Draw and Write Together: “I Am a Fine Musician”

  • chart paper
  • marker
  • blow
  • hit
  • musical instrument
  • pluck

MA Standards:

Writing: W.PK.MA.1 Dictate words to express a preference or opinion about a topic (e.g., “I would like to go to the fire station to see the truck and meet the firemen.”)

Head Start Outcomes:

Social Emotional Development/Self-Concept and Self-Efficacy Identifies personal characteristics, preferences, thoughts, and feelings.
Approaches to Learning/Cooperation Plans, initiates, and completes learning activities with peers.

PreK Learning Guidelines:

English Language Arts/Composition 16 Use their own words or illustrations to describe their experiences, tell imaginative stories, or communicate information about a topic of interest.

Draw and Write Together: “I Am a Fine Musician”

© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.

ELA Focus Skills: Concepts of Print (Directionality)

Educator Prep: Write a template for “I Am a Fine Musician” on chart paper and display for children.

Display the poem. Point to the words as you read the poem. For each  musical instrument named, ask, Do you pluck, hit, or blow into the instrument to play it? 

Have children write a verse together. Add it to the bottom of the chart and sing the whole song together.

As you read the words, track the print with your finger and have children notice the direction your hand moves as you point to the words. When you reach the end of the first line, ask, Where should my hand go next? Let children tell you or show you by coming up to the chart and pointing. Demonstrate the return sweep as you say, Yes, when I come to the end of a line, I go back to the beginning of the next line and keep on reading. As you continue reciting, pause several more times to ask, Where should my hand go next? Give different children a chance to direct you.

I Am a Fine Musician
This is a variation of a German folk song in which the first four lines of the first verse are repeated for subsequent verses. Note that at the end of each verse, the sounds of the previous instruments
 are repeated.

I am a fine musician,

I practice every day.

And people come from miles around, 

Just to hear me play
My tuba, my tuba,

I love to play my tuba.
Oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom!

(repeat first four lines of first verse)
My trumpet, my trumpet,

I love to play my trumpet.

Ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-a-a!
Oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom!

(repeat first four lines of first verse)
My trombone, my trombone,

I love to play my trombone.

Wah, waah, wa-wa-waah, wa-wa-waah, waaah
Ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-a-a!
Oom-pa, oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom!

(repeat first four lines of first verse)
My triangle, my triangle
 I love to play my triangle.

Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting!
Wah, waah, wa-wa-waah, wa-wa-waah, waaah
Ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-a-a!
Oom-pa, oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom! 

Additional template:
My _________, my ___________,

I love to play my ___________.

____, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____, ____,
Wah, waah, wa-wa-waah, wa-wa-waah, waaah
Ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-tada-ta-ta, ta-a-a!
Oom-pa, oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom-pa oom-pa, oom!

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