical and academic vocabulary as well
of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms. They can produce clear, smoothly
flowing, well-structured texts of differing lengths and degrees of linguistic
complexity. Errors are minimal, difficult to spot, and generally corrected when
they occur.
3

In general, the activities in Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs target young learners (ages five to ten years)
at Levels 1 and 2. These learners may have just begun to develop literacy skills in their own native
language. Most of the activities are for students truly beginning to learn English and do not require them
to read or write. Activities that are primarily suited for truly beginning or upper-beginner students are
marked with the exact level. Children’s Songs activities appropriate for both Level 1 and Level 2 students
are labeled All.
The songs and activities included for Sing Out Loud: Traditional Songs are designed with students ages
10-14 years in mind. Most of these activities target students at approximately Levels 2, 3, and 4, although
many can be fairly easily modified for students with truly beginning (Level 1) language skills. Younger
students may also find these songs engaging.
The songs and activities included for Sing Out Loud: American Rhythms are designed with students ages
14-18 years in mind. Most of these activities target students at approximately Level 3 and above, but
again can be fairly easily modified for students with lower proficiency levels.
As mentioned above, the general activities in this book have been presented along with possible
modifications in order to
• offer a greater variety of activities
• make activities more and less challenging
• adjust the activities for different classroom contexts (e.g., large classes, classrooms with little
space to move around, or classes with limited access to additional resources.)
Each modification is marked with a descriptive label to indicate how it differs from the basic activity. For
example:
• an activity for Level 2 students with a modification labeled – difficulty means it is appropriate for
Level 1 students
• an activity with a modification labeled – materials will require less teacher preparation, such as
photocopying or preparing handouts
To help you determine whether a particular activity modification is appropriate for your needs, the table
below lists the modification labels along with a brief explanation of what they mean.
Modifications. Labels used in General Song Activities
Proficiency level
modification to adjust the expected proficiency level of the students
+ / - difficulty increased difficulty (+), decreased difficulty (-)

+ scaffolding activity includes additional instructional support to help students
complete the task
Materials
modification to adjust the number or type of materials needed to complete the activity
+ / - materials additional (+) or fewer/no (-) materials are needed
+ / - pictures pictures are used (+) or not used (-)

+ dictionary students will need dictionaries
4

Modifications continued. Labels used in General Song Activities
Purposes, Language Skills, and Content

modification to adjust the purpose of the activity, or the type of language or content focus
+ (language feature) a specific feature of language is the focus of the activity
verb forms, past tense,
future, active/passive voice,
phrases, alphabet, word
forms, vocabulary,
synonyms, rhyming,
definitions, conditionals,
questions, sound/pattern
discrimination
+ (language skill) a specific language skill is the focus of the activity

speaking, writing, spelling,
literacy, charts/graphs
+ (cognitive skill) a specific cognitive skill is used in the activity

prediction, memory,
creativity, summary,
research, main ideas,
decision-making
+ (other) other possible modifications to vary the focus of the activity

art, creativity, tracing,
background knowledge,
parts of the body, language
focus, color words, give
directions, follow commands,
music, mime, role-play,
history, humor, fun,
songwriting
Classroom context
modification to adjust for the size, design, and resources of a particular classroom
+ extension extended to include additional steps and/or content; these activities

generally take more classroom time
+ competition activity becomes a contest or competition between students or
groups
+ / - groups students complete the activity in small groups (+); students complete
the activity individually or as a class rather than in small groups (-)
+ large classes modification works well for large classes
+ / - space the amount of physical space needed in the classroom
+ / - movement whether students are required to move around the classroom
+ equal participation activity structured to ensure all group members participate equally
+ / - time more (+) or less (-) time is required than indicated in the basic activity
5

Following the General Activity Descriptions, Part 1.2 (Children’s Songs), Part 2.2 (Traditional Songs) and
Part 2.3 (American Rhythms) of the book provide a feast of class materials to be used with the songs on
the Sing Out Loud CDs, collected into a song unit for each of the selections on the CD. Each song unit
includes the following items:
1. an activity menu that lists 12 activities suggested for the song

2. the lyrics of the song
3. activity descriptions and instructions for the suggested activities, including three pre-listening,
three listening, three singing, and three post-listening activities (one speaking, one reading, one
writing), along with any accompanying materials (such as discussion questions, handouts, and
pictures) needed to use the activity
4. a simple reading text to help you and your students understand the history, themes, and/or style
of the song (Traditional Songs and American Rhythms only)
5. answer keys to the activities suggested in the unit
Choose activities from each menu that are suitable and will appeal to your students, just as you would
select food items from a restaurant menu. Try to use at least one pre-listening, one listening, one singing,
and one post-listening activity for each song. And spice things up by adding your own ideas and activities.
6

PART 1.1: GENERAL SONG ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN’S SONGS
The instructions for the activities in the book are described below. Part 1.2 suggests particular activities
for 13 songs on the Children’s Songs CD and provides accompanying materials. Most activities could be
used with any song that you wish to teach. For your reference, an index of song units that model each
type of activity is provided at the end of each activity section. You can use these indices to locate
examples of the materials described in Part 1.1.
Section 1: Pre-listening Activities

Listening to new songs presents unique challenges. Before listening to a song, teachers should prepare
students. With pre-listening activities, teachers can
• introduce new words or phrases that students will hear in the song
• activate students’ background knowledge about a particular topic so they can predict what they
will hear
• introduce cultural references to help students understand the song
• motivate students and spark interest in the song
Pre-listening activities can be done in a variety of ways and may include

• class games or discussions based on particular topics
• the presentation of new vocabulary, phrases, or grammar structures
• the practice of prediction strategies based on key ideas
• the use of pictures to increase interest in the song and offer visual clues to help students
understand vocabulary and themes
Included below are ten pre-listening activities that you can adapt to almost any song.
Pre-listening Activities:
Pre-listening 1: Four Corners ................................................................................................... 8

Pre-listening 2: One Title – Many Possibilities ......................................................................... 13
Pre-listening 3: Swat! ............................................................................................................... 13
Pre-listening 4: Carpet Square Challenge................................................................................ 14
Pre-listening 5: Simon Says ..................................................................................................... 15
Pre-listening 6: Find Someone Who…..................................................................................... 16
Pre-listening 7: What Do You Know About…?......................................................................... 17
Pre-listening 8: Where Is It?..................................................................................................... 18
Pre-listening 9: Picture Predictions .......................................................................................... 19
Pre-listening 10: Can You See What I See? .............................................................................. 20
Many of these activities are specifically designed to use pictures, which can increase interest in the song
and activity. They also help young learners make connections between English words and their
meanings. Many pictures are provided in Part 1.2 of the book, but you can also find suitable pictures from
the Internet and in magazines and newspapers for these and other songs. Most activities require very few
or no materials. When activities do require specific materials, you can find examples in Part 1.2. An index
of song units that model these activities appears at the end of each activity section.
7

Pre-listening 1: Four Corners
Purpose: To generate interest, express opinions, make choices, and introduce vocabulary in the song
Level: All Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Note to the teacher: This activity requires enough space in the classroom for students to move around.
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a list of three to five topics, activities, or objects that students can
like or dislike. Prepare a large picture that represents each topic, activity, or object. The topics can relate
to music in general or to specific themes in the song. Label four corners of the classroom with the
following posters or signs (pages 9-12):
Really Like! Like Don’t Like Yuck!
Instructions:
1. Hold up the picture of one topic, activity, or object and call out its name.
2. Ask all the students to walk to and stand in the corner that matches how they feel about that
topic, activity, or object.
3. Once everyone is in a corner, you can ask students to share with the others in the same corner
why they feel that way about the topic, activity, or object. Students may discuss in their first
language (L1), if needed.
4. Repeat the procedure for each of the prepared topics, activities, or objects.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Create three to five questions that have several possible answers. Then
+ pictures label the corners of the room with pictures of possible responses to the
questions. Ask students a question and have them go to the corner that
best represents the answer to the question. After each question, have
students explain why they chose their particular answers. Example:
Use pictures of four different foods and ask
Which food do you like best? and

Which food do you like least?
B. + large classes Ask students to respond with a show of hands or by holding up cards
- space with their choices.
- movement
- time
C. + difficulty Write the name of the topic, activity, or object below the picture.
+ literacy
D. + difficulty Write the topics, activities, or objects on the board without providing a
- materials picture.
8

really like!
9

like
10

don’t like
11

yuck!
12

Pre-listening 2: One Title – Many Possibilities
Purpose: To predict the content of the song, generate interest in the song, and introduce vocabulary
from the song
Note to the Teacher: If students make predictions in their L1 because they do not have the vocabulary
to express themselves, then you may wish to teach them some keywords. Limit the number of new words
to approximately three to five (+ time).
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a large picture that represents the song. Hang the picture on the
board and write the title of the song below it.
Instructions:
1. Tell students that the line on the board is the title of a song that they are going to listen to. Explain
any of the words in the title that students may not know.
2. Ask students to guess what the song is about. They may make predictions in their L1. Ask
individual students or the whole class to call out ideas. Write their ideas on the board.
3. After listening to the song, ask students to check if their predictions were correct or not.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Write question words (Who? Where? What? Why? and When?) or
+ scaffolding complete questions on the board. Ask students to predict answers for
+ time each question. Example questions:
Who will be the main character in the song?
Where will the song take place?
What will happen in the song?
Why will this happen?
When will the action take place?
B. + pictures Instead of using the song title, choose three to five key content words
+ vocabulary from the song. Write each word on the board next to a picture that
represents it. Teach the words if needed. Based on these keywords,
ask students to make predictions about the song
C. + groups Divide students into small groups and complete the above activity.
+ time Allow time for groups to share their ideas with the whole class.
Pre-listening 3: Swat
Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from the song and make print and sound connections.
Note to the Teacher: This activity involves swatting or hitting pictures of the vocabulary words with a
flyswatter or rolled up newspaper. It requires enough space in the classroom for students to move
around. However, the activity can also be completed by pointing to or circling the target item.
Preparation and Materials: Choose five to ten key vocabulary words from the song. (Optional: Choose
three to five additional words related to these words.) Prepare a large picture that represents each of the
words and write the vocabulary word below the picture. Hang the pictures on the board in a random
order. Prepare a flyswatter or rolled up newspaper for each team.
13

Instructions:
1. Point to each picture, say the word, and have students repeat the word after you. Explain the
meaning of the words if needed.
2. Divide the class into two, three, or four teams. Give each team a flyswatter or a rolled-up
newspaper. Tell the teams to stand in lines at an equal distance away from the board.
3. Explain that you will call out a word. The first person from each team must race to the board and
hit the picture with the flyswatter or newspaper. The team that hits the correct picture first gets a
point.
4. Tell the first person to give the flyswatter or newspaper to the next person on the team before
proceeding to the back of the line.
5. Call out words in random order. You can use words more than once. As the game continues,
each person on the team should have a chance to swat the pictures. At the end of the game, the
team with the most points wins.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Use only the printed words (no pictures). Write the words on the board,
- materials and follow Steps 1–4 above.
+ literacy
B. + extension Once students have learned the words, let them take turns calling out
+ time the words for the teams to swat.
Pre-listening 4: Carpet Square Challenge
Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from the song
Note to the teacher: This activity requires enough space in the classroom for students to spread out.
Preparation and Materials: Obtain a square carpet sample, square reed mat, hand towel, or piece of
paper for each student. Prepare a list of five to ten vocabulary items to call out. Fill a paper bag with small
objects or pictures that represent the vocabulary items. Prepare one bag for each student or group of
students.
Instructions:
1. Arrange the carpet samples (or other squares) on the floor around the room. Have students
position themselves next to a square.
2. Give each student or group a paper bag containing the objects or pictures.
3. Tell the students that you will call out the name of an item, and they must find that item or picture
in the paper bag. Tell the students that they should place the item on the carpet sample as
quickly as possible and call out the word.
4. Call out one of the vocabulary items. Ask students to place that item on the carpet sample and
call out the word as quickly as they can.
5. Have students put the item back in the bag. Repeat Step 4 for all the items. You can repeat items
to help students learn the words.
6. Once you have called out all of the vocabulary items at least once, tell students that they will have
a race. Assign one student as the judge, who will stand where he/she can see all the
students/groups. As you call out each item again, the judge should decide which student/group
found the correct item, placed it on the carpet sample, and called out the word first.
14

Modifications:
A. - difficulty Use vocabulary for the parts of the body (for example, ear, nose, elbow,
+ parts of the body hand, knee). As you call out names of the parts of the body, have
students touch that body part to the carpet sample.
B. + difficulty Prepare word cards (instead of objects or pictures) by printing a

+ literacy vocabulary word on each card.
C. + competition By calling out items quickly one after another, this activity can turn into
a vigorous game. You can gradually increase the speed at which you
call out new items as students learn the words. Assign a judge to
identify who finds the correct word first.
D. - space Instead students may place small objects, pictures, or word cards on
their desks.
E. + extension Once students have learned vocabulary items, call out clues or hints
+ difficulty that describe an item (instead of the name of the item). Then ask
+ time students to find the item that you have described, place it on the
sample, and call out its name.
Pre-listening 5: Simon Says
Purpose: To carry out oral commands and learn action verbs
Level: All Time: 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the number of commands
Note to the teacher: This activity requires enough space in the classroom for students to move around.
Simon Says is a popular children’s game in which one person calls out commands (usually actions), and
the others perform those actions. The person calling out the commands chooses whether or not to begin
a command with the phrase ‘Simon Says’ (for example, Simon says jump up and down!). The children are
only supposed to carry out the action when the command begins with ‘Simon Says.’
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a set of commands for actions the students are to complete. For
example, possible commands include
shake your right foot raise your left hand jump up and down
Optional: Pre-teach verbs of movement (pick up, touch, raise, shake, jump, put) and directions (left,
right, up, down, around).
Instructions:
1. Have students stand around the room, far enough apart that they can move around easily.
2. Call out the movement commands, sometimes beginning with “Simon Says” and sometimes not.
When you first begin, complete the motions with the class so the students can imitate you.
3. Over time, increase the speed at which you say the commands and reduce the amount of time
between commands.
4. After students have learned how to play the game, make it into a competition. Have one student
serve as the judge and watch as students respond to the commands. If a student completes an
action when the command did not start with “Simon Says,” the student is ‘out’ of the game. If a
student does not complete an action when the command starts with “Simon Says,” the student is
also ‘out.’ The last student who has not made a mistake and remains standing wins the game.
15

Modifications:
A. - space Use actions that students can do while sitting in a desk or chair. For
example, possible commands include
raise your right hand
put your hand on top of your head
B. + materials To teach vocabulary of concrete objects (rather than body parts), and
+ vocabulary give commands in which students must place objects (or pictures of
objects) in specific locations. For example, possible commands include
put the book under your desk
raise the pen above your head
throw the ball to your partner
C. + language focus Incorporate prepositions (in, on, under, on top of, in front of, behind,
etc.), directions (left, right, north, south, etc.), locations (in the corner,
on the desk), and action verbs (jump, sit, spin, skip, etc.) in the
commands to focus on a particular language feature.
D. + difficulty Give multiple commands at once. For example, possible commands

include
put your right hand on your left knee
pat your head with your left hand.
Pre-listening 6: Find Someone Who…
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, activate background knowledge about the topic, and
introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Choose a set of items that can be paired together (for example, capital and
lowercase letters, weather and seasons, parts of the body and clothing/accessory items worn on specific
body parts). You will need enough items so that each student in the class has one item. Make a set of
small cards containing pictures of the items.
Instructions:
1. Introduce the activity by telling the students about the paired items and the theme of the song.
Teach any new vocabulary.
2. Tell the students that you will give each of them a card, and they should not show it to anyone.
They will need to find out which other student has a card that makes a pair with their card.
3. Tell the students that they should find their partner by asking and answering questions about their
cards without showing anyone their card. Students may ask and answer questions in their L1 if
needed. For example, if doing this activity with letters of the alphabet, the students could ask
What sound does your letter make?
What is a word that begins with your letter?
4. Distribute the cards in a random order, and have the students stand up and walk around while
completing this task.
5. While students are completing the task, you need to walk around, too, and make sure that they
are asking and answering questions either in English or in their L1 (but not simply showing their
cards to one another).
16

Modifications:
A. - difficulty Make pairs of cards that contain the same item or picture (instead of
- time two pictures that go together based on a theme).
B. + vocabulary Put a picture of the item on one card, and the written word on the
+ literacy paired card.
C. + difficulty Make cards in sets of three instead of in pairs. For example, if using the
letters of the alphabet, you could have one card with the capital letter,
one card with the lowercase letter, and one card with a picture of an
item that begins with that letter. The three students with those cards
must form a group of three.
D. + groups Divide students into groups based on the number of items you have.
+ large classes For example, if you have ten cards containing five pairs, divide students
into groups of ten. Make a copy of the cards for each group, and have
each group complete the activity.

