Submitted by Jaime Schrock, Davison, Michigan

Idea posted June 25, 2002

This is a program about animals. Lots of songs out there about animals. Endless possibilities! Here it is:

1st Grade Selections:
1. "A Mouse And A Moose And A Little Green Frog" (from Music K-8, Vol. 10, No. 5)
2. "Bumblebee" (Public Domain) - to the tune of Jingle Bells:

Bumblebee, bumblebee, landing on my toes

Bumblebee, oh bumblebee, now he's on my nose

On my arms, on my legs, on my elbow

Bumblebee, oh bumblebee, he lands and then he goes

3. "The Cow Says, 'Meow!'" (from Music K-8, Vol. 9, No. 5)
2nd Grade Selections:
1. "They're Just Bugs!" (from Music K-8, Vol. 8, No. 4)
2. "I Bought Me A Cat"
3. "Bees Are Buzzing" (from Music K-8, Vol. 12, No. 4)
Combined:
1. "Funny Bunny" (from Music K-8, Vol. 8, No. 4)
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Details 1st Grade:
1. "A Mouse And A Moose And A Little Green Frog:" Add three students with masks or simple costumes to act out the song front stage. Visual adds so much. Add humorous actions.
2. "Bumblebee:" Sing five repetitions of the song. I used keyboard accompaniment. Add five students to spin, run, dance around the stage trying to get the bumblebee off of them one at a time for each repetition of the song. Great opportunity for your hyperactive students. :)
3. "The Cow Says, 'Meow!':" Eight animals with masks to make the animal noise on each verse. Also added two chords of Boomwhackers®:
This is after the echo part:

The cow says, "Meow!" (ti-ti)  C Major

Oh, what a silly cow! (ti-ti)  F Major

The cow says, "Meow!" (ti-ti)  C Major, "Meow!"

Details 2nd Grade:
1. "They're Just Bugs!:" Nothing added. Thought about adding some humor with a fly swatter, but no time :)
2. "I Bought Me A Cat:" Kodály hand signals are used on the animal sounds. Keyboard accompaniment (pre-recorded). three xylophones and one set of temble blocks played ostinato to the beat (DO-SO). Two Metallophones & two Glocks played *every other animal sound that had a long tone: (*METALLOPHONES/GLOCKS)

Cat  fiddle-i-fee: metall. play on "FEE"

Hen  chimmy chuck

Duck  *QUACK QUACK

Goose  hissy hissy

Sheep  *BAA BAA

Hog  griffy griffy

Cow  *MOO MOO

Dog  bowow bowow

3. "Bees Are Buzzing:" Performed as suggested by Music K-8, except we sounded more together to keep the kazoo part as one instead of a round.
Combined:
1. "Funny Bunny:" Bunny in costume with props; pickle worn on nose, garden hose, designer vest, tape player for "dozen radios." Elvis in costume. I had him keep his head down while he played guitar. The only time he lifted his face to the audience was when he mouthed "funny bunny." This helped to visually enhance the lip sync. Also used audience participation on two-part split.
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Speaking parts were said to introduce the following songs:
1. "A Mouse And A Moose And A Little Green Frog:"

Good evening and welcome to CRAZY CRITTERS! (say it silly)

We hope you enjoy all the songs we will sing

We practiced our songs for a VERY long while

But it's worth all the work when we see all your smiles

2. "Bumblebee:"

Here's a song about a bumblebee

It won't stop landing on me!

On my arms and on my toes,

First he lands, and then he goes

3. "The Cow Says, 'Meow!':"

A dog says, "Ruff!" A horse says, "Neigh!"

But what if the animals were bored one day?

Instead the pup would say, "What's up"

And "meow" is what the cow would say

4. "They're Just Bugs!:" didn't do this one
5. "I Bought Me A Cat:"

Hand signals are used in this song

What do they mean? Is something wrong?

Mi Re Do, from high to low

Tells our voices where to go

6. "Bees Are Buzzing:"

Auditory filtering is a fancy word

To describe a round in which two parts are heard

Focus on one thing, ignore the distractions

That's not easy when bees are the attraction

7. "Funny Bunny:"

Thank you for coming to share in our fun,

We'll sing one more song and then we are done

We sang about critters from land and sky

"Funny Bunny" is the last song tonight

We need your help in the middle of the song

Do what we do and sing along

Bunny ears are your special clue

So, be ready when we point to you.

That's that! Hope it's of use to someone.