Song :                    AGOO AME
Source:                 Traditional, from Ghana.  Collected from Kofi Dennis.
A few suggested objectives:       Steady beat, Call and response  - Taking turns, following routines
Large/small muscle movement and coordination, Auditory/Visual attention
1.  Set-up:  Say, in beat:  I sing "Agoo" -- You sing "Amee"
              G   E                                    G   E
2.  Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "a-me"
3. Repeat
4. Say: I go first, then you go
  Clap clap clap clap (children echo)
  Clap clap clap clap (children echo)
  Clap clap clap clap (children echo)
  hoo hoo woo hoo (children echo)
  hooo-ey! (Children echo)
 
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "ame"
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "ame"
Say: I go first, then you go:
  Shoulder shoulder shoulder shoulder (children echo)
  Shoulder shoulder shoulder shoulder (children echo)
  Shoulder shoulder shoulder shoulder (children echo)
  hoo hoo woo hoo (children echo)
  hooo-ey! (Children echo)
 
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "amee"
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "amee”
Say: I go first, then you go:
  Side side side side (children echo)
  Side side side side (children echo)
  Side side side side (children echo)
    hoo hoo woo hoo (children echo)
  hooo-ey! (Children echo)
 
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "amee"
Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "amee”
Say: I go first, then you go:
  Clap clap clap clap (children echo)
  Shoulder shoulder shoulder shoulder (children echo)
  Side side side side (children echo)
  hoo hoo woo hoo (children echo)
  hooo-ey! (Children echo)
 
Extensions:
• Try other motions, such as stretch up (climbing motions), stretch down,
fly, hop, jump, twist, etc. Always include the “hoo hoo hoo” and “Hoooey!”
• Invite children to choose motions, from a list (visual or written) or from their imaginations.
• Invite children to lead motions, either selected by the teacher or motions they’ve chosen.
 
Song :                    GIVE ME THE BEAT
Source:                 By Yvette Holt
A few suggested objectives:       Steady beat, Body part identification, Action words
 
1.      Set up: Leader taps knees in steady beat.  Everyone taps knees in steady beat.
1. Leader chants: 
Give me the beat, beat, beat
Give me the beat, beat, beat
Give me the beat, give me the beat
Give me the beat, beat, beat
 
1. Repeat; everyone joins the chant
2. Change motion to clapping hands. Everyone chants.
Clap your hands, hands, hands
Clap your hands, hands, hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands
Clap your hands, hands, hands
 
1. Change motion to tapping the head. Everyone chants.
Touch your head, head, head
Touch your head, head, head
Touch your head, touch your head
Touch your head, head, head
 
Extensions:
• Use other parts of the body.
• Invite children to choose the next body part (from a set of pictures or from imagination).
• Invite children to lead verses, either teacher selected body part or choosing the body part themselves.
• Focus on action words: Clap, touch, tap, twist, jump, etc.
 

Song:      3 Little Eggs
Source:   Unknown. Collected from school for children with autism

Objectives: Steady Beat
  Loud and Quiet
  Impulse Control
  Counting
  Learning through active participation
 

Procedure:
1) Show visual of a frying pan with 3 fried eggs attached with Velcro
2) Set-up: Tap knees and say “here we go.”
3) Chant . Participants chant and tap knees:
“3 little eggs frying in the  pan
The grease got hot and the pan went BAM!”

4) On the word “BAM,” use loud voice and dramatically take away one egg.
5) Ask: How many eggs are left?
6) Repeat for 2 eggs  and 1 egg.
7) End with:
 “0 little eggs frying in the pan
The grease got hot and the PAN went BAM.”

Extensions:
• Substitute other kinds of foods. 
• Vary the starting number.
• Children manipulate the visual.
 
Song :     Happy – Sad Drum 
Source:   Sue Trainor

Objectives:  Play an instrument
  Fast/Slow, Loud/Quiet
Feel the vibration of sound
   Participation in a group
  Expressing feelings
Taking turns

 
Procedure:
1.  Leader introduces the drum. Play a rhythm.
2. Leader shows a picture of a happy face.  Play a happy rhythm.
3.  Invite children to come up and take turns playing a happy rhythm.
4. Leader shows a picture of a sad face. Play a sad rhythm. How is it different?
5. Invite children to come up and take turns playing a sad rhythm.
6. Continue with other feelings.
7. Invite children to choose which feeling they would like to express. Can we guess?

