ONE MORE TIME!

Repetition is important, but you have to keep it interesting to maintain children’s attention.  You can “wake up the brain” with these playful “state changes.”  Use these strategies for choral reading, repeating poems, reading word wall words, counting, doing flash cards, and so forth.  If you go to my website, click on free activities, and scroll down you can download these little cards called “fluency cards.”  I’d suggest downloading them on cardstock and then putting them in a bag or little box called the “Voice Box.”  Let several children choose cards and then use those strategies for repeating information. 

*You can watch me demonstrate these on a new video my daughter helped me make.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNuuNBzgDWw

Three Bears – Read papa bear style (with a deep voice), mama bear style (with a prissy voice), and baby bear style (with a wee voice).

Emotions – Read text with different emotions, such as happy, sad, angry, sleepy, etc.  Which one fits the text best?

Rainbow – Open hands and place on the left side of your body.  Swing up and across the body in an arc as you read each line. 

Rock and Roll – Pretend to hold guitar and dance and sing. 

Rap – Let the children teach YOU how to do this one.

Opera – Extend arms and sing words dramatically. 

Underwater – Put pointer between lips and vibrate as you read or talk.

With a cold – Hold nose and talk or read.

Robot – Stick out arms and pretend to read with a monotonous

voice 

King and Queen – Put a pretend crown on your head and read with a “royal” tone.

Martian – Make antennae with index fingers over your head.  “Beep” for the syllables in the words.

Loud and Soft – Read loud or soft.  Teacher sticks thumbs up and children read louder.  Thumbs down and children get softer. 

Fast and Slow – Read slowly like the tortoise (slow) or fast like the rabbit.

Animal Voices – “Meow” each syllable like a cat, “bark” like a dog, or make other animal sounds.

Football Player and Cheerleaders – Boys read each line with a gruff voice like a football player.  Bend over after each line and go, “Hut!  Hut!”  Girls read each line like a cheer leader and go, “Rah!  Rah!” at the end of each line.

Lip Sinc - Mouth the words. 

News - Read like a news reporter “on the street.”

Pirate - Put on hand over your eye and talk out of the side of your mouth.  Say, “Grrr!” at the end of each sentence.

Typewriter - Pretend to type with your fingers as you move eyes from left to right.  Ding, and then “return the carriage” when you get to the end of the line.

Cartoon Characters - Read like “Fred Flintstone” (bounce up and down),

Scooby Doo (Ruff!  Ruff!), Charlie Brown’s teacher, and other characters children suggest.

Teacher Style – Children pretend they are the teacher and read like YOU!

WHAT HAPPENED TO SUMMER?

Good golly, Miss Molly!  Where did summer go?  Would you believe that some schools are starting today?  August 1^st also means I’ve got new ideas on my website today.

A key to nurturing readers is a print-rich environment.  The National Early Literacy Panel (nifl.gov) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (naeyc.org) recommend immersing children in print, writing tools, signs, and books.  Creating a literate environment will also support Common Core State Standards (Reading for Information, Foundational Skills, Writing, Speaking, and Language).  My August, 2013, website article will give you ideas for planting a reading and writing “garden” in your classroom this year.  You’ll find activities for making a unique classroom alphabet, as well as functional print books and ideas for literacy centers.

You’ll also find three new videos with your special requests, strategies for repeated readings, and a back to school bash.

SURPRISE!

You asked for it – and you got it!  You can watch me do these activities on a new video my daughter made for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk4ds1o8JI0

This is a song I would often sing to focus my students’ attention.  I’d start singing and they would join in with me.  By the time we got to “freeze” I had everyone’s attention.

Miss Sue from Alabama

Miss Sue, Miss Sue,   (Snap fingers as you move you arms up and down.)

Miss Sue from Alabama.

Sitting in her rocker,  (Put right foot in front and rock back and forth.)

Eating Betty Crocker,  (Pretend to hold a bowl and eat something.)

Watching the clock go

Tick-tock, tick-tock banana rock.   (Stick up index fingers and move                                                                 from side to side.)

Tick-tock, tick-tock banana rock.

A B C D E F G,             (Take palms and brush your chest.)

Wash those spots right off of me.

Oosha mama, oosha mama,  (Hold out palms and wiggle hips.)

Oosha mama, FREEZE!   (Freeze.)

Plant a Garden

First the child chooses what kind of garden they want.  (Peas, sunflowers, etc.)

Dig up the dirt.  (Gently scratch fingers on the back.)

