Down on the Farm: Bingo the Dog

One of my favorite units to teach; the farm is an engaging and familiar place for all learners. Students love singing, learning, and sharing about some of their favorite animals. With tons of materials available it can be hard to narrow it down, here are some of my favorite activities.

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          Students love animals, especially dogs. Most students have a dog, or know someone who does, so it makes this lesson even more fun! The personal connection immediately engages students, and they’re eager to share all they know about dogs. This individual lesson is part of a larger unit I do about the farm. I want to just talk about and share some of my favorite lessons, activities, and resources.

Farm Unit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Down-on-the-Farm-a-PreK-2-Musical-Unit-2751498
Individual Lesson: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/BINGO-a-singing-literacy-activity-2748433

farm Farm Dogs

Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 7.38.01 AM       Down on the farm dogs are more than just pets, they’re workers too! I absolutely love all the crazy jobs that students come up with when asked, “What job could a dog have on a farm?” It’s a great place to start and engages students, getting their brains working, and more importantly accessing prior information and developing their schema. We watch a short video that demonstrates the things an actual working sheep dog can do. The five minute video covers four different dogs and feel free to cut it short if students are losing focus. 

Singing and Instrument Time! 

     I usually introduce the song of Bingo using this version from Super Simple Songs. The reason I do is because it gets students up and moving instead of just sitting and clapping. Each time the song cycles through students perform a different action from tapping to clapping and even jumping! Usually I let them single all the way through the song as least twice, sometimes even thrice! After that I’ll have them settle down, and if time permits I’ll incorporate instruments. 

      What instrument time looks like is the teacher on guitar (or uke) and I let students choose from simple percussion instruments like egg shakers, jingle bells, rhythm sticks, etc. As we sing through the song together, instead of clapping for the missing letters in Bingo’s name students play their instruments. It goes by pretty quick and I have a 3 strikes and you’re out policy when it comes to playing instruments at the incorrect time. After we finish, if time (and attention spans) permit I let students trade instruments with their friends and we repeat!

Literacy Integration & Writing Extension

Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 7.36.44 AMThis activity is not only fun but works on initial sounds (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.D) in a fun and novel way. We known that as the song goes on, Bingo loses some of the letters in his name. What would happen if replace that sounds with the sounds of other animals on the farm and invented silly names for all his friends? I don’t know why students find this activity as fun and funny as they do, but every time we introduce Pingo the Pig, its a huge hit! We re-watch the video and pause it on the scene that show all the animals (Bingo’s friends) and then try and and think of the initial sounds, and then insert it into the empty space in _ INGO. 

 

Farm Unit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Down-on-the-Farm-a-PreK-2-Musical-Unit-2751498
Individual Lesson: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/BINGO-a-singing-literacy-activity-2748433
a sound mindanimals at workbingo the dogbingo was his nameoelementaryfarm dogsfarm songsinitial soundsinstrumentsk-2lesson plansliteracyLiteracy Integrationmusic in the classroommusic lessonsteachers pay teachers

Frank Cademartori • September 14, 2016


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