Musitrax Sing Book 1 Teacher Guide

Book 1
A Guide for Teachers

Musitrax Sing!
Musitrax Sing!
Book 1
Contents
Introduction 1
Music for Everyone 3
The Kodály Concept of Music Education 4
Developing Musicianship through Singing 7
Step by Step Guide 10
Index of Songs and Rhymes 18
Songs 20
Rhymes 94
Note on Rhythm: symbols and syllables 108
Note on Pitch: handsigns and solfa 109
Demonstration of handsigns. 110
Table of Songs for music teachers 111
Table of Rhymes for music teachers 113
Teachers Assignment Sheet 114
Glossary 115
Song Book compiled by: Adriana Florez Lopez

Project Co-ordinator: Gil Sharp
Consultants: David Vinden
Karen Mackenzie
Contributing Editor: Brendon Le Page
To our knowledge, all the songs and rhymes in the book have been either
commissioned for the project, used by permission, or are in the public domain.
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Musitrax Sing!
Introduction
Musitrax Sing! is a bold initiative which Lambeth Music Service intends to offer
to all schools in Lambeth with Key Stage 1 pupils. Initially in 2006-7, the project
will be offered to Year 2 classes.
General principles:
• The project is fully inclusive and aimed at all pupils.
• The project is based on widely accepted principles of early music
instruction. Based on best practice from Curwen, Kodály, Gordon and
Colourstrings principles, it has been developed by experienced Lambeth
teachers together with external consultants to suit the requirements of
the project
• The material is designed to be presented by class teachers with or
without any previous experience of singing. Training and support will be
offered by LMS at every stage. It is important that pupils are shown that
music is for everyone and everyone can participate with success – not
just specialist musicians.
Benefits:
• Using this material with the children will result in a musically more literate
population.
• Children will show improved concentration, co-ordination, and calmer,
more focused behaviour.
• Children’s general intellectual and cognitive development will be
enhanced, which will be reflected in improved academic achievement.
• Children will develop enhanced social skills, self-esteem, confidence,
leadership and learn turn-taking.
• Children who do not necessarily excel in other circumstances will have a
chance to be successful.
• Children will be better prepared to make maximum use of the
opportunities presented by the Government’s ‘whole-class instrumental
and vocal tuition’ strategy at Key Stage 2.
• All the children in Lambeth will have a common core repertoire of songs
which they can sing together.
Brendon Le Page
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Musitrax Sing!
Music for Everyone
As with every other area of education, music education affects and influences
the child’s general development. Music has a particularly special formative
power: it not only helps to develop the child as an individual, but it is also a
means to integrate the child into the culture, environment and society where the
child lives. Therefore music plays a very important role, especially nowadays
when different cultures and traditions are becoming mixed.
Music enhances the child’s cognitive skills, such as memory and concentration
and it provides opportunities to develop thought processes, including
sequencing grouping and comparing.
Music is closely linked to language, literacy and communication. They develop

in a very similar and parallel way, sharing basic components like attentive
listening, speaking or singing and reading and writing.
Making music helps to improve co-ordination and motor skills by clapping,

tapping, moving the body according to the music and developing the ability to
play a musical instrument.
Music generates feelings that influence the child’s imagination and creativity;
children enjoy creating new sounds, rhymes, songs and games.
Music helps to develop the child’s personal, emotional and social skills. Songs
and games have a very positive effect on a child’s emotions, relieving internal
tensions. Listening to music or singing a song may generate or influence the
child’s mood in many ways, such as calming, relaxing or stimulating. Through
making music the children are expressing their feelings, thus enhancing self-
confidence and interpersonal relationships.
On top of that, making music is a pleasure, it is enjoyable and rewarding.

It is very important to start developing music skills as early as possible.
No nursery or primary school educator would discourage a child who is

struggling with mathematics. In the same way, we, knowing that music is
promoting all areas of development, and strongly believing that it will help the
children to become better human beings, will always encourage them and
everyone else to develop their musical skills. We believe music is for everyone.
Adriana Florez Lopez
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Musitrax Sing!
The Kodály Concept of Music Education

The great Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist and educator Zoltán Kodály
1882 – 1967, inspired an approach to music education that has been called the
Kodály approach… or ‘Kodály Method’. Like all great ideas it is very simple but
highly effective. It has to be said that much of the ‘methodology’ was developed
by Hungarians inspired by Kodály such as Adam, Szönyi, and Szabo.
Principally Kodaly said that music belongs to everyone and the best way to
begin teaching it was through the voice because everyone has one and it is
free. Underlying this is the knowledge that through singing one accesses the
‘Inner Hearing’…perhaps one of the most vital aspects of any musician. Another
important point is that because we as humans can sing we can see musical
instruments as an extension of that ability to sing. Singing is the first instrument.
It is inextricably tied up with the human psyche…we are our human voices…or
our voices are us. A singing child is a happy child!
Where do we start? Kodály did say that we started nine months before the birth
of the child and then said no it was nine months before the birth of the mother!
The reality is that we have to start at Reception with all children or in early
learning centres if they operate.
The singing should be unaccompanied because we are interested in each little
human voice as opposed to herding children together and bashing the piano at
them! Teachers who play the piano to accompany children run the severe risk
of not listening to the children. The teacher’s job is to listen to the children. The
piano is also percussive and we want the children to develop pulse from within
themselves. That is not saying though that Dalcroze is wrong…quite the
opposite… because the children are listening and developing sensitivity and
responding accordingly to sounds they hear.
The next issue is what material do we use? ‘Only the best is good enough’ was
one of Kodály’s maxims! What makes the best material is that which is suitable
in terms of range, content, and artistic value.
We progress from the simple to the more complex by logical steps and from the
known to the unknown. Songs which have been passed down by children
through the generations are very valuable and when you use this material the
children show an immediate affinity with it because it is theirs. We begin with
two-note so – mi songs because these are the sounds that children use very
early on: ’mummy’, ‘daddy’, ‘yoo-hoo’, as well as the teasing of each other:
‘can’t catch me’.
We will teach a bank of carefully selected songs which contain the elements we
want to teach. The children will learn these by rote to begin with because there
is no other way. (They may not read yet!) This first teacher-pupil contact is a
crucial one, so the teacher must try to know and understand the song(s) well
and try to put them across in a clear, coherent way so that children understand
them from the outset. Begin by singing the song through as an entity and then
teach it in bite-sized chunks, articulating words clearly so children copy
correctly. (It might be necessary to speak the words through as you would a
rhyme.) Listening to how well the children sing back is vital. The teacher must
gauge whether they have heard correctly…hence the unaccompanied singing!
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Musitrax Sing!
Progress with a good, measured, understanding tempo, so each nuance is
taken on board - don’t rush or be distracted.
Here is a simple but excellent song:
It is ideal because of the repetition of the opening name…Mary Anne Mary