Pre-listening 7: What Do You Know About…?
Purpose: To generate interest in the song and activate background knowledge about the topic
Level: All Time: 10 minutes
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a large picture or photograph related to the theme of the song and
hang it on the board. Prepare three to five simple questions or statements that you can ask students
orally. Questions can be yes/no (Do dogs have four legs?) and statements can be true/false (Dogs have
four legs).
Instructions:
1. Show students the picture and tell them that it is related to a song that they will hear. Tell them
that you will ask them some questions about the picture. Explain that the students should respond
‘yes’ or ‘no.’
2. Ask the first question. As you ask the question, point to parts of the picture that are related to the
question, or act out words so that students can understand the meaning of the question.
For example, for a picture of a dog, you can say and mime the following:
Do dogs [point to the dog] have four [hold up four fingers] legs [point to your own legs or the
dog’s legs]?
3. Repeat Steps 1 - 2 for each question.
4. End the activity by repeating the answers in statement form. For example, for the question in Step
2, you could say, “Dogs have four legs.”
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Use open-ended questions or statements (What is a dog like? Describe
a dog.) Students can answer in their L1 or use simple English words
and phrases to show what they know. For example, if you tell students
to describe a dog, they might call out words like furry, bark, four legs.
B. + scaffolding Choose three to five vocabulary words that can be seen in the picture
+ literacy or that are related to the theme of the song and write them on the
+ time board. The words should help students understand or answer the
questions. As you ask questions, point to the written form of any words
that are in the question. After students answer, have them practice
writing the words.
17

(Modifications cont.)
C. + difficulty Have students create the statement forms (Step 4) after answering
each question.
D. - difficulty Use simple true/false statements. Students should respond by saying

yes/true or no/false. These statements can be humorous to get
students engaged (for example, Dogs have two tails).
E. + extension Have students draw their own pictures related to the theme after
+ art answering the questions.
Pre-listening 8: Where Is It?
Purpose: To carry out oral commands, learn directions left and right, and some action verbs
Level: 2 Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Note to the Teacher: This activity also works well to teach prepositions of place, locations, map reading,
and directions.
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a pair of small boxes, labeled with two contrasting directions (for
example: in and out, underneath and on top of, left and right, in front of and behind). Prepare a set of
picture cards that represent objects or people in the different positions. Ideally, the pictures should be in
pairs so that the same person/object is pictured in both locations (for example, you can have pictures of a
child in a box and a child out of a box). You will need a set of boxes and picture cards for several groups.
Instructions:
1. Divide the students into groups (three or four students per group). Give each group a pair of
boxes and a set of the pictures.
2. Teach the two directions that you will focus on.
3. Tell the students to look at each picture and decide which direction best describes the picture.
4. Have the students place the picture in or beside the corresponding box. For example, if the
picture is of a child in a box, the students should put that picture inside the ‘in’ box. If the picture is
of a child out of a box, the students should place the picture in a pile beside the box.
5. After all groups have finished, have groups compare where they put each picture.
Modifications:
A. + competition Prepare a description for each picture that uses the direction words you
+ difficulty are focusing on (for example, the child is in the box). Call out the
descriptions one at a time and have students find the correct picture
and then place it in the correct box. Call out the descriptions quickly.
The goal is to see how many pictures the students can correctly place
in the box.
18

Modifications (cont.)
B. + movement Prepare a list of directions that ask students to choose the correct
+ difficulty picture and place it in a specific spot. For example, possible
commands:
Take the picture of the child in the box and put it on the floor.
Put the picture of the child out of the box on your desk.
Pre-listening 9: Picture Predictions
introduce vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a large picture or photograph related to the theme of the song and
hang it on the board.
Instructions:
1. Show the picture to the students and explain that it represents a story.
2. Tell the students that together they are going to create the story.
3. Prompt the students to help them create the story. You can begin by asking them who the
characters are and where they live.
4. Invite students to orally construct the story as a whole class, prompting them when necessary
and teaching them vocabulary when needed. The students may tell the story in their L1.
5. Tell students they are going to listen to a song about the same picture, and they should compare
their story to the one they hear in the song.
Modifications:
A. + extension Tell the students the title of the song, and teach them any new
+ time vocabulary words. Ask the students to draw a picture to go with the
+ art song. When they are finished, they can compare their pictures with the
one that you have.
B. + difficulty Use questions to prompt the students to re-create the story in the past
+ verb forms tense. Example questions:
When did the story take place?
What happened first?
What happened second?
C. - difficulty Follow Step 1 above. Instead of having the students develop a story,
ask them to create a title for the song.
D. + time Prepare a coloring page that represents the song and have students
+ art color the picture. Then, complete Steps 1 – 5 above.
19

Pre-listening 10: Can You See What I See?
introduce vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a large picture related to the theme of the song. Make a copy of the
picture for each student or group of students. Choose three to five items that can be seen in the picture to
call out.
Instructions:
1. Give each student or group of students a copy of the picture.
2. Tell students that you will call out the name of one item in the picture, and they should find the
item and circle it.
3. Call out a word and have students circle the item. Go around the classroom and check that each
student has identified the correct item. Continue with the remaining words.
4. Tell students that the picture relates to the song. Ask them to predict what the song will be about.
They may make predictions in their L1.
Modifications:
A. - materials Instead of giving each student a copy of the picture, hang a large
picture at the front of the classroom. Have the students sit or stand
around the picture as you call out a word. Let students volunteer to find
the item and circle each word. Then do Step 4 above.
B. - difficulty Give each student or group of students a copy of the large picture.
+ scaffolding Then hang on the board separate pictures of the items they are to find
+ time in the larger picture. Point to one picture, say the word aloud, and have
students repeat it after you. Have the students find that item in the
picture and circle it. Then point to the next picture, but have students
put a square around it. Continue until you have found all of the items.
Other possible ways to mark items are to draw other shapes around
them (triangle, star, heart) or to underline the object with different types
of lines (wavy lines, dashed lines, two lines). Then do Step 4.
20

Index of Pre-listening Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Pre-Listening Activities
2. One Title - Many
6. Find Someone
4. Carpet Square
10. Can You See

7. What Do You
5. Simon Says
8. Where Is It?
Possibilities
What I See?
Predictions
Challenges
9. Picture
Corners
3. Swat!
Who …
1. Four
Know?
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song * *A *

2. Over the River &
Through the Woods * * *A
3. I’m a Little Teapot *A *D *A

4. Hickory Dickory
Dock *A *A,D *
5. Twinkle, Twinkle,
Little Star
*B * *C
6. Mary Had a Little

Lamb *B * *
7. One, Two Buckle
My Shoe * *D *B
8. Bingo *D * *B
9. Hush, Little Baby * *D *A
10. The Happy Song * * *

11. Head, Shoulders,
Knees and Toes * *A *
12. Are You Sleeping? * *B,E *

13. Hokey Pokey
*A *D *
Letters indicate which modification in the pre-listening activity applies
21

Section 2: Listening Activities
After preparing students for the song with pre-listening activities, the next step is the actual listening
activity. Sometimes this step is referred to as “while-listening” or “during-listening.” Students can do many
things while listening that will help to focus their attention on particular aspects of the songs. Among other
things students can be asked to listen
• for particular sounds
• for particular words and short phrases
• for the tune or beat of the music
Teachers often wonder how many times songs should be played for students. The answer depends on
your own students’ needs and interests. You should play the song enough times that most students can
understand at least some of it, while still keeping the students interested and focused on the song.
Remember that you can play the song again during singing and post-listening activities.
Included below are a number of listening activities that can be used with almost any song. The amount of
time required will vary depending on the length of the song and the number of times that you choose to
play it.
Listening Activities:
Listening 1: Relax and Enjoy!..................................................................................................... 23

Listening 2: Mixed-Up Pictures .................................................................................................. 30
Listening 3: Listening Gap-Fill.................................................................................................... 30
Listening 4: Listening for Rhyming Words.................................................................................. 31
Listening 5: Musical Words ........................................................................................................ 32
Listening 6: Move Along!............................................................................................................ 33
Listening 7: Song Bingo ............................................................................................................. 33
Some of the activities require very few materials or no materials at all. You can find examples of activities
that require specific materials in Part 1.2 of the book, where there are specific lesson menus and
accompanying materials for all of the songs included on the Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs CD. For
your reference, an index of song units that model listening activities is provided at the end of this section.
22

Listening 1: Relax and Enjoy!
Purpose: To enjoy listening to the song
Level: All Time: 7 – 10 minutes (the length of the song plus time for discussion)
Preparation and Materials: Prepare two to five questions to guide the class discussion about the song.
Some questions you might ask include the following:
• Does it seem like a happy or sad song?
• Does it seem to be a serious or funny song?
• Do you like the song? Why or why not?
• Does the song remind you of any other songs you know?
Instructions:
1. Tell the students they are going to hear a song and that you want them to focus on how the song
makes them feel and what it reminds them of.
2. Play the song one time.
3. Have a general class discussion about the students’ ideas and feelings using the questions you
prepared.
4. After the discussion, choose another activity for the second listening.
Modifications:
A. + movement Hang two pictures that represent two opposite responses to the first
- difficulty discussion question (happy/sad) in locations around the classroom.
+ pictures Ask the question, and have students stand next to the picture that
+ materials best represents their feelings about the song. Replace the pictures
with the pictures for the second question (serious/funny), ask the
question, and have students move again. Repeat this process for
the third question. See pictures for possible responses to the first
three example questions in Step 3 (pages 24-29).
23

happy
24

sad
25

serious
26

funny
27

like
28

don’t like
29

Listening 2: Mixed-Up Pictures
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases
Level: 2 and above Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a set of large pictures that represent keywords from the song and
hang them on the board in random order. Put a letter under each picture: A, B, C, and so on. This activity
works best if you choose words that occur only one time in the song. If you must use words that are
repeated in the song, choose words used in only one verse (or stanza).
Instructions:
1. Show the pictures to the students. Make sure they know what the pictures represent and the
correct pronunciation for the vocabulary represented in the picture.
2. Tell the students to write the numbers 1 to X (depending on how many pictures you have) on a
piece of paper. For example, if you have five pictures, the students should write 1 to 5.
3. Explain to the students that they are going to listen to the song, and they need to decide which
picture is mentioned first, second, third, and so on. They should write the correct letter next to the
number on their paper.
4. Play the song two or three times so that most of the students have ordered the pictures correctly.
Check their answers.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Photocopy and cut up the same set of pictures for each student (or
+ materials group of students). Follow the instructions above and have the students
work individually or in groups to put the pictures in order by arranging
(optional) them on the desk.
+ groups
B. - materials Instead of using pictures, write vocabulary words or phrases from the
+ literacy song on the board in random order. Follow Steps 1 and 2 above, and
have students write down the words in the order that they hear them.
C. + difficulty Include two or three extra pictures that show items not mentioned in the
song. Have students choose which words they hear in the song and put
them in order. Then make a separate list of the items they do not hear.
D. + difficulty Use pictures that represent ideas or themes from the song (rather than
+ time individual vocabulary words). You may need to pause after a line or
stanza to give students a chance to think about the meaning of what
they have heard.
Listening 3: Listening Gap-Fill
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and introduce vocabulary from the song
Note to the Teacher: Traditional listening gap-fill activities require preparation of a handout with the
song’s lyrics printed on it. Some of the words in the song are omitted and replaced with blank lines
(gaps). Words are removed based on whether the teacher wants the students to focus on an element of
grammar or some particular vocabulary.
30

Preparation and Materials: Create a Gap-Fill handout using the lyrics of the song. For the gaps, provide
a series of small pictures that represent the missing words, with the vocabulary word printed beneath the
picture. Make a copy of the handout and pictures for each student or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill
handout onto the board (or print it on a large poster). For an example of a Gap-Fill handout with pictures,
see the units for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Instructions:
1. Give students (individually or in groups) copies of the Gap-Fill handout and have them cut apart
the pictures.
2. Teach the vocabulary represented by the pictures.
3. Tell the students that you will play the song, and they should put the pictures in the blanks
according to what they hear.
4. When you play the song the first time, point to the lyrics on the board so that students can follow
along and identify where the gaps are. Play the song several times.
5. After students have listened several times, go through the answers.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Instead of providing pictures, use the written words. Write the possible
- materials words on the board. Have students copy the word that they hear in
+ literacy each gap.
B. + difficulty Prepare a Gap-Fill handout with two rhyming words or two similar-
sounding words in each space. Have students circle the word that
they hear.
Example: Send it by mail / rail .
C. + tracing Prepare a Gap-Fill handout with two rhyming words or two similar-
sounding words printed in tracing letters in each space. Have students
trace the word that they hear.
Example: Send it by mail / rail .
D. - difficulty Prepare a Gap-Fill handout with the missing words printed in tracing
+ tracing letters in each space. Have students trace the word as they listen.
Example: Send it by rail .
Listening 4: Listening for Rhyming Words
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases, recognize and discriminate between similar sounds,
and introduce new vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Choose three to five key vocabulary words from the song. For each word,
choose another word that rhymes (either from the song or not in the song), so that you have three to five
pairs of rhyming words. Prepare a picture to go with each word. Prepare a handout with the two rhyming
word pictures beside each other and the word written beneath the picture. Make sure to put the pairs in
the order in which they appear in the song. If both rhyming words appear in the song, you may include the
same pair of pictures more than once on the handout.
Instructions:
1. Give the students the handout with the rhyming pictures. Have them look at the first
pair of pictures. Go over both pictures, teaching the words. Say each word for the
students several times and have them repeat the word after you.
31

2. Tell the students that you will play the song, stopping after each line of the song. Tell
them that they should listen for the words illustrated in the pictures and circle the
picture that they hear.
3. Play the first line of the song two times. Have students circle the word that they hear.
4. Discuss the answer, or listen again if needed.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each line of the song (or pair of pictures).
Modifications:
A. - materials Hang large copies of the word pairs on the board where everyone can
see them. Label one picture in the pair ‘A’ and the other ‘B.’ Follow
Steps 1 – 5 above, but have students call out ‘A’ or ‘B’ to indicate which
word they heard in the song.
B. + extension On the board, write one to three of the words from the song (you may
+ time provide a picture if desired). Below each word, provide a picture and
the written word for two to eight words, some that rhyme with the word
from the song and others that do not rhyme. Some of these words can
come from the song and some can be new. Begin by saying out loud
the word from the song and having students repeat the word after you.
Then say each of the following words and have students decide
whether or not the new word rhymes with the word from the song.
Listen to the song again, and ask students to identify other words in
the song that rhyme with the first word.
Listening 5: Musical Words
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and pronounce specific words
Preparation and Materials: Identify three to five keywords in the song where you will stop the music.
Instructions:
1. Tell students that you are going to play a part of the song and then stop the song suddenly. Tell
them that they should yell out the last word that they hear when you stop the song.
2. Play the song. Stop the music immediately after a keyword is used. Have students yell out the
last word they heard.
3. Repeat the procedure until you have finished all of the song.
Modifications:
A. + movement Before listening to the song, teach three to five keywords from the
+ time song. Have the students come up with actions or movements to
represent those words. When you stop the song after the keywords,
have students mime the action for the last word that they heard as they
yell out the word.
B. + pictures Give students small pictures that represent the keywords or have them
+ materials draw their own pictures. Have students hold up the picture for the last
word they heard when you stop the song.
(optional)
+ art
32

(Modifications cont.)
C. + competition Tell the students that you will play part of the song and then stop it
+ difficulty suddenly. Have the students (individually or in small groups) write down
+ literacy all words they can remember when you stop the song. Repeat until you
+ time have finished the song. Play the song again and check the students’
answers. The student or group that has the most correct words gets a
(optional) point for that part. The student or group with the most points wins.
+ groups
Listening 6: Move Along!
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and represent word meanings with actions
Preparation and Materials: Identify five to ten keywords or phrases in the song for which you will try to
elicit movements.
Instructions:
1. Tell students that you are going to play a song and that they will move along with the
song.
2. Play the first line of the song. Teach any key vocabulary items in that line or explain
the meaning of the line (this can be done in the students’ L1). Have students suggest
a mime or movement to go along with vocabulary words or specific phrases.
3. Listen to the line again and have students complete the movement when they hear
the line or vocabulary word. For example, students could cradle their arms and rock
them back and forth for Hush Little Baby and pretend to wipe away tears for don’t you
cry.
4. Repeat Step 2 for each line in the song.
5. Tell the students that you will play the whole song and they should carry out the
movements as they listen to the song.
Modifications:
A. + groups Divide students into groups (one group for each line in the song).
- difficulty Assign each group one line and corresponding movement(s). Play the
song and have each group carry out their mime when they hear their
line in the song.
Listening 7: Song Bingo
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Choose six to ten words from the song and write them on the board in
random order.
Instructions:
1. Make sure that the students know the meaning and pronunciation of all of the words.
2. Tell the students to draw an empty grid—two squares by two squares (2 x 2)—on their papers
(see below). Instruct them to write one word from the board in each square.
33

3. Tell them that you are going to play the song and they should cross off their words when they
hear them. The first student to cross off all four of their words should shout “Bingo.”
4. After the first student has finished, play the song one more time so that the whole class can check
their answers.
Example: 2 x 2 grid
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Prepare pictures for the six to ten words you have selected from the
+ pictures song. Create a small grid containing the pictures. Give each student a
+ materials copy of the pictures and have them cut apart the pictures. Go over the
- writing pictures, pronouncing the words for the students. Have students draw a
blank 2 x 2 grid on their papers. Have students choose four pictures to
place in the squares in the grid that they drew and follow Steps 3 – 4
above.
B. + difficulty Choose 10 to 20 words and have students create larger grids (3 x 3 or

+ time 3 x 4).
C. + difficulty For songs that contain the verb ‘to be,’ write the various forms of the
+ verb forms verb on the board (am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being). Have
students write down four forms of ‘to be’ in the 2 x 2 grid and follow
(optional) Steps 3 – 4 above. Optional: After listening to the song, discuss which
+ extension forms of ‘to be’ were used and why each form was used (looking at
subject-verb agreement and tense).
34

Index of Listening Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Listening Activities
5. Musical Words
Rhyming Words
6. Move Along!
4. Listening for
7. Song Bingo
1. Relax and
3. Listening
2. Mixed-up
Pictures
Gap-Fill
Enjoy
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song * *A *

2. Over the River & Through the
Woods * *B *A
3. I’m a Little Teapot * * *A
4. Hickory Dickory Dock *A * *A
5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star * * *A
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb * * *A
7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe *A * *
8. Bingo * *C *
9. Hush, Little Baby *A * *A
10. The Happy Song *A *A *

11. Head, Shoulders, Knees
and Toes * * *
12. Are You Sleeping? * * *B
13. Hokey Pokey *A *A *A

Letters indicate which modification in the listening activity applies

35

Section 3: Singing / Music Activities
Singing along to a newly learned song is fun! And it can also be educational and pedagogically sound.
Students not only practice using grammatical chunks of language and pronouncing new words, they also
become more familiar and comfortable with rhythm and stress in English, which may improve their
intonation skills. Thus, it is recommended that teachers include class time after the listening activities for
students to sing the song.
Some teachers may feel awkward asking students to sing in class, and some students really do not like
singing and do not want to sing in front of others. Ways that you can help students to relax and enjoy
singing include the following:
• Encourage students to listen and tap their fingers on the desk to practice the rhythm, while other
students sing.
• Refrain from asking students to stand in front of the class. Allow them to stay at their desks to
sing.
• Give students small instruments, such as drums or shakers, to focus on while singing.
Instructions for making several simple instruments are provided in this section.
• Assign movements to do with some of the lyrics, such as swaying back and forth when they hear
the word ‘wind.’
• Ask students to draw pictures to accompany the words in the song and hold up the correct
pictures when they sing those words.
By having the students focus on something else, such as playing an instrument or doing particular
movements, students are less likely to be nervous and will enjoy singing.
Included in this section are seven singing activities that you can adapt to almost any song as well as
instructions for making four homemade instruments.
Singing / Music Activities:
Singing 1: Sing Along With Me................................................................................................... 37

