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Children's Literature
Mortimer
Mortimer is my favorite children's book! I use pitched instruments when people go up/down the stairs, use the 4 voices (whisper/talk/yell/sing), pat the beat and have the students sing with Mortimer. Every child can relate to not wanting to go to bed at night!
Any of the Feierabend Books!
John M. Feierabend has some amazing folk song books. Currently there are over 14 books and they are all fantastic! My favorites are: There's A Whole In the Bucket, The Crab Fish and The Other Day I Met A Bear.
We're Going on a Bear Hunt!
This is one of the first books I do with Kindergarten in August. It helps them learn how to repeat after me. Plus it is a good introduction to fast and slow. Sometimes I add instruments to this book as well: wavy grass (scarves), stumble trip (castanets), going up the stairs (slide whistle), etc.
Pout Pout Fish
The Pout Pout Fish is a great book to do in the middle of the winter when students start getting on each others nerves. This book reminds kids and adults to remember to be nice to people when they are having a bad day. I get out my viberslap with this book and have the students hit it on the words "Glumb, glub glub!" They love it!
Raffi Books!
Raffi books are great song books to teach students a bunch of children's songs. The pictures are very detailed and have a lot of interesting things for the students to find. My favorites are Down By the Bay and Baby Beluga
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A...
Lucille Colandro has many types of 'There Was an Old Lady" books for every occasion! I usually try to ham it up for the students and try the last one in one breath! My favorites are There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed: Snow and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
By Anna Dewdney, Llama Llama Red Pajama is a bout a llama that is afraid to go to sleep. This book has some great social messages and also practices group chant. Such a neat book!
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
By Iza Trapani, The Bear Went Over the Mountain helps students learn a folk song while also learning about personal space. The bear gets to close to his friends and gets hurt each time. We then talk about why his friends got mad at him and why people need personal space.
Pete the Cat
Pete the Cat by James Dean has great beat to it and also has great morals to the story. If you haven't done a Pete the Cat Book in Class you must! My Favorites are: Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons, Pete the Cat and his White Shoes, Pete the Cat Rockin' in My School Shoes.