Music Lesson #1 with Freddie the Frog®

Kindergarten or Pre-School

(It works EVERY year!)

1. Kids sit on the floor facing me at the front of the room.

2. Meet Freddie the Frog.

3. Freddie is shy and a little scared.  We help Freddie feel more comfortable by learning his song. “Hello, Freddie”  (Tune of “Where is Thumbkin.” Listen to audio.)

4. Freddie is happy and asks the kids if they would sing it every time they come to music.

5. Freddie wants to tell them a story.  I tell him that I’m sorry, but we don’t have time.  We’ll have to share it next time.

6. Freddie wants to play a game.  "The Top"by Bizet (Bizet, GeorgesJeux d’Enfants :La Toupie (The Top)   (Finding "The Top" at iTunes.)    The Top by Bizet

7. Explain what the toy, a top, is and act it out.

8. Direct each student to find their own circle space in the room and look at me, hands at their side.  

9. Listen for the music to tell them three things: 1. Spin, 2. Wobble, wobble and fall down, 3.  Get up

10. Using the orchestral music and their music ears, do what the music tells them.

11. Ask kids to sit in their circle.

12. Turn off the lights and pretend to be in the ocean.

13. Each child is sea grass growing on the ocean floor (hands and elbows together, swaying in the water in front of them).

14. I’m (teacher) a fish swimming through the sea grass in the ocean.  When I sing their name, “poof”, that child is no longer sea grass but becomes part of my fish by hanging on behind me. Audio Clip: At the Bottom of the Sea

At the Bottom of the Sea

At the bottom of the sea

All the fish are swimming.

Here and there and everywhere,

Oh, ________, _________, we love you.  (repeat with new name)

1. Our fish continues to get bigger until every name is sung.  (Sing the names in the order of their seating assignments.)

2. Seat students in their assigned music seat.

3. Play “Scramble”

4. Explain that every time they come to music to always sit in the same place.  Game.

5. When I say “scramble” they all get up and walk anywhere, but can’t touch.

6. When I begin to count, see how fast they can get back to their music seat without touching anyone.

7. Stand, turn in direction of the line and leave to give Freddie a hug and return to their classroom.