Anne, and deals with the pretty common activity of making porridge. The
making it ‘thick’ and then ‘thin’ is good because it deals with two opposing
concepts and the song has a simple but easily grasped rhyme and rhythm. The
two pitches are ‘so’ and ‘mi’ which are already an unconscious part of the
children’s melodic repertoire.
This so-mi song will be taught along with others with no reference to the
‘rhythm’ or ‘pitches’. These particular elements are being learned unconsciously
at this stage.
In the Kodály approach there are three steps in the learning process:
1. Unconscious experience (Preparation)
2. Making Conscious (Presentation)
3. Reinforcing (Practice)
These three stages are the way we work…our methodology if you like.
Nothing is made conscious before the age of four and a half to five. Please
don’t teach the solfa, handsigns, rhythm syllables and rhythm notation to three-
year-olds!
We don’t rush through and teach too much but instead we take a measured
approach ensuring all the ‘i’s are dotted and the ‘t’s’ crossed!
We would build up quite a secure experience of the concepts and skills through
a variety of songs and musical game experiences before anything was made
conscious. We link the next lesson to the one before ensuring that what we did
in the previous lesson has been understood and that there is a seamless
connection. Nothing is made conscious until the unconscious experience is
secure.
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Musitrax Sing!
What skills might we consider developing?
Have a look at the following list and you will see that we develop a fantastic
amount with young children.
Skills:
• Singing Instrument Performing
• Memory work
• Pulse and rhythm work
• Coordination
• Pitch relationships using Relative Solfa
• Intonation using Handsigns
• Multiple Hearing (a) Harmonic
(b) Polyphonic
• Form understanding
• Improvisation composing
• Musical Reading and Writing
• Inner Hearing development
• Ensemble music making (Chamber music making at its best)
• Social skills
The skills just listed are developed alongside the learning of music elements.
Only the best is good enough when it comes to teaching children (or anybody,
come to that!)
Finding out what is best will take time and patience but when good material is
used by a good teacher there is no mistaking the success that follows.
There are no short cuts in the teaching of music. Those things not taught and
learned properly in the early stages take their revenge on a musician
later……thus wrote Ildikó Herboly, reflecting Kodály’s beliefs.
David Vinden
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Musitrax Sing!
Developing Musicianship through Singing
Why singing?
Every person that can develop the ability to talk can also develop the ability to
sing. We can develop singing skills regardless of our race, social background,
sex, religion or language. Children love singing and while doing it they will
develop and gain general musicianship.
We can start developing singing skills at the same time that we start developing
and learning our mother tongue, and in the same way: unconsciously.
Unaccompanied singing
Children should be able to listen to themselves while singing. If we always play
an instrument while they sing, they may feel too inhibited to sing on their own. It
is easier for the children to copy melodies from the teacher’s voice than from an
instrument and it is also more intimate when we sing together in a circle without
having a piano between us.
The teacher should sing loud enough for the children to be able to listen and
copy their voice while they listen to the children, helping and correcting them if
necessary.
Nevertheless instruments can be used to make the lesson more enjoyable and
interesting and as a tool to develop rhythm.
Traditional songs and rhymes

Songs and rhymes are deeply linked to our language and culture; they are
expressions of them. Throughout the world the traditional children’s songs and
rhymes have been adapted through the ages, they have been sung and maybe
changed by generations giving them a particular character; they have a special
imagery and are part of a culture.
When choosing the material that we are going to use (songs and rhymes) we
have to consider some important aspects:
Pitch and range

Pitch is the particular height of a note or sound. Range is the register or
distance between the lowest and highest note of a song.
Children are developing their physical skills as well as their vocal cords, chest
and throat muscles. They should not sing notes which are too high or too low.
Also, their ability to discriminate pitch is not yet sufficiently developed to
distinguish half-steps (semitones) and the vocal cords are not ready to
reproduce them.
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Musitrax Sing!
It will be easier for the children to sing in tune if:
• The songs are in a suitable key for them to sing
• The songs have a narrow range
• The songs have a short duration
• Melodies are simple and easy to copy
This will help ensure the songs are appropriate for the child’s mental and
physical development.
Movement and games

At an early age singing and movement are closely linked. The child needs to
move in order to be able to feel a regular beat and the tempo of a song or
rhyme.
Teach the children the traditional movements that usually come with the songs
and rhymes that you are using, and encourage the creation of new actions and
movements using your’s and the children’s ideas, making sure they fit with the
pulse.
Games for the three year olds can involve small imitative movements, the four
year olds’ games can have more extended movements, such as bending down,
clapping, walking on a circle or with partners, changing directions, and so on.
The five year olds are able to play games involving more complex movements
such as playing in circles, double circles or lines.
It is very important to consider the tempo to be used with the songs, rhymes
and games; it may not be an easy task to keep a fast tempo.
As mentioned before, rhythm and movement go together. Children can only
become consciously aware of rhythm when they are able to produce a steady
beat with confidence and without the teacher’s help.
A Multicultural and Multilingual Society

Every language has an implicit melody and an implicit rhythm that is reflected in
the children’s songs and rhymes. This means that it is much easier for us to
develop musical skills if we use songs and rhymes in our own language.
In our classrooms we have children from a wide variety of different
backgrounds, with different mother tongues and cultures. Music is a means to
integrate these children into the culture, environment and society they live in.
Songs and rhymes can help children to learn a new language in a very easy
way - likewise, we can learn from their own language and culture, singing their
traditional songs.
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Musitrax Sing!
Developing the inner hearing
The inner hearing is essential for any musician: it is a mental image, an image
that is kept in our mind after a musical experience. Once we have a record of
melodies, songs, rhymes, rhythms, and so on in our head, we will be able to
create our own.
The inner hearing is developed through singing songs, saying rhymes and
listening to music. The thinking voice plays a very important role in developing
the inner hearing.
Perception of form
As any language, music is made out of a variety of structures including phrases,
sentences, questions and answers. Even the simplest of songs or rhymes
follows a pattern that makes it recognisable once it is learnt. Singing pieces
with clear sections, for example call and response songs, can make children
aware of form.
Music reading and writing

Music reading and writing are part of the conscious work; they can be started at
the same time as the reading and writing of language if the unconscious work
has been completed. Otherwise, it can be started later.
A good starting point can be by representing high and low tones through
physical movement showing or ‘drawing’ in the air the shape of a melody with
their hands.
Developing a sense of Pitch: Solfa and its handsigns will be introduced slowly
and step by step to help the children to develop inner hearing, better intonation
and to help the children feel the relation between the different pitches.
Developing a sense of Rhythm: Flashcards and rhythm syllables will be
introduced as a teaching aid to develop the rhythmic reading and writing.
Instruments
Percussion instruments are a great aid to developing rhythmic sense and to feel
a steady beat as well as accents and changes of tempo. It is important that
children learn how to correctly use the instruments that they are playing, and
their names.
Improvisation and composition

Always give children the opportunity to create their own songs, rhymes and
games. You can encourage them to do this by doing it yourself.
Give the children the opportunity to initiate ‘echo’ games and to lead call and
response songs, and encourage them to sing by themselves to you or to small
audiences.
Ensemble music making

Making music is team-work. Encourage children to make as much music as
possible with their friends, not only with instrumental ensembles but also by
singing songs, playing with rhymes and in any other way.
Enjoy making music with the children and remember that music is for everyone.
Adriana Florez Lopez
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Musitrax Sing!
A Step by Step Guide
General Points
• We start by using the same method that our mothers used when they
taught us how to speak: we will sing, and sing at any opportunity we
have without expecting the children to sing with us. We do not need to
wait for a formal music or singing lesson. We can sing to say hello, to call
the children to stand in line, to ask them to sit - literally at every
opportunity.
• The approach is carefully sequenced, but is based on a great deal of

repetition and a gentle introduction of new skills.
• The children (and the teacher!) should be enjoying the songs and games,
and they love to repeat familiar music. Repetition is a key part of
establishing musical skills. Only a small amount of new material needs to
be included – or just a new twist on a familiar song or game.
• By incorporating lots of repetition and introducing new challenges

imperceptibly, the children can be successful almost all the time.
• Use non-verbal gestures to show my turn, your turn.
• Have the children initiate activities, or suggest variations or even lead a

song. This engages the other children, boosts confidence and allows for
individual appraisal.
• Resist the temptation to ‘sing along’ with the children - while this can give
them confidence, it masks their achievements and prevents you from
listening to them.
• These songs and games can be used on any occasion, during any part
of the school day, even for just a few minutes. They are a great way to
re-focus children’s attention, and provide a new level of energy.
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First Steps: 5-10 weeks.
Words you will need:
Pulse/Beat: Used interchangeably. The heartbeat of the music.

