Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
Ten Little Hearts
It’s almost time for Valentine’s Day, so I have a few love-ly songs on tap just for this occasion. The first one is part of my monthly “Counting Time” series, which features the same basic song, with a different seasonal item to count. This month, we are counting hearts, of course!
Counting time, it’s counting time,
So let’s all sing this simple rhyme.
Ten little hearts in a row,
Now let’s count them nice and slow!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Again.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
How many hearts?
Ten little hearts.
All lined up in a row.
If you’re an educator or parent, you already know that children love repetition and familiarity. Even though I sing this song every week (introducing new items each month), my students never get tired of pointing to each item while counting aloud with me. And for those who are just learning to count, or are working on the use of their pointer finger, it is great reinforcement.
It’s a dreary day here in central Illinois, but I’ll take a thunderstorm over negative temperatures any day! Only a few more weeks until lovely, lovely spring, and you better believe I’ll have a whole slew of songs to go right along with it. But until then, have a wonderful day and see you tomorrow.
Is Your Mama a Llama?
Does this book look familiar? It sure does to most of the little ones I know. Is Your Mama a Llama? is a favorite both at home and in the classroom, and it has become one of my go-to stories.
It’s easier than you’d think to set a story like this to music. As long as the words rhyme and there is a definitive rhythm to the verses, you can create a melody line that repeats over and over.
I’ve done this with over thirty books, and I’m always looking for more. Sung stories are a great way to entertain students while at the same time working on a slew of skills, including attention to task, following directions, answering “wh” and yes/no questions, identifying objects and colors, and reading.
Friday Fave: Jingle Sticks
See this yellow beauty right here? I have fifteen more where that came from, and it has quickly become my most popular instrument among the students of the Hope Institute. They are a relatively new acquisition; I received them just in time for the Christmas season to be over…they would have been the perfect accompaniment to “Jingle Bells”, “Jingle Bell Rock” and other seasonal favorites. But hey, I’ll take what I can get!
These jingle sticks are a total steal, ringing in (pun intended) at just $3.15 over at West Music. I plan to order several more for my private practice, since I donated the ones I already owned to the Hope collection. What I like best about them is that they are easy to play, only requiring one hand, and they just sound so cheerful. Pair them with a fast-paced song, and in no time you’ll have a roomful of happy kids.
So that is it for this week’s installment of Friday Faves. I have some lofty goals for the weekend, including lots of recording, songwriting, cleaning and packing (my husband and I are moving in a little over a month). I hope your weekend is simply wonderful!
When the Saints Go Marching In
When I’m not composing original songs, you can bet I’m writing new lyrics for existing songs that are familiar and well-liked. I’m shared many of these songs in the past, and today I have a new one for you. Last month as I was brainstorming songs that might work as accompaniment to a drumming activity, the old standard “When the Saints Go Marching In” popped into my head.
Most everyone knows it, and if they don’t, it’s easy enough to learn. The melody and words are repetitive, and better yet, the song invites new verses. So that is exactly what I did…here is the song as I sing while my students bang away on the drums:
Oh when the saints go marching in,
Oh when the saints go marching in,
How I want to be in that number,
When the saints go marching in.
Oh when we play upon our drums,
Oh when we play upon our drums,
How I want to be in that number,
When we play upon our drums.
Oh when we hear the instruments,
Oh when we hear the instruments,
How I want to be in that number,
When we hear the instruments.
Oh when we keep that steady beat,
Oh when we keep that steady beat,
How I want to be in that number,
When we keep that steady beat,
Oh when the saints go marching in,
Oh when the saints go marching in,
How I want to be in that number,
When the saints go marching in.
You can change the words to this song to fit almost any activity, instrument-based or otherwise. I’m thinking of retooling it as a movement/following directions ditty sometime in the near future. The possibilities are endless!
