Anyone have a good song for introducing each other for k-2? I use the responsive classroom song later in the year that goes..... roll call check the beat check check check the beat, roll call check the beat check check and begin....my name is _____ they call me _____- I am a _____ that's what I am. I tried that son last year in the beginning of the year, but they were timid and shy.
Let me know if you have something that you think might be less intimidating for little guys.
Thank you.
Also, Anyone have a good transition song?
I use "The more we get together, together together, the more we get together the happier we'll be" but the kids get sick of it by mid year. Let me know if you have a good one.
I typically avoid singing a greeting on the first day, because the kids tend to be a bit more nervous/self conscious than usual. In the past, I've either started off with a basic spoken greeting--Good morning ______--or a chant. If I do the spoken greeting, we talk about and model eye contact first. Otherwise, a good chant for helping kids to learn names goes like this:
ReplyDelete(all together)
Say your first name
when you do
we will say it
back to you
Then the child says his/her name and everyone repeats the name. Repeat the chant for each child in the class.
Later on the year, we often add a rhythm pattern with clapping, and we also do the chant with last names once the kids know each others' first names well.
For transition songs, I have a number of silly song books (Take Me Out of the Bathtub, Are You Quite Polite?, Ain't Gonna Paint, etc) sitting by my chair in my large group area. I randomly grab one of the books and pick a song, and the kids know they have to meet me on the carpet by the time the song is finished. It has worked very well for me because there are enough song options that the kids never really get bored with them. There are a few I sing more than the others, so they can sing along, but I found that they were more apt to be quiet and hurry to sit down if they weren't particularly familiar with any of the songs. Plus, they are good for a laugh :)
I agree with Erin. I usually do not sing on the first day either. We will sing plenty in my room, but if anyone is willing to give me some voice lessons I know the students would be extremely thankful. One of my all time, "energy release songs" is "BOOM CHICKA BOOM". I like this one a lot the first week, because everyone gets to act silly including me and it relaxes the tension of the first week jitters. If you need me to model I will post a video on Youtube. As far as my first greeting of the year, I really try to focus on eye contact, firm handshake (no "wet-noodles"), clear voice. We really want to learn each others' names as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteIn my first grade groups, I use a chant that goes:
ReplyDeleteName, name, what's your name
Say it now we'll play a game
Say it high
Say it low
Any old way but don't be slow
Each child says his/her name in a silly way, and we all repeat it in the same way. A big piece of the first grade music curriculum during first quarter is learning to use our voices, so this is a silly way for kids to experiment with all the different kinds of sounds our voices can make. I am planning to also do it with second grade this year, and I've done it with Kinders in schools that had music for the little ones...
Ted - I'm so glad you sing in your room, even though it isn't entirely within your comfort zone! What a great model for kids who are also nervous to sing (or to try something else that may not be entirely comfortable for them)!
Not that we're trying to be sneaky on day one, but I've generally tried getting the students in small sharing groups to which each group has a to do "list" of movements. My two cents would be get the students moving and comfortable, then apply a singing chant & perhaps the level of uncomfortableness will be forgot. (Sorry for making up words.)
ReplyDeleteHow did your first day greeting go? Were you able to find one that worked for your students?
ReplyDeleteI ended up giving the choice to sing their name, whisper their name or say their name regular. We stood in a circle and when they said their name they did the wave ;o)
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