It doesn’t alter.
Rhythm: When you clap the words – this is the rhythm.
Pitch: Is the note high or low?
Tempo: The speed of the music – fast or slow.
Dynamics: The volume of the music – loud or quiet.
Phrase: A musical sentence.
Suitable Songs: All the songs in this book can be chosen to sing to cover the
first steps; nevertheless we recommend you to start with some of these:
Cobbler Cobbler, Mary Anne, Round and Round, Bobby Shafto, Jack in the
Box , Hot Cross Buns, Peter Taps, Rover.
You can use also some of the rhymes like One Potato, Queen Caroline, Charlie
Chaplin or Chip, Chop, Chippity Chop.
During the Music Lessons

• Always give the pitch and pulse before starting a piece – for example sing “1, 2,
off we go”.
• First sing the whole song to the children asking them to listen with attention.
• Then sing a phrase and ask the children to copy you. Listen carefully and
monitor how they respond. Repeat phrases as necessary.
• Now have the children sing the whole song several times, and introduce
simple movements. The first musical concept that we want to develop is that of
pulse. Therefore the chosen movement has to be made in time with the pulse.
• Walk while singing the song: make a circle and walk with the children. Ask them
to sing while stamping their feet loudly, helping them to feel the pulse.
• Sing the song several times changing the tempo. Set a new tempo every time
they start the song, don’t change the tempo in the middle of the song.
• Use the games given for each song. Teach the children the various movements
which go with the songs, making sure they are doing them with the pulse.
• Ask the children to sing the song with different dynamics: sometimes start
loudly, sometimes start quietly.
• Change the pitch of the song: sometimes sing it higher, sometimes lower.
• Sing the song with the children tapping the pulse while singing. Ask them to
choose where to tap. Try to using different parts of the body, always making sure
they are keeping in time.
• Sing the song with the children clapping the rhythm of the words while singing.
• Help the children to recognise where the different phrases are; singing them
with two groups answering one another. Alternatively use a puppet to sing a
phrase and have the children sing the next phrase.
Use this sequence with each of the songs you have chosen.
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Musitrax Sing!
Even if the children are at an advanced stage of the learning process, it’s
important to make sure they feeling the pulse of the music and are able to
clap its rhythm.
Involve the children:

• Ask them to create new games for the songs and rhymes. Make sure
the movements they choose are done in time, either on the regular pulse
of the song or the rhythm of the words.
• Ask them to create new verses for the rhymes and songs. If necessary,
explain what a rhyme is and ask the children to make sure their new
verses rhyme.
After you think the children are able to feel the pulse and clap the rhythm of the
songs and rhymes you can go to the next step. This part of the process can
take several weeks, depending on the children’s ability, and how often they
have the opportunity to sing.
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Second Steps – another 5-10 weeks.
A further phrase you will need:
Thinking voices: Singing the song inside your head. (Even if the
radio has been turned off, the song is still
going on).
Suitable Songs: You can continue using the songs you used for the first step,
adding some more like: Magic Fingers, Old Mister Woodpecker, The Sad Tale
of Horace Hampton, Oliver Twist, Bells in the Steeple, Davy Dumpling, Dinah or
Sally go Round the Sun, add also some more rhymes like Rain on the Green
Grass, Apples and Peaches, Hickety Tickety Bumble Bee and Red, White and
Blue.
• Play the Radio game, sing the song and turn the volume down until there is no
sound. Ask the children to make sure they are still singing with their thinking
voices
• Sing some phrases of the songs and rhymes with the children using their
thinking voices. Later you can sing the whole song using thinking voices.
• Have the children sing parts of the song with thinking voices while clapping the
rhythm. Continue clapping while singing with the thinking voices.
• Clap the words of the most well-known songs or rhymes from the repertoire
(while you are singing it with your thinking voice) and ask the children to work
out which song it is.
• Choose a child to clap the words of a song or rhyme and ask the other
children to work out the name of the song.
• Sing the song with the children and ask them to tap or walk the pulse while you
clap the rhythm of the words. Then swap over - they will clap the rhythm and
you will tap the pulse.
• Divide into two groups. Ask one group to tap or walk the pulse while everyone
is singing the song, then ask the other group to clap the rhythm, again while
everyone is singing. Then swap over the groups, for all the children to have the
opportunity to do both pulse and rhythm.
• Join both groups. One group walks or taps the pulse and the other group
claps the rhythm while everyone is singing the song. (The children love this!)
• The ultimate goal is for the children to be able to walk the pulse while
clapping the rhythm.
At this stage you can try many different combinations while singing the songs or
saying the rhymes using the thinking voice, the pulse and the rhythm. Try to
use different parts of the body for tapping, and use different aids such as games
and puppets to give the lesson more variety. Do not rush; this part of the
process will take several weeks.
Also, at this point it is appropriate to explain the concept of pulse to the children
– making the concept ‘conscious’.
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Choose a very well known song, one in which the children can feel the pulse
very strongly. Write the lyrics on the board and ask them to sing the song while
tapping the pulse. At the same time draw a special mark on top of the syllable
of the word where the pulse goes. Compare it to the heartbeat, how it is always
there. It is beating with precision even if we are not aware of it. Talk about how
it is so important for us and draw a parallel with the musical pulse: the pulse is
the heart-beat of the music. It is vital.
Ask them to sing the song again, this time being conscious of the pulse. Then
ask them to choose some other songs and sing them tapping the pulse, whilst
being conscious of it.
From now on you can ask them to tap, clap or walk the pulse or beat of the
song.
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Musitrax Sing!
More fun with rhythm – another 5-10 weeks
Now is the time to introduce the rhythmic flashcards. First we restrict
ourselves to rhythms using combinations of ta and ta-te. Choose a very well
known song or rhyme which uses only one flashcard: e.g. Cobbler Cobbler.
• Ask the children to sing the chosen song and clap the rhythm. While they sing,
with the words on the board show them which syllables occur on the pulse.
• Some beats will have one syllable on a pulse, and we will call it ‘ta’, and some
will have a syllable not on the pulse, and they are called ‘te’. For example, in
Mary Anne, ‘Ma-ry’ will be ta-te, Anne will be ‘ta’
• Show the children the flashcard that matches the song. Tell the children that the
is called ta and the is called ta-te.
• Now sing the song again, this time using ta and ta-te. instead of the words.
• Sing the song showing its flashcard, pointing at the ta and the ta-te.
• Sing the song again with ta and ta-te., but this time also clap the rhythm.
Some weeks later, choose one or two well-known songs to do the same. This
time you can use songs that use two flashcards. Still using only ta and ta-te.
rhythms, start reading different flashcards that have been used in the songs or
rhymes which the children know well. Ask them to read these flashcards first
without clapping, but only saying the ta and ta-te. Follow this by adding the
clapping to the saying.
Further fun with Rhythm Flashcards.

