Orff With Table of Contents

ORFF ARRANGEMENTS
A la puerta del cielo Cotton Eyed Joe Hail Hail the Gang’s All
A Mince Pie or a Pudding Crocodile Song Here
A Pumpkin Crocodile Song (Canada) Hammer Ring
A Ram Sam Sam Day-O (Banana Boat Song) Hanukkah, Hanukkah
A Tisket A Tasket Dayenu Happy New Year
Acadian Lullaby Dear Old Santa Claus Hato Popo
Acka Backa Did You Go to the Barney? Hevenu Shalom
Aeolian Lullaby Diddle Diddle Dumpling Aleichem
African Noel Do As I’m Doing Hey Diddle Diddle
Ah Poor Bird Doctor Foster Hickory Dickory Dock
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone Hill and Gully Rider
Al pavo pavito Dona Nobis Pacem Himmel und Erde
Alabama Gal Donkey Donkey Old and Gray müssen vergeh’n
Albuquerque Turkey Donkeys and Carrots Hiya Hiya
All Around the Daffodils Down By the Bay Hop Old Squirrel
All Night All Day Down Came a Lady Hop Up and Jump Up
All Through the Night – BAG Down in the Valley Hot Cross Buns
Alouette Down the River / Down the Ohio How Do You Do
Ama Lama Down to the Baker’s Shop How Old Are You
Amasee Drill Ye Tarriers Hullabaloo Belay
Amazing Grace Drunken Sailor (adapted version) Hush Little Baby
Animal Fair Dry Bones Hush-a-Bye
Armenian Lullaby Ducks in the Millpond I Caught a Rabbit
Arre Mi Burrito Duerme mi tesoro I Fed My Horse
As I Came Over Yonders Hill Dulce dulce I Love a Sausage
Au Clair de la Lune Early to Bed I Pick Up My Hoe
Babylon’s Falling Eh Soom Boo Kawaya I Saw Three Ships Come
Backe backe Kuchen El florón Sailing In
Backwater Blues Em Pom Pee I Want to Rise in the
Baker, The Ezekiel Saw the Wheel Early Morn
Balooloo My Lammie Fais dodo Colas mon p’tit frère I’m a Nut
Bassez Down Father Abraham I’m Gonna Sing When
Bees’ Party Fishpole Song the Spirit Says Sing
Betty Botter Free at Last I’s the B’y
Bickle Bockle Freight Train Blues If a Fish
Bigi kaiman Frère Jacques/Three Blue Pigeons In Some Lady’s Garden
Bill Grogan’s Goat Frog in the Meadow Inuit Lullaby
Bobby Shafto Frog Pond It’s Almost Day
Boomba Frogs It’s Raining
Brother Rabbit Fruit Bending Down Itsy Bitsy Spider
Campana sobre campana Funga Alafia Jack Sprat
Caney mi macaro Git on Board Jack-o’-Lantern
Captain Go Sidetrack Your Train Glad Christmas is Coming Jing-Ga-Ring
Cat’s Got the Measles Go Round John the Rabbit
Charlie Over the Ocean Go to Sleepy Jolly Miller
Chatter With the Angels Gobble Gobble Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Chicken on the Fence Post Goin’ To Boston Jubilee
Christmas Bells Goin’ Down to Cairo Kangaroo
Christmas Bells (ring) Good News Kitty Cat (Te Uru)
Christmas Day Goodbye Julie Kokoleoko
Christmas is Coming Goodbye Old Paint Kolyada
Christopher Columbus Grand Old Duke of York La Cucaracha
Chumbara Great Big House in New Orleans Lachen
Cindy Great Mornin’ Lady Come
Clap Clap Clap Your Hands Gut Shabbes Euch Land of the Silver Birch
Come and Go With Me to that Land Haida Le forgeron
ORFF ARRANGEMENTS
Leak Kanseng Paw Paw Patch Sussex Carol (On

Let us Sing Together Pay Me My Money Down Christmas Night)
Li’l Liza Jane Peace Like a River Sweet Water Rolling
Linstead Market Pin Pon Sweetly Sings the
List to the Bells Poor Old Crow Donkey
Little Birch Tree Pray God Bless Swing Low / All Night
Little Green Frog Que Llueva All Day
Little Red Caboose Red are Strawberries Take Time in Life
London Bridge Rain Come Wet Me Tennessee
Lone Star Trail Rain Dance Thanksgiving Round
Long-Legged Sailor Rain Rain That’s a Mighty Pretty
Look Away to Bethlehem Raindrops Song Motion
Los esqueletos Raining Again Today The Other Day I Met a
Lost My Gold Ring Riding in the Buggy Bear
Lucy Locket Reveille Then Oh Then
Lullaby Rocky Mountain Thief
Lullaby-Sioux Round and Round the Garden This Train
Lullaby-Thailand Rosie Darling Rosie Three Little Pigs
Macoway Row Row Row Your Boat Tideo
Mama Bake That Johnny Cake, Ruach Tingalayo
Christmas… Rub-a-Dub-Dub To Stop the Train
Mama Paquita Sailing in the Boat Train’s Off the Track
May Song (Spring is Coming) Sakura Trampin’
Merrily Merrily Sally Go Round the Sun Trot Old Joe
Miss Maggie Sally on the Seesaw Twenty Four Robbers /
Mister Rabbit Sambalele Tom the Piper’s Son
Music Alone Shall Live Sandy McNab Two in the Middle
My Aunt Came Back Sarasponda Uncle Jessie
My Aunt Jane Scarborough Fair Vamos a remar
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean Scotland’s Burning Village Watchman
My Good Old Man Scraping Up Sand Virgin Mary Had a Baby
My Paddle’s Keen and Bright See-Saw Margery Daw Boy
Wade in the Water
Naughty Kitty Cat See Saw Sacradown Waiting for the Dinner Bell
North Wind Doth Blow Shake Them ‘Simmons Down Wake Me
O Lebisibiyo Shalom Chaverim / Zum Gali Wake Snake
O Tannenbaum Shout Little Lulu Walking Walking
Obwisana Si me dan pasteles Warm Your Hands
Oh How Lovely is the Evening Silver Moon Boat Wastin’ His Time
Oh I’m Goin’ to Sing Sing a Song of Sixpence Watah Come a Me Eye
Oh Watch the Stars Skip to My Lou We’re Going Round the
Oh Won’t You Sit Down Sleep Baby Sleep Mountain
We Wish You a Merry
Okki Tokki Unga Sleigh Ride Christmas
Old Ark’s a Moverin’ SMILE Wee Willie Winkie
Old Betty Larkin Soft Music is Stealing Weevily Wheat
Old Brass Wagon Solas Market Welcome Song
Old House Sometimes I Feel Like a When the Saints Go
Old Jeremiah Motherless Child Marching In
Old Man Daisy Song of the Dragon When the Train Comes
Old Mister Rabbit Song to the Sun Along
Old Ship of Zion Songaji Who Built the Ark
Who’s That Tapping at the
Oliver Twist Sourwood Mountain Window
Old Zion’s Children Spring’s Message Xīnnián hǎo
One Two Three (Johnny Caught a St. Ives Ya vienen los Reyes Magos
Flea) Standin’ on the Platform Ya Ya We
Oy Chanukah oy Chanukah Sugar Bowl Yoo Hoo
Patapan Sun Don’t Set in the Mornin’ Zulu Warrior
ORFF ARRANGEMENTS
ORFF ARRANGEMENTS
Info - Acadia was a colony of New France in northeastern North America that included parts of
eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine.
Translation
Sleep, sleep, little baby,
It's mother's beautiful little baby.
Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep mom's little baby.
Tomorrow it's nice; I'll go to grandfather.
Sleep, sleep, little baby,
Sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep mom's little baby.
bethsnotes.com
Acadian Lullaby – English Version
These lyrics are based on the poem by Eugene Field (1850-1895).
Melody – Pentatonic / Recorder Notes E,G,B,C’

Harmony / Recorder Duet
Orff Arrangement
• For the “maracas / sand blocks” part, choose soft-sounding maracas or sand blocks.
You could even use drum brushes on drums. That part should be very subtle.
bethsnotes.com
Acadian Lullaby – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Acadian Lullaby – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
ACKA BACKA
Rhythm - Steady Beat - Demonstrate the steady beat in many ways

• Use body percussion (clapping, snapping, patting, stepping)
• Play instruments (drums, rhythm sticks)
• Step to the beat in different locomotor movements (walk, skip, march, etc.)
• For younger students, practice steady beat by walking/marching or playing rhythm
sticks to the beat.
• For fun, at the end, everyone stops walking or clapping and points both fingers at
someone on the word “you.”
• Hand clapping – in groups of 2 or 3, do this pattern to the quarter note beat:
o 4 beat pattern - Pat, clap, high five partner(s), clap
o Last word – point to partner(s)
• Students sit in a circle and pat the beat while a student who is “it” walks around the
circle lightly taps heads (or just points to each child’s head) until the word “you.” That
person becomes the new “it,” and the former “it” sits in his/her spot.
• Students sit in a circle and pass a bean bag on the beat around the circle. The person
the bean bag lands on is “out.” The “out” person can join you in playing a drum on the
beat. When the game repeats, the new “out” person can take the place of the other
drummer, who joins the game again.
• For older students, students stand in a circle, each with one fist out in front. One person
is “it” inside the circle and taps each person’s fist (with fist or open hand) on the beat.
The person who is out goes to a xylophone and plays DA bordun (both notes together
on the quarter note beat).
o Variation: students put two fists out in front – takes longer for someone to be out
o Variation: add two students who are “it” inside the circle, back to back, so two
people are out. Those two could become the new “it” people inside the circle or
go and play an instrument.
o Variation: students who are “out” pick up recorders and play either D or A on the
steady beat while play continues.
bethsnotes.com
Point the Beats
bethsnotes.com
Steady Beat Performance Rubric
Name Class
Students were evaluated individually by playing a drum or patting knees

to accompany a song on the steady beat.
4 = Exceeds expectations = Steady beat was performed with perfect accuracy.
3 = Meets expectations = Steady beat was performed with moderate accuracy.
2 = Approaching expectations = Steady beat was performed with some accuracy.
1 = Area of concern = Steady beat was performed with very little, if any, accuracy.
bethsnotes.com
Steady Beat Performance Rubric
Name Class
Students were evaluated individually by playing a drum or patting knees

to accompany a song on the steady beat.
4 = Exceeds expectations = Steady beat was performed with perfect accuracy.
3 = Meets expectations = Steady beat was performed with moderate accuracy.
2 = Approaching expectations = Steady beat was performed with some accuracy.
1 = Area of concern = Steady beat was performed with very little, if any, accuracy.
bethsnotes.com
Acka Backa – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Acka Backa – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Acka Backa – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
AFRICAN NOEL
bethsnotes.com
Harmony
This song is fun and versatile! Students can sing it through as written, or the layers can be
added together to create 3-part harmony.
bethsnotes.com
African Noel – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Ah Poor Bird – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Ah Poor Bird / Hey Ho Nobody Home – Partner Songs
bethsnotes.com
AIN’T GONNA RING NO MORE
Rhythm – Quarter & Eighth Notes, Quarter Rest (See Simple Orff Arrangement below.)
• Students play metal percussion instruments (bell-like sounds such as jingle bells,
triangles or finger cymbals) on the quarter note beat as they sing they first 4 measures.
• Students play shakers or scrapers (such as guiros, maracas or cabasas) on eighth
notes.
• Add a sound effect instruments on the quarter rests (such as vibraslap, slapstick,
ratchet, or have the students think of funny sounds effects they could create with found
objects, or even silly vocal sounds or body percussion).
Rhythm – Quarter Note & Rest, Dotted Quarter Note, Eighth Notes, Sixteenth note /
eighth note patterns
• See the Rhythm Worksheet / Assessment. At the top is the rhythm of the song. Optional:
You could use it to have the students write the rhythms or numbers below each note. On
the bottom section, have students identify the notes.
Melody – Recorder Notes GAB

• See the “Student Copies – Adapted Version” below. Use this version to teach the notes
of the song.
• After the students are able to play this proficiently, practice the rhythm of the song (see
Rhythms below). One of the examples has the lyrics printed, and the other one just has
the rhythms. Students can use (or write in) the rhythm syllables or numbers as they clap
the rhythms.
• Add the tonguing required to play the rhythm of the song with the recorder. (See
“Student Copies – Original Version.”)
bethsnotes.com 1
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Simple Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com 2
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Student Copies – Adapted Version
bethsnotes.com 3
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Rhythms
bethsnotes.com 4
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Student Copies – Original Version
bethsnotes.com 5
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Rhythms
Name Class
Identify these rhythms in the blanks below. Choose from the terms at the bottom of the page.
1. q
2. o
3. e
4. j
5. m
6. n
7. Q
8. M
Choices:
1 eighth note Dotted eighth note & sixteenth note
1 eighth note & 2 sixteenth notes Dotted quarter note
2 eighth notes Quarter note
2 sixteenth notes & 1 eighth note Quarter rest
bethsnotes.com 6
Ain’t Gonna Ring No More – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com 7
ALABAMA GAL
Dance
Formation: Students form two lines facing each other.

• Verse 1: Head couple join hands and sashay down between the two lines, then return
back where they started.
• Verses 2-4: All students turn to face the head couple. The head person on the left turns
left, and the head person on the right turns right with all students following around. They
walk toward the foot of the line. When the head couple reaches the foot of the line, they
join hands high over their heads, and the other couples go underneath and return to
their original spots. There is now a new head couple and the dance begins again.
Optional: This can be danced like the Virginia Reel.
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Rhythm – Syncopation / Phrases

• After teaching this song, ask students to figure out how many phrases (musical
sentences) there are (4). Ask, “Which three are the same?” (the first three) Display the
rhythm visuals (below) and ask students to help figure out which order they go in to
match the song.
• You can also use the visuals to show the tambourine, guiro, recorder, and xylophone
rhythms in the Orff arrangement below.
Meter in 2
• Use the rhythm visuals (below) to rearrange measures and have students practice
clapping and saying (with rhythm syllables) the rhythms. Have students rearrange the
rhythms and practice.
• The smaller rhythm cards could be cut and distributed to students. Dictation - They can
rearrange the cards to match the pattern you say.
Melody – Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B,D’

Countermelody – Recorder Notes A,B,D’
bethsnotes.com
Alabama Gal – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Alabama Gal - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Alabama Gal - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Alabama Gal - Student Copies - Countermelody
bethsnotes.com
Rhythmic Dictation – Cards (Meter in 2)
bethsnotes.com
Rhythmic Dictation – Meter in 2
[with Syncopation]
Name Class
Identify which two rhythms you just heard and put the numbers in the blanks below.
1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
bethsnotes.com
Translation - At the Gates of Heaven
1. At the gates of heaven, they sell shoes

For the little angels that go barefoot.
Refrain
Sleep baby, sleep baby,
Sleep baby, hush-a-bye now.
2. To the children who sleep, God blesses them.

To the mothers who watch, God helps them. Refrain
bethsnotes.com
At the Gates of Heaven – English Version
Rhythm – Half, Quarter, Eighth notes
bethsnotes.com
A la puerta del cielo – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Meter in 3
• To emphasize the strong beat in meter, do swaying motions on the downbeats:
o Students mirror your swaying from side to side
o In a circle holding hands, all students alternate between swaying forward and
back (arms can move slightly forward and back also)
o [Note, it would be a good idea for you or another student to play the downbeats
on instruments, especially when the students are in pairs and won’t be able to
see you demonstrate as easily.] In pairs,
§ students hold hands and sway back and forth.
§ students mirror each other (take turns who is leader) and sway or do other
movements on the downbeats
Rhythm – dotted eighth / sixteenth note patterns

• See the guiro part below. You could replace the eighth notes with dotted eighth /
sixteenth notes, or to compare and contrast “even” eighths with the dotted eighths,
have them play one way, then the other. (See visuals below.)
Melody – Recorder countermelody G,A,C
bethsnotes.com
Albuquerque Turkey – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Albuquerque Turkey – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Albuquerque Turkey – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Original – Minor version
Game
• Version 1 – Formation: The children stand in a circle and hold hands up high to form
“windows.” Choose one student as “It” (optional: “It” can hold fake daffodils,
handkerchief or other item) and weave in and out of the windows. When the students
sing, “just choose me,” “It” grabs the hand of whomever is the closest, and those the
two students walk in and out of the windows. (You could have the second student
become “It” and lead them through.) Keep singing until everyone is holding hands, and
the teacher can make a window by putting hands against a wall, while everyone goes
under the arch for the last time.
• Version 2 – Formation: The children stand in a circle and hold hands up high to form
“windows.” Two students are “It” and hold fake daffodils. The 2 students weave in and
out of the circle, finally landing in front of someone at the end of the song. They each
hand the daffodils to the new students, who proceed to weave in and out of the
windows as the song starts again.
Melody – Minor vs. Major – Learn both the major and minor versions of the song and ask the
students to decide which one they prefer.
Meter – Mixed meter between 6/8 and 3/4
bethsnotes.com
All Around the Daffodils – Version 2 (Adapted) – Major Version
This version is easier to sing for younger singers.
All Around the Daffodils – Version 3
bethsnotes.com
All Around the Daffodils – Version 2 (Adapted) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Chords in F
Rhythm
• Long sounds: whole & half notes
o Lead students to listen for the long notes. Students raise their hands every time
they hear the half or whole notes.
o Add percussion instruments (with sustained sounds) on the long sounds.
Consider triangles or finger cymbals.
• Dotted quarter notes – see visuals
bethsnotes.com
Intermediate Chords in F
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Chords in G
bethsnotes.com
Intermediate Chords in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
All Night All Day – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low Sweet Chariot / All Night All Day
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low / All Night – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low / All Night – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
Melody
• B-A-G (mi, re, do)
o Sing this song with Solfege and Curwen hand signs.
o Have students notate “B – A – A – G” of “All through the night” with staff
manipulatives. (See the post on “staff manipulatives” on my website for ideas.)
• High & Low
o Play G on a low-sounding pitched instrument (such as a bass bar or lowest G on
a bass xylophone or metallophone) and a G on a high-sounding one (glockenspiel
or soprano xylophone or metallophone). Have students identify which sounds low
and high.
o Students play the low G’s on the first 4 measures, then the last 2 measures. Then
add the high G’s to emulate the high sounds a cricket makes on measures 5-8.
(See the Orff arrangement for High / Low below.)
Rhythm: Long Sounds (half & whole notes)

• Students identify the long sounds and raise their hands when they hear them sung. They
can distinguish between the long sounds (half notes) and the really long sounds (whole
notes). Count them together. Half notes = 7 | Whole notes = 2
• Add long-sounding instruments on the long sounds (such as triangles, finger cymbals).
You could have one group play the half notes and the other group play the whole notes.
Harmony – Recorder Duet (Notes G,A,B and D,G)
bethsnotes.com
All Through the Night – Orff Arrangement 1 (for High & Low)
bethsnotes.com
All Through the Night – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
All Through the Night – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
All Through the Night - Duet – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Translation
Lark, nice lark,

Lark, I will pluck you.
1. I will pluck your head,

And your head…
2. beak
3. eyes
4. neck
5. wings
6. legs
7. tail
8. back
Teaching ideas:
• TEMPO: Fast / slow - Each verse gets faster and faster.
• To simplify this song, limit the verses to only a few body parts that are easier to sing,
such as la tête, le bec, le cou and le dos.
bethsnotes.com
Alouette – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Alouette – Visuals of bird body parts
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Translation
To the turkey, little turkey, turkey
To the turkey, little turkey, yes,
The little turkey has gone away
And the little turkey now is here!
Game
With an odd number of children, students hold hands and make a circle. They sing the
song three times, saying the number of times they have sung it after each verse. At the
end, each student finds a partner, leaving one person with no partner. Everyone says
“pavo!” three times to that person, who is “out.” That person can choose another student
to take out also, leaving an odd number of children to repeat the game.
bethsnotes.com
Al pavo pavito (The Little Turkey) – Bilingual Version
A few Spanish words can be easier to teach quickly. In the version above, there are only 3, plus
the words for the numbers:
• pavo = turkey
• sí = yes
• aquí = here
• uno / una = one (The feminine version “una” is used here, because it assumes you are
referring to “una vez,” the “first time” the song is being sung. Since “vez” is a plural
noun, the word used is “una” instead of “uno.” Of course, if the singers aren’t native
Spanish speakers, feel free to say “uno” instead, since they might be more familiar with
that!
• dos = two
• tres = three
bethsnotes.com
Al pavo pavito – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
These are nonsense words.
Teaching ideas:
• Rhythm: steady beat, dotted quarter note / eighth note combination, syncopation (see
visuals)
• Focus on the difference between the even sounds of two quarter notes (see “marching”
visual below) and the uneven long-short pattern of the dotted quarter / eighth note (see
“limping” visual below). Have students pat and walk the “even” vs. “uneven” patterns.
• Learn to hear the difference in the patterns. Pass out envelopes (or Ziploc bags) of the
“Recognize the Rhythm” cards below. (Idea: put the students in groups of two, so you
don’t have to make as many envelopes.) After passing out the envelopes, have students
check to make sure they have six cards, one of each number. The teacher says a
rhythm, and the student picks which card was said. Later, the teacher can say a 4-beat
pattern, and students must choose which two cards were said. (I usually say the rhythm
patterns a total of 3 times and insist the students echo and clap the rhythm after each
time I say it.) Since the cards are numbered, it is easy to check their answers when I say,
“You should have cards 2 and 4.” Then, you can use the two sheets at the end either for
practice or for assessment. One sheet has patterns in 2/4, and the other sheet is more
advance with 4/4 patterns.
bethsnotes.com
Ama Lama – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com 2
Ama Lama – Visuals
bethsnotes.com 3
bethsnotes.com 4
bethsnotes.com 5
bethsnotes.com 6
bethsnotes.com 7
Ama Lama – Recognize the Rhythm Cards
bethsnotes.com 8
Recognize the Rhythm – Meter in 2
Name Class
Listen to the rhythm your teacher performs. Circle which rhythm you hear.
1.
a. b.
2.
a. b.
3.
a. b.
4.
a. b.
5.
a. b.
bethsnotes.com
Recognize the Rhythm – Meter in 4
Name Class
Listen to the rhythm your teacher performs. Circle which rhythm you hear.
1.
a. b.
2.
a. b.
3.
a. b.
4.
a. b.
5.
a. b.
6.
a. b.
bethsnotes.com
Translation - Amasee means “I must see.”
• Teach this song by echo singing. Practice the “Amasee” parts. To learn the song faster,
divide the class in half with half of the class learning the first & third phrases and the
other half learning the “Amasee” parts.
Movement
• Formation: two lines of partners facing each other with the “head couple” at one end of
the lines
• The “head couple” goes “down the line” (down the middle between the lines). The
traditional way is to hold hands and “shimmy” (side skip). Another way is to have the
couple decide how they will travel down the line: anything from just regular walking to
crawling to being silly… whatever. The other students clap on the beat.
Melody – G,A,B
• If you are only teaching G,A,B, the students can just play the Response: “Amasee,
Amasee” (see the Melody Visuals below).
Melody – D,E,G,A,B
• If you are teaching D,E,G,A,B, the students can play the whole song (see the Student
Copies below).
• You could have half the class play and half the class dance.
bethsnotes.com
Amasee - Rhythm & Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Amasee - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Amasee - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Amasee – Visuals for Orff Parts
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Chords – F
Intermediate Chords – F
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Chords – G
Intermediate Chords – G
bethsnotes.com
Meter – 3 - In the Orff arrangement, the xylophone plays each beat 1, while the glockenspiel
part plays on beats 2 & 3.
Rhythm – Dotted half notes – The recorder duet plays mostly dotted half notes.
Melody – Recorder notes D-E-G-A-B-D’
Performance assessment Rubrics
These are half-sheets of paper with two parts. The left side is for testing students’ ability to
play the correct fingerings, and the right side is to assess the song students play. I usually have
3-4 students play together. If I have trouble hearing one or two students, I have them repeat it
individually.
The left side has 3 possible points, and there are two columns where students could earn 2
points. Either knowledge of the fingering was incorrect, or the note was squeaky. I just add
checks in the boxes as I listen.
For the right side, I have 2 different rubric options. I personally like having a #4, because
sometimes a student exceeds my expectations by playing absolutely perfectly. That’s what the
“4” signifies. I tell the students a “3” is a great grade. Depending on your school or district, this
can be a difficult adjustment for some students and parents, so I included a different rubric
sheet that has 3 total points instead of 4.
I also included a little space at the bottom of each half-sheet in case you want to write a little
phrase of encouragement or explanation.
bethsnotes.com
Amazing Grace - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Amazing Grace - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Amazing Grace – Duet Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Performance Assessment Rubric: Fingering & Song
Name Class
Student demonstrated knowledge and ability to play

the following notes on the recorder: Student played a song.
3 2 2 1
Fingered Incorrect Correct Incorrect 4 = Exceeds expectations - Song rhythm and
NOTE accurately fingering, fingering, fingering & fingerings were performed with perfect accuracy.
& quality quality squeaky squeaky
tone tone tone tone
3 = Meets expectations - Song rhythm and fingerings
D’ were performed with moderate accuracy.
B
A 2 = Approaching expectations - Song rhythm and
fingerings were performed with some accuracy.
G
E 1 = Area of concern - Song performance did not
demonstrate understanding.
D
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
D’ were performed with moderate accuracy.
B
G
E 1 = Area of concern - Song performance did not
D
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
Fingered Incorrect Correct Incorrect
NOTE accurately fingering, fingering, fingering & 3 = Meets expectations - Song rhythm and
& quality quality squeaky squeaky fingerings were performed accurately.
tone tone tone tone
D’
2 = Approaching expectations - Song rhythm
B and fingerings were performed with some
A accuracy.
G
1 = Area of concern - Song performance did not
E
D
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
D’
B and fingerings were performed with some
A accuracy.
G
E
D
bethsnotes.com
A MINCE PIE OR A PUDDING
Melody – Pentatonic scale
bethsnotes.com
A Mince Pie or a Pudding - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
ANIMAL FAIR
Motions – Make up motions to go with the lyrics.
Melody
• High & Low – Listen for the high “monk” notes (high do’) and the low monk notes (low
do). Move hands up and down when the voice sings high and low.
• Repeated tones / High and low Do – Practice playing high and low do on xylophones.
Practice singing all of the “monk” lyrics (measures 16-20) on the high do’ and then on
the low do. Then practice singing high “monk” lyrics whenever the teacher holds the
hand up and low “monk” lyrics whenever the teacher puts the hand down.
• Ti – If you are looking for a song that has a lot of notes on “ti,” this one works! Find them
in measures 5, 6, 13 and 14.
Rhythm
• Steady beat – Students pat on the dotted quarter note beat.
• 6/8 meter – Quarter & Eighth notes / rests, dotted quarter notes - Students clap on
this rhythm on measures 2, 4, 8, 10 & 12 (See the glockenspiel and claves parts of the
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement below).
P EEej |
o Students pat (alternating hands) on these rhythms (See the drum part of the Orff
arrangement below).
P q eq e|j j |
bethsnotes.com
Animal Fair – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Animal Fair – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Original version
Adapted Lyrics - I rearranged the lyrics a bit to make it a bit less awkward for young singers.
Melody – Recorder notes D,E,G,A (See the ecorder countermelody in the Orff arrangement.)
bethsnotes.com
A Pumpkin – Orff Arrangement (I-IV-V)
bethsnotes.com
A Pumpkin – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm - Play along:
Half notes = triangle
Quarter notes = claves
Eighth notes = maracas
Harmony - Round | Chords I & V
bethsnotes.com
A Ram Sam Sam - motions
Ms. 1 & 2 - Pat clap clap rest (x 2)

Ms. 3 - Hand jive (right hand over left 2 pulses, then left over right 2 pulses)
Ms. 4 - Pat clap clap rest
Ms. 5 & 6 - Both hands out in front in sweeping motion, clap rest (x 2)
Ms. 7 - Hand jive (same as ms. 3)
Ms. 8 - Pat clap clap
bethsnotes.com
A Ram Sam Sam – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
A Ram Sam Sam – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
A Ram Sam Sam - Orff Parts Vsuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
ARMENIAN LULLABY
Rhythm
• Long (Whole) Notes
o As students listen to the song, have them listen for the long notes and raise their
hands every time they hear a long note.
o Add metallophones or glockenspiels (instruments that have sustained sounds) on
the whole notes F/C (see the Orff arrangement). If you don’t have those
instruments, choose triangles or finger cymbals to play on the whole notes.
• Half Notes & Rests – See the glockenspiel part below.
• Quarter Notes – See the Triangle part below.
• Eighth Notes – See the maraca part below.
Melody – Minor
bethsnotes.com
Armenian Lullaby – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Armenian Lullaby – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
ARRE MI BURRITO
Key of C
Translation
Giddy-up, my donkey,
We’re going to Bethlehem.
Tomorrow is a party,
And the other day also.
Rhythm – Quarter Notes & Rests, Eighth Notes

• Teach the song and pat the steady beat. Have students raise their hands when they pat
a beat where there is silence (rests). Next time, during the rests, students pulse the air
with palms facing up (similar to an “I don’t know” gesture).
• As students learn the song, they realize the rhythm is faster than the steady beat in
many places (eighth notes).
• To help students recognize how the rhythm is different than the steady beat, show them
the worksheet below. Either as a class or individually, lead the students to change the
steady beat lines into the rhythm of the song. (Each line is equal to 2 measures. In other
words, the worksheet is notated in 4/4 instead of 2/4, with each line equal to 4 beats.)
o Start by having students point to each line (steady beat) as they sing.
o When they recognize which beats are silent, have them cross them out. (See the
example below. They gray lines are the pencil lines they will add.)
o When they recognize the eighth notes, have them turn the single lines into double
lines (from “ta” to “ti-ti” – or whatever rhythm syllables you prefer).
o You could also have them add note heads later.
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Beat & Rhythm
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Beat & Rhythm (Completed)
1
1
1
1
bethsnotes.com
English Version
Key of F
Melody
• mi, so, la – See the handout below with Solfege syllables under each note. Have
students point to each note as they sing along.
• Recorder notes E,G,A (key of C) | A,C,D’ (key of F)
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Melody
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Order the Measures
Name Class
Number these phrases in the order they occur in the song.
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Student Copies in C
bethsnotes.com
Arre mi burrito – Student Copies in F
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Minor
• To simplify the melody, consider omitting the low A in measure 12 and singing 3 C’s
instead. (I generally don’t prefer to have the kids sing below middle C so they use their
head voices as much as possible.)
Movement
• Measures (Ms.) 1-2 = Walk in place to the (quarter note) beat – 4 steps
• Ms. 3-4 = Hand against eyebrows (like shielding eyes from the sun) – 4 beats
• Ms. 5 = “Flap” elbows twice – 2 beats
• Ms. 6 = Wiggle “tail” – 2 beats - optional: wiggle to this rhythm
• Ms. 7-8 = Point to feet (add “yucky” facial expression) – 4 beats
• Ms. 9 = Pat knees twice
• Ms. 10 = Clap
• Ms. 11-14 = Repeat Ms. 9-10 twice more
• Ms. 15-16 = Repeat Ms. 7-8
Movement with Partners

• With partners (or groups of 3), do the same movements, but instead of clapping, do a
high five with others
Form - AB
The drum part below has different (but similar) patterns for Sections A and B. Options:
bethsnotes.com
• Two different drum sections could play each section.
• Improvisation - During Section B, the drum players could improvise rhythms using
quarter and eighth notes.
• Call & Response – During Section B, different students could take turns taking the lead,
while the rest of the class echoes what they play. For instance:
o Measures 9-10: Call:
o Measures 11-12: Response:
o Measures 13-16: Repeat ms. 9-12 with a different leader doing the Call with a
different rhythm.
• Idea to simplify improvisation - If your students have difficulty improvising new rhythms
on the spot, consider providing options for them to choose from. See the handout
below. Give instructions on which rhythms you want them to use. For instance, if you
only want them to use quarter and eighth notes, tell them to only choose rhythms from
boxes 1-6.
Form - ABC
• Call & Response – Using the same improvisation / call & response ideas as above,
instead of having the Call & Response rhythms occur while other students are singing
Section B (which might be difficult for some groups to coordinate all at the same time),
consider adding Section C that consists of only drums with call & response
improvisation.
bethsnotes.com
As I Came Over Yonders Hill – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
As I Came Over Yonders Hill – Call & Response Rhythms
bethsnotes.com
A TISKET A TASKET
Game
Formation: Students sit in a circle. One person is “It.”
“It” carries a basket and walks around behind the other students as everyone sings the song.
At the end of the song, “It” puts the basket behind a student, then runs (or walks fast) around
the circle while the other student picks up the basket and chases “It” around the circle and
tries to tag the student. The chasing stops when “It” reaches the hole the second student was
just occupying.
Jazz – After learning the song, listen to a recording of Ella Fitzgerald singing it. Have the
students compare and contrast the two versions; you could even make a Venn diagram. I think
it's a really good example of how syncopation, instrumentation and improvisation can change
the sound and feel of a song.
Rhythm: Half notes & Quarter notes & rests

• Students identify the long (half) notes and count how many they are (4). Students can
play guiros on the half note-quarter note patterns: tisket, tasket, basket, dropped it. See
the rhythm visuals below.
• Add triangles on the half notes.
• Add the woodblock (or claves) part: 3 quarter notes & 1 quarter rest (see below).
bethsnotes.com
A Tisket A Tasket – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
A Tisket A Tasket - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Section A – BAG
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• B-A-G / mi-re-do
• High & Low – See the glockenspiel part in the Orff arrangement below. Have students
play glissandos from high to low.
• Steps, Skips & Repeats – Show students either the visual of the xylophone bars or
GAB on the staff. Sing the song and point along to the notes. Lead students to realize
that the notes are repeated in each measure. To help them realize that sometimes the
notes between measures are stepping and sometimes they are skipping, have them sing
and move their hands up and down with the melody. They could sing different things
and do different motions to keep reinforcing the melodic contour. Here are some
options.
o Sing:
§ Lyrics
§ Solfege
§ Absolute Note Names
o Movements:
§ Curwen hand signs
§ Hands in the air (low for do, in the middle for re, high for mi)
§ Body percussion (pat for do, clap for re, snap for mi)
§ Other body motions
• touch shoulders for do, touch head for re, hands over head for mi
• sit for do, stand for re, stand on tip toes for mi
• Practice writing notes on the staff. Use the Practice Writing Notes worksheet for
students to get used to writing their note heads and stems. There are two versions of
the worksheet. If you wish, students can write their stems all facing the same direction.
• Improvise & Compose – After students have learned the lyrics of the song, have them
improvise new melodies with do, re, mi. Have them practice their improvisations on
xylophones – or with paper xylophones – or with rhythm sticks on the floor. Encourage
them to use a lot of repeated notes to make it easier to play. Once students have a
melody they like, have them write it down on the Compose Your Own Melody sheet
below. Optional: Encourage them to end on do (G).
bethsnotes.com
Babylon’s Falling – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
G-A-B Paper Xylophone
bethsnotes.com
G-A-B Staff
bethsnotes.com
Babylon’s Falling – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Practice Writing Notes
Name Class
Babylon’s Falling
African American Spiritual
Write the same notes below.
bethsnotes.com
Practice Writing Notes
Name Class
Babylon’s Falling
African American Spiritual
Write the same notes below.
bethsnotes.com
Compose Your Own Melody
Name Class
Babylon’s Falling
Lyrics from an African American Spiritual
n q | q q | q q | q q|
Ba-by- lon’s fal - ling, fal - ling, fal - ling,
nq|q n|q q|h ]

Ba-by- lon’s fal - ling to rise no more.
Write your own melody on the staff below.
bethsnotes.com
BACKE BACKE KUCHEN
Translation
Bake, bake a cake

The baker has called!
He who wants to bake good cakes
Must have seven things:
Eggs and lard,
Butter and salt,
Milk and flour,
Saffron makes the cake yellow!
Shove it into the oven.
Rhythm – Steady Beat – Similar to Pat-a-Cake, this song can be clapped on the steady beat.
Melody – mi, so, la / low do & high do

