Sing Spring–Happy Earthday!

 

A family singalong – there is a lot of material here so I pick and choose depending on the age and attention span of the group and whether or not not I am doing separate spring and Earth Day programs.. I did a shortened version for our sensory-sensitive patrons with just the * items.

 

Tom Chapin’s Album “This Pretty Planet” playing as children arrive.

 

*You’ll Sing a Song (traditional)

You’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song and we’ll sing a song together.

You’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song in warm or wintry weather.

Continue with suggestions: “clap hands” “stomp feet” “turn around” “flap our wings” “jump up and down” etc. till “sit right down”

 

 

*Take a Walk Outside (from Pick Me Up, Fun Songs for Learning Signs – played the song from the album as we “danced with our hands”)

 

*And the Green Grass Grew all Around (flannel)

Song on Rachel Buchman’s “Sing a Song of Seasons” (Children echo words in italics)

 

In the woods, there was a hole (there was a hole)

The prettiest hole (the prettiest hole)

That you ever did see (that you ever did see),

Oh a hole in the woods, a hole in the ground,

And the green grass grew all around, all around

And the green grass grew all around.

 

And in that hole (and in that hole)

There was a root (there was a root)

The prettiest root (the prettiest root)

That you ever did see (that you ever did see)

Oh a root in hole and a hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around, all around

And the green grass grew all around.

Continue with:

tree  -- tree on a root, root in the hole, hole in the ground, and the green grass grew…

branch – branch on a tree, tree on a root,
root in the hole, hole in the ground…

nest – nest on a branch…

egg – egg on a nest…

bird – bird in the egg…

 

*A Wiggly Worm (flannel http://ccplonline.org/kids/songs4tots/wigglyworm.html)

Tune: “Boom! Boom! Ain’t it Great to be Crazy!” 

Chorus:

  Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?

  Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?

  Red and Green and yellow, too…

  Yum! Yum! Don’t you know I love apples?

 

Way up high in an apple tree,

I saw two eyes look at me.

I reached for an apple, it started to squirm --

Ooops! I found a wiggly worm!  Chorus

 

That wiggly worm is a friend of mine. 

We eat apples all the time.

I let him crawl back to that tree –

Hey!  That worm is looking at me! Chorus

 

 

 

*In My Garden

Song on Raffi’s “One Light, One Sun”

 

Digging, digging, this is how we dig the ground,

In our garden, in our garden.

Digging, digging, this is how we dig the ground,

Early in the morning.

Hoeing, hoeing, this is how we hoe the weeds…

Planting, planting, this is how we plant the seeds…

Growing, growing, this is how the seeds will grow…

Shining, shining, this is how the sun will shine…

Raining, raining, this is how the rain will fall…

Picking, picking, this is how we’ll pick the peas…

Eating, eating, this is how we’ll eat the peas…

 

 

The Garden Song by David Mallett  (book)

Song on “A Child’s Celebration of Folk Music”

Parody: http://trefftzs.org/Jeff/Music/GardenSong-Tab.pdf

Chorus: Inch by inch, row by row
                Gonna make this garden grow
                All it takes is a rake and a hoe
                And a piece of fertile ground
                Inch by inch, row by row
                Please bless these seeds I sow
                Please keep them safe below
                'Til the rain comes tumbling down

Pulling weeds and pickin' stones
We are made from dreams and bones
Need a place to call my own
'Cause the time is near at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way through nature's chain
Tune my body and my brain
To the music of the land   Chorus

Plant your rows straight and long
Season with a cheerful song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her love and care
Old crow sitting in a tree
She’s got her hungry eye on me
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there!  Chorus
Repeat:  'Til the rain comes tumbling down

 

Action: Indoor Rainstorm – more detailed directions: http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2013/12/pre-school-storytime-its-raining-its.html

• Rub hands together
• Snap fingers (best if this is random rather than synchronized)
• Clap hands (varying the sound & rhythm) (get them to get louder & louder)
• Slap thighs
• Stomp feet

Now reverse

• Slap thighs
• Clap hands
• Snap fingers
• Rub hands
• Hands on lap

It sounds like a rain storm sweeping in and then passing by.

 

 

This is the Way we Put on Our… to Play Outside in the Rain Tune: “Mulberry Bush” (omitted 2016)

 

This is the way we put on our raincoat, put on our raincoat, put on our raincoat,

This is the way we put on our raincoat,

To play outside in the rain.

Continue with: galoshes, umbrella, feel the rain on our face, splash through a puddle, squish through the mud, taste raindrops on our tongue, sail a boat, come inside...

