Submitted by Karen Stafford, Missouri
Idea posted August 6, 2010
This Name Game is done to the tune of "Up The Ladder," but modified.
- Perform the following body percussion: patsch, clap, slide hand, snap (eighth, quarter, eighthtiedtoquarter, quarter).
- Perform, but with words and tune "Up The Ladder, Down The Ladder."
- Add additional body percussion to the same rhythm, but without the tie. Replace the slide hand with two claps.
- Add the words, "Here comes the girl, her name is Jane." Having students perform a patsch, clap, snap, clap pattern, go around the room, singing the words, substituting the name of a student while grabbing his/her hand and performing a seesaw motion.
- Omit the lines, "Now where have you been..." from the song. While patting the eighth note rhythm, teach the chant, "Up the ladder, down the ladder, do the hoochee koochee" and guide students to imitate.
- Have students form two lines by counting off in twos. While singing the melody (Part A), students will perform body percussion used in learning song. The first student in Line One will have his/her name sung.
On Part B, the student named will go "down the alley," performing moves that the other students imitate. Continue, going from Line One to Line Two.
My fifth and sixth graders have a blast with the "Hoochee Koochee Dance"!