Page 27 - Level 1 Ukulele Lesson Plans

Next, choose a volunteer who was plucking at the right time to pluck the A string during the “rests” on their own, whilst the rest of the class taps their ukuleles during the rests. The volunteer should pluck INSTEAD of making the silly sounds, not as well as. “Excellent work XXXX. Can we all please give XXXX a round of applause. Did XXXX pluck during the rests?” If the answer is no, ask, “did he/she pluck a bit too early or a bit too late?” There is no such thing as wrong or bad playing. Simply ‘giving it a go’ should be rewarded. However, make sure to briefly discuss the playing objectively to increase learning opportunities. Repeat until everyone has had a turn. If the children find this too difficult, they can tap the body of their ukuleles during their turn instead of plucking.
“Singing ‘Pease Pudding Hot’ and plucking the A string during the rests is part of your homework this week.”
8. Song/Game (4 mins): ‘Pease Pudding Hot’ (traditional)
“It’s time to make our very own Pease Pudding!” The children stand in a circle and everyone sings the song (without the silly sounds and actions).
You walk around the inside of the circle, tapping each child on the head on the beat and blowing loudly on those children who fall on the 'yuk' rest. The children who are blown on must go into the porridge pot (they 'fall down' and sit in the middle of the circle). You can make the game more fun by telling the children you will be watching to see who does the most dramatic falling face and announcing a winner at the end.
The game repeats until all children are in the circle. Once the porridge is finished, mime stirring it, pouring it into a bowl and tasting it. Using names, tell the children what they taste like. They will find this funny.
9. Strumming the Ukulele (7 mins): ‘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 ‘See Saw Up and Down’.
Remind the children how to finger a C chord (using the techniques explained in previous lessons). The children sing the song as they strum a C chord with their thumbs, downwards and in time with the “pulse”. Play along with the children to encourage them to play in time. Repeat two or three times.
Invite a volunteer to strum the pulse and sing the song whilst you pluck the rhythm and sing. “What’s it called when two people perform together (a duet)?” Next, the whole class strums whilst you pluck.
Next, ask half the class to sing and strum and half the class to sing and tap their ukuleles. Repeat until most of the children are playing relatively in time and then switch (so that everyone has a turn of strumming and everyone has a turn of tapping).
“Singing and strumming ‘See Saw Up and Down’ will be homework again for this week.”
10. Let of Steam! (5 mins): ‘Up and Down’ (traditional) Click activity name to open YouTube video link.
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