Singing 2: Disappearing Song.................................................................................................... 38
Singing 3: Crazy Lyrics .............................................................................................................. 38
Singing 4: Show Me the Word.................................................................................................... 39
Singing 5: Your Moves ............................................................................................................... 40
Singing 6: Sing a Round ............................................................................................................ 41
Singing 7: Drum and Instrument Circles .................................................................................... 42
Instrument 1: Can and Bottle Shaker ......................................................................................... 43
Instrument 2: Rattle Stick ........................................................................................................... 43
Instrument 3: Rain Stick ............................................................................................................. 44
Instrument 4: Bottle Xylophone .................................................................................................. 44
To assist you in teaching students to sing the songs, the lyrics to each song on the Sing Out Loud:
Children’s Songs CD are included on the second page of each song unit in Part 1.2 and may be
photocopied as handouts.
Examples of singing/music activities that require materials appear in Part 1.2 when these activities are
adapted to specific songs. An index table of song units that model these activities is provided at the end
of this section.
36

Singing 1: Sing Along With Me

Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation
Preparation and Materials: None
Instructions:
1. Tell the students that they will be singing a song. If the song is new, tell them what the song is
about (you may need to do this in their L1).
2. Sing one line (or phrase) at a time, and have students repeat after you. For example, depending
on your students, you could sing the entire line Hush little baby, don’t you cry and have them
repeat it, or you could break the line into two parts (Hush little baby and don’t you cry), having the
students repeat after each part. You may need to sing each line or part more than once.
3. Repeat Step 2 for each line in the song. After each new line, go back to the beginning and sing
the song up to that point until you reach the end of the song.
4. If some students learn the song quickly, they can come up to the front and lead the song.
Different students can take turns.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty If the melody of the song is difficult, start by humming it. Ask the
students to hum along with you their first time through the song. The
second time ask them to sing the refrain and hum the remaining verses.
Depending on the difficulty of the song, the next time you may introduce
one or two verses.
B. + groups Divide the class into small groups and assign one line or verse to each
+ time group. Each group can practice singing its line or verse, and then teach
it to the others.
C. + groups You can divide the students into call-and-response groups in which one
group or person sings a line and the other group responds with the next
line. This works well when there is repetition in the song (for example,
Are You Sleeping?)
D. + scaffolding Prepare large pictures that represent key vocabulary items to help
+ pictures students understand the content of the song. Hang the pictures on the
+ materials board and point to them as you sing corresponding words or lines.
Optional: Have one student hold up each picture when the word is
sung.
E. - difficulty For a song in which each verse uses the same basic line but has one
or two different vocabulary words, have students sing or shout out only
the words that change in each line. Sing the song and pause before the
word that changes in each verse. For example, in The Hokey Pokey,
sing You put your (pause) and the students would sing or shout ‘right
arm’.
F. - difficult For a song in which each verse uses the same basic line but has one
- time or two different vocabulary words, have students sing or shout out only
the words that do not change in each line. For example, in Hickory
Dickory Dock, after students sing ‘Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran
up the clock’, you sing the remainder of each line.
37

Singing 2: Disappearing Song
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and recall words and phrases
Level: 2 and above Time: 15 – 25 minutes, depending on the song’s length
Note to teacher: This activity involves singing the song multiple times and asking students to recall
words that you have erased from the lyrics. The number of words that you choose to erase and the pace
with which you remove them will depend on the length of the song, the difficulty of the lyrics, and the level
of your students. You do not need to erase a high percentage of words for the activity to be engaging and
challenging. Also be careful about singing the song too many times so the activity does not become
boring.
Preparation and Materials: Write the song lyrics on the board.
Instructions:
1. Practice singing the song with the students line by line.
2. Erase approximately ten percent of the words. Draw a blank space under each erased word.
Practice singing the song again with the students. Make sure that they can remember and sing
the missing words.
3. Erase another ten percent of the words and follow the procedure in Step 2.
4. Now erase an additional twenty to thirty percent so that only about half of the words remain.
Practice singing the song again.
5. Finally, erase an additional twenty to thirty percent so that about twenty percent of the words
remaining. Sing the song one final time.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Begin with the complete lyrics written on the board. Sing the song,
pointing to each word as you sing it. Erase one word at a time. Erase
words from the portions of the lyrics that are repeated often (for
example, ____ little baby, don’t say a word) or the words that change
with each verse of the song (for example, Papa’s going to buy you a
_______).
B. - difficulty As you delete words, replace them with pictures to help students recall
+ scaffolding the words.
+ pictures
+ materials
Singing 3: Crazy Lyrics
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, explore the rhythm of words, and learn new
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Choose three to six key content words to replace in the song. For example,
you could replace verbs, nouns, adjectives, or a mix of these words. Create new versions for two to three
lines or verses in the song, using new vocabulary items that you wish to teach. For example, a new
version of the first line of Mary Had a Little Lamb could be
Mary had a puppy dog, puppy dog, puppy dog.

Mary had a puppy dog, its coat was brown as sand.
38

Instructions:
1. Sing one line (or phrase) at a time, and have students repeat it after you. Teach the new
vocabulary items as you go along.
2. Repeat Step 1 for the new version of the line or song. After each new line, go back to the
beginning and sing the song up to that point until you reach the end of the song.
3. If there are students in the class who learn the song quickly, they can take turns coming up front
and leading the song.
4. Play the song so that the group can practice singing the new crazy song.
Modifications:
A. + / - difficulty Change more or fewer words in each line to match the level of your
students.
B. + scaffolding Prepare pictures of the new words that you have chosen and hang
- difficulty them on the board. Teach the vocabulary items that go along with the
+ pictures pictures. Tell students what word to replace when they sing. As
+ materials students sing the song, point to one of the pictures and have them sing
the song with that new vocabulary item.
C. + difficulty Prepare a list of words (represented by pictures or words) from which

+ materials students may choose which words to replace in the song (you can
+ time provide a handout of the lyrics with gaps for the new words). Then
+ creativity allow students to come up with their own new set of Crazy Lyrics.
(optional)
+ pictures
D. - difficulty Instead of changing to new vocabulary words, reorder the existing

- new vocabulary words to make a new version of the song.
Singing 4: Show Me the Word
Purpose: To make print and sound connections, represent word meanings with pictures, and learn
vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Choose three to six keywords from the song for the students to focus on.
Draw or hang a picture of each word on the board, and write the words below the pictures.
Instructions:
1. Have each student choose one word from the board and draw a picture representing that word on
a piece of paper.
2. Next tell the students that when the class sings the song, they each need to raise their picture
above their heads when their word/picture is sung.
3. To make this activity more competitive you can nominate a ‘class judge’ to watch the students
and make sure they raise the correct words.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Choose eight to ten words and distribute two words to each student.
+ time Tell the students to draw a picture of each of the words assigned to
them. Then follow Steps 2–4 above.
39

B. - materials Instead of drawing pictures, students can write down the words on the
+ writing paper.
- time
C. - materials Write the words on the board but do not provide a picture. Have
- pictures students draw a picture representing their word following Steps 1–4
above.
D. + art Provide a simple picture or coloring page that represents key

vocabulary from the song. Give each student a picture and have them
color or decorate the picture. Then following Steps 2–4 above.
Singing 5: Your Moves
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song and represent word meanings with actions
Level: All Time: 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the length of the song
Preparation and Materials: Choose five to ten keywords or phrases from the song.
Instructions:
1. Elicit from the students some possible motions that could be associated with each keyword. For
example, students could represent the word tall by raising their hands straight upward or by
holding one hand up with the palm facing the floor. When the students have suggested a number
of different mimes for a keyword, ask the class to choose the one they like the best.
2. Practice that mime and then go on to the next keyword until each keyword has a mime. Practice
all of them until students can remember them.
3. Play the song and have the students sing along and do the correct mimes when they hear the
keywords.
Modifications:
A. - time Many children’s songs have traditional movements that go along with
the song. For example, the songs I’m a Little Teapot; The Happy Song;
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; and The Hokey Pokey have
traditional movements, which are described in each song unit. You can
use these traditional movements, or make up your own.
B. + large classes Choose the motions before class instead of eliciting them from the
- difficulty students. Teach the song along with the movements. For lower level
- time classes, teaching the song and the movements together will help
students understand the meanings of the words.
C. - difficulty Prepare large pictures for each of the chosen keywords. Hold up each
+ scaffolding picture, teach the vocabulary word, and elicit a motion. Have students
+ pictures practice the motion when you raise the picture. Then play the song and
+ materials raise the picture when the word is used in the song (it may be used
more than once) to help students make the movements at the right
time.
40

Singing 6: Sing a Round
Note to the Teacher: This activity works well after students have learned to sing the song as a
group. We suggest using this activity after completing Singing 1: Sing Along With Me (p. 37).
Preparation and Materials: Practice singing the song as a whole group.
Instructions:
1. Divide students into two groups. Tell the students that they will be singing the same song, but
each group will begin singing at a different time.
2. Have the first group begin singing the song from the beginning to the end without stopping.
3. When the first group gets to the end of the first line of the song, have the second group start
singing the song from the beginning. The first group must continue singing without letting the
second group distract them.
Example (each pair of lines is sung at the same time):
Group 1: Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

Group 2: (silent)
Group 1: Brother John, Brother John?

Group 1: Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing.

Group 1: Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong, ding.

Group 1: (silent or begin again at the beginning)

Modifications:
A. - difficulty If the song is long, only sing the first verse of the song.
- time
B. + scaffolding Provide the lyrics for students to follow along. Write the lyrics on the
board two times (once for each group). Ask one student (or a helper) to
guide one of the groups while you guide the other group. Point to the
words as the students sing.
C. + large classes You can divide the class into three groups.
41

Singing 7: Drum and Instrument Circles
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation and explore the rhythm of words
Preparation and Materials: Collect and bring in different types of drums, if possible.
Instructions:
1. Ask students to stand or sit in a circle. Give each one a drum. If there are not enough drums,
students can share drums, clap their hands, or tap on the desks.
2. Provide a model of how the song can be sung with the beats by tapping out a few words or a line
of the song. Focus on the coordination of word stress and the drum beats. Have the students
repeat the model using their instruments.
3. As the students become more comfortable with the idea of coordinating the stress and beats, you
can introduce different speeds and rhythms.
4. If you wish, ask students to take turns being leader of the drum circle.
Modifications:
A. - materials Encourage students to bring in their own musical instruments from
home on the day you wish to sing the song. You can sing the song
along with your new class orchestra.
B. + extension Before the song lesson, do a separate lesson on making instruments.

+ time Give directions on how to make simple instruments. You can use the
directions for four instruments that appear on the following two pages
as a guide. Bring in the materials that the students need or ask them to
bring these materials from home. After the instruments have been
constructed, the groups can play them while singing.
42


Homemade Instruments
Instrument 1: Can and Bottle Shaker (Maracas)
Materials:
• An empty metal drink can or plastic/glass bottle

• Small pebbles, dried beans, or uncooked rice
• Paper
• Tape
Instructions:
Wash out the can or bottle and let it dry completely. Put a small number of pebbles (or dried beans or
uncooked rice) in the bottle. Cover the top or the hole with your hand. Shake it and listen to the sound.
Decide whether or not you need to add more pebbles/beans/rice. Cut the paper into a circle large
enough to cover the top of the can or bottle. Place the paper circle on the top and tape it into place to
seal the pebbles/beans/rice into your shaker. Decorate the outside of the shaker with pictures or
stickers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instrument 2: Rattle Stick
Materials:
• Six metal bottle caps

• A stick, approximately 6 – 12 inches (about 15 – 30 centimeters) long
• 1 large nail and 3 small nails
• A hammer metal bottle cap
• Markers or paint to decorate the stick (optional)
Instructions:
Using a large nail, hammer a hole into the center of each bottle cap. Next,
using a smaller nail, fasten two bottle caps (smooth sides facing each other)
on the side of the stick near one end. The two caps should be nailed in
loosely so that they rattle in a similar fashion to the bells in the picture. Then
nail the next two bottle caps under the first set (but so that they are not
touching the first set), and nail the final two bottle caps under the second set.
If you wish, decorate the handle of the stick.
43

Instrument 3: Rain Stick
Materials:
• 1 cardboard tube, any length

• 20 – 30 nails as long as the diameter of the tube
• 1 – 2 cups of dried beans or pebbles
• Fabric and paper to cover the ends and the outside of the
tube
• Glue
• Tape
Instructions:
Starting at one end of the tube, gently hammer or push nails into
the spiral seam of the tube. The nails should go across the tube to the other side, but they
should not stick out the other side. Turn the tube and continue pushing in nails following the
spiral pattern. If the tube does not have a seam, push the nails along the length of the tube in a
spiral pattern (as shown in the drawing on the right). The nails should be about one-half inch or
one inch apart. Cover one end of the tube with paper, and tape it closed. Pour enough beans or
pebbles into the tube to fill it about half full. Cover the other end of the tube with paper, and tape
it closed. Now wrap the entire tube in paper or fabric and glue it down so that the nails do not
come out. Slowly tilt the rain stick back and forth. Listen to the beans or pebbles pouring past the
nails, like rain on a metal roof.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instrument 4: Bottle Xylophone
Materials:
• 5 or 6 glass bottles
• Water
• A stick or spoon to tap the bottles
Instructions:
Put a different amount of water into each bottle, enough to have six distinctly different sounds. When you
tap each bottle you will produce a different pitch.

44

Index of Singing / Music Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Singing / Music Activities
1. Sing Along With
Instrument Circles
6. Sing a Round
2. Disappearing
4. Show Me the
3. Crazy Lyrics
5. Your Moves
7. Drum &
Word
Song
Me
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song *B * *D

Woods *B *
3. I’m a Little Teapot *B *B *A
4. Hickory Dickory Dock *F * *A
5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star *A *C *A
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb *B * *D
7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe * *B,C *
8. Bingo *D *B *
9. Hush, Little Baby *A *A *C
10. The Happy Song * * *

11. Head, Shoulders, Knees &
Toes * *B,D *
12. Are You Sleeping? *C *B *
13. Hokey Pokey *E *B *

Letters indicate which modification in the singing / music activity applies
45

Section 4: Post-listening Activities
While it is possible to stop after doing only pre-listening, listening and singing activities, it can be very
valuable to extend the instructional sequence to include a number of post-listening activities. They
increase the educational value of the song. The post-listening activities included in this book are divided
into three main sections: 1) Speaking, 2) Reading, and 3) Writing.
Because this book is intended for children who are just beginning to learn English, the activities focus on
the very early stages of these skills:
Speaking: pronouncing individual words, phrases, or common patterns (e.g., I like

playing, I like running)
Reading: recognizing individual letters, patterns, or words; following a story as it is

read aloud; matching sight words with pictures illustrating word meaning
Writing: tracing or copying individual letters and words
The following post-listening activities can be used with almost any song. Select several activities from
these sections based on your student’s needs and interests. Experiment using different activities with
different students, different levels, and different songs. Most of these activities require very few materials
or none at all. Those that require specific materials are in Part 1.2 of the book, which provides specific
lesson menus and accompanying materials for the songs on the Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs CD.
Section 4.A: Post-listening – Speaking Activities

One of the first steps in learning a new language is to learn to produce the sounds of the new language,
as well as how those sounds combine to form meaningful words. The activities in this section are
intended to give students an opportunity to say English sounds and words out loud and to make
connections between spoken words and word meanings. To help beginning learners with English
pronunciation, these activities may ask students to
• repeat individual sounds and words
• say common phrases
o I like ______ (I like playing, I like running, I like jumping)
o What time is it? It’s 2 o’clock.
• make connections between sounds and letters
• recall vocabulary words previously learned
Following are five activities that students can do to practice their speaking skills. An index of model units
for post-listening speaking activities is provided at the end of Section 4.A.
Post-listening – Speaking Activities:
Post-listening – Speaking 1: Fluency Circle............................................................................... 47

Post-listening – Speaking 2: Question & Answer....................................................................... 48
Post-listening – Speaking 3: Fill in the Blank ............................................................................. 48
Post-listening – Speaking 4: Telephone..................................................................................... 49
Post-listening – Speaking 5: Let’s Build on It ............................................................................. 50
Post-listening – Speaking 6: Hot or Cold? ................................................................................. 50
Post-listening – Speaking 7: Go Fish! ........................................................................................ 51
46

Post-listening – Speaking 1: Fluency Circle
Purpose: To pronounce individual words and/or sounds, and to learn vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Prepare five to ten large pictures that represent vocabulary words from the
song (or that are related to the song).
Instructions:
1. Divide the students into two equal groups. Assign one group to be the inner circle. Have these
students form a circle, facing out. Then have the second group form a larger, outer circle by
having each of them stand in front of one of the students in the inner circle. The partners from the
two circles should be facing each other. The teacher should stand in the middle of the inner circle.
Outer circle, facing in

Teacher, standing
in the middle
Inner circle, facing out
2. Hold up a picture. Tell the students in the outer circle to look at the picture and then say the word
out loud.
3. Students in the inner circle must repeat out loud the word that their partner just said.
4. Show the first picture. Turn around so that all of the students in the outer circle can see you. Have
the students in the outer circle say the word and those in the inner circle repeat it.
5. Next have the students in the inner circle move one place to the right to face a new partner.
Repeat Step 4 until you have used all of the pictures.
6. Have the students switch places, so that the students in the inner circle move to the outer circle,
and those in the outer circle switch to the inner circle. Repeat Steps 4 and 5.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Use cards that contain only letters of the alphabet. As you hold up a
+ alphabet card, the outer circle can say either the name of the letter or the sound
that the letter makes. Students in the inner circle should repeat the
letter or sound.
B. + spelling After the outer circle says the word on the card out loud (Steps 1 – 4
above), have the students in the inner circle say the letter of the
alphabet that begins the word.
C. + difficulty Using cards containing the letters of the alphabet, have the outer circle
+ spelling say a word that begins with that letter and the inner circle repeat the
word before moving.
47

Post-listening – Speaking 2: Question & Answer
Purpose: To practice phrases and respond to questions
Preparation and Materials: Prepare five to ten yes/no questions that follow the same form. Example
question forms include: Are you sleeping? Are you eating? Are you reading? Or Do you have a dog? Do
you live on a farm?
Instructions:
1. Teach students two basic responses to your questions. For example, for the questions above:
Yes, I am and No, I’m not or Yes, I do and No, I don’t.
2. You will ask them a question, and they should respond out loud with one of the possible
responses.
3. Ask your first question. As you say the final word (for example, sleeping, eating, or reading),
mime the activity to help students understand what you are asking.
4. Repeat Step 3 for each of your questions.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Create picture cards that show actions or words that you can ask
+ pictures questions about. Give one card to each student, and ask one of your
+ materials questions. The students should respond with Yes, I am (if their picture
+ time matches your questions) or No, I’m not (if their picture does not match.)
B. + difficulty Use several different question forms (Do you have a ____? Are you
+ questions sleeping? Is the dog brown?) and teach the corresponding responses
(Yes, I do/No, I don’t, Yes, I am/No, I’m not, Yes, it is/No, it isn’t).
Students must choose the correct way to respond to the question you
ask.
C. + difficulty Have students create the questions themselves.