 

Five Little Freckled Frogs (glove puppet)

Song on Raffi’s “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

 

Five little freckled frogs

Sitting on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious bugs (yum, yum)

One jumped into a pool

Where it was nice and cool

Then there were four green freckled frogs (Glug, glug) continue 4, 3, 2,1…no freckled frogs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five Little Ducks (glove puppet)

Song on Raffi’s “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

 

Five little ducks went out to play

Over the hills and far away

Mother Duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack"

And four little ducks came running back.

repeat, counting down until:

One little duck went out to play…

…No little ducks came running back.

Sad Mother Duck went out one day

Over the hills and far away.

Mother Duck said "Quack, quack, quack, quack!" (have the kids say this as loud as possible)

And five little ducks came running back!

 

The Itsy Bitsy Spider  (mentioned Joe Scruggs has a delightful variation on his album “Deep in the Jungle) (omitted 2016)

The Itsy Bitsy spider climbed up the water-spout.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out;

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain;

And the Itsy Bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

 

Variation: BIG FAT SPIDER (sung with deep voice)

 

One Little Elephant  (omitted 2016)

Song on Sharon, Lois, & Bram’s “One Little Elephant Went Out to Play”

One little elephant went out to play

On a spider’s web one day

She had such enormous fun

That she called for another elephant to come.

Continue with 2,3,4,etc. forming chain of children

 

 

A House is a House for Me (flannel or book  by Mary Ann Hoberman, sung by Fred Penner on his album A House for Me, or view Youtube here: https://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/a-house-is-a-house-for-me-a-singable-picture-book/ – the book is long so I clip together some of the pages to abridge it)

*We’ve Got the Whole World in our Hands

(Song on “Sing Along with Bob” & others)

We've got the whole world in our hands
We've got the whole wide world in our hands
We've got the whole world in our hands
We've got the whole world in our hands
Continue with:
We've got our mamas and our daddies…
We've got our brothers and our sisters…
We've got a little bitty baby…
We've got the birds in the air…
We've got whales in the sea…

We’ve got you and we’ve got me…

 

Walk the World Now, Children by John Forster, Michael Mark & Tom Chapin on “Some Assembly Required” (love to do this with sign language)

Walk the world now, children. Walk it now with me.

Walk the world now, children. Walk it now with me.

Walk the world now, children. Treat it lovingly.

And the world will last forever and a day.

Drink the water, children…

Breathe the air now, children…

Work the land now, children…

Walk the world now, children…

 

What a Wonderful World (book by Bob Thiele based on song sung by Louis Armstrong) – read book then used rainbow scarves and danced to Louis, followed by dancing to:

This Pretty Planet by Tom Chapin and John Forster on “This Pretty Planet”

This pretty planet

Spinning through space,

You’re a garden,

You’re a harbor,

You’re a holy place.

Golden sun going down,

Gentle blue giant

Spin us around.

All through the night,

Safe ‘til the morning light.

 

Sing by Joe Raposo on same-titled album, also on “Sesame Street Platinum” and others
(Gather everyone in one circle holding hands, Start singing quietly:)

Sing, Sing a song --

Sing out loud –

Sing out strong --

Sing of good things, not bad --

Sing of happy, not sad --

Sing, Sing a song --

Make it simple to last your whole life long --

Don't worry that it’s not good enough --

For anyone else to hear --

Just Sing, Sing a song!

La, La, La, La, La,

La, La, La, La, La

La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La

(On the La, La’s –  bring everyone in the circle to the center and then out again.  –then repeat the whole song…louder and stronger!)

Hand Stamping to “Sing” by Joe Raposo (used cd accompanying book Sing,  ora recording of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” or  tracks from Tom Chapin’s “This Pretty Planet”

Additional materials – mix and match depending on whether I do separate spring and Earthday programs.

More Books to Sing:

Earth Day Birthday – Schnetzler

Earthsong – Rogers

Earth Dance – Rider

Everything Grows – Raffi 

Like Me and You – Raffi

One Light, One Sun – Raffi

Rise and Shine – Raffi

This Little Light of Mine –Raffi

Five Little Ducks – various authors

Itsy Bitsy Spider – various authors (Iza Trapani has an extended version)

Over in the Meadow – various authors
Sitting on the Farm – Bob King

Inch by Inch: Garden Song – David Mallet

A House is a House for Me – Mary Ann Hoberman

Look Up Look Down, See the Birdie Flying, Let’s Take a Little Walk-- sign language songs from “Pick Me Up”

 

Mr. Sun (action) Song on Raffi’s “Singable Songs for the Very Young”

Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun
Won't you please shine down on me
Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun
Hiding behind the tree
These little children are asking you
To please come out so they can play with you
Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun
Won't you please shine down on
Please shine down on, please shine down on me!

May There Always Be Sunshine

Song on: Raffi’s “Let’s Play”

May there always be sunshine

May there always be blue skies

May there always be mama

May there always be me.

 

Thanks a lot Song on Raffi’s “Baby Beluga”

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the sun in the sky.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the clouds so high.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the whispering wind.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the birds in the spring.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the moonlit night.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the stars so bright.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the wonder in me.

