He Won't Bite You! | Music Game
from The Lesson Zone

Level
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

Objective
Students will learn about and experience the difference between their singing and speaking voice by playing a circle game. This music lesson plan is designed to fulfill Standard #1 of the National Standards for Music: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Materials
Envelope
I Wrote a Letter Lyrics

Lesson
Step 1
Tell the students, "We are going to practice using our singing and speaking voices today by playing a game. Please listen to me sing the song. Raise your hand when you hear me use my speaking voice."

Step 2
Sing the song, "I Wrote a Letter". At the end of the song, speak the words, "He won't bite you, he won't bite you,.. but he will bite you." Observe whether students raise their hand on the spoken words.

Step 3
Teach "I Wrote a Letter" by first chanting/echoing the words phrase by phrase and then adding the melody. When the students have learned the song, tell them, " Now that we know the song, we're ready to play the game. I'm going to sing the song one more time which will be just enough time for everyone to make a circle in the middle of the room."

Step 4
When all students are in a circle, explain to the students, "I will be it first to show you how the game is played. While all of you are singing the song, I will walk around the outside of the circle. I will continue walking around the circle when I finish singing the song and will tap student's heads and say, 'He won't bite you' or 'But he will bite you.' When I say 'But he will bite you', I will drop the envelope behind that student. The student who has the letter behind them will chase me around the circle and try to catch me before I return to the letter. If I return to the letter before being caught, I get to be part of the circle. If I'm caught, then I have to go into the center of the circle until someone else is caught."

Step 5
Continue to play the game with the chaser being the new "It" student who carries the letter around the outside of the circle while singing the song.

Variation
If you prefer, the chase can be a brisk walk around the circle rather than running.

Have Fun!

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