• The ingredients are sung to “so-mi” patterns. Add your own ingredients, such as
chocolate chips!
• The glockenspiel part is playing low & high do.
bethsnotes.com
Backe Backe Kuchen – English Version
bethsnotes.com
Backe Backe Kuchen – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Have the students write their own verses. Explain that the blues help us to get our feelings out.
For instance, use the beginning of verse 2 to sing about things that can go wrong when you
wake up in the morning. Or use the beginning of verse 5 to talk about things that might be
scary.
bethsnotes.com
Backwater Blues – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
THE BAKER
Meter in 3
• As you sing the song for them, students sway to (or pat) the strong beat (beat 1) and
then quietly whisper 2,3.
• See Orff arrangement 2 below. The two xylophone parts reinforce the strong beats and
the weak beats. Encourage students who are playing on beats 2 and 3 to play softer
than the students who are playing on beat 1.
Rhythm – Dotted Half Notes

• Add long-sounding instruments on dotted half notes to accompany the song, such as
triangles or finger cymbals. You could also have students play glockenspiels or
metallophones. See Orff Arrangement 1, Version 1 below.
Melody
• High & Low
o On the high notes (“tea”), they raise their hands over their heads. On the low note
(“me”), they touch the ground.
o See Orff Arrangement 1, Version 2 below. Have students play the low C and high
C together on the strong beats. The students could play octave C’s, or students
could be assigned either the low C or high C.
• Mi, so, la (low & high do)
o Students recognize how many measures have the pattern “so-mi-la” (six) and add
Curwen hand signs while singing.
bethsnotes.com
The Baker – Orff Arrangement 1 (2 versions)
Version 1
Version 2
bethsnotes.com
The Baker – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com

What a beautiful piece that encourages students sing long, expressive phrases and open
vowels! Consider adding Orff instrumentation (it’s easy, because the chord is the same
throughout!) by layering more instruments on each successive verse. Either add the bordun
(D/A), the octave, or both. There is a beautiful recording on YouTube that can give you
inspiration (see link on my website). If you wanted to, you could add the ostinato from that
recording in the accompaniment somehow (probably played by an adult or older student).
bethsnotes.com
Balooloo - Orff Arrangement

bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – sixteenth notes
bethsnotes.com
Bassez Down – Simple Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Bassez Down – Intermediate Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
THE BEES’ PARTY CHORDS – 2 VERSIONS
bethsnotes.com
And… I like to have fun with chords, so here is my 2nd version of chords:
Ideas:
• Ask students how many phrases there are (four). The Orff version below has the same
instrument parts for phrases 1, 2 and 4. Phrase 3 is different to keep students feeling the
phrases and listening for when phrase 3 starts.
• The Orff parts are for older students, but you could easily focus on phrases with the
younger students and just teach the tambourine and guiro parts.
bethsnotes.com
THE BEES’ PARTY ORFF ARRANGEMENT
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Expression / Vocal Exploration / Voices (talking vs. singing)
Have some fun and say the chant in different ways:
• Speak with a British accent (if you’re American).
• Overemphasize the “t” sounds.
• Act out the lyrics by adding simple hand motions and facial expressions.
• Divide the class into 2 groups. One group is the narrator, and the other group plays the
part of Betty Botter (by speaking the words inside the quotation marks). Vary the way
Betty speaks by imagining her as:
o an old woman or a young woman
o different emotions: angry, tired, excited, etc.
• Sing/chant a combination of the melody (see below) and the chant. For instance, sing
the parts that talk about Betty, and chant the parts where she talks.
Rhythm
• Eighth notes – Play the rhythm of the chant on maracas or guiros while saying the lyrics.
• See Rhythm Parts below: Quarter notes & rests – Introduce the “yum yum” part.
(Consider saying “shh” on the rests.) Add instruments on the quarter notes (suggestion:
woodblocks or claves). You could also add instruments on the rests (suggestion:
triangles), although I realize you aren’t truly observing the rests when you play on the
rests! Instead, you could have the students feel the rests by doing a silent pulse with
their bodies (such as nodding head, tapping toe, putting out hands in an “I don’t know”
gesture, etc.).
• Add the 3rd part with a contrasting percussion instrument.
bethsnotes.com
Form: AB
• Perform the piece with contrasting A & B sections. Ideas:
o Half the class chant section A – possibly with instruments; then the other half of
the class perform section B – either 1, 2 or all 3 together. You could also have the
parts come in one at a time, such as the “yum yum” part does 2 measures, then
the “can I lick the spoon” comes in, and “bake some more” joins them after 2
more measures.
o All of the class perform both parts. On section A, students pat the beat; then on
section B, add instruments.
o All or half the class sing section A (see melody version below), while section B is
chanted. (If you wish to add xylophones to section A while singing, you could
have the students play octave A’s the whole time.)
bethsnotes.com
Betty Botter – Rhythm Parts
bethsnotes.com
Betty Botter – Melody
Melody
• So, la, mi – measures 1, 3, 5 – Add Curwen hand signs to only those measures (if you
are only focusing on mi, so, la) or to the whole song.
• Learning to Read Music (See the half-sheet below.)
o To help them understand how to read the first and second verses, play a game
where you sing the song (while they follow the song with their finger pointing
along). Stop at a random place in the song, and they have to tell you which
measure you stopped on.
o Explain the difference between a composer and a lyricist. Name the composer
(name on the right) and lyricist (name on the left).
• Steps, skips, repeats questions:
o Can you point to measure 1? Measure 2? (Explain that even though measure 2 is
not numbered, it is the measure next to measure 3.)
o Which three measures have the same melody? (ms. 1, 3, 5)
o Which measure has 4 repeated notes in a row? (ms. 4)
o Which measure has 5 notes that step down? (ms. 6)
o Which measure has “do”? (ms. 6)
o Which measures have “mi, so, la”? (measures, 1, 3, 5)
bethsnotes.com
Betty Botter - Melody
bethsnotes.com
Betty Botter - Melody
bethsnotes.com
Game
Start with an odd number of students.
Students walk around aimlessly in the circle while singing the song. On the last word,
students choose the person who is standing the closest. Whoever is left without a partner is
“out” and gets to choose another person to go “out” also.
Play continues until there is one person left.
Melody
• Mi, so (EG)
• Mi, so, la (EGA)
bethsnotes.com
Younger Version
Game
Start with an odd number of students. (If you start with an even number and everyone ends up
with a partner, you can pick one person to be “out.”)
Students march (or skip – or other locomotor movement) around aimlessly while singing the
song. On the last word, students choose the person who is standing the closest and touch
those body parts together. Whoever is left without a partner is “out” and gets to choose
another person to go “out” also.
Play continues until there is one person left.
So-Mi Version
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Notes EG
So-mi-la Version
Recorder Notes EGA
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
(Works with all versions)
bethsnotes.com
Bickle Bockle – Melody Visuals (mi, so)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Bickle Bockle – Melody Visuals (mi, so), la
bethsnotes.com
BIGI KAIMAN
Translation – Big Caiman*
Big caiman, caiman, caiman,

Big caiman jumped into the river shouting, “Beware, beware!” (repeat)
He shouted “Beware, beware!” He shouted “Beware, beware!”

Big caiman jumped into the river shouting, “Beware, beware!” (repeat)
*A caiman is similar to an alligator or crocodile.
These original lyrics are not too difficult to pronounce. You can listen to the video on this page
on my website – or copy and paste these lyrics into https://translate.google.com and press the
“listen” icon to hear someone pronounce the lyrics. If you prefer, there is a version below with a
few English lyrics to make it easier for younger students to sing.
bethsnotes.com
Bigi kaiman – Adapted - English / Sranan Tongo Lyrics
Rhythm
• Sixteenth-Eighth-Sixteenth Note Pattern – Listen for this pattern in the song. Each
time it is sung, students pat the pattern on their knees. (“tjoewe-tjoewe” or “Look out!
Look out!”)
• Dotted Quarter / Eighth – See the drum part in the Orff arrangement below.
bethsnotes.com
Bigi kaiman – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Bigi kaiman – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Lyric option - Verse 3 has the word “hove,” which is the past tense of “heave.” You could
substitute “drove.”
Harmony – Call & Response

• Students echo each phrase.
Harmony – Chords I, IV, V (G, C, D)

• This works well for practicing playing these chords on whatever instrument you are
teaching. (See the Orff arrangement below.)
• Optional: Add Boomwhackers – or just add unpitched percussion doing the rhythm of
the echo (response).
bethsnotes.com
Bill Grogan’s Goat – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody – mi, so, la
• Sing with solfege syllables (so so, la la, so so mi…) and add Curwen hand signs
• Show contour of melody by singing lyrics and putting hands on head for “la,” on
shoulders for “so” and knees for “mi”
• Another way to show contour is stand on tiptoe for “la,” stand regularly for “so” and sit
in chairs on “mi” (I like to act out the melodic contour differently on different days.)
• Play melody on pitched percussion. Sing and play in the key of C.
• Show Paper Xylophone (below), both vertically and horizontally. Vertically it shows them
the same up and down movements as their hands have been doing. Horizontally shows
them the layout of the xylophone (instead of up and down, it is left and right).
bethsnotes.com
PAPER XYLOPHONE – MI, SO, LA
la
G
so
E
mi
bethsnotes.com
Bobby Shafto – Orff Arrangement
Rhythm / Form
• Use the rhythm cards below to recognize which phrase has a different rhythm than the
other phrases (phrase 4).
• The Orff arrangement below has the guiro playing eighth notes and the triangle playing
the quarter notes. You could also divide up the rhythm of the 4 phrases like this:
Phrase 1 = woodblocks
Phrase 2 = drums
Phrase 3 = tambourines
Phrase 4 = maracas
bethsnotes.com
Bobby Shafto – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
BOOMBA
Form
• ABC - This song has 3 sections. In the Orff arrangement, the instrument parts are also
different in each section. You could have 3 groups of xylophones take turns. For
instance, one person/group plays line 1, then the next group plays line 2, and another
group plays line 3.
• Call & Response / Rhythm – Quarter, Eighth, Sixteenth-Eighth-Sixteenth
o Look at the different rhythms for “boomba” (rhythm visuals below) and “la la la la
la”. Practice each rhythm by chanting and clapping the rhythms and words.
Assign a group of students to each rhythm (students can use body percussion or
unpitched percussion instruments). Then, sing measure 1 and point to one of the
groups to perform their rhythm. Sing measure 3 and point to a different group. Do
the same with other odd measure numbers. You are singing the “Calls,” and they
are doing the “Responses” with different rhythms. For example:
bethsnotes.com
Teacher sing: Students play: Teacher sing: Students play:
Teacher sing: Students play: Teacher sing: Students play:
Range
• When possible, I prefer to use songs that don’t have notes lower than middle C to
encourage students to sing in their head voices. For Section B, consider using the
adapted melody below.
Boomba – Adapted Melody
bethsnotes.com
Boomba – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Boomba - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
BROTHER RABBIT
Melody – Low so & Low la
Rhythm
• While teaching the song, have students make a clicking sound (with tongues) or clap or
snap at the end of each phrase. See the claves / woodblock part on the Orff
arrangement below.
• Sixteenth Notes – Lead students to pat alternating hands lightly on their knees on
sixteenth notes. Feel how fast they go. As they sing the song, they will notice how many
of the lyrics go that fast also. See the maraca part in the Orff arrangement below.
Students could quickly get tired playing that many sixteenth notes. After each time
singing the song, students could trade with another student. If you’d rather have them
play eighth notes, they could play the temple block part.
bethsnotes.com
Brother Rabbit – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Original version in F
bethsnotes.com
Original version in D
bethsnotes.com
Here is a Christmas song that adds a few Spanish words. The melody has a wider range than
most young children can sing, so I have simplified it. I have also created two versions: sacred
and secular. (The sacred version most reflects the meaning of the original carol.)
Translation
Campana Sobre Campana = Bell After Bell

una = one
ventana = window
cuna = bed/crib
Belén = Bethlehem
Campanas de Belén = Bells of Bethlehem
dos = two
Dios = God
tres = three
bethsnotes.com
Campana sobre campana - Secular Version
Translation
Campana Sobre Campana = Bell After Bell

una = one
ventana = window
luna = moon
dos = two
tres = three
Below is the Orff arrangement. Some ideas:

- Play metallophones instead of xylophones
- Omit the xylophone part altogether and only have glockenspiels do the pitched percussion
- If you had a big bell or gong, play it three times before the music starts
bethsnotes.com
Campana Sobre Campana - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
CANEY MI MACARO
Translation - These words have no meaning, and since they repeat, they are simple to learn.
Form – Call & Response
Melody - Minor
Rhythm
• Steady Beat / Quarter & Eighth notes – See Orff arrangement 1 – As students learn to
echo each phrase, have them pat their knees on the steady beat. Then, add drums or
the CG bordun on xylophones or Boomwhackers.
• Syncopation – See the maracas/tambourine, claves/woodblock and soprano xylophone
parts on Orff arrangement 2. This arrangement is based off of the recording (listen to the
YouTube link on the post of this song on my website). (If you don’t like the way the
soprano xylophone part plays an “F” at the end of each measure, replace it with another
“G” or CG bordun.)
bethsnotes.com
Caney mi macaro – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Caney mi macaro – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
CAPTAIN GO SIDETRACK YOUR TRAIN
Melody – Minor
Rhythm – Syncopation, Half Rest

Harmony – Recorder Notes G, A, B
• Sing the song and ask the students how many phrases they heard (5). Sing again and ask them
to identify which phrases had the same lyrics (1, 2, 5).
• Teach this part:
• Tell students that whenever you point to them, they will sing that. Sing the song again and point
to the students on the word “train” (phrases 1, 2 & 5). (See below for how the echo parts fit with
the song.)
• After practicing that a few times, have them say, “choo choo” on “line” and “time” in the 3rd and
4th phrases (measures 5 and 6).
• If you eventually plan for students to play the echo part on recorders, Boomwhackers, or pitched
percussion instruments, have them sing it with the letters. Help students figure out that the notes
on "doo doo doo doo" start with two high notes, then go down on the third note, then back up
on the fourth note. I lead them to understand that if we start on B, the notes must be B B A B.
[Note: if you do not wish to use pitches, you can add body percussion or unpitched percussion
instruments to focus on syncopation and half rest.]
bethsnotes.com
• to add "B" on "toot toot." Then, I tell them they could add "A" if they want. Later they can add
"G".
• When you are ready to add the instruments (recorders, Boomwhackers, xylophones, or
glockenspiels), on the “choo choo” part, have some of them play B, some of them play A, and if
you want, some of them can play G. The dissonance makes it sound like a train whistle.
• Also, you can add the bordun part (See the EB xylophone part on the Orff arrangement below.)
and maracas if you wish.
bethsnotes.com
Captain Go Sidetrack Your Train – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Captain Go Sidetrack Your Train – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
The Cat’s Got the Measles – Adapted Version
bethsnotes.com
Voices: Speaking / Singing
Speak, then sing the song.
Game for Steady Beat

Children sit in a circle and pass around a stuffed cat as they sing. The child who has the
stuffed cat on the last word plays the xylophone as the students sing and play again. If you
want to give each child a turn (and don’t want it to take too long!), that child can choose one or
two other children to play also. Optional: add the instrument part “measles,” either on a pitched
percussion instrument, such as glockenspiel or recorder, playing “so-mi” (G-E) or unpitched,
such as triangle. If you don’t want to bother with F#, sing the whole song in the key of C. See
below.
The Cat’s Got the Measles – Adapted Version – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
The Cat’s Got the Measles – 4/4 Version
Rhythm - half note, quarter note & rest, eighth notes, syncopation
Introduce the other parts (see below), and identify the notes.
Meter – Compare & contrast 6/8 version and 4/4 version
Harmony - ostinati
• Use body percussion (stomp, pat, clap, or snap) as the students chant the different
parts. Divide the class in 2 or 3 parts, and put the chants together.
• Add unpitched percussion instruments. To keep the parts together, encourage students
to continue to chant the words.
bethsnotes.com
The Cat’s Got the Measles – 4/4 Version – Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
Form: Call & Response
• Teach the song by having students repeat what the teacher sings.
• Option: to help students learn the lyrics, add motions. Ideas:
o Ocean – flowing motion with right hand
o Sea – flowing motion with left hand
o Blackbird – flap pretend wings
o Me – point to self
• Once students know it, divide the class into two parts, and assign one section to sing
the call and the other to sing the response.
• Then assign only a few students to sing the call, while the rest of the class sings the
response. This prepares them for getting used to singing solos.
Melody
• Melodic contour (repeated notes, tones moving up & down)
o The melodic contour of each phrase starts with repeated notes and then either
goes up or down. Move hands in the air to reflect the melodic contour.
o See the melody visuals below and point along as you sing.
• Pentatonic (Low so & la, do, re, mi)

o Sing with Solfege & Curwen hand signs. Examples:
bethsnotes.com
o Change the last measure, and do call & response echo patterns with students.
First, demonstrate how to do it, and then have students make up their own
patterns (and the others echo). Examples:
• Pitch Matching Performance Assessment

o You can use this to assess pitch matching as each student takes turns singing
the solo part.
o Use the rubric below or another one available on the website.
• Recorder Notes – D, E, G, A, B – See the Student Copies.
Voices (Whispering, Talking, Singing, Calling / Shouting)

• Vary the type of voice that is used for the call. The students echoing must repeat that
voice. For instance, whisper the first phrase, and students whisper the response. Then
speak the second phrase, and students speak the response.
Game
• Leader (“It”) walks around the circle while singing the call, other students sing the
response. On the last word, “It” taps a student. (Person 2).
o Version 1: Person 2 becomes the next “It.”
o Version 2: Person 2 chases “It” around the circle (like Duck Duck Goose) until “It”
reaches the open space where Person 2 was sitting. Person 2 becomes the next
“It.”
Note: I don’t allow students to run while we’re playing indoors. Instead, students walk quickly
around the circle.
Rhythm / Meter – 6/8 Quarter / Eighth note pattern

• See the drum part in the Orff arrangement.
bethsnotes.com
Charlie Over the Ocean – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Charlie Over the Ocean – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Charlie Over the Ocean – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pitch Matching Performance Assessment Rubric
Name Class
4 = Exceeds expectations = Song was performed with perfect accuracy.
3 = Meets expectations = Song was performed with moderate accuracy.
2 = Approaching expectations = Song was performed with some accuracy.
1 = Area of concern = Song was spoken, not sung.
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Melody - do, re, mi
• Sing song (I swing the eighth notes). Tell students to listen for where they hear “mi, re,
do.” (Answer: “all day long”) Add Curwen hand signs and sing “Chatter with the angels
mi, re, do.”
• For Simple Orff Arrangement, ask students to pat (once) every time they hear the word
"chatter." Now tell them to add a clap on the word "soon."
• Teach students how to pantomime playing B-A-G (mi-re-do) on the xylophones.

(Xylophone visuals on the board or paper xylophones can be helpful.) Teach them how
to alternate hands on those notes: Right, Left, Right. The pat becomes the G/D bordun,
and the clap = clicking the mallet sticks together.
bethsnotes.com
Form: AABB
• After each student takes a turn playing the xylophone, sing section B while the next
student gets into place. Students pat the half note beat while singing section B. Option:
students who aren’t playing xylophones can play an unpitched percussion instrument on
the beat on Section B.
Melody - low so & low la

o Demonstrate with Curwen hand signs where low so and low la occur in the
melody.
o See below: Alto / Soprano Xylophone part plays “low la, low so, do.”
bethsnotes.com
Chatter with the Angels – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
1. Teacher says (& claps) words below in 2-beat patterns. Students echo & clap. (See visuals
below or PowerPoint on Chicken on the Fence Post page on website.)
For instance, say and clap:
(1) (4)
(2) (5)
(3) (6)
bethsnotes.com
Review quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes. Put them together in 2-beat patterns,
“ta” and clap and have students echo & clap.
2. Sing song. Listen to how fast the sixteenth notes are sung: “Chicken on the”
3. Sing again, this time substituting “do, do, do, do, do, do” for “chicken on the fence post.”
Pantomime playing a xylophone with alternating hands on the same note.
4. For “Hello, Susan Brown!”, students will play the pentatonic scale down: la, so, mi, re, do.
Students pantomime alternating hands DOWN (to the LEFT) while singing “la so mi re do.”
Show visual of the pentatonic scale and demonstrate on board.
5. Students take turns playing xylophones.
Next lesson
1. Review all information from last lesson. You could have students make up their own 2-beat
rhythm patterns. Have students take turns being the leader, and the class echoes and/or put
students in partners and have them take turns being leader and echo.
2. Teach Section B: Call & response / Question & answer. Teacher says “Fence post, fence
post?” Students respond, “Fence post, yeah!” (4 times) Students will improvise their responses
on the xylophones, using only notes from the pentatonic scale. (It helps to remove the bars that
don’t belong to F pentatonic.) On the last (4th) phrase, they need to end on “do”, which is “G”.
Explain that ending on “do” makes it feel like we are coming home.
3. Put Sections A and B together with students taking turns on xylophones.
bethsnotes.com
Chicken on the Fence Post - Xylophone part
bethsnotes.com
Chicken on the Fence Post – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Chicken on the Fence Post - Pentatonic Xylophone: Letters
bethsnotes.com
Chicken on the Fence Post - Pentatonic Xylophone: Solfege Syllables
bethsnotes.com
Chicken on the Fence Post - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
CHRISTMAS BELLS
This is a simple song you can teach in one class period.
Lyrics – These lyrics are secular, but if you don’t want to sing about Christmas, consider
changing the lyrics to:
Festive bells, festive bells ring out clear!
Each one tells party time is here!
Christmas Bells – Adapted (Round)
Harmony – round or each part could be played on instruments as ostinati. See the Student
Copies below.
Melody – descending pentascale (so, fa, mi, re, do)
bethsnotes.com
Christmas Bells – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Christmas Bells – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
CHRISTMAS BELLS (RING)
Meter in 3
Lyrics
• If you wish you remove “Christmas” from the lyrics, instead of “for Christmas is here,”
you could substitute:
o “the holiday’s here.”
o “vacation is here.”
• Another idea is to change the lyrics of the last four measures to:
o “And we are all singing we’re glad to be here.”
Harmony
• Round
• Ostinati – See Orff arrangement below.
bethsnotes.com
Christmas Bells (ring) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
Meaning
The British "halfpenny" was known as "ha'penny" (pronounced HAY-penny / heɪpni), minted
between 1672 and 1967. (source: Wikipedia)
Harmony – Round
Orff arrangement (below)

• The xylophone part could be played by one xylophone playing the low, then high
borduns (open fifths). Or bass xylophones could play the low parts, while alto or soprano
xylophones could play the high parts. Or, to simplify the part, just have the xylophone
part play the same CG part the whole time.
• The triangle part could also be played by octave glockenspiels on G’s.
bethsnotes.com
Christmas is Coming – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
The original chant is on my website. I have added two rhythmic ostinati. Chant and add body
percussion and/or rhythm instruments.
Christopher Columbus – so-mi with Simple Orff Arrangement

Tempo – Fast & Slow | Steady Beat
• Start by singing the song slowly and gradually sing faster and faster while students pat
the steady beat.
Circle Game - Students sit cross-legged in a circle. On each measure, do the following
motions on each beat:
• Beat 1 – Pat own knees
• Beat 2 – Clap
• Beat 3 – Pat own knees
• Beat 4 - Pat left hand on right knee, right hand on (left) knee of person to the right
Variation 1 - Students sit in a circle, each person with one rhythm stick in front of him/her.
• Beat 1 - Pat own knees
• Beat 2 - Clap (Simpler version: do another pat)
• Beat 3 - Pickup stick with right hand
• Beat 4 - Place stick in front of the person to the right
• Beats 1, 2, 3 – With right hand, tap stick on the floor in front of each person 3 times
bethsnotes.com
• Beat 1 – Place stick in front of the person to the right
• Beat 2 – Pick up stick (which was placed in front of each person)
• Beat 4 – Pick up stick (which was placed in front of each person)
Names
• Add 3-syllable student names
• Add 2-syllable student names with “Hi ______,” such as “Hi Susie…”
• Add 1-syllable student names with “Hello ________,” such as “Hello Jack.”
Instruments – When a student’s name is being sung, that person gets to play the steady beat
on an instrument. The students could play the xylophone part in the Orff arrangement below, or
if you don’t want the students to change chords, the students could play the steady beat on
octave G’s throughout the whole song.
bethsnotes.com
Beat vs. Rhythm - Students sit in a circle and pass around a drum. Each student says his/her
name and taps out the rhythm of the name. Students echo and put on their fingers how many
syllables they hear. When we find a student with a 3-syllable name, we start to sing
"Chumbara" song with that person's name sung over and over. Students pat the beat while
singing.
Melody
• High & Low / Up & Down
o Students learn to sing the song and move their hands in the air to follow the ups,
downs and repeats of the melody. Add scarves on another day. Another time they
can add large motor movement to demonstrate the curve of the melody. End by
leaping up in the air on the penultimate note!
o Have students play along with the last measure: low C, high C, low C – with
xylophones, tone bells, Boomwhackers, etc.
• Major Scale – If you sing it very slowly, you could have xylophones or glockenspiels
play the descending major scale in measure four.
Diction – Have students enunciate clearly, especially singing strong consonants.
bethsnotes.com
Chumbara – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dance Steps – Partners stand across from each other.
Measure 1 – 2: 3 steps forward, clap (high five) with partner:
Measure 3 – 4: 3 steps back, clap own hands
bethsnotes.com
Measures 5 – 8: 7 steps forward, pass partner, end up in the same spot where partner
had been standing (they change places), clap own hands
Measures 9-10: Head couple hold hands facing each other, side-gallop together down
the middle between the two lines while everyone else claps
Measures 11-12: Head couple side-gallop together back up (to where they started) while
everyone else claps
Measures 13-14: Repeat measures 9-10

Measures 15-16: Head couple drop hands and take their places at the end of each line
while other students all take a step toward the front of the room
Sing again with a new head couple.

bethsnotes.com
Cindy – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Cindy – Student Recorder Copies
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
Idea - Put xylophones on the floor in a circle equidistant from each other. Some students sit
behind the xylophones, others sit in the circle between the instruments. During the Interlude
("la la la"), students scoot to the right, and new students get behind the xylophones. Repeat
song until everyone has had a turn. (While students are not playing the beat on the xylophone,
they either pat their knees or pantomime playing the xylophone.)
Idea - Play the recorder on the Interlude while students continue to move to the beat.
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – whole notes, half notes, eighth / dotted quarter note patterns
Melody
• steps, skips & repeats
• pentatonic
• Recorder notes D,E,G,A,B,D’ – I adapted the melody slightly (omitted the high E).
Sign language – I have enjoyed having students use sign language on certain words. You can
look up “American sign language” or the sign language for your country and, in many cases,
see videos that help you to understand the signs. I have used signs for these words (see links
on my webpage):
• come, go with, me, to, land
• where, I, destiny (bound)
• no (as in "no more"), suffering, in
• peace, freedom
bethsnotes.com
Come and Go with Me to that Land – Orff Arrangement – in F
bethsnotes.com
Come and Go with Me to that Land – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Come and Go with Me to that Land – Orff Arrangement – in G
bethsnotes.com
Cotton Eyed Joe – Version 1
Cotton Eyed Joe – Version 2
bethsnotes.com
Cotton Eyed Joe - Version 2 Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
CROCODILE SONG
Lyrics
• Sometimes it’s fun to sing a silly song, just for the joy of singing! When you first
introduce this song, sing the song up until the word “smile” in measure 12. Ask students
to listen closely to the story and guess what the ending is.
Rhythm
• Dotted Eighth / Sixteenth Note Patterns – Identify where they are in the song. Then
add drum part (see Orff arrangement below).
• Syncopation - Identify what measure it occurs in the song. Then add tambourine part
(see Orff arrangement below).
bethsnotes.com
Crocodile Song – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
CROCODILE SONG (CANADA)
Here’s another silly song about a crocodile.
Melody
• Ascending pentascale (do, re, mi, fa, so)
• Low so – The xylophone part (in the Orff arrangement below) emphasizes low so.
Meter in 6/8
bethsnotes.com
Crocodile Song (Canada) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
DAYENU
Info
• This upbeat song is over a thousand years old and is traditionally sung at Passover.
There are a total of 15 verses. The word "Dayenu" means approximately, "it would have
been enough for us." The song is about being grateful to God.
bethsnotes.com
Translation (These lyrics can also be sung to the tune. Just sing “Dayenu” in the last line.)
1. Had he brought us out of Egypt,

Only brought us out of Egypt,
Had he brought us out of Egypt,
It would have been enough.
2. Had he given us the Torah,

Only given us the Torah,
Had he given us the Torah,
3. Had he given us the Sabbath,

Only given us the Sabbath,
Had he given us the Sabbath,
Rhythm
• Syncopation – Find the syncopated part (eighth-quarter-eighth) in most of the measures
of the refrain. Lightly clap the syncopated rhythm each time you sing it. Option: Sing
“syn-co-pa” on those parts.
• Eighth rests – Add the tambourine part on the off-beats (see Orff arrangement below). It
might be helpful to encourage students to lightly tap their foot on the beat and play on
the eighth notes in-between the beats.
Form – ABA
• You could only teach Section A (the refrain) with the instrument parts, or you could just
play instruments on A and keep them simple (or sing a cappella) on B - or teach all of
the instrument parts. Different students could be assigned to A and B.
Melody
• mi, re, do – Ask students to listen for where they hear “mi-re-do” (last measure). As they
sing, instead of singing “Dayenu,” they can sing “mi-re-do” and use Curwen hand signs.
• high & low do – Find and sing the high & low do in the song. Play on instruments.
• do & low so – See the Bass Bars part of the Orff arrangement. This can be played by
xylophones instead of the xylophone part. Students can sing “do do so so” as they play.
Or assign a partner to each instrument player to “conduct” and speak or sing the
syllables as they play.
• Recorder notes D,E,G,C’ – See Student Copies (below). Recorder is played in Section
A only.
bethsnotes.com
Dayenu – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dayenu – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Dayenu - Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dayenu - Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Form – Call and Response
Rhythm – Syncopation
Melody – On measures 10 & 14 (last syllable of “banana”), the original melody has a low G.
I recommend students sing a D above middle C instead, since the low G is too low for the
students to sing with their head voices.
The Orff arrangement has a two drum parts. One is simpler to play than the other.
bethsnotes.com
Day-O – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Day-O – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Discussion
• Mention with the students how the lyrics: “Tops and skates and sleds for sliding, Jolly
hobby horse for riding,” might not accurately reflect what is on their Christmas list! Here
are some ideas (but they don’t have to rhyme):
o Dolls and bikes and Star Wars toys, Legos, games with lots of noise…
o Books and games and action figures, Family, friends and turkey dinners…
o Scooters, Barbies, playing cards, DVDs and Matchbox cars
bethsnotes.com
Dear Old Santa Claus – Instrument Parts
bethsnotes.com
Dear Old Santa Claus – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
DIDDLE DIDDLE DUMPLING
Rhythm: sixteenth notes

• Teach chant, pat the rhythm with alternating hands. Ask where they hear the fast notes \
sixteenth notes (on the words “diddle diddle”). (See rhythm cards.)
Melody: Major Scale
• Add body percussion.
bethsnotes.com
• Teach / review what a major scale is. Sing a major scale up and down with Curwen hand
signs.
• Sing major scale down again, this time singing each note three times. (“do do do, ti ti ti,
la la la,” etc.) Pantomime that pattern in the air with pretend xylophone mallets,
alternating hands.
• Form: ABC
o A: Chant rhyme
o B: Play major scale pattern on xylophones
o C: Put rhyme and major scale together
bethsnotes.com
Diddle Diddle Dumpling – Rhythm Visuals (sixteenth notes)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Diddle Diddle Dumpling – mi, so, la version
Melody: mi, so, la
Rhythm: half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes

• As you teach the song, have students lightly tap the quarter note beat on their knees.
• Have student raise their hands whenever they hear the longer notes (half notes). Lead
them to recognize there is a half note at the end of each phrase. (Option: add triangles
to each half note.)
• As they learn to sing it, they recognize the faster notes (eighth notes) as “diddle diddle,”
and they rub their hands together as they sing that part. (Option: add maracas to eighth
notes.) They might also recognize the eighth notes in the 3rd measure.
• The Orff arrangement below has the students play eighth notes (they can quietly chant
“diddle diddle” while playing) whenever the melody sings a half note.
bethsnotes.com
Diddle Diddle Dumpling – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Diddle Diddle Dumpling – Rhythm Visuals (eighth notes)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
An online dictionary gives the definition of "barney" as:
1. a. an argument.
b. a prizefight.
c. a fight or brawl.
d. a blunder or mistake.
2. a small locomotive used in mining and logging.
1b? 2? Your guess is as good as mine!
Use with beginning recorders on A and B. I like repeating the last phrase several times, getting
softer each time: "He rocked just like a cradle, he rocked just like a cradle..."
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in C
Song in D
bethsnotes.com
Voices – Singing & Talking - Think about how many nursery rhymes like this one can be
adjusted to emphasize the difference between the different voices (singing, talking,
whispering).
“Doctor Foster went to Gloster” – Stomp back and forth 4x

“In a shower of rain” – Hands up to the sky, looking up – (For fun, spray a fine-mist
sprayer into the air.)
“Stepped in a puddle” – Jump in place with 2 feet
“Right up to his middle” – Touch middle of body
“Never went there again” – Shake head from side to side
Rhythm – Steady Beat - To emphasize steady beat, keep a pulse in hands and arms during
the above motions.
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Countermelody
Melody / Harmony – Recorder Countermelody – Notes E,G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Form: Call & Response
Rhythm
• Long sounds / half notes
o Introduce the song and ask the students to identify the long words (half notes) in
the song.
o Add triangles on the half notes (See Orff arrangement 1).
• Long & short sounds
o Play a triangle and ask if the sound is long or short (long). Shake a maraca (or
play a woodblock) and ask if the sound is long or short (short).
o See the triangle and maraca parts in Orff arrangement 2.
Melody
• mi, so, la
o Sing with Solfege and Curwen hand signs.
• mi, so
o This song is easily adaptable to mi, so. Change the “la” notes to “mi.” See below.
o Sing with Solfege and Curwen hand signs.
• Recorder Notes E, G, A
o See Student Copies below.
o Have all students play the beginning. Then the “Call” can be played by one
student, and the “Response” played by the rest of the class.
• Pitch Matching Performance Assessment
o You can use this to assess pitch matching as each student takes turns singing
the solo part.
o Use the rubric above or another one available on the website.
bethsnotes.com
Game
• One student plays the “Doggie” and sits in a chair facing away from the rest of the
students. As the students sing the song (usually twice), the teacher (or another student)
hands a dog bone* to a student, who hides it in their lap. All other students pretend to
hide the bone also. Student in chair turns around and gets 3 guesses to figure out who
has the bone.
o Option 1 – The person who has the bone in their lap becomes the new “Doggie.”
o Option 2 – (to give more students the chance to play) Whether they guess
correctly or not, the teacher chooses a new “Doggie” and a different person to
hold the bone.
*For a bone, you could laminate the melody visual (below) or buy a rawhide or rubber dog
bone.
Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone – mi, so
bethsnotes.com
Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone – Orff Arrangement 1
Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Doggie Doggie Where’s Your Bone – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Translation – Grant us peace
Harmony – round
Meter in 3
Rhythm – dotted half notes
bethsnotes.com
Dona Nobis Pacem – Orff
bethsnotes.com
Voices - Speaking vs. singing voice
• Teach chant first. Add melody, move hand up and down to the melodic contour.
Harmony – Round
• Once students know the song, divide the students into 2 or 3 groups and add
instruments – see Orff arrangement.
bethsnotes.com
Donkey Donkey Old and Gray – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Original Version
Range – See the adapted version below: I changed the melody slightly so students don’t have
to sing high “E’s.” I also don’t like having kids sing in their chest voices (below middle C). I
pitched it in C, but would probably have older students sing it in D or Db. Younger students are
most comfortable with singing between middle C (C4) and the octave above it (C5).
Meter – Try chanting or singing the song in different meters (see below). Use the Meter: Add
Barlines worksheet to have students add barlines.
Harmony
• Countermelody - Recorder Notes G, C’ (key of C) and A, D’ (key of D) – emulates “hee
haw hee”
• Orff arrangement – The guiro part emulates peeling a carrot.
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Adapted Version (in C)
Donkeys and Carrots – Adapted Version (in D)
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Orff Arrangement in C
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Orff Arrangement in D
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Student Copies in C
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Student Copies in D
bethsnotes.com
Donkeys and Carrots – Different Meters
bethsnotes.com
Meter: Add Barlines
Name Class
Directions: Add barlines to divide the following rhythms into measures to reflect the time
signature. Add a double barline at the end of each example.
qqqqqqqqqqqqqqh
h h h h qqqqqqh
h qh qh qh qh qh qh qd
d d d d h qh qh qd
qqh qqqh q qqh q qqd

h d h d qqh q qqd
bethsnotes.com
This is such a fun song!
Solo singing / lyric improvisation / rhyming:

