Page 11 - Level 1 Ukulele Lesson Plans

“Can anyone remember what last week’s plucking homework was?” Ask a volunteer to demonstrate singing “GCEA Green Children Eat Ants” in tune as they pluck the corresponding strings.
Remind the children how to use their thumb to pluck the strings. Tell them to start with the 4th string which is highest to the ceiling and move down to the first string which is closest to the floor. Encourage everyone to sing “GCEA Green Children Eat Ants” as they pluck the corresponding strings. Sing the motif slowly several times in a row without stopping until most of the children are joining in.
Sing the whole of ‘Time to Tune the Ukulele’ at least two times from the beginning, encouraging the children to join in with singing the whole song and plucking “GCEA Green Children Eat Ants.”
Time to tune the ukulele, time to tune the uke.
GCEA Green Children Eat Ants.
Listen to the strings you’re playing, listen to the strings you’re playing. GCEA Green Children Eat Ants.
Are the notes too high, are they too low?
GCEA Green Children Eat Ants.
Time to tune the ukulele, time to tune the uke.
GCEA Green Children Eat Ants. Yum!
8. Song/Game (6 mins): ‘Bell Horses’ (traditional)
“Can anyone guess which song I’m humming?” You hum Bell Horses. If no one can guess, then hum again, but this time singing the words “what time of day” as they come in.
“Let’s all sing the song together!” Tap your thighs in time with the pulse as you sing, and the children should copy.
Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day? One o’ clock, two o’ clock, three and away. Bell horses, bell horses, what time of day? Four o’clock, five o’ clock, home for today.
“We’re going to sing the song again but this time I want you to put your thinking caps on and see if there are any times when we tap our thighs but do not sing.” Everyone sings the song and taps their thighs to the pulse. “Were there times when we tapped our thighs but did not sing? When were these times (the children may answer ‘after the word day’ for example)?” Discuss and then tell the children that these are “gaps” in the song. “Let’s tap our thighs and sing again and see if we can notice all of the gaps in the song (where we tap but do not sing).” Everyone sings the song again and taps their thighs to the pulse.
“We’re going to sing the song again but this time I want to see if you can clap only during the ‘gaps’ in the song.” Everyone sings the song and claps only during the crotchet rests (with no thigh tapping).
Make sure you join in with the clapping so they can see it done correctly (you could show the pulse silently at the same time by gently moving your hands in time whilst apart). Congratulate those who managed to clap at the right time and repeat the exercise one or two times.
© 2019 Lucy Sparkles LTD