Benefits of Using Chants and Music in a Classroom
Research has shown that incorporating music into a classroom can:
Benefits to the Brain
- Engage students in the classroom and increase graduation rates
- Enhance learning in other core subjects
- Improve early cognitive development, math and reading skills
- Develop critical thinking and leadership skills
- Foster self-esteem and the ability to work cooperatively in teams
Benefits to the Brain
Chant Examples:
Read, Baby, Read
Leader says, “Gimmie a beat!” You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) The more you read, the more you know Knowledge is power and power is freedom and I want it! (and I want it!) You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) No need to hope for a good paying job With first grade skills you’ll do nothing but sob You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) You cheat your mama, you cheat your friends, Don’t you know you can learn, don’t you know you can win! You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) You gotta read, baby, read (gotta read!) This Test it Bananas Leader says… “This…test...” Is BANANAS! B – A – N – A – N – A – S ! This test is BANANAS! B – A – N – A – N – A – S ! This test is BANANAS! B – A – N – A – N – A – S ! (repeat 4 times) This is the Way! (Freedom School Chant) This is the way! Hey! We start the day! Hey! We get the knowledge! Hey! To go to college! Hey! But don’t stop there! Hey! Go anywhere! Hey! This is the way! Hey! We start the day! Hey! Learner’s Creed I love myself I believe in myself I believe in my ability to do my best at ALL times Each and every day I will listen I will read And I will write I will do my best because I am INTELLIGENT I cannot waste this day I have too much to learn |
Rock That Test
Leader says: “What are you going to do to that test?!” Kids yell: “ROCK THAT TEST!” Leader says: “What are you going to do to that test?!” Kids yell: “ROCK THAT TEST!” Leader says, “Gimmie a beat!” We will, we will, ROCK IT! We will, we will ROCK IT! We will, we will, rock it! Sock it! Like a hot pocket! Kick it! Smack it! Hit it in the head with a piece of cornbread! Cornbread! Cornbread! Cornbread! CORNBREAD! This is the Room Leader asks, “What room is this?!” This is the room, That has the kids, Who want to learn, To read more books, To build a better tomorrow! We Like Big BOOKS We like big books and we cannot lie You readers can't deny If you see a big book, just take a look You'll laugh, you'll gasp, you'll cry Hey readers, yeah Hey readers, yeah You know we're talking to you If you see a big book Just take a look And work your way right through Readers have books! Work it Out (Continuous-Stomp 2x, Clap 1x) This is how we work it out This is how we work it out I don’t like it when you __________ What can I do to make you feel better? Handshake, hug, or high-five That is how we work it out That is how we work it out Work it out –OH! Work it out-OH! Work it out –OH! Work it out –OOOOH!! |
Math Chants
The Numbers Song (Writing)
(Partly from It’s As Easy As 1 2 3 by Tracy Jarboe & Stefani Sadler and sung to the tune of “This Old Man”) Zero: Round and round Just like an “O” Now you’ve made A big zero. One: A line straight down Oh, what fun Now you’ve made The number one Two: Make a candy cane And give it a shoe Now you’ve made The number two Three: Around and around Just like a “B” This is great I made a three Four: Down and across Then down some more This is how You make a four Five: A short line down Then around like that Mr. Five Still needs a hat Six: A curved line down And then around That’s the mix To make a six Seven: Across the sky And down from heaven That’s the way To make a seven Eight: Make an “S” But please don’t wait Go back up And make an eight Nine: Make a circle And then a line Number nine Looks mighty fine Ten: Make a one But that’s not all Add a zero so ten Can stand tall Eleven: Two straight lines Side by side Number eleven Stands with pride Twelve: Print a one Then a two You’ve made twelve Now shout WAHOO Mode, Median and Range Mode, Median, and Range, are landmarks that help us learn well Mode is the one that occurs the most often And Median is the one in the middle. Mode, Median, and Range, are landmarks that help us learn well Mean is the number that you added together, then divided by the number of data Mode, Median, and Range, are landmarks that help us learn well Maximum is the biggest number and minimum the smallest And the Range is the difference between. Mode, Median, and Range, are landmarks that help us learn well |
Days of the Week