+ ask questions
+ time
D. + difficulty Use wh-questions instead of yes/no questions. For example, you can
+ wh-questions teach students the forms They are ____ing and He/She is ____ing.
Show the students a picture of an action, and ask, “What are they
doing?” or “What is he/she doing?” The students should respond using
the verb in its –ing form (They are reading or He is sleeping).
Depending on the proficiency level of the students, you can tell them
the action word that they should use to fill in the blank.
Post-listening – Speaking 3: Fill in the Blank
Purpose: To practice phrases and learn vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Choose a phrase, such as I have a ____, I’m eating _____, I like ______, or
I don’t like _____. Prepare five to ten large pictures that represent vocabulary either in the song or new
vocabulary related to the song. Hang the pictures on the board.
48

Instructions:
1. Teach students the phrase that you have picked.
2. Point to one picture on the board, say a word out loud, and have the students repeat the word
after you.
3. Then say a phrase out loud containing the new word (for example, I have a book). Have the
students repeat the complete phrase.
4. Repeat Step 3 for each of the new vocabulary items.
Modifications:
A. + extension Once students have learned the words, tell them that you will point to
+ time the picture without saying the word out loud. Have the students say the
phrase with the word that you have pointed to.
B. + extension Once students have learned the words, have one student come to the
+ movement front of the class and act out the word/action. Have the other students
+ time call out what the student is doing.
C. + difficulty For students who already know quite a few vocabulary words in
+ background English, do not provide a prompt. Instead, teach phrases of interest,
knowledge and have the students use their imagination to fill in the blanks.
+ creativity
Post-listening – Speaking 4: Telephone
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and practice pronunciation and intonation
Preparation and Materials: Choose three to six keywords from the song.
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into two groups, and have each group form a circle.
2. Tell the students that you are going to whisper a word to one person in the group so that only that
person can hear it. That student will then whisper the word to the next person in the circle so that
only that person can hear them, and so on.
3. Tell the students that the last student in the circle should yell out the word. The first group to call
out the word correctly wins.
Modifications:
A. + large classes Divide the students into more than two groups.
B. + difficulty Use phrases or sequences of three keywords from the song as the
starting point (instead of one word).
C. + difficulty Make up a new line for the song by substituting one to three of the
words. Then use that line as the starting point.
D. + movement If words that represent actions are used, have the last person in the
group carry out the action as he/she calls out the word or phrase. The
first group to carry out the action wins.
49

Post-listening – Speaking 5: Let’s Build on It
Purpose: To form phrases or sentences
Preparation and Materials: Write the song’s lyrics on the board.
Instructions:
1. Before beginning, ask a group of students (one student for each word in the first line of the song)
to come to the front of the class. Assign each one a word from the line.
2. Ask the student with the first word to say his or her word out loud. Have the entire class repeat
the word.
3. Ask the student with the second word to say his or her word out loud. Have the entire class
repeat the first student’s word and the second student’s word (for example, if the first student
says hush, and the second student says little, then the class will repeat hush little).
4. Ask the student with the third word to say his or her word out loud. Have the entire class repeat
the first, second, and third words (for example, hush little baby). Repeat this process until you
have finished the first line of the song.
5. Invite a new group of students to the front of the classroom and continue with the remaining lines
in the song.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Use vocabulary words that students have been learning instead of the
+ pictures lyrics. Give each student a card with a picture and the written form of
+ materials the word. Have each student say the word on his/her card, and follow
+ vocabulary Steps 1 – 5 above. The class will be repeating strings of vocabulary
words.
B. + large classes Invite small groups (five to ten students per group) to the front of the
class to say the words for the class. Then have the entire class repeat
the words and series of words.
C. + difficulty Increase the number of words that are repeated in a series.
D. + difficulty Choose a topic related to the theme of the song. Have students create
+ creativity new phrases or sentences about the topic.
Post-listening – Speaking 6: Hot or Cold?
Purpose: To practice comparative adjectives
Preparation and Materials: Prepare three to six small objects that represent vocabulary items from the
song.
Instructions:
1. Show the students the small objects and make sure they know the names of the objects.
2. Tell the students that one student will be the ‘Finder,’ and the rest of the class will be the ‘Hiders.’
50

3. Ask the Hiders will hide the objects in different places in the classroom. The Finder will need to
locate those items. Tell the Hiders that as the Finder is looking, they should give clues. Tell them
that when the Finder is close to the object, they should yell “hot!” As the Finder gets closer to the
object, they can yell “hotter!” If the Finder is not close, they should yell “cold!” If the Finder begins
to move farther away, the Hiders should yell “colder!”
4. Have the Finder leave the classroom (or go to a corner in the classroom with her/his eyes
closed). Have the Hiders hide the first small object.
5. When the Finder returns and begins to look for the item, direct the Hiders in yelling out the ‘hot’
and ‘cold’ clues until the Finder locates the object and says its name out loud.
6. Choose a new Finder and repeat this process for each object.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty Have the Hiders give specific directions or clues (such as “to your
+ give directions right,” “it’s under something big”) to help the Finder locate the item.
Post-listening – Speaking 7: Go Fish!
Purpose: To ask questions and learn vocabulary from the song.
Preparation and Materials: Choose ten to twenty vocabulary items either from the song or related to the
theme of the song. Make a set of Go Fish! cards by creating two identical cards for each vocabulary item
(see example below). Each card should contain a picture that represents the vocabulary item and the
word written below the picture. Make a set of cards for each group of students.

hand hand
Instructions:
1. Teach students the basic question form “Do you have a _____?”
2. Practice using different nouns in the question. For example, Do you have a book? or Do you have
a dog?
3. Divide students into groups of three or four, sitting in a circle. Put a set of Go Fish! cards in the
middle of the group. Have each student draw three cards. The remaining cards should stay in a
pile (face down) in the middle of the circle.
4. Tell the students that they need to get two of the same cards. Student A asks one of the others in
the group “Do you have a _____?” (naming the object on the card).
5. If that other student has the card, he/she must give the card to Student A, who now has a pair
and can place the pair of cards face up on the table in front of him/her. If that other student does
not have the card, she or he says to Student A, “Go Fish.” Student A then draws a card from the
pile in the middle of the group to end his/her turn.
6. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each student going around the circle clockwise. When all possible
matches have been made, the game is over. The student with the most pairs wins.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty For each pair of cards, have one card containing a picture and the other
+ literacy card containing the printed word.

hand
51

Index of Post-listening – Speaking Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Speaking Activities
5. Let’s Build on It
3. Fill in the Blank
1. Fluency Circle
6. Hot or Cold?
2. Question &
4. Telephone
7. Go Fish!
Answer
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song *A

Woods *
3. I’m a Little Teapot *
4. Hickory Dickory Dock *
5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star *C
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb *B
7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe *
8. Bingo *
9. Hush, Little Baby *A
10. The Happy Song *C,D

and Toes *
12. Are You Sleeping? *D
13. Hokey Pokey *

Letters indicate which modification in the speaking activity applies
52

Section 4.B: Post-listening – Reading Activities
Young learners of English may just be beginning to develop reading skills in their native language. At the
beginning stages of learning to read in a new language, one of the first steps is to learn the alphabet
(both the written characters and the sounds that are associated with them). Learning the alphabet is
especially important if the native language has a different writing system than the new language. The first
song on the Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs CD, called The Alphabet Song, is a song many American
children sing as a way to learn their ABCs.
The activities in this section help young learners solidify and extend their knowledge of the written form of
English and how to combine letters to form words. These activities ask students to:
• recognize individual letters, both in isolation and within words
• discriminate between different letters and words
• recognize words, both in isolation and within strings of words
• match the written with the spoken form of the word
• match the written form of words with pictures representing the meaning
• follow a story as it is read out loud
Following are five activities to develop beginning reading skills in English. Try a variety of these activities
with your students. An index of model units for each activity is provided in a table at the end of this
section.
Post-listening – Reading Activities:
Post-listening – Reading 1: Find That Word .............................................................................. 54

Post-listening – Reading 2: Word Series ................................................................................... 54
Post-listening – Reading 3: Memory .......................................................................................... 55
Post-listening – Reading 4: Picture Story................................................................................... 56
Post-listening – Reading 5: Follow Me....................................................................................... 57
53

Post-listening – Reading 1: Find That Word
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of words and make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Write the lyrics of the song on the board. Choose three to five vocabulary
words from the song and prepare a large picture for each with the word written below the picture.
Instructions:
1. Show students a picture and a word, and tell them to find that word in the song.
2. Tape the first picture to the board. Pronounce the word for the students and have them repeat it.
3. Give the students some time to look at the lyrics printed on the board and locate the word.
4. Ask one student to come to the board and circle the word in the lyrics. If the word appears in the
lyrics more than one time, have multiple students come up and circle the different instances of the
word.
5. Repeat Steps 2 – 4 with each word for which you have prepared a picture.
Modifications:
A. - difficulty Create a handout with a short poem, song, or story on it, and prepare a
+ materials copy for each student or group of students. Make sure that the words
are fairly large so that students can circle individual letters. Read the
(optional) poem, song, or story to the students. Choose three to five letters of the
+ groups alphabet. One letter at a time, have students find a number of examples
of that letter. For example, you could have students circle five A’s,
underline two B’s, and put a square around three C’s, depending on
how often the letters appear in the text.
B. + difficult If students already know the words and how they are spelled, you can
- materials ask them to find words without providing a picture with the written word.
- time
C. + difficulty When you write the lyrics, draw a blank line wherever the word that you
+ pattern are focusing on occurs. On the line, write the target word and another
discrimination word that is only one or two letters different. You can write this on the
- pictures board, or create a handout to give to each student. Show a picture of
+ time the word (without the word written below it) or read each line out loud
for students. Have them circle the correct word based on the picture.
(optional) Example:
+ materials Mary had a little land / lamb .
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how / who I wonder what you are.
Post-listening – Reading 2: Word Series
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of letters
Preparation and Materials: Write on the board a list of words that begin with different letters.
54

Instructions:
1. After you have written some words on the board, ask the students to find all of the words that
begin with a certain letter.
2. Write one letter on the board and say it out loud. Give the students several minutes to look at the
words. Have the students circle all words beginning with that letter. You can invite one student at
a time to the board to circle the words.
3. Repeat Step 2 with a different letter.
Modifications:
A. + large classes Put a number next to each word that you write. Have each student
- movement decide which words begin with the letter. Have students write down the
numbers for those words in their notebooks. Then check the answers
as a whole class.
B. + difficult Put on the board a series of words that are similar and dissimilar in
form. For example, you could include sing, ding, ring, snug, dong, hang.
(optional) Ask the students to identify which words are the same in some way and
+ rhyming which words are different.
C. + difficulty Write on the board the rhyming words from the song, two to four
+ rhyming additional words that rhyme, and three to five words that do not rhyme.
Ask students to identify the words that rhyme.
Post-listening – Reading 3: Memory
Purpose: To make connections between written forms and word meanings
Preparation and Materials: Prepare eight to twelve large pictures and hang them face down on one
side of the board in a grid. (Or hang them face up and cover them with a second piece of paper.) For
each of the pictures, write the corresponding word in a second grid on the board and cover each one with
a piece of paper.
Example: 3 x 3 grids, one containing pictures and the other containing words
rabbit duck horse
chicken cow goat
pig sheep dog
55

Instructions:
1. Ask students to match the picture with the written form of the word. Each student will have a turn
coming to the board and turning over one piece of paper from each grid to try to make a match.
2. Invite one student to the board to turn over one picture and one word. If the picture and word
match, the student gets to keep the pair. If the picture and word do not match, the student should
replace the picture and the word (in the same location) face down.
3. Invite a second student to come to the board and repeat Step 2. As more and more pictures and
words are uncovered, students will remember where particular pictures and words are located.
4. Continue until all the pairs have been matched.
5. You can then rearrange the pictures and words, and repeat Steps 1-4.
Modifications:
A. + competition Instead of doing this activity at the board, you can create a set of small
+ groups cards with the pictures and words. Divide students into groups of three
+ materials or four and give each group a set of cards. Students can mix up the
cards and place them face down on the desk or floor. Then they can
take turns trying to make pairs. The student with the most pairs wins.
B. + difficulty Instead of using pictures, write the same set of words in random order
- pictures in both grids on the board. Cover each word with paper and have
- materials students find two matching words.
Example:
cow sheep dog rabbit pig chicken
chicken duck goat dog cow horse
pig horse rabbit duck goat sheep
C. + difficulty Mix the word and picture cards together and put them into one large
grid (instead of two separate grids).
Modifications (continued)
D. - difficult Write the word below the picture in small print so that students can
+ scaffolding more easily match the word with the picture. Or put a small version of
the picture below the written word.

house
house
Post-listening – Reading 4: Picture Story
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song, make print and sound connections, and appreciate the
story
Preparation and Materials: Create a worksheet using the lyrics for the song or another story. Circle one
content vocabulary word from each line in the song (if the same word is used more than once in the line,
circle it each time it appears). For each circled word, prepare two small pictures to place next to the line,
56

one that represents the word and the other a related picture. Make a copy of the Picture Story worksheet
for each student.
One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, shut the door.
Instructions:
1. Give students the Picture Story handout.
2. Tell students that you are going to read them a story and they should follow along on their Picture
Story handout. Whenever you pause, they should look at the two pictures for that line and decide
which picture matches the circled words.
3. Read the first line in the song or story. If possible point to the words as you read through the
lines. Have students identify and circle the picture that matches the word.
4. Repeat Step 2 with all lines in the song.
Modifications:
A. + extension Use a completely new story or poem that is related to the theme of the
+ difficulty song, or which uses some of the same vocabulary words as the song.
+ materials Provide pictures along with the story or poem to help students
understand the meaning of the story. Make a handout or write the story
on the board and draw the corresponding pictures. As you read the
story or poem out loud, point to each word so that students can follow
along. You can also underline or circle key vocabulary words that you
want students to pay attention to. Example:
Hush little baby, don’t you cry
Mama’s going to buy you a kite to fly
B. + difficulty Create a new song by changing one or two words in each line of the
+ time song. For each word that you change, write two words and underline
+ vocabulary them. Place a small picture that matches one of the new words under
the line. As you read the lines out loud, ask students to circle the word
that corresponds to the picture. Example:
Hush little baby, don't you cry / fly ,
Mama’s going to buy you a kite / bite to fly.

