First, let me say I am so thankful to all of our Veterans who have served our country, especially my father-in-law! Thank you, Den! 🙂
Okay, so now . . . let’s talk about songs again. More songs!
I’ve blogged and blogged and blogged again about how much I love to use music in the classroom. It makes me happy! And I also feel like it makes our classroom environment happy. Which means that if things are . . . let’s say . . . going awry . . . I can play a song to lift the mood or calm the mood or just plain . . .
MAKE EVERYONE STOP TALKING
AND START SINGING
AND LET’S CHANGE THE SUBJECT ALREADY!
I use an old iPhone as an iPod in my classroom and I highly recommend it. It’s easy to switch songs back and forth all day long when they’re on an iPod. The last time I checked, my iPod had over 100 playlists on it.
I KNOW! Believe me, I know.
I can’t help myself.
I also can’t help it when songs get stuck in my head and I’m singing the “want” song from HeidiSongs in the kitchen and Steve wants to know if he should go buy cookies. The song lyrics say I want a cookie, want a cookie, w – a – n -t . . . The answer is YES, Steve, go buy cookies, whether I’m singing the song or not. Hello? Do you not know me but at all?
So anyways, I finally got Sing & Spell #6 Jammin’ With More Sight Words from HeidiSongs which pretty much completes my Sight Word Song collection.
The words on this CD are perfect for first graders and have many words listed from the first and second grade Dolch sight word lists.
Not to mention, the music is FABULOUS and totally catchy. Which is very important when you want your kids to get songs stuck in their heads because then they will be able to read and spell some of those tricky sight words effortlessly.
I use the Sight Word Songs for teaching – obviously – as well as for transitions. We also sing them when we’re walking in line. Any time I can get the kids singing, it’s a win-win because then they are not talking or even trying not to talk, and everyone knows that when you’re trying not to talk, you can’t help it and you talk. Or is that just me during church?
I have separated the sight word songs into playlists according to our spelling/phonics pattern each week (our spelling lists include two new sight words each week) so we sing the sight words multiple times daily.
Then, on Fridays, when I am giving the spelling test and it’s time to spell those tricky sight words, I hum the songs. I usually have to say I’ll hum the songs, you write the word, do not sing out loud, this is a test, just write the letters when I hum the song! because when I start humming, they inevitably start singing. Although, as the year has progressed, we have gotten better about this. Progress is key.
And, yes, I am most likely helping my students way too much when it comes to this, but I’m all about those Common Core standards that say with guidance and support and I like to apply them willy nilly wherever they suit me.
So there.
I cannot say enough about these songs. They come in handy when we’re writing, too, and I start to hum the song for the word have before my kids have the chance to write haf. No. No. No no no no.
🙂
In the meantime, since we’re off today, I’m going to enjoy a day without a sight word song stuck in my head.
And I’m going to eat a cookie. Obviously.
🙂
I love using Heidi Songs in the classroom, too! I had bought some at the Pasadena Conference she was at last year in Feb and loved them. On a side note: That's also where I took my pic with YOU and Michelle G. 🙂 <3 and NO I'm not a stalker! 😉 Then, we got so lucky to get some money for our grade level from our district and I convinced my team that we should get the school pack! 🙂
Do you use the DVD's or the CD's?
We love HeidiSongs in my room too! I have all the sight word DVDs as well as many of the math and the phonics ones. This is what my students do when I am cleaning their tables from breakfast.
Amanda
My students LOVE Heidi Songs! And so do I!!! 🙂
The question is this: did you actually manage to make it a whole day without a sight word song in your head? My third graders could possibly use some of those songs. Their spelling is coming along but I cringe when I see "whent" or "meny". Ack!
Jan
Laughter and Consistency
Oooh, what a wonderful post for me to find! Thank you so much! I LOVE Teeny Tiny!
"Love is written L-O-V-E,
L-O-V-E,
I love YOU!"
🙂
Heidi