Using the combination of music and movement to increase fine motor, gross motor, socialization, and other goals/objectives in children.
Activities[]
Rock Around the Clock: Use the original song by Bill Haley but changing the verse lyrics to incorporate instrument playing. Each child will have a hand instrument (i.e. eggshakers, bells, sticks, etc.) and the children will play the instruments during the opening section and first chorus. During the verses, the children will sit quietly and listen for which instrument will be picked to play. An example verse is "when the clock strikes two, three, and four/ We will have the eggshakers play some more!" To follow this example, the eggshakers will play during the verse and for a chours. Afterwards they will sit quietly and listen for the next instrument called out in the verse. You could use this song to work on teaching time, working on gross and fine motor skills, and listening. The song is a basic 12 bar blues (I, I, I, I7, IV, IV, I, I, V7, IV, I, I) and the melody line is in VH1's 100 Songs of Rock & Roll, that is cited below.
Shake, Shake, Shake: This activity branches off the song "Shake your booty" by KC and the Sunshine Band. You have the children standing up and the activity it about listening, working on gross motor skills, and learning body parts. On the guitar or the piano play a chord to the rhythm of "Shake, Shake, Shake" (from the song). It doesn't have to be in the key of the original song, whatever key is best for you use. You play this rhythm a couple of times having the chidlren shake their bodies only when you are playing (this promotes listening). On the last "Shake, Shake, Shake" you say "Shake your....(body part)." You a simple chord progression that goes along with your starting note and have them shake whatever body part you called out. At the end of your chord progression you stop suddenly (once again having them listen) and start the song over again calling a different body part the next time. You can also have the children decide which body part they want to shake by asking the group too. Be sure to establish rules about movement before beginning the activity so that the group doesn't get out of hand.
Resources[]
Hal Leonard Coporation. Vh1's 100 songs of rock & roll: Easy guitar with notes and tabs. N.p.: Hal Leonard, 2002.
References[]
Haley, B. Bill Haley - Rock around the clock (1956 [Online video]. YouTube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5fsqYctXgM
Djbuddyloveoldschool. (2010, March 30). (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty - KC & The Sunshine Band (1976) [Video file]. Retreived from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1YXcD0njts
Further Reading[]
Contributors[]
Addison Lucas
Jennifer Manno