Post-listening – Reading 5: Follow Me
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a worksheet with a 2 x 3 grid on the top half of it. In each
square print the name of one vocabulary item at the bottom of the square. On the lower half of the
worksheet, put a 2 x 3 grid containing six pictures in random order that match the words. Make a copy
of the Follow Me worksheet for each student. For an example of a Follow Me worksheet, see Head,
Shoulders, Knees and Toes (p. 269).
57

Instructions:
1. Give students the Follow Me worksheet. Have them cut out the six pictures on the lower half of
the page.
2. Tell the students that they need to match the picture with the correct word in the grid on the top
half of the worksheet.
3. If needed, you can go through the activity once as a whole class to teach the words. Then have
students mix up the pictures and do the activity again on their own.
Modifications:
A. + color words Prepare a large outline picture related to the theme of the song. Divide
+ time the picture into parts, and write the names of colors in the sections of
+ art the picture. Teach the color names if needed. Using crayons or markers
students color in the parts of the picture by reading the color words. (An
example is included on page 59).
B. + difficulty Create a handout by arranging small pictures in various positions

- pictures around the page so that after lines are drawn between the pictures, a
- materials shape will appear. Write directions on the board telling students what
+ follow commands lines to draw to create the shape. For example, commands could be
very simple “dog to cat” or more complex “draw a line from the dog to
the cat”. Point to each word in the command as you read them out loud.
Have students draw the lines to form the shape. (An example is
included on page 60).
58

59

COW
DUCK
MOUSE
CAT DOG
CAT to COW
COW to DOG
DOG to DUCK
DUCK to MOUSE
MOUSE to CAT
60

Index of Post-listening – Reading Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Reading Activities
1. Find That Word
4. Picture Story
2. Word Series
5. Follow Me
3. Memory
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song *A

Woods *D
3. I’m a Little Teapot *
4. Hickory Dickory Dock *A
5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star *C
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb *
7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe *A
8. Bingo *D
10. The Happy Song *

and Toes *
12. Are You Sleeping? *
13. Hokey Pokey *B

Letters indicate which modification in the reading activity applies
61

Section 4.C: Post-listening – Writing
Young learners of English may just be beginning to develop writing skills in their native language. This
section provides activities for them to practice forming letters and words in the English language rather
than to produce extended sequences (such as sentences, paragraphs, or essays).
Activities include:
• tracing letters and words by using dashed lines as a guide
• copying letters and words to replicate the patterns after looking at examples
Following are four activities that students can do to begin producing the written form of English. An index
of song units that model these writing activities is provided at the end of this section.
Post-listening – Reading Activities:
Post-listening – Writing 1: Gap-Fill............................................................................................. 63

Post-listening – Writing 2: Trace Me .......................................................................................... 65
Post-listening – Writing 3: Crazy Lyrics...................................................................................... 65
Post-listening – Writing 4: Copy Me .......................................................................................... 66
62

Post-listening – Writing 1: Gap-Fill
Purpose: To practice forming letters and spelling
Note to the teacher: Traditional gap-fill activities require preparation of a handout with the song’s lyrics.
Some of the words are omitted and replaced with gaps. The teacher decides the words to remove based
on an element of grammar or particular vocabulary on which the teacher wants the students to focus.
Preparation and Materials: Create a Gap-Fill handout using the song’s lyrics. For the gaps, include
the missing word in dashed letters that students can trace. Make a copy of the Gap-Fill handout for
each student. An example of a handout appears on page 64.
Instructions:
1. Give students the Gap-Fill handout.
2. Teach the vocabulary words in the gaps.
3. Tell the students that as you play the song, they are to write the words that they hear by tracing
the letters on the handout.
4. When you play the song the first time, point to the lyrics on the board so that students can follow
along and identify where to listen for the gaps. Play the song several times.
Modifications:
A. + difficulty If students have had some practice writing in English already, leave out
the tracing letters. Instead write the vocabulary word on the board or in
small print below the line. Have the students copy the word.
B. + scaffolding If students are just learning the words, include a small picture below the
+ pictures line or beside the word to help them learn the meaning of the word.
C. + scaffolding Replace the same word with a gap two times. The first time provide the
+ difficulty tracing letters. The second time remove the word, leave a blank line,
and have students fill in the word on their own.
63

Hickory dickory dock,
the mouse ran
up the clock .
The clock struck
one, the mouse
ran down, Hickory
dickory dock.
64

Post-listening – Writing 2: Trace Me
Purpose: To practice forming letters and spelling words
Level: All Time: 15 – 25 minutes, depending on the number of words
Preparation and Materials: Choose three to eight keywords from the song to focus on, such as rhyming
words or words that illustrate a grammar point (for example, plural ‘s’, verbs ending in –ing). Create a
Trace Me worksheet that has the word printed in dashed letters that students can trace, and space for
students to print the word on their own. Make a copy of the Trace Me worksheet for each student.
lamb
Instructions:
1. Give students the Trace Me worksheet.
2. Teach the vocabulary words or grammatical point intended for the worksheet.
3. Have students trace the words.
4. Then have the students write the words on their own once or twice.
Modifications:
A. + scaffolding Provide a picture below the written word to help students understand
+ pictures the meaning of the word.
+ materials
Post-listening – Writing 3: Crazy Lyrics
Purpose: To be creative with language, learn new vocabulary, and (optional) practice writing words
Preparation and Materials: Choose five to ten words in the song to replace. For example, you could
choose to replace all nouns or all action verbs, depending on the song. Prepare large pictures that
represent possible replacement words and hang the pictures on the board where everyone can see them.
Write the words below the pictures. Write the lyrics on the board with blank spaces for the words that you
are going to replace.
Instructions:
1. Tell students that you are going to create a new version of the song and that you have taken out
some of the words in the song. They will need to choose words to fill in the blank spaces.
2. Present the pictures to the students. Make sure that they know the vocabulary words and what
they mean.
3. Ask students to fill in the blank spaces with the right words based on the pictures beside the
spaces.
4. Have students help you spell the words and write them in the blank spaces on the board. You can
also have students take turns coming to the board to fill in the words.
5. After you have completed the song, have the class sing or recite the new version out loud.
65

Modifications:
A. + difficulty If using verbs, provide the base form of verbs as possible replacement
+ verb forms words. Then have students write the correct form of the verb (e.g., past
tense or -ing form).
B. + materials Create a handout containing the lyrics and blank spaces. Have
+ writing students copy words from the board in the spaces. Each student can
create his/her own version and then share it with the class.
C. + difficulty Do not provide pictures of possible replacement words. Instead let the
- pictures students come up with their own words to fill the blank spaces, a good
+ background way to review vocabulary that you have taught earlier.
knowledge
Post-listening – Writing 4: Copy Me
Purpose: To practice forming letters and spelling
Note to the teacher: In this activity, students copy words or letters on a worksheet without using any
tracing letters (as in the previous writing activity 2, Trace Me). You can design a Copy Me worksheet in
many ways as long as it contains words or phrases for the students to copy on their own and a space for
copying them. Examples: The Alphabet Song and Hickory Dickory Dock.
Preparation and Materials: Choose five to ten words or phrases that are related to the theme of the
song. Create a Copy Me worksheet that contains a list of the words to be copied and a series of blank
spaces where students can copy them. An example is included below. Make a copy of the worksheet for
each student.
Example:
cup dog apple bear
1. ____________ begins with the letter “a”
2. ____________ begins with the letter “b”
3. ____________ begins with the letter “c”
Instructions:
1. Give students the Copy Me worksheet.
2. Have students choose the appropriate word to complete each blank and write it down.
3. When all students have completed the worksheet, go over the answers as a class.
Modifications:
A. - materials Instead of creating a handout, write the words to be copied on the
board. Give students some clues about which word to write, and have
them copy the appropriate word on their paper.
66

B. + scaffolding Design the handout as a matching activity. Prepare a picture for each
+ pictures vocabulary item that you want students to learn or practice. Create a
+ materials worksheet with the picture followed by a blank line to write on. Have
students write the matching word next to the picture.
Example:
clock mouse ran up down
1. _________ 2. _________ 3. _________ 4. _________ 5. _________
67

Index of Post-listening – Writing Activities for Children’s Songs Units
Writing Activities
3. Crazy Lyrics
2. Trace Me
4. Copy Me
1. Gap-Fill
Song Units
1.The Alphabet Song *B

Woods *B
3. I’m a Little Teapot *B
4. Hickory Dickory Dock * *
5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star *A
6. Mary Had a Little Lamb *B
7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe *
8. Bingo *A
10. The Happy Song *B,C *

and Toes *B
12. Are You Sleeping? *A
13. Hokey Pokey *

Letters indicate which modification in the writing activity applies
68

Part 1.2:
Materials for Children’s Songs
PART 1.2: MATERIALS FOR CHILDREN’S SONGS

Part 1.2 contains materials to use in your class for each of the songs on the Sing Out Loud: Children’s
Songs CD. These materials are collected into 13 song units. The menu on the first page of each song unit
includes three suggested activities for each of the four types of activities explained in Part 1.1:
1. Pre-listening
2. Listening
3. Singing
4. Post-listening (Speaking, Reading, and Writing)
The lyrics of the song appear on the second page of each song unit. The remaining pages provide
descriptions of suggested activities, including the estimated language proficiency levels and class time
required for the activities. These descriptions are followed by any materials needed for that activity. These
materials may be a list of words or questions, handouts that you can photocopy or write on the board, or
pictures. Answer keys are provided for activities that have specific answers. For the complete instructions
on how to use each activity, you will need to turn back to a specific page in Part 1.1.
Just as you would select food items from a restaurant menu, you may select the activities from the song
menu that are appropriate for your students and will appeal to their tastes. Try at least one pre-listening,
one listening, one singing, and one post-listening activity for each song. Depending on your students’
needs, you may wish to include additional activities. It is important to spice things up by adding your own
ideas and activities. The ultimate goal is to tailor the lessons to provide your students with a suitable and
delicious “song feast.”
69

Song 1: The Alphabet Song
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Can You See What I See?

Find Someone Who…
Swat!
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Mixed-Up Pictures
Listening Gap-Fill
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Show Me the Word
Disappearing Song
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Let’s Build on It

Reading: Find That Word
Writing: Copy Me
70

The Alphabet Song: Lyrics
(1:36)
1 A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, S, and
T, U, V,
W, X, and Y, and Z.
6 Happy, happy we shall be,

when we learn our ABCs.
71

Pre-listening Activities: Choose one or two of the activities below.
recognize the letters of the alphabet
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the tree of letters (page 73) for each student.
Instructions: See page 20. Call out letters of the alphabet for students to find.
Find Someone Who….
Purpose: To generate interest in the song and introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Make two copies of the printed alphabet letters (see page 74), and cu
t
apart the letters. Divide the number of students you have by two, and choose that many letters esto
u
for the activity. For example, if you have 30 students, you will use 15 letters.
Instructions: See page 16, Modification A.
Swat
Purpose: To make print and sound connections, and teach the alphabet
Preparation and Materials: Prepare one flyswatter or rolled-up newspaper for each group. Hang
the
26 pictures (pages 75-87) on the board in random order.
Instructions: See page 13. After each word, ask students to say what letter the word starts
with. Call out the following words:
apple bee cat door egg flower globe house ice cream
jeans key leaf moon nuts ocean pencil quiet rope
snake turtle umbrella van window xylophone yo-yo zebra
72

The Alphabet Song: Can You See What I See?
73

The Alphabet Song: Find Someone Who….
74

The Alphabet Song: Swat
apple
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bee
75

cat
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
door
76

egg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
flowers
77

globe
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
house
78

ice cream
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
jeans
79

key
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
leaf
80

moon
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nuts
81

ocean
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pencil
82

quiet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rope
83

snake
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
turtle
84

umbrella
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
van
85

window
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
xylophone
86

yo-yo
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
zebra
87

Listening Activities: Choose one of the listening activities below.
Relax and Enjoy!
Purpose: To enjoy listening to the song.
Level: All Time: 2 minutes for listening, plus 5 minutes for reflection
Instructions: See page 23.
Mixed-Up Pictures
Purpose: To listen for specific letters and practice the alphabet
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the alphabet cards (page 89) for each student
or group of students. See the song lyrics (page 71) for the correct order.
Listening Gap-Fill
Purpose: To identify details in the song, and; to recognize and discriminate between similar
sounds
Preparation and Materials: Choose one of the Gap-Fill handouts from pages 90-91. Make a
copy of the Gap-Fill handout for each student or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill handout
onto the board (or print it on a large poster). (Answer key: see the song lyrics on page 71)
88

The Alphabet Song: Mixed-Up Pictures
89

The Alphabet Song: Listening Gap-Fill
Version 1:
and
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
90

Version 2: Listen Again!
and
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
91

Singing Activities: Choose one of the singing activities below.
Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification B. Divide students into four groups and have each
group sing the following portion of the song:
Group 1 - letters A – G
Group 2 - letters H –P
Group 3 – letters Q - V
Group 4 - letters W – to the end
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To make print and sound connections, and learn the alphabet
Preparation and Materials: Make enough copies of the letter cards (pages 93-99) so that each
student has one letter card. Cut apart the letter cards.
Instructions: See page 39, Modification D.
Disappearing Song
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and to recall letters and words
Preparation and Materials: Write the lyrics of the song (page 71) on the board.
92

The Alphabet Song: Show Me the Word and Let’s Build on It
A is for apple
B is for bat
C is for cake
D is for duck
93

E is for egg
F is for frog
G is for girl
H is for horse
94

I is for ice cream
J is for jam
K is for kite
L is for lion
95

M is for moon
N is for necklace
O is for octopus
P is for pear
96

Q is for queen
R is for ring
S is for snake
T is for turkey
97

U is for umbrella
V is for van
W is for worm
X is for x-ray
98

Y is for yak
Z is for zebra
99

Post-listening Activities: Choose one or two of the activities below.
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the letter cards (pages 93-99) and cut them apart.
Instructions: See page 50, Modification A. Ask students to say another vocabulary word that beg n
is
with the letter that they have on the card. If they cannot think of a new word, they can say the word
no
the card.
Reading: Find that Word
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of letters, and to make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Find That Word handout (page 101) for each
student or group of students. (Answer key: page 103)
Instructions: See page 54, Modification A. Have students find and mark the following letters (or
choose your own letters):
I – find and circle five

S – find and underline five
C – find and wavy underline five
G – find and put a square around five
H – find and double underline five letters that do not appear in the word Harry
Writing: Copy Me
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Copy Me handout (page 102) for each student.
(Answer key: page 103)
Instructions: See page 66, Modification B.
100

The Alphabet Song: Find that Word
Harry the Cat
Harry is a cat. He lives in One day, Harry went on a He saw a boy and girl.
a nice house with Pat and walk. He went through the Harry wanted to say hi.
Matt. But Harry cannot talk.
woods.
Then Harry saw some Pat and Matt couldn’t find Harry walked and walked.
cows. They were eating Harry. Pat was sad. Matt Then he heard Matt.
grass. Harry was hungry, yelled for Harry. They Finally, Harry got home to
too. He wanted to go wanted Harry to come Pat and Matt.
home. But he was lost! home.
101

The Alphabet Song: Copy Me
Directions: Find a word that begins with each letter. Write the word on the line.
Example: A as in apple.
violin zebra jump xylophone queen eat
cup dog game food worm animal
teacher run me open kite ball
like pan nice snake yak ice
under hat
1. a as in ________________ 16. p as in ________________
2. b as in ________________ 17. q as in ________________
3. c as in ________________ 18. r as in ________________
4. d as in ________________ 19. s as in ________________
5. e as in ________________ 20. t as in ________________
6. f as in ________________ 21. u as in ________________
7. g as in ________________ 22. v as in ________________
8. h as in ________________ 23. w as in ________________
9. i as in ________________ 24. x as in ________________
10. j as in ________________ 25. y as in ________________
11. k as in ________________ 26. z as in ________________
12. l as in ________________
13. m as in ________________
14. n as in ________________
15. o as in ________________
102

The Alphabet Song: Answer Keys
Find that Word: Answer Key
Harry is a cat. He lives in One day, Harry went on a He saw a boy and girl.
a nice house with Pat and walk. He went through the Harry wanted to say hi.
Matt. woods. But Harry cannot talk.
Then Harry saw some Pat and Matt couldn’t find Harry walked and walked.
cows. They were eating Harry. Pat was sad. Matt Then he heard Matt.
grass. Harry was hungry, yelled for Harry. They Finally, Harry got home to
too. He wanted to go wanted Harry to come Pat and Matt.
home. But he was lost! home.
Writing: Copy Me: Answer Key

1. a as in animal 10. j as in jump 19. s as in snake
2. b as in ball 11. k as in kite 20. t as in teacher
3. c as in cup 12. l as in like 21. u as in under
4. d as in dog 13. m as in me 22. v as in violin
5. e as in eat 14. n as in nice 23. w as in worm
6. f as in food 15. o as in open 24. x as in xylophone
7. g as in game 16. p as in pan 25. y as in yak
8. h as in hat 17. q as in queen 26. z as in zebra
9. i as in ice 18. r as in run
103
Song 2: Over the River and Through the Woods
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Swat
One Title – Many Possibilities
What Do You Know About…?
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Move Along!
Listening for Rhyming Words
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Show Me the Word
Disappearing Song
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Telephone
Reading: Memory
Writing: Gap-Fill
104

Over the River and Through the Woods: Lyrics
(1:03)
1 Over the river and through the wood to Grandfather’s house we go.
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.
2 Over the river and through the wood, oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose as over the ground we go.
105

Swat
Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from connections between print and sound
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a flyswatter or rolled-up newspaper for each group. Hang
the pictures (pages 107-112) on the board in random order.
Instructions: See page 13. Call out the following words:

river woods grandfather house horse sleigh
snow wind ground toes nose blow
Purpose: To predict the content and generate interest in the song, and (optional) introduce
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the winter scene (page 113) on the board.
Write the title of the song underneath the picture. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 113).
Instructions: See page 13. Optional keywords to teach:

woods horse snow go sting bite
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, activate background knowledge and introduce
vocabulary about winter
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the boy sledding (page 114) on the board. Use
the following questions, or create your own:
1) Is it cold in the picture? 3) What is the white stuff on the ground?
2) Is it hot in the picture? 4) When does it snow?

Answer Key: 1) yes 2) no 3) snow 4) during the winter season
106

Over the River and Through the Woods: Swat, Listening for Rhyming Words, Show Me
the Word, and Memory
river
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
woods 107

grandfather
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
house
108

horse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sleigh
109

snow
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
wind
110

ground
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
toes
111

nose
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
blow
112

Over the River and Through the Woods: One Title – Many Possibilities
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information for Teachers
Over the River and through the Woods is a song about travelling to a grandparent’s house
during the winter season, where many family members gather to celebrate winter holidays
together (for example, Christmas and Thanksgiving). In the song, the singers travel through the
cold, wind, and snow in a sleigh pulled by a horse. Because the sleigh is uncovered, the
travelers are very cold.
113

Over the River and Through the Woods: What Do You Know About…?
114

Relax and Enjoy!
Level: All Time: 1 minute for listening, 5 minutes for reflection
Move Along!
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and represent word meanings with actions
Instructions: See page 32, Modification A. Divide students into four groups, and assign one
line per group (see the song’s lyrics on page 105).
Purpose: To recognize and discriminate between similar sound and introduce new vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Use the pictures for house, horse, sleigh, snow, toes, nose, and
blow (pages 108-112) along with the pictures for mouse and paw (page 116). Divide the nine
pictures into three sets (in random order), and hang each set of pictures in a different place on
the board. Answer key: starred* words rhyme:
Set 1: house* mouse* horse
Set 2: toes* nose* sleigh
Set 3: blow* snow* paw
115

Over the River and Through the Woods: Listening for Rhyming Words
mouse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paw
116

Singing Activities - Choose one of the singing activities below.
Sing Along With Me
Preparation and Materials: None.
Instructions: See page 37, Modification B. Divide students into 4 groups and have each group
sing one line from the song (see the song lyrics on page 105).
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To make print and sound connections, represent word meanings with pictures, and
learn vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Hang the following pictures (pages 107-109) on the board:
river woods grandfather house horse sleigh
Disappearing Song
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and to recall words and phrases
Level: 2 Time: 15 minutes
Preparation and Materials: Write the lyrics of the song (page 105) on the board.
117

Post-Listening Activities: Choose one or two of the activities below.
Speaking: Telephone
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases and practice pronunciation and intonation
Instructions: See page 49. Use some or all of the following words:
river woods house horse sleigh snow wind ground
Reading: Memory
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for the words listed below (pages 107-111) face
down in a 3 x 3 grid on one side of the board. Write the following words in a 3 x 3 grid on the
other side of the board (in random order) and cover them with a piece of paper:
river woods grandfather house horse sleigh snow wind ground
Writing: Gap-Fill
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Gap-Fill handout (page 119) for each student.
118

Over the River and Through the Woods: Gap-Fill
Over the river and

through the woods
to grandfather’s

house we go.
The horse knows
the way to carry
the sleigh a
through the white
and drifted snow .
119

Song 3: I’m a Little Teapot
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING

Picture Predictions
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Musical Words
Song Bingo
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Your Moves
Crazy Lyrics
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Go Fish!
Writing: Gap-Fill
120

I’m a Little Teapot: Lyrics
(1:02)
1 I’m a little teapot short and stout.

