Submitted by Kristin Lukow, Nebraska

Idea posted October 26, 2010

If you know the song, "Somebody's Knocking At Your Door," this will be easy an easy lesson plan for you.

We sit in a circle to sing and play this song. We sing the song one time while I hold a wood block and strike it three times after the word "door." We sing the name of the child on my right, "Oh, Jessica, why don't you answer?" While we sing this, I pass the instrument to her and get another instrument to play. The next time, we sing the next child's name and continue to pass each new instrument around the circle. If there are 15 children in the class, we sing the song 15 times. At the end of the song, each child has a different instrument. We set them down in front of us and put our hands behind our backs. We go around the circle and name each instrument. They have watched me play it the first time, and now I re-instruct the proper way to play. It's a great way to review basic rhythm instruments. If we have time, we sing the song and continue to pass the instruments until everyone has tried every instrument.

The next class, I set out the xylophones. I only have three, a bass, alto, and soprano. I put the xylos at the end of each row and set up a pentatonic scale. The kids get to play any two notes simultaneously at the part of the song where there are three knocks. This is really fun. The kids love it. We change positions and sing the song again until everyone has had a chance to play. If we have enough time, we change instruments and do it again.

I generally have classes that are 15-20 students. Some are bigger. When I have four rows, I will set out a metallophone also.