Songs for Teaching Blog

Halloween costumes have been a popular subject of my "Sharing Songs" (short, musical invitations for students to share an event or story with their peers) since October began. But this week, it seems like that is all anyone wants to talk about!  I have been quite impressed with the creativity of some of these costumes, which range from popular celebrities and characters such as Michael Jackson and Hannah Montana, to the classic witches, ghosts and princesses.  

And now that I’ve heard about them, why they were chosen, and how they were put together (all of which make wonderful topics for songs and consequent discussions), I can’t wait to actually see them.  Luckily I’ll get to do so next Friday, when my school hosts its annual costume parade and party.

I still remember the costume parades from my own preschool and elementary school years, and my mom even has pictures! I love the idea of using a song to accompany such a parade, which is why I wrote "Costumes on Parade."  It can be used to help students prepare for the parade, and you can even substitute the costumes I list for those that the students will wear.

If you aren’t having a parade, you can still sing the song; use the current lyrics or ask the students to suggest the costumes to be included. I can guarantee that your students will come up with much more creative and entertaining ideas than I did! They can even draw pictures of them as an art project.

Listen to my song, "Costumes on Parade" in the audio player below, from my Listen & Learn: Fall collection. 

See SongsForTeaching’s Halloween Songs.

October is a perfect time to talk about an emotion that’s often not discussed – fear.  There are irrational fears, such as thinking that there are monsters under the bed, and there are real fears, such as being afraid of heights or of fast cars.  

Bill Harley has two wonderful songs which cover these two different sides to fear, both included on his You’re in Trouble CD.  “When You Don’t Know What It Is” takes a humorous look at some things that might seem scary at first (scary noises, new neighbors, etc.), but “when you find out what it is – it’s ok.”  Providing balance, the Latin-tinged Watch Out (also recorded by Two of a Kind on Going On An Adventure) reminds us that listening to our fears can sometimes keep us safe from real dangers: “Watch out – watch out, be careful – that’s what it means when you’re scared.”

Although fear is a natural emotion that everyone experiences, many children feel the need to hide the fact that they are afraid.  Bob Blue’s song I’m Not Scared (recorded by Two of a Kind on Patchwork Planet) gently pokes fun at this denial of kids’ real feelings: “I’m not scared – See this smile upon my face, that proves that I’m not scared.

We love the book The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams.  It has wonderful sound effects and movement opportunities right in the book.  It’s about a little old lady who goes for a walk in the woods.  On her way back she meets various items such as two shoes, a pair of pants, and so on until she meets a pumpkin head that says “BOO!”  Jenny added a little singing refrain: “You can’t scare me, you can’t scare me. You can’t scare me, so let me be” each time a different object shows up in her path. Young kids love singing the refrain and making the sounds each time an object is mentioned.

The weeks leading up to Halloween are often a time when kids want to explore fear.  There can be a certain thrill from being creeped out or scared by a story. A great book with lots of scary and fun poems and stories is Scared Silly by Marc Brown. It is also good to discuss how fear can keep you cautious and safe.  Songs and stories can be a wonderful springboard to meaningful discussions of this often overlooked emotion.

Jenny and David Heitler-Klevans, Two of a Kind
Editor’s note: See all of our Music from Two of a Kind.

 

Ask any child what his or her favorite part of Halloween happens to be, and chances are good that most responses will be: "Trick-or-treating!".  After all, October 31st is the only night of the year when it is acceptable to dress up in costume, knock on neighbors’ doors, and collect a bag full of candy.  

However, children must know and understand all of the rules of trick-or-treating, which is something that I’ve been addressing over the past few weeks with my students.  I have found that the most effective way to go about this is to use a social story…set to music, of course!  Social stories are tools designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum which help explain real-life situations that might be challenging or confusing; they teach the necessary social skills and responses involved with that situation.  But since trick-or-treating is a social activity in which most children engage, a relevant social story can be beneficial to any child.  

A social story about trick-or-treating should present the rules as they apply throughout the process.  It should follow the character in the story as he or she follows each rule, or is faced with decisions and makes the correct/safe choice.  The order of rules might go something like this:

1. Trick-or-treat during the hours designated by your neighborhood or city.
2. Stay with a trusted adult at all times.
3. Only visit houses with the porch light turned on.
4. If you cross the street, do so with an adult and be sure to look both ways.
5. Be polite: say "please" and "thank you". 
6. Throw away any candy or food that is not in a sealed wrapper.

The key to an effective social story is writing it in a way to which the child can relate, and using language that is clearly understood.  Pictures to go along with each step in the process are also helpful, and you can even ask the students to illustrate each rule.  

When I set my social stories to music, I usually improvise the melody as I go.  That way I don’t have to worry about the words perfectly fitting a pre-arranged melody, in case I have to change them to meet the needs of a particular class or child.  The information itself is more important than the music; the music only serves as a tool to attract and keep students’ attention.

Afterwards, you might want to follow up with a more light-hearted, fun song or activity about trick-or-treating.  There are so many great Halloween tunes from which to choose!

Listen to my song, "All the Candy I’ll Eat" in the audio player below, from my Listen & Learn: Fall collection. 

See SongsForTeaching’s
      Social Skills Songs ▪ Safety Songs ▪ Food Songs  ▪ Halloween Songs

At any given moment during the month of October, thousands of classrooms are participating in Halloween-related activities.  One class might be carving a pumpkin or decorating their room, while another might be planning and creating costumes.  While these activities are certainly fun and worthwhile, there is one topic that should never be overlooked when it comes to Halloween: Safety.

While safety probably isn’t #1 on the list of students’ favorite Halloween-related subjects, there are ways to make it more interesting and interactive (which is key for keeping attention).  Since I’m a music therapist, the teachers often look to me when it comes to this!  Here are just a few ways that I approach the topic of Halloween safety.

1. Start with a song.  Naturally, I like to introduce any activity or discussion with an appropriate tune, and in this case it might be one of my own, like Halloween Day, or one of many other Halloween Songs or Safety Songs offered by Songs For Teaching®.
2. Ask for student input.  I like to make up a little chorus asking students to share specific information, which in this case would be along the lines of, "What is one way to stay safe on Halloween?"  Asking that question in the form of a song not only grabs the students’ attention, but they can join in asking their peers to contribute ideas.
3. Make a list of ideas.  As each student shares his or her thoughts, write them down (or have a student volunteer to do so).  Make sure to add any important points that the students leave out.  A completed list should include : stay with an adult at all times, throw away any candy that is unopened or not in a sealed package, and look both ways before crossing the street, at the very least.
4. Turn that list into a song.  What is one of the best ways for children to retain information?  By putting it to music, of course!  So let your list become the lyrics, and then come up with a catchy melody (or use the melody from a familiar song) to accompany those lyrics.  Sing the song with your students throughout October so that by the time Halloween arrives, they know all of the ways to stay safe by heart.