• Read ‘trains’ of flashcards - one after the other,
• Have one half of the group read one flashcard as a question and the other half
read another as an answer.
• Read four flashcards, then place them on the floor. Clap one of them and ask
the children to work out which one you have clapped.
• Ask the children to make up their own flashcards, then read them and play the
games using them.
• Clap a flashcard and ask the children to write down the rhythm that you have
clapped using the words ta and ta-te.
• Ask the children to write their own flashcards , then ask the group to read them.
The number of games you can play with flashcards is limited only by your (and
their) imagination. There are opportunities for links with counting and
elementary addition, noting that every flashcard we use has four beats, and
that a ta and a ta-te. each have a value of one beat.
Keep singing! Spend part of the lesson reading flashcards, but always sing
songs and play the games, tapping or walking the pulse and clapping the
rhythm.
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Musitrax Sing!
More fun with Pitch – another 5-10 weeks
In Tune: matching pitches with each other or an instrument
Solfa: A system of naming pitches developed in the Middle
Ages, adjusted by John Curwen in the 19th century.
Interval: The distance between a high note and a low note.
Handsigns: A system of non-verbal gestures showing pitches and
whether they are higher or lower.
Suitable Songs: Use all the songs you already know to develop singing in tune
and add some more from our repertoire now that the children are getting used
to singing and listening with attention. Focus on the songs using so-mi and la-
so-mi because we are going to make these notes conscious. Do use other
songs in the book to develop different musical concepts.
Using the handsigns start with the well known so-mi songs like Mary Anne,
Cobbler, Cobbler, Magic Fingers, Old Mister Woodpecker and then move on to
One, Two or Serra, Serra, Serrador.
If the children are already beginning to sing in tune, we can start using the solfa
syllables and handsigns to help the children to develop pitch relationships.
We start with the notes ‘so’ and ‘mi’ because these are the natural notes which
young children use first – for example when singing ‘mum-my’.
• Chose a so-mi song like Mary Anne which the children already know very well
• Show the children which notes are high and which are low – by pointing to the
words on the board or using gestures for high and low. See if the children can
recognise them in another so-mi song.
• Ask the children to listen carefully so they can say what has changed. Sing the
song using the Solfa syllables instead of the words. Point out that the higher
note is called ‘so’ and the lower one ‘mi’.
• Divide the children into two groups. One group will sing the song with the
lyrics and the other group will sing it with solfa. Then swap parts.
• Sing the song again, this time using the Solfa syllables and the handsigns.
• Have the children practise the sign for so (by imagining the hand is a mirror in
front of the face) and for mi (with the palm facing the floor) It’s important that the
so is higher up than mi.
• Have the children sing the song using solfa and handsigns.
• Choose more of the so-mi songs and sing them, following the steps described
above.
When the so-mi songs are well-established and the children are confident with
the solfa syllables and the handsigns, consider adding the note la (higher than
so). Chose a la-so-mi song and follow the steps above.
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Optional extension activities
Only try these activities with songs the children know very well. These activities
will develop new skills, and enhance the quality of the singing.

Round: When a second group sings the same song,
but starts later
Ostinato: a short repeated pattern performed at the
same time as the song. It can be just a rhythm
or a melody with a rhythm
Singing a Round
Suitable songs:
Hot Cross Buns is good to start with, Horace Hampton also works very well.
Try any of the songs, they all work well.
• Have the children sing the song. The teacher sings the song while the children
are singing, but starts after two or four beats. (If it sounds awkward, try starting
the second part in a different place)
• When the children are used to this, divide them into two groups. One group
starts the song. The other group waits, and then starts the song after two or four
beats. You will need to help each group start the song.
Adding an Ostinato
Suitable songs:
Any song is suitable if you are adding a rhythmic ostinato, Look at “How to
have more fun with this song” for each song .
• Ask the children to sing a song. At the same time the teacher claps a rhythmic
ostinato throughout the song.
• Choose a flashcard with a rhythm that goes well with the song.
• Choose a group of children to clap the flashcard ostinato while the others sing
the song.
• Consider using a percussion instrument for the ostinato instead of clapping
17
Musitrax Sing!
Index of Songs and Rhymes
so-mi
1. Cobbler, Cobbler p20
2. Here I Come p22
3. Magic Fingers p24
4. Mary Anne p26
5. Old Mr Woodpecker p28
6. One, Two, Buckle my Shoe p30
7. Serra, Serra, Serrador p32
la-so-mi
1. Bobby Shafto p34
2. Harry Hare p36
3. Oliver Twist p38
4. Round and Round p40
5. Sally Walters p42
6. Sailing p44
7. The Sad Tale of Horace Hampton p46
so-mi-do
1. Bells in the Steeple p48
2. Hey Beetle p50
3. Hob Shoe Hob p52
4. Jack in the Box p54
5. Show Me the Way p56
6. Strawberries and Cherries p58
mi-re-do
1. Davy Dumpling p60
2. Hot Cross Buns p62
3. Lovely Day p64
4. My Dolly Molly p66
5. Peter Taps p68
6. School Gates p70
7. Squirrel p72
18
Musitrax Sing!
So-Mi-Re-Do
1. Dinah p74
2. Listen, Listen p76
3. Mary Had a Little Lamb p78
4. Pitter Patter Well a-Day p80
5. Rover p82
6. Susie Snail p84
La-So-Mi-Re-Do
1. Lonely Frog p86
2. Pumpkin p88
3. Sally go Round The Sun p90
4. Skip one Window p92
Rhymes
1. Apples and Peaches p94

2. Burney Bee p95
3. Charlie Chaplin p96
4. Chip, Chop Chippity Chop p97
5. Hickety Tickety Bumble Bee p98
6. Ickle, Ockle p99
7. Jack be Nimble p100
8. Moses Supposes p101
9. One Potato p102
10. One, Two, Three, Four p103
11. Queen Caroline p104
12. Rain on the Green Grass p105
13. Red, White and Blue p106
14. See A Pin p107
19
Musitrax Sing!
Cobbler, Cobbler
Handsigns Flashcard
so
mi
Stick notation
Two Lines Notation
Two-line notation
20
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
How can we have more fun with this song?

• Ask the children to sit on a circle on the floor and tap the beat
while singing the song
• This time they will tap the floor on the beat with one of their
shoes while singing the song; (the one that is going to be
mended)
• Ask the children to sing the song with different moods ( sad
because my shoe is broken, upset because it is not yet
mended, happy because it is mended) tapping the floor on the
beat with the shoe
• When they know the song well ask them to pass the shoes
towards their right or left on the beat while singing the song,
make sure they keep on singing until their shoe comes back to
them
• Follow the sequence described in the “Step by Step” chapter.
21
Musitrax Sing!
Here I Come
Handsigns
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
22
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation

• You can use this song to introduce the children to each other
and to yourself.
• The rhythm can change depending on the ‘trade’ or the place
they come from.
• Always walk or tap the pulse when singing.
• It provides and opportunity for children to sing on their own
23
Musitrax Sing!
Magic Fingers
Gill Smith
Handsigns
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
24
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sit in a circle, choose one of them to be the

one who is going to show the rest how
many fingers come to play. Ask them to
sing the song tapping the beat. When the
song is finished, the chosen person puts up
the number of fingers, the rest will call that
number out and then everybody will clap
that number of beats
• Do the same as above but this time using a
percussion instrument to tap the number of beats
25
Musitrax Sing!
Mary Anne
Handsigns Flashcards
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
Stave notation
26
Musitrax Sing!
• Ask the children to stand in a circle and sing the song

pretending to make the porridge.
• Do as above but this time they will stand in a circle and sing
the song stamping their feet on the beat
• While standing in a circle singing the song, walking or
stamping their feet on the beat; ask them to sing the song
several times, changing direction every time they start
• Do as above again, singing parts of the song with thinking
voices like Mary Anne, Mary Anne, (thinking voices), make
the porridge in a pan (out loud)
• Follow the sequence described in the “Step by Step” chapter
27
Musitrax Sing!
Old Mister Woodpecker
so
mi
Stick notation
28
Musitrax Sing!
Two line notation
Stave notation

• Sitting on a circle on the floor, sing every verse of the song twice,
the first time loud and the second one very quietly
• Sing the song repeating the verses(loud and quiet) tapping the
floor or knees on the pulse
• Do the same as above but this time clap the rhythm of the song
while whispering ( the second time every verse is sung)
• Sing the song this time tapping the pulse (on the floor or knees)
while singing the verse loudly and clapping while singing it very
quietly
29
Musitrax Sing!
One, Two, Buckle my Shoe
Handsigns
so
mi
Stick notation
30
Musitrax Sing!
Two line notation
Stave notation