Have one student lead the song, singing each phrase with the rest of the students echoing
after each phrase. On the phrase “Did you ever see a…” the leader sings his/her own version
using rhyming words (the sillier, the better), and the class all sings the last phrase (“down by
the bay”) in unison.
Other variations:
o Work with the entire class to think of ideas for new verses.
o Have students work in pairs or small groups to think of new verses.
o Have students illustrate their new verses.
o The verses all use animals or insects. You could limit new verses to one-syllable
animals and insects – or open up the options to any nouns and any number of
syllables (i.e. “Did you ever see a tree leaning on his knee”). You might also give ideas
for verbs and stipulate that no violence be used. J Students might benefit from
seeing a list of one-syllable animals. Here are some: hen, goat, flea, goose, doe, deer,
mouse, rat, bat, toad, moose, sheep, crow, ant, cow, frog, eel, fish, snail, ram, owl,
pig, hare, bee, cat, dog
bethsnotes.com
Down by the Bay – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• Recorder notes D,E,G,B
• Recorder notes G,A,B (See the adapted version below.)
bethsnotes.com
Down Came a Lady – Student Copies (Recorder Notes D,E,G,B)
bethsnotes.com
Down Came a Lady – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Down Came a Lady – G, A, B Version
Down Came a Lady – G, A, B Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Chords I & V (G & D)
Meter in 3
Rhythm – Dotted Half Note, Ties
• Sing the song. Have the students pat on the strong beats (beat 1 of each measure).
Then sing it again, and ask students to figure out how many beats are in between each
strong beat. Help them understand that the meter (time signature) is in 3 (triple meter).
• Have the students raise their hands whenever they hear the long notes.
o If you do not wish to teach ties, you can sing the version below, where each long
note is a dotted half note. Have students count how many beats you hold each
long note (3). Introduce the dotted half note.
o If you wish to teach ties, sing each note as 5 or 6 beats long. (You could sing all
of the dotted half notes tied to half notes (5 beats) or tied to dotted half notes –
like the last one in the song (6 beats) – or mix it up as written above). You could
explain that the ties in most of the song allow for one beat for taking a breath
before the next phrase.
Melody – Recorder Notes D,G,A,B,D’ / Harmony – Recorder Duet – See the Orff
arrangement and Student Copies.
bethsnotes.com
Version 2 (with No Ties)
bethsnotes.com
Down in the Valley – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Down in the Valley – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Down in the Valley (Version 1 with ties) – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Down in the Valley (Version 2 without ties) – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
DOWN THE RIVER (DOWN THE OHIO)
Harmony – Recorder countermelody (see Orff arrangement below) with notes G,A,B,D’
Rhythm / Meter in 6/8 – Practice 6/8 rhythm patterns by layering the ostinati (see below) with
body percussion and/or unpitched percussion instruments. (See also the rhythm visuals.)
Dance / Play-Party Game – Students stand in two lines with partners facing each other.
• Measures 1-2 - step forward three steps on dotted quarter note beat, then clap hands
twice with partner on measure 2, beats 3 & 4 (words “is deep”)
• Measures 3-4 – step back three steps, clap own hands twice on measure 4, beats 3 & 4
• Measures 5-8 – step forward 7 steps, passing partner’s right shoulder and switching
places with partner. Clap own hands twice on measure 8, beats 3 & 4
• Refrain: Measures 9-12 - first couple sashays down the alley, others clap on beat
• Measures 13-16 – second couple sashays down the alley
Variation: first couple goes down the alley in the method they wish (crawl, walk backwards,
skip, etc.) Second couple must copy.
bethsnotes.com
Down the River - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Down the River - Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
Down the River – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Steady Beat
• As you teach this song, have students pat the steady beat.
• Students step in place to the steady beat and hop on the lyrics, “hop hop hop.”
Circle Dance
• Formation: Students stand in a circle.
• Measure 1 = Students take 4 small steps back (making the circle slightly larger and
students farther apart from each other).
• Measure 2 = Hop 3 times.
• Measure 3 = Students walk to the left 4 times.
• Measure 4 = Students walk to the right 4 times.
• Measure 5 = Students take 4 small steps forward (toward the center of the circle, which
brings them back to the original formation).
• Measure 6 = Hop 3 times.
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• mi-re-do
o Ask the students to listen to where they hear “mi-re-do” in the song (measures 2
& 6).
o Sing the song and substitute the words “hop hop hop” for “mi, re, do.” Add
Curwen hand signs.
o Add instruments such as xylophones, glockenspiels or Boomwhackers on those
notes. See the song in C below.
• so-mi-do
o This pattern is found in measures 3 and 4. See the Orff arrangement below. Add
instruments such as xylophones, glockenspiels or Boomwhackers on those
notes.
• Steps & skips
o Compare the differences between the mi-re-do and so-mi-do patterns. Have
students practice playing those patterns.
Down to the Baker’s Shop – in C
bethsnotes.com
Down to the Baker’s Shop – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in Dm
bethsnotes.com
Song in Em
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Original Version
Song in Dm
bethsnotes.com
Song in Cm
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 1 - Sleepy Sailor / Rose Rose
(This version combines ideas from the original song and a similar song with a different melody
called Rose, Rose and Up She Rises.)
Tempo – Fast / Slow / Rhythm – Steady Beat

• After students have learned the song, ask them if sleepy people would most likely sing
the song with a fast or slow tempo (slow). Then, once they wake up, would they sing
faster?
• Pat on the steady beat: Slow for Verse 1 and Fast for Verse 2. As students learn the
song, have them add rhythm sticks on the steady beat.
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 2
Ideas
• Welcome the students as they walk into class or make it more personal as you high five
or shake hands with the students. You could also substitute each student’s name for
“students.”
• Students can walk around the classroom singing and waving at each other. When they
get to the lyrics, “Welcome now…” they stop and shake the hand of the person nearest
them. To make sure no one is left out, students can shake both hands with two people.
• Sing these lyrics when students leave, “Have a nice day, see you later… when you come
to music class.”
• Sing the following instructions (or any instructions you wish!) to ask students to move
around the room:
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version (Welcome Students) – Orff Arrangement
Rhythm – Sixteenth Notes – I re-notated this song so sixteenth notes can be emphasized and
practiced. (See the Rhythm Visuals below.)
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version (Welcome Students) – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Info - This song is based on the Bible story of the prophet Ezekiel, who saw a valley of bones
and asked God to breathe on the bones and bring them back to life.
bethsnotes.com
Tempo, Dynamics, Expression, Drama
Dry Bones Dramatic Reading
Either the teacher reads this story, or you could turn it in to speaking parts for the students:
“The Lord set Ezekiel down in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones!”
[Several students with rhythm sticks: begin to click them together in a random rhythm pattern
(some play slowly, some play quickly, not coordinated, just random clicking sounds)]
“And as Ezekiel walked around them, he could see they were very dry!”
[Sing slowly, as if walking around looking in awe (Add piano, guitar or xylophone
accompaniment; give a 2-measure intro before singers start)]
“Then God said to Ezekiel:”

[God sound effect options: Play a gong, thunder tube or wind chimes – or shake a large poster
board.]
“Son of man, can these bones live?”

[Speak in a deep voice, possibly in a paper megaphone or hands cupping mouth like a
megaphone; rhythm sticks: click them together in a random rhythm pattern]
“And Ezekiel said, O Lord God, only you know!”

And God said: [God sound effects]
“Son of man, prophesy* to these bones and tell them to live!” [deep voice]
“So then…..”
*pronounced “prah-feh-sīgh” when it’s a verb
bethsnotes.com
Sing: [slightly faster than before]
“And behold, there came a rattling.”
[Rhythm sticks: click them together in a random rhythm pattern, which then becomes organized
into a quarter note clicking as the song is sung again. Consider adding claves and woodblocks as
the rattling becomes louder and more organized. Sing again: (slightly faster than before)]
“And as Ezekiel watched, he saw muscles and skin attach to the bones. But there was no
breath in them. And God said: [God sound effects]
“Son of man, prophesy to the breath and say, ‘Come from the four winds, oh breath, and make
these bodies breathe again!” [deep voice]
“So then…..”
bethsnotes.com
[Wind sound effect options: Play chimes or wave poster board (if not used for the God sound effect) or
add up and down glissandos on glockenspiels or make “swooshing” sound with mouths. Continue the
wind sound effects as the song is sung again.]
“And one by one, the bones came alive and started to stand up!”
And God said, [God sound effects]
“And this is what I will do with ALL the people. I will put my Spirit in them, and they will live.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken and I will do it!” [deep voice]
[Sing whole song. Here is an arrangement for your older students.]
Lyrics – Optional Changes

• “Now hear the word of the Lord” is replaced by “Them noisy dry bones.”
• “Them bones, them bones, them dancing bones…doing the skeleton dance.”
• “Dem bones, dem skeleton dry bones…let’s shake dem skeleton bones.”
• Change the bones in Section B and sing whatever parts of the body you want to sing.
You could sing as many parts of the body you want if you stay in the same key the
whole song (then if you have tons of body parts, your melody won’t get too high!).
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement Notes
• Depending on how many different kinds of wooden instruments you have, consider
having the “claves/woodblock/sticks” part (steady beat) being played on different
instruments for each different section. For instance, Section A, the rhythm sticks play.
Section B, the woodblocks play. Section C, the claves play.
• The xylophone clicks the mallet sticks together on Section B, since most xylophones
don’t have all of the chromatic bars.
• If your glockenspiels have chromatic bars, they can play Section B. If not, consider
adding the maracas on Section B to fill in the sound. (You could play the glockenspiel
part on the keyboard.)
• The maracas could come in on Section C only – to add to the celebratory feel of the
“dance party” at the end.
• The countermelody is a slight nod to the Hallelujah Chorus. A group of students could
sing this with the main melody – or if your students have trouble singing two parts at
once, you could tack on the countermelody as a coda (at the end) with everyone singing
that part as the instruments continue to play.
• The maracas and claves/woodblock/sticks parts are simple enough for your younger
students to play.
• For Sections A and C you could add bass bars to play the chords (only 2 chords: I and
V). For simplification, the D/A in Section A could be played with an accompaniment of
either chords D or A. If you play a D, it would be good to play an A on the 3rd beat in
that measure. The same is true for A/E in Section C.
• Form (ABC) is easy to teach since the instrumentation in each section is mostly
different. (Changing the type of claves/woodblock/sticks each section will help.)
Changing motions for each section helps also. Ask, “Which two sections are most
alike?” (A & C)
• Rhythm - Syncopation - You can also point out the contrast between the rhythm and
the beat. Have students go back and forth between playing the rhythm of the lyrics and
the steady quarter note beat to feel the difference.
This song can be sung with all ages! The younger students can keep the beat on rhythm sticks.
Either sing it a cappella or accompany them on the guitar or piano. If you can’t play all of those
chords in Section B, then just play the basic melody as it goes up the chromatic scale and
return to chords in Section C.
Extension Ideas
• After Section C you could repeat Section B, but go down from the head to the toe. Then
for a “cool down” back in the key of D, you could sing, “These bones… gonna lie down.”
• For the younger ones, they could act out the story. First, they begin with lying
motionless on the floor. During Section B, they wiggle each body part as it is sung. Then
when they get to the “head bone,” they stand up and start the “dance party” (Section C).
The movements can be stilted like a skeleton at first and gradually become more fluid as
they dance. Repeat Section C for an extended dance party.
bethsnotes.com
Dry Bones – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
DUCKS IN THE MILLPOND
Melody
• Pentatonic
• Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B,D’
• Low so & low la
Rhythm – Half notes

• See measures 9, 12, 13 and 16. As students learn the song, have them identify where
the longer-sounding notes occur. They can raise their hands every time they hear the
half notes – or add triangles on each half note.
• Also see the Orff arrangement below for the triangle and tambourine (shaking) parts.
• Measure 7 of the above version
• Measures 1, 3, 5 & 7 of the Orff arrangement version
bethsnotes.com
Ducks in the Millpond – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Ducks in the Millpond – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Ducks in the Millpond – Different Version – Key of F
bethsnotes.com
Translation – Sleep my treasure
Sleep, my treasure.
Sleep, my good one.
That the angels
Look at you also.
Rhythm – Steady Beat, Half, Quarter, Eighth Notes, Ties

• See the following handouts. (Rhythm is notated in 4/4 time.)
o Start by showing lines for the steady beats.
o Students find long sounds (half notes). Tie beats together.
o Students find eighth notes.
o Add note heads to eighth, quarter notes and half notes.
Melody - mi, so, la

• See the Melody (Solfege) handout – students can sing the Solfege and use Curwen hand
signs.
• If you want to show a similar sequence as the rhythm lesson above, you can show the
Melody 1 handout (or use the visuals). Point along while singing. Have students
recognize when the melody goes up or down. See the handout / visuals with the correct
melody.
• Recorder notes (in C): E,G,A
• Recorder notes (in F): A,C,D’
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – English version
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Steady Beat
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Rhythm 1
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Melody (Solfege)
so so mi mi so mi
so so la la so
so so mi mi so mi
so so la la so
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Melody 1
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Melody 2
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Student Copies (in C)
bethsnotes.com
Duerme mi tesoro – Student Copies (in F)
bethsnotes.com
Practice the difference between talking voice and singing voice. We want students to imitate,
identify and produce the difference between talking and singing voices.
• This song is pitched in the higher part of a child’s typical range for a reason (instead of
Cm or Dm). We want to make a big difference between the singing and talking voices.
Students can place their hands on their foreheads and cheeks and feel the vibrations
when they sing in their higher head voices. The chest voice produces the talking voice
and mostly vibrates in the chest.
• These Spanish words are easy to pronounce:

o Dulce = dool’-seh
o Mamá = mah-mah’
o Chiquicha = chee-kee-chah
• The Spanish word dulce means sweet. Tell the students to use their “sweet” singing voices.
• On “chiquicha” add unpitched instruments. Explain the difference between pitched and
unpitched instruments. That is similar to our singing and talking voices.
• Demonstrate the melody on a pitched percussion instrument (xylophone, glockenspiel) –

and if you don’t have an Ab or Bb on your instrument, play it in A minor for
demonstration purposes.
Recorder Notes E, F#, G, A, B
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dulce Dulce - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
EARLY TO BED
Version 1
Lyrics
• Benjamin Franklin quoted this in his Poor Richard’s Almanack in 1732. However, a
version of this saying has been found in print as far back as 1496. Consider updating the
lyrics to “someone” instead of “a man.”
• Discuss with students: Do you agree it is important to wake up early? What can be some
benefits in waking up early? Why might you not want to wake up early? Discuss the
saying, “The early bird catches the worm.” Does it mean the same thing?
Rhythm – Dotted Half note
Melody
• Do-mi-so / Harmony - Duet – See the second tune (duet) with the Orff arrangement
below.
• Pentatonic – See the adapted version (in C).
Form – AB / ABA (See below) – Perform (either sing or chant):

• A – Early to bed and early to rise…
• B – The early bird catches the worm…
Students decide if they prefer AB or ABA.
Meter in 3 vs. Meter in 4

• See the chants below. Chant Early to Bed in 3 and in 4, stressing (and clapping or
patting) the downbeat.
Harmony – ostinato
• See the rhythm parts below. Break the class into three sections. Each section chant one
of the parts. Add body percussion or instruments.
bethsnotes.com
Early to Bed – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Early to Bed – Chant in 3
Early to Bed – Chant in 4
bethsnotes.com
Early to Bed – Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
Harmony – round
Rhythm – Dotted Quarter / eighth note pattern

• Listen and practice the difference between “early to bed” and “early to rise.” See the
rhythm visuals below.
bethsnotes.com
Early to Bed – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Early to Bed – Adapted Version in C
Melody – Pentatonic
• Teach this version of the song for introducing the pentatonic scale. The first 4 measures
use only mi, so and la. Then the last 4 measures go up and back down the pentatonic
scale.
• Teach the song, reviewing the tones mi, so and la. Use hand gestures and Curwen hand
signs to go up and down with the melodic contour. Also, as you repeat the song, point
to different visuals such as Curwen hand sign visuals, the Solfege syllables, a paper
xylophone, then a real xylophone, etc.
• As you sing the last 4 measures several times, show how the pentatonic scale uses
most of the tones of the major scale (C to C’), but skips two tones (fa and ti).
• As students grow comfortable singing the song, have them sing with Solfege syllables,
then practice on paper xylophones, then play the melody on real xylophones.
bethsnotes.com
EH SOOM BOO KAWAYA
I have not been able to find a translation to this song.
Eh Soom Boo Kayawa – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Eh Soom Boo Kawaya – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
EL FLORÓN
Translation - The flower
The big flower is in the hand

And in the hand is the flower.
Guess who has it
Or it remains a seedling.
Games
• Version 1 - Formation: Students sit in a circle with their hands behind their backs.
Students sing the song with their eyes closed while "It" walks behind the circle and
places a flower in one student's hands. Whoever can guess who has the flower is the
next "It."
• Version 2 (passing game) - Formation: Students sit in a circle with each person's left
hand holding the right wrist of the person to the left of them. On the steady beat,
students pass a small object (such as a thimble) to the left, from one right hand to the
next person's right hand.
• Version 3 - Formation: Students sit in a circle or line holding their hands out in front of
them with palms almost touching. "It" has a small object clasped between the palms.
"It" passes their hands between the hands of each student, dropping the small object in
one person's hands without being seen. "It" continues to pass their hands between the
other students' hands until the song ends. That final person must guess who has the
small object and then becomes the next "It."
bethsnotes.com
El florón – English version
Melody - Pentatonic
Rhythm
• Steady Beat – See Version 2 of the game above.
• Half, Quarter, Eighth Notes / Quarter Rest - See the Orff arrangement below. Add
triangles on half notes, maracas on eighth notes, claves or woodblocks on quarter
notes, and xylophones with the quarter note and quarter rest.
bethsnotes.com
El florón – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Meter – Duple vs. Triple
Hand-Clapping – Version 1
Here is the description of the clapping patterns I read in a book. See below for my version.
Formation: Two children clapping against each other

• Phrases 1 & 2: Students alternate clapping (each other's hands) between clenched and
open palms.
• Phrases 3 & 4: Students cross arms against their shoulders one at a time.
• Ending: "Pat-a-cake" motions
(source of motions: Opie, The Singing Game, 1985)
bethsnotes.com
Hand Clapping – Version 2
Partners facing each other (If you have an uneven number of students, you could have one
group of 3)
• Pick up notes: Clap (own hands) twice
• Measure 1
o Beat 1 – High five partner’s hands
o Beat 2 – Clap
o Beat 3 – Fist bump partner’s fists (optional easier version: high five again)
o Beat 4 – Clap
• Measures 2 & 3 – Repeat measure 1
• Measure 4 – Clap once
• Measure 5
o Beat 1 – Right hand cross over chest, touch left shoulder
o Beat 2 – Left hand cross over chest, touch right shoulder
o Beat 3 – Clap
• Measures 6 & 7 – Repeat measure 5
• Measure 8 – Clap once
To emphasize the difference between the meter in 4 and the meter in 3, practice the hand
motions while counting: 1,2,3,4 and 1,2,3.
Orff arrangement – You could also add the tambourine part to emphasize the difference
between the meter in 3 and 4.
bethsnotes.com
Em Pom Pee – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Em Pom Pee – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• Review long note / whole note.
• Play the whole notes on triangles or tone bells/resonator bells on G,B and/or D.
Ezekiel - Melody BAG Version: Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Ezekiel / Good News Duet
(I changed the “A” to a “B” in the 3rd full measure of “Good News.”)
bethsnotes.com
Ezekiel / Good News Duet - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
FAIS DODO, COLAS MON P’TIT FRÈRE
Song in D
Translation
Refrain
Go to sleep, Colas, my little brother
Go to sleep, tomorrow you’ll have milk
1.Mama is upstairs
Making a cake
Papa is downstairs
Making chocolate Refrain
2. The angles on high

Are making a beautiful castle
For the little brother
Who sleeps so well Refrain
3. The sweet little birds

Have a new tune
For the little brother
Who sleeps so well Refrain
bethsnotes.com 0
English version
Meter in 3
Rhythm – Dotted Half, Half, Quarter notes
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Recorder notes GABCD’
Glockenspiel / Recorder Countermelody – notes GABD’
Recorder notes GAB – Only use Section A (see Student Copies below).
Form AABA
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frère – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frère – Student Copies – Recorder Notes GABCD’
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frère – Student Copies – Recorder Notes GAB
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frere – Duple vs. Triple Meter
Triple Meter
• Here are the rhythms that are included in this song. (Phrases 1 and 3 are the same.)
• If the song were in 2/4, it might sound like this:
Duple Meter
• Practice these rhythms also and notice the difference. Which one sounds more like a
lullaby? Which one is easier to play/sing?
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frere – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Fais dodo Colas mon p'tit frere – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Movement / Rhythm – Steady Beat
• Each time a body part is sung, move the body part to the beat while singing the next
verse. Each movement is added to the next movement until both arms, legs, head
nodding, and turning around are all happening at the same time. On the words, “Sit
down,” everyone sit.
• Variation – Instead of singing “right arm” or “left arm,” sing the name of a percussion
instrument. That percussion instrument plays during the next verse. The xylophone part
could be added first (see below).
Rhythm – Rests
• Add triangle on the rests (see below).
bethsnotes.com
Father Abraham – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Melodic Contour / High & Low / Same & Different / do, mi, so, low so & la
• Teach the song. Have students count how many times the question, “Who’s got a
fishpole?” is asked and answered (3). Ask if the melody of each question is the same.
(yes) Ask if each answer, “We do” is the same (no).
• Teacher (or group of students) sing each “call” (Question). Ask students to compare and
contrast the three answers (“Responses”). For instance, ask the question, “Is Answer 2
(measure 4) higher or lower than Answer 1 (measure 2)?” To help students determine the
answer, have them sing Answer 1 and lightly place their hands on their throats and feel
the vibrations. Lead them to understand that the first note is higher than the second
note. Keep going through each Answer. Students can move their hands up and down
with the melody. Also, you can show them the Melody Visuals below and/or have them
sing the Solfege syllables.
o Answer 1 = mi-do
o Answer 2 = (low) so-la
o Answer 3 = mi-so
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – dotted half notes
• Show students the Melody Visuals. As they sing, they can make sure to hold the full 3
beats of the dotted half notes.
Improvise Melody (Pentatonic Scale)

• Set up the xylophones with the F or G pentatonic scale (remove the bars that don’t
belong to those scales). Teacher (or group of students) sing the “call” (question), and the
students at the xylophones play the “response” – two notes of their choosing.
• You can sing the “call” three times like the original song with students improving the
“responses” each time. Teach students how to play the last phrase: Fishpole needs a
line: so-so-mi-re-do. Even if you have several xylophone players playing different notes
at the same time, that’s not a problem. When students are playing the notes of the
pentatonic scale, the notes sound good together.
o F Pentatonic: F,G,A,C,D
o G Pentatonic: G,A,B,D,E
Fishpole Song in G
Melody – Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B,D’
bethsnotes.com
Fishpole Song – Melody Visuals in F
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Fishpole Song – Melody Visuals in G
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Fishpole Song in G – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Fishpole Song – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Lyric options:
• …Thank God Almighty we’re free at last. (exact quote of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his
I Have a Dream speech.
• …I thank God I’m free at last.
• …We are glad we’re free at last.
Teaching ideas:
• Rhythm: syncopation
To reinforce the “syn-co-pa” (eighth, quarter, eighth) pattern, have students play that
pattern whenever “free at last” is sung. (See visual below.)
• Melody: recorder notes A, D’ and optional low D.
There are two recorder options: the first one has notes A and high D. The second one
has A and both low D and high D. (See Orff arrangement 1 below.)
• Melody: mi, re, do
Teach 3rd graders the adapted version of the song in F or G, and ask students to listen
for “mi, re, do.” Lead them to discover that the pattern happens the last measure of the
song. Have them sing again and sing “mi, re, do” instead of “free at last” in the last
measure. Teach them how to play mi, re, do on xylophones and teach them the
xylophone part (Orff arrangement 2).
• Melody: Pentatonic scale in F & G
Teach 3rd – 5th graders to play the adapted version of the song in F or G for xylophones
or in G for recorders. There is a copy with the letters and solfege already written in both
keys, and there is a copy with blanks the students can fill out letters or solfege, whatever
you are teaching them.
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last – Rhythm visual
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last - Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last recorder – A, D’
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last - Recorder – D, A, D’
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last – Pentatonic version in F & G
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last - Orff Arrangement 2 in F & G
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last – Pentatonic version in F & G – student copies
bethsnotes.com
Free at Last – Pentatonic version in F & G – student worksheets
bethsnotes.com
Orff - version 1
To make version 1 easier, divide the students into 3 sections:
I
IV
V
Students play the following pattern:
I (CG) = 4 measures
IV (FC) = 2 measures
I (CG) = 2 measures
V (GD) = 2 measures
I (CG) = 2 measure
bethsnotes.com
Freight Train Blues – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Round
• It might be helpful for students to point along to the score as they sing so they don’t
lose their place when singing in a round. (See the Student Copy below.)
Rhythm – Half, Quarter, Eighth Notes

• Steady Beat / Beat vs. Rhythm / Ties
o Show the students the Beat & Rhythm handout (below). As students sing the
song, have them touch each line on the steady beat.
o Sing again, and this time, have them raise their hands when they are singing a
long note. Show them how they can “tie” the two notes together.
o Sing again, and this time, ask them to recognize when the notes occur faster than
the beat (measures 5 & 6). You can have them add in eighth note beams. See the
completed handout to see how students can make marks on their papers.
o Show students how the tied quarter notes are the same as half notes and the
“faster” notes are eighth notes. See the handout below with the rhythm of the
song.
Multiple languages
• On this song’s page on my website, I have a couple of links to resources which list this
song in several different languages. With one of the links, students can listen to young
people around the world singing this song in their own languages. With another link, you
can see the score of the different languages.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Frère Jacques – Beat & Rhythm
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
bethsnotes.com
Frère Jacques – Beat & Rhythm (Completed)
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1
bethsnotes.com
Frère Jacques – Rhythm
q q q q
q q h
iq iq q q
q q h
bethsnotes.com
Frère Jacques – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Partner Songs - Frère Jacques & Three Blue Pigeons
Note
• In measures 5 & 6, the melody of Three Blue Pigeons was slightly altered to make it
work with Frère Jacques.
bethsnotes.com
Partner Songs - Frère Jacques & Three Blue Pigeons – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Eighth notes, Quarter notes & rests | Beat and Rhythm
• Have students sing the song, sometimes patting on the steady beat and sometimes
clapping the rhythm.
• You could use the “Write the Rhythm” sheet in a couple of ways.
o Have students point to the lily pads as they sing the song. You could also have
them point while you sing the song. Stop singing at a random spot, and see if
they are pointing to the correct lily pad.
o Students could write in the eighth notes, quarter notes and rests above each lily
pad.
• The “Beat and Rhythm” sheet has the phrases in the wrong order. The students can
figure out what order they go in. You could also cut the phrases into strips, and they
have to rearrange them in the right order. One phrase gets used twice, and one phrase
doesn’t get used at all.
o Phrase 1 = D
o Phrase 2 = C
o Phrase 3 = A
o Phrase 4 = C
Melody
• mi, so
o The “Melody” sheet has all of the phrases in the right order. Students could point
along as they sing, or you could cut those into strips and have the students figure
out the correct order.
• Recorder notes E,G or B,D’
bethsnotes.com
Frog in the Meadow – Write the Rhythm
Name Class
Write the notes in each lily pad.
1.
2.
3.
4.
bethsnotes.com
Frog in the Meadow – Beat and Rhythm
bethsnotes.com
Frog in the Meadow – Melody
bethsnotes.com
Song in C
Frog in the Meadow – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Frog in the Meadow – Student Copies – Notes E,G
bethsnotes.com
Frog in the Meadow – Student Copies – Notes B,D’
bethsnotes.com
This is the original version. See my adapted version below for notes that more easily fall into
the range of younger children.
Meter – 6/8
bethsnotes.com
Frog Pond – Adapted Melody
Melody – Up & Down

• Melody going up: measures 9-10 – Students can sing, “la, ti, do,” or “A, B, C” and play
those notes on instruments such as Boomwhackers, tone bells, glockenspiels, or
soprano xylophones.
• Melody going down: measures 13-14 – Students can sing, “mi, re, do,” or “E, D, C” and
play those notes on instruments such as Boomwhackers, tone bells, alto/bass
xylophones or bass bars.
• See the simple Orff arrangement below. The xylophone could play the bordun (C/G) on
the downbeat of most measures – and also play the up and down notes, or those notes
could be played by some of the instruments mentioned above.
• The melody visuals (below) include one example with the dotted quarter notes with the
6/8 time signature, or if that would be confusing for your students, you can just use the
visuals where they see the notes on the staff. Feel free to label them “la, ti, do / mi, re,
do” or “A, B, C / E, D, C.”
bethsnotes.com
Frog Pond – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Frog Pond – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
This can be difficult for beginning recorder students to play at a quick tempo. One idea is to
divide the class into 4 groups. Each group learns only one measure. Then the measures can be
played together or played one measure at a time in order of the song. (For measure one, you
could make the last beat a rest instead of the eighth notes.) Measure 2 is the most difficult
measure, and you could give this to your students who need a challenge.
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
FRUIT BENDING DOWN
I wrote this melody with the lyrics from the first stanza of an old poem called “September” by
Helen Hunt Jackson (1931-1885). (The lyrics are usable past September, though.)
There are 3 melodies that can be taught with or without the others. They can be sung together
or played on instruments (note the BAG pattern on Part II). Below are some ideas of how to use
the melodies and instrument parts. Some concepts that can be taught are:
• Melody: high and low, BAG, minor key

• Rhythm: steady beat, rest, Meter: 6/8 time
• Harmony: partner songs
• Form: Rondo
[Other concepts: rhyming words, poetry, sign language, fall/autumn, harvest]
bethsnotes.com
Here is the melody with two countermelodies.
bethsnotes.com
Fruit Bending Down - Orff Arrangement
Teaching ideas - Easier ideas are mentioned first:

• Song Parts II and III have easier lyrics than Part I. (If you are only teaching Part III, start
singing on a G so you are in G minor instead of E minor.)
• Sing Part II – each student has scarf, holds it high and lets it drop as their voices drop.
Pick them up and drop them again as the song continues.
• Part II - To emphasize steady beat, students can either chant or sing.
The steady beat can be played on an unpitched instrument or students can walk around
the room to the beat.
• Teach Part 1 - Explain lyrics – when do these things happen?
bethsnotes.com
In the fall, also called autumn.
• Notice “with fruit are bending down” the notes are going down.
• Find the empty beats (rests) – say “ding” whenever the rests come.
Add glockenspiels or triangles on the rests.
• Sign language (Go to www.signingsavvy.com and enter the word you are looking for.)
o Add easy sign language on the following words (one sign per phrase): yellow,
brown, apple, down
o Add more advanced sign language on the following words (two signs per phrase):
§ The goldenrod is yellow; (sign for “flower” and “yellow”)
§ The corn is turning brown; (sign for “corn” and “brown”)
§ The trees in apple orchards; (sign for “tree” and “land”)
§ With fruit are bending down. (sign for “apple” and “down”)
• Form: Call Part I “Section A”, Part II “Section B” and Part III “Section C.” Have the
students figure out a form they would like to use to perform it. For instance, create a
Rondo form: ABACA – on the final A, all 3 parts play/sing together.
• Use the apple visuals (below) to show the downward motion of the melody in Part II.
bethsnotes.com
Fruit Bending Down - Apple Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Fruit Bending Down – Staff Visuals
bethsnotes.com
FUNGA ALAFIA
Translation
Apparently, the more accurate spelling of "funga" is "fanga," and "ashay" is "asé"
Fanga = "talking drum" in northern Liberia
Alafia = "health" in Yoruba (Nigeria)
Asé = Let it be so, or the English word "amen" in Yoruba (Nigeria)
Harmony - Countermelody: Recorder notes (G,A,C’). Change the recorder notes to G A G if

you wish to make it easier to play.
Funga Alafia – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Funga Alafia – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Funga Alafia – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Meter in 3
bethsnotes.com
Glad Christmas is Coming – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Cairo (rhymes with "narrow") is the southernmost city in Illinois (USA). It lies on the junction of
the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
Form: AB | Call & Response

Melody: improvisation on xylophones (in F or G) or recorders
1. Teach Section A of the song and pat the beat (on beats 1 and 3).
2. Introduce Section B ("mop that deck") by speaking the lyrics while adding body percussion
(snap, clap, pat and stomp). For instance: on "mop that deck and make it shine,” do pat pat
pat pat clap clap clap. (Students echo after each phrase.) Add other combinations with
students echoing the words and patterns.
3. Put A and B together.
Section A - singing and xylophone parts
Section B - call and response - variations:
o Teacher do call, students do response
o Have a student do the call while others do the response
o Students can be in partners and take turns doing the call and response
o Add instruments (unpitched percussion) instead of the body percussion, continue
chanting the words
bethsnotes.com
o Improvisation on response:
§ Teacher sing the call, students echo the lyrics while pantomiming playing
alternating mallets in the air (on any notes)
§ Students improvise parts on the pentatonic scale [Set up your
glockenspiels or xylophones so the only notes playable are F,G,A,C,D.
Teacher sings the call, students may play any of those notes - in the
correct rhythm - on the response part.
§ Encourage them to end on “do” (F) on the last note of the song.
§ Optional composing: have students write down their melodies, either just
writing down the letters, or actually notating also (see printables below).
Goin’ Down to Cairo – Orff Arrangement in F
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ Down to Cairo – Student Copies
In F
In G
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ Down to Cairo - in G
Melody: improvisation on xylophones or recorders

• See the ideas above, using the pentatonic scale: D,E,G,A,B.
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ Down to Cairo – Orff Arrangement in G
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ Down to Cairo – Composition in F
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ Down to Cairo – Composition in G
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Original Version
bethsnotes.com
Adapted version #1
Circle Dance:
Section A
Phrases 1, 2, 3: Partners hold hands, face the right and walk around the circle.
Phrase 4: Drop hands, all face the center of the circle.
bethsnotes.com
Image 1
Section B
Phrase 1: All walk forward toward the middle 3 steps, tap on beat 4.
Phrase 2: Walk back 3 steps, tap on beat 4.
Phrase 3: Walk forward 3 steps, tap on beat 4.
Phrase 4: Walk back 3 steps, tap on beat 4.
Image 2
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ to Boston - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Goin’ to Boston - Adapted Version #2
Compose your own lyrics to fit your situation. It is a great upbeat song for starting class. Sing
your instructions, such as “have a seat” or “grab your folder.” Section B’s “doo” can be the
kids singing along, or you playing the recorder or another instrument while they pat the beat.
Use your imagination!
bethsnotes.com
Introducing the Song | Form: Call & Response
• Introduce this song by singing verse 1 with the “Miss Julie Ann Johnson” name while
students pat the beat on their knees. Then encourage students to join you in singing the
“Oh ho” parts.
• Sing several times until students feel comfortable singing all of it, inserting different
names (such as teachers’ names or famous people) each time.
• Introduce the other verses with you inventing the answers at first – or you could ask for
ideas from the students.
Later lessons
• Insert a student’s name instead of “Miss Julie Ann Johnson.” Make sure students know
we are not laughing at them if we sing silly verses.
• Encourage good posture by telling students you will choose students who are sitting up
straight to give ideas for the verses.
Singing Posture & Inventing New Verses