Rake up the dirt.  (Use fingers like a rake and drag down the back.)

Then dig the holes.  (Use finger to make a shovel motion.)

Next, plant the seeds.  (Use finger to lightly touch where the holes are.)

Cover the seeds with dirt.  (Use hand and rub around.)

Now, pat down the dirt.  (Gently pat the back.)

Here comes the rain. (Use fingers to tap on back.)

Here comes the sun.  (Rub back in circular motion.)

Up come the plants!!  (Use fingers to scoop in an upward motion.)

Now pick them.  (Use light pinching motion with thumb and finger.)

Put the Baby to Bed

Now it’s time to go to sleep  (Hold up right index finger.)

Put the baby to bed.            (Place index finger on left palm)

Cover the baby in the bed.    (Wrap left fingers around right index.)

Kiss the baby good-night.      (Pretend to kiss finger.)

Waaa!  Waaa!                         (Hold up right index finger and cry.)

The baby’s awake!

What can we do?

(Insert children’s suggestions and continue the rhyme.  For example, give it a bottle, change its diapers, give it a toy, read a book, etc.)

May There Always Be Sunshine

(Check out aslpro.com for more detailed sign language movements.)

May there always be sunshine.  (Hold up index finger and circle around.)

May there always be blue skies.  (Hands over head.)

May there always be children.  (One palm going down like stair steps.)

May there always be you.  (Circle index finger and then point to children.)

May there always be stories.  (Index fingers and thumbs touching

                                             and the pull apart.)

May there always be music.  (Hold up left arm and strum with right hand.)

May there always be teachers  (Pull knowledge from your head and

                                             hold palms upright.)

To care for you.  (Make letter “k” with fingers and place on top of

                                             each other.)

 May there always be sunshine.  (To make sunshine make a circle in the

                                             air with your finger.)

May there always be blue skies.  (Hands overhead.)

May you always feel special,   (Hold up index finger on right hand and

                                             touch and move up.)

Because you are you!   (Point to children.)

*This song is a “sweet” way to end your day.  Hold hands in a circle and sway and sing.

ALF-HARDY? ALF-ARDY?

People often ask me how to pronounce “Alphardy.”  Guess what?  It doesn’t matter!  What does matter is that it is a powerful way to review alphabet letters or introduce letters and sounds at the beginning of the school year.  A teacher recently remarked that some of her children had no previous experience with letters or sounds before they started kindergarten.  She said she introduced “Alphardy” the first day of school and sang it every day.  Then, when she administered the DIBELS test they had a clue about sounds.  If you don’t know this song, you definitely need it in your song library.  If you have sung this song for years, I have a few new ways to extend it. 

Alphardy  (“Sing to Learn” CD)

A for apple /a/ /a/ /a/  (Pretend fist is an apple.)

B for bounce /b/ /b/ /b/  (Bounce a ball.)

C for cut /c/ /c/ /c/  (Open and close index and middle fingers as if cutting.)

D for dig /d/ /d/ /d/  (Pretend to dig.)

E – elbow  (Point to elbow.)

F – fan  (Fan self with hand.)

G – gallop  (Gallop in place.)

H – hop  (Hop on one foot.)

I – itch  (Scratch self.)

J – jump  (Jump up and down.)

K – kick  (Little kicks with foot.)

L – love  (Hug self.)

M – munch  (Move mouth as if eating.)

N – nod  (Nod head.)

O – opera  (Extend arms and sing dramatically.)

Q – quiet  (Index finger on lips.)

R.  – run  (Run in place.)

S – sew  (Pretend to hold a needle and sew.)

T – talk  (Open and close fingers like a mouth.)

U – upside  (Lean over.)

V – volley  (Hands in air and pretend to volley a ball.)

W – wiggle   (Wiggle all over.)

X – x-ray   (Make “x” with arms.)

Y – yawn  (Extend arms and pretend to yawn.)

Z – zigzag  (Make an imaginary “z” in the air.)

Letter sounds are all you need.

Put them together and you can read!  (Hold palms together and open like a book.)

*You can download this book at drjean.org.  Click on “free activities” and scroll to the bottom of the page.  Glue the cover to a pocket folder and insert the pages in clear sheet protectors so it will last for years. 

*Make the black and white student version for children to take home and sing with their families.

 

*Run off this chart (January, 2010) for each student and glue to a file folder.  Children can use this for choral singing or for independent work at the listening center.  If you give them a pretzel stick or Bugle for a pointer they’ll get a little snack at the end of the song!

