Submitted by Rosemary Shaw, Connecticut
Idea posted September 8, 2003
With a very easy rhythm pattern and flexible instrumentation, this chant is great for grades K-4. First, I teach this poem (the lines on the poster are alternating black/red - important):
APPLES IN THE ATTIC.
APPLES IN THE HALL.
APPLES IN THE SUMMER.
APPLES IN THE FALL.
APPLES MAKE YOU HEALTHY.
APPLES MAKE YOU TALL.
I WILL EAT SOME APPLES.
I WILL EAT THEM ALL.
Once learned, students clap three quarter notes on each line as they say the poem. Next step is to clap on the black lines and patsch on the red ones.
Once that is mastered, the younger children sit in a circle. Evenly spaced around the circle are some non-pitched instruments (whatever you might be introducing). All other children get rhythm sticks. Sticks play the black lines, instruments the red ones. After each repetition, say the chant: "MOVE ON OVER. MOVE ON OVER. MOVE ON OVER, AND WE'LL DO IT AGAIN." During this chant, each child moves one space to the right.
Older students perform this activity ON THEIR FEET, walking from a bass line xylophone area (sol-mi, I use bass and alto xylophones) through the sticks area and to a table set up with glockenspiels in pentatonic. The bass line plays throughout the whole poem (four quarter notes per line), glockenspiels on the red lines, and sticks on the black lines. The chant gives everyone enough time to move. My students LOVE this and try to get everyone around the circle to play every instrument. (In the sticks area, it is important that each child lay down his/her sticks and THEN move over.)