• Ask the children to sing this song sitting in a circle using
different movements while singing every verse: for the first
one;
One, two buckle my shoe, tap shoes,
Three, four shut the door, pretend to close a door
Five, six pick up sticks, bang the index fingers against
each other
Seven, eight lay them straight, move arms parallel to
each other
Nine, ten do it again, click fingers
• Sing the song again but this time ask the children to create a
new movement for the last verse
31
Musitrax Sing!
Serra, Serra, Serrador
(Saw, saw, Lumberjack)
Handsigns
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
32
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
These are the lyrics of the song in English:
Saw, saw, lumberjack,

how many pieces of wood do you saw sir?
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
• Sitting in a circle on the floor sing the song moving one of your
arms pretending to saw. Remember to do the movements on
the beat of the song
• Do as above, but this time clapping the rhythm on the second
part of the song (the one that we are not singing but saying)
• Sing the song again, this time dividing the group of children in
two. One group will sing the first part (the singing one), the
other group will answer with the numbers (talking), while both
groups do the movements described above
• Swap parts for all the children to have the opportunity to sing
and talk
33
Musitrax Sing!
Bobby Shafto
la
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
34
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song standing in a circle stamping the feet on the beat
moving your body gently side to side pretending to feel the
movement of the sea
• Do as above but this time do these actions on every verse
o move one arm making a sea wave for the first verse
o tap knees for the second verse
o pretend to put a ring on a finger for the last one
o no movement for the chorus Bonny Bobby Shafto
• Do as above but this time divide the group of children in two. One
group will sing the verses with the movements and the other will
sing the chorus
• Swap groups for all the children to have the chance to do the
movements
35
Musitrax Sing!
Harry Hare
la
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
36
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song with a “hare puppet” on your hands, make him
move on the beat of the song while your friends are tapping it
• Do as above but this time one of you is going to suggest an
action that is going to be done instead of tapping, e.g. “tapping on
your head, jumping, touching your nose….)
• Do as above but this time sing parts of the song with your
“thinking” voices, e.g. Harry Hare is in a hurry (loud ) full of care
and full of worry ( thinking voices)
37
Musitrax Sing!
Oliver Twist
Handsigns
la
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
38
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation

• Ask the children to stand in a circle and sing the song walking
or stamping their feet on the beat
• Standing in a circle ask them to sing the song clapping the
beat
• Ask the children to stand in a circle and sing the song facing
one of the persons next to them and perform the following
actions:
Oliver: Clap own hands
Twist: Clap right hands with your partner
can’t: clap own hands
this: clap left hands with your partner
what’s: clap own hands
use: clap right hands with your partner
try: clap own hands
ing: clap left hands with your partner
clap your hands: clap own hands
touch your knees: touch your knees
away you go: turn around and face a new partner
39
Musitrax Sing!
Round and Round
la
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
40
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sit in a circle and sing the song several times moving your
hands, drawing circles forwards, one behind the other as the
mill
• Do as above but this time sing some parts of the song with
thinking voices
• Stand in a circle holding hands and sing the song several
times walking and stamping your feet on the beat, changing
direction every time you start the song
• Stand in two concentric circles, the inside one will face
outwards and the outside inwards, holds hands and walk,
stamping your feet on the beat of the song while you sing it
41
Musitrax Sing!
Sally Walters
la
so
mi
Stick notation
42
Musitrax Sing!
Two line notation
Stave notation

• Sing this song standing in a circle stamping the feet or clapping
on the pulse
• Do as above but this time, everyone will pretend to be Sally
Walters and will mime the actions of the song
• Ask the children to sit and do as above but this time you can have
one or two children in the centre of the circle pretending to be
Sally Walters
43
Musitrax Sing!
Sailing
Handsigns
la
so
mi
Stick notation
Two line notation
44
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song standing in a circle stamping the feet on the

beat moving a bit your body side to side, pretending to feel
the movement of the sea
• Do as above but this time divide the children in groups of
three, and ask them to hold each other from the elbows
Do as above but this time divide the whole group of children
in two.
group one will sing: we are sailing can you see?
group two will answer: Just us three
group one : sailing far a cross the sea
group two: Just us three
• Swap groups for all the children to have the chance to do
both parts of the song
• When the children know the song well ask the whole group
to sing verses and have only three children answering: Just
us three
• Follow the sequence described in the “Step by Step”
chapter.
45
Musitrax Sing!
The Sad Tale of Horace Hampton
Jonathan Vinten
Handsigns
la
so
mi
Stick notation
46
Musitrax Sing!
Two line notation
Stave notation

• Sing this song walking in circle stamping your feet on the beat,
or sitting down tapping on the floor
• Sing this song as a “round” with two groups. Explore the
different possibilities, e.g. the second group would start after
the first one has sung Horace, Horace
• Clap or tap a rhythmic “ostinato” throughout the song like
47
Musitrax Sing!
Bells in the Steeple
Handsigns
so
mi
do
Stick notation
48
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing the song, pretending to pull the rope that moves the bells,
moving your arms on the beat of the song
• Sing the song, clapping its rhythm but clapping a bit harder on
“bells”, “stee”, “joy” and on every “ding”
• Sing the song walking or stamping your feet on the beat and
clapping on the accent (“bells”, “stee”, “joy” and on every
“ding”)
• Sing the song as a round with two or three groups. The
second group starts singing after the first has sung “bells in
the”
49
Musitrax Sing!
Hey Beetle!
so
mi
do
Stick notation
50
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sit in a circle and sing the song clapping or
tapping its pulse
• Talk about the two animals that are talking in the song. One
can be a big beetle or a bird that is willing to share its worm
and the other one can be a little beetle - the children can give
you ideas about this. Divide the group in two, one group will be
the big beetle and sing asking the question and the other one,
the little beetle who will answer.
51
Musitrax Sing!
Hob Shoe Hob
David Vinden
so
mi
do
Stick notation
52
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song tapping or walking its beat

• Sing the song, sitting in a circle tapping the beat on the shoes
• Sing the first Hob shoe hob loud and the second one as an
echo; quieter
• Sing the song dividing the group on three, the first one will sing
the first, the second group will sing the second and the last
one will sing the last phrase Here a nail, there a nail, that’s
well shod
• Clap a rhythmic ostinato throughout the song
53
Musitrax Sing!
Jack in the Box
Handsigns
so
mi
do
Stick notation
54
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Find a good space on the floor and curl up as a “Jack in the

box”, sing the song and follow the suggested actions, jump up
tall and curl up small
• Do the same as above but this time using “thinking voices” on
parts of the song e.g. Jack in the box, Jack in the box loud,
jump up tall using thinking voices.
• Do the same as above but clapping or tapping the beat of the
song while singing it
55
Musitrax Sing!
Show Me the Way
Jonathan Vinten
Handsigns
so
mi
do
Stick notation
56
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing the song walking its beat