Here is my handle, here is my spout.
When the water’s boiling, hear me shout,
“Tip me over, pour me out!”
5 I’m a little teapot short and stout.

Here is my handle, here is my spout.
I can change my handle or my spout.
9 I’m a little snowman, short and fat.

Here is my broomstick, here is my hat.
When the jolly sunshine comes to stay.
Then I slowly melt away!
121

Purpose: To predict the content of the song, generate interest in it, and practice answering
wh- questions
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of a teapot (page 123) on the board. Write the
following question words on the board:
What? How? When?
Instructions: See page 13, Modification A. Have students describe what a teapot is and how
and when it is used.
Purpose: To generate interest in the song and introduce vocabulary for the parts of the teapot
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the teapot and cup (page 123) on the board.
Instructions: See page 20, Modification A. Call out the following words for students to find:
teapot cup handle spout
Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the song and activate background knowledge about snow and
snowmen
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the snowman picture (page 124) for each student.
Prepare crayons or paints for each student. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 124).
122

I’m a Little Teapot: One Title – Many Possibilities and Can You See What I See?
123

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Picture Predictions: Information for Teachers
You may want to use this information to help students make their stories, and to compare the
students’ stories to the theme of the song.
Children in the U.S. often build snowmen during the snowy winter months. A snowman is a
figure made out of snow. It typically has three sections, which are made by rolling snow into
different sized balls. The three balls are stacked on top of one another, with the largest ball on
the bottom, and the smallest ball on the top to serve as the head. The snowman is typically
decorated with some of the following objects:
• sticks for arms
• a carrot for a nose
• coal, rocks, or buttons for a mouth
• coal, rocks, or buttons for eyes
• a scarf and/or hat
In the third verse of the song, a snowman has been built, and has been decorated with a
broomstick and a hat. However, when the weather warms up and the sun comes out, the
snowman melts.
124

Relax and Enjoy!
Musical Words
Purpose: To listen and learn to pronounce specific words
Instructions: See page 32. Stop the song after the following words:
teapot handle spout pour shout snowman sunshine
Song Bingo
Purpose: To listen for specific words
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Bingo pictures (page 126) for each student.
Instructions: See page 33. Modification A.
125

I’m a Little Teapot: Song Bingo
handle snowman
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
spout hat
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
pour broomstick
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
teapot melt
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
shout sunshine
126

Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification B. Divide students into three groups and have each
group sing one stanza of the song (see song lyrics on page 121).
Your Moves
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song and represent word meanings with actions
Preparation and Materials: See the suggested movements that are traditionally used with the
first two verses of this song on page 128.
Instructions: See page 40, Modification A. Use the first two verses.
Crazy Lyrics
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the large pictures (pages 129-130) on the board.
Instructions: See page 38, Modification B. Use the following new version of the song:
I’m a happy monkey, furry and brown.

Here is my tree house, here is my crown.
When I see a yellow banana, then I quickly swing on down.
127


I’m a Little Teapot: Your Moves
Traditional Movements
Line/phrase Movement
1. I’m a little teapot Stand with both hands on your hips.
2. Short and stout Bend at the knees and then stand up straight again. End with
your arms hanging at your sides.
3. Here is my handle Put your left hand on your hip, so that the elbow is bent and
forms a handle shape.
4. Here is my spout Raise your right hand up and away from the body, so that the
hand is cupped and facing down. The hand should be at about
shoulder level. At this point, you should be in the “teapot”
position, which looks like this:
5. When the water’s boiling Bend at the knees and then jump into the air.
6. Hear me shout Cup hands around mouth.
7. Tip me over, pour me out Return to in the “teapot” position, but lean over so that the arm
held up like a spout is pointing towards the ground.
8. I can change my handle Reverse the movements of Phrase 3 and 4 above. Put your
right hand on your hip to form the handle.
9. And my spout Raise your left hand to form the spout
128

I’m a Little Teapot: Crazy Lyrics
monkey
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
tree house
129

crown
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
banana
130

Speaking: Go Fish!
Purpose: To ask questions and learn vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Go Fish! cards (pages 132-133) for each group
of three or four students. Cut apart each set of cards.
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of words and make connections between print and
sound
Preparation and Materials: Write the lyrics for the first verse of the song (page 121) on the
board. Have the pictures (pages 134-136) of the following words ready to show the students:
teapot handle spout shout pour
Writing: Gap-Fill
Instructions: See page 63, Modification B. After completing the Gap-Fill handout, ask students
to identify which of the words that they traced rhyme.
131

I’m a Little Teapot: Go Fish!
handle handle
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
spout spout
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
pour pour
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
teapot teapot
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
shout shout
132

snowman snowman
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
hat hat
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
broomstick broomstick
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
melt melt
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
sunshine sunshine
133

I’m a Little Teapot: Find that Word
teapot
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
handle
134

spout
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
shout
135

pour
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
136

I’m a Little Teapot: Gap-Fill
I’m a little teapot ,

short and stout.
Here is my handle ,
here is my spout .
When the water’s boiling
hear me shout ,
137

Song 4: Hickory Dickory Dock
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Swat
Picture Predictions
Find Someone Who…
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Song Bingo
Move Along!
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Drum and Instrument Circles
Your Moves
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Fill in the Blank

Reading: Picture Story
Writing: Copy Me & Gap-Fill
138
Hickory Dickory Dock: Lyrics
(1:03)
1 Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one, the mouse ran down,
Hickory dickory dock.

The clock struck two, the mouse said “Boo!”

The clock struck three, the mouse said “Whee!”

The clock struck four, the mouse said “No more!”
139
Swat
Purpose: To teach numbers, and make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a flyswatter or rolled-up newspaper for each group. Write
the following numbers (in words) on the board in random order:
one two three four five six seven eight nine ten
Instructions: See page 13, Modification A. Call out the numbers between one and ten in
random order.
Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, activate background knowledge about the topic,
and introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of a clock and a mouse (page 141) on the board.
See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 141).
Find Someone Who…
Purpose: To generate interest and introduce vocabulary in the song
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the cards (page 142) for every group of 12
students.
Instructions: See page 16, Modifications A and D. Divide the class into groups of 12 students.
140
Hickory Dickory Dock: Picture Predictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the song, a mouse “runs up” a clock. But as the clock chimes loudly to mark the beginning of
a new hour (e.g., one o’clock) at first the mouse is afraid and runs away. The mouse continues
to climb the clock, but each time it is less scared when the clock chimes.
141
Hickory Dickory Dock: Find Someone Who…
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
1
--------------------------------------------
1
--------------------------------------------
2
--------------------------------------------
2
--------------------------------------------
3
--------------------------------------------
3
--------------------------------------------
4 4
142
Relax and Enjoy!
Purpose: To encourage students to enjoy the song
Level: All Time: 1 minute for listening, plus 5 minutes for reflection
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for happy and sad (pages 24-25) in two places
in the room. Have the pictures for serious, funny, like, and don’t like (pages 26-29) ready to use.
Song Bingo
Move Along!
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases, and represent word meanings with actions
Instructions: See page 33. Elicit movements for the following words or phrases:
mouse ran up ran down boo whee

no more one two three four
143
Hickory Dickory Dock: Song Bingo
1
2 3 Boo
!
1
2 3 Boo
!
144
Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification F. Have students sing the first and last line of each
verse of the song (see the song on page 139).
Example:
Students: Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
Teacher: The clock struck one, the mouse ran down.
Students: Hickory dickory dock.
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and explore the rhythm of words
Preparation and Materials: Collect and bring in different types of drums. If you cannot do this,
then students can clap their hands or tap on the desks.
Your Moves
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song, and represent word meanings with actions
Instructions: See page 40. Elicit movements for the following words and phrases:
mouse ran up clock struck ran down Boo! Whee! No more!
145
Purpose: To practice phrases and learn the vocabulary for telling time
Preparation and Materials: Photocopy the clock and its hands (page 147), cut out the pieces,
and assemble it. Hang the clock on the board so that everyone can see what time it is by the
clock. Alternatively, you can draw a large clock on the board.
Teach the students the following phrases:
What time is it? It’s (number) o’clock.
When do you (action verb)? At (number) o’clock.
Instructions: See page 48. Display a specific hour on the clock. Have one student ask, “What
time is it?” and individual students or the whole class answer. Change the time on the clock and
repeat. After students are comfortable with these phrases, ask them, “When do you (action
verb)?” and have students yell out times. As students suggest times, have one student change
the time on the clock to match what they say. Suggested verbs are:
eat sleep wake up play read
Purpose: To learn vocabulary, make print and sound connections, and listen to a story
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Picture Story handout (page 148) for each
student, or write the story on the board and draw your own pictures next to the words.
Writing: Copy Me
Purpose: To practice forming letters and spelling words, and telling time
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Copy Me handout (page 149) for each
student. Decide whether to have students write the numerals or the number words. Then write
either possible numerals or number words on the board for students to copy. (Answer key: page
150)
146
Hickory Dickory Dock: Fill-In the Blank
Cut out the clock face and the two clock hands. Attach the clock hands to the clock using a
fastener (pictured below) that allows the clock hands to move around the clock.
Fasteners:
147
Hickory Dickory Dock: Picture Story
There’s a mouse in the house!

Oh wow! That’s right!
There’s a mouse in the house,
In the night.

Oh no! Oh where?
Over there!

Oh no! Oh my!
Oh why?

Oh no! Oh scat!
And a cat!
There was a mouse in the house.

He was here and about!
There was a mouse in the house
Now he’s out!
148
Hickory Dickory Dock: Copy Me
Directions. What time is it? Look at the clock and decide what time it is. Complete the phrases
to state the correct time.
  
It is _____ o’clock. It is _____ o’clock. It is _____ o’________.
 
It ___ _____ o’clock. ___ is _____ ________.

___ ___ _____ ________.
149
Hickory Dickory Dock: Answer Keys
Copy Me: Answer Key
Teachers may choose whether students will write the numbers in words or numerals.
  
It is eight / 8 o’clock. It is two / 2 o’clock. It is ten / 10 o’ clock .
 
It is four / 4 o’clock. It is three / 3 o’clock .

It is twelve / 12 o’clock .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note to Teachers: An additional Post-listening: Writing 1 Gap-Fill activity for “Hickory Dickory
Dock” appears on page 64 of Part 1.1.
150
Song 5: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Picture Predictions
Swat
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Song Bingo
Listening Gap-Fill
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Sing a Round
Show Me the Word
POST-LISTENING

Writing: Trace Me
151
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Lyrics
(2:15)
1 Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
4 When the blazing sun is set, and the grass with dew is wet.
Then you show your little light, twinkle, twinkle all the night.
7 Then the traveler in the dark, thanks you for your tiny spark.
How could he see where to go, if you did not twinkle so?
10 As your bright and tiny spark, lights the traveler in the dark.
Though I know not what you are, twinkle, twinkle, little star.
To Sing Stanza 1 as a Round:
Group 1: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Group 2: (silent)
Group 1: Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.

Group 2: Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.
Group 1: (silent)
152
Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the theme, activate background knowledge about the topic,
and teach vocabulary related to the song
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the night scene (page 154) on the board. See
‘Information for Teachers’ (page 154).
Instructions: See page 19, Modification C.
Purpose: To predict the content, generate interest in the song, and introduce vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for star, world, sky and sun (pages 155-156) on
the board. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 154).
Swat
Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from the song, and make print and sound connections
the eight pictures (pages 155-158) on the board in random order.
star world sky sun grass diamond light dark
153
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Picture Predictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may want to use this information to help students come up with a title and to compare the
students’ title to the title or theme of the song.
In this song, someone is singing to a star in the sky. The singer wonders what the star is and
why it shines in the night sky. Each verse of the song shows the singer’s appreciation for the
light that the star provides in the dark night.
154
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: One Title – Many Possibilities and Swat
star
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
world
155
sky
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sun
156
grass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diamond
157
light
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dark
158
Relax and Enjoy!
Song Bingo
Listening Gap-Fill
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Gap-Fill handout (page 161) for each student
or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill handout onto the board (or print it on a large poster).
(Answer key: star, world, sky, little)
159
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Song Bingo
dew grass
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
light dark
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
sky star
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
sun world
160
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Listening Gap-Fill
Twinkle, twinkle, little ________________________ how I wonder what you are.
Up above the ________________________ so high,
Like a diamond in the ________________________.
Twinkle, twinkle, ________________________ star, how I wonder what you are.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

star
little world sky
161
Sing Along With Me
Sing a Round
Instructions: See page 41, Modification A. See page 152 for the song’s lyrics divided for
singing it as a round.
Show Me the Word
Preparation and Materials: Write the following words on the board:
star sky diamond sun grass night
Instructions: See page 39, Modification C.
162
Purpose: To practice the phrase ‘I wish I had…’
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the star outline (page 164) for each student.
Prepare markers, crayons, or paints for the students. Teach students the phrase ‘to wish upon a
star’ and explain that it is a saying that people use to make a wish for something. Then
complete the speaking activity using the phrase I wish I had.
Instructions: See page 48, Modification C. Give each student a star to decorate. Have each of
them make a wish on that star, using a complete sentence, such as ‘I wish I had a new toy.’
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of words, and make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the handout (page 165) for each student.
(Answer key: page 168)
Instructions: See page 54, Modification C. Read each line out loud for students.
Writing: Trace Me
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Trace Me handout (pages 166-167) for each
student.
163
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Fill in the Blank
164
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Find that Word
Directions: Circle the word that you hear.
Twinkle, twinkle, little car / star ,
how I wonder what / why you are.
Up on / above the world so high,
like a diamond in the eye / sky .
Twinkle, twinkle, big / little star,
how I wonder what you are / am .
When the blazing sun / sea is set,
and the grass with dew is hot / wet .
Then it / you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle all / some the night.
165
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Trace Me
Things Found in the Sky
Directions. All of these things can be found in the sky. First, trace the word. Then
practice writing it two more times.
moon
  
star
cloud
sun
166
rain
bird
  
kite
wind
  
airplane
167
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: Answer Keys
Find that Word: Answer Key
Twinkle, twinkle, little car / star ,
how I wonder what / why you are.
Up on / above the world so high,
like a diamond in the eye / sky .
Twinkle, twinkle, big / little star,
how I wonder what you are / am .
When the blazing sun / sea is set,
and the grass with dew is hot / wet .
Then it / you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle all / some the night.

168
Song 6: Mary Had A Little Lamb
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING

Picture Predictions
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Musical Words
Listening Gap-Fill
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Show Me the Word
Disappearing Song
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Telephone
Reading: Word Series
Writing: Gap-Fill
169

Mary Had a Little Lamb: Lyrics
(1:49)
1 Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb.

Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
3 And everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went.

And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.
5 It followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.
It followed her to school one day, which was against the rule.
7 It made the children laugh and play, laugh and play, laugh and play.
It made the children laugh and play to see the lamb at school.
9 And so the teacher sent it out, sent it out, sent it out.

And so the teacher sent it out, but still it lingered near.
11 It stood and waited round about, round about, round about.

It stood and waited round about, till Mary did appear.
13 “Why does the lamb love Mary so, Mary so, Mary so?
Why does the lamb love Mary so?” the little children cry.
170

Purpose: To predict the content, generate interest in the song, and teach vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for lamb, Mary, teacher, and school (pages 172-
173) on the board. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 175).
Purpose: To generate interest, activate background knowledge about the topic, and introduce
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the picture of the school scene (page 174) for each
student or group of students.
Instructions: See page 20. Call out the following words for students to find:
lamb school teacher children Mary
Picture Predictions
introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the girl and lamb (page 175) on the board. See
171

Mary Had A Little Lamb: One Title – Many Possibilities
lamb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary
172

teacher
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
school
173

Mary Had A Little Lamb: Can You See What I See?
174

Mary Had A Little Lamb: Picture Predictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the song, a young schoolgirl named Mary has a pet lamb. Mary loves the lamb, and the lamb
loves Mary. The lamb follows Mary wherever she goes, and this causes problems when the
lamb follows Mary to school.
175

Relax and Enjoy!
Musical Words
Purpose: To listen for and pronounce specific words
Instructions: See page 32, Modification A. Elicit actions for (and stop the song after) the
following words:
lamb Mary school teacher love
Listening Gap-Fill
or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill handout on the board (or print it on a large poster).
(Answer key: lamb, school, children, teacher, love)
176

Mary Had A Little Lamb: Listening Gap-Fill
1. Mary had a little lamb, little __________________, little lamb. Mary had a little lamb, its
fleece was white as snow.
2. And everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went. And everywhere that Mary went,
the lamb was sure to go.
3. It followed her to __________________ one day, school one day, school one day. It
followed her to school one day, which was against the rule.
It made the children laugh and play, laugh and play, laugh and play.
4. It made the __________________ laugh and play to see the lamb at school.
And so the teacher sent it out, sent it out, sent it out. And so the
5. __________________ sent it out, but still it lingered near.

