Presto Largo Lesson

I used this with my first grade classes in the spring. For this lesson, I began by telling the story of The Turtle and The Hare. Next, we acted it out. One person would be the hare, one would be the turtle, and the rest of the class lined up to make a little "speedway" in the classroom. Before we raced, I asked who would like to cheer for the rabbit. Those kids could only cheer by saying "Presto! Presto! Presto!" The kids cheering for the turtle could only cheer "Laaaaaargo..... Laaaaaargo...." The race went off (the winner didn't matter). Next, we formed a circle and the kids put their hands on each other's shoulders to link the circle. I played "Presto Largo" from Music K-8, Vol. 15, No. 5, and the kids were to move in baby side steps around in the circle according to what the song said to do. They LOVED it.

About a week after the lesson one student gave me an ad she found in a magazine of a rabbit and a turtle on a track. "Look!" she said, "It's presto and largo!" It stuck!