Banana Tree Math

This song by Mike Eppley is a big hit! (Link used with permission)


The tune is charming, and it is a great way to expose young learners to early concepts of subtraction and division.

To introduce the song, I explain that to share the bananas with a friend, if we can't have the same number of bananas, you should always give your friend the bigger number (so it's a manners lesson too).

Five bananas on banana tree,
Three for you and two for me. (Three fingers on one hand, Two on the other)
Five bananas on banana tree,
OH! I love those bananas.

One banana fell to the floor.....
And now there are only four.

Four bananas on banana tree,
Two for you and two for me.
Four bananas on banana tree,
OH! I love those bananas.

One banana fell from the tree .....
And now there are only three .

Three bananas on banana tree,
Two for you and one for me.
Three bananas on banana tree,
OH! I love those bananas.

One banana went to the zoo ... (make monkey sounds)
And now there are only two .

Two bananas on banana tree,
One for you and one for me.
Two bananas on banana tree,
OH! I love those bananas.

One banana came undone ....
And now there is only one. 
(At this point I stop to ask them what to do. 
They already had the concept of "half" and were happy to tell me to cut it in half.)

One bananas on banana tree,
Half for you and half for me. (bend your index fingers in half to show two halves)
One bananas on banana tree,
OH! I love those bananas.

Sometimes I'll ask the kids if there were other ways they could have shared the last banana. They loved problem solving on this question.

Over in the Meadow and the Caterpillar song

Sunshine often ends the year on a Meadow theme, just in time for the Mom's Day program.

This year we sang along with Laurie Berkner's great rendition of this favorite children's song.

youtube of this recording

The kids really enjoyed making the sound effects for this song, especially the "squeek"!

Over in the meadow in the sand in the sun,
lived an old mother turtle and her little turtle one.
"Dig," said the mother, "I dig," said the one,         ("digging")
and they dug all day in the sand in the sun.

Over in the meadow where the Stream runs blue,
lived an Old mother fish and her Little fishies two.
"Swim," said the mother, (palms together, pointing forward, sway hands side to side)
"We swim," said the two,
and they Swam all day where the stream runs blue.

Over in the meadow in a hole in the tree,
Lived an old mother owl and her Little owls three.
"Whoo," said the mother, "We whoo," said the three,   (Hands around mouth)
and they Whooed all day in the hole in the tree.

Over in the meadow by the big barn door,
Lived an old mother mouse and her little mousies four.
"Squeak," said the mother, "We squeak," said the four,   (Fingers like mousey whiskers)
and they squeaked all day by the big barn door.

Over in the meadow in a snug beehive,
Lived an old mother bee and her little bees five.
"Buzz," said the mother, "We buzz,"  said the five,   (Hands out to sides like little wings)
and they buzzed all day in the snug beehive.

Bzzz  Bzzz  Bzzz  ("Buzzing" motion, raise hands slowly up to over the head)

OVER IN THE MEADOW!   (nice and loud!)

Arabella Miller

And we sang this easy fingerplay song, which simply goes up the musical scale.

(On "Do")
Little Arabella Miller (one arm held out, fingers of other hand tickle top of outstretched hand)
(On "Re")
Had a fuzzy caterpillar (tickling hand slowly rises up arm)
(Mi                          Fa)
First it crawled up on her mother, (up to the shoulder)
(Sol                      La)
Then up on her baby brother, (Quick, switch arms! and tickle up to other shoulder)
(Ti                      Do)
They said "Arabella Miller" (Both hands tickle up to top of head)
(PAUSE)

(Descending scale -- fast!)
"PUT AWAY YOUR CATERPILLAR!" (Both hands scurry behind back)

Love Grows and Planting Seeds of Love

Love Grows One by One
Kathy Reid-Naiman
Album: Reaching for the Stars

Both of these beautiful songs are wonderful program pieces, lend themselves to easy hand motions or sign language, and teach a worthy message.

Love Grows, One by One

Words and music by Carol Johnson
You can hear the entire recording by Kathy Reid Naiman HERE.

Because this piece is copyrighted, I will not give all the lyrics for this gorgeous song. You can find the complete lyrics HERE.

Here are the easy hand motions we are using for the chorus:

Love grows, (crossing hands over heart)
one by one  (single finger on both hands)
Two by two  (two fingers, both hands)
and four by four (etc..)
Love grows (crossing hands again)
'round like a circle (extend arms overhead in circle and opening down at sides)
And comes back knocking at your front door. (right fist taps left palm in rhythm)

The verses lend themselves to easy motions as well - keep it simple. In the second verse the lyrics suggest holding hands, and as we sing "reach for all our sisters and our brothers" we lift up our joined hands. 

I nearly start crying every time.

This link goes to purchase digital
download on Amazon.

Planting Seeds of Love

Words and music by Pam Donkin

Pam Donkin has generously dedicated a website to sharing this wonderful song for FREE. 
Find it HERE at plantingseedsoflove.com
The site also features accompaniment and karaoke tracks AND sheet music, as well as lesson plans and enrichment activities across the curriculum. AMAZING!

Youtube Version HERE

Verse One:
I am planting seeds of love in my heart
I am planting seeds of love in my heart
And as they grow, I’ll take them everywhere I go
I am planting seeds of love in my heart

Other verses feature planting seeds of Peace, seeds of Song. 

Chorus:
And as they grow
They overflow
In every part
Of my heart
Heart to heart
Friend to friend

Pam Donkin suggests adapting this song for children to sing the song directly to their parents by singing "YOU are planting seed of love in my heart"
See her adaptation HERE.

This song lends itself to using American Sign Language. There are video dictionaries online to help choreograph this. I recommend keeping it VERY simple.
Here's "Love" from ASLpro.com
Here's "Grow" from signingsavvy.com

PDF of complete lyrics