It stood and waited round about, round about, round about. It stood and waited round
about, till Mary did appear.
6. “Why does the lamb love Mary so, Mary so, Mary so? Why does the lamb
__________________ Mary so?” the little children cry.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
teacher school lamb love children
177

Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification B. Divide students into seven groups and have each
group sing one stanza of the song.
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To make print and sound connections, and teach vocabulary related to the song
Preparation and Materials: Make enough copies of the coloring page pictures (pages 179-
182) so that each student can have one.
Disappearing Song
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and recall words and phrases
Preparation and Materials: Write the lyrics for the first three verses of the song (page 170) on
the board.
178

Mary Had A Little Lamb: Show Me the Word
school
179

Mary
180

lamb
181

children
182

Speaking: Telephone
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases, and practice pronunciation and intonation
Instructions: See page 49, Modification B. Use the following lines:
It followed her to school one day

It made the children laugh and play
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
Reading: Word Series
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of letters
Preparation and Materials: Write the following words on the board in random order:
lamb little school teacher sent stood waited

love snow play laugh day see
Instructions: See page 54. Use the following letters:
L S T P W D
Writing: Gap-Fill
183

Mary Had a Little Lamb: Gap-Fill
Mary had a little

lamb , little lamb,
little lamb. Mary had
a little lamb, its
fleece was white as
snow .
184

Song 7: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Find Someone Who…

Swat
Carpet Square Challenge
LISTENING
Mixed-Up Pictures
Listening Gap-Fill
Move Along!
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Show Me the Word
Your Moves
POST-LISTENING

Reading: Memory
Writing: Trace Me
185

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Lyrics
(0:58)
1 One, two, buckle my shoe.

Three, four, shut the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
5 Nine, ten, a big fat hen.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, All done!
186

Find Someone Who…
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, and make connections between numbers and
quantities
Preparation and Materials: Make enough copies of the cards (pages 188-189) so that each
student will have one card.
Swat
the pictures of the ten numbers 1 – 10 (pages 190-194) on the board in random order, or write
the numbers on the board in random order.
Instructions: See page 13. Call out the following numbers:
one two three four five six seven eight nine ten
Purpose: To make connections between numbers and quantities
Preparation and Materials: Fill a paper bag with ten small items, such as paper clips, small
stones, dried beans, crayons, or toy blocks. Prepare one paper bag for each student or group of
students.
Instructions: See page 14, Modification D. Call out numbers from one to ten in random order,
and have students place that number of items on the desk.
187

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Find Someone Who…
1
2
3
4
5
188

6
7
8
9
10
189

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Swat
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
190

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
191

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
192

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
193

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
194

Mixed-Up Pictures
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the pictures (page 196) for each student or group
of students. [Answer key: F, E (shoe), H, B (door), D, G (sticks), A, C (hen)]
Listening Gap-Fill
Purpose: To listen for specific words, and match action verbs with items
or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill handout onto the board (or print it on a large poster).
(Answer key: shoe, door, sticks, hen.)
Instructions: See page 30. As you go through the answers, focus students’ attention on the
action verbs that go along with the items used in the gaps.
Move Along!
Instructions: See page 33. Elicit movements for the following phrases:
buckle my shoe shut the door pick up sticks

lay them straight a big fat hen all done
195

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Mixed-Up Pictures
A. B.
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
C. D.
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
E. F.
-------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------
G. H.
196

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Listening Gap-Fill
One, two, buckle my _________________________ .
Three, four, shut the _________________________ .
Five, six, pick up _________________________ .
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big fat _________________________ .
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two , one, All done!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
door
sticks shoe hen
197

Sing Along With Me
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To make connections between print and sound and between numbers and quantities
Preparation and Materials: Write the numbers one to four on the board in word form (one,
two, three and four).
Instructions: See page 39, Modifications B and C. Ask the students to write down the number
in both form (one) and numeral form (1). Then have the students draw that number of items on
the paper (for example, a student with the number three might draw three stars). Have students
sit around the classroom in random order and jump up, hold up their picture, and sit back down
quickly when they hear their number.
Your Moves
Instructions: See page 40. Elicit movements for the following phrases:
buckle my shoe shut the door pick up sticks

lay them straight a big fat hen all done
198

Purpose: To form phrases, and practice counting and using plural nouns
Instructions: See page 50, Modification D. Tell the students the topic will be ‘Things That You
Pick Up.’ Starting with one and counting to ten, ask students to say a number and an English
vocabulary word of something that can be picked up. Example:
Students might say:
Student 1: one bag
Class: one bag
Student 2: two books
Class: one bag, two books
Student 3: three toys
Class: one bag, two books, three toys
Reading: Memory
Purpose: To make connections between the word forms of numbers, numerals, and quantities
Preparation and Material: Make a copy of the Memory cards (pages 200-201) for each group
of three or four students.
Writing: Trace Me
Purpose: To practice forming numerals and letters, and making connections between numbers
and quantities
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy the Trace Me handout (page 202) for each student.
Instructions: See page 65. Have students select the correct number, trace the numeral, trace
the number word, and then color the pictures.
199

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Memory
1 2
■ ▲▲
3 4
●●● ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
5 6
      
7 8
      
9 10
 
200

one two
■ ▲▲
three four
●●● ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
five six
      
seven eight
      
nine ten
 
201

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Trace Me
Directions. How many are there? Trace the correct number. Then trace the number word.
Finally, practice writing the number on the line below.
3 4 1

one

201

two 202
Song 8: Bingo
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING

Picture Predictions
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Musical Words
Mixed-Up Pictures
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Crazy Lyrics
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Hot or Cold?

Reading: Memory
Writing: Trace Me
203

Bingo: Lyrics
(1:30)
1 There was a farmer had a dog, and Bingo was his name, o!
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
and Bingo was his name, o!
(clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O,
and Bingo was his name o!
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O, (clap)-(clap)-N-G-O, (clap)-(clap)-N-G-O,
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O, (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O, (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O,
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O, (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O, (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O,
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap), (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap),
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap),
and Bingo was his name, o!
204

Purpose: To generate interest in the song and introduce vocabulary for farm animals
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the farm scene picture (page 206) for each
student or group of students. Hang the pictures of farm animals (pages 207-209) on the board.
Instructions: See page 20, Modification B. Pointing to each individual picture on the board as
you say the corresponding word, call out the following words for students to find:
cow goat horse pig chicken sheep
Purpose: To generate interest, activate background knowledge about farm dogs, and introduce
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of a farm dog (page 210) on the board. Use the
following yes/no statements, or create your own (see the answer key on page 221):
1) Dogs have four legs. 6) Dogs bark.
2) Dogs do not sleep. 7) Dogs can talk.
3) Dogs have two tails. 8) Dogs have fur.
4) Dogs run fast. 9) Dogs work on farms.
5) Dogs can hear very well. 10) Dogs help the farmer.
Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, and activate background knowledge about farm
dogs
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the farm scene (page 210) on the board. See
205

Bingo: Can You See What I See?
206

Bingo: Can You See What I See? and Memory
cow
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
goat
207

horse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pig
208
chicken
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sheep
209

Bingo: What Do You Know About…? and Picture Predictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the song, a dog named Bingo lives on a farm and helps the farmer. Many farms in the U.S.
raise animals like cows, chickens, and sheep. Many farms also have a dog, who offers
friendship to the farmer. The dog often also helps around the farm by herding animals and by
keeping wild animals away from the farm animals.
210

Relax and Enjoy!
Purpose: To listen for keywords in the song
Musical Words
farmer dog Bingo
Mixed-Up Pictures
Purpose: To listen for specific letters
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the letter cards (page 212) for each student or
group of students.
Instructions: See page 30, Modification C. Have students choose the letters they hear in the
song and put them in order to spell B-I-N-G-O
211

Bingo: Mixed-Up Pictures
b a o
t i d
c n g
212

Sing Along With Me
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures of a farmer and a dog (page 214) on the board.
Write the letters B, I, N, G, and O on the board.
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, and explore the rhythm of words
Preparation and Materials: Collect and bring in different types of drums. If you cannot do this,
then students can clap their hands or tap on their desks.
Instructions: See page 42. Students will tap the drums in place of the omitted letters in the
song.
Crazy Lyrics
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: See the new versions of the song on page 215. Hang the large
pictures (page 216) on the board.
213

Bingo: Sing Along With Me
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
214

Bingo: Crazy Lyrics
New version #1
There was a baker had a bee, And Ringo was his name, o!
R-I-N-G-O, R-I-N-G-O, R-I-N-G-O, And Ringo was his name.
(clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O, And Ringo was his name.
(clap), (clap)-N-G-O, And Ringo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap)-G-O, And Ringo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap), (clap) –O, And Ringo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap), (clap), (clap) , And Ringo was his name.
New version #2
There was a doctor had a duck, And Bongo was his name, o!
B-O-N-G-O, B-O-N-G-O, B-O-N-G-O, And Bongo was his name.
(clap)-O-N-G-O, (clap)-O-N-G-O, (clap)-O-N-G-O, And Bongo was his name.
(clap), (clap)-N-G-O, And Bongo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap)-G-O, And Bongo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap), (clap) –O, And Bongo was his name.
(clap), (clap), (clap), (clap), (clap) , And Bongo was his name.
215

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
216

Speaking: Hot or Cold?
Purpose: To practice comparative adjectives
Preparation and Materials: Find and bring in small animal figurines or toys for the following
farm animals. If you cannot bring in actual objects, use the pictures provided in this unit instead.
dog chicken sheep pig horse cow
Reading: Memory
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for cow, goat, horse, pig, chicken, and sheep
(pages 207-209), along with the pictures for rabbit, dog, duck, and cat (pages 218-219) face
down in a 5 x 2 grid on one side of the board. Write the following words in a 5 x 2 grid on the
other side of the board (in random order) and cover them with a piece of paper:
cow goat horse pig chicken sheep rabbit dog duck cat
Writing: Trace Me
Purpose: To practice forming and spelling words
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Trace Me handout (page 220) for each
student.
217

Bingo: Memory
rabbit
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
dog
218

duck
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cat
219

Bingo: Trace Me
First, trace the names of the animals. Then practice writing them on your own.
dog
cow
goat
cat
220

Bingo: Answer Keys
What Do You Know About…? Answer Key

1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. Yes, usually
5. Yes, dogs are known for their good hearing, especially high-pitched sounds
6. Yes
7. No, although some people think of barking as a dog’s way of communicating
8. Yes
9. Yes, sometimes
10. Yes, farm dogs often control (herd) farm animals like sheep, and may help keep wild
animals away from the farm animals
221

Song 9: Hush Little Baby
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Four Corners
Picture Predictions
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Mixed-Up Pictures
Musical Words
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Show Me the Word
Your Moves
POST-LISTENING

Writing: Trace Me
222

Hush Little Baby: Lyrics
(2:04)
1 Hush little baby, don’t you cry;

Papa’s going to sing you a lullaby.
3 Hush little baby don’t say a word;

Papa’s going to buy you a mockingbird.
5 If that mockingbird won’t sing,

Papa’s going to buy you a golden ring.
7 If that gold ring turns to brass,

Papa’s going to buy you a looking glass.
9 If that glass begins to crack,

Papa’s going to buy you a jumping jack.
10 If that jumping jack is broke,

Papa’s going to buy you a velvet cloak.
12 If that velvet cloth is coarse,

Papa’s going to buy you a rocking horse.
14 If that rocking horse won’t rock,

Papa’s going to buy you a cuckoo clock.
15 If that cuckoo clock won’t tick,

Papa’s going to buy you a walking stick.
16 If that walking stick falls down,

You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town!
Note for the Teacher: The words going to are often pronounced like gonna when
speaking/singing, and is often spelled to reflect this pronunciation.
223

Four Corners
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, express opinions, and introduce vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the signs indicating feelings (pages 9-12) in four corners of
the classroom. Prepare one copy of the pictures (pages 225-228) to show the students. See
Instructions: See page 8. Call out the following words as you show the matching picture:
mockingbird golden ring looking glass jumping jack

velvet cloak rocking horse cuckoo clock walking stick
Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the song and activate background knowledge about the topic
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the picture of a sleeping baby (page 230) for each
student. Prepare crayons or paints for each student. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 230).
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, activate background knowledge about the topic,
and introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the father and baby (page 231) on the board.
Instructions: See page 20, Modification A. Call out the following words for students to find:
baby papa bottle teddy bear
224

Hush Little Baby: Four Corners, Mixed-Up Pictures, and Show Me the Word
mockingbird
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
golden ring
225

looking glass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
jumping jack
226

velvet cloak
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rocking horse
227

cuckoo clock
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
walking stick
228

Four Corners: Information for Teachers
Many of the words in “Hush Little Baby” are old-fashioned and not commonly used. Here are
some definitions, which may help you explain these words to students.
Mockingbird: A North American bird known for loudly imitating (or “mocking”) the
sounds of other birds and insects.
Golden ring: A ring made out of gold, to wear on the finger.
Looking glass: A mirror.
Jumping Jack: A wooden toy in the shape of a man. Strings are attached to the arms
and legs to move them up and down when pulled; a puppet.
Velvet cloak: Velvet is a soft, smooth cloth with short raised fibers on one side that is
considered luxurious. Appropriate clothing for a rich or royal person. A
cloak is a loose, sleeveless garment that usually fastens around the
neck, may have a hood, and is used to keep the wearer warm.
Rocking horse: A toy in the shape of a horse with rockers on the bottom that allow
children to ‘ride’ the horse by rocking forward and backward.
Cuckoo clock: A wooden clock that chimes each hour. With each chime, a toy bird
inside pops out of the clock and makes the sound “cuc-koo” to tell what
time it is.
Walking stick: A wooden or metal stick that is used to help a person walk, especially
over uneven ground.
229

Hush Little Baby: Picture Predictions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lullaby is a soft, soothing song that many parents sing to calm babies and small children. In
the lullaby Hush Little Baby, a father is singing to help his child fall asleep.
230

Hush Little Baby: Can You See What I See?
231

Relax and Enjoy!
Mixed-Up Pictures
Preparation and Materials: Hang the large pictures of words from the song (pages 225-228)
on the board in random order. (Answer key: see the song lyrics on page 223)
Musical Words
Instructions: See page 32, Modification A. Elicit actions for (and stop the song after) some or
all the following words:
cry lullaby word mockingbird sing ring brass

glass crack cloak horse rock clock stick town
232

Sing Along With Me
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song, and represent word meanings with pictures
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for the following words on the board:
velvet cloak mockingbird looking glass cuckoo clock (pages 225-228)

ring papa baby rocking horse (pages 234-236)
Your Moves
Purpose: To learn vocabulary related to the song and encourage movement in the classroom
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures (pages 234-237) on the board.
Instructions: See page 40, Modification C. Elicit movements for the following words:
hush baby papa ring jumping rocking horse walking
233

Hush Little Baby: Your Moves
hush
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
baby
234

papa
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ring
235

jumping
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rocking horse
236

walking
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
237

Purpose: To practice the phrase ‘Papa’s going to buy you a …’
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures of new vocabulary words (pages 239-241) on
the board. Teach students the following phrase:
Papa is going to buy you a (noun).
Instructions: See page 48, Modification A. Use the following new words:
train doll truck ball bear rocking chair
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song, make print and sound connections, and
appreciate a children’s story
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Picture Story handout (page 242) for each
student, or copy the story and pictures on the board.
Writing: Trace Me
Purpose: To practice forming letters and spelling words, and using the plural ‘s’
student. Teach students that one way of making words plural in English is to add an ‘s’ at the
end of words.
238

Hush Little Baby: Fill in the Blank
train
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
doll
239

truck
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ball
240

bear
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rocking chair
241

Hush Little Baby: Picture Story
Hush Little Baby
Hush, little baby, don't you cry, Mama’s gonna buy you a kite to fly.
If that kite won’t soar in the sky, Mama's gonna buy you an apple pie.
If that apple pie is sour, Mama's gonna buy you a big sunflower.
If that big sunflower turns brown, Mama's gonna buy you a circus clown.
If that circus clown isn’t funny, Mama's gonna buy you a furry bunny.
242

Hush Little Baby: Trace Me
First, trace the words. Then practice writing them on your own.
243

Song 10: The Happy Song
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Simon Says
Swat
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Move Along!
Musical Words
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Your Moves
Crazy Lyrics
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Telephone
Writing: Gap-Fill
Writing: Crazy Lyrics
244

The Happy Song: Lyrics
(1:16)
1 If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! (clap)-(clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! (clap)-(clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! (clap)-(clap)
5 If you’re happy and you know it, slap your knees! (slap)-(slap)
If you’re happy and you know it, slap your knees! (slap)-(slap)
If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re happy and you know it, slap your knees! (slap)-(slap)
245

Simon Says
Purpose: To carry out oral commands, and introduce action verbs and the vocabulary for parts
of the body
Preparation and Materials: Suggested commands for actions students are to perform with
Simon says to do them:
clap your hands stomp your feet
slap your knees wave your arms
Swat
Purpose: To teach vocabulary related to the song, and make print and sound connections
the four pictures for hands, knees, clap, and happy (pages 247-248) on the board in random
order.
hands knees clap happy
Purpose: To generate interest in the theme of the song, activate background knowledge about
the topic, and introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the picture of four children (page 249) for each
student or group of students.
Instructions: See page 20. Call out the following words for students to find:
hands knees eyes arms feet
246

The Happy Song: Swat and Find that Word
clap
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
happy
247

hands
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
knees
248

The Happy Song: Can You See What I See?
249

Relax and Enjoy!
Move Along!
happy know clap your hands slap your knees
Musical Words
Instructions: See page 32, Modification A. Elicit actions for (and stop the song after) the
following words:
happy know show clap hands slap knees
250

Sing Along With Me
Your Moves
happy show it clap your hands slap your knees
Crazy Lyrics
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: See some new versions of the song on page 252.
251

The Happy Song: Crazy Lyrics
New version #1
If you’re friendly and you know it, wave your arms (wave)-(wave)
If you’re friendly and you know it, wave your arms (wave)-(wave)
If you’re friendly and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re friendly and you know, wave your arms! (wave)-(wave)
New version #2
If you’re sleepy and you know it, shake your head (shake)-(shake)
If you’re sleepy and you know it, shake your head (shake)-(shake)
If you’re sleepy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re sleepy and you know, shake your head! (shake)-(shake)
New version #3
If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp)-(stomp)
If you’re angry and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp)-(stomp)
If you’re angry and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you’re angry and you know, stomp your feet! (stomp)-(stomp)
252

Speaking: Telephone
Purpose: To listen for specific words or phrases, and practice pronunciation and intonation
Instructions: See page 49, Modifications C and D. Use some or all of the following phrases:
clap your hands slap your knees stomp your feet

shake your head jump up and down snap your fingers
Purpose: To recognize the written forms of words, and make print and sound connections
Preparation and Materials: Write the song’s lyrics (page 245) on the board. Have the pictures
(pages 247-248) of the following words from the song ready to show students:
happy clap hands knees
Writing: Gap-Fill
Instructions: See page 63, Modifications B and C.
253