• Verse 1 – Sing as written.
• Verse 2 – Sing “Oh where’s she going?” Choose a student to give you a location of
where she is going.
• Verse 3 – Sing “She’s going to ____” (name the place the student requested).
• Verse 4 – Sing “How’s she gonna get there?” Choose another student to name the
mode of transportation she will take (train, car, airplane, etc.).
bethsnotes.com
• Verse 5 – Sing “She’ll take a _______”
• Verse 6 – Sing “What’s she gonna do there?” Choose a student to give the answer.
• Verse 7 – Sing “She’s gonna ______________”
• Verse 8 – Sing “When’s she coming back?” Choose a student to give the answer.
• Verse 9 – Sing “She’s coming back ______________.”
Rhythm – Long & Short or Quarter & Half notes: Recognize every time “Oh ho” is sung, there
is a short sound followed by a long sound. While singing “Oh ho…”
• Add motions that reflect “short, long” such as “clap, arm scoop” or “step, slide.”
• Add tambourines (strike, shake)
• Add one short-sounding instrument (woodblocks) followed by a long-sounding
instrument (triangle).
Rhythm – Quarter & Eighth Rests

• Sing verse 1 and ask students to listen for the rests (the silences). Ask them to raise their
hands when they hear a silence, either short or really short. Show examples of a quarter
rest and an eighth rest. (They take turns in the song.) Sing again. (Since it’s obviously
difficult to hear the difference between eighth and quarter rests, you could just listen for
“rests” without naming which one is which.)
Melody - High & Low - The 1st and 3rd “Oh ho” notes are low so and ti. The 2nd and 4th “Oh ho”
notes are high so and do. Different ideas:
• Move hands up and down or Curwen hand signs to reflect the melodic contour.
• Students stand in a circle holding hands. Their hands move up and down to the melodic
contour while they are holding hands.
• Students sit facing a partner. They add hand gestures to the “Oh no” notes as follows:
o Low so – pat the ground
o Ti – pat knees
o High so – high five (both hands) with partner
o Do – clap own hands
Orff arrangement - Add pitched instruments (xylophones or glockenspiels). For beginners, set
some xylophones up with only a C & E and others with F & high C.
Harmony - Add autoharps or ukuleles.
/ / / / / / / /
• Chords (Key of F): F C F (repeat)
• Chords (Key of G): G D G (repeat)
bethsnotes.com
Goodbye Julie – Orff Arrangement
Adapted Version
You can use this song to sing instructions, while the students sing the Responses.
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pentatonic scale
Meter in 3
• As students learn this song, have them pat the strong beat (beat 1). Then add body
percussion on all of the beats, but accent the first beat in each measure. For instance,
have students do:
o Pat, soft clap, snap
o Clap, tap fingers together softly twice
o Add guiro part with one scrape, then tap on the guiro twice (see Orff
arrangement)
Rhythm – see rhythm visuals

• Dotted quarter notes
• Half notes
• Dotted half notes
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Chords
• In the arrangement above, I use I, IV and V chords. However, you could easily simplify
the chords (for ukuleles, for instance), by having students play an E chord the whole
time.
bethsnotes.com
Goodbye Old Paint – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Goodbye Old Paint – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
GOOD NEWS
Good News – Rhythm – Whole, Half, Quarter, Eighth Notes

• Introduce whole note
o Teacher sing song, students raise a hand on each long note. How many are there? (4)
o Teacher sing again while students lightly pat the (quarter note) beat. How many beats
go by in each long note? (4)
• Show different instruments (maracas, guiros, triangles, cymbals) Ask the students:
Which instruments make long sounds?
• Divide the class in half.
o Half play the quarter notes (on a soft instrument like maracas or guiros) during the
whole notes.
o Half play the whole notes on triangles or finger cymbals.
• Look at the rhythm visuals and add the time signatures, barlines and double barlines (or
repeat signs).
Form ABA - Divide the class into two groups. One group chants the first 2 measures at the
same time the second group chants the other two. Make this Section B, and the song is
Section A. Put together as ABA.
bethsnotes.com
Good News – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Good News – Dynamics: Crescendo Visual
• Part of singing expressively is adding dynamics. On the long notes, add crescendos.
bethsnotes.com
Good News - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Good News - Recorder Duet: Notes D,E,G,A,B
bethsnotes.com
Ezekiel / Good News Duet - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Circle Dance
First verse:
Ms. 1-4 – circle right
Ms. 5-8 – circle left
Second verse:
Ms. 1-4 – right hand star
Ms. 5-8 – left hand star
Melody – Low so & Low La

• This song is great if you are looking to focus on low so and low la. In fact, it ends on low
so. If you are wanting to hear the melody resolved to do, you can find that in the
recorder duet below.
bethsnotes.com
Go Round – Simple Orff Arrangement
I like the slight dissonance in the glockenspiel parts in the measures 4 and 6 – but if it doesn’t
sound right with your instruments, you could play octave C’s instead.
bethsnotes.com
Go Round – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Go Round - Recorder Duet
bethsnotes.com
Go Round - Recorder Duet - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Go Round - Recorder Duet - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody - Up & Down (and Repeated Notes)
As you sing the song, move hands up and down as the melody moves up and down.
Demonstrate the melodic patterns (repeated notes, stepping up and down) by playing it on a
xylophone as you sing. To avoid the Bb, play it in G (see below).
Melody - High & Low

On the words “up” and “down,” have students speak with exaggerated high and low voices as
they put hands up or down.
Rhythm - Meter in 6/8
bethsnotes.com
The Orff arrangement below is a mi-so-la part. This could be played on recorders or pitched
percussion in the key of F (A, C & D’). For the Orff arrangement below in G, I have omitted the
“la” to make it only “so-mi” on D’ and B.
bethsnotes.com
Grand Old Duke of York – Orff Arrangement – in F
bethsnotes.com
Grand Old Duke of York – Orff Arrangement – in G
bethsnotes.com
Grand Old Duke of York – Student Copies – in F
bethsnotes.com
Grand Old Duke of York – Student Copies – in G
bethsnotes.com
Grand Old Duke of York – Melodic Contour
bethsnotes.com
Dance – Students stand in a circle; each student is given a number: One or Two. (See video on
the Great Big House in New Orleans page on my website.)
Verse 1
• Ms (Measures) 1-2 – Ones step forward 4 steps (on the quarter note beats)
• Ms 3-4 – Ones step back 4 steps
• Ms 5-6 – Twos step forward 4 steps
• Ms 7-8 – Twos step back 4 steps
Verse 2
• Ms 1-2 – Ones step forward 4 steps and join hands
• Ms 3-4 – Twos step forward 4 steps while reaching into the circle created by the Ones.
They join hands with other Twos.
• Ms 5-6 – Twos raise their joined hands over the heads of the Ones and stand behind the
Ones’ circle.
• Ms 7-8 – Ones raise their joined hands over the heads of the Twos and stand
intertwined
Verse 3
• Ms 1-4 – All students – left foot step left, bring right foot to step together with left foot. (4
times)
• Ms 5-6 – Ones lift their hands over the heads of the Twos
• Ms 7-8 – Twos circle left 4 small steps until they are each in between 2 different people
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Dance – Students stand in a circle; each student is given a number: One or Two.
(Even simpler, don’t assign numbers to the students. Everyone do all of the steps below.)
Verse 1
• Ms 1-4 - All students circle left (either with joined hands or not) – 8 steps
• Ms 5-8 – All students circle right (joined hands or not) – 8 steps
Verse 2
• Ms 1-2 – Ones step forward 4 steps (on the quarter note beats)
• Ms 3-4 – Ones step back 4 steps
• Ms 5-6 – Twos step forward 4 steps
• Ms 7-8 – Twos step back 4 steps
Verse 3
• Ms 1-2 – All students hold hands and take 4 steps into the center of the circle, raising
hands as they walk
• Ms 3-4 – All students take 4 steps back, lowering hands as they walk
• Ms 5-8 – Repeat ms. 1-4
Melody – pentatonic
Melody – High / Low

• See the xylophone part below. Students could sing this part “low, mid, high” as a
countermelody and move their arms up as they sing. Also, you could assign 3 different
groups to play the notes: Low D, A and High D. (Use 3 different instruments, and each
instrument plays only one note.) If your instruments don’t have all of the pitches in the
key of D, transpose the song to C.
o Tone bells
o Boomwhackers
o Bass bars, xylophones, glockenspiels, etc.
• See the adapted version below for a special version to teach High & Low.
bethsnotes.com
Great Big House – in C
bethsnotes.com
Great Big House in New Orleans – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Great Big House in New Orleans – Adapted Version - High & Low
Melody – High & Low

• After the first 4 measures, say, “Let’s climb the steps.” Students step to the beat as they
sing up the scale.
• Teacher say (or sing) the “Call” with a high voice, students echo.
• Then, before stepping down, tell them the pumpkin pie is on the first floor or in the
basement or cellar.
• Teacher say (or sing) the “Call” with a low voice, students echo.
bethsnotes.com
Great Big House in New Orleans – High & Low Adapted Version – Instrument Part
Notes
• The xylophone part could also be played by different instruments, one low, one high. For
instance, Bass Bars could play the low sounds, and Glockenspiels could play the high
sounds. Or, consider unpitched percussion: the low sounds could be a low-sounding
drum, and the high sounds could be played with jingle bells. Play different sounds, and
have the students guess whether the sounds are low or high.
• The xylophone part could also be sung as an ostinato. Have students tap their feet or
knees as they sing the word “low” and their shoulders or heads as they sing the word
“high.”
• To simplify it, keep the same pattern the whole time, such as “low low high.”
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
There are different spellings of this song:
Gut Sabat Euch
Gut Shabbas Eich
Translation
"Gut Shabbes" = "Good Sabbath"
In German, "euch" = "you" [The pronunciation is on the Gut Shabbas Euch page.]
Form: ABA
Rhythm
• Quarter & Eighth Rests
o Students locate the rests by listening for the silent beats (or half-beats) and snap
when they hear them. Start with Section A (first 4 measures). Lead them to
recognize that the quarter rests occur in measures 1, 2 and 4. (Section A also
repeats at the end of the song.)
o In Section B, the eighth notes occur at the beginning of the 2nd and 4th measures
(of section B), which are the 6th and 8th measures of the song.
o Add tambourines to the rests.
bethsnotes.com
Gut Shabbas Euch – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Gut Shabbas Euch – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
HAIL, HAIL THE GANG’S ALL HERE
Original Version
You might be familiar with this song from the musical, The Pirates of Penzance. I love the
energy of the song, and I changed the lyrics to make it a welcome song. I have a few more
options listed, but the sky is the limit with how many variations you can sing!
Adapted Version
bethsnotes.com
Lyrics
• Hey! Hey! We’re all here. We’re all friends together in any kind of weather… We’re so
glad that now we’re here!
• Hey! Hey! 2G is here. Come and have a seat now, show me the beat now… Have a seat
and have some fun!
• Hey! Hey! It’s music time! Time to grab your pencil, time to get your folder… Now it’s
time to find your seat!
• Hey! Hey! The class is here! We’re all here together in any kind of weather. Hey! Hey!
The class is here! We can have a lot of fun!
• …get recorders ready, get recorders ready…
• …Now it’s time to echo me!
• Use this as a birthday song: “Happy birthday to _________”, We’re so glad that you’re
here…”
Motions
• You do the following motions as you greet students – and they can begin to do the
same with each other.
Repeat the same motions for the second half of the song.
Rhythm – Long / Short

• Students raise their hands on the long sounds (hail, hail, here, hail, hail, here, now) How
many times? (7) Make a long motion on the long sounds (arc arms to the side, slide feet
to the side, wave hands up in the air, etc.).
• Students walk around the room with long strides on the long notes and stand still in
between the long notes.
• Add an instrument that can sustain its tone on the long notes (triangle).
• Add the following ostinato:
bethsnotes.com
Repeat phrase one
• Add long and short movements:

o Long = slide hands on lap, Short = pat
o Long = long stride, Short – stomp in place
• Play instruments that can make both long and short sounds (guiros, cabasas) or trade
off between instruments with long sounds and instruments with short sounds.
• Partners face each other
o Long = hands together (like a high five) and move hands down in a rainbow-like
motion
o Short = high fives
• For intermediate or older students, whether you just expose the students to 6/8 or
actually teach how to count 6/8, here are some percussion parts to add.
I suggest the “bongo drum” part be played with two alternating hands. Otherwise, it is
probably too fast to play with one hand.
bethsnotes.com
Hand Clapping (with partners)
Rhythm
• Steady Beat
o Feel the steady beat while doing the hand clapping above.
• Meter – 6/8
o For intermediate students, whether you just expose the students to 6/8 or actually
teach how to count 6/8, see the Orff arrangement below for some percussion
parts to add.
o Note: I suggest the “bongo drum” part be played on some kind of drum (or
temple blocks) that allows for two hands to be played back and forth. Otherwise,
it is probably too fast to play with one hand.
bethsnotes.com
Hail Hail the Class is Here – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
This is a super simple mi-so-la song with lots of options for teaching beginning melody
(including E,G,A on recorders) and rhythm. Below are some basic ideas for beginning melody
and rhythm. However, for this season, I have rewritten the melody and lyrics (both sacred and
secular) for Christmas.
Quick overview for beginning melody & rhythm activities:

• Quarter notes/half notes
o Pat the quarter note beat and listen to the song being sung.
o The second time, raise hands when long sounds are heard.
o Walk to the rhythm (continue to raise hands – or make other long motion - on long
sounds).
o Add woodblocks to quarter notes, triangles to half notes.
o Add CG on xylophones on quarter notes, octave Gs on glockenspiels.
• Draw a line on the board with these notes (to represent the first 4 measures):
• Lead them to understand that their voices go up in the following places and are notated
like this:
• Teach them to sing in Solfege syllables – and add some kind of hand motion (either
Curwen hand signs or move hands up and down) to represent the melodic contour.
bethsnotes.com
JOYFUL NEWS THE ANGELS BRING (Sacred version)
bethsnotes.com
DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING (Secular version)
bethsnotes.com
Do You Hear the People Sing - Orff Arrangement
I think of the maraca part like sea salt added to chocolate – it adds a certain unexpected
element that’s not necessary – but it somehow balances all of those bell sounds!
bethsnotes.com
Dance Steps
During the song, students can stand in a circle and do simple movements, such as:
Easy version:
Ms. 1 = bend knees, stand up (repeat)
Ms. 2 = swing arms back and forth
Repeat ms. 1 & 2 throughout the song
Add a "hey" after beat 4 and raise arms over heads
More difficult version:

Ms. 1 = grapevine step
Ms. 2 = (standing still) kick right foot into air, stomp, kick left foot into air, stomp
Repeat
Rhythm: Recognize the difference between quarter notes, eighth notes and half notes
• Put the following marks on the board (each line represents the quarter note beat or “ta”):
bethsnotes.com
Point to the beats as you chant the first two measures: “Hanukkah, Hanukkah, festival of
lights.”
• Ask students where the long sound occurs – and add a tie.
• By continuing to point and chant the first two measures, discover together that some of
the beats have two quick sounds. Add those extra sounds:
• Then turn these notes into “real” music notes:
• Assign the eighth notes to maracas, the quarter notes to claves/woodblocks, and the
half notes to triangles. Play while saying the rhythm syllables (“ti-ti ta ti-ti ta” etc).
• Go back to the entire song. Sing it while pointing. Notice how the same rhythms repeat.
bethsnotes.com
Hanukkah Hanukkah - Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hanukkah Hanukkah - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hanukkah Hanukkah - Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Harmony: Partner Songs
The countermelody is a slightly different version of Au Clair de la Lune.
bethsnotes.com
Happy New Year – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Happy New Year – Version 2 (simpler version)
bethsnotes.com
Happy New Year – Orff Arrangement Version 2
bethsnotes.com
Simplified Chords (in D)
Translation Japanese - はとぽっぽ
Coo, coo, coo ぽっぽっぽ

Pigeon coo, coo はとぽっぽ
If you like beans まめがほしいか
Come down そらやるぞ
Let’s eat all together みんなでなかよく
たべにこい
ぽっぽっぽ
Coo, coo, coo
Pigeon coo, coo はとぽっぽ
If the beans are delicious まめはうまいか
Eat one and fly away たべたなら
いちどにそろって
とんでゆけ
bethsnotes.com
Intermediate Chords
Adapted Version for beginning recorder players (notes G,A,B,D’).
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Melody - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
HEVENU SHALOM ALEICHEM
Translation
We come to greet you in peace. Hebrew
‫ה ב א נ ו ש ל ו ם ע ל י כ ם‬
‫שלום‬, ‫הבאנו שלום‬
‫ש ל ו ם ע ל י כ ם‬
Melody - Descending pentascale, minor
Rhythm – Eighth Rests – See the tambourine part in the Orff arrangement below.
Harmony – Recorder Countermelody - Notes D, E, G, A – See the recorder countermelody in

the Orff arrangement – and Student Copies - below.
bethsnotes.com
Hevenu Shalom Aleichem – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hevenu Shalom Aleichem – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm / Meter: 6/8 vs. 4/4
• Sing the 6/8 version. Add hand drums on the dotted quarter note beats and maracas on
the eighth notes. Lead students to notice there are 3 eighth notes per each dotted
quarter note. (See Rhythm Visuals below.)
• Chant the 4/4 version. Add hand drums on the quarter note beats and maracas on the
eighth notes. Lead students to notice there are 2 eighth notes per each quarter note.
(See Rhythm Visuals below.)
Voices: Singing voice vs. Talking voice

Form: AB - Perform these two versions back to back – Section A is the version with the
melody, and Section B is the chant. Add instruments.
bethsnotes.com
Hey Diddle Diddle – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hey Diddle Diddle – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Hey Diddle Diddle – Chant with Instrument Parts
bethsnotes.com
Pre-K-2nd Teaching ideas
Steady beat / Tempo: fast & slow

• Teach students that the steady beat is like a clock ticking. Students stand and clasp
hands down and emulate a pendulum on a grandfather clock while saying “tick tock.”
• Add woodblocks or temple blocks on the steady (dotted quarter note) beat:
Voices: Talking, singing, whispering voices

• Teach the melody, keeping the steady beat by patting or adding clicking instruments
(rhythm sticks, woodblocks, etc).
bethsnotes.com
Melody: high / low and up / down
• Use this version of the melody to experience melody moving up and down. First, move
hands up and down while singing. Then, use the visual aids (see below) to move the
mouse up and down the grandfather clock. (Also consider buying a small rubber mouse,
cat toy, or mouse puppet.) Have students take turns using the mouse to demonstrate
the movement up and down the clock, or make multiple copies of the visuals, letting
students move their own mice. (Idea: print out the mouse on brightly-colored paper or
cardstock and/or laminate it, stick some Velcro onto the back and stick it to the end of a
pencil or dowel rod.)
bethsnotes.com
Hickory Dickory Dock – Orff arrangement
Hickory Dickory Dock – visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Form – Call and Response
• Practice the Refrain:
o Teacher performs the Call, students perform the Response.
§ Sing lyrics.
§ Sing with Solfege syllables. Teacher sings Call as “so so so la so mi” with
Curwen hand signs. Students sing Response as “do do do do” with the
Curwen hand sign for “do.”
§ Teacher plays Call on a xylophone. Students play Response on repeating
F’s, alternating mallets as they play.
o Divide students into 2 groups, one group sings Call, one group sings Response.
§ Sing with Solfege syllables.
§ Play on instruments.
bethsnotes.com
o Improvise new melodies for the Call, keep the Response the same.
§ Set up xylophones with the F pentatonic bars ready (remove E’s and B’s).
Have students speak the lyrics “Hill and gully rider” while improvising new
melodies on the pentatonic scale. Sing the Response (or have other
students play) after each Call.
• Syncopation visuals below – one has the time signature and quarter rest, and the other
visual doesn’t have the rest.
Melody – Pentatonic (low so, low la, do, re, mi, so, la)
bethsnotes.com
Hill and Gully Rider – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Hill and Gully Rider – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Hill and Gully Rider – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
German lyrics
Translation
Heaven and earth must pass,
but the music, but the music,
but the music remains.
bethsnotes.com
English lyrics
Harmony
• Round
• Countermelody - see Orff arrangement (soprano or alto xylophones or metallophones)
• Ostinato – Have one group of students sing (or play) “so la ti do” while the rest of the
students sing the song (see the visual below).
Meter in 3
Rhythm – Dotted half notes, Dotted quarter notes
bethsnotes.com
Himmel und Erde mussen vergeh'n– Visual
bethsnotes.com
Music Alone Shall Live – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
(I have not been able to find a translation for these lyrics.)
To sing it as written, call attention to the melody in measure 3, how one note is higher than the
similar note in measure. A simpler version would be to make measure 3 identical to measure 1.
The whole song could be sung as a call and response, except the last phrase, where everyone
sings together.
bethsnotes.com
For younger students, this song is great for steady beat. Put a gathering drum in the center of a
group of students, each with one mallet. They play on the quarter note beat throughout the
song. Adding wrist bells on the half notes and maracas on the eighth notes makes it more
challenging. Here is a simple Orff arrangement.
Hiya Hiya - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hiya Hiya Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Lesson ideas to introduce the song
• Students stand, freeze feet to floor, facing the teacher. While I sing, students do motions
in place:
o Hop old squirrel = clap 3 times
o Eideldum = wiggle hips
o Dee = freeze
• Next time:
o Hop old squirrel = hop 3 times
o Eideldum = wiggle hips
o Dee = freeze
• Sing verses 2 and 3, doing those motions in place.
• Later, do the circle game.
Rhythm – Quarter rests – As you sing, have students lightly pat each quarter note beat. Ask
students to recognize now many silent beats they find (six). As students sing, have them
whisper “rest” on each rest.
Circle Game
Formation: Students sit on the floor in a circle.
• Verse 1 - One student is the "squirrel" (“It”) who hops around the outside of the circle as
students pat the steady beat while singing. Everyone freezes on the last word “dee.” “It”
stops behind one person, who becomes the new “It.”
• Verse 2 – “It” jumps (on two feet) around the outside of the circle and stops on “dee.”
“It” stops behind one person, who becomes the new “It.”
• Verse 3 – “It” runs around the outside of the circle and stops on “dee.” “It” stops behind
one person, who becomes the new “It.”
bethsnotes.com
• Verse 4 – Students sitting in the circle close their eyes while "It" hides behind a piece of
furniture in the room. At the end of the song, students in circle ask, "Where are you, old
squirrel?" The hiding squirrel makes a squeak, and students in circle point to where they
think the sound came from. “It” comes out of hiding and shows if they are correct.
Variation – Choose different movements if you prefer, such as skip, gallop, march, tiptoe, etc.
Melody – Notes G,A,B

Starting recorders playing B

• Teach the song or review the song if they have learned it in a previous year. Sing it as a
“call and response” with students singing “Hop old squirrel,” (Call) and the teacher
singing the other phrases (Response).
• Show them the notes on the staff and have them recognize that “Hop old squirrel” notes
are “B B B.” Sing again, this time having students sing “B B B” instead of “Hop old
squirrel.”
• Practice this several times with different students in the class singing the Call and
Response. Encourage them to sing “B B B” in one breath without taking a breath in
between each note.
• Have students finger the B on their recorders while singing “B B B.” Have them keep
their fingers still. Some students will think they need to touch their finger on the B hole
three times, but let them know they just need to keep the hole covered.
• Teach the students to whisper “duh” three times with one long stream of air. Tell them
this is called “tonguing” when the tongue touches the roof of the mouth.
• Encourage students to play softly (piano), blowing “duh” into their recorders.
Recorders with B-A-G

• Call & Response: Review the “B B B” pattern (“call”), which happens every other
measure. Compare and contrast the different responses. Isolate them and practice them
separately.
• Put the whole thing together. Divide the class into two groups. One group plays the Call,
and the other group plays the Response.
• Assign a student to conduct each section by holding up the visuals (see below).
• Groups switch parts.
• An extension of this idea is to put the students into partner groups, where one person
plays the Call, and the other person plays the Response. Encourage students to help
each other achieve a good tone and correct fingering.
bethsnotes.com
Hop Old Squirrel – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Hop Old Squirrel – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hop Old Squirrel – Orff Arrangement
• Add xylophones by mirroring this pattern (this means that while you face the class, you
use the opposite hand than the one you ask them to use). L R L R
• While you help the first group of xylophone players, have the rest of the class sing the
song while fingering the notes on the recorders.
• Add ratchets (or guiros or cabasas) on the word “squirrel”. Before passing out those
instruments, students sing song and act out the motion of the instruments played on
“squirrel.”
• Add temple blocks part: Students say: “Hop old squirrel”, 1, 2, 3 “he’s crazy!” (counting
rests)
• Optional: Add staccato to “hop old squirrel.”
bethsnotes.com
K-2 lesson
Teach the song and add simple motions to reflect the lyrics. The part below could be played to
accompany the song (see pdf) or it could be added as a Section B, while singing the "low" and
"high" lyrics (in which case I would get rid of the repeat signs and do it a different way).
Other options:
• You sing a pattern, they echo it on the instruments (such as "low high low" or "high low
high").
• Do a call and response, where they improvise a simple 3-note response to what you
sing or play first.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Version 1
Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – Key of F
This tune has a lot of fun melodic contours: high and low and up and down.
Sing the song in the key of F. Move your hands up and down to the melodic contour as you
sing.
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – Key of G
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Version 1 & Version 3 – Orff Arrangement
Put both melodies together as a duet!
The alternate melody could be sung while the recorders play a countermelody.
bethsnotes.com
Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Version 4
bethsnotes.com
Motions / Hand-Clapping
When first introducing this song, start with simple motions:

• Measures 1-4 - Students pat knees on the dotted quarter note steady beat three times,
then clap twice as noted.
• Measures 5-8 – Repeat measures 1-4.
• Measures 9-12 – Wave at other people around the room.
On different days, substitute different motions, such as:

• Measures 1-4 - Students with partners: Pat knees three times, high five partner twice.
• Measures 9-12 – Shake hands with partner.
On another day:
• Measures 1-4 – Stomp 3 times, snap twice.
• Measures 9-12 – Swing your partner (or circle right).
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Simplified Chords
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
F C F C(7) F
Accompaniment: Have ukuleles, guitars, tone bells, xylophones or even Boomwhackers
(playing C & F), and add drums or other unpitched percussion on the clapping parts (or
glockenspiels – see the Orff arrangement below).
bethsnotes.com
How Do You Do – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
HOW OLD ARE YOU
Original Version
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version
Lyrics – Solo Singing - “How old are you” is just one of the many questions you could sing.
Before you call on a student, practice with everyone what the possible answers could be.
Some options of questions and answers:
• Oh how are you… I am doing fine.
• Oh when’s your birthday… March twenty-first
• What’s your favorite color… My favorite color is blue.
• What’s your favorite food… I love to eat soup.
• What’s your favorite sport… I love to play soccer.
Movement - Circle
• Version 1 - Simpler
Formation: Students make a circle around one student who is “It” and who sings the
answer to the question.
o Ms. 1-2 = 4 steps forward
o Ms. 3-4 = 4 steps backward
o Ms. 5 & 6 = Clap on quarter note beat
o Ms. 7 & 8 = Students in circle hold hands while “It” sings.
o Ms. 9-12 = Students in circle walk counterclockwise while “It” walks
counterclockwise inside the circle. On the last word, all stop, and the person who
“It” is standing closest to becomes the next “It.”
bethsnotes.com
• Version 2 – Intermediate
Formation: Students make a circle around one student who is “It” and who sings the
answer to the question.
o Ms. 1-2 = 3 steps forward, stomp and clap on beat 4
o Ms. 3-4 = 3 steps backward, stomp and clap on beat 4
o Ms. 5 & 6 = Hands out to their sides, clap hands of people on both sides of them
on quarter note beat.
o Ms. 7 & 8 = Students in circle hold hands while “It” sings.
o Ms. 9-12 = Students in circle walk counterclockwise while “It” walks
counterclockwise inside the circle. On the last word, all stop, and the person who
“It” is standing closest to becomes the next “It.”
• Hand-Clapping with Partners

Formation: Students sit facing partners in scattered formation around the room. “It” will
sing the answer to the question. “It” can either be with a partner or standing to the side,
depending on if the rest of the students are an even number or not.
o Ms. 1 = Partner 1 puts fist in the air in front of him/her, Partner 2 puts fist on top
of Partner 1’s fist.
o Ms. 2 = Partner 1 puts other fist on top of the pile, and Partner 2 puts other fist on
the top.
o Ms. 3 = Partner 2 removes top fist, Partner 1 removes fist.
o Ms. 4 = Partner 2 removes fist, Partner 1 removes fist (opposite order from Ms. 1)
o Ms. 5 = hands touch chest, hands cross
o Ms. 6 = hands touch chest, high five partner
o Ms. 7 & 8 = Students stand up while “It” sings.
o Ms. 9-12 = Students walk in random fashion around the room until the last word,
where they find a new partner. The new “It” can be chosen by the “It” or the
teacher.
bethsnotes.com
Melody – High/Low
• Vary the lyrics for high and low notes. See the example below.
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm Game – Quarter & Eighth Notes (See the song and Rhythm Visuals below.)
• Students sit in a circle with different instruments in front of them. (Make sure students
know how to play each of the instruments.) If you don’t have enough different
instruments, you could have rhythm sticks in every other spot.
• The rhythm is set in 4/4 time with a Call and Response rhythm pattern. The teacher
could do the Call (possibly also saying rhythm syllables), and students echo. As
students get better at reading rhythms, choose a student to do the Call.
• As the Call is chanted / played, the students pick up the instruments. After echoing, on
the Refrain, they put their instruments down and stand up, moving one step to the right
behind a different instrument. They sit down, ready to pick up the next instrument as the
song begins again.

• The guiro part can be whichever rhythm you want students to play. You could randomly
choose one of the rhythm visuals and have them play it.
bethsnotes.com
How Old Are You – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
How Old Are You – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Hullabaloo Belay – Adapted (A Hundred Years)
I love this song, but the lyrics of the original version aren’t very student-friendly. So I took lyrics
from A Hundred Years and put them with this tune.
Melody – minor
Rhythm - Steady Beat – Pretend to row a boat to the steady (dotted quarter note) beat. That
beat can be easily transferred to the CG bordun (see below).
Discuss
• How was life different 100 years ago?
• How might life be different in 100 years?
• How might people in 100 years describe us now?
• Make up your own verses!
bethsnotes.com
Hullabaloo Belay – Adapted (A Hundred Years) - Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
I CAUGHT A RABBIT
Rhythm – Some of these rhythms are in the song and some are in the Orff arrangement
(below). See the rhythm visuals to practice the different rhythms.
• Half notes – Identify the half notes and add the glockenspiel part on the second beat of
each half note.
• Syncopation – Occurs twice in measures 3 and 7 (always followed by half notes). Have
students practice clapping “who told you so” and “how do you know.”
• Eighth / dotted quarter note patterns
• Sixteenth note patterns
Melody
• Do mi so
• Fa
• Re
• do
bethsnotes.com
I Caught a Rabbit – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
I Caught a Rabbit – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Minor
Hand Clapping
• Partners – see below
• Solo – Instead of Clap and High Five, do Pat and Clap.
Rhythm: Rests – Students snap or clap on rests
Harmony: Round
To keep the parts together, it is helpful to have students pat or stomp the steady beat. Adding
the xylophone bordun or drums on the beat will help also.
bethsnotes.com
If a Fish – Hand Clapping
bethsnotes.com
If a Fish – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
This song just makes me laugh! And once I have it in my head, I sing it all day long!
Teaching ideas:
• You could change the lyrics to “I have some bacon, some lovely lovely bacon.”
• Teach a “pat, pat, pat, snap” ostinato while learning the song.
• Either in a circle or in two lines facing each other, have students do this pattern while
singing: step, step, step, clap (or if in two lines, high five partner). First step forward 3
steps, then step back 3 steps.
• Consider adding instruments, such as woodblocks, rhythm sticks or hand drums on the
first 3 beats, then finger cymbals, triangles or bells on the last beat.
• Visual 1: colored notes – so you can tell the students to play the blue notes or the red
note
• Other visuals use simple unpitched percussion icons for the following instruments:
o = hand drum
o = finger cymbals
o = woodblock
o = triangle
o = claves or rhythm sticks
o = jingle bells
bethsnotes.com
I Love a Sausage – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
I Love a Sausage – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
Half notes = two quarter notes - add triangle or glockenspiel to play 2 quarter notes when
singers sing half notes.
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
IN SOME LADY’S GARDEN
Melody – do, re, mi | Recorder notes GAB

• Motions to reinforce the melody - Every time “do” is sung, students pat their knees (To
simplify, pat on quarter notes, not eighth notes). On “mi,” students snap. On “re,”
students clap.
o If you want the students to do the hand-clapping pattern with partners, replace
the snaps with high-fives, clapping the partner’s hands instead.
§ Variation: on the different verses, on measure 5, add hand motions similar
to the lyrics.
Harmony – Recorder duet (do, mi, so | Recorder notes GBD’)
bethsnotes.com
In Some Lady’s Garden – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
In Some Lady’s Garden Duet – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
In Some Lady’s Garden – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
This is a nice song to practice D,E,G,A on the recorder. It's short, but it challenges
students to count the half notes and dotted half notes. And, being a lullaby, they can
play slowly!
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Steady Beat – add a “swishing” sound.

