The school year is starting very soon for us! The beginning of the year is an essential time for building relationships and creating a safe classroom environment for making music. Games are great ways to connect with students, creating a fun space where students can look forward to learning!
ME TOO!
This is a good game for getting to know others in a group!
- Everyone stands in a circle.
- One person makes a statement about themselves while taking a step into the circle. For example: “I have two sisters”; or “I’m wearing new socks”; or “I like to sing”; or “I love strawberries”; etc.
- Anyone else in the circle to whom the statement applies would say “Me too!” while taking a step into the circle.
- Everyone returns to the larger circle and then it’s the next player’s turn.
FOUR CORNERS
Students from Kindergarten to grade 6 LOVE this game! It is a great opportunity for reviewing safe ways to quickly move around the room, it builds teamwork and it develops aural skills.
- Choose four simple songs (ie: Row Your Boat, ABC, Twinkle Twinkle, and Old MacDonald). Draw four simple pictures, each representing one of the songs. Put one picture in each of the four corners of the room.
- The teacher stands with eyes hidden and says “Find your corner. 4-3-2-1.” During the slow count down, the students quietly move to one of the four corners.
- Then the teacher, still with eyes hidden, sings one of the songs. The students standing at that corner are out and come and sit in the middle of the room. Then the remaining students continue the game.
- If the teacher sings a song that happens to have nobody standing at it, everyone who was out is now back in the game!
- When you’re down to four or fewer players, each must stand at their own corner. Keep going until one person ultimately wins.
- This game reinforces aural recognition of familiar songs. Some variations are to only hum the songs rather than sing the words. You’ll notice that the melody for Twinkle Twinkle and ABC are the same, so you can get two corners out in one shot!
- Also, use different songs: ones you’ve done in class or songs from the radio. Alternatively, try the game using instruments (triangle, maraca, drum, clave). You could even use 4 different rhythm patterns. The possibilities are endless!
CLICK BELOW FOR FREE GAME POSTERS!
| four_corners_posters.pdf |
What are you doing to start your school year? We would love to hear all about it!
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