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Celebrations Programs Chapter

Still Singing and Dancing After All These Years

By Kim Lehman

Books to Share

Books to Show and Booktalk

Bulletin Boards

Hit Songs Through the Decades

Make records by cutting black paper into circles about eight inches in diameter. Write the titles of top pop songs of each decade on white circles and them glue in the center of the black circles to look like records. Divide the bulletin board into decades by stapling ribbon or yarn as dividers. Make a title sign for each decade. For a complete list of songs, go to Pop Culture Madness, www.popculturemadness.com/Music/Pop-Modern/2006.html.

Decorations

Hang musical notes made from black construction paper, old 45-RPM records, and CD’s all around the programming room.

Nametags

Musical Notes

Cut a musical note out of cardstock and punch a hole at the top of the note or use permanent markers to write the children’s names on old CD’s. Loop yarn through the hole to hang around the child’s neck. See the CD/Notes pattern at the end of this program.

Displays

Recorded Music of the Past

Display different formats of recorded music and playback devices, including wax disks, turn tables, records (78’s and 45’s), 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, CDs, MP3 players, and player piano rolls.

Old Record Albums

Display the covers and artwork of old record albums.

Refreshments

Record Crackers

Cover round crackers with pimento cheese spread. Place a sliced olive in the middle. For a sweeter version, cover round cookies with colored icing. Put a Life Saver™ candy in the middle. Serve any kind of punch and call it “Magical Musical Juice.” Once you drink it, songs just want to be sung.

Songs

I Am a Fine Musician

(Traditional. Give the children percussion instruments and let them play them throughout the song. Repeat the verse, substituting additional instruments such as my guiro, guitar, triangle, maracas, and tambourine. When you are finished with instruments, sing the last verse to end the song.)

I am a fine musician,

I come from far away.

And everybody follows me,

Just to hear me play,

My rhythm sticks,

My rhythm sticks,

They love to hear my rhyme sticks.

(Play sticks)

I am a fine musician,

I come from far away.

And everybody follows me,

My bells,

My bells,

They love to hear my bells.

(Play bells)

Last Verse:

We all are fine musicians,

We come from far away.

And everybody follows us,

Just to hear us play,

Our instruments, our instruments,

They love to hear our instruments.

(Play all instruments)

Music Inside

(By Kim Lehman. Sing to the tune of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.”)

There’s music inside my hands,

There’s music inside my feet.

There’s music inside my body

Come on and feel the beat.

Clap hands

Stomp feet

Move your whole body to the beat.

Clap hands,

Stomp feet

Oh move your whole body with me.

When I Dance, Dance, Dance

(By Kim Lehman. Sing to the tune of “Turkey in the Straw.” Repeat the song naming various body parts and let the children shake or move them.)

When I dance, dance, dance,

I dance with my legs.

When I dance, dance, dance,

I dance with my toes.

When I dance, dance, dance,

I dance with my arms.

When I dance, dance, dance,

I dance with my nose...

Dance with my legs.

Dance with my toes.

Dance with my arms.

Dance with my nose.

Dance all around,

Touch the ground.

It isn’t the end so,

Let’s dance again.

Audio Recordings

Riddles and Jokes

(Traditional.)

Q: What did the guitar say to the guitarist?
A: Pick on someone your own size!

For more music jokes, visit Preston and Beachwood Musical Jokes, www.prestonbeachwood.com/jokes.html.

Stories

Musical Three Bears

There are many versions of “The Three Bears” in various musical styles ranging from rap to jazz to melodic folk. Some of the artists who have recorded this song include Cathy Fink, Sharon Kennedy, Ray Ellington, Larry Swenson, Jackie Washington, and Kristina Olsen. Try a “rap” version of the story from the Ash Schools at www.schools.ash.org.au/hillview/threeb.htm.

Crafts

Tambourine

Materials
Directions

In advance, cut the tissue paper into strips about one foot long, or purchase crepe paper streamers in various colors. The children decorate two paper plates with markers or crayons and stickers. They glue the colorful tissue paper streamers along the outside of the paper plates. They place a handful of beans or rice on one plate. (An adult must do this for younger children.) The children then cover one plate with the second plate and staple them together, being careful to seal all edges so that the rice or beans do not fall out. Sing a song or play a musical recording, and the children are ready to play along on their tambourines!

Kazoo

Materials
Directions

Let the childen color the outside of the cardboard tube with markers or crayons. They fasten a small piece of waxed paper to one end with a rubber band. Then they hum into the open end of the tube to play their kazoos.