• Divide the group of children in two. Make two lines with the two
groups of children, ask both lines to face each other, every
child will hold hands with the child that is in front of him or her
making a tunnel, they will sing the song tapping its beat with
their feet, and you will go through the tunnel
• Do as above but this time choose a child to go through the
tunnel
• Do as above but this time sing the song as an echo game;
one group will sing the song with Show me, show me and the
other group will answer singing the song with so, mi, so, mi
57
Musitrax Sing!
Strawberries and Cherries
Jonathan Vinten
Handsigns
so
mi
do
Stick notation
58
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sing this song sitting in a circle pretending

to eat the strawberries and cherries, moving the hands on the
beat
• Sit in the circle singing the song, this time tapping the beat
• Sing this song as a round with two groups. Explore the
different possibilities – for example, the second group would
start after the first one has sung strawberries and or after
cherries
• Clap or tap a rhythmic ostinato throughout the song like
or any pattern taken from the melody
59
Musitrax Sing!
Davy, Davy Dumpling
David Vinden
mi
re
do
Stick notation
60
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing the song sitting in a circle tapping, clapping or walking the

beat.
• Ask the children to choose a partner and stand facing each
other performing the following actions: Clap own hands, clap
right hands with the partner, clap own hands, clap left hands
with the partner, clap own hands, clap right hands with the
partner, clap own hands , click your fingers on the rest, repeat
the actions once more and click your fingers in the new rest
• Ask the children to explore making up their own clapping
game
61
Musitrax Sing!
Hot Cross Buns
mi
re
do
Stick notation
62
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing the song sitting in a circle and imagine you are making
the hot cross buns. First sing the song taking a bowl and
placing it in front of you moving your arms on the beat of the
song: then sing it again, this time putting something in the
bowl, maybe flour, then again and again until you have all the
ingredients in the bowl and make the hot cross buns. You can
also bake them and eat them
• Sing the song as a clapping game following this action. Do one
action on each beat, tap your knees, clap your own hands clap
your partner hands, flick your fingers
• Sing the song as a round with two groups, the second group
will start singing after the first has sung the first hot cross buns
63
Musitrax Sing!
Lovely Day
Jonathan Vinten
Handsigns
mi
re
do
Stick notation
64
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song several times sitting in a circle tapping the beat
on different parts of your body e.g. first on your chest, then
your knees …
• Sing the song walking the beat and clapping a rhythmic
ostinato
• Do as above but instead of clapping the ostinato try tapping
the ta-te’s on the legs and clapping on the ta
65
Musitrax Sing!
My Dolly Molly
mi
re
do
Stick notation
66
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation

• Sing the song with the children sitting in a circle. Ask them to
tap the beat with the hands on the floor
• Do as above but this time give one child a doll, Molly to tap the
floor with while the others tap with their hands. Ask the child to
pass Molly to the next child at the end of the song and sing it
again
• Do as above but this time the child that has Molly should pass
her at the end of a phrase
67
Musitrax Sing!
Peter Taps
Handsigns
mi
re
do
Stick notation
68
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing the song sitting in a circle pretending to be Peter, tapping

with the hammers on the beat while singing the song. First tap
with one hammer one hand, then with two hammers both
hands, then with three hammers both hands and one foot,
until Peter taps with four hammers both hands and both feet.
• Do the same as above, but this time you can work back from
four hammers to one hammer or maybe no hammer, singing
the song with thinking voices
69
School Gates
Jonathan Vinten
Handsigns
mi
re
do
Stick notation
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sing this song sitting in a circle waving to one
child that will be in the centre of the circle. All of them will be
moving their hands on the beat. The child in the centre is going
to walk passing the others until the end of the song when they
are going to be standing up in front of another child that will
change places with him or her
• Ask the children to sing the song first tapping the beat with the
feet and later clapping the beat
• Ask the children to sing the song tapping two beats and then
clapping two beats as a pattern during the whole song
Musitrax Sing!
Squirrel
Jorma Ollaranta
mi
re
do
Stick notation
72
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song several times sitting in a circle tapping the beat
on different parts of your body e.g. first on your chest, then
your knees …
• Sing the song as a clapping game following this sequence:
clap your own hands, clap right hands with a partner , clap
own hands, clap left hands with a partner, always clapping on
the beat of the song
• Do the same as above but this time tap your knees on let us
go and you and me on every word
73
Musitrax Sing!
Dinah
Handsigns
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
74
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song walking in circle stamping your feet on the beat,
moving your arms and hands pretending to strum the old banjo
different possibilities, like the second group would start after
the first one has sung no one in the or after but
• Clap or tap a rhythmic ostinato throughout the song like
or any pattern taken from the melody
75
Musitrax Sing!
Listen, Listen
Handsigns Flashcard
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
76
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sing the song sitting in a circle, tapping the
beat on the floor
• Do as above but this time bring a drum that will be played by a
different child every time they start the song
• This time ask the children to sing the song tapping the beat,
when they sing someone special gets the drum a child will play
the rhythm of the song while everyone is singing with thinking
voices
77
Musitrax Sing!
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Handsigns
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
78
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sing this song walking in a circle, and ask
them to stamp the feet on the beat
• Do as above but this time ask the children to walk backwards
every time they sing the second and third Little lamb and fleece
was white as snow
• This is a very well known song and if you ask the children to ask
their parents to teach them the lyrics they know, you can have an
interesting lesson
79
Musitrax Sing!
Pitter Patter Well a-Day
David Vinden
Handsigns
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
80
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song walking on the beat

• This time sing the song sitting in a circle, tap the beat on the
floor
• Do as above but this time ask the children to think of a
different kind of tree
• This time sing the song using these different movements: first
clap, the tap knees and the tap floor
• Do as above but this time your teacher is going to play a
percussion instrument on the “accent “ of the song and you will
emphasise it
• Sing the song as a round, exploring the different possibilities,
for example the second group could start after Pitter patter
81
Musitrax Sing!
Rover
Handsigns
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
82
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Sing this song tapping or walking its beat

• Sing the song changing the name of the dog for the name of
the children’s dogs or changing the pet and its name for the
children’s pets
• Sing the song with some of the children playing the beat on a
percussion instrument
• Clap a rhythmic ostinato throughout the song
different possibilities, like the second group would start after
the first one has sung I have a or after I have a dog and his
83
Musitrax Sing!
Susie Snail
Pál Járdányl
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
84
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
or stamping their feet on the beat of the song
• Do as above but this time walking on the spot
• Ask the children to sing the song, this time clapping its rhythm
• Ask the children to sing the first two phrases and the last one
tapping or walking the pulse of the song (these three phrases
have the same rhythm and melody) and to clap the rhythm of
the phrase number three
• Do as above but this time clap as a rhythmic ostinato
throughout the third phrase
• Do as above but this time divide the group in two. One group
will sing and tap the beat of the first, second and fourth
phrases and the other group will clap the rhythm or the
ostinato of the third phrase
• Swap groups
85
Musitrax Sing!
Lonely Frog
Zoltán Kodály
la
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
86
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
• Ask the children to sit in a circle, and sing the song tapping its
beat
• Ask them to do as above but this time one of them is going to
be the lonely frog that will walk inside the circle tapping the
shoulders of the other children that will be tapping or clapping
the beat of the song. The frog will stop walking and tapping
when the song finishes. The child who happens to be the last
one whose shoulder is tapped will become the new lonely frog
87
Musitrax Sing!
Pumpkin
Handsigns
la
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
88
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation

• Ask the children to sit in half a circle to sing this song, clapping
or tapping the beat of the song while singing it
• Do the same as above but this time one of the children is
going to be the pumpkin that at the end of the song is going to
turn into to a jack-o-lantern. The pumpkin will stand with his or
her back to the rest of the children while they are singing the
song. On just like that the pumpkin will turn facing them,
showing a scary face
• If the children are feeling shy do as above but with all the
children sitting in a circle facing outwards turning at the end of
the song to show their scary faces
• Sing the song as a round - ask the second group to start after
pumpkin, pumpkin
• Divide the group into two. One group sings the song, whilst the
second group sings just pumpkin, pumpkin or just like that (a
melodic ostinato)
89
Musitrax Sing!
Sally go Round the Sun
Handsigns
la
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
90
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation
and stamping their feet on the beat of the song, as you shout
Boom they jump and sit on the floor
• Sing the song as above changing the tempo (fast, slow) and
the dynamic: (quiet or loud)
• Do as above but this time singing parts, or the whole song with
“thinking voices”. Everyone has to jump at the same time when
“thinking” Boom!
91
Musitrax Sing!
Skip One Window
Handsigns
la
so
mi
re
do
Stick notation
92
Musitrax Sing!
Stave notation

• Ask the children to sing the song standing in a circle tapping
the beat
• Do as above but this time they are going to stand in two circles
one inside the other with children in pairs facing each other.
Ask them to sing the song and clap their own hands while
saying say and clap the partner’s hands while saying hello
• Do as above but this time they are also going to tap their
knees while saying jingle at the window following the rhythm of
the song
• Do as above but this time the children standing in the circle
inside are going to be people and the children on the outside
circle will be windows, all the people are going to skip one
window when the song tells them to, and facing a new partner
to clap hands with every time they say say hello
93
Musitrax Sing!
Apples and Peaches
Flash card
Stick notation
How can we have more fun with this rhyme?