Extension: Invite children to play as a group, tapping on the floor or something else.

Song :    Pass the Shaker
Source:   Unknown. Collected at a school for children with autism

Objectives:  Singing Voice
  Matching pitch
  Rhythm
  Taking turns
  Self-regulation
  Small motor instrument manipulation

 
Procedure:
1.  Begin with everyone seated in a circle. Leader introduces one shaker to the circle.
Set-up: Leader begins shaking the shaker with a singing cue that sets the starting pitch and beat, such as “Here we go.”

2. Sing:
F       F      C   C  F    F
Ms. Sue has a shaker
G        G    G     D      D    D    G
What do you think about that?
E      E      E         E     E    E
Ms. Sue takes the shaker
D      C     C   D  E    F
And passes it to ______

3. Pass the shaker to the next person. Sing the song again, with that person’s name.

4. Repeat for each person in the circle.

Song :    Walking Through the Forest
Source:   Traditional

Objectives:  Singing voice
  Matching Pitch
  Identifying sets of things
  Awareness of one’s body in space

 
Procedure:
1.  Introduction:  Invite children to imagine that we are going on a walk in the forest.  What kinds of animals will we see? Show pictures,  and review sounds and motions that the animals make.

2. Begin in a line, with each person facing the back of the person in front.

3. Set-up: Cue singing with a phrase that sets the starting pitch and beat, such as “Here we go!”

4. Sing the song as we walk through the room.

C      C      C               D    E    G    D   G    E    C
Walking through the forest, forest, forest
C      C     C          D    E   G
Walking through the forest
D          D  G   C
What do I see?

(chant) Sh sh sh, I think I see a ____  (Make sound effect and/or motion)

D         G  G   C
Come, follow me!

5. Repeat.

Extensions:
• Use pictures or stuffed animals for children to discover and identify as we walk through the room.
• Change “forest” to other locations: walking through the city, on the beach, down the hall, etc.

2. GREETING: “HELLO, HOW DO YOU DO?”
by Mary Gresock, adapted by Sue Trainor

Child Objectives:
• The children will join using singing voice.
• The children will identify the number of people to be greeted in a verse.

Strategy: 

Sing the chorus:

G         E    G      G   G     E
Hel – lo, how do you do?
D      E    F     D   E    F       G
I’m so glad to be with you
G         E    G      G   G     E
Hel- lo, how do you do?
G      F  E     D   C
It’s a gre-at day!

Roll the dice or display numbers/numerals in some way.

Say:   How many people will we sing to?  Invite children to respond.
Count that number of children and ask them to stand. Sing to each person standing:
G         E      G   - E
Hel – lo,  _______
Count as you go, and end with ___ (how many) friends all together.

LINE UP Transition

Note: Invite participants to echo each sung line:

            C         C     D   E  - G
Call: Who’s wearing shoes?   
            C         C     D   E  - G      D    G    C
Call: If you’re wearing shoes, stand up now! 
          A  A A G C  -   G  F  E  D  C
All:  la la la   la  la     la-la  la-la  la

Say: Wow! Is anyone sitting down? Are there more people standing up or sitting down?

Say: What movement could we do today while we sing the “la la la” part?

Call: Who’s wearing socks?   
Call: If you’re wearing socks, sit down now! 
All:  la la la….

Say: Wow! Is anyone standing up? (Children might notice that the teachers are standing up.) Are there more people standing up or sitting down?  Are there fewer people sitting down or standing up?

Main Experience:
1. Show children a red color patch; it could be in the shape of the piece of clothing referenced.

Call:  Who’s shirt has red in it?    
Call:  If your shirt has red in it, line up now.  
All:  la la la…

Guide children who have red in their shirts to line up at the door behind a designated marker. Invite the next line up so that they stand behind a second marker and make a line parallel to the first.

2. Call:  Who’s shirt is not red?    
Call:  If your shirt is not red, line up now.  
All:  la la la…

3.  Invite the lines to face each other, and children who can, shake hands with someone in the other line. Ask which line has more people.

DANCE LIKE RAINDROPS
by Wolf Trap Artist Val Carroll

Give children scarves; 2 per child is best. Model different motions for each line; later, children can make the movement choices.

