Reply To: Summer Music Class

[nafmeadmin]

For fun songs, I always go to summer camp songs!! Here is a sort of database of summer camp songs, some of which are classroom standards.
http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activities/camp-songs.html

I would do Silly Songs, Animal Songs, Character Songs (tarzan, for ex.) as units. You can break each song down to focus on the rhythm, melodic contour, high/low, fast/slow etc. Movement goes hand-in-hand with listening. I would just choose famous Classical pieces and do simple movements with them. See John Feierabend’s “Move It” DVD / online videos. I honestly haven’t purchased it; I borrowed it from a colleague once and decided that some of the songs used the same movements (right hand drop down, left hand drop down, hands together up, hands together down). One of my predecessors purchased his steady beat CD, which I use with my little kids for marching, tapping the beat and hand movements.
Hope that helps!!