Sunday Singalong: A Cold Day Weather Song

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There’s only one way to describe central Illinois in January: COLD. And yes, the temperatures here merit capital letters. So when it came to choosing a song for this week’s video, it was really a no-brainer.

I’ve provided on-screen lyrics for the second week in a row, and so far I’ve gotten some great feedback. What do you think…do they make for an easier “singalong” experience?  I hope so!

Like I mentioned in the video, you can get a free download of this song and my other 9 weather songs just by subscribing to my free newsletter.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  If you’re currently experiencing frigid weather, well, I feel for you.  And if you’re lucky enough to be somewhere warm and sunny, then I don’t want to hear about it.  (Just kidding.  I’m happy for you!)

Sunday Singalong: There Was an Old Lady

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This week’s video is my first-ever to include the lyrics as subtitles!  When a reader requested I add them so that her son could follow along, I thought to myself, “Duh!”  Why didn’t that occur to me before?  It is called Sunday Singalong, after all.

I introduced this singable story to my students at The Hope Institute this week, and we are having a blast with it.  My goal for those with verbal skills to sing the phrase “perhaps she’ll cry” as a starting point, since it is repeated so often throughout the book.  Then as they become more familiar with it, I’ll prompt them to fill in more words and phrases.

When I present a singable story to a group of children, I like to turn it into a team effort.  The guitar accompaniment helps hold attention, so while I play, I have a teacher or other staff member hold up the book so that everyone can follow along visually.  If I’m working with a student individually, I’ll ditch the guitar and use the book alone.

The wonderful thing about singable stories as teaching tools is that you can adapt them to the level of each group or individual student.  I can ask “wh” questions, have students point to certain objects, read sight words, and so much more.  What singable stories have you and your students been enjoying lately?

Sunday Singalong: Red & Green

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With less than a week remaining until Christmas, I’m squeezing in every last holiday song I can around here! This one comes to you by request, though the coordinating outfit was completely my idea :) I mean, how often do I have the opportunity to wear a ridiculous hat in my videos?

“Red & Green” has been around for the last couple of years, and lends itself very well to all sorts of color-centric activities. Here is the original post I wrote about this song.

And now I’m off to perform an entirely different genre of holiday music: Handel’s Messiah.  My church choir is joining forces with another church’s choir to sing the Christmas portion of this masterpiece, and wow, is it glorious.  Hallelujah, indeed!

Sunday Singalong: The Other Eight Reindeer

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It’s been a few weeks, but “Sunday Singalong” lives on!  I’ve been waiting and waiting for this cold to go away (or at least, give me most of my voice back) so that I could make a new video, and today’s the day.

“The Other Eight Reindeer” (here’s the new recording) is a play on the old “Rudolph” song we all know and love, as you will hear in the first few bars.  In fact, when people hear it for the first time, they are thrown for a loop when they realize it’s actually not the familiar song.  Below the video, I’ll explain a bit more about how I use this song with my students.

This song works best in a group setting, especially if there are at least 8 or 9 children to “act out” each reindeer.  I wrote a post last December describing in detail how I use props and movement to turn the song into an interactive experience; rather than repeat myself here, I’ll point you to that post (complete with pictures).

Any holiday-related song suggestions for next week’s “Sunday Singalong” video?  Remember, if I choose yours, you get a free Listen & Learn album download.  Just leave a comment here or share on Facebook or Twitter.

Sunday Singalong: Turkey Dinner Dance

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In all honestly, the process of recording and editing my videos is usually quick and dirty — I fit it in on Sunday mornings between church, laundry, and doggie duty with loud football games on TV in the next room. So what happens when I have Veteran’s Day off and a house to myself? A more fancy “Sunday Singalong” video than usual!

The Turkey Dinner Dance wouldn’t be complete without the moves, which is why I was so excited to figure out how to use picture-in-picture so that I could dance, sing and play…all at the same time.

I’ll be turkey dinner dancin’ my way to Chicago tomorrow, where I’m presenting at a school administrators’ conference, and then right on to Cleveland for the AMTA national conference.  I’ll also be sharing my slides, handouts, and experiences with you throughout the week!