Lesson Plan#: AELP-MUS0009
Submitted by: Kim Stavenau
Endorsed by: Don Descy
Mankato State University Date: March 18, 1998

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Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2

Subject(s):

• Arts/Music

Description:

Singing and dancing has been a tradition in many cultures.  A simple song can brighten a students mood or the classroom. An example of a mood lifting song is the The Three Little Monkeys.

Goal: Students will learn a song and improve their motor skills.

Objectives: The students will be able to perform the song and dance without help from the teacher or peers.

Background Information:

Young students love to learn actions to new songs. The song included in this lesson is similar to a chant and it allows the students to put some creative actions with the words.  The students can take the words from this song and put new actions with it or the students could take a song they already know and make up actions to match the words.

Concepts: The students will be able to:

   1.  sing and do the actions for The Three Little Monkeys.
   2.  make up actions to a song they already know.

Materials: none

Procedures:

  1.  Teach the students the words to the song.
  2.  Teach the students the actions to the song.
  3.  Practice the song with the actions until all of the students feel comfortable.

The Three Little Monkeys Three little monkeys swinging in a tree, (hold hand up with 3 fingers in the air) Teasing Mr. Alligator, Can’t catch me! (shake finger, use voice to sound like you’re teasing) Up crept Mr. Alligator quiet as can be.   (whisper this line, pretend to creep around) SNAP!    (use arms like an open alligator mouth, snap them together on the word SNAP)   Two little monkeys swinging in a tree, (repeat actions throughout all of the verses) Teasing Mr. Alligator, Can’t catch me! Up crept Mr. Alligator quiet as can be. SNAP!

One little monkey swinging in a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, Can’t catch me! Up crept Mr. Alligator quiet as can be. SNAP! (pause) MISSED ME!  (teasingly) *This song can be lengthened to 5 monkeys instead of just 3. Be sure to allow the students to be creative and add more actions.
**Song was adapted from the following site on the internet:   http://www.kididdles.com/mouseum/t039.html

Assessment:

When the students are asked, they can sing the song and perform the actions to the song the way we learned them in class.