Month Song Makeovers
Good evening! I just received this email from Kim, a loyal reader and supporter of Listen & Learn. She has some great ideas for the January and February month songs, and I just had to pass them along to you:
“You know what a fan I am of your month songs, so I thought I’d share some new verses with you. I structure my autism groups around themes, so I’m using the month songs to reinforce the themes I use. With that in mind, I’ve added some new versions and reworded some of yours to coincide with my weekly themes. I hope you don’t mind my taking liberty with your creativity.
For January (I know this is a little late to be of any use this year):
January bring a brand new year
Our new president will start
Soon will be inauguration day
And Obama will be in charge
(It was really fun to listen to them try and pronounce Obama).
January brings a brand new year
It’s now 2009
We’ll do our best, be nice to friends
And everything will be just fine.
For February:
February 24th is Fat Tuesday
Down in New Orleans they’ll sing and play
Beads and masks for all to see
A Mardi Gras party for you and me
February’s a time to see
What Black Americans did for our country
Who helped our land become so great
Just one more reason to celebrate.”
Thanks so much, Kim, for these wonderful additions! I will definitely be incorporating the new February verses into my lessons this month. And if anyone else has made over a Listen & Learn tune, I’d love to hear about it.
February…and Football
Good evening! And happy February to you, too. Not only is today the start of a brand new month, but it is also Superbowl Sunday. Though I’m not a football fan, I have indulged my husband by feigning interest in the game :) Sundays are always busy for me, and today was no exception. After church I tackled several household projects, and I didn’t finish until it was time to go back for Church Mice. But now that I’m a little more relaxed, I will make you wait no more for the debut of the “February” song.
February is month number two,
The shortest of all the months, it’s true.
Usually twenty-eight days, but sometimes
At leap year, then there’ll be twenty-nine.
February second is Groundhog Day,
We’ll wait for the animal to come out and play.
Let’s hope his shadow he does not see,
It means spring will soon be here for you and me.
CHORUS
February fourteenth is Valentine’s Day,
We’ll give out cards and “I love you,” we’ll say.
Time for chocolate, and candy hearts too,
Pink and red flowers for me and you.
CHORUS
February also brings President’s Day,
Remembering those who paved the way
For the US to become so great,
And that is why we celebrate.
CHORUS
If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know that winter is not my favorite season. Not even my second…or third…favorite season. But I like to look at the bright side of things, and the bright side of February is that it is short! And one month closer to spring than January! So as the rest of the country roots for either the Steelers or the Cardinals, I’m rooting for the end of football season and hoping that the groundhog does not see his shadow tomorrow. Fingers are crossed!
Friday Fave: Three Blue Pigeons
Okay, so you’ve seen the title of this post and are probably wondering: what is so wonderful about the song “Three Blue Pigeons” that it merits a spot in Friday Faves? The answer is nothing, really, except that this simple fingerplay triggered a breakthrough moment for a little boy named Carter.
Three-year-old Carter is diagnosed with autism, and I’ve been providing music therapy for him over the past eight months. Carter didn’t say much in those first few months, but his words are coming fast and furious these days. From day one, he has demonstrated a love for music, especially the guitar, and his attention span has increased tremendously. Although he has been making eye contact with me and other visible progress during our sessions for a while now, nothing came close to what happened on Wednesday afternoon.
I was a little hesitant to sing the aforementioned “Three Blue Pigeons” with Carter that day, because he had not shown interest in that particular song in the past. But I went ahead and did it anyway, since imitating movements is one of his goals. As I started singing and doing the hand motions, Carter watched me closely. Then, he held up three fingers. He made the sign for “sit”. He waved his arms like a bird, just as I did. And then he continued to perform the movements for the remainder of the song. Halfway through, I snuck a glance at his aunt, who was holding him and watching in disbelief. By the end of the song, she was in tears and I was close behind…it was one of those moments that music therapists live for.
This was a lesson in persistance. As a therapist, it’s easy to dismiss an activity, song, or intervention as useless, just like I almost did with “Three Blue Pigeons”. In this case, the 10th time was a charm. Never completely rule something out…I know I won’t make that mistake again.
What Do You Do?