Thanks a lot, Thanks for the way I feel.

Thanks for the animals, thanks for the land,

Thanks for the people everywhere.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for all I've got.

Thanks for all I've got.

Sing a Whale Song  (video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzxSTK3rd4)

Song by Tom Chapin and John Forster on their album “Moonboat”(have children make whale song sounds each time you sing “sing a whale song”)

On a fateful day in the month of May

I was sitting catching fish

When a magic whale swam up to the rail

And said, “Please make a wish.”

So I said,”Well gee, I’d love to be – like you – a giant whale.”

Next thing I knew,

I was grayish-blue -- and I had a two-ton tail!

   Sing a whale song. Sing a whale song.

   Sing a whale song.

   As the flounder said to the oyster bed,

  “Sing a whale song.”
With a mighty leap I dove down deep
And swam out through the cove.
Then I raced to the top, did a belly-flop and down again I dove.
From the Arctic to the Baltic to the far off Hebrides,
Like a sub-ma-rine -- through the deep blue-green,
I swam the seven seas.
And sang a whale song. Sing a whale song.
Sing a whale song.
As the dogfish barked to the Great White Shark: "Sing a whale song."

But there were some things I wish I could forget,
Like that garbage scow off of Cur-a-cao
Or that oil spill below Brazil
Or getting caught in that giant net
And I couldn't get out and oh, was I upset!

So I had to hail that magic whale
Who changed me back once more,
Saying, "Now that you know the Great Below
We need your help on shore
To tell your tale of being a whale and all you've seen and done.
Then wet and dry,  will un-i-fy,  and all the world as one
Will sing a whale song. Sing a whale song. Sing a whale song.
From the smallest ant to the tallest tree,
From the highest peak to the deepest sea,
All the world will ring in harmony
And sing a whale song!

Shakey Eggs: Song of the Earth/Happy Earth Day medley  on Tom Chapin’s This Pretty Planet

SING!

We’ve got the whole World in our Hands -- Alternate version-- from Pam Schiller Bountiful Earth  p.69

Let’s reduce our trash…to take care of our world…

Let’s reuse all we can…to take care of our world…

Let’s recycle every can…to take care of our world…

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…we’ll take care of our world…

We’ve got the whole world in our hands!

The Farmer And His Seeds (action)

Tune:  "Farmer in the Dell"

The farmer plants the seeds,                            

(stoop and pretend to plant the seeds)

The farmer plants the seeds,            

Heigh-ho the cherry-o,

The farmer plants the seeds.            

The sun comes out to shine..            

(make large circle with arms)          

The rain begins to fall…

(flutter fingers down to the ground)

The seeds begin to grow…

 (children squat down, then stand up and reach up)

The farmer cuts them down…                             

(move arms to imitate a mower)

He binds them into sheaves…

(encircle sheaves in arms)

And now we'll have some bread…

(pretend to eat)

Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow  

Song on Raffi’s “Baby Beluga”

Chorus:
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?

First the farmer sows his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands. Chorus

Next the farmer waters the seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.  Chorus

Next the farmer hoes the weeds,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands. Chorus

Last the farmer harvests his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.  Chorus

Six Little Ducks

Song on Raffi’s “More Singable Songs”

1.  Six little ducks that I once knew,

    Fat ones, skinny ones, fair ones too,

Chorus:                     

But the one little duck with the feather on his back,

He led the others with his Quack, Quack, Quack.

Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack,

He led the others with his Quack Quack Quack.

2.  Down to the river they would go,

    wibble wobble wibble wobble to and fro, but the...
    (Chorus)

3.  Home from the river they would come,

    wibble wobble wibble wobble ho hum hum, but
    the...(Chorus)   (Repeat first verse.)

It's Raining, It's Pouring
Song on the album “Children’s Favorites”
It's raining, it's pouring;
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed and he
Bumped his head
And he couldn't get up in the morning.

 

The Anti-Garden Song  (Parody of Dave Mallet's "The Garden Song")

((c)1982, Eric Kilburn)

CHORUS: Slug by slug, weed by weed,

     My garden's got me really teed

     All the insects love to feed upon my tomato plants

     Sunburned face, scratched-up knees

     My kitchen's choked with zucchinis

     I'm shopping at the A & P next time I get a chance.

The crabgrass grows, the ragweed thrives,

The broccoli has long since died.

The only things left still alive are some radishes and beans.

My carrot plants are dead and gone,

Hear the rabbits sing a happy song

Until you've weeded all day long

You don't know what boredom means

Chorus

You get up early, work till late

Watch moles and mice get overweight

They eat their dinners on a plate from the hard work you have done

As ye sow so shall ye reap,

But I smell like a compost heap

I'm gonna get that lousy creep

Who said gardening was fun!

Chorus

4/15, 4/16 BWL