Morning+Music

Lesson Name: Morning Music Submitted by: Alix McKee Standards: Social Management 4A Student uses positive communication and social skills to interact effectively with others. 4C Student demonstrates the ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways. When taught: all year, daily, as soon as a critical mass of students walks in the door Materials: CD player or iPod song lyrics (student copies or one giant class copy) Time: 5-15 minutes depending on teacher need Goals: Build community through shared daily ritual. De-stress through music and movement. Reinforce conflict resolution and other social emotional learning through song lyrics. Build oral reading fluency through repeated readings of rhythmic text. Lesson Steps: Each morning when the children arrive, before attendance and announcements, we start by singing. This begins as soon as a few children are in the classroom. We have see-through plastic folders with song sheets, a DJ, an iPod, and a variety of music. We sing a long with the recorded music and enjoy each other’s company. As children enter the room, they join us as quickly as they can so as not to miss the fun. Each Monday a new song is introduced. I put a class set of copies in the top of the lyric basket and students pick one up when they get their folder. We sing that song every day for a week and the DJ can choose one other song to sing each morning. If time allows, we sing more than just two songs. You can also mix in movement by using songs with accompanying line dances. Suggested music to try: Jack Johnson //Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the film Curious George// Dog on Fleas //When I Get Little// The Jellydots //Hey You Kids!// Mosaic Project //Mosaic// Paulette Meier and David Archer //Come Join the Circle// The Learning Stations //Physical Ed, You Can Dance, Get Funky & Musical Fun, Brain Boogie Boosters// Frances England //Fascinating Creatures// Mr. Al //Kindness Counts// Ralph’s World //Ralph’s World, Peggy’s Pie Parlor, Happy Lemons// Red Grammer //Hello World, Teaching Peace// Various Artists //Chicken Soup for Little Souls// (out of print) Marlo Thomas & Friends //Free to Be, You and Me// Natasha Bedingfield //Unwritten// “Unwritten” Assessment/Activity: Written response of students about what the daily singing means to them.