Fall 1994 class:

Animal Folk songs for Children

Ruth Crawford Seeger

Doubleday and Co. Inc.

Garden City, NY C. 1948

Appropriate for lower and middle grades. Very educational songbook that can be used in conjunction with many classroom themes. Lots of helpful info provided by the author. High recommendation.

by Stephanie Lee

Birchard Music Series

Rose Marie Grentzer and Marguerite V. Hood

publ. by California State Dept. of Education by Summy-Birchard Co. C. 1960

Series consists of many songs of different subjects - e.g. science, holidays, animals. etc. Activity suggestions are included for each song. Songs are short and easy to learn.

Date of publication would make me (Dr. Levine) question its appropriateness.

by Ilada Goodman

Book of Kids Songs, The: A Holler-along handbook

by Klutz Press

Palo Alto, CA

Appropriate for all ages of elementary grades. Variety of styles and concepts taught (i.e. vowel sounds, brushing teeth, peace on earth). Book also contains fun projects for kids. High recommendation.

by Marikatherine Wissman

Elephant Jam

by Sharon, Lois and Bram

Crown Publishers, Inc. New York C.1989

Grade appropriateness: K-5. Includes chants, easy songs, echo songs, partner songs, songs that contrast singing and speaking. Be careful of low ranges of songs. Includes songs from around the world. No discussion of concepts that are taught. Strictly for singing and playing! Useful music resource.

by Lynda Vincent

Great Rounds Songbook. The

by Esther L. Nelson

illustrated by Joyce Behr

Sterling Publishing Co. Inc., New York 1985

Appropriate for all elementary grades. Songs can be adapted for each grade level. Ranges and keys are appropriate for elementary school age. Multiculturalism stressed. If using this songbook, consider appropriate concepts when choosing songs. Highly recommended.

by Christin Murphy

Homemade Band and Feel the Music

by Hap Palmer

recordings by Educational Activities (check back of recording for address or can find in any children's book and music store)

HB is a delightful recording of music appropriate for K-2. Emphasis is on homemade instruments. F the M is appropriate for 2-3. The basic theme of this album centers around feeling music. (e.g. good old fashioned rock and roll, walking notes, clap and rest, etc...). Hap Palmer has the unique gift of bringing music to life and giving it meaning and purpose in a child's life. High recommendation.

By Denise Hermanson

I Have a Song For You About Seasons and Holidays. (V.2)

by Janeen Brady

V. 1 is called "About people and nature," V.3 is called "About Animals." Each songbook comes with a song along cassette. V. 2 is appropriate for middle grades. Can be used to teach seasons and holidays. Songbook suggests movements or adjusting each song for different situations.

by Patricia Elder

Lap-Time Song and Play Book, The

edited by Jane Yolen

arrangements by Adam Stemple

pictures by Margot Tomes.

Appropriate for lower grades (conceived as at home, lap-time songs). Songs stem from British and English nursery rhymes. Each song comes with instructions.

by Amy Whoolery

Let's Begin with a Song

D. Edmund

Creative Teaching Press, Inc.

Monterey, CA C. 1975

Good for lower elementary grades. Concepts include: seasons, holidays, colors, animals, and shapes. Math, science and art activities suggested in the book. A small bibliography is provided with every song. Drawback - lack of sensitivity to multicultural needs.

by Flor Hawthorne

Miss Jackie Says: Hello Sound

by Jackie Weissman

Address for Materials: "Miss Jackie", 10001 El Monte; Overland Park, Kansas 66207

Geared toward K. Six major themes of the book are: What is sound, body sounds, listening sounds, classifying sounds, sound ideas, and fun sounds. High recommendation.

By Catherine Baldi

Music (series by Macmillan)

Sixth grade book

Highlights include: Media of Music, Sound of Rock Drums of the World, Guitar and its cousins, Sounds of voices, Components of Music, Structure of Music, etc....

Series includes a glossary at the end of the book. Found the book to be easy to understand and approachable. Highly recommended.

* This series is available for K-8 similar to the Silver Burdett Series. Both are excellent and highly recommended!!! (Dr. Levine)

by Diane Betts

Music For Ones and Twos: Songs and Games For the Very Young Child

by Tom Glazer

illustrations by Karen Ann Weinhaus

Doubleday and Co. Inc. Garden City, New York

An ideal songbook for kindergarten students. Talks about the five senses, building blocks, noises they hear, taking a bath and going to bed. Lines of the songs are repetitious and easy for young children. good examples of songs for a variety of occasions. Contains some classics such as: "I'm a little teapot" and "Bingo." High recommendation.

by Sharon Topf

Silver Burdett: A Centennial Songbook

A celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Silver Burdett's involvement in the education of music to children. A survey songbook - songs can be used for all elementary grades. Use in addition to a music text, not a substitute for it.