Sing, to the tune of "Are you Sleeping?"

Dance like raindrops, dance like raindrops
Through the air, through the air
Splishy splashy raindrops, splishy splashy raindrops
Here and there, here and there

WHO’S A GOOD WATCHER?  Collected from Mary Gresock

Use steady beat. Presenter models a motion, changes to a new motion on “oops!”

 Who’s a good watcher,  watcher, watcher?

Who’s a good watcher?

 Show me now!

Ooops!

AGOO AME

Collected from Kofi Dennis 

This song comes from Ghana, and roughly translates to "Are You Listening? Yes, I am listening."  This version is my adaptation of the traditional form.

There are two notes in the word "Agoo": F and D on your classroom xylophone. The word Ame is the same two note melody. The rest is chanted. It’s important to keep steady beat in your voice all the time.  

 
Set Up: I sing "Agoo" -- You sing "Amee"
1. Sing "Agoo" -- children respond "amee"  2. Repeat

2. Chant: I go first, then you go
  Chant: Clap clap clap clap (children echo)
  Shoulder shoulder shoulder shoulder (children echo)
  Side side side side (children echo)
  who who who who (children echo)
  whooo-ey! (Children echo)

4. Repeat entire sequence, beginning with Agoo/Amee call and response, twice
 
5. Offer a sequence of 3 new motions, such as climb, down (same motion but toward the floor), fly.
Keep the deep "who" sound and the high "whooey" sound
 
6. Invite the children to add three new motions.

SLIDE WHISTLE

1. Invite children to follow the sound with voices and with parts of their bodies. Identify high and low sounds.

2. Toot the whistle and invite children to take the same number of steps as toots – in lines, into a circle, around a circle. Change motions: jump, hop, march, etc.

LITTLE FROGS

 by Sue Trainor

  1. Spread a green cloth on the floor to represent the lily pad. One by one, take little frogs out of a bag and hop them on to the lily pad, one for each child and adult. 

2. Set-up the song with a phrase to cue the starting note and the beat, such as “Let’s all sing!”

3. Sing:

 C  C    E        C       D        G     F   E D  C

Little green frogs jump ON the lily pad,

G     F   E D  C       D     D      G

ON the lily pad, see them jump!

C   C    E         C       D        G     F  E D  C

Little green frogs jump ON the lily pad

G      G       G G    G       G F    D        C

See those little frogs, little frogs jump!

 4.   Spoken: UH OH! Here comes a big bird looking for a green frog for his supper! (Someone can pretend to be the big bird, flying with arms outstretched.)  Hide, Little Frogs, Hide!

 5.  Everyone takes their little green frogs and hides them under the cloth.

Sing quietly:

Little green frogs hide UNDER the lily pad,

UNDER the lily pad, see them hide!

Little green frogs hide UNDER the lily pad

See those little frogs, little frogs hide!

 6. Spoken: That big old bird doesn't see any frogs, so he flies away. Come out little frogs, come out!

Repeat singing the first verse.

 7. Now WE become the frogs. Repeat the entire sequence.

   Have You Got Your Spot?

 By Sue Trainor

 1.  Everyone is sitting on a designated spot. Leader calls; children respond.

Call: Have you got your spot ?   Response: Yes I do!

Call: Have you got your spot ?   Response: Yes I do!

Call: What are you doing?          Response: Sitting on the spot

Call: What are you doing?          Response: Sitting on the spot

Call: Can you stretch on your spot ?   Response: Yes I can!  (stretch arms high)

Call: Can you stretch on your spot ?   Response: Yes I can!  (stretch arms high)

Call: What are you doing?          Response: Stretching on the spot

Call: What are you doing?          Response: Stretching on the spot

2. Try another sitting motion or two. If everyone is holding their spot, try standing.

Call: Can you stand on your spot ?   Response: Yes I can!  (etc.)

3.  Call: Can you jump on your spot?   Response: Yes I can!  (etc.)

4. Ask for children’s suggestions for movement and substitute those actions into the chant.

5. End with:  Call: “Can You Sit on Your Spot”   Response: Yes I can!  (etc.)

WALKING THROUGH THE FOREST 

C   C    C       D  E   G    D  G    E C
Walking through the forest, forest, forest

C   C     C      D   E G
Walking through the forest

D     D G  C
What do I see?