• Half the class sings the song while the other half says “swish” on the dotted quarter note
steady beat while making rowing motions.
• Or pass out instruments that could make a “swishing” sound, such as guiros, and have
them accompany the song on the dotted quarter note steady beat.
• Students point on the steady beat to the ships on the handout while singing.
• The first Orff arrangement is simple for younger players to play on the steady beat, since
they stay on the same notes the whole way through.
The adapted version (below) is fun to play with instruments. It’s also a counting song.
• Pass out maracas, triangles and drums.
• Each instrument group plays 4 times after the lyrics name their instrument. At the end of
verse 4, they all play again. If not everyone has an instrument (or while they are waiting
their turns), they can pantomime playing the instruments (and possibly make sound
effects.)
• If you don’t want to play instruments, but want to do the counting, you can sing the
song straight through without the speaking measures. Add more numbers if you want to
go up to 10!
bethsnotes.com
I Saw Three Ships – Adapted Version
bethsnotes.com
I Saw Three Ships – Steady Beat
bethsnotes.com
I Saw Three Ships – Orff Arrangement (Primary)
bethsnotes.com
I Saw Three Ships – Orff Arrangement (Intermediate)
bethsnotes.com
I Saw Three Ships – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
This is the original version. My chorus sang this in a program one year in its original form.
“I’s the b’y” means “I’m the boy” or “I’m the guy.”
I’s the B’y Adapted Lyrics
Below is my adapted version that is easier to sing for younger students.
bethsnotes.com
Dance steps = students stand in concentric circles. The students in the middle circle face their
partners in the outer circle.
Phrase 1 (ms. 1-2): partners step toward each other on the dotted quarter note beats: step,
step, step, high five partner
Phrase 2 (ms. 3-4): partners step away from each other: step step step/clap, step/clap
Phrase 3: repeat phrase 1
Phrase 4: repeat phrase 2
Refrain
Phrase 5 (ms. 9-10) Right swing partner
Phrase 6 (ms. 11-12) Left swing partner
Phrases 7 & 8 (ms. 13-16) Promenade partner 6 beats, last 2 beats (on the word “circle”) clap
and stomp in place
Dance steps = students stand in 2 lines faces each other.
Phrases 1-6 Same as above

Phrases 7 & 8 (ms. 13-16)) Change lyrics to “Two hands with your partner now” and hold both
hands with partner while circling to the right.
bethsnotes.com
I’s the B’y Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
KEY OF G
bethsnotes.com
IT’S ALMOST DAY
Original Version
Adapted Version 1
Lyric Options
• If you teach at a Christian school, you could also add, “Now it’s Jesus’ birthday…”
• Have students discuss what traditions they do on Christmas, such as “eat the turkey” or
“visit grandma.”
• Change “On Christmas Day” to “It’s Hanukkah” and sing lyrics such as “light the
candles” or “play with dreidels” or “eat the latkes.”
bethsnotes.com
• Have students think of something they do for the holidays and take turns singing it,
while the rest of the class singing “On Christmas Day” or “It’s Hanukkah.”
• On the Orff arrangement, the tambourine part and the guiro part are doing a sort of call
and response.
Adapted Version 2 – Welcome to Music
I also use this tune for a welcome (and goodbye) song as students come into class.
Lyrics
• Welcome to Music; now pat the beat (or “now echo me”)
• Go get your recorders and have a seat.
• Line up in a straight line – and have a good day.”
• Substitute students’ names for “music.”
• Change the lyrics to “When we make music, it’s a happy day.” or “Let’s make music; it’s
a happy day.”
• Use the tune to signal the end of music class by dismissing the groups:
o “Line up blue riser, have a happy day.”
o “Line up boys, have a happy day.”
• Reinforce good behavior.
o “Thank you for the straight line…”
o “Hands to yourself now…”
Rhythm – Quarter Notes (Tambourine part) / Half notes (Triangle part)
Harmony – Recorder Notes G, A, C (See the Student Copies below.)
bethsnotes.com
It’s Almost Day (Version 2) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
It’s Almost Day – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm Visual
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake / I Want to Rise – Partner Songs – Version 1
In this version, Wake Snake has been simplified to make it easy to teach in one lesson.
Rhythm – Half rests in both parts. To help students analyze the rhythms, pass out the handout
below.
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake / I Want to Rise – Partner Songs – Rhythms
Name Class
Wake Snake
$ h h |eq eqq |h h |eq eqq |

Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’, Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’,
h h |eq eqq |h h |H q Q ]
Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’, Wake snake, Break!
I Want to Rise in the Early Morn
$ eq eqn|qqqQ |eq eqn|qqqQ |

I want to rise in the early morn, I want to rise in the early morn,
eq eqn|qqqn |nq qn|h H ]

I want to rise in the early morn, and I’ll nev-er be late a-ny more!
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake / I Want to Rise – Version 1 - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
JACK-O-LANTERN
Meter in 3
• Have students pat the strong beat (beat 1) as they sing. Later, add xylophones (or drums
for younger students).
• Add two snaps on beats 2 and 3. Later, add triangles (see Orff arrangement below).
Melody – do, re, mi, fa, so

• After students have learned to sing the song, have students sing only beats one and two
of each measure and think the lyrics that aren’t sung. Lead them to realize that the first
notes (“lantern”) are on “mi.” Ask them if the next notes (“lantern”) are higher or lower
(lower). Those are “re.” Lead them step by step to sing the following:
bethsnotes.com
Jack-o’-lantern – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Jack-o’-lantern – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Jack-o-lantern – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Original Version
Adapted Version #1
I rewrote the traditional tune of Jack Sprat to make it easier to sing.
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version #2
And here I adapted the lyrics for Thanksgiving.
Voices – Talking / Singing

• Chant this instead of sing it.
Rhythm – Long & Short

• Add triangles on the rhyming words: lean & clean
o You could also include “between” as one of the rhyming words, unless you are
trying to emphasize the long sounds of the words “lean” and “clean” (the triangle
has a more long, sustained sound than the woodblock).
• Add woodblocks on the short rhyming words: sprat and fat
• Move hands with the melodic contour: up and down.
bethsnotes.com
Jack Sprat - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Circle game
Formation - Students stand in a circle with one student in the middle (“It”).
While singing verses 1 and 2, students join hands and walk in the circle. At the end of verse 2,
they stop. The student who the inside student is facing becomes the new person in the middle.
(Option: the student in the middle holds arm out and points straight ahead - that will help
decide which student becomes the next “It.”)
Harmony – ostinati
• Add the rhythm “jing-ga-ring” on one instrument and “tan-zy” on another instrument
(see the visuals below) while students sing.
bethsnotes.com
Jing-Ga-Ring – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Jing-Ga-Ring – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
JOHN THE RABBIT
Melody – Minor / Major - The song changes from E minor to E major near the end. Discuss
how the lyrics go from negative to positive and how the melody helps that feeling.
Melody – Repeated tones / Recorder Note E / Form – Call & Response

• This song can be easily learned and sung quickly. Sing the Call and instruct students to
sing the Response “Oh yes” at the end of every phrase (or when you point to them).
Students can recognize that the notes they sing are repeated tones. Have students take
turns playing the repeated tones on xylophones (octave E or single E) or recorders. They
join you in singing the last note “all” or the whole last phrase: “a garden at all.” They can
even roll on octave Es.
• On recorders, teach the E fingering. Students keep their fingers still on the E fingering
and use their tonguing to play two notes (“oh yes”). They can hold the last note until you
cut them off (fermata).
• The first two Orff arrangements are simple ideas of how students can either play the
octave Es on the steady beat or play the Response.
bethsnotes.com
John the Rabbit - Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
John the Rabbit – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
John the Rabbit – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dance / Play Party
Play with an uneven number of children. All in a circle hand in hand (or arm in arm) with a
partner, except one student, the "miller," in the center. All sing while walking around, one
partner group following another around the circle. On the word "grab," every inside partner
steps forward and tries to grab the hand/arm of the outside partner directly in front.
Meanwhile, the miller tries to grab the hand of an outside person before someone else. If
successful, the miller joins the circle, and the one left without a partner becomes the new
"miller."
Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B
bethsnotes.com
Jolly is the Miller – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Jolly is the Miller – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Eighth, Quarter & Half notes
• Pat the steady beat (quarter note) while chanting verse 1. Help students notice where
the rhythm is twice as fast as the beat (eighth notes) and where the notes are holding for
2 beats (half notes).
• Assign instruments to play:
o Eighth notes – maracas or guiros
o Quarter notes – woodblocks or claves
o Half notes – triangles or finger cymbals
Melody – Recorder Notes D, E, G, A, B (low so, low la, do, re, mi)
Harmony – Recorder Duet (higher part = G, B, C, D’)
bethsnotes.com
Jolly Old St. Nicholas – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Jolly Old St. Nicholas – Duet - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Jolly Old St. Nicholas – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
KANGAROO
Game
Students sit in a circle. One child, the "kangaroo," sits in the middle with the eyes
closed. One student is chosen from the circle to sing the last 2 phrases solo: "Guess
who caught you just for fun?" The student with eyes closed has 3 guesses to name who
sang that part. The student who sang becomes the new "kangaroo."
Melody
• Pitch matching - As students play the song, assess how well they match pitch. Use the
rubric below. There are two different versions: if you are only assessing pitch-matching
for so and mi, use the top form. The other form is if you are listening for all 5 pitches to
be sung accurately.
• Mi-so | melody going down
Students move their hands to Curwen hand signs on so and mi. Move hands in a
downward motions on measure 7, then on the last measure make a pounding motion
lower than the other motions. (See Orff arrangement 1.)
• Do, mi, so | steps, skips, repeats
Do the same lesson idea as above, and name the last note as “do.” Find the repeated
notes, skips and steps. (See Orff arrangement 2.)
• Recorder notes G,A,B,C’,D’ - After learning to sing the song, put students in small
groups, give each group the melody visuals. They must put the melody cards in the right
order and practice fingering them on the recorders. Notice patterns in the melody: which
measures are the same and which are different. Recognize how measures 1-4 have the
same rhythms as 5-8. Propose the question: could the last four measures go first? Lead
them to understand that measures 5-8 need to go last, since they end with “do,” which
makes it sound like the song is over.
o Idea: Give each group one melody card. Have them learn to play it well, then play all
eight measures in order.
bethsnotes.com
Kangaroo – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Kangaroo - Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Kangaroo - Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Kangaroo - Orff arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pitch Matching Performance Assessment
Name Class
Students were evaluated individually by singing a song with 3 pitches (mi, so, la).
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pitch Matching Performance Assessment
Name Class
Students were evaluated individually by singing a song with 5 pitches (do, re, mi so, fa, so).
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Info
• "Kolyada” is described as a pre-Christian winter festival, then became the word for
Christmas, and often now means the tradition of caroling and having fun on Christmas.
• Some sources say “Kolyada” is the Russian Santa Claus.
Lyrics
• This version assumes “Kolyada” is Santa Claus. For a secular version, verse 2 could be
sung:
o “Kolyada, Kolyada, Come this special night, we say.”
• If you prefer to refer to “Kolyada” as the tradition of caroling and having fun, you could
change the lyrics to:
o Verse 1 - “Kolyada, Kolyada, Walk about on Christmas Eve, Kolyada, Kolyada, At
your window, cakes we’ll leave.”
o Verse 2, Option 1 – “Kolyada, Kolyada, On this holy night, we pray. Kolyada,
Kolyada, It will soon be Christmas Day.”
o Verse 2, Option 2 – “Kolyada, Kolyada, On this special night, we say. Kolyada,
Kolyada, It will soon be Christmas Day.”
Melody – mi, so
• See glockenspiel part of Orff arrangement. This also could be sung with Solfege or
played on recorders.
bethsnotes.com
Kolyada – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
English version
bethsnotes.com
Harmony: Round
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Translation – The cockroach
The cockroach, the cockroach,

Now he can’t walk
Because he doesn’t have, because he’s missing
Legs to walk with!
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in Cm
Song in Dm
Melody: Minor
• Students play a DA bordun on xylophones while singing.
Rhythm
• Steady Beat
o Students play the steady beat on hand drums or a gathering drum.
• Eighth / Sixteenth combination

o Students play the “Boom di-dee boom boom” rhythms with alternating hands on
drums, guiros, maracas, or cabasas.
Land of the Silver Birch – Rhythm Visuals
Land of the Silver Birch – Orff Arrangement
Partner Songs - Land of the Silver Birch / Canoe Song
Partner songs are so great for helping students sing in 2 parts! For a concert, consider having
all students sing the first song, then the second song, then put the songs together the third
time through.
Land of the Silver Birch / Canoe Song – Orff Arrangement
Orff parts:
• The simple bordun (D/A on xylophone) can be played on the first beat of each measure
by the same xylophones, or you can make it more interesting by dividing your
xylophones into lower-pitched xylophones (bass, alto) and higher pitched xylophones
(soprano), or even glockenspiels also – and then they take turns playing (see example
below).
• The drum part could also be simplified by only playing on the quarter note steady beat,
which is actually very true to the Native American style. Consider using a gathering drum
with one soft mallet for each student.
• The shaker / bells part is to emulate the sounds of the Native American ankle bells. The
wrist bells would work for this, or even maracas would be fine.
• Rhythm: Use the contrast between the quarter note steady beat drum part (see bullet
point #2 above) and the half note shaker / bells part to teach the difference between
quarter note and half note durations.
Land of the Silver Birch / Canoe Song – Rhythm Visuals
This song is traditionally sung at New Year celebrations.
Translation
Hide the towel,
Cats bite,
Drag! Drag!
See the English version below. The first verse is the same meaning as the original, which could
be sung as the game is played. The second verse could be sung as a New Year song.
Game
Formation: Students sit in a circle on the floor.
One person (Person "A") holds a “Kanseng” (towel) in one hand and walks around the outside
of the circle and sings. "A" secretly puts the “Kanseng” behind one of the students on the floor
(Person "B"). "B" jumps up, grabbing the towel, along with the person to their right (Person
"C"). Both "B" and "C" run around the circle, with "B" chasing "C" until "C" returns to their spot
and sits down again. "B" becomes the new "A" and puts the towel behind another student.
The song seems to be repeated over and over as the game is played. I don’t think Person “A”
needs to have dropped the towel by the end of the song (since it is so short). Consider having
xylophones or recorders play the song over and over as the game is played.
Melody – Recorder notes G,A,B
Rhythm – Dotted eighth / sixteenth vs. even eighth notes – To distinguish between even
eighth notes and uneven dotted eighth / sixteenth notes, have students play all of the song’s
eighth notes like dotted eighth/sixteenth notes, then play all like even eighth notes.
Leak Kanseng – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Leak Kanseng – English version
Leak Kanseng – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Leak Kanseng – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Translation - The blacksmith
The blacksmith rebuilds the iron,

He beats iron, he beats iron.
Harmony
• Round
• Orff arrangement (below) – The cymbal part is meant to emulate the sound of pounding
on metal. Substitute with other metal objects (such as railroad spikes hitting each other)
if you have them. The Orff arrangement might sound too busy as written below. Decide
which of the parts you want to use.
Melody
• Major scale – For any of your students who could use a challenge, have them play the
following ostinato on xylophones (while the other students sing or play the regular
melody):
• Major triad / Recorder notes E, G, C’ – To emphasize the major triad, have students
play an ostinato based on the major triad on pitched percussion, Boomwhackers or
recorders. See the recorder part in the Orff arrangement below or have them play C, E,
G on the same (half note) rhythm.
• Low & high do – To simplify the xylophone part in the Orff arrangement below and
emphasize the low C and high C, have students skip the G in between the low C and
high C. In other words, play:
o Low C, (quarter rest), high C, (quarter rest)
bethsnotes.com
Le forgeron – English version
Le forgeron – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• While students learn this song, have them pat the steady beat.
• Have them to listen for the:
syncopated pattern and dotted quarter / eighth note pattern
• Quarter rests – Students listen for the quarter rests and snap whenever they occur
(4 times).
• Dotted quarter & eighth note – “Oh Eliza” – Students pat on the lyrics.
• Syncopation – “Lil’ Liza Jane” – Students clap on the lyrics. See the body percussion
below,
Melody
• pentatonic scale
• high do – Students recognize high do on measures 5 and 8 on the word “Oh.”
• mi, re, do – Students recognize the pattern mi mi re do on measures 4 and 8 on the
words “Li’l Liza Jane.”
bethsnotes.com
Line Dance
Formation – Students stand in two lines facing each other. Partners stand across from each
other.
• Measure 1: Three steps forward, high five partner (both hands) on beat 4.
• Measure 2: Three steps backward, clap on beat 4.
• Measures 3-4: Repeat measures 1 & 2.
• Measures 5-6: Step forward, right arm swing, then back to original locations.
• Measures 7-8: Step forward, left arm swing, then back to original locations.
Circle Dance
Formation – Students stand in a circle holding hands, partners standing next to each other.
• Measure 1: Three steps forward, tap foot on beat 4. (Optional: raise arms up)
• Measure 2: Three steps backward, tap foot on beat 4. (Optional: raise arms down)
• Measures 3-4: Repeat measures 1 & 2.
• Measures 5-6: Face partner, right arm swing, then back to original locations.
• Measures 7-8: Face partner, left arm swing, then back to original locations. (Optional:
Instead of returning back to original locations, students do half a left arm swing and face
a new partner.)
bethsnotes.com
Li’l Liza Jane – Body Percussion
bethsnotes.com
Li’l Liza Jane – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Li’l Liza Jane – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Meaning
ackee - fruit
quattie - worth one and a half penny during colonial rule
dem tan = they are
nyam gran' = taste good
This song is in the Jamaican mento genre (not Calypso)

This is about a woman going to market trying to sell her fruit without success. (I omitted the
verses about the woman’s children going hungry.)
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• Syncopation - Compare the non-syncopated rhythms of the maraca and drum parts (in
the Orff arrangement below) with the syncopated claves/woodblock part.
• Half notes & rests – Find the half notes & half rests in the song. Also, use the rhythm
ostinato parts below to practice half notes & half rests.
• Ostinato parts – Speak (with rhythm syllables or counting) and add body percussion
(snap, clap, pat, stomp) to the rhythms below. Add instruments (you could have
students help choose appropriate instruments) to the different parts. Layer them.
bethsnotes.com
Linstead Market – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Linstead Market – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
This song is very versatile, depending on what you want to use the song for and how long you
want to spend on it. Here are some options:
• It could be used for Christmas, but the lyrics are flexible to use any time of year.
• Teach the melody to demonstrate melodic contour going up and down. Move arms up
and down to reflect the melody.
• Sing the song in a round to teach harmony.
• Add a simple bordun (see metallophone part below) on metallophones or xylophones.
Or play C’s on bass bars or tone bells.
• Add the glockenspiel part below on glocks, xylophones or metallophones.
bethsnotes.com
List to the Bells – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm: Dotted quarter note / eighth note pattern
• As students sing, they lightly tap their fingers on their arm to the steady beat. They
recognize some of the notes move faster than the beat (eighth notes), while on the
dotted quarter notes, they hold the note longer than one beat.
Dynamics: Crescendo, decrescendo
• See the visual below. As students sing the crescendo and decrescendo, they move their
arms more open and closed to show the gradual increase and decrease of volume.
Choral singing
• This is a good piece to practice the “oo” vowel, not only on “loo” lyrics; in rehearsals,
have the students sing the entire song on a “loo” to help them learn to sing long legato
phrases.
• If you perform this piece, consider adding 2 measures of interlude between each verse
with the xylophone playing D/A on the beat with a wind chime glissando.
bethsnotes.com
Little Birch Tree – Rhythm / Dynamic Visual
bethsnotes.com
Little Birch Tree – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Little Birch Tree – Russian
Во поле береза стояла, On the field there stood a birch-tree,

Во поле кудрявая стояла, on the field there stood the curly birch-tree,
Люли, люли, стояла. Lyuli, Lyuli, there it stood.
Некому березу заломати, Nobody shall break down the birch-tree,

Некому кудряву заломати, nobody shall tear out the curly birch-tree,
Люли, люли, заломати. Lyuli, Lyuli, break down, Lyuli, Lyuli, tear out.
Как пойду я в лес, погуляю, I will go into the forest,

Белую березу заломаю, I will go, I will fell a white birch-tree,
Люли, люли, заломаю. Lyuli, Lyuli, I will go, Lyuli, Lyuli, I will fell.
Срежу я с березы три пруточка, I will cut off three little twigs… from the birch-tree
Сделаю себе я три гудочка, and make three little pipes of them,
Люли, люли три гудочка. Lyuli, Lyuli, three little twigs, Lyuli…three little pipes.
Четвертую балалайку, The fourth thing I make is a balalaika,

Пойду я на новые сени, to make my old grandfather pleasure.
Люли, люли на сени. Lyuli, Lyuli, balalaika, Lyuli, Lyuli, for pleasure
bethsnotes.com
Version 1
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
Form - AB
Lyrics
• Have students make up their own new verses with different animals, such as, “Tweet
tweet,” went the little blue bird one day… Then Section B (measures 9-16) can either be
the same lyrics as the frog verse, or the birds (or other animals you add) can sing a new
song with nonsense lyrics (such as “doo bee doo bee doo” or “foh dee oh dee oh.”
Motions
• "Mmm" – Fists against cheeks with eyes closed.
• "ahh" – Open eyes, fists and mouth.
• "La dee da dee da” - Roll hands in front of you (or shimmer jazz hands). Lean to one
side, then the other each time you sing it.
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement (below)
A
• “Mmm ahh” - frog guiro or regular guiro
• “Hop hop hop” – drum (Use the visual above to show the pattern.)
• “ahh” – F/C bordun on xylophones
• Recorder / glockenspiel ostinato could also be played by Bloomwhackers.
B
• Measures 10, 11, 12, 14 – Play the drum and show visual below of
(where the clap was). Optional: Play the guiro (or maracas) on the rests
(see the visual below).
• A simpler version of the recorder / glock / Boomwhacker part could be:

o Measures 9,10,11 = play AAA, GGG, AAA, and measure 13 = AAA (same rhythm
as written below)
• A simpler version of the xylophone part could be:
o Measures 9,10,11,13 = play octave C’s.
o Or, don’t play at all until the last note “ahhh.”
bethsnotes.com
Little Green Frog – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Little Green Frog – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• Steady Beat – Have students pat the beat as they sing or listen to the song.
• Quarter Notes & Rests, Eighth Notes – Rearrange the rhythm visuals to create rhythm
patterns. (Add words if you want.) You can also use the small cards to do rhythmic
dictation. For instance, you say a pattern using your favorite rhythm syllables, such as
“ta, ti-ti, ta, rest,” and students put the cards in this order:
• Rhythm Worksheets
o The first worksheet (see below) has the students fill out the notes of the lyrics on
the sheet. Have the students chant the lyrics, pat the steady beat, and then pat
the lyrics.
o The second worksheet (see below) encourages the students to write their own
lyrics and then fill in the rhythms of their lyrics. They could work alone or in pairs
or groups. They could also perform their lyrics with body percussion or
instruments.
• Tempo – Start singing the song slowly and gradually speed up to emulate a train going
faster and faster.
Harmony – Rhythm Ostinati

• Add different instruments to the ostinato parts. To help everyone stay together, consider
having someone play the steady beat on a drum and encourage students to say the
lyrics out loud.
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose – Rhythm Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
Train Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Train Rhythm Cards
bethsnotes.com
Train Rhythms
Name Class
Directions: Fill out each train with the correct notes that correspond to the lyrics below.
(Each train car equals one beat.)
1. Lit-tle train is com-ing soon.
2. Pull the chain!
3. Hear the whis-tle blow!
bethsnotes.com
Train Rhythms
Name Class
Directions: Write your own lyrics in the lines and write the corresponding rhythms in the train
cars. (Each train car equals one beat.)
1.
2.
3.
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain
Rhythm
• Dotted Quarter / Eighth Note Pattern - See the drum part in the Orff arrangement
below.
• Half Rest, Quarter Rest & Quarter Note - See the triangle part in the Orff arrangement
below.
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Students find half notes by listening and raising hands on the long sounds.
Teacher says: "The half note = 2 beats - and the last note is extra long with 3 beats! The dot
next to the half note gives the half note another beat."
In this Orff arrangement the triangle part plays how many beats each long note gets.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Half notes, Quarter notes, Eighth notes
• Rearrange the rhythm visuals into 4-beat patterns and chant / clap patterns.
Melody – do, re, mi

• For BAG (on recorders or xylophones), see the song in G below.
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor - Motions
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor – Orff Arrangement in F
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor – in G
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor – Orff Arrangement in G
bethsnotes.com
Long Legged Sailor – Student Copies in G
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement in F
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement in G
bethsnotes.com
LOS ESQUELETOS
Translation
1. When the clock strikes one, the skeletons come out of their tomb. Tomb, tomb, tomb, ba...
2. When the clock strikes two, the skeletons eat rice. Tomb...
3. When the clock strikes three, the skeletons turn upside down, Tomb...
4. When the clock strikes four, the skeletons go to the theater. Tomb...
5. When the clock strikes five, the skeletons jump. Tomb...
6. When the clock strikes six, the skeletons put on a jersey. Tomb...
7. When the clock strikes seven, the skeletons ride a rocket. Tomb...
8. When the clock strikes eight, the skeletons eat a biscuit. Tomb...
9. When the clock strikes nine, the skeletons all move. Tomb...
10. When the clock strikes ten, the skeletons to sleep again. Tomb...
bethsnotes.com
Los esqueletos – English version
After the first 4 measures of each verse, while singing “Tumba…” have students do motions to
reflect the lyrics. Make up your own motions, or use these ideas:
1. jazz hands 6. dance kicks like a chorus line

2. walk in place 7. put up fingers as if counting fingers
3. pretend to drink tea 8. march
4. dance 9. smile and strut in place
5. pretend to drive 10. dance
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Half rests, Dotted quarter notes, Half & Whole Notes
Los esqueletos – English version – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
LOST MY GOLD RING
Game / Call & Response

• Identify one student to be the “Guesser.” He or she wears a blindfold or sits in a chair
facing away from the class. Students sit in a circle with their hands open in front of
them. Teacher or another student is “It” and walks around the inside of the circle while
students sing the first 6 measures. “It” sings measure 7 “One go to Kingston,” while
putting the ring in one student’s hands. The student with the ring sings the last measure,
“Come back again.” The “Guesser” tries to guess the name of the person who has the
ring (who sang the last measure). That student becomes the new “It.”
• Game Variation: Same game, except students in the circle close their eyes. After the
song ends, they all try to guess the name of the student who sang the last measure.
Melody – Do & Mi
• Measures 2 & 6 = do mi mi do
• Measure 4 = mi mi mi mi
• Measure 8 = do do do do
bethsnotes.com
Lost My Gold Ring – Key of G
Melody - Recorder Notes G, A, B, C, D’

• Have students play melody with the Orff arrangement (below).
Melody – Recorder Notes G & B

• Play the two phrases “Lost my gold ring” and “come back again” as a Call & Response.
• Divide the class into 2 groups: one group plays the “call” and the other plays the
“response.”
• Students get into partner groups. One person plays the “call,” the other, the “response.”
Call Response Call Response
Melody – Recorder Notes B, C, D’

• See the recorder ostinato with the Orff arrangement (below).
bethsnotes.com
Lost My Gold Ring – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Lost My Gold Ring – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Lost My Gold Ring – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
LUCY LOCKET
Song in C
Song in D
bethsnotes.com
Lyrics – If you prefer, you can change the lyrics to:
Johnny Bollet lost his wallet, Sally Fisher found it,
Not a dollar was there in it, just a ribbon round it.
Dynamics - Loud & Soft

Game
Send one student out of the room. Teacher hides a “pocketbook” (or wallet) in the room
(not too hidden, so it doesn’t take too long). Invite the student back into the room. Class
sings the song and gets louder as the student gets closer to finding the “pocketbook” and
softer as the student gets farther away.
If students are playing the recorders (notes E,G,A in the key of C), the students can play
louder and softer, depending on how close the student is to finding it.
Melody
• Mi, so, la
o I have found that some students have trouble hearing if notes are going up or
down. I have them lightly place their hands on their throats as they echo me
singing patterns such as “mi mi so,” or “la so mi.” They can often feel how the
vibrations in their vocal cords are moving in an upward or downward direction.
o To help them experience the music kinesthetically, as I sing patterns for them to
echo, I have them use different hand motions, such as:
§ Curwen hand signs
§ Pat, clap, snap = mi, so, la
§ Touch shoulders, head, hands up above the head = mi, so, la
§ Sit, stand, stand on tiptoes = mi, so, la
o Show the vertical paper xylophone (see below), and point to mi, so and la as you
sing.
You can also cut the xylophone bars apart and only show the mi, so, and la bars.
Leave a space in between mi and so. (There are several other printable paper
xylophones on my website.)
o Explain that there is a skip between mi and so and a step between so and la.
o When teaching younger students to write on the staff, it can be helpful to start
with a staff with only 3 lines. I tell them we count the lines and spaces from the
bottom up (i.e. the bottom line is line 1). Then we practice drawing notes on the
staff. Ask them: If mi is on line 1, where is so? (answer: line 2) Where is la?
(answer: space 2)
o See the “Lucy Locket – Write the Song” worksheet below. Have students copy
the melody of Lucy Locket onto the 3-lined staff below it. There are two versions
of the worksheet. The second version is slightly larger, and the students only have
to write the first two measures – since the second two measures just repeat the
first two measures anyway. (On the Lucy Locket page on the website, you can
find a similar worksheet with a 5-lined staff.)
o The 3-lined staff paper can be used to practice writing notes on lines and spaces
however you wish.
• E,G,A – See Student Copies for recorder copies.
bethsnotes.com
Vertical Paper Xylophone
bethsnotes.com
Lucy Locket – Write the Song
Name Class
Write the same notes on the blank staff below.

Lucy Locket – Write the Song 2
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
3-Lined Staff Paper
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
‘G$ ‘ ‘
iq iq iq iq iq iq q q
‘G iq iq iq iq ‘iq iq q q]
‘G$ ‘ ‘
‘G ‘ bethsnotes.com
]
Lucy Locket – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Lucy Locket – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
so-mi version
bethsnotes.com
Lullaby – so-mi Version – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Song in Dm
Song in Em
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
The metallophone part could be played by glockenspiels and/or wrist bells.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Meter in 3:
Add body percussion
Add rhythm sticks
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Tempo
• Note the suggested metronome mark. This song is sung rather quickly (listen to online
recordings to get an idea).
Orff Arrangement - “Jingle Tap” part

• This could also be played by a tambourine (preferably without a drumhead) or another
metal instrument that doesn’t sustain the sound – such as a cowbell or agogo bells.
Another option is a scraping sound, such as a cabasa.
• If playing on beats 2 and 4 are too challenging for your students, you could have them
play on beats 1 and 3 (during the empty measures).
bethsnotes.com
Mama Bake that Johnny Cake, Christmas Comin’ – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
May Song (Spring is Coming) – Adapted – mi, so, la version
bethsnotes.com
May Song (Spring is Coming) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
May Song (Spring is Coming) – Adapted – mi, so, la version – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Lyrics – Change “summer day” to “music day.” Or, use the adapted version below.
Dance
Formation: Students stand in a circle with one person ("It") in the center. Sing that person's
name instead of "Miss Maggie."
Verse 1 - Students circle to the right around "It."
Verse 2 - "It" grabs someone from the circle, ("Person 2") brings him/her to the middle and
does a right hand swing.
Verse 3 - "It" goes back to the person who was standing to the right of "Person 2" and does a
left hand swing. "It" goes back to Person 2 and does a right arm swing, then goes to the next
person in the circle and does a left arm swing. This continues around the whole circle. When
everyone has been swung, "It" joins the circle, and "Person 2" becomes the new "It."
bethsnotes.com
Miss Maggie – Adapted – “Around and Round”
Circle Game
Formation: Students stand in a circle with one person ("It") in the center.
Students hold hands and walk in a circle around “It” while singing that person's name. On the
last word, the students stop circling, and “It” holds points to one student. That student
becomes the new “It.”
Rhythm – Steady beat – Encourage students to step on the steady beat (on the dotted quarter
notes) while walking in a circle. It can be easier for them to feel the beat if the teacher or
another student plays the beat on a drum while they sing. Steady beat can also be reinforced
by assigning students to play the xylophones (see the Orff arrangement below).
bethsnotes.com
Miss Maggie – Adapted – “Around and Round” – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
MISTER RABBIT
Lyrics - Think of other verses, (and they can be silly!) such as:
• Mister Rabbit… your smile is mighty funny.
Yes, indeed, I’ve got veggies in my tummy…
• Mister Rabbit… your shoes are mighty plain.
Yes, indeed, I was playing in the rain…
• Mister Rabbit… your tail’s mighty pink.
Yes, indeed, it’s starting to shrink…
• Mister Rabbit… your foot’s mighty blue.
Yes, indeed, I already knew…
bethsnotes.com
• Divide the class in half. Have the first group sing the first line and the second group sing
the second line. All students sing the refrain together.
Rhythm
• Syncopation – Find the syncopation in the song. Teach the tambourine part in the Orff
arrangement below.
• Dotted quarter / eighth notes – Find the patterns in the song. Teach the
bethsnotes.com
Mister Rabbit – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Harmony
• Round
• Countermelody - see Orff arrangement (soprano or alto xylophones or metallophones)
• Ostinato – Have one group of students sing (or play) “so la ti do” while the rest of the
students sing the song (see the visual below).
Meter in 3
Rhythm – Dotted half notes, Dotted quarter notes
bethsnotes.com
German lyrics
Translation
Heaven and earth must pass,
but the music, but the music,
but the music remains.
bethsnotes.com
Music Alone Shall Live – Visual
bethsnotes.com
Music Alone Shall Live – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
MY AUNT CAME BACK
Motions
For each verse, add a motion until, by the end, you are doing all of the motions at once.
Rhythm
• Steady Beat - Do the motions on the steady beat.
• Quarter & Eighth notes (See the visuals below.) Most phrases have only quarter notes,
except the phrase, “And she brought with her.” Have the students identify which rhythm
they hear as they sing and clap the rhythm of each phrase.
• Have students write their own verse (individually or with partners). With the first
worksheet below, you could require the students to only use lyrics that line up with the
quarter notes. With the second worksheet, students could write lyrics with different
rhythms, and they must notate their lyrics.
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Came Back – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Came Back – Write Your Own Verse
Name(s) Class
Write your own verse to the tune of “My Aunt Came Back.” Make sure your verse has the
correct number of syllables to match the notes below. The lines with * are all the same words.
The words you write in the boxes below need to rhyme (total of 3).
My aunt came back (echo)
q q q
From (echo)
And she brought with her (echo)
q q q
A (echo)
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Came Back – Write Your Own Verse
Name(s) Class
Write your own verse to the tune of “My Aunt Came Back.” Make sure your verse has the
correct number of syllables to match the notes below. The lines with * are all the same words.
The words you write in the boxes below need to rhyme (total of 3).
My aunt came back (echo)
Notate
From (echo)
And she brought with her (echo)
Notate
A (echo)
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Came Back – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
MY AUNT JANE
Rhythm – Half notes / Eighth rests – See the Orff parts below.
Rhythm – Quarter Notes & Rests, Half notes - If you don’t have access to instruments, you
can add the ostinato parts below. Also, students could chant instead of sing.
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Jane – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
My Aunt Jane – Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN
Meter in 3
Rhythm
• Dotted Half Note
o As students learn to sing the song, have them recognize the dotted half notes in
the “Bring back…” lyrics.
o Add a metal instrument (such as triangle) to play the dotted half notes. See the
Orff arrangement below for the triangle part.
• Half & Dotted Half Rests
o As students sing, have them nod their heads on the silent beats during the rests.
bethsnotes.com
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Voices: Singing & Talking / High & Low / Expression
• Point out the difference between the singing part (question: Where are you going?) and
the spoken answer.
• Use talking voice for the singing part and discuss the differences between singing the
verse and speaking it. Ask questions such as, “Why does the singing part make it sound
like the singer is sad to see the old man go?” You could discuss the minor key, or for
younger singers, you could just mention how singing adds a level of expression and
feeling.
• Contrast the spoken answer “to the store” speaking vs. singing with a so-so-mi tune.
What do they prefer: singing or talking voice? Discuss how maybe the old man would
have a low-sounding voice. What might his low singing voice sound like?
• Add expression / drama. Have 2 students – or 2 groups of students pretend to be the
first person (asking the questions). Who would that person be? The old man’s wife? His
son or daughter? The second person / group would play the part of the old man. What is
his mood? Is he annoyed at the questions being asked of him? Is he tired? Happy?
• Have students improvise responses to the question. Or ask different questions, such as
“Where are you going, my good, good friend? Where are you going, my good, good
friend? Best good friend in the world.”
Rhythm: Syncopation, Eighth note / dotted quarter pattern
• Add the “Where are you headed? Where have you been?” instrument part (consider
maracas) – see visuals below – to emphasize the syncopated pattern.
bethsnotes.com
My Good Old Man – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
My Good Old Man – Instrument Part Visuals
bethsnotes.com
My Good Old Man – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Note: I often change the melody of the penultimate note (“and”) from the A to a C so the
students aren’t singing so low. I made that change in the partner song version below.
Melody: Minor
• Students play a DA bordun on xylophones while singing.
Rhythm
• Syncopation
o Introduce the syncopated pattern. I call it “syn-co-pa” or “ti-ta-ti.” Help students
recognize the pattern in all 4 measures by singing:
Syn-co-pa keen and bright,
Syn-co-pa silver,
Syn-co-pa wild goose flight,
Syn-co-pa swing.
• Meter
o Use the Meter Worksheet to have students add barlines to the melody after every
4 beats.
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Meter Worksheet
Name Class
Directions:
• Find the time signature.

• How many beats should be in each measure?
• Add the barlines and a double barline at the end.
• Circle the syncopated patterns.
bethsnotes.com
Meter Worksheet
Name Class
Directions:
• Find the time signature.