(check out all the Silver Burdett series in music - i.e. "World of Music," "Music" series. Silver Burdett is one of the best in the business!!!)

by Allison Thompson

Teaching Primary Math with Music

Grade appropriateness: K-3. Songbook and tape that assist students in combining music with learning math. Can alleviate fear of math for some students. High recommendation.

by Candy Hong

Wee Sing (series)

titles include: Wee Sing: America, Dinosaurs, Sing Alongs, Silly Songs, Chants and Fingerplays, Around the Campfire, and Play and Nursery Rhymes, Around the World.

The series offers great ideas as well as diversity to children's music. Song books can be purchased in a set that comes with a cassette tape. They are so fun to sing along with.

High recommendation! (check out others in the Wee Sing series as well.)

by Laura Hernandez, Judy Roller and Deanna Wells

World of Music

published by Silver Burdett and Ginn C. 1990

Series for K-8. Offers a variety of songs from many countries around the world. Concepts are developed sequentially. Teachers guide include suggestions for special experiences and related projects. Has a strong Language Arts correlation. Evaluation in the form of tests are part of the series. Materials for student evaluation are supplemented with records when needed and reinforcement material is suggested for weakness in content areas. Student and teachers books include a glossary, and index of songs. This is truly a great music series. For more info contact: 1-800-848-9500

by Bernadette Lori

Winter 1995 class:

2nd Raffi Songbook, The

Crown Publishers, Inc. New York

Geared toward preschoolers - eight year olds. embraces music as a tool toward understanding and accepting differences in people and promotes a learning climate free of competition. Contains 42 songs including "Baby Beluga" and "Everyone in all the world." Materials are adaptable to each teacher's ability as well as developmental stage of children. Great variety in the kinds of songs and experiences in this songbook. Highly recommended

by Adonay Montes

Billy the Squid

by Tom Chapin

Appropriate for middle or upper grades, this recording could be used as background music during free work time or as part of a music lesson. Songs include: "The Ghost of Bleak House," "Sore Loser," "I got the Blues, Greens and Reds," and "The Feelings I feel color my day."

by Cynthia Ford

Family Folk Festival - a Multi-Cultural Sing Along

produced by Leib Ostrow

publ. Music for Little People

A collection of 13 tunes by 10 different (some well-known) artists. The recording "celebrates a variety of musical styles and cultures...encouraging children, families, and friends to sing together!" The album is extremely "easy on the ears" of both young and old, children and adults alike. A wide appeal is this album's secret. May be used in any classroom (K-6). Be careful of two tunes (The Garden Song and Ise Oluwa) that have religious overtones - they would not be favorably accepted in a public school. This album crosses both age and cultural barriers and has the potential to gratify just about anyone.Highly recommended.

by Charles Fox

Fingerplays and Footplays for Fun and Learning

by Rosemary Hallum and Henry Glass

Appropriate for kindergarten, this tape helps to teach basic skills through music (i.e. counting, transportation, nutrition, social awareness, etc...). Each song is repeated at least 3 times (which allows the teacher to continue the playing of the tape rather than rewind each time!) Well put together and highly recommended.

by Grace Wonhi Lee

I'm Going to Sing

by Ashley Bryan

This Black American Spiritual songbook is a collection of spirituals that have been handed down by oral tradition and put down on paper by Ashley Bryan. This book is appropriate for teaching spirituals, hardship in life, or slavery in the United States. Can be used at any grade level (probably more appropriate at middle or upper grades).

by Roberto Lopez

In Harmony

Sesame Street Record

A compilation of children's songs by artists who have great and established careers (i.e. Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, etc...). Charismatic songs that would be better for listening rather than teaching are on this record. Covers a wide variety of topics including nutrition, the natural world, sharing, emotions, fairytales, seasons and friendships, etc... Recommendation is to listen to the CD before deciding to use it your classroom. Appropriate for pre-school, kindergarten or 1st grade.

by Jennifer Pierce

Mi Casa es su Casa

performed by Michele Valeri

This tape is a bi-lingual musical journey through Latin America. Michele begins by telling a story about a trip she took to South America and her songs recall each of the countries she visited. Songs are both in English and Spanish.

by Maria Flores

Songs that Children Sing

by Eleanor Chroman

A collection of folksongs in English as well as German, African, Vietnamese, Japanese, Yiddish, and Spanish. Each of them are written in the original language with English translations. These songs are easy to play as well. Appropriate for kindergarten - 4th or 5th grade. Twenty-nine countries are represented in this folksong collection. This book is especially appropriate in today's classrooms considering the multi-cultural makeup of our classrooms.

