Autumn / Fall Archives - Donna & Andy

4 Turkey Songs and Games

Andy Duinker — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:07:34 +0000

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4 Turkey Songs and Games

arranged by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

The download for 4 Turkey Songs and Games includes the vocal scores and audio accompaniment tracks as well. However, I'm sorry you don't have any sample tracks to listen to here at this time.

Teacher Tips

Why are singing games important?

Singing games are a foundational part of elementary music classroom activities. Singing games have a variety of purposes:

Provide the opportunity for students to learn through play-based learning. This is one of their primary, inherent learning methods.
Prepare music elements that will be identified and presented in later classes (sometimes in the next school year!).
Provide examples of music elements to be identified and labelled.
Review and practice music elements that have been labelled.
Provide students the opportunity to make physical responses, assisting in internalizing the concepts in the song.
Provide physical movement “brain breaks” within a lesson.

A well-planned music class will include one or two singing games. Use a singing game early in the lesson to prepare concepts. Close to the end of a class, a singing game can be used to review something the students already know and to practice those elements in a fun, musical context. In a music class that requires concentration and focus, a fun singing game is a great way for students to relax.

Singing games are best used unaccompanied. This allows students to hear vocal modelling from the teacher without obscuring pitches with an instrument. Singing games include the expectation that students are singing. Unaccompanied singing allows them to hear their own voices as they learn to make vocal changes and match pitch/sing in tune with others.

Composer's Notes

4 Turkey Songs and Games

I didn’t compose these four turkey songs but as soon as I discovered them, they became favourite seasonal songs I enjoyed sharing with my students leading up to Thanksgiving. Although it is great to be a composer and write what I want to sing with my students, finding great songs written by someone else is also a great way to go. Each turkey song in my collection serves a different purpose in the music classroom: a sing-along song, a simple finger play, an action song, and a game that is always a great end-of-class activity.

I grew up on a family farm, but my farming background did not include any experience with turkeys. My visit to a local farm was very informative and the turkeys had a few tricks to play on me! I am glad my students are not inclined to wander off when I am explaining a game. I am also happy that my students are MUCH better at participating in the turkey songs that I use in my music classroom.

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing these songs and doing the activities with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performing video - we might be able to post it on this page!

Send us your video of 4 Turkey Songs and perhaps we can post it here.

The post 4 Turkey Songs and Games appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Dark Night Sky

Andy Duinker — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:12:17 +0000

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Dark Night Sky

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide.

Teaching Tips

Sing Dark Night Sky as a simple minor melody.

Have students add rhythmic ostinati as they sing.

Have students add a melodic ostinato to create some simple harmony.

Add both melodic and rhythmic ostinati but add them one at a time to build the texture of the song with each repetition.

Start the song in unison, adding ostinati and then sing the song as a round, adding harmonies to the ostinati foundation that has been created.

Create your own rhythmic and/or melodic ostinati.

Discuss minor tonality.

Sing the song expressively, adding dynamics and articulation.

Composer's Notes

Dark Night Sky

I enjoy teaching my students songs in minor keys. I have always enjoyed inviting my students to sing Ghost of John as a round, creating lovely harmonies as the parts are added. I started creating multiple textures by having my students add melodic and rhythmic ostinati as we sang. I thought we would spend one or two classes on the process, but it became very complex and we continued adding more and more elements. When we have spent four classes on our “soundscape” we still have more things we wanted to explore. However, the song was timed to coincide with Halloween and the time had arrived and then gone by. I decided to write non-seasonal lyrics to use with the melody of Ghost of John. I created the lyrics for Dark Night Sky and now I have a song I can use at any time of year. I no longer feel pressured to rush the students’ creative engagement based on the calendar date. Sometimes needing a piece of music for a specific purpose is a quick way to inspire composer to compose!

You Are invited

You are invited to send us your performance of Dark Night Sky

Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.

Please come back sometime and leave a Review here on this page. We really appreciate it.

Send us your video of Dark Night Sky and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Dark Night Sky appeared first on Donna & Andy.

October Night

Andy Duinker — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:36:46 +0000

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October Night

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Teaching Tips

Add the dynamics and tempo changes indicated in the score to create an expressive performance.

When the dynamic is quiet, sing with crisp, clear consonants so the words are very clear, even though they are being sung softly.

Have the student decide if there are any other words in the song that they wish to accent or sing in any special way to increase the expressiveness of the performance.

The original lyrics of the song describe elements found in the dark, October night. If a student wishes to use the song with a Halloween theme, have them sing the alternate lyrics provided.

The legato “ooh” section of the song has two “ooh” syllables. Can the student sing all four bars in one breath for an even more legato presentation?

Composer's Notes

October Night

Thinking about crisp, fall evenings conjures up thoughts of the mysteriousness that seems to descend when the trees have shed their leaves and we see only bare branches, with the full moon creating dancing shadows. Add in a few flitting bats and the haunting sound of owl hoots, and an October night is a delight for the senses. We often introduce songs in minor keys with legato “ooh” phrases in connection with Halloween. However, I don’t think we need to limit ourselves to a season to enjoy these elements. I like to use (and compose) songs that have multiple uses and that are as versatile as possible. October Night was written as a fall song without narrowing its use to be “about” Halloween. Versatility is very important in a society where there are complex combinations of people who may or may not have shared traditions. Adding optional lyrics means that those who wish to sing about Halloween may do so, and those who want to sing a beautiful song with a minor melody may add this to their fall repertoire, or any time of the year!

You Are invited

You are invited to send us your performance of October Night

Maybe your video will be featured here on this page.

Send us your video of October Night and perhaps we can post it here.

The post October Night appeared first on Donna & Andy.