• How many beats should be in each measure?
• Add the barlines and a double barline at the end.
• Circle the syncopated patterns.
bethsnotes.com
Land of the Silver Birch / My Paddle’s Keen and Bright – Partner Songs
Partner songs are so great for helping students sing in 2 parts! For a concert, consider having
all students sing the first song, then the second song, then put the songs together the third
time through.
bethsnotes.com
Land of the Silver Birch / My Paddle’s Keen and Bright – Orff Arrangement
Orff parts:
• The simple bordun (D/A on xylophone) can be played on the first beat of each measure
by the same xylophones, or you can make it more interesting by dividing your
xylophones into lower-pitched xylophones (bass, alto) and higher pitched xylophones
(soprano), or even glockenspiels also – and then they take turns playing (see example
below).
• The drum part could also be simplified by only playing on the quarter note steady beat,
which is actually very true to the Native American style. Consider using a gathering drum
with one soft mallet for each student.
• The shaker / bells part is to emulate the sounds of the Native American ankle bells. The
wrist bells would work for this, or even maracas would be fine.
• Rhythm: Use the contrast between the quarter note steady beat drum part (see bullet
point #2 above) and the half note shaker / bells part to teach the difference between
quarter note and half note durations.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Land of the Silver Birch / My Paddle’s Keen and Bright – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
First Lesson - for a couple of minutes
• Introduce the song by singing it. Ask the students to listen for the rests.
• Sing it again, students whisper "rest" in the spaces.
• Discover there are three rests in the song.
• Stand in a circle. Sing again, students bend their knees when they whisper "rest."
Second Lesson - for a few more minutes
• After reviewing the song and finding the rests again, students are in a circle holding
hands and walk to the right, bending their knees on the rests.
• Then we play the game:
o I choose one student to be the "kitty cat" and sit in the middle of the circle.
Another student is the "old man" or "old lady,"who stands outside of the circle.
o Students sing the song once as they walk around the circle and bend their knees
on the rests.
o Students sing the song a second time as they stand still in the circle and raise
their hands up, allowing the "old man" or "old lady" and "cat" to run in and out of
the circle. The "old man/lady" tries to tag the "cat" before the song ends.
o This song is better played in a space with enough room for the kids to run
around. It be a little rowdy in a small room. :-)
Subsequent Lessons - Play this game the last 5 minutes of several lessons. Tip: Each
time, choose different students (and keep a record of who has had a turn - because they
always "forget!").
I have adapted the game for inside play:
The class sits in a circle with a student in the middle with eyes closed. As students sing the
song, the "kitty cat" hides behind a riser in the room. When the song is over, the student in the
bethsnotes.com
middle of the circle makes a guess as to which riser the student is hiding behind. You could
even have the "cat" make a small "meow" to help the student guess.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Try with K-2: Emphasize the steady beat by adding motions on the beats:
bethsnotes.com
The motions can be easily modified to pantomime the motions of the instrument parts.
bethsnotes.com
Version 1
Translation
The rock has crushed my hand, Grandma

The rock has crushed my hand.
Stone-Passing Game
There are different ways to play this. Students can tap the stone in front of them on the beat
and pass it to the person next to them. The Akan people value cooperation, so both the
students who pass and receive the stone incorrectly are out.
Simple Passing Pattern
bethsnotes.com
Obwisana – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
Passing Pattern 1
Passing Pattern 2
bethsnotes.com
O CHRISTMAS TREE / O TANNENBAUM
bethsnotes.com
O Tannenbaum - German lyrics
Meter – in 3 / Form AABA

• As students sing, have them pat their knees on beat 1 of each measure (the strong
beats). The strong beats can be played by a soft-sounding drum, triangle or sleigh bells.
The chords could also be played by the xylophone (see the Orff arrangement below),
ukuleles or other instruments. The simplified chords are:
o Section A: F / F / C7 / F
o Section B: F / C7 / C7 / F
• The Orff arrangement (below) highlights the AABA form since the instrumentation of B
changes.
bethsnotes.com
O Christmas Tree – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
This Orff arrangement has a mi, so, la countermelody. You can easily simplify the xylophone
part by playing a bordun (F & C together) on the half note beat.
Oh I’m Goin’ to Sing Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Oh Come Let Us Sing - Original Version
Welcome students into class by singing something like this:
Teach how to play B,A,G,D’ on recorders or xylophones with this version:
bethsnotes.com
Oh I’m Goin’ to Sing Student Copy
bethsnotes.com
Song in C
Song in D
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Lyrics - The lyrics describe an imaginary conversation between a person who has just arrived
in heaven and the Lord. Possible variations:
• Variation 1
o Person 1: Oh won’t you sit down?
o Person 2: Oh I can’t sit down… ‘cause I just got to school, I gotta look around.
• Variation 2
o Come in and sit down, class, Come in, sit down…. ‘Cause we’re gonna make
some music, wipe away that frown!
• Sing the song for the students and ask them to clap every time they hear the word “sit.”
They will soon find out that sometimes it’s hard to clap right on that word. (That’s
because every other word is syncopated.) I like the definition that syncopation is when
the rhythm is not on the steady beat. This song helps students feel how the word “sit” is
sometimes difficult to clap.
bethsnotes.com
Melody - GAB (do, re, mi)
• Another syncopated part is “sit down Lord.” Ask students if they can hear the pattern:
do, do, mi in the song. Have students pat, pat, snap whenever they sing that part.
• Also syncopated is “look around.” Ask students to listen for: mi, re, do. Have them snap,
clap, pat as they sing that part. (You could also have them do the Curwen hand signs
instead.)
• Have students play the patterns do, do, mi and mi, re, do on xylophones,
Boomwhackers or recorders. Idea: before playing xylophones, pass out the paper
xylophones (below), and have them practice playing (alternating hands).
• To prepare for the bass xylophone part of the Orff arrangement (below), have the
students pat their knees for the G/D bordun and clap their hands for the clicking sticks
part.
• Other instruments, such as soprano xylophones, glockenspiels, Boomwhackers or
recorders can play the do, do, mi and mi, re, do parts.
bethsnotes.com
Oh Won’t You Sit Down – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone - GAB
bethsnotes.com
Oh Won’t You Sit Down – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Chords:
There seems to be some discrepancy whether this is an Eskimo song about fishing or whether
it is a nonsense song. Either way, it is a fun song with opportunities to teach form and rhythm.
For Section A motions and Orff parts, I have highlighted the rhythmic patterns. For Section B, I
have made the motions more about improvisation and free-flowing motions and sustained
tones in the Orff parts.
bethsnotes.com
FORM: ABA
Hand Clapping
Section A
Ms. 1 & 2: pat pat pat clap (repeat)
Ms. 3 & 4: pat clap pat clap, pat clap pat
Section B
Ms. 5 & 6: wave right hand around several times
Ms. 7 & 8: wave left hand
Ms. 9 & 10: wave right hand
Variation with Partners – sitting facing a partner – or in groups of 3

Section A: Change “clap” to “high five partners”
Section B: [Partners call themselves Partner A and Partner B. The first time you sing the song,
Partner A is the leader, then Partner B takes a turn. The finished form is: ABABA so both
partners get a turn to lead.] The leader waves the right hand, then left hand, then right hand (as
written above) and the follower must mirror the leader’s hand movements.
Variation with Rhythm Sticks (or Puili Sticks – do a search on my site for “PUILI.”)
Section A: Change “pat” to “hit sticks on ground” and “clap” to “partners click sticks together”
Section B: Do the same improvising movements as the waving above, this time with sticks
in hand.
Variation for PreK to 1st grade (all watching teacher, no partners)
FOCUS on Beat vs. No Beat

Section A: BEAT
Ms. 1: pat 4 times
Ms. 2: clap 4 times
Ms. 3: pat 4 times
Ms. 4: clap 4 times
Section B: NO BEAT
(Students mirror teacher’s movements. Teacher de-emphasize the steady beat and wave
hands around in random movements while singing.)
Ms. 5 & 6: wave right hand around several times
Ms. 7 & 8: wave left hand
Ms. 9 & 10: wave right hand
Extensions in future lessons
Section A: improvise other steady beat motions (pat head, stomp feet, etc.) in 4-beat
increments. Section B, improvise movements that are random and do not show steady beat.
Add large motor motions. For instance, march during Section A and sway in a random pattern
in Section B.
Invite students to the front to demonstrate steady beat and no beat motions. Line them up in
front of the class and point to them to lead their motions as you sing the different sections. For
instance, student 1 could be leading the class with their motion, such as tapping their head for
8 beats, and student 2 could march in place for 8 counts. (Either repeat those two students for
bethsnotes.com
the repeat sign or add 2 more students.) Then, for Section B, you could have 3 students, one
for each 8 beats. The class mirrors each student’s movements while you point to that student
who is “in charge” during those beats.
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
This is a fun song with lots of energy that can be used with all grades!
Form - AB - This song lends itself to teaching different instrumentation for A and B. Here are
some options:
Rhythm - Steady beat, Beat vs. Rhythm, quarter rest | Form

A: Students sing and make paddling motions on the steady beat
B: Students pat the rhythm and snap on the rests.
During a later lesson, add instruments:
A: Students sing and pat drums on the steady beat
B: Students play rhythm on woodblocks or rhythms sticks and play triangles on the
rests.
Rhythm - syncopation, quarter rests | Melody: BAG, do, re, mi | Form

A: Students sing the melody on solfege & using Curwen hand signs
B: Simplify the rhythms so the first 3 phrases are the same. Add unpitched
percussion. (As students play, have them chant rhythm syllables, such as “ti ta ti ta”
or “syn-co-pa-ta.”) See rhythm visuals below – legend below:
bethsnotes.com
= hand drum
= triangle
= woodblock
= claves or rhythm sticks

= guiro
• Another option
A: Students sing the melody on solfege & using Curwen hand signs
B: Students chant lyrics and play the rhythms on unpitched percussion.
• Another option
A: Students sing (and add Orff instruments – see arrangement below)
B: Students play melody on recorders or Orff instruments. Consider simplifying the
rhythms so the first 3 measures are the same. (See visuals below.)
• Another option
A: Students play melody on recorders or Orff instruments
B: Divide your Orff instruments into 4 groups. Each group plays one of the measures
(using simplified rhythms). For instance,
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
All groups play together
Melody - Recorders G,A,B,C,D’ - See Orff arrangement for A & B. “A” has a recorder ostinato.
Consider having recorders also play the melody, creating a recorder duet.
bethsnotes.com
Old Ark’s a-Moverin’ - Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Old Ark’s a-Moverin’ - Orff Arrangement (Recorder countermelody: B, C, D’)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Old Ark’s a-Moverin’ - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Song in Dm
Song in Cm
bethsnotes.com
Dance
1. Circle formation of partners holding hands or linking elbows, walking around the circle. One
person without a partner stands in the middle of the circle.
2. Partners in the circle stand still (still facing counterclockwise) while the person in the middle
begins to weave in and out of the partner groups. On the word "darling," he/she taps the
person closest, who becomes his/her new partner.
3. The person whose partner was "stolen" makes his/her way to the middle of the circle while
everyone claps on the beat.
This Orff arrangement has the original melody in the penultimate measure.
bethsnotes.com
In this next Orff arrangement I changed the melody of the penultimate measure to make it a
little more natural to sing, which also simplified the xylophone part.
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• low so & low la
o After teaching the song, let students know that the song starts on “do.” Lead
them to figure out which syllable is a skip down from “do?” Do some echo (with
Curwen hand signs): “do-la-do,” “do-so-do,” “do-la-so,” “old brass wagon” =
“do-do-la-so.”
• do, re, mi
o After teaching the song, review / teach do, re, mi and the Curwen hand signs.
Sing patterns with hand signs, and students echo.
o Show what B,A,G / mi, re, do looks like on the staff.
Rhythm
• Sixteenth notes
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Melody (low so & low la) Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Melody (do, re, mi) Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Melody (G,A,B) Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Old Brass Wagon – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Teaching ideas:
• Identify the rhyming words
• Students jump on the words “jumped”
• Last line, lie down on the floor
• Make up your own rhyming lyrics
bethsnotes.com
Old Jeremiah - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Simple Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
OLD MISTER RABBIT
Song in Dm
Melody – Minor vs. Major chords
Form ABA’ / Expression / Tempo: Slow & Fast

• A = Song (minor) - Sing Section A sadly (with minor chords).
• B = Rhythm ostinati – Teach one of the rhythm patterns (below) – or layer all of them.
Students add body percussion or unpitched instruments as they chant each part. Each
line is based on advice I read on how to stop rabbits from eating cabbage from a
garden. Definitely don’t come to me for gardening advice! J
Movement & Instrument Ideas for the Ostinati
o I – Pretend to be swinging a hammer (driving stakes to build a fence). Instruments
could be heavy-sounding like drums or the sound of hitting metal, such as
cowbells or clicking like woodblocks.
o II – Shake hips or pretend to shake a pepper shaker. Instrument: maracas.
o III – Pretend to use a trowel to dig a small hole. You could hold your nose and
make a face like smelling a stinky onion. On the last rest, students could say
“ew!” Instruments could be cymbals or finger cymbals that can sustain the half
notes. Guiros would work also.
• A = Song (major) – Sing the song again, this time with the major chords (see below).
Students can sing more happily, even changing the tempo to a slightly faster speed.
Note: The lyrics have changed from “you’ve got a mighty habit,” to “we stopped your
mighty habit.”
bethsnotes.com
Old Mister Rabbit – Ostinati
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Old Mister Rabbit – Orff Arrangements (Dm & F)
Dm
bethsnotes.com
F
bethsnotes.com
Song in Em
Melody – Recorder Notes E, G, A, B
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Old Mister Rabbit – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
OLD ZION’S CHILDREN
Lyric options
• First measure – instead of “Old Zion’s children”
o Now let’s go children…
o We’re all God’s children…
o Let’s go marching…
o Pick up your feet now…
• Measures 7-8 – instead of “Talking about the welcome day”
o Welcome you to class today
o Having fun on music day
o Show the beat in class today
Melody - Pentatonic
bethsnotes.com
Form: ABA
Rhythm
• Steady Beat
o March to the beat, either in place or around the room
o Substitute the word “marching” for other words such as: clapping, bouncing,
tapping (any part of the body), blinking, swaying, skipping, galloping, jumping,
tiptoe, playing (for adding instruments)
• Syncopation
o Students clap along with the syncopated pattern, saying “syn-co-pa-ta.”
o Add instruments during the syncopated pattern (see visual below).
o The Orff arrangement uses the syncopated pattern through the whole Section A
(which could be extended into Section B also).
• Dotted Eighth Notes / Sixteenth Notes
o See the rhythm visual below. Teach the rhythm pattern, and add to Section B
(with drums, guiros, or maracas).
Orff Arrangement
• The drum part is the steady beat, which emulates marching. Some students can be
marching while others play. You could also use this to assess steady beat as you watch
students play.
• The tambourine plays the syncopated part, while the triangle plays on the 4th beat of
each of those measures.
bethsnotes.com
Old Zion’s Children – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Old Zion’s Children – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
OLIVER TWIST
Song in D
Song in C
bethsnotes.com
Movement
• Measures 1-4: Teacher lead students in doing a repetitive movement on the beat. (Later,
you could assign different students to be the leaders.)
• Measures 5-8: Do motions of the lyrics. On “away you go” you could twirl in a circle or
put both hands up in the air, whatever you decide.
Melody
• mi, so, la
• Recorder notes EGA (see student copies below)
Orff arrangement
• If you don’t have bass bars or glockenspiels, you can replace them with drums and bells
or other unpitched percussion instruments.
bethsnotes.com
Oliver Twist – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Oliver Twist – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
ONE TWO THREE
Lyric Options – If you want to change the “flea died” lyrics, consider changing that phrase to,
“Flea cried, Johnny sighed.”
Voices – Speaking, Whispering, Singing – Say / sing this poem in different ways, noting the
difference between the voices.
Rhythm – Quarter Notes & Rests, Eighth Notes

• Chant or whisper (or say internally) and clap the rhythm.
• Listen for the quarter rests and snap on the rests.
• Layer rhythm ostinati (see below) with different instruments.
Melody
• High & Low – Listen for the movement up and down from A to B. Move hands up and
down with the melody.
• Recorder Notes A,B (Adapt these ideas for other instruments, such as Boomwhackers
or xylophones)
o Practice fingering B and A. All students will do is place and lift their middle fingers
to go from A to B.
o Sing the song and listen to how the notes go up and down from B to A.
o Sing the letters, “A A A, B-B B-B B…” while fingering.
o To begin to play the song, simplify it this way:
bethsnotes.com
o Then add the eighth notes in the second and third measures. Eighth notes are
just played by tonguing faster.
One Two Three – Different Version of Chords
bethsnotes.com
One Two Three – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
One Two Three – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
One Two Three – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
One Two Three – Rhythm Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
OY CHANUKAH OH CHANUKAH
Song in Cm
bethsnotes.com
Song in Dm
Translation Yiddish - ‫חנוכּה אױ חנוכּה‬
Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah ‫חנוכה אוי חנוכה‬

A beautiful celebration. ‫טוב ַא שיינער‬-‫ַא יום‬
Such a cheerful and happy one, ‫ַא לוסטיקער ַא פריילעכער‬
There is none like it. ‫נישט דָא נָאך ַאזוינער‬
Every night with the dreidels we will play, ‫ַאלע נַאכט מיט דריידלעך שפילן מיר‬,
Fresh, hot latkes we will eat endlessly. ‫עסן ָאן ַא שיעור‬, ‫פרישע הייסע לַאטקעס‬.
Come quickly children ‫צינדט קינדער‬, ‫געשווינדער‬

Light the Chanukah candles ‫די חנוכה ליכטלעך ָאן‬,
Say "Al Hanissim", praise God for the miracles, ‫לויבט גָאט פַאר די נסים‬, ‫הניסים‬-‫זָאגט על‬,
And we will all dance together in a circle! ‫און לָאמיר ַאלע טַאנצען אין קָאן‬.
Say "Al Hanissim", praise God for the miracles, ‫לויבט גָאט פַאר די נסים‬, ‫הניסים‬-‫זָאגט על‬,
And we will all dance together in a circle! ‫און לָאמיר ַאלע טַאנצען אין קָאן‬.
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – English Version
Song in Cm
bethsnotes.com
Song in Dm
Melody - Minor
This is such a fun song! To fit these lesson ideas into only a couple of lessons, consider
teaching only the first eight measures. Here are some lesson suggestions:
Rhythm:
• Steady Beat – Pat the steady beat (on the half note beats). You could also add
tambourines.
• Quarter & Eighth notes – Before teaching the song, tell students you have a mystery to
solve. You will give them hints, and they will guess what December holiday you are
describing. Show them the rhythm visuals and lead them into chanting and clapping the
rhythm. Briefly tell the story of Hanukkah and then introduce the song.
• I made a rhythm dreidel. Here are both sides:
bethsnotes.com
To make the rhythm dreidel: (Mine is made of wood: approximately 2.5” (6.35 cm) tall
and 1” (2.5 cm) wide.)
1. Print out 4 notes on beige-colored* cardstock.

2. (Wait until the ink is dry.) Decoupage each piece of cardstock to the dreidel. The
decoupage can be also brushed over the top of each cardstock. I used Mod
Podge Waterbase Sealer (glossy finish)** with a foam brush. It acts as both a glue
and as a glossy finish. It has lasted me many years of use.
*You do not need beige paper or cardstock. You could use regular printer paper. I highly
recommend waiting until the ink is completely dry before adding the decoupage.
Otherwise, the images will smear.
**You can also make your own decoupage mixture with equal parts white glue and
water.
These notes should fit if your dreidel is the same size as mine. You might have to trim
around the sides a little.
Another option is to print out the dreidel cards (see below) and have a student pick one.
Another option is to use a regular dreidel and write this key on the board:
‫( נ‬Nun) = w ‫( ג‬Gimel) = h ‫( ה‬He) = q ‫( ש‬Shin) = e

• I choose a student to spin the dreidel (or choose a card). The note that is facing up once
the dreidel stops spinning is the rhythm played on the D/A bordun while we sing. See
below.
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – Dreidel Cards
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – Simple Orff Arrangement
Voices - Talking (chanting the rhythms) vs. Singing (the song)
Form: AB
• A = Song with xylophone bordun (Each time repeat the song, have another student spin
the dreidel to figure out which rhythm will be played)
• B = Rhythms (all 4 chanted in a row to make a 4-measure section). All students clap and
chant:
Variation 1: Put students in 4 groups. Each group chants and claps one measure.
Variation 2: Add unpitched percussion, such as:
Measure 1: metals (triangles, finger cymbals)
Measure 2: woods (woodblocks, claves)
Measure 3: scrapers/shakers (guiros, maracas)
Measure 4: membranes (drums, tambourines-with drumheads)
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – Intermediate Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Oh Hanukkah oh Hanukkah – Student Recorder Copies
bethsnotes.com
In E minor
bethsnotes.com
In F minor
bethsnotes.com
Patapan – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pentatonic, Low so & low la, Recorder notes D,E,G,A,B
Harmony – Recorder duet – Second part has notes G,A,B
Rhythm – half notes, whole notes, dotted quarter/eighth note patterns
Sign language – This song lends itself to adding sign language to some of the lyrics, such as:
• Peace
• River
• Soul
• Joy
• Fountain
• Love
• Ocean
On this song’s page, I have links to American sign language versions of each of those lyrics.
bethsnotes.com
Peace Like a River – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Peace Like a River – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Peace Like a River – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Peace Like a River Duet – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Translation
1. Pin Pon is a doll very handsome made of cardboard

He washes his face with water and soap
2. When he combs his hair with a comb of ivory

And even though he pulls his hair he doesn't cry nor go like this.
3. When he's given soup he doesn't stain his bib.

He eats so carefully he looks like a school boy.
4. When the stars in the sky start to come out

Pin Pon goes to bed and goes to sleep.
5. Pin Pon give me your hand with a strong squeeze

Because I want to be your friend. Pin Pon, Pin Pon, Pin Pon
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
POOR OLD CROW
The original melody caught my imagination, so I tweaked it and turned it into a Halloween
round. The round would be tricky for the younger (and maybe older ones too) to sing, but it
makes it easy for Orff instruments to accompany (since the chord structure is basically one
chord). Some ideas:
• After students learn the song, add a simple bordun (open fifth on CG) on the xylophones
(see below). Ask students to decide what the dynamics will be when they perform it.
Display the rhythm visuals and put different dynamics in front of each line – as students
decide. Sing it, then rearrange dynamics and sing again.
• For the end “Trick or treat,” practice different kinds of voices: spoken, “calling” or
“yelling” or “outside” voice, or whisper, or singing. Notice that normally we say “trick or
treat” with a of a singing voice – with two tones: so-so-mi. How would a crow say “trick
or treat?” Practice different voices.
• Tip toe on the beat for soft sounds, make louder footsteps for louder sounds.
bethsnotes.com
Poor Old Crow Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Poor Old Crow Dynamics Cards
bethsnotes.com
Poor Old Crow Rhythm Cards
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
.
bethsnotes.com
DARKNESS THERE AND NOTHING MORE (POOR OLD CROW)
Expressive Singing - I know the older students often need motivation to sing. This is a nod to
Edgar Allen Poe’s classic poem, The Raven from 1845. Let the students imagine what might be
at the door. Whether or not you sing it in a round, use the dynamic cards (below) to sing
expressively. Ask students to think creatively about which dynamics they want for each line -
also add a crescendo or decrescendo wherever students think it appropriate. Add an intro or
coda, such as knocking or tapping sounds or other sound effects they can think of, either with
body percussion or classroom instruments. For your intro, they could chant the famous
beginning of the poem:
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore.
• An easy bordun (see Orff arrangement below) keeps the beat without getting in the way
of expressive qualities/sound effects you add.
Harmony - Recorders (Notes C, G, C’)

• Are you just starting recorders? Have students try one (or more) of the following recorder
parts (see Orff arrangement below). Options:
o G part: most likely one of the first notes you will teach.
bethsnotes.com
o High C part: not likely one of the first notes they will learn, but it certainly is an
easy note to play and get a good sound!
o Low C part: not likely a note they will learn, but… think about it: it is often helpful
for them to try to put all of their fingers in the right places over all of the holes and
blow extremely quietly. It is a challenge, but it gives them the idea of how softly
they should be blowing – for other notes also – and how the fingers will cover the
holes (if they can). And I guess the worst thing that could happen is you get a lot
of “scary” sounds – which fits with the theme of this song! Ha!
• You could turn off the lights and bring in a few flashlights that “bounce” to the beat on
the walls.
Rhythm – Half Notes & Rests

• The recorder parts have all half notes and half rests.
bethsnotes.com
Darkness There and Nothing More Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Darkness There and Nothing More Rhythm Cards
bethsnotes.com
.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
This is a sweet song that can be used as a processional or recessional for your holiday
concert. Below are some adapted lyrics.
Adapted Lyrics for Hanukkah / Non-Sacred Use
These are simplified chords.
Harmony: Round
Melody – Recorder Notes A, C

• The metallophone / bass bar and recorder parts are half notes. The half note pattern
could also be played on triangles, finger cymbals, or other instruments that play
sustained tones.
bethsnotes.com
Pray God Bless – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Pray God Bless - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Lyric option - Change lyrics: substitute “cloudy days” for “hurricanes” or “snowy days.” (Write
in different weather on the visual below.)
Rhythm – Sixteenth / Dotted eighth note patterns

• Remove the dotted rhythms to make it easier to sing.
Meter – Duple & Triple – See the rhythm visuals below. There are a couple of different
versions of the meter in 3 you can compare and contrast.
bethsnotes.com
Rain Come Wet Me – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rain Come Wet Me – Orff Version
If you plan to add Orff instruments, I recommend teaching this version of the song. The altered
melody in the fourth phrase allows for the song to be keyed in A without it becoming too low.
bethsnotes.com
Rain Come Wet Me – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
The Raindrops Song – Original Version
bethsnotes.com
The Raindrops Song – Adapted
Rhythm
• eighth notes = maracas = pitter patter
• quarter notes = triangles = rhyming words (pane & rain)
Idea - Add a rain stick at the beginning of each phrase.
Melody - mi, so, la (first line) & pentatonic (whole song)
Harmony – Ostinato (played by glockenspiel – below)
bethsnotes.com
The Raindrops Song – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
• Replace "raining" with "snowing" or "sunny" or "windy" - whatever the weather is
• Replace "Sunday" and "Monday" with any days of the week
• Sing in a minor key if the weather is unfavorable and in a major key if the weather is
good.
D Major
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Notes E,G,B
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement in E minor
bethsnotes.com
Melody – so-mi
• Teach the song using lyrics, then Solfege, then add Curwen hand signs. Keep
reinforcing the up and down nature of so-mi by having them sing it differently at different
times, such as:
o Put their hands up on “so” and down on “mi.”
o Sing “high” and “low” instead of “so” and “mi.”
o Stand when they sing “so” and sit when they sing “mi.”
o You (or they) hold round objects in the air, such as ping pong balls or felt circles
and move them up and down to the melody.
o Place felt circles on pieces of felt with the staff drawn on them. Students practice
placing so and mi on lines and spaces. Have them point as they sing. (Instead of
felt, you could use bingo chips or other round objects.) See the melody visuals
below. Students sing and point along. After they have practiced placing round
notes on the staff, have them fill out the worksheet with note heads on the so and
mi lines (or spaces). You can tell them which note is the first note (which line or
space you want them to place “so”). They can figure out where “mi” must be
drawn.
Melody – Recorder Notes EG & BD’
bethsnotes.com
Rain, Rain – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rain, Rain - Rhythm and Melody
so mi so so mi
so so mi mi so so mi
so so mi mi so so mi
so mi so so mi
bethsnotes.com
Rain, Rain – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rain, Rain – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
RED ARE STRAWBERRIES
Melody – Minor
Phrases / Melody – Melodic Contour

• Sing the song and ask students to count the phrases (4).
• Sing the song again slowly, and have the students move their arms up and down to the
contour of the melody.
• Ask them to figure out which two phrases are the same (1 and 3).
Rhythm - Quarter, Eighth, Sixteenth Notes

• See the rhythm visuals (below). Have students figure out which order they go in.
bethsnotes.com
Red are Strawberries – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Red are Strawberries – Measures of Rhythm
Name Class
There are eight (8) measures in this song. Put the number of each measure next to the correct
rhythm. Some rhythms will be used more than once.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
bethsnotes.com
Red are Strawberries – Measures of Rhythm (Answers)
Name Class
There are eight (8) measures in this song. Put the number of each measure next to the correct
rhythm. Some rhythms will be used more than once.
(1)
(2)
(3)
2, 4, 6
(4)
1, 5
(5)
bethsnotes.com
Red are Strawberries – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
Lyrics - This is the original version. It’s a catchy tune that’s easy to teach, which is also easy to
change the lyrics to. Consider singing as you greet the students to class:
• “It’s time to come in, it’s time to come in… to class now… Now go take a seat…today.”
• “Good morning to you…”
bethsnotes.com
Here is the song in G for recorders and Orff instruments.
Reveille – in G
Melody - Recorder Notes D,G,B,D’
Harmony – Recorder Countermelody – See if you recognize a little Mozart influence in the
recorder part of the Orff arrangement!
bethsnotes.com
Reveille – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Reveille – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Reveille – Student Copies – Recorder Duet
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement – in G
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – sixteenth notes & syncopation - Use the simplified rhythm visuals on page 17 if
you want to isolate those rhythms and add instrument ostinati. For instance, have students
play “riding in the buggy” with alternating hands on drums and “Mary Jane” with woodblocks
while singing the whole song. Or, you could play those only during Section A, then add guiros
on the syncopated part “Who moan for me” every time they sing those lyrics on Section B.
Melody – BAG – See version below.
bethsnotes.com
Riding in the Buggy – BAG Version
bethsnotes.com
Riding in the Buggy – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Riding in the Buggy – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Riding in the Buggy – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in C
bethsnotes.com
Call and Response
bethsnotes.com
Rosie Darling Rosie Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Rosie Darling Rosie Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Rosie Darling Rosie Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Original version
Motions for infants and toddlers:

• Phrases 1 & 2: Draw a circle on a child’s hand
• Phrase 3: With hand, “walk” up the child’s arm
• Phrase 4: Tickle under the chin. (Optional: sing “Tickle you right there” and tickle belly or
feet.)
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version
Rhythm: Steady beat

• Movement
Students stand in a circle, either holding hands or not.
Phrase 1: Students walk around the circle
Phrase 2: Each student turns around in place
Phrase 3: Step once, twice in place
Phrase 4: Students bend down and touch the floor
• Movement with scarves

Optional motions with scarves:
Students stand anywhere in the room, each with one with scarf.
Phrase 1: Each student makes a circle in the air with the scarf.
Phrase 2: Each student turns around in place
Phrase 3: Step once, twice in place
Phrase 4: Sing “Drop it to the floor.” Students drop scarf on the floor.
Voices: Talking, Whispering, Singing, Shouting (Calling)

• Ask what voice we are using at the beginning of the song (singing), then what voice is
“one step, two step” (talking). Sing again and change which voice you use for “one step,
two step.”
Melody: mi, so la (and do)

• Teach song with students standing in place. Use the same motions as the circle, except
on the first phrase, students draw a circle in the air with their fingers.
• Lead students to figure out if the song melody moves up or down. Tell them the first two
notes are on “so.” Have them sing several times. It is often
bethsnotes.com
difficult for some students to hear if a note is going up or down, so have them put their
hands lightly on their throats while they sing. As they sing “Round and round,” they can
feel the note on the third note “round” in a lower spot on their throats. This helps them
feel the note is lower. Lead them to figure out some of the other upward and downward
patterns of the first two measures. Then they can sing the Solfege syllables.
• Have students improvise melodies on mi, so and la on the “one step two step” lyrics.
o Start by singing simple examples with them echoing after you, such as “mi mi so so.”
Draw attention to the repeated notes. Have them think of other repeated patterns.
o Then sing other patterns that go up or down, such as “mi so la la” or “la la so mi.” Tell
them that simple easy-to-sing patterns are the best. Have them think of more patterns.
o Pass out paper xylophones (key of C), and with a partner, have them try some patterns
that would be easy to play. (The paper xylophone available on my site: type
composition 2nd into the search box.)
o Have them play them on xylophones (or other pitched percussion), with one partner
playing and the other pointing, then they switch.
o They can perform their part for the class by having the class sing the following lyrics.
Partners can play their melodies together on 2 instruments.
Round and Round – in C for improvising
bethsnotes.com
Round and Round – Simple Orff arrangement
This arrangement is simple on purpose. Add the simple bordun to reinforce steady beat in 6/8
while the other students are doing the motions. Or, if you want to add the bordun to the
improvisation in C, just make the xylophone notes C and G. For the “Ratchet” and “Chimes”
part, get creative and use sound effect instruments you have in the room that you don’t get to
use often. For the “Chimes” part, you could use an instrument that has a glissando from high to
low – or a slide whistle going down.
bethsnotes.com
ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT
Harmony
• Round
• Mi, so, la Countermelody (see below) – Have students learn the countermelody with
lyrics or Solfege and Curwen hand signs.
Melody - Depending on what you want to focus on, add one (or both) of these patterns:
• Low, Middle, High – See the xylophone part in the Orff arrangement below. These
could also be played on Boomwhackers or tone bells.
• Pentascale (so, fa, mi, re, do) – The last two measures in the song are a descending
pentascale. You can substitute the lyrics for the Solfege: “so fa mi re do.” The
glockenspiel part in the Orff arrangement (below) has the ascending and descending
pentascales.
• Also, a simple C/G bordun could be played instead of those patterns.
bethsnotes.com
Row Row Row Your Boat – Countermelody (mi, so, la)
bethsnotes.com
Row Row Row Your Boat – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Row Row Row Your Boat – Adapted Version (for Tempo)
Tempo – Fast & Slow

• Verse 1 – Pantomime getting into a boat: slowly pick up an oar and stepping into the
boat one foot at a time. Then slowly sing verse 1.
• Verse 2 – Pantomime getting into a car: quickly open the car door, put on the seat belt,
put the key in the ignition. Then quickly sing verse 2.
Below is the same song in Spanish. You could have the students sing the entire thing in
Spanish or just substitute the Spanish words for “slowly” and “quickly.”
• slowly = despacio
• quickly = rápido
bethsnotes.com
VAMOS A REMAR
Translation
1. Let’s go rowing in a little boat,

Rapidly, rapidly, rapidly, rapidly,
In a little boat.
2. Let’s go flying in a little plane

In a little plane.
3. Let’s go driving in a little car

In a little car.
bethsnotes.com
Adapted version in A
bethsnotes.com
Translation - Wind, Spirit Hebrew - ‫רוַּח‬
Wind, wind, wind, wind ‫רוַּח‬, ‫ !רוַּח‬

Why don't you lay down to rest? ‫ ?ָלָמּה ל ֹא ִתְּשַׁכּב ָלנוַּח‬
From the morning you rage! ‫ !ִמן ַהֹבֶּקר ִתְּשׁתּוֵֹלל‬
And here already comes the night. ‫ ְוִהֵנּה ְכָּבר ָבּא ַהֵלּיל‬...
Harmony – round
Melody
• On the strong beats, sing and/or play the syllables of the scale. You could use
xylophones or Boomwhackers to play the notes while the rest of the students sing. See
the Solfege visuals below.
Ruach – Solfege
bethsnotes.com
Ruach – English
This version is based on a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson:
The Wind
I saw you toss the kites on high

And blow the birds about the sky;
…
O wind, a-blowing all day long,
O wind, that sings so loud a song!
bethsnotes.com
Ruach – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Solfege Visuals – Key of C
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Harmony: Round
You could sing this in as many parts as you want, with each group starting at any point, either
after 4 measures, 2 measures, or even 1 measure.
Harmony: Orff Arrangement

The xylophone & glockenspiel part below is super simple and flexible. Some options are:
• As written, xylophones take turns with glocks.
• Bass xylophones play first, then alternate with soprano or alto xylophones.
• Metallophones and xylophones could take turns.
• Each student could play both parts on one instrument, either playing the same notes
twice or jumping up an octave every other time.
Harmony: Improvisation
• Improvise: (optional – remove all bars that don’t belong to the C chord) Students
improvise a countermelody, playing only C, E, G, C’ on the dotted half note rhythm
(same rhythm as xylophone part below).
Melody (see paper xylophones)

• C scale
• C chord (including high C)
• C pentascale
Lesson ideas:
o Melodic contour – Point out the melodic patterns (steps, skips and repeats) of the
melody. Point to the xylophone (paper, digital or real xylophone) as you sing the song.
o Students point to their own xylophones as they sing. Then they practice playing the
melody by playing with the stick part of the xylophone mallets (it’s less noisy if they
mess up). Eventually, they can play the part correctly.
bethsnotes.com
Rub-A-Dub-Dub – Simple Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rub-A-Dub-Dub – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone – C Major Chord
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone – C Major Pentascale
bethsnotes.com
Melody: High and Low
• Use scarves or ribbons as the students put hands up high and low while singing.
• Play low & high sounds (see below) on pitched percussion or Boomwhackers.
• Use the visuals to show high and low. The third visual (with both high and low boats)
could be passed out to students. Have them point to each boat as they sing the high and
low parts of the song.
Recorders: Key of G (see below) – Options for beginner to intermediate players:

