D on Meet Them in Music

Bim Bum Biddy

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 21:23:00 +0000

Activity

I introduce this by saying “the points of this song is that it is challenging. It is hard to keep up with the hand movements!” Productive Struggle is important!

Word	Movement
Bim	Both hand tap legs
Bum	Clap
Biddy Biddy	Snap or tap thumb and fingers

A lot of kids can’t snap. I call tapping the thumb and fingers “crab clapping.” This also helps with speed.

Extension As the teacher, you get a ton of practice. Kids will notice and ask how you are able to do it so fast. Turn it into a math question! “I have been teaching this to 5 classes this week and I practiced it with you 10 times … I got 50 practices this week. BUT! I have been teaching for 15 years … "

Ally Bally

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:15:00 +0000

Activity

Remove all but Do-Mi-So from the xylophones. Invite students up to play with you or set up a few to have students play as a group. On the “To buy some chocolate candy” have the students hold the mallets in both hands make an excited face (like when the kid says “it’s so fluffy Im going to die!” from the movie Despicable Me)

The challenges with this song are:

Clapping Land

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:02:00 +0000

Other Movement Ideas:

Marching
Twirling
Tip Toe
Flossing
Jumping

Poor Old Crow

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:47:00 +0000

A Note on Mixolydian

If you are not accustomed to singing in Mixolydian, pay attention to the C natural.

Activity:

Have students come up to play a xylophone with you 1 and at time or in small groups. After the song is familiar, as students what food they would like to be in the song instead of “meat.” My kids always mention McDonalds!

I use bass bars but use the largest Orﬀ instrument you have, removing everything except the notes you want to use. You will need a tonic (I) and dominant (V) in whatever key you have available. D and A are nice because it sits within a child’s singing range.

Peas and Honey

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 22:05:00 +0000

Go 'Round the Mountain

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:43:00 +0000

This is a favorite game with my students but it makes me incredibly dizzy!

This is the way I memorized the song years ago. It may not be “true” but it is right to my ear! The version others use is notated below.

Activity:

Build a circle of drums. I like to make “drum mountain” out of my tubanos with the teacher drum in the middle. March around the drum mountain, hitting the next drum on beat 1. Invite a student up to join you BUT they must march on the opposite side of the circle from you.

Hogs in the Cornfield

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Activity:

Pair up students for rock-paper-scissors game. If a student wins, they find a new partner. If a student loses, they sit down. The goal is to get to a single “champion.”

Adjusting for movement differences: Create cards for each of the hand signs, select from a visual choice board, or AAC. Alternatively, students who are capable of doing the hand signs but not in time with the chant can hold their hand behind their back or turn around to reveal their choice.

Jeremiah Blow the Fire

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Activity:

Give every child a scarf. Have them copy your movement as move it from one side of your body to the other to the steady beat. Try other motions such as passing between hands, holding the scarf in both hands at once, trying to keep the scarf balanced on an elbow, resting it on a toe, or flowing with the scarf on your head. An challenging extension is to place the scarf over your face and blow on the word “blow.”

Pickles and Pie

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I learned this song aurally from a friend. Originally, my friend used a Lydian version of the tune. I chose to re-arrange the song in Mixolydian to match my ears’ preference.

This is a great song to get students to open up and begin talking. In the notation, I have put parenthesis around the word (Elephant). Allow students to replace the word elephant with whatever they would like. It is up to the TEACHER to find a way to fit it in the song! Kids will enjoy trying to trick you and this builds a great opportunity to build relationships.