F on Meet Them in Music

Biddy Biddy Hold Fast

Wed, 06 May 2026 09:46:00 +0000

Activity

Have students sit in a circle. One student stands in a far away spot in the room - This student is the “finder.” While the class sings the song, another student will go around the circle pretending to drop an item in each students’ hands - This student is the “hider.” The “finder” will have 3 guesses to find where the hidden object.

Whoever had the hidden object becomes the finder, the finder becomes the hider, the hider returns to the circle.

Let Us Chase the Squirrel

Mon, 04 May 2026 12:41:00 +0000

This is best done outdoors on grass.

Activity

Stand students in a circle with their arms outstretched. They should be just far enough apart to touch fingers with their neighbors. Assign one student to be the squirrel and one to be the dog. The squirrel can run in and out of the circle but the dog must stay on the outside. When the squirrel runs through a hole in the tree, the door closes and they cant go back through.

A Ram Sam Sam

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:35:00 +0000

Language Note

This song comes from Morocco and uses Moroccan Arabic. As a result of French influence, Moroccan Arabic is very different and, at times, inaccessible to speakers of other forms of Arabic.

When presenting this song to students, it would be better to describe it as "Moroccan" instead of "Arabic" to avoid cultural disambiguation.

I have attempted to check aspects of this song and language with my Arabic speaking and culturally Arabic university students.

Activity

Toodala

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:02:00 +0000

Activity

Sing the song while standing as still as possible. When you get to the B section (“Mighty pretty motion”) do a simple dance. Examples of a dance are waving your hands in the air, patting your heat to the beat, hopping in place, etc.

Invite students to create dance moves to put in the song. Remind the students to freeze before each repetition of the song.

The same activity fits with the song Clapping Land

Atta Katta Moeva

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:47:00 +0000

This is a Dutch song from the Netherlands that is used to help teach articulation and enunciation. From what I can tell, the lyrics are mostly non-sense sounds but I welcome information otherwise.

Related Song

A song with similar activities and skills is A Ram Sam Sam.

As an English speaker, I like this song for enunciation because Dutch is very similar English with greater attack on the consonants.

Activity

Sing the song for the students. Being an unfamiliar language it may take some time to learn the lyrics. My students latch on to the B section quickly.

Purple Light

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:55:00 +0000

Activity

This is a standard echo songs. Students echo the same as the teacher but the echoes line up in the middle of sentences making this feel a bit tricky for students at first.

Visual Supports: These slides were created for me by an AP Art student in my district. They may projected in your classroom but not altered or sold in anyway.

Purple Light, In the canyon, thats where I long to be. With my 3 good companions. My guitar my pony and me

Radna and Petko

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:52:00 +0000

Activity

Give every student a beanbag to balance on the back of their hand (to represent an engagement ring). While singing the song, smoothly flow the beanbag around being careful not to drop it.

Students like to show off that they can balance a beanbag on one finger. Do this on the second repetition.

Allow students to suggest other places to put the beanbag and fit this into the song. Are there other types of jewelry that would make sense for these body parts? How can you make it rhyme with the song (Eyebrow rhymes with “engagement ring, now”)

Pole Pole

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:21:00 +0000

Swahili

“Pole, pole” is a Swahili phrase meaning “Slowly, slowly” or “Step-by-step.” It is pronounced “Poh-lay.” The phrase can mean “drive slowly” on a dangerous road. It also is used as a mantra similar to “take it easy”

Activity

This is a nice echo song using Swahili words and mentioning animals from Africa. Teach students to echo you as a group or by giving each student a solo turn.

This can also become a movement activity (think Snail Snail or Going on a Bear Hunt). Pretend to drive a truck on a safari, looking for animals.

Old Raggy

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:40:00 +0000

Old Raggy

Old Raggy is like a worse version of Santa Clause. He only brings presents you definitely don’t want!

Activity 1:

Have the students stand in Longways Sets, as if doing a folk dance. Old Raggy stands between the lines, with their feet stuck to the floor. After the students sing the song, Old Raggy tells them what is in the bag. It is always gross, nasty presents like a plastic bag full of toenails, moldy pizza, or blood. My one rule is “we NEVER use poop, pee, or people’s names.”

Frog in the Meadow

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:19:00 +0000

Two versions are provided depending on the reading concept being taught.

Activity

One student is the “frog” while the others are the meadow. The Frog stomps around the room to the beat of the song. The student should freeze at the end of the song and select another student to be the frog.

Did You Feed my Cow

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:47:00 +0000

Original source:

The original words (recorded by Thomas Talley) described the death of the cow. I have slightly altered the words to match our modern sensibilities. A link to the original words is on page 78 of the source book linked above.

If this song is too complicated with its multiple responses, try John the Rabbit. It assesses responding on tonic with different words than prompted.

Activity: This is a standard echo/response song procedure. You will need to give the students the answers before. Since they are not copying you, this is more challenging than a simple echo song.

Great Big House in New Orleans

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a great song to bring out the bass xylophone or bass bars.

Activity:

For classes that need it, I will often have the kids come up in turns. For classes that are more independent, I will set out multiple instruments. On the first attempt, play with the students on the same instrument.

Have a student choose the type of pie that is in the Great Big House. Fill in that word instead of “pumpkin.” Any answer is the acceptable!