Happy Almost-New Year! Yesterday I met my friend Tanya LeJeune for lunch but before we ate we went to the local teacher store (sad, I know, considering we're on vacation.) At any rate, I saw some cute "slug bug" die cuts and that sparked this idea. I'll be using the rhythm version in a few weeks after my 3rd graders learned ti-tika and I'll use the melodic version of the game with 2nd grade when we learn re later this year. Here's the song that's the basis of the game: The kids love to sing this song, and the actions are quite fun! Here's the "Slug Bug Melody" game that I'll use with my 2nd graders: •These cars can be used to practice re in phrases that are extracted from folk songs. All Around the Buttercup, Blue, Closet Key, Button You Must Wander (x2), Cocky Robin, Do, do Pity My Case, Firefly (x2), Frosty Weather, Grinding Corn, Hot Cross Buns, Ida Red (Final Phrase), Knock the Cymbals, Let Us Chase the Squirrel (x2), Old Aunt Dinah (x3), Rocky Mountain, Sammy Sacket (x2) •Slug Bug Game: –Divide the class into “teams” (2-4 teams would be best). Each team is given a “hand” swatter (Go in with a colleague and buy some: http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Hand-Shaped-Fly-Swatters-Pack/dp/B0057TTB5Y ) –Taking turns with the flyswatter, a “representative” from each team comes up to the floor where all the “Slug Bugs” are scattered. (You can also put magnets on them and put them on a magnetic board. This makes them visible for all students, but tougher for the swatters to do this safely). The teacher will sing a pattern, the first person to swat the correct “Slug Bug” earns that car for his/her team. A new “representative” for each team comes up and another round is played. Play continues until all the “Slug Bugs” have been slapped. The team with the most slug bugs at the end is the winner. –Levels of difficulty •Easiest: the teacher sings the phrase using solfége syllables. •Medium: the teacher sings the phrase on “loo”. •Harder: the teacher plays the pattern on an instrument. Here are the cards: First, I made "smaller" cards: But when I printed them out I thought it would probably work better with larger cards, so I re-did them with two cars on a page: The Slug Bug Rhythm game that I'll be using with my 3rd graders is identical, but it's focused on ti-tika: •These cars can be used to practice ti-tika. •Slug Bug Game: –Divide the class into “teams” (2-4 teams would be best). Each team is given a “hand” swatter (Go in with a colleague and buy some: http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Hand-Shaped-Fly-Swatters-Pack/dp/B0057TTB5Y ) –Taking turns with the flyswatter, a “representative” from each team comes up to the floor where all the “Slug Bugs” are scattered. (You can also put magnets on them and put them on a magnetic board. This makes them visible for all students, but tougher for the swatters to do this safely). The teacher will perform a pattern, the first person to swat the correct “Slug Bug” earns that car for his/her team. A new “representative” for each team comes up and another round is played. Play continues until all the “Slug Bugs” have been slapped. The team with the most slug bugs at the end is the winner. –Levels of difficulty •Easiest: the teacher claps and says the rhythm pattern. •Medium: the teacher claps the pattern. •Harder: the teacher plays the pattern on an instrument. And then I made a "Slug Bug Mix-Up" Game. This can be used with high do, as that is the most difficult melodic element in "The Car Song." •Using either the stick or staff notation, give each student four cards (containing each of the first 4 phrases of the song). The students must put the “Slug Bugs” in order to create the notation for the “A” section of the song •Stick to Staff: the students must match the cards with stick notation to the correct cards with staff notation. These files can be found at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store. Happy Slug Bugging! Slug Bug Melody Slug Bug Rhythm Slug Bug Melody and Rhythm Games (with smaller car-cards) and Mix-Up Game