Submitted by Tina Morgan, Columbus, MS

Idea posted November 5, 2013

Grade Level:

Kindergarten

Skills:

  • Recognizing symbols that represent sound (notes) and symbols that represent silence (rests)
  • Reading rhythms
  • Singing
  • Moving
  • Identifying shapes

Materials:

  • Construction paper shapes (square, circle, triangle, and rectangle)
  • Paper shapes with 4-beat rhythms written on them (I used ta ta ta ta, ta ta ta rest, ta ta rest rest and ta rest rest rest)
  • Small paper shapes with craft sticks attached
  • Shape songs

"Can You Name The Shape You See?"

Can you name the shape you see,
that I hold in front of me?
Can you name the shape you see,
that I hold in front of me?

Rhythm of song:

titi titi titi ta
titi titi titi ta
titi titi titi ta
titi titi titi ta

Melody of song:

G G E E G G E
G G A A G G E
G G E E G G E
G G A A G G C

"The Shape Song"

Take the square out, then put the square in.
Wave it side to side, then give a great big grin.
Hold it up high, then hold it down low.
Jump three times and around we go.

Rhythm of song:

titi ta ta ta titi ta ta Z
titi titi ta ta titi titi ta Z
titi titi ta ta titi titi ta Z
ta ta ta titi ta ta ta Z

Melody of song:

G G A G E G G A G
C' C' C' C' C' G E E G G G
G G A G E G G A G
C' C' C' G G E D C

Motions:

  • Hold shape on stick behind body, then hold in front.
  • Wave shape over head, give a great big grin on the rest (and maybe add a fermata).
  • Hold shape up high, hold shape down low.
  • Jump three times in place, turn in circle one time.

Process:

Hold four shapes in a stack facing the students, shuffling the shapes while singing, "Can You Name The Shape You See?" At the end of the song, hold up one shape and have students identify. Repeat process for other shapes.

Display two shapes with rhythms on them. Say one of the rhythms and have students identify which shape the rhythm is on. Repeat process with other rhythms.

Have students echo-say/sing "The Shape Song," holding an invisible shape as they perform the motions. When students can sing entire song, distribute shapes with craft sticks attached. Have all students perform song, then have each group (e.g., all squares, all circles, etc.) perform the song with exchanging the word "shape" in the song to the shape they are holding.