Lesson 8

Parents attend next week!

Celebrate Connection
Here are some more alphabet pieces games!
1. Alpha-frogger:
Pretend each alphabet foam piece is a tiny frog. Have your child choose an alphabet frog, then hop it across the keyboard helping froggie find all keys of that letter. These frogs don't croak—each time the "frog" lands on one of her special lily pads, sing the letter (on pitch!).
2. Silly Songs:
Have your child draw out 5-10 alphabet notes and line them up along the music stand. With her right hand in C position, play each note with the finger touching that key. If the note is a B, slide the thumb down to yellow position to reach it; if the note is an A, slide the hand into blue position to reach it. This might be a wacky song, or it might be something cool. If you like the tune, play it again.

Homework pp. 18–21: Students cut out the glue-on pieces for "The Pirate Ship" puppet show and glue them onto p. 21.

Oh, When the Saints & Lullaby and Goodnight
The downbeat is the strong beat that tells us when to begin playing a song. Sometimes the downbeat is on the first word of a song, sometimes it is not. Ask your child what word the DOWNBEAT is on in both of these songs! ("Oh, when the SAINTS ..." and "Lul-la-BY ...")

Tinga Layo:
Our toe-tapping donkey dances a shaky, stylized rhythm called CALYPSO. See if you can hear this fun rhythm while singing along!

I am Robin Hood
It’s duet time! While your child plays the melody, you or a sibling can clap or pat drumbeats on your lap in a repeated slug pattern. Then switch! Once your child is confident playing the melody by themselves, invite them to pat their own leg while playing. Impressive harmony!

Ask your child to teach you the actions to Don't Put Your Trash. Then change up the lyrics when encouraging chores: Don't put your SOCKS (insert any noun) in my BEDROOM (insert any place) my bedroom's full!