When I first found these canary sticks, I wasn’t sure exactly how I’d use them — I just knew I had to have them. They are easy to “play” and the bird chirping sound they make is pretty realistic.
They sat unused for a few months, but I finally decided to try them out with my students. But before I did that, I asked my Twitter friends for songs about birds. I received about 15 or so great suggestions, but ended up going with two pretty well-known songs. I combined them into one, and it turned out like this:
He rocks in the treetop, all day long,
Hoppin’ and a boppin’ and a singin’ its song.
All the little birdies on jaybird street
Love to hear the robin go tweet, tweet, tweet.
Rockin’ robin! (Tweet, tweet, tweet.)
Rockin’ robin! (Tweet, tweet, tweet.)
Go rockin’ robin ’cause you’re
Really gonna rock tonight.
All the little swallows, all the chickadees,
All the little birds in the tall oak trees.
The wise old owl, the big black crow,
Flappin’ their wings, singin’ “go bird, go!”
Rockin’ robin! (Tweet, tweet, tweet.)
Rockin’ robin! (Tweet, tweet, tweet.)
Go rockin’ robin ’cause you’re
Really gonna rock tonight.
Don’t worry about a thing,
Because every little thing
Is gonna be alright.
Rise up this morning,
Smile with the rising sun.
Three little birds perch on my doorstep.
Singin’ sweet songs,
Of melodies pure and true,
Singin’ “this is my message to you.”
Don’t worry about a thing,
Because every little thing
Is gonna be alright.
One of those birds,
Its name was _______
And it made a pretty tweeting sound.
Singin’ sweet songs,
Of melodies pure and true,
Singin’ “this is my message to you.”
Don’t worry about a thing,
Because every little thing
Is gonna be alright.
In the second verse of “Three Little Birds” I leave a space for the child’s name. I repeat this verse for each child in my group, giving them each a chance to be the birdie star. The little ones like that part, and their parents dig the fact that they know both songs and can sing along.
Have you ever used these sweet little instruments? I’m thinking another great use for them might be a singable story with designated places for bird chirps…another project to add to the hopper (along with too many others to count).
A music therapy mashup – how cool! Another Miami MT recently shared one of her songs with me that uses the canary sticks. It’s a song about different jungle animals and the noises they make (elephant, snake, and bird) which she uses to work on sound tracking/localization with her clients. I really like your idea about the singable story!
Thanks Carolyn! And thank you for sharing the idea — I love it!
Oh my goodness! I haven’t ever seen these instruments! I need to get some for the Tweet, tweet Little Birdy song I posted last week! Thanks for sharing!!!
No problem! Aren’t they cute?!