#2539. I Wrote a Letter-Music Game

Music, level: Elementary
Posted Mon Mar 11 13:21:37 PST 2002 by Jessica Muters (Lovey52678@aol.com).
CR Schools, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Materials Required: an envelope
Activity Time: anywhere from 10-20 minutes
Concepts Taught: Game

This works best with 4th and 5th graders

*teach the song: (melody is YANKEE DOODLE, ENDING IS SPOKEN)
"I wrote a letter to my friend
And on the way I dropped it
A little doggy picked it up
and put it in his pocket"
(THE REST BELOW can be spoken w/ a beat)
"Now he won't bite me
and he won't bite you
He'll bite the one who's got it
So drop it, so drop it
so drop it right NOW!"

*Next explain the rules
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Rules: (similar to duck duck goose)
*SITTING CIRCLE FORMATION
1. Person chosen as "it" takes the letter (envelope) and walk around the circle
2. All others sing w/ eyes closed and hands in lap
3. Before "DROP IT RIGHT NOW!" IT must drop the letter behind another player
4. Everyone checks for the letter behind them after the song
5. New person w/ letter grabs the letter and IT has to run around and get into new person's spot w/o getting caught
6. Do not have to go one direction while running, just not through the middle of the circle
7. No guarding your spot

*my kids LOVE this!!! I hope yours do too :-)