Games and Activities

Favorite Song Drawing

Provide strips of paper for the participants to write down their first name and the title of their favorite song. Put all of the papers into a hat and hold a drawing for musical prizes such as kazoos, CD’s, and stickers. After the prizes are given out, display the song titles on a bulletin board or poster board. If you don’t want to do a drawing, provide poster boards or large sheets of paper and let the children and families to write the titles of their favorite songs.

Musical Chairs

Place chairs in a circle with the seats facing out. Count the number of participants and remove or add chairs so that the number of chairs is one less than the number of people playing. Play music on a portable CD player while participants walk in a circle around the chairs. Stop the music and let everyone dash for a seat. The last one standing is out of the game. Remove one chair and play the music for another round. Continue playing until only one person remains.

Spoon Playing Corner

Show the children and families how to play spoons and let them have fun practicing! To play the spoons, place one spoon between your thumb and index finger, and one spoon between your other fingers and palm, with the rounded sides of the spoons together. Clap the spoons between your knee and your other hand. To avoid flopping spoons, make a pair of cheater spoons. Tape a small piece of wood or folded cardboard between the handles of the spoons. Put tape around the handles to hold the cardboard or wooden spacer in place. The spoons must have a little space between the rounded ends to work properly. To see a video of instructions on spoon playing, go to Kim Lehman Plays the Spoons at www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H2J1nMUI18. David Holt also provides instructions on his web site at www.davidholt.com/music/playspoons.htm.

Dancing through the Decades

Choose a couple of the following popular dances to do with the children and families.

1950’s: The Bunny Hop or the Hokey Pokey.
Directions for both of these dances can be found on How to Do Just About Everything at www.ehow.com. The album All Time Favorite Dances by Dennis Buck has the music to both songs.
1960’s: TheTwist.
The music can be found on many different recordings, including All Time Favorite Dances by Dennis Buck. Other dances of the 60’s include the Jerk, the Monkey, the Pony, the Swim, the Mashed Potato, the Skate, the Shimmy, and the Funky Chicken.
1970’s: The Bump.
To do this dance, stand side by side with a partner and lightly bump hips to the beat of the music of “Disco Duck” by Rick Dees on Celebration of Disco. “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People is also on the CD.
1980’s: Pogo Dancing.
Jump up and down while keeping your body rigid. Think of a pogo stick. Dance to the song, “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie on the album The Best of Bowie. Other dances of the 80’s include the Moonwalk, the Funky Twist, Slam Dancing, and Break Dancing.
1990’s: The Macarena.
Learn this dance by going to WikiHow, www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Macarena. There are many musical versions of this song. A version can be found on Kids Party Fun by Various Artists. Other dances of the 90’s include: line dancing, the Running Man, theRoger Rabbit, Vogue, Hip Hop, Country Western, and Finali.

Guest Speakers

Musical Review

Invite a local club to sing or play songs from the past. For instance a scout troop could sing older camp songs that have been popular for generations. If there is a local barbershop quartet or New Orleans style banjo club, invite them to share some tunes. A local high school theater department or community theater group might love to come and sing show tunes. Check senior centers and retirement homes for singing groups that may perform “golden oldies.”

Dance Review

Invite a local dance club to share a variety of dances from each decade, or have your teen volunteers learn a few dances to perform and teach to the children and their families. Other community resources for dance performances could include cheerleaders and dance teams from the high school or square dance or ballroom dance clubs.

Videos/DVDs/Films

If you have public performance rights, show these videos and DVDs, or segments of them, to the children. Otherwise, display them for home use. The length listed is for the entire film.

Web Sites

Angelina Ballerina
www.angelinaballerina.com
Based on the character in the book by Katherine Holabird. Includes fun and games along with information about ballet.

Professional Resources

Ash Schools
www.schools.ash.org.au/hillview/threeb.htm
This Australian schoolhouse site includes a rap version of “The Three Bears.”
David Holt
www.davidholt.com/music/playspoons.htm
A highly regarded storyteller teaches viewers how to play the spoons.
How to Do Just About Everything
www.ehow.com
Search this site for instructions on how to do almost any dance.
Kim Lehman Plays the Spoons
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H2J1nMUI18
The author of the Celebrations chapter has created this video to demonstrate how to play the spoons.
Lyrics World
http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/summer.html
Lyrics for top pop songs throughout the years.
On-line Dance Tutorial
www.dancetv.com
Includes instructions for a variety of dances.
Pop Culture Madness
www.popculturemadness.com/Music/Pop-Modern/2006.html
Everything pop culture is here, including lists of songs by each year and decade.
Preston and Beachwood Musical Jokes
www.prestonbeachwood.com/jokes.html
A musical duo provides music, jokes, and puns.
Wiki-How
www.wikihow.com/Do-the-Macarena
This wiki site provides instructions for doing the Macarena.

Craft Art and Materials

Musical Notes Nametags

Musical notes nametags

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