• This rhyme is a traditional skipping or ball bouncing rhyme. The
children pretend to skip with a rope or bounce the ball while
saying the rhyme. At the end of it they will start saying the months
of the year and stop when the month of their birth comes
• You can also ask the children to form a circle and say the rhyme
while tapping, clapping or walking the beat.
• Do as above but this time you can walk around the circle tapping
them on the shoulder while they are saying the rhyme clapping or
tapping its beat. The last child tapped at the end of the rhyme will
tell every one else when his or her birthday comes
• Do as above but this time choose a child to be the one tapping
• Why not explore creating the children’s own clapping game?
94
Musitrax Sing!
Burney Bee
Flashcards
Stick notation
• Ask the children to form a circle and say the rhyme while
tapping, clapping or walking the beat.
• Do as above but this time you can walk around the inside of
the circle tapping them on the shoulder while they are saying
the rhyme clapping or tapping its beat. The last child tapped at
the end of the rhyme will become Burney Bee and should fly
around the circle tapping their friends’ shoulders while
everyone is saying the rhyme, tapping or clapping its beat
95
Musitrax Sing!
Charlie Chaplin
Flash card
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme tapping,
clapping or walking the beat.
• Ask the children to stand up and say the rhyme following the
movements suggested in it
96
Musitrax Sing!
Chip, Chop, Chippity Chop
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme; tapping,
• Ask a child to choose what is going to be chopped, and then
ask them to say the rhyme, this time pretending to chop. Make
sure they are doing the movements on the beat of the rhyme
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Musitrax Sing!
Hickety Tickety Bumble Bee
Stick notation
• You can use this rhyme to introduce the children to the class.
Say the rhyme to the children pointing to them on the beat.
The last child will say his or her name to the class
• Do as above but this time choose a child to point and ask the
others to tap or clap the rhyme pulse while saying it
98
Musitrax Sing!
Ickle, Ockle
Flashcards
Stick notation

• Ask the children to say the rhyme while walking stamping their
feet the beat, they should walk around and by the end of the
rhyme they should be standing in front of another child and say
the rhyme again this time clapping the hands with the partner.
You can ask the children to help you to design a clapping game
that works well with the rhyme or follow this sequence:
Clap own hands, clap right hands with the partner, clap own
hands, clap left hands with the partner, clap own hands, clap
right hands with the partner, clap own hands, click fingers on
the rest, repeat the actions once more and click fingers in the
second rest
99
Musitrax Sing!
Jack Be Nimble
Stick notation
• Ask the children to stand in a circle and say the rhyme walking
its beat
• Do as above but this time the children will jump forwards at the
end of the rhyme
• Do as above but this time the children will jump backwards
100
Musitrax Sing!
Moses Supposes
Stick notation

• This rhyme is a traditional tongue twister. The idea is to be
able to say it fast, keeping the time, using clear voices and
pronouncing all the words properly
• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme tapping the
beat
• Do the same as above but this time using thinking voices on
parts of the rhyme like Moses supposes his toeses are roses
out loud, but Moses supposes erroneously thinking voices
• Try a rhythmic round with the group of children divided in two
one starting after the other, perhaps after Moses supposes his
101
Musitrax Sing!
One Potato
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme, tapping or
clapping the beat
• Do as above but this time extend your arms and clench your
hands, moving your fists on the beat placing them one on top
of the other
• Do as above but this time ask the children to find a partner and
say the rhyme, placing their fists on top of their partners’,
taking turns
• Do the same as above but this time using thinking voices on
parts of the rhyme; for example one potato two potatoes out
loud, three potatoes four thinking voices.
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Musitrax Sing!
One, Two, Three, Four
Flashcards
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme while tapping,
• Do as above but this time divide the group of children in two, one
is going to say the numbers and the other will say the second and
fourth phrases
• Swap groups for all the children to do both parts
• Do as above but this time the group that is saying numbers will
clap the beat and the other group will clap the rhythm
• Swap groups for all the children to do both parts
103
Musitrax Sing!
Queen Caroline
Flashcards
Stick notation

• This rhyme is a traditional “skipping game”
• You can use it also as a “counting game”
• Also you can use a Queen Caroline stick puppet, ask the children
to make her dance on the floor or on any part of their bodies,
make sure she is keeping the beat of the rhyme
• Do as above but this time use thinking voices in parts of the
rhyme like Queen, queen Caroline out loud and washed her hair
in turn pen tine thinking voices
• Why not trying a rhythmic round with two groups, the second
could start after the first has said
Queen, Queen Caroline
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Musitrax Sing!
Rain on the Green Grass
Flashcards
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme while
tapping, clapping or walking the beat.
• This rhyme is a traditional counting game but we can also use
it as a clapping game. Ask the children to choose a partner
and stand facing each other performing the following actions:
Clap own hands, clap right hands with the partner, clap
own hands, clap left hands with the partner, clap own
hands, clap right hands with the partner, clap own
hands, click fingers on the rest, repeat the actions once
more and click fingers in the new rest
• Do as above but this time using your “thinking voices” in parts
of the rhyme, like, rain on the green grass out loud and rain
on the tree thinking voices
105
Musitrax Sing!
Red, White and Blue
Flashcards
Stick notation

• Ask the children to sit in a circle and say the rhyme while
tapping or clapping its beat
• You can use this rhyme every time you want to choose a child
to help you with something: indicating which child while saying
it
106
Musitrax Sing!
See a Pin
Flash card
Stick notation

• Ask the children to stand in a circle and say the rhyme while
walking the beat.
• Do as above but this time add a movement at the end of each
phrase: on the first one crouch down pretending to pick up a
pin, on the second one show thumbs up, on the third one
cross arms, on the last one show thumbs down
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Musitrax Sing!
Rhythm
rhythm syllables and note shapes
conscious unconscious
ta ta-te ‘sh’ ta-a tikatika
crotchet quavers rest minim semiquavers
Order of introduction
Notes:
1. In the English language, folksongs and rhymes for children
are mostly in ‘duple’ time, that is with two-beat patterns, one
strong and one weak. Each beat is usually divided into two
‘microbeats’ (ta-te) or sometimes three. Three-beat patterns
(like Bells in the Steeple) are less common.
2. The conscious section means that the children should learn
to recognise the ta, ta-te and ‘sh’ symbols and match them
with the syllables when reading flashcards. The names of the
notes (crotchet etc.) are for the teacher’s reference only.
3. The unconscious section is included for reference to show
rhythms and syllables which are used in some of the songs
4. Music teachers use a wide variety of rhythm syllables – there
is no generally accepted ‘pure’ set of rhythm syllables. The
particular rhythm syllables in this book have been carefully
selected to be familiar to teachers, as well as leading on
easily to the patterns required in KS2.
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Musitrax Sing!
Pitches
Solfa names and handsigns
so-mi la-so-mi so-mi-do mi-re-do so-mi-re-do la-so-mi-re-do
make conscious unconscious

la
so
mi
re
do
Order of introduction
Notes:
1. The notes are introduced in an order which reflects the
increasing complexity of children’s songs. Starting with the
simplest two note ‘so-mi’ the final group of songs have five
notes (la-so-mi-re-do). These form a ‘pentatonic major scale’.
This scale is one of the most common scales used in folksongs
around the world.
2. The make conscious section means that the children should
learn to recognise the handsigns and match them with the solfa
names.
3. The other groups of handsigns are included for reference to
show the handsigns and solfa notes which are used in the later
songs. Re and do will be made conscious later.
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Musitrax Sing!
Table of hand signs – diatonic scale

