Bears Level: Early Grades - Listening, appraising & movement

Walking Like a Teddy Bear (pulse, structure)

You could teach this activity using the first me then you method and then introduce a teddy bear for demonstrating the movements, or you could simply do it and have the children join in and copy you. The way in which this begins to teach structure is by linking each line with a different movement.

• Walking like a teddy bear
• Touch the ground
• Wave your arms
• Jump in the air
• Walking like a teddy bear

I am Bear (rhythm)

Just for fun (and why not?). This music is in the style of a rap.

Which bear? (pitch, timbre)

Show the children and demonstrate the sound of three completely different-sounding instruments, each representing a different bear eg low-pitched drum for Daddy Bear, shakers for Mummy Bear and finger cymbals for Baby Bear. Next demonstrate or explain what the children have to do when they hear each 'bear':

• Daddy Bear: make a big star shape, standing tall
• Mummy Bear: sit down
• Baby Bear: curl into a ball

All the children walk round the room into a space, as you sing-song three times: Which bear will it be? Then everyone has to stop, listen, and make the right shape.

Quick and Slow Bears (tempo)

All walk round the room into a space. This time the teacher plays a single instrument at a slow, medium or quick tempo - to do this, try saying to yourself: slow ... slow ..., walking-walking, running-running-running-running. The children move at the speed of the playing. If the sound stops, they become a 'frozen bear', completely still until the sound begins again.