• Play BAG
o After students have sung through the song a few times, ask them to recognize where
they hear “BAG” played (“swim right by”). Sing the song again, and students sing
“Waiting for the fishes to B, A, G” and finger B-A-G while singing.
o Sing again, and students play B-A-G in the last measure.
• Focus on low D and high D:
o As they learn to sing this simple song, ask them to listen for the lowest and highest
sounds in the song. The lowest sounds are low D; the highest sounds are high D.
o Sing the song again, and when students get to the low notes, they finger low D; on the
high notes, they finger high D.
o Play through with students only playing low Ds and high Ds. At first, you could even
simplify the eighth notes and have them only play on the quarter note beat on those
measures. Then, have them practice their tonguing by playing the eighth notes.
o You could have half the class sing and half play (then switch) so the song keeps going,
and the recorder players know when to play.
• Play all notes: D,E,G,A,B,C,D’
o Optional: add Orff instruments (see arrangement in G below)
bethsnotes.com
Sailing in the Boat – Simple instrument parts (in F)
Sailing in the Boat – For Recorders (in G)
bethsnotes.com
Sailing in the Boat – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Sailing in the Boat – Orff arrangement (in G)
bethsnotes.com
Sailing in the Boat visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Translation
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,

Across the spring sky,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come now,
Let's look, at last!
This is a beautiful song that I have had my choral group perform. If you want an English
version, below I have adapted a poem by A. E. Housman (1859-1936), which works really well.
You could have the students sing “Sakura” in Japanese the first two measures and continue in
English if you want.
bethsnotes.com
Sakura – English Version
Melody – Minor, based on a 5-note scale called the “Sakura pentatonic” or “In scale.”
• Improvisation
o On xylophones (or other barred Orff instruments), leave the notes E, F, A, B, C
and remove the others.
o Have students improvise melodies using only those notes for 2 measures.
o Use the rhythm: “Sakura” (on xylophones, it sounds like there’s a rest at the end,
and with glocks and metallophones, it makes sense to notate the half note
because of their sustained tone). I included both visuals.
o The improvisation could be added as an intro and/or interlude before singing the
song again, maybe once in Japanese and once in English.
• Recorder Countermelody - Notes D, E, A
o See the Orff Arrangement below. The recorder countermelody has sustained
tones (half notes and whole notes) on notes D, E, and A. Copies for the recorder
players are also included below.
o To simplify the xylophone part, you could have the students play octave A’s the
whole time.
o You could also use metallophones and/or glockenspiels instead of xylophones.
bethsnotes.com
Sakura – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Sakura – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Sakura – Recorder Countermelody - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Use the call & response in different ways.
• Students echo after the teacher, either on lyrics, Solfege, or letters.
• Add motions:
o G (do) = pat knees
o A (re) = clap
o B (mi) = snap
• Students point to the seesaw visuals (see below) as they sing.
• For beginning recorders, have students echo after the teacher. Later, assign different
groups of students the call and response.
• In partners, students take turns singing / playing the call & response.
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• B-A-G
• Steps & skips
o As students pat, clap and snap while singing, lead them to understand that going
from patting to snapping is a skip, while going from pat to clap or clap to snap
are steps.
o See the visuals below and help students to identify them as steps or skips up or
down.
§ Have students identify the notes with Solfege or absolute note names.
§ Students can practice drawing notes on the staff to match the visuals.
§ Show students one note and ask them to draw a step up or down or skip
up or down.
§ Have students play those notes on recorders or xylophones.
Harmony – Countermelody / Duet

These two parts could be played by different barred instruments, recorders,
Boomwhackers, or sung on Solfege (see Student Copies).
• Recorders - Consider dividing the class into 3 groups.
o Group 1 plays Part I Call
o Group 2 plays Part I Response
o Group 3 plays Part II
• Xylophones / glockenspiels - See the Orff arrangement below. (BX = Bass Xylophones |
SX = Soprano Xylophones – or Glockenspiels)
bethsnotes.com
Sally on the Seesaw – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Sally on the Seesaw – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Sally on the Seesaw - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Sally on the Seesaw – Duet - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
This song is from Brazil; the language is Portuguese.
Translation
Sambalele is sick
He (or she) has a broken head
Sambalele needs
Eighteen spankings
Samba [Brazilian rhythm & dance], lele [expression of excitement]

Samba, samba, samba la la
Step on the hem of the skirt
You can listen to the pronunciation on a video on my website. A shorter and simplifer version
(with Orff arrangement) is below.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Sambalele – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Sambalele – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Round
Meter in 3
Rhythm - Half notes – Add triangles or glockenspiels (see the Orff arrangement) on the half
notes.
Here’s the song in G to accompany recorders:
bethsnotes.com
Sandy McNab – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Sandy McNab – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Harmony – Round
Rhythm – quarter, eighth, sixteenth notes
• Recorder Notes – D, G, A, B, D’
Expression – Accent & slur – See Student Copies for recorders below.
bethsnotes.com
Scotland’s Burning – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Scotland’s Burning – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Practice Note Writing – Scotland’s Burning
Name Class
Copy the notes on the staff below each staff. Be careful of the stems!
bethsnotes.com
Note: Shiloh is a location mentioned in the Bible. Its name means "peace."
Rhythm
• Sixteenth notes
• Dotted eighth / sixteenth notes – Practice the difference between even eighth notes
and dotted eighth / sixteenth notes, such as in measures 7 and 15. Clap the rhythm,
“Good-bye, Liza Jane.” Then see the sand block part (which could be played by other
instruments, such as maracas or guiros) in the Orff arrangement. Practice clapping that
part first, then add instruments.
Melody
• Low do & high do | So – Note the xylophone part of the Orff arrangement (below): do-
so-do’
bethsnotes.com
Scraping Up Sand – Key of C
Note: If you prefer to sing this song in the key of C, I suggest changing the melody of measure
4 slightly so students aren’t singing a low G. When possible, I try to keep the range of the
songs above middle C so students learn to sing in their head voices. Obviously, you could also
change that note when singing in the key of D also.
bethsnotes.com
Scraping Up Sand – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Scraping Up Sand – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
Song in C
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement in C
bethsnotes.com
SEE-SAW SACRADOWN
Version 1: Mi-so
In D
Melody – mi, so | Recorder notes EG (See song in C below.)

Melody – High / Low | Up / Down
• Show one of the melody visuals of a see-saw. Point up or down along the see-saw line,
and have the students say “ah” as they move their voices up and down to match the
movement of your finger.
Orff Arrangement
• Play the xylophone part on the strong beats.
• Find the rhyming words (down & town), and add the triangle (or a fun special effects
instrument).
• See the Glock / Soprano (or Alto) Xylophone part. This part has a “low, middle, high”
pattern that repeats. This can be played either with or without the other xylophone part.
This could also be played by Boomwhackers.
Melody – Adapted
• Both Versions 1 and 2 have adapted versions with measures 5 and 6 where the melody
reflects the lyrics of “up” and “down.”
bethsnotes.com
In C
Adapted
bethsnotes.com
See-Saw Sacradown – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
See-Saw Sacradown – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
See-Saw Sacradown – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
Version 2 – Adapted
bethsnotes.com
Version 3
Melody – Minor
Meter – 4/4 (instead of 6/8)
bethsnotes.com
SHAKE THEM ‘SIMMONS DOWN
Note: ‘Simmon is short for persimmon.
Movement
Consider adding additional movements, such as:
• Locomotor Movements
o Do si do
o Right hand swing
• Non-Locomotor Movements
o All join hands
o Bend your knees
o Pat your knees
o Tap your head
Harmony – Chords I & V (G & D)
Rhythm – quarter, eighth notes & quarter rest

Show the following rhythm visuals (in the wrong order, such as below), and ask students to put
them in order of the melody of the song.
bethsnotes.com
Wrong order:
Correct order:
Add a time signature, repeat signs and double barline.
bethsnotes.com
Shake Them Simmons – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Shake Them ‘Simmons Down – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Translation Hebrew - ‫שלום חברים‬
Shalom (peace) my friends... ‫שלום חברים‬, ‫שלום חברים‬

Till we meet again, ‫שלום‬, ‫שלום‬
Shalom. ‫להתראות‬, ‫להתראות‬
‫שלום‬,‫שלום‬
Melody - Minor
Harmony - Round
bethsnotes.com
Shalom Chaverim / Zum Gali – Partner Songs
bethsnotes.com
Shalom Chaverim / Zum Gali – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
SILVER MOON BOAT
• Ostinato – E,G,A | mi, so, la (See the recorder / glockenspiel part in the Orff
arrangement below.)
Rhythm
• Steady Beat
o Add a simple bordun (C/G) on the downbeat of each measure.
• Half note
o See the recorder / glockenspiel and triangle parts in the Orff arrangement below.
bethsnotes.com
Silver Moon Boat – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
SI ME DAN PASTELES
Translation
If you give me pastries*, give them to me hot,
Because cold pastries give people a stomachache.
If you give me rice, don’t give me a spoon.

My mama told me to bring some to her
This house has gates of steel.

Whoever lives here must be a gentleman.
God watches over this house and watches over the family.
May the Three Kings also bless them.
*pastries = Puerto Rican holiday dish, usually meat & sweet peppers wrapped in banana leaf.
Note - This song can be used any time of the year if the last verse is not sung. The “Three
Kings” refer to the three Wise Men. Many cultures celebrate January 6 as “Epiphany,” the day
when the Three Kings arrived to bring gifts to the Baby Jesus.
bethsnotes.com
Si me dan pasteles – Bilingual Version
In the version above, there are only 4 words to learn (There is a pronunciation video linked on
this song’s page on my website.):
• pasteles = Puerto Rican traditional holiday food, somewhat similar to Mexican tamales
• caliente = hot (plural “calientes” describes the plural noun “pasteles”)
• frío = cold (again, it is plural, meaning “cold ones”)
• la gente = the people (The “g” is like an “h”)
Steady Beat / Syncopation

• Add claves (or woodblocks) on the quarter note steady beat. Feel the difference
between the steady beat and the syncopation on measures 2, 4, 6 and 8.
• Add xylophones playing along with the melody (use the D minor version below to avoid
the F#).
o First, they play the melody on the quarter note steady beat.
o Then, they play the rhythm of the melody. They will feel the difference between
the even eighth notes and the syncopated rhythms.
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
• I changed the key from E minor to D minor to make it easier for xylophones to play
without adding accidentals.
• I changed the melody on measures 3,4, 7 and 8 to allow for Soprano (SX) and Alto
Xylophones (AX) to play harmony parts. The Bass Xylophone (BX) part could be also be
played by Bass Bars.
• The bongo part could also be played with alternating hands on a conga, djembe or other
drum.
• There is an optional Coda at the end so the instruments end up with a D minor chord.
bethsnotes.com
Si me dan pasteles – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE
I have included several melodies below. The first two are folk melodies. The other versions are
my adapted versions, which you can use based on which notes of the scale you want to teach.
Version 1
bethsnotes.com
Version 2
Version 3 – mi, so, la
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – mi, so, la – Orff Arrangement in D
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – mi, so, la – Orff Arrangement in C
bethsnotes.com
Version 3 – mi, so, la – Student Copies in C (Recorder Notes E,G,A)
bethsnotes.com
Version 4 – Pentatonic 1
In the Orff arrangement below, there is a pitched percussion part that plays the pentatonic
scale up and down. This could be instead of the xylophone bordun or in addition to it.
Version 5 – Pentatonic 2 (Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B and C’)
bethsnotes.com
Version 4 – Pentatonic 1 – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Version 5 – Pentatonic 2 (Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B and C’) – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Version 5 – Pentatonic 2 (Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B and C’) – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Version 6 – Chant with Unpitched Percussion Instruments
For any grade, if you want to chant it, try one or more of the unpitched percussion instruments to play
along. Practice steady beat and staying together as you play. This can be an opportunity for you to get
out your sound effect or homemade instruments and make silly sounds!
bethsnotes.com

Game
All partners stand together in one big circle, girls on the right of boys. The one who is "It" skips
around inside the circle while the others sing, and he steals a partner from one of the couples.
The person whose partner is stolen follows immediately, skipping around the ring and stealing
another partner. Meanwhile, the first couple skip around until they return to the girls place,
where they rejoin the circle. This action is continuous, until the chorus is thrown in, at will,
"Skip, skip, skip to my Lou," when all the couples join hands in promenade position and skip in
a counter-clockwise circle, the one who is left without a partner skipping alone. At the end of
this chorus, the big ring forms again and the game goes on as before with the stealer taking a
partner wherever he will.
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
Original Version
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version
I have adapted this folk song to make the rhythm patterns easier to teach beginning players.
(See the original song on my website.)
Rhythm: long & short sounds | Melody: high - low

o Sing through the song, and ask students to raise their hands on the long sounds. Ask
“How many really long sounds did you hear?” (3) (You might need to sing the song
several times.) As they figure out how many long sounds there are, teach them to sing
the song and make long motions with their arms as they sing the long sounds.
o Add scarves: Each child holds a scarf while singing. On the long sounds (whole
notes), make an arc in the air. On the lyrics “Mother shakes,” shake the scarf in the
air, and on “Down fall pleasant dreams,” drop the scarf to the floor.
o Add instruments:
§ Whole notes = triangles / finger cymbals
§ “Mother shakes” = soft-sounding shakable instruments, such as egg shakers
or bells
§ “Down fall” = soft-sounding percussion instrument(s) that make a high to low
sound, such as chimes, bell tree, glockenspiel
Rhythm: quarter, half & whole notes | Melody: BAG, mi re do | Form

o Sing through the song, and ask students how many phrases they hear. (5) Ask “Which
phrases are alike?” Help them to recognize the phrases are in this pattern: AABBA
o Sing the lyrics and while singing, move hands in the direction of the melody. Divide
the class into 2 groups, and have one group sing the A phrases, and the other group
sing the B phrases. Switch groups.
o Teach the solfege & Curwen hand signs for the phrases:
A = mi re re do (the second phrase repeats “mi”)
B = do do re re mi mi re
bethsnotes.com
Sleep Baby Sleep - Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Sleep Baby Sleep - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Worksheet: Notate a Folk Song
Name Class
Directions: Notate the song Sleep Baby Sleep on the staff below. Copy the notes exactly as
you see them in the first example. Don’t forget to add the time signature!
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Sixteenth notes
See the adapted version below for a melody that fits the children’s range better and
emphasizes the major scale.
bethsnotes.com
Sleigh Ride – Adapted Version
Melody – Major Scale

• Students practice playing up and down on the paper xylophone, then on xylophones,
glockenspiels and/or metallophones. They can sing the note names and/or syllables as
they play (alternating hands).
• Pass out the Major Scale Handout so students can see what the C Major Scale looks
like.
• Use the Major Scale Worksheet for students to write the notes.
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes
• Have students play quarter notes, then eighth notes, then sixteenth notes up and down
the scale.
• Idea: To keep them playing together, play a drum as they play. You could either play the
quarter note steady beat (even if they are playing eighth or sixteenth notes), or you could
play whatever notes they are playing.

• To simplify the Temple Block part (or if you don’t have Temple Blocks), substitute wood
blocks, either with the same rhythm, or playing on straight quarter notes.
• The Xylophone part (especially for the first and third lines) can be played by
glockenspiels to give it more of a bell-like sound.
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone – C – C’
bethsnotes.com
Major Scale Handout
bethsnotes.com
Major Scale Worksheet
bethsnotes.com
Sleigh Ride – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
SMILE
Rhythm – Even & Uneven - For younger students, I prefer having students listen and act out
the even and uneven patterns, not learn to notate them until they are older. For that reason, it
doesn’t matter if they sing the pattern or pattern instead.
• Have students pat the rhythm of the song on their knees. Use alternating hands in a
galloping pattern while singing the patterns in the song. Then, sing the song with
straight eighth notes and feel the difference.
• Have students gallop in place, then walk in place as you sing the song both ways. Then
have them gallop and walk around the room in “bubbles.” (If students turn on a pretend
bubble around themselves, they must move around the room without touching each
other or anything. If their bubble pops, they are out.)
bethsnotes.com
SMILE – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Soft Music is Playing – Adapted Version
Rhythm
• Meter in 3
o As you teach the song, sway as you feel the strong beats (on the first beat of
every measure).
o Students play instruments on the strong beats. Practice by saying “1 2 3” with an
accent on beat 1.
Dynamics
• Change dynamics as the lyrics describe.
bethsnotes.com
Soft Music is Stealing – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
SOLAS MARKET
Song in F
Song in G
Harmony - Countermelody: Recorder notes (A,B,C’,D’) – The Orff arrangement below is in

the key of G for the recorder part.)
bethsnotes.com
Solas Market – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Solas Market – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Solas Market – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Melody – minor
Harmony – Partner Song with Wade in the Water
Rhythm
• Triplets
• Sixteenth / Dotted eighth note patterns
bethsnotes.com
PARTNER SONGS: WADE IN THE WATER & SOMETIMES I FEEL
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Translation
Baby cow, baby cow, spotted baby cow

Mama cow is spotted too, you look like your mom.
Korean - 송아지
송아지 송아지 얼룩 송아지

엄마 소도 얼룩소 엄마 닮았네
bethsnotes.com
Songaji – English Version
Rhythm: Long notes (whole & half notes) - Options:

• Add unpitched percussion with long sounds, such as triangles or finger cymbals on the
half and whole notes.
Add pitched percussion, such as metallophones or glockenspiels on the half & whole notes
(see below).
bethsnotes.com
Songaji – Simple Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Songaji – Intermediate Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
SONG OF THE DRAGON

• As you teach the song, students identify where the long sounds are (half notes). Add
triangles where half notes occur in the melody.
• Add metallophone part = half notes
• Add maracas = eighth notes
• If you want to add quarter notes also, students could add drums.
bethsnotes.com
Song of the Dragon - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song of the Dragon - Recorder Parts
Melody – Recorder Notes E,G,A,C
• Beginner recorder players could add one of these ostinati while the song is being sung,
depending on what notes the students are focusing on. There are tons of options, so
take these ideas as jumping off points to creating your own!
• This is how the ostinato would fit with the melody. Options:
o Half the class could sing while half plays the recorder.
o You - or a student who knows how - could play the melody on the piano or
xylophone.
o You could play some or one of the Orff parts above and play the recorder parts
alone. Especially if/when you have them improvise (see below).
Harmony – ostinati - More possible ostinati (Keep it simple: 3 notes - unless you want to
emphasize syncopation - see the last example):
bethsnotes.com
• Students could improvise 3-note patterns. Give them parameters, such as: “Only use E,
G and A, but use them in any order you want. Play 3 quarter notes and a quarter rest.”
Improvisation takes practice, so let them try several times.
o It is fine if they all play at once since as long as you stay within the pentatonic
scale (in the key of C: C,D,E,G,A), the notes will sound ok together.
o Sometimes kids have trouble hearing themselves when everyone is playing at
once. One way to avoid this is have smaller groups of students play. The rest of
the students could be occupied by singing, playing other instruments, or by
fingering possible patterns until it's their turn to improvise.
• Advanced recorder players could play the melody.
Song of the Dragon Recorder - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Song of the Dragon Recorder - Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
In this version, I have adapted the lyrics slightly. You can see the original version on my
website.
Melody - Pentatonic
Harmony – Partner Songs (see below) – There are several different versions of this song’s
melody, so I adapted the melody of Sourwood Mountain to work well with Little Red Caboose.
Rhythm
• Quarter, Eighth Notes (See the tambourine part in the Orff arrangement below.) You
could also play this part with maracas or woodblocks.
• Sixteenth / Eighth Note Patterns (See the guiro part in the Orff arrangement below.)
You could also play this part on a drum.
bethsnotes.com
Sourwood Mountain – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Sourwood Mountain – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain
Rhythm
• Dotted Quarter / Eighth Note Pattern - See the drum part in the Orff arrangement
below.
• Half Rest, Quarter Rest & Quarter Note - See the triangle part in the Orff arrangement
below.
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Little Red Caboose & Sourwood Mountain – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
Melody – so-mi
• Practice singing “cuckoo” with Curwen hand signs so-mi or other high-low motions.
Meter in 3 | Rhythm: Half & Quarter notes

• Notice the “cuckoo” parts are different both times they occur in this song. Have
students pat the strong beat (beat 1) while learning to sing “cuckoo” with two quarter
notes (measures 1 & 2) and with one half note and one quarter note (measures 9 & 10).
See the rhythm visuals below. Which one do they prefer?
bethsnotes.com
Spring’s Message – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Recorder Notes: G,A,B,C,D’ – See Student Copies below.
Harmony - Recorder Duet – See the Orff Arrangement and Student Copies below.
bethsnotes.com
Spring’s Message – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Spring’s Message – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Spring’s Message – Recorder Duet Student Copies (Part 2)
bethsnotes.com
Spring’s Message – Recorder Duet Student Copies (Both Parts)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
SUGAR BOWL (DRAW A BUCKET OF WATER)
Lyrics – See below for options for changing the lyrics in Section C, depending on which
movement version you choose.
Voices – Singing & Talking
Form: ABCDE
Movement
Formation: Four students stand in a square (two sets of partners). Partners stand
across from each other and join hands with each other. You could call one partner
group “blue” and other “yellow.” (Or A and B or 1 and 2…) The “yellow” partners’
join hands higher than the “blue” partners’ hands.
• Section A - Students make quick “sawing” motions (alternating hands) back and forth,
four times per measure (eighth notes). Pretend the bucket is empty and easy to move.
• Section B – Continue sawing motion, but larger and slower motions (two times per
measure = quarter notes). Pretend the bucket is filling with water and harder to move.
• Section C – Optional: Change the lyrics to “Let this old person under.” The “yellow”
partners raise one pair of joined hands and put them over the head of the “blue” partner
on that side and put them around that person’s shoulders or waist. Do the same with the
other “yellow” partners’ pair of joined hands with the other “blue” partner. Then the
“blue” partners do the same with the “yellow” partners. This forms a “basket” figure.
• Section D – On “hop hop hop,” students jump three times (very small jumps) to the left.
bethsnotes.com
• Section E –
o One – All students drop hands.
o Two – Students look around for a new partner.
o Three – Join hands with a new partner.
o Four – Link with another partner group to form a square.
Simplified Movement – Focusing on Rhythm (See visuals below)

Formation: Three, four or five students stand in a small circle facing each other. People in
each circle are assigned a number: 1, 2, 3, 4 (or 5).
• Section A - Students make quick “sawing” motions (alternating hands) back and forth,
four times per measure (eighth notes). Pretend the bucket is empty and easy to move.
• Section B – Continue sawing motion, but larger and slower motions (two times per
measure = quarter notes). Pretend the bucket is filling with water and harder to move.
• Section C – Change the lyrics to “Welcome Person 1.” Person 1 bows slowly (half note)
twice. You can say “bow” as they bow so they feel the length of each half note.
Continue singing, “Welcome Person 2…” up to as many people as you have in your
largest group. As the other people in each square watch the bowing, they can wave or
smile or also say “bow.”
• Section D – On “hop hop hop,” students jump (small jumps!) three times to the left (2
eighth notes, 1 quarter note). To help keep them in a tight circle, students can join
hands, touch elbows, put their hands on each other’s shoulders – or if you don’t want
them to touch, they can look down at the ground and try to keep jumping in a circle
formation.
• Section E – (quarter notes with fermatas)
o One – All students drop hands (or leave the circle formation).
o Two – Students look around for a new partner.
o Three – Join hands with a new partner.
o Four – Link with another partner group to form a square.
Rhythm – Half, Quarter, Eighth Notes, Fermatas (See Rhythm Visuals.)

• See the Simplified Movement above. Each Section emphasizes a different rhythm.
Adding instruments (see Orff arrangement below):

• For students who don’t fit in the 4-person squares (in the first movement option) or even
if your space is not big enough for everyone to move at the same time, you can assign
some students to play these instruments. The xylophones will play when students are
singing, and when students are using their talking voices, unpitched instruments are
used.
bethsnotes.com
Sugar Bowl – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Sugar Bowl – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Chords in F
Rhythm
• Dotted half notes – Listen for the long sounds (dotted half notes). Students raise their
hands every time they hear a long note – count how many (6). Add percussion
instruments with sustained sounds, such as triangles, to play on those 6 notes when
they occurl
Melody
• Low so & la – Students play a bordun on FC (on xylophones) on the half note beat, and
each time, low so and la are sung, the xylophone players play that also, like this:
etc.
bethsnotes.com
Chords in G
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low Sweet Chariot / All Night All Day – partner songs – Key of F
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low Sweet Chariot / All Night All Day – partner songs – Key of G
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low / All Night – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Swing Low / All Night – Student Recorder Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Take Time in Life – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Take Time in Life – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
Minor
Major
Translation – The Tree Fruit Bread
This is very good Uru Clap, clap, It is tender

It must be cooked well Removes heart, And eats it.
Removes the bark
bethsnotes.com
Melody
• Major & Minor
o Here is the same tune arranged in major and minor. After students learn to sing it
(there is an English version below), ask students to listen to the difference
between the minor and major accompaniment. Which do they prefer?
• Steps, Skips, Repeats
o Have students recognize the repeated notes and move their arms in the air to
gesture the melodic contour as they sing.
o Teach students how to play the two notes that occur most often (D and F) on
xylophones or glockenspiels. Note how these notes are skips.
o Which measure has a melody different from all of the others? (measure 7) Are the
notes higher or lower than the other notes? (higher)
o Recorder notes EGAB – see the Orff arrangement
Kitty Cat - Adapted Version with English Lyrics [Major]
Rhythm - Rests
• Have students snap on all rests (including eighth rest). Add glockenspiels on F (or
octave Fs) during every rest (see the Orff arrangement below).
bethsnotes.com
Kitty Cat – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Kitty Cat – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Harmony - round
Melody – mi, so
• See the recorder part below. Students could sing (“so-mi”), play Boomwhackers,
glockenspiels or recorders on this simple part.
Chords I & V (F & C)

• Students can accompany this song on autoharps, ukuleles or tone bells.
Alternate Version
• If you would like a version with less of an agricultural meaning and more Thanksgiving
focused, I adapted a poem by Edgar Guest (1881-1959) called Thanksgiving. The last
line has two optional versions: one with prayer mentioned, and one without.
bethsnotes.com
Thanksgiving Round – Alternate Version
bethsnotes.com
Thanksgiving Round – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
Lyrics
• Different adjectives can be used to describe the motions, such as “nice, silly, large,
small…”
Game
• Formation: Students stand in a circle with one student (“It”) standing in the middle.
• As students sing, “It” makes motions / dance steps (to the steady beat) while other
students either clap the steady beat or copy It’s motions. On the last phrase, “Rise
sugar rise,” It chooses another student to become the new It.
• For verse 2, the new It can do silly motions while students sing, “That’s a mighty poor
motion.”
• Or, you can continue to sing the first verse again.
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Rhythm - eighth note / dotted quarter note pattern & dotted eighth / sixteenth note
pattern
• See the rhythm visuals below. Practice counting or using rhythm syllables.
Melody
• Recorder Notes G,A,B,D’ - See Student Copies below.
• Recorder Notes G,B - Form – Call & Response
o If you want to only teach the notes G & B (it’s helpful to have the students
practice the fingering between G & B), the students only play the Response of
“dee-di-dee” (G-G-B).
• So-mi / Recorder Notes D’,B - See Glockenspiel ostinato below.
bethsnotes.com
That’s a Mighty Pretty Motion – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
That’s a Mighty Pretty Motion – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
That’s a Mighty Pretty Motion – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
THEN OH THEN
Melody
• Steps & Repeats – See the melody visuals (below) and have students identify steps and
skips in the melody.
• Recorder Notes G, A, B (This can also be played by other instruments, such as
Boomwhackers or xylophones.)
o Introduce G. Adding G is difficult for many students. First of all, they are still
getting used to using their left hand, which is the non-dominant hand for most.
Secondly, the “ring finger” is the weakest finger and the most difficult to move
independently. It will take some practice to even be able to move the ring finger
up and down.
o Students practice moving their fingers from one note to another (between G, A
and B).
o Notice the steps and skips of the melody and which measures are similar to
others. Measures 1 and 3 are quarter note Gs, and measures 2 and 4 start with B,
A, B. The last four measures include notes that go back and forth between B and
A and end on G.
Rhythm – Quarter, Half, Whole Rests

• See the Orff arrangement below. Use any of the percussion parts to layer as ostinati.
Work on counting the rests to know when to come in. A couple of the visuals have 2
versions: with quarter rests and with half rests.
bethsnotes.com
Then Oh Then – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Then Oh Then – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Then Oh Then – Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
THE OTHER DAY I MET A BEAR
Melody – Descending Pentascale (So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do), La, Do’
After students hear the song, ask them to identify where they hear the descending pitches, “so,
fa, mi, re, do.” (at the end)
• When singing the end, have students substitute the lyrics: “A great big bear a way out
there” with, “A great big so, fa, mi, re, do.” Add Curwen hand signs.
• Now listen for the highest pitch in the whole song. (The word “day” in measure 5.)
Identify it as “high do” and add the Curwen hand sign – and even substitute the word
“day” for “do.” You can do the same for “la” (“bear” in measure 6).
bethsnotes.com
• Other notes to focus on can be the end of each phrase. Students can sing:
Once students are used to singing the song like this, add Boomwhackers, xylophones or
glockenspiels on these notes. You could also have them played three times each – see the
Glockenspiel part in the Orff arrangement below. (Xylophone part optional.)
bethsnotes.com
The Other day I Met a Bear – Paper Xylophone
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone – Boomwhacker Colors
bethsnotes.com
The Other day I Met a Bear – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Dance steps – Formation: Students stand in a double circle with partners walking side by side.
(Optional: students hold hands, either only one hand or both, similar to a promenade.)
One student with no partner (Thief #1) stands in the middle of the circle.
• Section A - When song begins, Thief #1 taps a person on the shoulder, and that person
(Thief #2) must move into the center of the circle, while Thief #1 takes that person’s
partner and begins to walk in the circle. Thief #2 taps someone else and takes their
partner. This continues throughout Section A.
• Section B – The Thief stands in the middle while the others do this pattern four times:
Pat, clap, high five partner (twice)
Form – AB
Rhythm
• Syncopation – See drum part below.
• Eighth notes – See maracas part below.
Orff Arrangement (I V V I repeated pattern) - I changed the melody slightly in measure 3 to

make the xylophone part consistent the whole way through.
• Reinforce AB form by having drums only play in Section A and maracas only play in
Section B.
bethsnotes.com
Thief – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
We pat the rhythms as an intro (like a train warming up and going faster) before singing the
song.
As we sing, the students pat the words “this train,” and they have to concentrate because of
the 3rd phrase not having the words “this train!”
Then I use Section B of this song to review the Solfege they learned in 2nd grade (mi, so and
la) and to teach the 2 new Solfege symbols we use in 3rd grade: do and re.
Then we put the whole thing together with instruments: Intro A B A Coda
• Intro: (to simulate the train starting - see train rhythms above) - Students pat rhythms
while I play octave F’s on the keyboard in a low register…continue a few eighth notes
while I blow a train whistle.
• Sing song
• Coda: (to simulate the train slowing to a stop) - Pat as above: start with eighth notes and
end with the whole note. At end, students make brake noises (could be a few squeaks
and “shhhhhh” sounds).
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Melody - High / Low
• While singing, emphasize the difference between the low sounds of "umph umph umph"
and the high sounds of "wee wee."
• Discuss with students how many large animals make lower sounds than small animals.
Show pictures of big and little dogs, and ask students to bark. Children will naturally
change their voices to reflect the different sizes of dogs.
bethsnotes.com
Three Little Pigs – Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Three Little Pigs – visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
TIDEO
Rhythm – Quarter, eighth & sixteenth notes

• Emphasize the different rhythms by adding different body percussion and later,
unpitched percussion instruments. (See rhythm visuals below, some in color, some
black/white.)
o Add motions
§ Eighth notes – pat rhythm
§ Quarter notes – clap
§ Sixteenth notes – alternate shaking hands as if they’re playing maracas
o Add unpitched percussion
§ Eighth notes – guiro, cabasa (or maracas if you use drums for the sixteenth
notes)
§ Quarter notes – tambourine, cymbal, or a special effects instrument
§ Sixteenth notes – maracas (or drums they can play with alternating hands)
Melody – high do and low do

• Listen for each time the lowest note (middle C) sounds – at the end of measures 4, 6 and
8. Students stomp each time it happens. Later, add low notes, either low C on
xylophones / metallophones or bass bars.
• Listen for each time the highest note (high C) sounds (measures 5 and 7). Students clap
their hands over their heads. Later, add high C’s on xylophones, metallophones or
glockenspiels.
• Put it together with students clapping or patting on the steady beat for the rest of the
song.
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Pentatonic, mi-re-do pattern
• After students have learned the song, ask them to identify where they hear the notes go
down: “mi-re-do.” It happens three times: measures 4, 6 and 8. Students can even sing
“mi-re-do” instead of “tideo” whenever it occurs. (See melody visual below.)
• Have students practice in the air how to play “mi-re-do” (right-left-right hands with the
right hand crossing over the left hand on the last note). Sing the song several times with
them playing that pattern in the air whenever it occurs in the song. Students can also
practice on their knees instead of in the air, patting the right knee, then left knee, then
crossing the right hand over the left knee and patting the air. (I always mirror them, so I
demonstrate it backwards.)
• Before actually playing xylophones, now have students pat the beats on their knees
(which will eventually be the C/G bordun) on each beat until each “mi-re-do” pattern
occurs. They will play E-D-C on the xylophones. See the Orff arrangement 1 below:
Tideo – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
• For a fun more challenging version (if the students are ready), have students click their
mallets together each time they sing “O” (when it does not occur in the mi-re-do
pattern). If they are still practicing the parts with body percussion, they can clap on the
mallet click part. See the Orff arrangement 2 below:
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
In Orff arrangement 3 above, the parts are played based on lyrics:
• “pass one window [two/three windows]” = guiro
• “tideo” = woodblock
• “jingle at the window” = maracas
Dance / Play-Party Game - Stand in circle or 2 lines facing each other

• Ms. 1: 3 steps forward, clap on "O"
• Ms. 2: 3 steps backward, clap on "O"
• Ms. 3: 3 steps forward, clap on "O"
• Ms. 4: pat knees on rhythm of “jingle at the window,” one stomp, clap on "O"
• Ms. 5: 1 step backward, clap on "O", another step backward, clap on "O"
• Ms. 6: Pat knees on rhythm of “jingle at the window,” one stomp, clap on "O"
• Ms. 7 & 8: Repeat Ms. 5 & 6
Option: If you have the students in two lines, whenever they get close together, partners can
high five each other instead of clapping their own hands.
bethsnotes.com
Tideo – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Tideo – Melody Visual
bethsnotes.com
TINGALAYO
The instrument parts are different for the Verse and Refrain. This can help students understand
the form of the song.
Chords: I IV V (If you want younger students to play instruments, just ignore the xylophone part
and have them play the unpitched percussion.)
Form: ABA
• Refrain (A): Guiro & Drum
• Verse (B): Maracas & Drum (It could be helpful to have a different group of players play
the drum this time to reinforce the difference in sections)
Rhythm: sixteenth notes and sixteenth/eighth combination

• Use the instrument parts (below) to practice these rhythms.
bethsnotes.com
Tingalayo – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Tingalayo – Rhythm Visual
bethsnotes.com
Song in F
This is a fun song that can be taught to different grade levels.
Rhythm
• Steady beat – While students are learning the song, have them pat the steady beat on
their knees. Once students know the song, add some of these activities on different
days:
o Line up students to emulate a train and put the beat in their feet as they sing.
o Add an Intro of chanting “choo choo choo choo” on the steady beat while
students walk around the room. Then sing the song. Then add a Coda of
“choo…” gradually getting slower as the student train slows down. Then emulate
the sound of squeaky brakes as the line comes to a stop. Optional: add a train
whistle.
o Some students chant “choo” on the steady beat while the other students sing the
song.
o Add instruments on the steady beat. You could even ask students (who have
perhaps been on a train) to choose an instrument that would sound like the
steady click of the train wheels on the track. You can also find “sounds of train on
tracks” on YouTube. Sand blocks make a nice soft “choo” sound.
• Syncopation – measures 3 & 4 – clap on the syncopation, then add woodblocks or
guiros.
• Eighth rests – add snaps on the rests as you sing, then instruments like jingle taps (if
you’re not sure what they are, do an internet image search). Or choose another
instrument that makes short sounds.
Melody
• High / Low – measures 3 & 4 – Sing “high high low high” (see visuals), then add
glockenspiels or other pitched percussion.
• Recorder notes D,G,A,B,C,D’ (song in the key of G)
bethsnotes.com
Harmony - round
Song in G
bethsnotes.com
To Stop the Train – High & Low Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Paper Xylophone – Low C & High C
bethsnotes.com
To Stop the Train – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
To Stop the Train – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody - Minor
• Notes E,G,A,B – See Recorder Performance Assessment student page and rubric
below.
Rhythm - eighth notes, quarter note & rest – See Orff arrangement below for the parts for
triangles and maracas.
• Idea: Make the xylophone part simpler by playing octave E’s the whole time.
Rubric for B-A-G-E

These are half-sheets of paper with two parts. The left side is for testing students’ ability to
play the correct fingerings, and the right side is to assess how students play the song. I usually
have 3-4 students come to my desk and play together. If I have trouble hearing them, I have
them repeat it individually.
The left side has 3 possible points, and there are two columns where students could earn 2
points. Either knowledge of the fingering was incorrect, or the note was squeaky. I just add
checks in the boxes as I listen.
For the right side, I have 2 different rubric options. I personally like having a #4, because
sometimes a student exceeds my expectations by playing absolutely perfectly. That’s what the
“4” signifies. I tell the students a “3” is a great grade. For students who aren’t happy unless
they earn the top score, this can be a difficult adjustment, so I included a different rubric sheet
that has 3 total points instead of 4.
I also included a little space at the bottom of each half-sheet in case you want to write a little
phrase of encouragement or explanation.
bethsnotes.com
The Train’s Off the Track – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Performance Assessment
Name Class
Practice this song until you can play it from beginning to end without stopping. It does not have
to be played quickly.
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Performance Assessment
Name Class
Practice this song until you can play it from beginning to end without stopping. It does not have
to be played quickly.
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
B were performed with moderate accuracy.