(chant) Sh sh sh, I think I see a ____ (Make sound effect and/or motion)

D      G G    C
Come, follow me!

5. Repeat.

Extensions:
• Use pictures or stuffed animals for children to discover and identify as we walk through the room.
• Change “forest” to other locations: walking through the city, on the beach, down the hall, etc.

HELLO BODIES by Sue Trainor

NOTE: This is a version extended from what was presented in the workshop.

1.  Let’s pretend we’re playing an instrument in a band. We could play a drum (pretend to play), a horn (pretend to play), a guitar (pretend to play). What else?

2. Set-up: Cue starting pitch and beat with a phrase like, “Here we go!”

3. Leader Sings  (The melody is written below in C for simplicity, but it’s a not a good key for children. Try starting on a G note.)   Children march around, pretending to play their instruments; older children may try to sound like the instrument. All stop at the end of the “la da” verse.

C   B    A  G     C    B     A  G 
La da da da    Da-da  da da
 
B    A   G  F        C  B     A  G
Da-da da da    Da-da  da da
 
 C   B   A  G       C   B    A  G
La da da da     Da-da da da
 
A    G  d   B C
La da da da da

4. Sing the words to the same melody. (Note that children may not sing while they are moving.) As you sing the verses, leave long pauses [ 2 or 3 beats ] after naming each body part so children have time to find their body part and move it. As follows:

Hello, body (hands may be swept upwards along the torso to above head)

Fingers [ 1   2  ]  and toes  [ 1    2   3 ]   (stretch arms out over the head, wiggle fingers, then bend over and touch toes)

Fingers [ 1   2  ]  and toes  [ 1    2   3 ]   (stretch arms out over the head, wiggle fingers, then bend over and touch toes)
Fingers [ 1   2  ]  and toes  [ 1    2   3 ]   (stretch arms out over the head, wiggle fingers, then bend over and touch toes)
Hello, body (hands may be swept upwards along the torso to above head),
Fingers [ 1   2  ]  and toes  [ 1    2   3 ]   (stretch arms out over the head, wiggle fingers, then bend over and touch toes)
I feel good today!    (hands may be swept upwards along the torso to above head)

5. March around again to the “La da” verse. Play another instrument!

6. Continue with the other verses, alternating with the “la da” verse.

Hello Body, arms and legs
Arms and knees, arms and legs
Hello body, arms and legs
I feel good today!

Hello Body, head and hips
Head and hips, head and hips
Hello Body, head and hips
I feel good today!

7. Did you pretend to play an instrument? What did you play?

AWA ATU

also traditional from Ghana
The trick to this one is remembering that there are FOUR beats (not just 3).
Motion for Awa: Wave both hands wide, Motion for Atu: Cross harms and tap shouders
 
Awa, awa, awa  (D G, D G, D G)
Atu atu atu   (A B, A B, A B)
Awa-aa-aa-aa   (BCA A-A-A)
Atu-uu-uu-uu   (ABG G-G-G)

 GIVE ME THE BEAT

Source:                 By Yvette Holt

1.Set up: Leader taps knees in steady beat.  Everyone taps knees in steady beat.
Leader chants: 

Give me the beat, beat, beat
Give me the beat, beat, beat
Give me the beat, give me the beat
Give me the beat, beat, beat

 Repeat; everyone joins the chant
Change motion to clapping hands. Everyone chants.
Clap your hands, hands, hands

Clap your hands, hands, hands
Clap your hands, clap your hands
Clap your hands, hands, hands

 Change motion to tapping the head. Everyone chants.
Touch your head, head, head
Touch your head, head, head
Touch your head, touch your head
Touch your head, head, head

Extensions:  Use other parts of the body.
Invite children to choose the next body part (from a set of pictures or from imagination).
Invite children to lead verses, either teacher selected body part or choosing the body part themselves.
Focus on action words: Clap, touch, tap, twist, jump, etc.

