RACHEL'S SONG LYRICS, MOTIONS, AND ACTIVITIES

These songs are for your use in the classroom and not for redistribution or any commercial purposes. Some of the songs have lyrics I have written to melodies of traditional songs. Some are available on my CD and/or as mp3 downloads. Please credit the writer if you pass them on to others to use in classrooms. Thank you.

WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE TODAY? (To the traditional melody of Frére Jacques)
Lyrics by Rachel Sumner are available on the Kindersongs CD.
Copyright©2001 Songs by Rachel, ASCAP

CHORUS: What's the weather, what's the weather, like today, like today?
Look outside the window. Look outside the window. Can you say? Can you say?

1.) It's a sunny, it's a sunny, Sunny day, sunny day.
Go out in the sunshine. Go out in the sunshine. Play, play, play, play, play, play.

2.) It's a cloudy, it's a cloudy, cloudy day, cloudy day.
Better get a sweater. Better get a sweater. If it's cold, if it's cold.

3.) It's a windy, it's a windy, windy day, windy day.
Let's go fly a kite now. Let's go fly a kite now. Fly it high, fly it high.

4.) It's a rainy, it's a rainy, rainy day, rainy day.
Better get a raincoat, better get a raincoat. It's all wet, it's all wet.

5.) It's a snowy, it's a snowy, snowy day, snowy day.
Get your coat and mittens. Get your coat and mittens. Brrr, brr, brr, brr, brr, brr.


HAND WASHING SONG (to the melody of Turkey in the Straw)
Lyrics by Rachel Sumner
Copyright©2004 Songs by Rachel, ASCAP

1.) First, I squirt a little soap in my dirty, grubby hands.
Then I step up to the sink and scrubby-dubby as I stand,
Put my hands under the water and I rub them all around,
And I won't stop until I hum another round.

2.) Hmm, hmm. . .

To the rest of the melody:

I dry them off ‘cause my hands are wet,
Yes, I dry them off ‘cause my hands are wet,
And that's the way I wash my hands,
So I don't spread germs to all my friends.


FIND A PARTNER (to the melody of Found A Peanut)
Lyrics by Rachel Sumner
Copyright©2003 Songs by Rachel, ASCAP

1.) Find a partner, find a partner, find a partner right now.
Everybody find a partner, find a partner, right now.

2.) Look at your partner, look at your partner, look at your partner right now.
Shake hands say, "Howdy partner, howdy partner" right now.

(After the dance)
3.) Look at your partner, look at your partner, look at your partner right now.
Shake hands say, "Thank you partner, thank you partner" right now.


PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY Traditional
Sung by Rachel Sumner on the CD Rachel's Fun Time Too! (click here to purchase).

Chorus: (Sing the chorus between each verse)
Peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and jelly,
peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and jelly.
On the word "peanut butter-shake your hands down to the right
and on the word "jelly"-shake your hands up to the left.

First you look for the peanuts, and you look for the peanuts,
and you look, and you look, and you look for the peanuts.
Look for the peanuts with your hand to your forehead switching hands each time you say "look."

Then you pick 'em, and you pick 'em, and you pick 'em,
and you pick 'em and you pick 'em.
Pretend like you are picking the peanuts.
Then you smash 'em, and you smash 'em, and you smash 'em, and you smash 'em.
Act like you are smashing the peanuts with your hands together.

Then you spread it, and you spread it, and you spread it, and you spread it, and you spread it.
Pretend like you are putting peanut butter on bread. One hand is the piece of bread and spread with the other. Change hands each time you say the word "spread."

Spoken: Now we need some jelly!

Repeat the verses for jelly. First, you look for the berries.....

Spoken: Now, you take the two pieces and put them together and what do you do next?
Answer: You eat it!!!
And you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it.
And you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it, and you eat it.

(You can not sing now because the peanut butter is stuck to the roof of your mouth!)

Chorus: Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...
Spoken: PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY!!!!!
 

DOCTOR KNICKERBOCKER Traditional
Sung by Rachel Sumner on the CD Tap Those Toes!

1.) Doc - tor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker number nine,
He's got the rhythm and he keeps in time.
Now, let's get the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap).
Now, you've got the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap)
Now, let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
Tap on a number chart or other visual aide (like a calendar) with the numbers 1-9 on it.

2.) Doc - tor Knickerbocker, Knickerbocker number nine,
He's got the rhythm and he keeps in time.
Now, let's get the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap).
Now, youÕve got the rhythm of the hands (clap, clap)
Now, let's get the rhythm of the feet (stamp, stamp)
Now, you've got the rhythm of the feet (stamp, stamp)
Now, let's get the rhythm of the number nine
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

3.) Keep adding body parts
...Now, let's get the rhythm of the hips (hips go side to side and say, "woo, woo").
Now, you've got the rhythm of the hips (woo, woo)....

4.) ...Now, let's get the rhythm of the arms (lift both arms up in the air and say, "whoopee").
Now, you've got the rhythm of the arms (whoopee)....

5.) ... Now, let's get the rhythm of the lips (kiss, kiss)
Now, you've got the rhythm of the lips (kiss, kiss)
Now, let's get the rhythm of the number nine.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Ending: (knee knocking drum roll, tap hand)
Let the children come up with other body parts and something to do for each body part to add to this song.

A, E, I, O, U
To the traditional melody of BINGO, Lyric writer: unknown

1. There are some letters that I know and vowels are their names, oh!
    A, E, I, O, U, A, E, I, O, U, A, E, I, O, U
    And vowels are their names, oh! (and sometimes Y)


RECTANGLE SONG
To the traditional melody of Bingo. Lyric writer: unknown

What is this shape that has four sides? It is not a square, no!
It's a rectangle. (repeat 3 times) It is not a square, no!
Two sides are short, two sides are long. It is not a square, no!
It's a rectangle. (repeat 3 times) It is not a square, no!


BRAIN DANCE (Search for Anne Green Gilbert's website for more information)

Breath — I have children make big circles with their arms.

Tactile — Squeeze, tap, pat, scratch, or brush all body parts (Play with it. Pretend that mud has fallen on your head and make it go down your body. Be silly. Change it up. Have the children think of new ideas like spiders tickling each part of the body from head to toe.)

Core-Distal — I have the children make a great big X with their bodies. (Reach out with toes, fingers, head, tall) and then curl back to the core of your body. I have the children make the shape of the letter O when they do this.

Head-Tail — Move head and tail separately and together in all planes, then do the wiggle worm spine

Upper Lower — move all parts in the upper body half, then all parts in the lower body half

Body-Side — Move all parts on the right side of the body, then all parts on the left side, do horizontal eye tracking with your index finger

Cross-Lateral — How many ways can you make an X with your body? How many Xs can you make at one time? Move across the midline, connect upper and lower body quadrants, and do vertical eye tracking

Vestibular — Move off balance with swings, spins, tips, and rolls on all levels and in all directions. (With young children, I like to spin 3 times stopping in between each time. Use your stop hand and have everyone say, "Stop!")

CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY A TURKEY BASTER

CLICK HERE TO LEARN SOME SONGS AND WORDS IN SIGN LANGUAGE




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