G
E demonstrate understanding.
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
B were performed with moderate accuracy.

G
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
B
and fingerings were performed with some
A accuracy.
G
bethsnotes.com
Name Class

3 2 2 1
tone tone tone tone
B
and fingerings were performed with some
A accuracy.
G
bethsnotes.com
The Train’s Off the Track – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
TROT OLD JOE
Melody – Pentatonic (Recorder Notes DEGAB), Low so & low la
Rhythm
• Steady Beat – See the handout below. Have students point along to the horseshoes as
the song is sung. Try a game where the teacher (or a student) sings the song but stops
suddenly somewhere. See if the students are all pointing to the same horseshoe.
• Half notes – See the Rhythm with Dots handout and notice how the last two words each
have long sounds. The Rhythm handout shows the half notes.
• Sixteenth notes - See the Rhythm with Dots handout and notice the sixteenth notes.
The Rhythm handout shows them grouped with four sixteenth notes and with eighth
notes.
• Add layers of instruments (see the Orff arrangement below) to accompany the song (or
chant if you prefer).
Tempo – Fast & Slow

• You can show the students YouTube videos of horses trotting in slow motion and
regular speed. Sing or chant the song at different speeds.
bethsnotes.com
• Use temple blocks (or other instruments) to emulate the clip-clop sound of horses’
hooves.
Optional - If you prefer, the PDFs of the following handouts could be projected onto a screen,
and the students could point in the air to the notes as they listen, sing, chant, clap (or other
body percussion), and/or play instruments.
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Steady Beat
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Rhythm with Dots
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Rhythm
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Trot Old Joe – Instrument Parts
I
$ h h
II
$ q q q q
III
$ yn y q
bethsnotes.com
These are the original lyrics. If you want to avoid violence J, use the adapted version below.
Harmony: Round
bethsnotes.com
Tom the Piper’s Son (adapted version)
For this version, I used nursery rhyme lyrics. The “doo” part makes sense with these lyrics,
because it sounds like Tom is playing his blowing instrument.
bethsnotes.com
Tom the Piper’s Son – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Tom the Piper’s Son – Recorder Version & Orff Arrangement
Use this version for recorders to play the last two lines.
bethsnotes.com
Tom the Piper’s Son – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com

bethsnotes.com
UNCLE JESSIE
Original Version
Expression / Emotions
• Change the lyrics in the 5th measure to “He is walking sadly…” (or change the emotion
to happily, angrily, etc.) and encourage students to walk with that emotion in mind.
• Ask students how they would feel if they saw someone else walking, such as:
o Now here comes your best friend…
o Now here comes something scary…
o Now here comes a puppy…
o Now here comes someone crying…
Sing something like this, “Now here comes… coming down the street. Show me how
you’d show the feeling as you walk the beat…”
See other variations of this song below.
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 1
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 2
Rhythm - Steady Beat

• Use one of the adapted versions as students walk in to class, sitting in their seats or
walking around the room. You could also substitute students’ names for “first graders.”
Use different versions on different days. Adapt the lyrics as to sing instructions as
students line up or pick up instruments, etc.
• Sing different locomotor movements, such as tip toe, run, skip, gallop, hop, jump, crawl,
march, etc.
• Sing “dance” and play it like freeze dance. You stop singing at a random spot in the
song, and student freeze. Anyone still moving is “out.”
Tempo – Fast/Slow - Vary the tempo as students walk, and sing lyrics like, “Walk, walk, walk,
walk slowly…”
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 3
Dance
• Ms. 1-7 – students walk to the beat in random patterns around the room. On the word
“feels,” each person turns to the closest person, who becomes the new partner. Assure
the students that this partner only lasts for less than a minute, and then they will get
different partners. They may not follow each other around the room and partner with the
same person multiple times.
• Ms. 9-10 = Face your partner
• Ms. 11-12 = Do si do partner
• Ms. 13-14 = Swing partner (It doesn’t matter which hand.)
• Ms. 15-16 = Bow to partner
• Ms. 17 = Begin to walk around the room again.
Orff arrangement (below) – Students can rotate between dancing and playing instruments.
bethsnotes.com
Uncle Jessie – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
VAMOS A REMAR
Translation
1. Let’s go rowing in a little boat, 3. Let’s go driving in a little car

Rapidly, rapidly, rapidly, rapidly, Rapidly, rapidly, rapidly, rapidly,
In a little boat. In a little car.
2. Let’s go flying in a little plane

In a little plane.
Harmony – Round
Tempo – Fast & Slow - You could have the students sing the entire thing in Spanish or just
substitute the Spanish words for “slowly” and “quickly.”
• slowly = despacio
• quickly = rápido
bethsnotes.com
THE VILLAGE WATCHMAN
This is the original version with two different sets of chords.
bethsnotes.com
I have created two versions below: one for younger grades and another for recorder players.
bethsnotes.com
Add unpitched percussion instruments to imitate the sounds the animals make. Some ideas:
• “zing” = finger cymbals or triangles
• “squeak” = bells,
• “meow” = tambourines, sand blocks, guiros
Divide the class into 3 sections, with each group playing one of the animal sounds.
bethsnotes.com
Village Watchman - Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Village Watchman – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Village Watchman - Orff Arrangement
Add the triangle and guiro parts – or other sound effect instruments you might have – to imitate sounds of
insects.
bethsnotes.com
Village Watchman – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
THE VIRGIN MARY HAD A BABY BOY
Above is the traditional version. Below is a simpler version I use with preschool / elementary.
bethsnotes.com
This can be a quick song to teach in one or two lessons. The Orff arrangement works best for older
elementary. Also, see below for a secular Christmas and Hanukkah version.
bethsnotes.com
Virgin Mary – Orff Arrangement (I-IV-V)
bethsnotes.com
Virgin Mary – Secular Christmas Version - “The Day We Love Best”
Virgin Mary – Hanukkah version - “The Days We Love Best”
bethsnotes.com
Form - ABA
Harmony
• Recorder / Glockenspiel countermelody – See the Orff arrangement
• Partner Song with Sometimes I feel Like a Motherless Child
Rhythm
• Syncopation – See the tambourine part of the Orff arrangement.
• Half notes – See the Glock / Recorder part of the Orff arrangement.
Melody – minor
• Recorder notes D,G,A,D’ – See the Orff arrangement.
bethsnotes.com
Wade in the Water – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
WAITING FOR THE DINNER BELL
Rhythm
• Dotted Quarter / Eighth Notes
• Dotted Eighth / Sixteenth Notes
• Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth Note Patterns
o See the Rhythm Visuals below. They coordinate with the rhythm ostinati in the
Orff arrangement. I changed the lyric “greens” to “green beans” to fit the rhythm.
Harmony
• Round
• Ostinati - See the Orff arrangement below for the layering of the rhythms. Add as many
as you think your students can handle.
bethsnotes.com
Waiting for the Dinner Bell – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Waiting for the Dinner Bell – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Waiting for the Dinner Bell – in G
Melody – Recorder Notes E, G, A, B, C, D’ – See Student Copies below.
bethsnotes.com
Waiting for the Dinner Bell – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm – Half Notes & Rests
• Pass out a copy of the song to the class. Sing through the song and ask students to
point along.
• Sing again and ask students to raise their hands when they see / hear half notes.
(2 half notes on the rhyming words “late” and “gate.”)
• Sing again, continuing to raise hands on the half notes, ask students to whisper “rest”
on the quarter rests (there are 2).
• Introduce the half rests, and without naming them yet, ask students to guess what they
might mean. Help them to discover that 1 half rest = 2 quarter rests (see visuals). Also
show them how when a half rest sits on a line on the staff, the line just melts into the
other line, so it looks like a rectangle.
• Sing again, and half students continue to raise hands on half notes, and whisper "rest"
on quarter rests, and this time also whisper "rest, rest" on half rests.
• In subsequent lessons, review the above and add instruments. (See Orff arrangement 1.)
o Add a sustaining unpitched percussion instrument on the half notes, such as
finger cymbals or triangles.
o Add maracas on the rests.
o Add xylophones on the beat.
• Find the syncopation in measures 3 & 7. In Orff arrangement 2 (below), have drums play
the syncopated part.
bethsnotes.com
Melody – pentatonic scale / Recorder notes D,E,G,A,B
• Either pass out the student copies or have the students listen and identify these scale
tones. There are also visuals of the pentatonic scale.
o Do – Identify where “do” (G) occurs in the song. Notice that the song begins and
ends with “do,” which is very common with folk songs. Sing the song,
substituting the word “do” for the lyrics every time.
o Mi-re-do – Find the 2 times when “mi-re-do” occurs (“sleep too late” and “golden
gate.”)
o Mi - Find the other times “mi” occurs and sing that also.
o Low so & low la - Lead the students to the two times notes below “do” happen.
Lead them to understand those are “low so” and “low la.”
o To emphasize “low so,” teach the countermelody, which only has low so and do.
See the “Student Copies (Duet)” below. Put the two parts together, with each part
either singing the lyrics or the syllables. In the blanks of the Student Copies,
students could write syllables or letters.
Melody – G,A,B
• See the adapted version below, which can be used for beginning recorder or xylophone
players if you are teaching G,A,B.
Harmony – Duet / countermelody
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Student Copies
Wake Me
Folk song
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me
Folk song
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Student Copies (Duet)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Melody Visuals (pentatonic)
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Student Copies (GAB)
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Melody Visuals (GAB)
bethsnotes.com
Wake Me – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
WAKE SNAKE
Rhythm – Half notes, Syncopation

• Teach or review half notes.
• Add triangles on half notes every other measure. Encourage them to say “wake snake”
while playing.
• For the other measures, add the “day is a-breakin’” rhythm on guiros or cabasas – or
even woodblocks or maracas – I don’t usually teach the word “syncopation” until 4th
grade. Encourage them to say the lyrics while playing.
• Quarter & Eighth notes – (See Rhythm Extension below.) Ask students to think of what
kinds of food would help them want to wake up in the morning. Figure out the rhythm to
those foods and substitute them for “green corn”. For instance, “pancakes” could be
sung in the same half note rhythm, or if you added the words “pancakes with syrup,” the
same syncopated rhythm as measure 2 could be used.
• Dotted Quarter Notes – See Recorder parts below.
Melody – Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake – Rhythm Cards
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake – Rhythm Extension
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake - Recorders
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake – Recorder Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
In this version, Wake Snake has been simplified to make it easy to teach in one lesson.
Rhythm – Half rests in both parts. To help students analyze the rhythms, pass out the handout
below.
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake / I Want to Rise – Partner Songs – Rhythms
Name Class
Wake Snake
$ h h |eq eqq |h h |eq eqq |

Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’, Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’,
h h |eq eqq |h h |H q Q ]
Wake snake, Day is a-break-in’, Wake snake, Break!
I Want to Rise in the Early Morn
$ eq eqn|qqqQ |eq eqn|qqqQ |

I want to rise in the early morn, I want to rise in the early morn,
eq eqn|qqqn |nq qn|h H ]

I want to rise in the early morn, and I’ll nev-er be late a-ny more!
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Wake Snake / I Want to Rise – Version 1 - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• Quarter Rests
o Have students listen to the song and make a motion (or snap) whenever they feel
a silent beat.
o Listen again and count how many (4).
o Add snaps on the quarter rests.
o Add triangles on the quarter rests.
• Quarter Notes & Rests, Eighth Notes
o Show students these rhythms:
o Chant each rhythm and add body percussion, such as:

§ Walk - clap
§ Hop - snap
§ Running – pat (alternate hands)
o Now have students move while chanting the words.
o Add unpitched percussion instruments. You could even layer them together.
o For the Orff arrangement (below), the xylophone is playing the “hop” rhythm.
Phrases – Divide the class into 4 groups. Have each group play one phrase and instrument:
• Phrase 1 (walking): woodblocks
• Phrase 2 (hop hop hop): guiros
• Phrase 3 (running): maracas
• Phrase 4 (now let's stop): drums
bethsnotes.com
Walking Walking – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Walking Walking – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Idea: Use this melody to sing classroom instructions, such as,
"Have a seat now, we're moving on now. If you want to earn a point, have a seat now."
bethsnotes.com
This is such a simple and short tune that can be adapted to singing instructions, such as:
This can also be adapted to practice BAG, either on recorders or xylophones.
bethsnotes.com
BAG Song – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
BAG Song - Orff Arrangement 1
BAG Song - Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
BAG Song – Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Note: A “weevil” is a beetle-like that can be harmful to crops.
Movement - Formation: Students stand in circle groups of 4. Before starting, each student
gets a number 1,2,3 or 4.
Verse 1
Measures 1-2 – All circle left
Measures 3-4 – All circle right
Verse 2
All face center.
Measure 5 - On each beat, each person adds right hand to the middle, stacking hands on top
of each other. (1,2,3,4)
Measure 6 - On each beat, each person adds left hand to the stack. (1,2,3,4)
Measure 7 - On each beat, each person takes off left hand (top hand first). (4,3,2,1)
Measure 8 - On each beat, each person takes off right hand. (4,3,2,1)
bethsnotes.com
Weevily Wheat – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Rhythm
• Syncopation – melody in first 2 measures
• Quarter note & rests – triangle part in Orff arrangement
• Quarter & eighth notes – tambourine part in Orff arrangement
• Low so & low la (& do) – glockenspiel part in Orff arrangement (could be used with
soprano or alto xylophones)
Form AB
bethsnotes.com
Melody – mi, so, la
• Sing the song while demonstrating the up and down movement of the melody, using
one or all of these at different times:
o Curwen hand signs
o Hand moving up and down in the air
o Touch lap for “mi,” shoulders for “so,” head for “la.”
o Sit for “mi,” and stand for “so,” stand on tip toes for “la.”
o Sing syllables instead of lyrics
o Students stand in a circle, each with one bouncy ball (I call them “notes,” such as
“hold your note still.”). Bounce “note” on floor = “mi,” hold “note” in front of body
= “so,” hold “note” over head = “la.” If the “note” bounces away while we are in
the middle of singing the song, the student must wait until the song is over (and
continue to move hand up and down). Then I tell them to “Go get your notes.”
• To help students distinguish between high and low sounds, I encourage them to lightly
place their hands over their throats when they sing. Feeling the vibrations can help them
to decide if the sounds go up or down.
• Students play the melody of the song on xylophones. Demonstrate high and low on
xylophone by holding the xylophone vertically. Play the major scale; then isolate “mi”,
“so”, “la” by taking out the other bars. Students can practice on paper xylophones.
Melody – Up & Down

• See Orff arrangement #2 for glockenspiel glissandos up and down.
bethsnotes.com
Game
• All students stand in a circle, holding hands high. One student ("It") is named as “Wee
Willie Winkie” and runs in between students through their “windows”. On the last word
of song, whomever "It" is closest to becomes next Wee Willie Winkie.
Rhythm – quarter notes & rests, half notes

• Listen for the quarter rests. As students sing, they snap on the rests. Later, add
triangles.
• Chant the rhythm: Will you be my friend?
o Divide the class into two parts: one group chant the ostinato “Will you be my
friend” and the other group sing the song. Everyone keep patting the steady beat
to stay together. If necessary, keep the beat on a drum.
o Students play bordun (C/G) on the xylophones on rhythm “Will you be my friend”
while the rest of the class sings the song.
• Put both parts (xylophone and triangle) together with the song – see Orff arrangement
#1.
• In Orff arrangement #2, the “Will you be my friend” pattern is also played by guiros
(and/or cabasas or other unpitched percussion that you can play half notes on) The
rhythm becomes:
bethsnotes.com
Wee Willie Winkie – Orff Arrangement 1
bethsnotes.com
Wee Willie Winkie – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Version 2 – different melody
bethsnotes.com
Lyric Options
I’m so excited to be here together,
I feel a joy down in my heart,
That’s why we’re singing together,
You are welcome, we’re glad that you’re here. (repeat)
Motions / Steady Beat – (You can see these motion ideas by watching the video of Ugandan
children singing this song on this page on my website.)
Students make small steps in place on each (quarter note) beat throughout the song.
• Measures 1-2 – Arms make a rolling motion.
• Measures 3-4 – Both hands on heart
• Measures 5-6 – Arms move slightly up and down as if marching
• Measures 7-8 – Arms out (palms up) in a welcome gesture
Solo singing – different ideas for different days

• Students take turns singing their names (see verse 2 above) during measures 1-2. The
other students sing the rest of the song.
• Students take turns singing phrases: one student sing phrase 1 (measures 1 & 2),
another student sing phrase 2, etc. Other students can do the motions while they listen.
bethsnotes.com
Welcome Song – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Ideas:
• The bongo part is more difficult than the regular drum part, so feel free to ignore that if
you don’t have students who can handle it.
• Also, omit the tambourine – or edit it to make it easier – if your students need something
easier.
• You could also add soft maracas (like those pleasant-sounding egg shakers) on steady
eighth notes throughout.
• Also, for interest, you could add layers of instruments each time you repeat the song.
bethsnotes.com
WE’RE GOING ‘ROUND THE MOUNTAIN
Original Version
Rhythm – 4 Sixteenth Notes & Sixteenth / Dotted Eighth Note Patterns

• See the rhythm visual below to see how the 4 sixteenth notes compare to the sixteenth /
dotted eighth note patterns.
• If you use the ostinati, you can compare the sixteenth/dotted eighth with the dotted
eighth/sixteenth.
• Going Round the Mountain – Change the Lyrics & Rhythms Worksheet (see below).
Have students fill in the boxes with the correct rhythms. They can also think of their own
words and use those instead of “mountain” with the ostinati.
Harmony – Ostinati
• Add body percussion or percussion instruments as students perform the rhythms
together (see below).
bethsnotes.com
Movement / Play-Party Version
Suggested Movement / Dance / Play-Party

Formation: Students stand in two concentric circles, facing right with partners standing next
to each other (one in the inner circle and the other in the outer circle).
• Verse 1 – Students can lock elbows (or just walk next to each other) and march
counterclockwise around the circle. When repeating the dance, substitute other
movements such as walking, skipping, galloping, tip-toeing…
• Verse 2 – Students stop and face their partners. One person makes a motion and the
other person mirrors / copies the motion.
• Verse 3 – The other student makes a motion and the first student mirrors / copies the
motion.
• Verse 4 – The outer circle circles counterclockwise and the inner circle circles clockwise.
At the end of the verse on the word “rise,” all students stop suddenly. Who they are
standing next to becomes their new partner and the dance begins again.
bethsnotes.com
We’re Going Round the Mountain – Rhythm Ostinati
bethsnotes.com
We’re Going Round the Mountain – Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Going Round the Mountain – Change the Lyrics & Rhythms
Name Class
The lyrics are notated like this:
$ jjjq iq
Go-ing round the mountain
If you change the last word, what would the rhythm be?
Fill in each box with the correct rhythm. Your choices are:
jjjq jiq ijq iq

1. cherry tree 2. deep river
3. helicopter 4. hiking trail
5. iceberg 6. superhero
bethsnotes.com
Going Round the Mountain – Change the Lyrics & Rhythms - Answers
Name Class
The lyrics are notated like this:
$ jjjq iq
Go-ing round the mountain
If you change the last word, what would the rhythm be?
Fill in each box with the correct rhythm. Your choices are:
jjjq jiq ijq iq

1. cherry tree 2. deep river
jiq ijq
3. helicopter 4. hiking trail
jjjq jiq
5. iceberg 6. superhero
iq jjjq
bethsnotes.com
We’re Going Round the Mountain – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
WE’RE GOING ROUND THE MTN / ROLL BROWN JUG – PARTNER SONGS
Harmony – Partner Songs

The melodies of both songs have been altered slightly to work together. Changes:
• Going Round the Mountain - measure 3, last note
• Roll that Brown Jug - measure 4, all notes
bethsnotes.com
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Song in F
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Meter in 3 – Count 1, 2, 3 as students play triangles and sleigh bells (see the rhythm visuals
below).
Harmony part – Recorder notes D,E,G,A,B,C’ – See the Orff arrangement below.
Rhythm – Dotted Half Notes – Recorders play all dotted half notes. This part could also be
played on glockenspiels or just play dotted half notes on triangles.
bethsnotes.com
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Rhythm Visual
bethsnotes.com
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Student Copies (Recorder Part)
bethsnotes.com
Simple Accompaniment
bethsnotes.com
WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN
Song in F
Rhythm
• Steady Beat – Have students pat the steady beat as they listen to you sing the song.
Add drums to the steady beat.
• Long sounds: Half notes - Students raise their hands when they hear the long sounds
(half notes): 4 times. Add triangles whenever half notes are sung.
• Syncopation – See the drum part in the Orff arrangement below.
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Melody – Recorder Notes G, A, B, C, D’
bethsnotes.com
When the Saints Go Marching In – Student Copies (in G)
bethsnotes.com
When the Saints Go Marching In – Orff Arrangement in G
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
When the Saints Go Marching In – Orff Arrangement in C
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
When the Saints Go Marching In – Student Copies (in C)
bethsnotes.com
Partner Songs: When the Saints / She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Recorder Part – Call & Response
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
1. Teach Section A of the song (first 4 phrases).
• Start singing and patting the half note pattern - and sing over and over until the kids
start to sing along.
• After a few times, get them to participate by pointing to yourself during the questions:
"Who built the ark?" and to them for the answers: "Noah Noah" and "Brother Noah built
the ark." Continue patting the half note beat.
• Divide the class in half with one half of the class singing the questions and the other half
singing the answers. Start to refer to the two groups as "call" and "response."
• Option: Show visual of a half note.
2. Adding instruments: After the students have practiced the song several times, model the
correct way to hold xylophone mallets ("chicken wings, knuckles looking at the ceiling, relax
shoulders") and pantomime the same half note beat in the air while singing.
• During the "call" have students sing "ti ta ti ta" or "syn-co-pa-ta" - either teach or review
syncopation. Add woodblocks or claves on that syncopated pattern.
• Send some students to the xylophones to play the half note pattern on G & D ("glazed
donuts") while students continue to sing. If you have enough xylophones to break them
in two groups, practice doing "call" and "response" patterns on the xylophones with
"group 1" playing first, then "group 2" playing after. Either you conduct them by pointing
to them when it's their turn, or have students do it.
• When xylophone and singing parts are going pretty securely, you demonstrate a whole
note clap with your hands moving out in an arc after clapping (signifying the long sound
a triangle will make). Keep the song going while you demonstrate this part and have
students copy you. Add some students on this whole note triangle part. Option: Show
visual of a whole note.
• The guiro part could be taught as "rest rest, build the ark". Optional: show visual of half
rest.
• Recorder parts: BAG notes (see pdf)
If you are using recorders on Section A, consider teaching the Orff parts for Section B only.
If you are playing Orff parts during Section A, you could continue playing on Section B, or you
could use Section B (with teacher and some students singing same verse every time) as a
chance for instrumentalists to change.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Song in D
Rhythm
• Half, Quarter, Eighth notes, Quarter rests – Have students look at the melody (student
copies below). Have them identify half notes, quarter notes (and rests) and eighth notes.
They can mark on their pages, such as:
o Option 1
§ Circle the half notes.
§ Underline the quarter notes and rests.
§ Put boxes around the eighth notes.
o Option 2 – Highlight or circle with color
§ Color the half notes red.
§ Color the quarter notes and rests green.
§ Color the eighth notes blue.
Then assign body percussion or instruments to each type of note. For instance:
o Half notes = triangles or pat
o Quarter notes = woodblocks or clap
o Eighth notes = maracas or snap
Orff arrangement – Key of C

• Rhythm - Syncopation – See the tambourine part in the Orff arrangement below.
• Melody – so-mi – See the glockenspiel part.
Who’s That Tapping at the Window – Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Name Class
bethsnotes.com
Who’s That Tapping at the Window – Orff Arrangement 1 (key of C)
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version for Solo Singing
Melody – so-mi
• Practice singing so-mi. Have all students sing their own names (all at the same time)
with so-mi.
• Sing the song with the teacher singing the Call and pointing to a student. Then the
student sings their name on “so-mi.”
• Variation - All students can sing the Response every time.
o Version 1
§ Teacher sings, “Who’s that”
§ All students sing, “tapping at the window.”
§ Teacher sings, “Who’s that”
§ All students sing, “knocking at the door.”
§ Student #1 sings, “Shondra”
§ Student #1 sings, “Aiden”
o Version 2
§ Teacher sings, “Shondra”
§ Shondra sings, “I am”
• You can use this song for assessing pitch matching on so-mi.
• See the so-mi melody in the glockenspiel (“ding dong”) part in the Orff arrangement
below.
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version for Solo Singing – Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Song in G
Melody – Recorder notes G, A, B, D’

• You can add a simple bordun on GD to accompany the recorders. Also, consider adding
some of the percussion parts from the Orff arrangement (above).
bethsnotes.com
Who’s That Tapping at the Window – Student Copies – Key of G
bethsnotes.com
Xīnnián hǎo 新年好
This song is the same tune as Clementine.
If you don’t want to teach all of the Chinese lyrics, you could either teach the bilingual version
or the all-English version (both below). In the bilingual version, you only have to teach them the
words for “Happy new year,” which are “Xīnnián hǎo ya.” (On the web page for this song is a
video and a link to the pronunciation.)
Meter in 3 – To help students feel the meter in 3, it helps to have them feel it kinesthetically (in
their bodies) as they sing:
• Pat (or stomp) on beat 1, pat (or snap) on beats 2 & 3.
• Students sitting facing partners: Pat on beat 1, high five each other on beats 2 & 3.
• Drums (and/or the xylophone part below) play on beat 1 and maracas or guiros play on
beats 2 & 3.
bethsnotes.com
Xīnnián hǎo - Bilingual version
English version
bethsnotes.com
Xīnnián hǎo – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Original Version (Christmas)
Translation
The Wise Men are coming Carrying lots of toys
the Wise Men are coming carrying lots of toys
on their way to Bethlehem for the Child in Bethlehem
Olé, olé, Holy land and olé Since the journey is so long
Holy land can be seen. since the journey is so long
the Child asks for water
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Simplified Spanish Version (Christmas)
This version is easier for non-English speakers to sing.
Adapted Version 2 – Spanish (to welcome to class)
bethsnotes.com
Translation
• “Ya vienen los estudiantes” = “Here they come, the students”
• “Ya entrando al salón” = “Now entering the classroom”
• “Olé, ola” are nonsense syllables.
Lyrics
• Change the lyrics to practice Spanish words. For example, point to a girl, and the
students sing “Ya viene la niña” (Here comes the girl). Point to a boy, and they sing “Ya
viene el niño.”
• Other beginning Spanish words you could use (skip the “entrando al salón” phrase and
go directly to “Olé…” after the first two phrases:
o “Yo veo siete niños” (I see 7 boys) or “Yo veo nueve niñas” (I see 9 girls)
o “Yo veo el color blanco” (I see the color white) – repeat twice and have the
students guess what white object you are referring to (similar to “I spy”).
Adapted Version 2 – English (to welcome to class)
bethsnotes.com
Adapted Version 2 – Spanish & English (to say goodbye to class)
Translation
• “Ya se van los estudiantes” = “Now they go, the students”
• “Que tengan un buen día” = “Have a good day”
Lyrics
• You could also add words to dismiss them one group, row, or riser, at a time.
o “Now line up, the blue riser….”
o “Now it’s time to line up, girls…”
o “After cleaning up, please line up…”
bethsnotes.com
Ya vienen – Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
• As students are learning to sing the song, add these motions/rhythm sticks on every
beat.
• Next, have students emphasize/accent the first beat of each measure while singing. Call
it the “strong beat.”
• Point out to them that as our voices go down (melody) so do our motions.
• Add body percussion to mirror the contour of the melody (from high to low).
o ms 1 = snaps
o ms 2 = claps
o ms 3 = pat knees
o ms 4 = stomp
• Add rhythm sticks in the same pattern while sitting down. See below. (For measure 3, if
you think it’s easier for them to tap their knees with their sticks – carefully! – then that’s
fine.) Also, you could substitute paper towel rolls or egg shakers (one in each hand)
instead.
• Continue the accents on the strong beats with different instruments, like xylophones or
boomwhackers, drums and bells.
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody – So- mi / Up & Down
• As you sing, move hands up and down to melodic contour (see visuals) and/or point to
lyrics going up and down the mountain. (Make the upbeats of the first two phrases Ds so
the melody works with the visuals.)
• On the “yoo hoo” part, either you or another student can do the “call” and the rest of the
class sing the “response.”
• Substitute “so-mi” for the lyrics and add Curwen hand signs.
• Divide the class into two sections: half the class sings the “call” and half the “response.”
• Add xylophones or glockenspiels on the so-mi part. If you don’t want to worry about the
F# bars, sing it in the key of C (see below).
bethsnotes.com
Yoo Hoo - Melody Visuals
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Recorders E & G (and C’ descant)
• Have students sing (and/or play on xylophones) the first two phrases. For the call and
response, there are lots of options in addition to the ideas above.
o For instance, divide the recorder players into 4 sections: one section plays the call,
section 2 plays the response, section 3 plays the second call, and section 4 plays the
response.
o Now play a version of “telephone,” where the first group (after quietly deciding
together) plays a pattern, which the other three groups must echo one at a time. You
could decide what the rules will be, depending on how difficult you want to make it.
Here are some options:
§ Play 2 notes – E & G – in either order
§ Play any two notes you know how to play on the recorder: B,A,G or E
§ Play 3 notes – E & G – and repeat one of them (such as E, E, G)
§ Play any three notes you know how to play on the recorder: B,A,G or E
Orff Arrangement below

• Consider adding the C’ G descant on recorders, either the entire time or just in the first
two phrases (which you could call Section A).
• The glockenspiel part in Section B shows you some options for adding even more layers
of echoes.
bethsnotes.com
Yoo Hoo - Orff Arrangement
bethsnotes.com
Melody – Recorder Notes G,A,B,C,D’
• Students could play the entire song on the five melody notes. For the call and response,
you could break them into groups (see above) or even have them play the call and
response in partners, having them take turns who is call and who is response.
• For the Orff part (page 23) there is a recorder/glock countermelody. Students could sing
the song while recorders play the countermelody. For the first two phrases (Section A),
one group could play that part, and for Section B, another group could play – depending
on how simple you want to make it.
bethsnotes.com
Yoo Hoo - Student Copies
bethsnotes.com
bethsnotes.com
Yoo Hoo - Orff Arrangement 2
bethsnotes.com
Version 1: FORM - AB | Minor vs. Major
Teaching ideas:
• Rhythm: Steady Beat
On the steady beat, add either drums, xylophone bordun (D & A), or D’s on any pitched
instrument.
• Rhythm: sixteenth-eighth combination, eighth notes, quarter note
Add unpitched percussion instruments on the rhythms (see visuals below):
“i-zika” = guiros
“zumba” = maracas
“zay” = hand drums / tambourines
• Melody: Major / Minor
Sing the song and listen to the differences between the D minor in Section A and D
major in Section B.
• Harmony: round
In this next version, both Sections A and B are in D major, and it can be sung as a
round.
bethsnotes.com
Version 2: FORM - Round | Major
bethsnotes.com
Zulu Warrior - Rhythm Visuals
bethsnotes.com
Zulu Warrior - Versions 1 & 2: Orff arrangement
bethsnotes.com

Orff With Table of Contents

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Orff With Table of Contents

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Orff With Table of Contents

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ORFF ARRANGEMENTS

Leak Kanseng Paw Paw Patch Sussex Carol (On

These lyrics are based on the poem by Eugene Field (1850-1895).

Melody – Pentatonic / Recorder Notes E,G,B,C’

Rhythm - Steady Beat - Demonstrate the steady beat in many ways

Students were evaluated individually by playing a drum or patting knees

4 = Exceeds expectations = Steady beat was performed with perfect accuracy.

3 = Meets expectations = Steady beat was performed with moderate accuracy.

2 = Approaching expectations = Steady beat was performed with some accuracy.

Steady Beat Performance Rubric

Students were evaluated individually by playing a drum or patting knees

4 = Exceeds expectations = Steady beat was performed with perfect accuracy.

3 = Meets expectations = Steady beat was performed with moderate accuracy.

2 = Approaching expectations = Steady beat was performed with some accuracy.

Melody – Recorder Notes GAB

Formation: Students form two lines facing each other.

Rhythm – Syncopation / Phrases

Melody – Recorder Notes D,E,G,A,B,D’

1. At the gates of heaven, they sell shoes

2. To the children who sleep, God blesses them.

Rhythm – Half, Quarter, Eighth notes

Rhythm – dotted eighth / sixteenth note patterns

Melody – Recorder countermelody G,A,C

Meter – Mixed meter between 6/8 and 3/4

This version is easier to sing for younger singers.

All Around the Daffodils – Version 3

Rhythm: Long Sounds (half & whole notes)

Harmony – Recorder Duet (Notes G,A,B and D,G)

Lark, nice lark,

1. I will pluck your head,

Melody – Recorder notes D-E-G-A-B-D’

Performance assessment Rubrics

Student demonstrated knowledge and ability to play

Recorder Performance Assessment Rubric: Fingering & Song

Student demonstrated knowledge and ability to play

Student demonstrated knowledge and ability to play

Recorder Performance Assessment Rubric: Fingering & Song

Student demonstrated knowledge and ability to play

Melody – Pentatonic scale

Motions – Make up motions to go with the lyrics.

Harmony - Round | Chords I & V

Ms. 1 & 2 - Pat clap clap rest (x 2)

Ms. 4 - Pat clap clap rest

Rhythm – Quarter Notes & Rests, Eighth Notes

Number these phrases in the order they occur in the song.

Movement with Partners

o Measures 11-12: Response:

Rhythm: Half notes & Quarter notes & rests

African American Spiritual

Write the same notes below.

African American Spiritual

Write the same notes below.

Lyrics from an African American Spiritual

nq|q n|q q|h ]

Write your own melody on the staff below.

Bake, bake a cake

Melody – mi, so, la / low do & high do

Rhythm – Dotted Half Notes

Betty Botter - Melody