Ideas For Boomwhackers®

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar Chant

Submitted by Rhonda Schilling, Madison, Wisconsin

Idea posted 2005-03-24

I need to give credit to Sharon Morrow in my school district for this chant as I got it from her.

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar? Chant

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

(Student 1's name) stole the cookie from the cookie jar.

Student 1: Who me?

Yes you!

Student 1: Couldn't be!

Then who?

Student 1: (Student 2's name) stole the cookie from the cookie jar.

Repeat

Bass Xylophone Ostinato

||: EG A F G E :||

EG is the pick up (eighth notes - swing it!); AFGE are all quarter notes. It's really simple, and they just love it!

You repeat it all the way through the chant, ending on A at, "Then Who?" Then take an eight-beat break for improvisation.

I start this by teaching the chant and playing the ostinato myself. Then they walk the steady beat to the chant as they chant, stopping on the eight-beat break to improvise using body percussion. This is all done in a group to create a comfortable atmosphere.

Next, I give them each a Boomwhacker®, and they improvise using the Boomwhackers® on the eight beats (as a group). Then we offer individual improvisations using body percussion, Boomwhackers®, xylophones, etc.

Usually there are a few kids who hover around me to learn the ostinato, and I let them take over for me. It's a HUGE hit, and I've used it all the way down to second grade!