Piggyback Songs, Down on the Farm

(submitted by Pamela)

PREPARATION: Prepare a worksheet that has writing grids on it. Include clipart that has pigs on it or pictures relating to farms. I use the following clipart: Creative Teaching Press, Inc. P.O. Box 6017, Cypress, CA 90630, E-MAIL IS: we.listen@creativeteaching.com

The "piggyback" worksheet has the following on it: Pictures about farms or pigs, writing grids, a line for the title, the name of the song for which the child is going to create the piggyback song, and a place for the child to sign his name as the creator of the piggyback song.

IN CLASS: Give the students one subject idea. Talk about words that would relate to the subject. Discuss words that would rhyme with the words suggested. Clap the word rhythm to a well known folk song. Ask the class to clap the rhythm. Ask members of the class to think of words relating to the suggested subject that would match the word rhythm. Continue until the song is completed. Sing the classes' piggyback song.

At this point, ask each class member to select his own subject, write down words that relate to it and write down rhyming words for each suggested word he had written down. After this, tell the student to make up his own piggyback song about his selected subject. It should match the word rhythm of the song listed on his worksheet. Take up the papers, correct spelling, etc. After the papers have been corrected, hand out the worksheets you have prepared and have the students write their piggyback song on the worksheet. Let them color the pictures on the worksheet. (I prepare several sheets-each sheet has a different song on it.)

BULLETIN BOARD: Decorate the bulletin board as a farm setting. Place the worksheets on the bulletin board.