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Sunday, April 29, 2012

April showers bring May flowers

The inspiration for today's song came from a saying I hear each year in the spring: April showers bring May flowers.

A couple of weeks ago, I was brainstorming for more song ideas about spring. Spring is all about flowers, birds, bees, and....the changes in the weather! I decided to write a song about the weather in the spring.

I really wanted to incorporate an instrument for sound effects in some way, so I decided to concentrate on a spring storm. Many different instruments could be used to make sound effects for this song, but I have been having a lot of fun using the Remo hand drum within many different classrooms.

This song incorporates fine motor skills (pitter patter of the rain), and listening skills (each different sound effect).

Here are the lyrics:
Chorus: April showers bring May flowers.
             It is Spring.

Pitter patter raindrops I can hear, Pitter patter raindrops I can hear.
 (Chorus)
Wind is blowing, I can hear, Wind is blowing, I can hear.
 (Chorus)
Thunder clapping, I can hear, Thunder clapping, I can hear.
 (Chorus)

With the hand drum, I ask students to walk their index and middle fingers across the drum to make pitter patter (raindrop) sounds. For the wind blowing, I ask students to rub the drum with a flat hand in a circular motion. (Many of them love this movement for its sensory feedback!) Lastly, for "thunder clapping," I ask students to beat the drum with a flat hand for a few beats.


(I, of course, give plenty of time and repeat the verses while the students are taking turns playing the different sounds in the song).





What other songs do you love to sing with kids in the spring?
Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!