Teaching social skills is high priority in the land of special education, especially when it comes to children with autism. Though many of the students with whom I work can be very social at times, it is a goal to teach the appropriate actions and responses in various situations. I was brainstorming this topic one day a few weeks ago and came up with this song, which I called “What Do You Do?”.
What do you do when you see a friend?
You wave, you wave.
What do you do when you see a friend?
You wave, you wave.
Waving’s what you do when you see a friend,
You wave using your hand,
So what do you do when you see a friend,
You wave, you wave.
What do you do when you’re feeling blue?
You cry, you cry.
What do you do when you’re feeling blue?
You cry, you cry.
Crying’s what you do when you’re feeling blue,
You cry, using your eyes.
So what do you do when you’re feeling blue,
You cry, you cry.
What do you do when you’re feeling glad?
You smile, you smile.
What do you do when you’re feeling glad?
You smile, you smile.
Smiling’s what you do when you’re feeling glad,
You smile using your mouth.
So what do you do when you’re feeling glad,
You smile, you smile.
What do you do when you hear a joke?
You laugh, you laugh.
What do you do when you hear a joke?
You laugh, you laugh.
Laughing’s what you do when you hear a joke,
You laugh using your voice.
So what do you do when you hear a joke?
You laugh, you laugh.
What do you do say right before you leave?
Goodbye, Goodbye.
What do you say right before you leave?
Goodbye, goodbye.
Goodbye is what you say right before you leave,
Goodbye only ‘til next time.
So what do you say right before you leave?
Goodbye, goodbye.
The staff and I encourage the students to act out each action (waving, “crying”, smiling, laughing, and waving/saying goodbye) as the song is sung, and they have such a fun time with this. There are many other situations you could sing about, so use your creativity. Those I included are pretty broad, but feel free to be more specific as you tailor the song to your own students. And don’t forget to share your ideas with me!
A New Day in America
If you’re like me, you’ve been waiting for this day for a long time now. Later this morning, Barack Obama will be sworn into office and can officially be called the President of the United States. Your classroom may be one of millions tuning in around the country, and if so, there’s no doubt that you will be witnessing history.
This morning as I got ready for work, I watched coverage of the masses flooding onto the National Mall – they are expecting 2 to 3 million people. Unbelievable! My father-in-law is there as a chaperone with his school’s student government association, and I’m sure he’ll have stories to tell when he gets home.
If you didn’t get a change to watch HBO’s free “We are One” concert on Sunday night, here is a link where you can watch it online. The lineup is pretty amazing, with performances by U2, Garth Brooks, James Taylor, Beyonce, and many more. It’s definitely a star-studded and moving program.
It will be interesting to watch the country slowly change under President Obama, hopefully for the (much, much) better. I’ll leave you with a YouTube video you’ve probably already seen or at least heard about: “Yes We Can”.
Everybody Has a Name
Last month, one of the teachers at my school asked if I could work on names and spelling this semester. Of course, I gladly agreed and came up with a cute little tune to do just that. Many of the students here are nonverbal or cannot spell, but that hasn’t stopped them from enjoying the song. It’s so much fun to see a child light up when they hear their name being sung and spelled by me and the staff.
Everybody has a name, you know,
You hear people say it everywhere you go.
Some names are short, some names are long,
We’ll sing about your name in this song.
I see a boy named Nathan;
Nathan is sitting right there,
So please join in and sing with me,
As we spell his name with care:
N-A-T-H-A-N. Nathan!
I see a girl named Brooke;
Brooke is sitting right there,
So please join in and sing with me,
As we spell her name with care:
B-R-O-O-K-E. Brooke!
I see a boy/girl named _________;
________ is sitting right there,
So please join in and sing with me,
As we spell his/her name with care:
_-_-_-_-_-_-_. _________!
I used two of my own students’ names as examples, though obviously you’d replace these with your students. I go around the room and look directly at each child as I sing about him/her so that he/she knows that it is his/her turn. Many of the teachers or staff use sign language to spell out the names as I sing them.