*Introduce sign language with this song.  Visit aslpro.com to learn manual signs.

*Insert children’s names in the song: 

            D for Darren /d/ /d/ /d/

            E for Erin /e/ /e/ /e/

            S for Sammy /s/ /s/ /s/

            H for Hannah /h/ /h/ /h/

*Adapt the words for environmental print:

            M for MacDonald’s /m/ /m/ /m/

            L for Legos /l/ /l/ /l/

*Take color words, number words, or high frequency words and sing them.

            R for red /r/ /r/ /r/

            P for purple /p/ /p/ /p/ 

OH, CANADA!

Oh, Canada!  I’m coming to see you next week in Toronto.  Go to sde.com to register for "Summer Camp" August 7th & 8th.  It’s going to be AWESOME!

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN CHILDREN DON'T SING?

This is definitely a difficult blog for me to write because I’m always hesitant to give advice when it comes to behavior issues.  You really need to know the age level, classroom situation, and individual child before passing judgement.  However, someone recently requested I make a few comments on what to do when children don’t sing, so I’ll do my best.  When I do free concerts at schools, 95% of the children are right with.  There are a few that look at me like I’m nuts, but I ignore them and by the end of the concert I’ve usually got most of them to smile and sing.   

First of all, look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Am I capturing the children’s attention?  Am I enthusiastic?  Would I want to sing with me if I were a child?  Are my songs engaging and FUN?”  No matter how entertaining you are, there might be one or two children that don’t participate.  My best advice would be to ignore them.  I don’t think you should ever force children to sing or make it a power struggle.   Focus on the positive with comments like, “The more you sing the happier you will be.”  “Singing is good for the brain and will help you learn.”  “Music helps us love each other.”

Second, think about why a child might not be singing. 

*If you’ve ever taught a selected mute (child who refuses to speak), you might as well accept their silence because there’s not a thing you can do about it.

*Perhaps a child feels shy.  Give them a little time and they may feel more comfortable and confident in joining group activities.

*Divide and conquer!  Sometimes you’ll have two children that will sabotage everything you do when they sit next to each other.  Separate them!

*Have a little chat and ask the child why she isn't singing. 

*Ask children what their favorite song is and incorporate that into your music program.

*Provide musical instruments or other props that might get children involved.  (This could be as simple as paper plates or tissue paper streamers.)

*Offer a wide range of music and movement activities, such as chants, dances, exercises, hand clap games, etc.  There’s usually some special song that will capture their interest.  (“The Banana Dance,” “Pizza Hut,” or my cheers usually do the trick for me.)

*Discuss the issue with parents.  Sometimes the child won’t sing at school, but they sing the songs at home.  By providing parents with lyrics to songs they can enjoy the music at home with their child.

*One first grade teacher said she used a behavior system in her classroom where the children moved their clothespin from green, to yellow, to red.  The students learned if they were on yellow or red and they participated enthusiastically in music they got to move their clothespin back up to green.  She said it worked like a charm for her.

Every class, every child, every situation is unique.  Put on a happy face and act like singing is the most fun thing in the world!!!  Because it is!!!

SUMMER READING

Those of you who were teaching 20 years ago probably recall the name Jim Trelease.  He was the Ron Clark of the day, and his READ-ALOUD HANDBOOK was an inspiration to all of us.  I was thrilled to hear that a new edition was coming out this summer and could hardly wait for my copy to arrive.  It is a “must read” and it will touch your heart!  It might also frustrate you (as it did me) because there is such a dissonance between what we should be doing and actual classroom practices.  I wish every school administrator and decision maker would read this book so they would understand that reading is not all in the head.  Reading also touches our hearts and souls!  This book should also be required reading for parents.

Want to know Trelease’s formula for creating proficient readers?

            The more you read, the better you get at it;

            the better you get at it, the more you like it;

            and the more you like it, the more you do it.

All pre-K and kindergarten children WANT to read and are EXCITED about reading.  But, according to research, their interest and reading for pleasure decrease significantly through the grades.  We might be winning the (test score) battle, but we are losing the (love of reading) war.  Another interesting piece of research emphasized the importance of teachers reading aloud and giving children time in school for pleasure reading.  Ah, but I’m preaching to the choir now!

And what am I reading for pleasure right now?  I’ve started revisiting favorite books from my past like THE GOOD EARTH (Pearl Buck), A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (Betty Smith), and THE THORN BIRDS (Colleen McCullough).  Books really are like good friends that you want to visit again and again!

Happy reading to all!