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Greeting Songs, HELLO AND GOODBYE GAMES
IN THE CLASSROOM

SPANISH GREETING SONGS

National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services

Sample songs for children's Spanish

HOW TO GET BOYS TO SING

HELLO AND GOODBYE GAMES IN THE CLASSROOM

3 PLY FUN

Robert and Gretchen Taylor share this great one: Here's an ice breaker I'll be doing with my 7-8th graders on the first day of school: Pass around a full roll of toilet paper instructing the kids to each tear off some paper. Provide no more details than that. Some will tear off a few squares, others may have a long streamer of paper. That is fine. After everyone has their paper, they are to set their paper aside and help set up the room for a game of musical chairs. Select some upbeat music to play. During each round, when 1 person is left standing, that person must get their portion of toilet paper and for each square of paper, they must share one thing about themselves. Of course, for those who have lots of paper, they will have to come up with many things to share about themselves. I usually tell them that the first square is for them to tell their name. Continue playing until all have shared. Those who are out will still enjoy hearing what others are sharing, so they are in essence "still in the game." It is a fun icebreaker.

SECRET IDENTITIES

Donald W. Sutton wrote:
Everyone gets a name of a famous person put on their back, and they have to help others figure out their names as well as figuring out their own (they can't look at their own name-the other people have to help them guess it). You could use a theme such as Disney characters or movie stars. This game can really "break the ice".

SOCIAL BINGO

Shona Cook shares:
Another suggestion for getting acquainted is social bingo. Make a grid like in bingo and write things in each square such as: Find someone who has been to a live concert; or find someone who plays the piano. The person they find to match this writes their name in that block. Once the sheets are finished (or when the time is up - your discretion) go over some of the questions to get an idea of some talents, etc your students might have. (special reprint of issue #16)

GET OFF MY BACK!

Kristin Lukow emails this super ice breaker: Guess your instrument:
This is an instrument recognition and review game. Here are the rules of play:

* You will all have an instrument taped to your back.
* You job is to identify the instrument by asking others yes or no questions about your instrument.
* When the game begins, you may ask each person only one question.
* Then...move on to another person and ask another question.
* Some example questions are:
Do I belong in the string family?
Do I have a high pitch?
Am I bigger than a flute?
* Remember to ask only yes or no questions.
* When you figure out your instrument, have someone take the picture off your back and sit down in your chair.
Those who guess correctly (which should eventually be everyone) win a prize.

PREFABRICATED PREDICATES

Sharon Kampe's idea for an ice breaker:
Create a paper divided into 12 sections. (Nine works as well.) At the top of each box, write a different statement, such as ". . . went to the beach this summer, ". . . is the oldest child in the family," ". . . plays an instrument," ". . . can clap the rhythm on the board." Every student gets a copy of the paper and writes his or her name on the back.

Every student is to walk around the room and find people who can sign each section. A student can only sign a section if the statement is true for that particular student, and can also only sign one section on each paper. A student may not sign a section on his or her own paper. The student who first brings the teacher a completed paper with 12 different signatures is declared the winner pending verification.

Sharon comments, "I use this as a neat discussion on 'who and what' in class. I go through every statement and ask students to raise their hands and share stories about the topic. I also like to put one statement on the paper that may only pertain to me. Therefore the students must approach me to sign their paper also. A great way to break the ice between students as well." (special reprint of issue #16)

A REED FOR REED

Carol Vroom give us this original idea:
Here is a musical icebreaker game: I take my students on an imaginary field trip to a music store. They may buy anything there that begins with the first letter of their first name. Then we go around the room telling each other who we are and what we bought. For example, the first person would say, "My name is Carol. I went to the music store and bought castanets. Then the next person would say, "Carol went to the music store and bought castanets. My name is...." Each person would list all the names of the people before him and what they bought. I usually go last and it is my< challenge to remember them all!

SONGS FOR INTRODUCTIONS

Contributed by Kristin Lukow
Sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."
Sing, sing, sing with me
Sing out loud and clear
To tell the people everywhere
That music time is here.

What is Your Name (and What is Her Name?)
You sing on sol mi la sol mi: What is your name?
They answer on the same pitches: My name is _________________.
I sing/ask: What did you have for breakfast?
student; French toast.
I sing to next student: What is you name?
they reply My name is ________________
me: What did you have for breakfast?
student: Cheerios.me...pointing to first student; What did she have for breakfast?
student 2: French toast me: What is her name? Student: Her name is ____________________ etc. It also helps to have a mic they can sing into...they love that!

Yoo Hoo Game
Several clinicians still recommend singing: "Yoo Hoo" for projection and pitch matching:

I play a game with all of my K through 3 students called the "Yoo Hoo" game. At the beginning of the year, I call each student on a minor third, "Yoo Hoo, David" and all of the kids echo, matching pitch as closely as possible. After I call and the class echoes, that student sits down. After a few weeks, I just call the first person, then I sit down and that student calls the next person and sits down and so on. After each person calls, the whole class echoes. Our main goal here is matching pitches. The kids love this game and don't realize they are also learning not to be afraid of singing alone.

WHO IS UNDER THE BLANKET?

Cheryl shares:
Use a large blanket and assemble the children in a circle. Choose one child to leave the area so they can't see the group. Choose another child to hide under the blanket. The children all sing the song:

Who is, who is under the blanket?
Who is, who is under the blanket?
Who is, who is under the blanket?
Won't you tell me now?

The first child comes back into the group and then has to guess who is hiding. Give clues like "it is a girl" or "she really likes to play with the dress up" that sort of thing. It is amazing how hard this is. They love to sing the song and then shout out who it is.

Music | Teacher | Song

HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL WARMUPS

I'm a private voice teacher and also direct a children's choir and teach music at an Early Childhood program. I can offer a few fun things to get things moving and serve a purpose at the same time..

1. For articluation: the Three Stooges Music Lesson song. You take each consonant and do a sort of "Name Game" thing with it. ("Name Game" is also good.)

B, A: Bay
B, E: Be
B, I: Bicky-Buy
B, O: Bo
Bicky-Buy Bo
B, U: Boo
Bicky-Buy Bo Boo
Melody is (all 5's are the fifth below):
5 1 3
q q h

5 1 3
q q h

2 2 2 7 5
q q e e q

2 2 2 1 2
q q q e e

3 1 5 1
q q q q

3 2 3 4 2
q e e q q

1
w

I choose only select consonants with older kids because D, for instance, can get you into trouble

2. To pump up the energy level, a rousing "head and shoulders, knees and toes" going from very slow to ridiculously fast always get them moving. Change the body parts for a twist.

3. To connect voice to whole body, see if any of them , or you, has a martial arts background, like Tai Chi. Lead one part of a form and add 1 - 5, 5 - 1 vocal slides where appropriate.

4. Bowling. If you have space to move, line them up. Have them raise one arm straight up in the air and move forward while swinging their arm down backwards, then forwards and out as if to bowl (badly!), singing a slide in
the direction of an octave as they move. Move from ee (1) to yah (8) or oo to wuh.