by Carol Akatsu

Tickle Tune Typhoon: Circle Around, The

Songbook appropriate for grades 2-3. Informative for helping children know about body and health, nutrition, understanding differences in people, learning about trees, dinosaurs, and bears. Informative collection but perhaps songs are a bit long. Kids might not be able to pick up fast enough to sing the whole song by themselves. (perhaps they could pick up part of the song or they could be used for listening purposes?)

by Mary Rodriguez

Wee Sing Collection

Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

published by Price Stern Sloan, Los Angeles

This songbook is complied to use in either small or large gatherings. The songbook has four sections: 1. Sing, Sing Together 2. Rocka My Soul 3. Round 'n Round and 4. Day is Done

1. Sing, Sing Together boisterous and happy mood

2. Rocka my Soul - spirituals, rhythmic songs lend themselves to expression through clapping, snapping or tapping

3. Round 'n Round - collection of rounds

4. Day is done - quieter songs which offer beautiful melodies that are lovely for harmonizing and deliver a warm "good-night."

Many songs in this collection which would be appropriate for all grade levels. You would need to preview the collection before deciding how to use them in the classroom. Wee Sing series is always appropriate for use in the classroom and a good tool for the classroom teacher.

by Margaret Liu

Spring 95 class:

Disney Children's Favorites, v.2

Jymn Magon

Walt Disney Records

25 classic tunes performed by Larry Groce and the Disneyland Children's Chorus (and Parachute Express). Positive factors - children love it, good variety. Negative factors - Lyrics only, no notes on the staff. Suggestion - use the recording and be creative in the teaching!

Recommended

by Lidia Macias

Lets Begin With a Song

by Doris Edmund

Creative Teaching Press, Inc.

Contains songs about animals, homes, senses, kinds of jobs, colors, shapes, weather, months, etc... Well written and each song has five parts to it - words, notes, discussion topics that relate to the song, history, activities, and a reference area.

Highly recommended

by Maria Rodriguez

Lets Do It Again! The songs of ETM

by Mary Helen Richards

Offers more than 100 songs and dances. Contains rounds, folk songs, games, dances, and partner songs. Text is divided into 6 sections with a movement glossary at the end of the book. Format is specifically designed for teaching the material in the book - spiral binding for flexibility, easy to read pages. Teaching suggestions and movement suggestions with each song. Some include history of the song.

Highly recommended

by Carrie Partin

Singing and Dancing Games for the Very Young

by Esther L. Nelson

Sterling Publishing, Co. Inc.

Appropriate for children ages 2-8. Contains over 30 songs - some familiar, others not. Games may be correlated to a song, use of body movement is suggested. Pictures are appropriate. Includes 3 story songs which are longer and tell a complete story within the song.

Highly recommended (especially for Kindergarten)

by Tisha Watkins

Walt Disney Sing Along Songbook

Includes traditional folk songs - i.e. Yankee Doodle, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean, Farmer in the Dell, etc.... Melody line/no harmony. Positive factors - great tunes, quick to learn. Negative factors - teacher needs to be very creative to keep it fun and new.

by Amy Fife

Wee Sing, Fun 'n Folk

by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

Price Stern Sloan, Inc. Publ.

Forty - one songs that can be used in K-4/5. Can be easily integrated into other areas of the curriculum. Well laid out with easy to read print. Illustrations complement each song. Contains suggestions for movement. All verses included on the tape!!!

Highly recommended

by Michele Kerzie

Wee Sing Silly Songs

by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

Price Stern Sloan, Inc. 1982

"Silly" songs about people, animals and things. Table of contents easily divides songs into several categories. Motions suggested, illustrations-excellent. Tape includes a variety of voices, young and old, male and female and some with accents as well. THIS TAPE DID NOT HAVE ALL VERSES INCLUDED ON SONGS!!

Recommended, but with reservation.....

by Charmaine Ligocki and Patricia Aguilera

Wee Sing Sing-Alongs

by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp

Book and Cassette that provides a number of campfire type songs. Tunes are separated in the Table of Contents in a manner that is easy to understand. Positive factors - lots of songs, good price, easily accessible. Negative factors - some boring tunes, religious sounding and not engaging for this listener or children.

Not recommended

by Alicia Hernandez

We Need Each Other

by Jo Eklof

Miss Jo Productions, 1981, Texas

Concentrates on songs about nature, animals and people in the way in which we need each other.

Divided into 4 sections: All about Animals, All about Me, All about Us, Songs for Older Children. each song is accompanied by either a story or a poem. Beautiful illustrations accompany these fabulous songs and stories. Guitar chords are included. Physically, the book is not very sturdy and can fall apart easily. Recommended for its fun, creativity and uniqueness.