The Happy Song: Gap-Fill
If you’re happy_ and you know

it, clap your hands ! (clap)-(clap)
If you’re happy and you know it,
clap your hands! (clap)-(clap)

If you’re and you know it,
and you really want to show it,
if you’re happy and you know it,
your ! (clap)-(clap)
254

Song 11: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING

Simon Says
Swat
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Musical Words
Move Along!
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Your Moves
Crazy Lyrics
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Fluency Circle

Reading: Follow Me
Writing: Copy Me
255

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Lyrics
(1:03)
1 Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
3 Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Example for two groups (each group of lines is sung at the same time) in Part I, Singing a Round,
Singing Activity 6, p. 41).
Group 1: Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Group 2: (silent)

Group 1: Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,


Group 2: Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Group 1: (silent)
256

Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Obtain a square carpet sample, reed mat, hand towel, or square
piece of paper for each student.
Instructions: See page 14, Modification A. Call out the following words and have students
touch that body part to the carpet sample:
head shoulders knees toes ears nose hands feet
Simon Says
Purpose: To carry out oral commands, introduce action verbs and the vocabulary for parts of
the body
Preparation and Materials: Suggested commands:
shake your head touch your knees close your eyes

touch your shoulders bend your knees touch your toes
Swat
the eight pictures for parts of the body (pages 258-265) on the board in random order.
head shoulders knees toes eyes ear nose mouth
257

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Swat, Crazy Lyrics, and Fluency Circle
head
258

shoulders
259

knees
260

toes
261

eyes
262

ear
263

mouth
264

nose
265

Relax and Enjoy!
Level: All Time: 2 minutes, plus 5 minutes for reflection
Musical Words
toes eyes ears shoulders nose
Move Along!
Instructions: See page 33. Have students point to the following parts of the body as they hear
them mentioned:
head shoulders knees toes
eyes ears mouth nose
266

Sing Along With Me
Sing a Round
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation.
Preparation and Materials: Write the song’s lyrics (page 256) on the board.
Crazy Lyrics
Purpose: To practice pronunciation and intonation, explore the rhythm of words, and learn
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the large pictures (pages 258-265) on the board in the
following order (the opposite order from when they were mentioned in the original song):
Row 1: nose mouth ears eyes
Row 2: toes knees shoulders head
Instructions: See page 38, Modifications B and D. Sing the following mixed-up version of the
song, pointing to the pictures while you sing:
Toes and knees, shoulders, head, shoulders head

Nose and mouth and ears and eyes
After singing the version above, let students choose other ways to re-arrange the words.
267

Speaking: Fluency Circle
Purpose: To pronounce individual words and/or sounds, and learn vocabulary from the song
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a copy of the pictures of parts of the body (pages 258-
265) to show the students.
Reading: Follow Me
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Follow Me handout (page 269) for each
student. (Answer key: page 271)
Writing: Copy Me
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Copy Me handout (page 270) for each
268

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Follow Me
ears eyes head
knees mouth nose
shoulders toes
269

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Copy Me
Directions. Find the word for each of the body parts. Write the word on the line.
head shoulders knees toes

eyes ears mouth nose
1 2 3 4
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
5 6 7 8
______________ ______________ ______________ ______________
270

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Answer Keys
Follow Me: Answer Key
ears eyes head knees
mouth nose shoulders toes
Copy Me: Answer Key
1 2 3 4
__eyes__ ____ nose____ _____head____ ____ toes____
5 6 7 8
_ shoulders__ ____ ears_____ ___knees __ ___ mouth_____
271

Song 12: Are You Sleeping?
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING
Picture Predictions
Four Corners
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Listening Gap-Fill
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Crazy Lyrics
Sing a Round
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Question & Answer

Reading: Follow Me
Writing: Trace Me
272

Are You Sleeping? Lyrics
(1:09)
1 Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,
Brother John, Brother John?
3 Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong, ding.
Example for two groups (each group of lines is sung at the same time) in Part I, Singing a Round,
Singing Activity 6, p. 41).

Group 2: (silent)



Group 1: (silent)
Example for three groups (each group of lines is sung at the same time):

Group 2: (silent)
Group 3: (silent)

Group 3: (silent)


Group 1: (silent)
Group 1: (silent)
Group 2: (silent)
273

Picture Predictions
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, and activate background knowledge about waking
up in the morning
Preparation and Materials: Hang the two large pictures (pages 275-276) of the alarm clock
and the sleeping child on the board. See ‘Information for Teachers’ (page 297).
Four Corners
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, express opinions and make choices, and introduce
–ing forms of words
Purpose: Hang the signs indicating feelings (pages 9-12) in four corners of the classroom.
Prepare one copy of each of the activity pictures (pages 277-279) to show the students.
Instructions: See page 8. Call out the following words as you show the matching picture:
riding reading singing playing watching sleeping
Purpose: To generate interest in the song, and introduce the names of family members
Preparation and Materials: Hang the picture of the family tree (page 280) on the board. Write
the names of family members on the board:
father, mother, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather
Make a copy of the blank family tree (page 281) for each student. Use the following questions or
come up with your own (Answer key: page 297):
1) Who is the mother? 4) Who is the brother? 5) Who is the grandmother?
2) Who is the father? 3) Who is the sister? 6) Who is the grandfather?
Instructions: See page 17, Modifications B and E. After answering questions about the
picture, ask students to draw their own family tree using the empty tree (page 281). Students
may label each family member by copying names of family members from the board.
274

Are You Sleeping? Picture Predictions
275

276

Are You Sleeping? Four Corners
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
277

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
278

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
279

Are You Sleeping? What Do You Know About…?
280

281

Relax and Enjoy!
Level: All Time: 1 minute for listening, plus 5 minutes for reflection
Listening Gap-Fill
or group of students. Copy the Gap-Fill handout on the board (or print it on a large poster).
(Answer key: sleeping, brother, bells, ringing)
Purpose: To recognize/discriminate between similar sounds, and introduce new vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Write the word ‘ding’ on the board. Hang the pictures (pages 284-
287) on the board in random order.
282

Are You Sleeping? Listening Gap-Fill
Are you sleeping, are you _________________________ ,
BrotherJohn, _________________________ John?
Morning _________________________ are ringing,
morning bells are _________________________ ,
Ding, dong, ding. Ding, dong, ding.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
brother ringing sleeping bells
283

Are You Sleeping? Listening for Rhyming Words
king
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sing
284

wing
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ring
285

swing
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
frog
286

lion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
finger
287

Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification C. The teacher sings the first part of the line, and the
students sing the repeated phrase. For example:
Teacher: Are you sleeping,

Students: are you sleeping,
Teacher: Brother John,
Students: Brother John,
Crazy Lyrics
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the action pictures (pages 289-290) on the board.
Instructions: See page 38, Modification B. Use the following words to create a new version of
the song by replacing the word sleeping:
waking brushing washing eating

riding studying playing
Sing a Round
Preparation and Materials: Write the song’s lyrics (page 273) on the board.
288

Are You Sleeping? Crazy Lyrics
sleeping waking
washing eating
289

riding
brushing
playing
studying
290

Speaking: Question & Answer
Purpose: To practice the –ing form of verbs, respond to questions, and use pronouns
Preparation and Materials: Hang the action pictures (pages 292-294) on the board.
Instructions: See page 48, Modification D. Teach the phrases with the –ing forms of verbs:
Phrases: They are ______ He is ______ She is ______

Verbs: reading drinking painting playing walking
Use wh-questions (What is he doing?) and have students respond using the phrases and action
verbs above.
Reading: Follow Me
Writing: Trace Me
Purpose: To practice forming letters and writing verbs in the –ing form
student.
291

Are You Sleeping? Question & Answer
They are reading .

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She is drinking .
292

He is painting .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They are playing .
293

He is walking .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
294

Are You Sleeping? Follow Me
playing reading
drinking painting
sleeping walking
---------------------------- ---------------------------- ----------------------------
295

Are You Sleeping? Trace Me
Directions. Trace the words to see what John is doing.
John is John is
walking cooking
John is John is
reading sleeping
296

Picture Predictions: Information for Teachers
The character in Are You Sleeping (Brother John) is asleep. In the morning, the bells waken
him. It is time to get out of bed because a new day is starting.
Are You Sleeping? Answer Keys
What Do You Know About…? Answer Key
1. mother
2. father
3. sister
4. brother
5. grandmother
6. grandfather
Are You Sleeping? Follow Me
playing reading
drinking painting
sleeping walking
297

Song 13: Hokey Pokey
ACTIVITY MENU
PRE-LISTENING

Simon Says
Where Is It?
LISTENING
Relax and Enjoy!

Mixed-Up Pictures
Move Along!
SINGING
Sing Along With Me

Your Moves
Crazy Lyrics
POST-LISTENING
Speaking: Go Fish!
Reading: Follow Me
Writing: Trace Me
298

Hokey Pokey: Lyrics
(3:58)
1 Put your right hand in, take your right hand out.
Put your right hand in, and you shake it all about.
Do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
5 Put your left hand in, take your left hand out.
Put your left hand in, and you shake it all about.
(CHORUS)
9 Do the Hokey Pokey
Do the Hokey Pokey
Do the Hokey Pokey
13 Put your right foot in, take your right foot out.
Put your right foot in, and you shake it all about.
17 Put your left foot in, take your left foot out.
Put your left foot in, and you shake it all about.
CHORUS
21 Put your whole self in, take your whole self out.
Put your whole self in, and you shake it all about.
CHORUS (2x)
299

Purpose: To introduce vocabulary for parts of the body from the song
Preparation and Materials: Obtain a square carpet sample, reed mat, hand towel, or square
piece of paper for each student. Pre-teach the concepts of “left” and “right.”
Instructions: See page 14, Modification A. Call out some or all of the following words along
with either “left” or “right” (when appropriate) and have students touch that body part to the
carpet sample (e.g., left elbow, right foot, stomach):
shoulder arm elbow wrist hand fingers
head forehead nose chin neck back chest stomach
hip leg knee ankle foot toe
Simon Says
Purpose: To carry out oral commands, introduce action verbs and the vocabulary for parts of
the body
Preparation and Materials: See suggested commands on page 301.
Where Is It?
Purpose: To carry out oral commands, and practice prepositions of place
Preparation and Materials: Prepare a small box for each group of students. Make a copy of
the picture cards showing items in various locations (pages 302-303) for each group and cut
them apart.
Instructions: See page 18. Call out the following picture descriptions one at a time in random
order. Have students choose the matching picture and place it in or near the box to match the
picture and description you have given.
The baby is IN the box. The baby is OUT of the box.
The CD is IN the case. The CD is ON TOP OF the case.
The mop is IN the bucket. The mop is IN FRONT OF the bucket.
The girl is ON the chair. The girl is UNDERNEATH the chair.
The dog is INSIDE the box. The dog is BESIDE the box.
The boy is BEHIND the tree. The boy is NEXT TO the tree.
300

Hokey Pokey: Simon Says
Simple Commands:
raise your left leg

raise your right arm
shake your right foot
raise both of your shoulders
look at your right hand
More Complex Commands:
put your left hand on your nose

put both hands on your back
put your left hand on your stomach
put your left hand in the air
wiggle the toes in your left foot
put your left hand on your right ear
turn all the way around
shake your head and left leg
touch your left ear to your left shoulder
put your right hand on your left knee
put your left hand on your right shoulder
put your hands on your hips
touch your left elbow with your right hand
301

Hokey Pokey: Where Is It?
302

303

Relax and Enjoy!
Mixed-Up Pictures
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the pictures (page 305) for each student or group
of students. (Answer key: hand, foot, whole self)
Move Along!
Instructions: See page 33, Modification A. Divide students into five groups, and assign one
movement per group. See the suggested movements that are traditionally used with this song
on page 307.
304

Hokey Pokey: Mixed-Up Pictures and Show Me the Word
foot
---------------------------------------------------------
whole self
---------------------------------------------------------
hand
305

Sing Along With Me
Instructions: See page 37, Modification E. When you pause for students to sing their words,
point to the corresponding body part. Pause and have the students sing the following words or
phrases:
right hand left hand right foot left foot whole self
Show Me the Word
Purpose: To learn vocabulary from the song, and represent word meanings with pictures
Preparation and Materials: Hang the pictures for the following words (page 305) on the board:
foot hand whole self
Crazy Lyrics
vocabulary
Preparation and Materials: Hang the large pictures of parts of the body (pages 308-310) on
the board.
Instructions: See page 38, Modification B. Let students create new versions of the song by
changing the body part in each verse:
Put your _________ in, take your _________ out.
Put your _________ in, and you shake it all about.
Do the Hokey Pokey, and you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about.
306

Hokey Pokey: Move Along! and Your Moves
Traditional Movements
The Hokey Pokey is traditionally done in a circle. Have students form a large circle (facing in).
Students can start with both arms down at their sides or with both hands on their hips.
Line/phrase Movement
Put your right hand in Stretch your right hand and arm straight out in front of you
into the middle of the circle.
Take your right hand out Stretch your right hand and arm behind you (out of the circle).
Put your right hand in and you Stretch your right hand and arm straight out in front of you
shake it all about into the middle of the circle. Shake your hand up and down.
Do the Hokey Pokey and you Put your hands on your hips and move your hips from side to
turn yourself around side as you turn around in a circle (end facing into the middle
of the circle).
THAT’S what it’s ALL a-BOUT! For the last line, clap your hands following the rhythm of the
song.
Repeat these actions for each verse using the corresponding part of the body. For the final
verse, put your ‘whole self’ in by jumping into the circle, and then back out of the circle.
307

Hokey Pokey: Crazy Lyrics
head
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
toes
308

ear
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
knees
309

nose
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
elbow
310

Speaking: Go Fish!
Purpose: To ask questions, and learn vocabulary for directions and parts of the body
Preparation and Materials: Make a copy of the Go Fish! cards (page 312) for each group of
three or four students. Cut apart each set of cards.
Reading: Follow Me
Purpose: To make connections between written forms and word meanings, and follow
commands
Writing: Trace Me
student.
Instructions: See page 65. After tracing the letters, have students draw a line to the part of the
body that matches the word.
311

Hokey Pokey: Go Fish!
knees knees arm arm
foot foot
hand hand
mouth mouth
ear ear
eye eye head Head
nose nose
legs legs
312

Hokey Pokey: Follow Me
1. head to heart
2. hand to heart
3. other hand to heart
4. heart to stomach
5. foot to stomach
6. other foot to stomach
head
hand
hand
heart
( )
stomach
foot foot
313

Hokey Pokey: Trace Me
Directions. First, trace the word for the part of the body. Then practice writing it on your
own. Finally, draw a line from the word to the matching part of the body in the picture.
head

elbow

foot

hair

arm

leg

314

Hokey Pokey: Answer Keys
Follow Me: Answer Key
1. head to heart
2. hand to heart
3. other hand to heart
4. heart to stomach
5. foot to stomach
6. other foot to stomach

head
hand
hand
heart
( )
stomach
foot foot
315


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Part 1.

All photos © Shutterstock, Inc. unless otherwise noted.

PART 1: CHILDREN’S SONGS .............................................................................. 7

1.1 General Song Activities for Children’s Songs ......................................................... 7

Section 2: Listening Activities ............................................................................................. 22

Section 3: Singing / Music Activities ................................................................................... 36

Section 4: Post-listening Activities ................................................................................ 46

Post-listening – Speaking 6: Hot or Cold? ................................................................................. 50

Section 4.B: Post-listening – Reading Activities ................................................................. 53

Section 4.C: Post-listening – Writing................................................................................... 62

Sing Out Loud: Children’s Songs:

Sing Out Loud: Traditional Songs:

Sing Out Loud: American Rhythms:

Using songs in class can help students:

How This Book Is Organized

4. Post-listening activities The post-listening section is designed to develop three language

For older and/or more advanced students (Traditional Songs and

5. Extended classroom Activities included in this section involve students extensively in

Each general activity description contains information about

TESOL Proficiency Description (http://www.tesol.org)

Modifications. Labels used in General Song Activities

+ / - difficulty increased difficulty (+), decreased difficulty (-)

+ / - materials additional (+) or fewer/no (-) materials are needed

+ / - pictures pictures are used (+) or not used (-)

Purposes, Language Skills, and Content

+ (language skill) a specific language skill is the focus of the activity

+ (cognitive skill) a specific cognitive skill is used in the activity

+ (other) other possible modifications to vary the focus of the activity

+ extension extended to include additional steps and/or content; these activities

1. an activity menu that lists 12 activities suggested for the song

Section 1: Pre-listening Activities

Pre-listening activities can be done in a variety of ways and may include

Pre-listening 1: Four Corners ................................................................................................... 8

Level: All Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Really Like! Like Don’t Like Yuck!

Which food do you like best? and

Level: All Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Level: All Time: 10 – 15 minutes

Pre-listening 4: Carpet Square Challenge

Purpose: To introduce vocabulary from the song

Level: All Time: 10 – 15 minutes

B. + difficulty Prepare word cards (instead of objects or pictures) by printing a

Pre-listening 5: Simon Says

Purpose: To carry out oral commands and learn action verbs

Level: All Time: 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the number of commands

D. + difficulty Give multiple commands at once. For example, possible commands

Pre-listening 6: Find Someone Who…

Level: All Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Level: All Time: 10 minutes

D. - difficulty Use simple true/false statements. Students should respond by saying

Pre-listening 8: Where Is It?

Level: 2 Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Pre-listening 9: Picture Predictions

Level: All Time: 10 – 20 minutes

Level: All Time: 5 – 15 minutes

2. One Title - Many

10. Can You See

1.The Alphabet Song * *A *

3. I’m a Little Teapot *A *D *A

1.The Alphabet Song * A

3. I’m a Little Teapot A D *A

9. Hush, Little Baby * D A

12. Are You Sleeping? * B,E

1.The Alphabet Song * A

4. Hickory Dickory Dock A *A

7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe A *

9. Hush, Little Baby A *A

10. The Happy Song A A *

13. Hokey Pokey A A *A

1.The Alphabet Song B *D

3. I’m a Little Teapot B B *A

4. Hickory Dickory Dock F *A

5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star A C *A

6. Mary Had a Little Lamb B *D

7. One, Two Buckle My Shoe * B,C