The solfa names in bold form the notes of the pentatonic major scale
The vertical height of the handsigns should reflect how high the notes are.
110
Solfa
Musitrax Sing!
Reference Table of Songs
(M= major; m = minor)
Title Origin Time Page Pitch set Range Flashcards

sig.
Trad 3/4 48 so-mi-do 5th No flashcards
Bells in the Steeple
Trad British 2/4 34 la-so-mi 4th
Bobby Shafto
Trad British 2/4 20 so-mi m 3rd
Cobbler, Cobbler
David Vinden 2/4 60 mi-re-do M 3rd

Davy Dumpling
Trad British 2/4 74 so-mi-re-do 5th No flashcards
Dinah
Colourstrings 2/4 36 la-so-mi 4th
Harry Hare repertoire
Trad British 2/4 22 so-mi m 3rd No flashcards
Here I Come
Colourstrings 2/4 50 so-mi-do 5th
Hey Beetle repertoire
David Vinden 4/4 52 so-mi-do 5th

Hob Shoe Hob
Trad British 4/4 62 mi-re-do M 3rd
Hot Cross Buns
Trad British 6/8 54 so-mi-do 5th No flashcards
Jack in the Box
Trad British 2/4 76 so-mi-re-do 5th
Listen, Listen
ZoltánKodály 2/4 86 la-so-mi-re-do M 6th
Lonely Frog
Jonathan Vinten 4/4 64 mi-re-do M 3rd No flashcards
Lovely Day
Gill Smith 2/4 24 so-mi m 3rd No flashcards
Magic Fingers
Trad British 2/4 26 so-mi m 3rd
Mary Anne
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Colourstrings 4/4 66 mi-re-do M 3rd
My Dolly Molly repertoire
Trad. 4/4 28 So-mi m 3rd

Old Mister Woodpecker
Trad British 6/8 38 la-so-mi 4th No flashcards
Oliver Twist
Trad British 6/8 30 so-mi m 3rd No flashcards
One, Two, Buckle my
Shoe
Trad 2/4 68 mi-re-do M 3rd No flashcards
Peter Taps
Music by David 3/4 80 so-mi-re-do 5th No flashcards
Pitter Patter Well a-day Vinden
Trad British 2/4 88 la-so-mi-re-do M 6th No flashcards
Pumpkin
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Musitrax Sing!

Round and Round
Rover
Colourstrings 2/4 44 la-so-mi 4th No flashcards
Sailing repertoire
Trad British 6/8 90 la-so-mi-re-do M 6th No flashcards
Sally go Round the Sun
Sally Walters
Jonathan Vinten 4/4 70 mi-re-do M 3rd No flashcards

School Gates
Trad Portuguese 2/4 32 so-mi m 3rd No flashcards
Serra, Serra, Serrador
Jonathan 4/4 56 so-mi-do 5th No flashcards
Show Me the Way Vinten
Trad. Words 2/4 92 la-so-mi-re-do M 6th No flashcards
Skip one Window adapted
by Sarah Mann
Jorma Ollaranta 2/4 72 mi-re-do M 3rd
Squirrel
Jonathan Vinten 4/4 58 so-mi-do 5th
Strawberries and
Cherries
Pál Járdányi 2/4 84 so-mi-re-do 5th
Susie Snail
Jonathan Vinten 4/4 46 la-so-mi 4th No flashcards

The Sad Tale of Horace
Hampton
112
Musitrax Sing!
Reference Table of Rhymes
Page Time
Title Origin Flashcards
signature
Trad British 94 2/4
Apples And
Peaches
Trad British 95 2/4
Burney Bee
Trad British 96 2/4
Charlie Chaplin
Trad British 97 6/8 No flashcards
Chip, Chop,
Chippity Chop
Hickety Tickety
Bumble Bee
Trad British 99 2/4
Ickle, Ockle
Jack be Nimble
Moses Supposes
One Potato
Trad British 103 2/4
One, Two, Three,
Four
Queen Caroline
Rain on the Green
Grass
Red, White and
Blue
See a Pin
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Musitrax Sing!
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Musitrax Sing!
Glossary
Beat see ‘pulse’
Dynamics The volume of the music – loud or quiet.
Handsigns a system of non-verbal gestures showing pitches and

whether they are higher or lower.
Inner Hearing mental image, a sound that is kept in our mind after a
musical experience
Interval The distance between a high note and a low note.
Key tonal centre of a music piece
Ostinato a short repeated pattern performed at the same time

as the song. It can be just a rhythm or a melody with a
rhythm
Pitch Is the note high or low?
Phrase A musical sentence.
Pulse/Beat Used interchangeably with ‘beat’. The heartbeat of the

music. It doesn’t alter.
Range register or distance between the lowest and highest

note of a song.
Repeat Sing again from the beginning or from the repeat mark.
Round when a second group sings the same song, but starts
later
Rhythm When you clap the words – this is the rhythm.
Solfa A system of naming pitches developed in the Middle

Ages, adjusted by John Curwen in the 19th century.
Stave traditional musical notation on five lines.
Tempo The speed of the music – fast or slow.
Thinking voices Singing the song inside your head. (Even if the radio
has been turned off, the song is still going on).
115

Musitrax Sing Book 1 Teacher Guide

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Musitrax Sing Book 1 Teacher Guide

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Book 1

A Guide for Teachers

Song Book compiled by: Adriana Florez Lopez

Music is closely linked to language, literacy and communication. They develop

Making music helps to improve co-ordination and motor skills by clapping,

On top of that, making music is a pleasure, it is enjoyable and rewarding.

No nursery or primary school educator would discourage a child who is

Adriana Florez Lopez

The Kodály Concept of Music Education

It is ideal because of the repetition of the opening name…Mary Anne Mary

Developing Musicianship through Singing

Traditional songs and rhymes

Pitch and range

Movement and games

A Multicultural and Multilingual Society

Music reading and writing

Improvisation and composition

Ensemble music making

• The approach is carefully sequenced, but is based on a great deal of

• By incorporating lots of repetition and introducing new challenges

• Use non-verbal gestures to show my turn, your turn.

• Have the children initiate activities, or suggest variations or even lead a

Pulse/Beat: Used interchangeably. The heartbeat of the music.

During the Music Lessons

Involve the children:

Further fun with Rhythm Flashcards.

Words you will need:

1. Apples and Peaches p94

Two Lines Notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

• Ask the children to sit in a circle, choose one of them to be the

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

• Ask the children to stand in a circle and sing the song

How can we have more fun with this song?

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

These are the lyrics of the song in English:

Saw, saw, lumberjack,

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

How can we have more fun with this song?

Two line notation

How can we have more fun with this song?

• Sing this song standing in a circle stamping the feet on the

How can we have more fun with this song?

How can we have more fun with this song?

How can we have more fun with this song?

How can we have more fun with this song?

• Sing this song tapping or walking its beat

Jack in the Box

How can we have more fun with this song?

• Find a good space on the floor and curl up as a “Jack in the