Page 22 - Level 1 Ukulele Lesson Plans

NB: if the children find this difficult, try tapping the body of the ukulele during the rests instead.
If there is time, you can see if a volunteer would like to sing ‘Bell Horses’ and pluck the G string on their ukulele during the rests on their own.
8. Song/Game (6 mins): ‘See Saw Up and Down’ (traditional)
“Can anyone remember what ‘pulse’ means?” Ask a volunteer to answer. Make sure you clarify that “the pulse is like the heartbeat of the song because it never stops, just like our heartbeats, even if there is a rest. Let’s tap the pulse on our hearts now!”
Everyone sings the song and taps the pulse on their hearts (left hand on chest where heart is and right hand tapping on top of the left hand). Repeat. Then, ask two volunteers to sing and tap the pulse on their hearts together. “Can anyone remember what it’s called when two people sing or play and instrument together (a duet)?” Next, ask one volunteer to sing the song and tap the pulse on their heart on their own. “Does anyone know what it’s called when someone sings or plays an instrument on their own (a solo)?”
“This time we’re all going to sing the song and clap the words at the same time.” Everyone sings the song as they clap the rhythm. “Can anyone remember what it’s called when we clap the words (rhythm)?” Everyone sings the song and claps the rhythm one more time.
“Now it’s time to play a quick rhythm game! I’m going to say and clap a rhythm on my own and when I’m finished, you’re going to copy me.” You say and clap some simple 4 beat rhythms and the children copy you immediately afterwards. Try to pick out rhythms from Pease Pudding Hot, Bell Horses and See Saw Up and Down.
Encourage the children to come in on the first beat after you’ve finished. You may need to mouth the words of the repeated phrase to begin with to encourage the children to come in at the right time. Try to introduce the rhythms one after the other so there is no break (or ‘rest’) in the game.
9. Strumming the Ukulele (7 mins): ‘Bell Horses’ & ‘See Saw Up and Down’ (traditional) Remind the children how to hold their ukuleles. See activity 5 ‘Tuning’ from lesson plan 1 for instructions. Please also take a look at the strumming instructions under activity 9 ‘Strumming the Ukulele’ in lesson 1.
Ask a volunteer (who has done their homework) to sing and strum ‘Bell Horses’.
Remind the children how to finger a C chord (using the techniques explained in previous lessons). Make sure they are using the correct grip. Get the children to strum downwards to the pulse as they say “1, 2, 3, 4” several times without stopping. You can start to speed this exercise up a little (as in track).
Then, ask the whole group to sing and strum ‘Bell Horses’.
“Which chord do we use to play ‘Bell Horses’ (C)? ’See Saw’ can also be played using a C chord.” You demonstrate.
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