Submitted by Jan Ringstmeyer, Winner, South Dakota

Idea posted January 31, 2005

I LOVE the "Play Me A Cowbell" song from Music K-8, Vol. 15, No. 4. I had a great time with it in kindergarten.

First, I recorded it on a tape about ten times so I never had to rewind the tape or restart the CD. Then we talked about the instruments and played four steady beats on each pretend instrument. I played the tape and played each real instrument as the kids played pretend ones. Then I put an instrument in front of each child on the floor (in the circle) in the order the instruments come in the song. The students were not allowed to touch the instruments until I told them. If they did they were removed from the circle and did not get to play. (I am strict about that, and I didn't have any problems.) Then, before we used the tape, we practiced each instrument for four steady beats. After the drum we all played two groups of eight beats. The students had to count out loud, which helped them play together. Then we practiced leaving the instruments on the floor and moving to the next one in the circle. We practiced two or three times, depending on the group, then added the tape. They LOVED moving to the next instrument. Although they would have done it for the entire music time, I felt eight or more times was enough for me! I have had older kids move in a circle to play the next instruments but never tried it with kindergarten. They do just fine if you practice before adding the music. It was great fun. I will use the same music with the older kids and teach the written rhythms instead of just the steady beat.