(Sung to the Adams Family) The days of the week (snap-snap) The days of the week (snap-snap) There’s Sunday and there’s Monday, There’s Tuesday and there’s Wednesday, There’s Thursday and there’s Friday, And then there’s Saturday. The days of the week (snap-snap) The days of the week (snap-snap) The days of the week The days of the week The days of the week (snap-snap) Months of the Year (Sung to the tune of “Ten Little Indians”) January, February, March, and April May, June, July, (pause) August, and September October, November, and December These are the 12 months of the year. Date Song (Sung to the tune of “Frère Jacques”) Today is Monday Today is Monday October 1st October 1st 2014 2014 This is the date This is the date The 3’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of Where is Thumbkin?) 3, 6, 9, 12. 15, 18. 21. 24. 27-30, 33 and 36. That’s my threes. The 4’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”) 4, 8, 12, 16. 20, 24. 28-32-36-40, 44, 48. The 5's Skip Counting Song With an air guitar and a country accent, sing the fives, dragging out 95 and 100. The 6’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”) 6, 12, 18, 24. 30, 36, 42. 48. 54. 60, 66, 72. Sixes are my specialty, next time won’t you count with me? The 7’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”) 7, 14, 21. 28. 35. 42 and 49. 56-63 and 70. 77. 84. I want some more. The 8’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of “Happy Birthday”) 8, 16, 24. 32-40, 48. 56 and 64-or. 72-80, 88. 96, this is the remix. The 11’s Skip Counting Song 11 x 1 is 11 11 x 2 is 22 11 x 3 is 33 11 x 4 is 44 11 x 5 is 55 11 x 6 is 66 11 x 7 is 77 11 x 8 is 88 11 x 9 is 99 11 x 10 is one hundred and ten. The 12’s Skip Counting Song (Sung to the tune of “Old MacDonald”) 12, 24, and 36. 48, 60. 72 and 84, 96, 1-0-8. a 120, a 132, a 144, now there are no more. Now, I’m ready to do my best, when I get my test. |
Literacy Chants
Down by the Bay
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow, Back to my home, I dare not go For if I do, my mother will say Did you ever see a whale with a polkadotted tail? Down by the bay! Continue singing, each time inserting a different rhyme to the 4th line: Did you ever see a frog sitting on a log? Did you ever see a goose kissing a moose? Did you ever see a cat with a pinstriped hat? Let the kids come up with their own rhymes. Word Wall Song with 2-letter words (Sung to “If You’re Happy and You Know It” If you want to spell ‘go,” say G – O. If you want to spell ‘go,” say G – O. It’s as easy as can be when you sing and spell with me, If you want to spell ‘go,” say G – O. Word Wall Song with 3-letter words (Sung to “Three Blind Mice.”) A-N-D, A-N-D, that spells “and,” That spells “and.” A-N-D spells “and,” A-N-D spells “and.” A-N-D Word Wall Song with 4-letter words (Sung to “My Darlin’ Clementine”) L-I-K-E, L-I-K-E, L-I-K-E spells “like.” L-I-K-E, L-I-K-E, L-I-K-E spells “like.” Word Wall Song with 5-letter words (Sung to “Bingo”) There is a word that I can spell and “could” is the word-o. C-O-U-L-D, C-O-U-L-D, C-O-U-L-D, And “could” is the word-o. |
The Noble Duke of York Oh, the noble Duke of York, He has ten thousand men; He marched them up to the top of the hill, And he marched them down again. Now when they were up, they were up; And when they were down, they were down; But when they were only halfway up, They were neither up nor down. When You Come to a Word You Don’t Know (Sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”) When you come to a word, that’s strange or new, This is a song that you can use. Look at the picture. Let the sounds help you. Say, “blank,” and keep on reading, That’s what you should do. Singular and Plural (Sung to “This Old Man”) One is book, 2 are books. One is cook, more are cooks. Add an “s” to the end of a word Makes it plural, haven’t you heard? One is toy, 2 are toys. One is boy, more are boys… Car & star Dog & log Cat & hat Ball & wall Coat & boats Tree & bees |
Social Studies Chants
We Live in North America
(Sung to the tune of “God Bless America”) We live in North America A continent on the Earth. South America, and Asia Africa, Australia near and far. From Antarctica to Europe With oceans blue and clear. We live in North America And we like living here! (repeat last two lines) |
The World Family
(Sung to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”) The name of my school is School Name. School Name, School Name. The name of my school is School Name. That’s the name of my school. The name of my neighborhood is Neighborhood Name The name of my city is City Name The name of my state is State Name The name of my country is United States… The name of my continent is North America… The name of my planet is Earth… We’re all a part of the world family, family, family. We’re all a part of the world family, Let’s live in love and peace. |
Adopted from Kipp Public Charter Schools, Achievement First Public Charter Schools, and Dr. Jean Music