 CLAP YOUR HANDS (slow/fast)
Clap, clap, clap your hands
  Slowly as you can
Clap, clap, clap your hands
  Slowly as you can
Clap, clap, clap your hands
  Fast as you can!
Clap, clap, clap your hands
  Fast as you can!
(shake, roll, etc. also use feet)

Hello Toes, How Do You Do
Collected from Valerie Carroll
Sing or Chant:
               G   G    E      G     G   G     E
(Leader) Hello Toes! How do you do?
(echo)
(Leader, pretending to be toes’ voice)
G    G      E    A    A     G    E    C
I’m just fine and I’m dancing, too (echo)
(Leader: Model dancing/wiggling the
body part)
G       G      E        G     G     E      
Doo, doo, doo – doo, doo, doo –
G      G     E         A    A    G    E     C
doo doo doo – doo-doo doo doo doo
 (echo)
(Repeat, going up the body)

CHARLIE OVER THE OCEAN
Charlie over the ocean  (F F F-F-F G A)
Charlie over the sea (F F F-F-F A)
Charlie caught a red fish (F F F-F-F G A)
Can’t catch me (F F F)

Can be done as an echo song.
Application: Change colors, change objects, look for different sizes
Melody fits text of “I Went Walking” and “Brown Bear”

Mrs. Tin

 Transition that changes from one topic to another. Builds excitement.

G   E GG    E
Hello Mrs. Tin

Place an object related to the upcoming lesson in a cookie tin. Tell children that Mrs. Tin is still sleeping; we have to wake her up. Invite selected children to "knock on her door." In between knocks, invite all children to sing "Hello Mrs. Tin" in order to encourage vocalization and participation from everyone. Depending on your objectives and the con tents of the tin, children may be invited to hold the tin, shake it, and predict the contents. Depending on the children, the eventual opening of the tin may be dramatic. Depending on the children, you might want to offer peeks at this point, inviting children to keep the secret.

EVERYBODY STAND UP / Let’s Make A Circle
(to the tune of "Shortnin' Bread," modified)

(C, A, G, A, G, A, G, A)
Everybody stand up, stand up, stand up 
(C, A, G, A, E, D, C)
Everybody stand up, just like this     
(higher C, A, G, higher C, A, G)
Hands up high, hands down low
(higher C, A, G, E, C, C)
 Hands by your side, here we go 
  
Application: Transition from sitting ot standing and vice versa. Substitute other motions (everybody wiggle, marching, tiptoe, stretching, jumping....)
 
Also: Let’s make a circle…

SHAKE THOSE EGGS

G        G      E     E      G       G      C*
Shake those eggs and shake them high

F       F         F      F     A       G     D
Shake those eggs and shake them low

G        G      E     E      G       G      C*
Shake those eggs and shake them high

D         F     E       D    C        E   C   
Round and round and round we go

C = middle C
C* = C above middle C

Transition:  Sing to “Skip to My Lou” –
 “Eggs in the basket, clean-up time” 3x
Now it’s clean-up time

BEARS EAT FISH

Role Play: The leader says: "Let's pretend to be bears!Will our bears be big or small? Big? Ok, let me see your big bear arms. (Comment on what individual children are doing.) Show me your big bear legs. (Comment on what children are doing.). My bear is hungry! How about yours?"

Melody: Within a few repetitions, children will join the singing of this song, so it’s important to sing in “head voice.”

Steady Beat: Because we’re pretending to be big bears, the speed of the song is moderate to slow, with heavy emphasis on each word: “Bears    eat     fish.”  (Note that there is a rest in the lyrics – there are 4 beats in each line, but only three words – tap the 4th beat in order to keep steady beat.) 

Sing:

E         D  C
Bears eat fish
E        D  C
Bears eat fish
      F     F   G  A  G
    When I am hungry
     E        E      F  G
     That's what I wish
E        D  C
Bears eat fish

Still pretending to be bears, children go out around the room to find fish-shaped props and bring them back.to the meeting area, while we sing:

Bears catch fish
Bears catch fish
    When I am hungry
    That's what I wish
Bears catch fish

Children place their fish on a cookie sheet, which we pretend to put in the oven.

Bears cook fish
Bears cook fish
    When I am hungry
    That's what I wish
Bears cook fish

Make a "ding" sound like a kitchen timer and take the fish out of the "oven."

Each child takes a fish and pretends to eat. Sing:

Bears eat fish
Bears eat fish
     When I am hungry
     That's what I wish
Bears eat fiSH

Take off our pretend bear costumes and collect the fish props.

Recall details about our experience, such as Where did you catch the fish? What color fish did you catch? Did your bear like to eat the fish?