Grade 3-4 (age 8-10) Archives - Donna & Andy

Hummy Hummingbirds

Andy Duinker — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:28:30 +0000

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Hummy Hummingbirds

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

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

Teaching Tips

Teaching Tips

Explore the Score

There is a complete descending scale in this song.

Can you find it in the song? (Bar 19)

It also appears again in the outro. (Bar 22)

Can you sing it using solfa syllables?

Sign it as you sing!

There is an octave jump in the song. Find it in the score (bar 6).

Do some octave warm ups to prepare.

Sing a Duet

Sing this song with a friend or with your teacher singing the echo/harmony part.

Improvising

Improvise your own humming melody in the four humming spots.

Hummingbird Facts

I had the idea for the lyrics for this song before I checked to see if hummingbirds make any sound. I was relieved to discover that they do chirp, but they don’t have a vocalized melody. Phew! I can keep the lyrics as I have written them.

Here are other hummingbird facts:

Hummingbird wings can move in a figure 8 pattern and are built for optimum speed and agility.
They are the only birds capable of sustaining hovering, flying backward, and upside-down.
Hummingbird brains are approximately 4.2% of their body weight – the largest of all bird species.
Hummingbird hearts beat about 250 beats per minute at rest, and 1,260 beats per minute in flight.
Hummingbirds have long, thin bills that allow them to reach deep inside flowers.
Hummingbirds are very curious and will fly close to humans to check them out and figure out who they are.

Composer's Notes

Hummy Hummingbirds

I enjoy watching the birds coming and going in my backyard. I have seeds in feeders and a special hummingbird feeder with sugar water. From my kitchen window I am able to see the birds come and go and I find this very entertaining. The hummingbirds are a special guest. They are very tiny and they fly quickly to the feeder and zip away after only a brief few moments. If you want to see a hummingbird at my house you have to watch closely and be in the right spot at the right time. When I am working in the garden or sitting in my lawn chair I can hear the humming of their wings as they flit by. I usually stop what I am doing and stay still so I don’t frighten them away. I also say hello and by the end of the summer, they will stick around even if I am nearby. One year I had a pair of hummingbirds who visited my feeder with their babies!

I was thinking about these tiny birds and the fact that they make a little chirping sound but they don’t “sing” like other birds. I am always interested in unique ways of thinking about things. I wondered if hummingbirds hummed because they didn’t know the words! That was a funny thought and as much inspiration as it took to decide it was worth exploring as a song idea.

I wanted to compose a gentle melody to represent the hummingbird. I created the choruses with humming, which I thought was amusing as well as a good vocal technique for young singers to try. I worked on the words and the melody at the same time and when everything was crafted to my satisfaction, I realized that the phrases could be sung as call and response for most of the song. This is a great way to introduce early part singing to young singers and for them to sing the song as a duet. There are a few spots where true harmony is included, but these sections don’t last long and are quite natural feeling so I think it is still very accessible for young singers. The song works equally well as a solo or as a duet which offers teachers and students a few performance options.

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Hummy Hummingbirds and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Hummy Hummingbirds appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Royal Recorders

Andy Duinker — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:42:01 +0000

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Royal Recorders

by Donna Rhodenizer

Student Book 1

Royal Recorders Student Book 1 is part of a motivational recorder teaching method created for students (grades 4-6) learning to play recorder in elementary school music programs, private music classes, or homeschools. Students are excited and motivated to play the recorder when teachers use the Royal Recorders teaching method.

The Royal Recorders teaching method is fantastic for beginners of all ages and comprehensive enough to use for a two-to-three-year recorder program, with upper levels that challenge advanced players.

Beginning recorder players enjoy playing the Royal Recorders songs that are created to maximize success from the very beginning of the program. There are seven Knight levels in Book 1 presenting new notes and musical elements in 3-4 songs at each level. Songs are simple, musical and interesting. Students play each short song, ensuring that new notes are thoroughly learned before moving on to new musical elements. Students are motivated as each small success is celebrated. These small steps create a strong foundation and promote rapid achievement and improvement.

Accompaniment tracks in a variety of styles (available as downloads) provide support and musical interest, motivating students to play songs multiple times. Accompaniment tracks are offered with a practice speed, supporting the early stages of the students’ efforts. A performance speed track is also provided for performances or as an added challenge in regular class activities.

Song challenges for Levels 1-7 (22 songs)
Explanations for each new musical element presented
Practicing tips
Composing opportunities (at three different Knight levels)
Note-naming Challenges (practice pages)
Care and maintenance of the recorder
Fingering chart
Completion certificate

Songs Include:

(* Original songs by Donna Rhodenizer)

G and A All Day *
He B G Bees *
Baa, Baa, Baa *
One, Two, Skip a Few*
Big Bad G *
Flamenco Flair *
Up and Down *
BAG of Surprises *
Fais dodo - French Folk Song
Over Easy *
Blues-E *
Skin and Bones - Camp Song
Go for a Stroll *
Old MacDonald – Traditional
There's a Hole in My Bucket – Traditional
Lady of the Red Castle *
À la claire fontaine - French Folk Song
Jolly Minstrels *
Day is Done - Camp Song
Cabbage Soup *
Ode to Joy – Beethoven
Oh When the Saints – Traditional

First Song

- Student Book 1

See more playing videos of songs from Student Book 1 below!

Student Book 2

Royal Recorders Student Book 2 is part of a motivational teaching method created for students (grades 4-6) learning to play recorder in elementary school music programs, private music classes, or homeschools. Students are excited and motivated to play recorder when playing songs in the Royal Recorders teaching method.

Students with foundational recorder playing skills (e.g. having completed Royal Recorders Book 1) will enjoy the song challenges presented in Student Book 2. Six Knight levels provide a total of 23 songs, adding new notes and musical elements in a sequential progression. The sequential introduction of skills and step-by step presentation of new notes and theory promote rapid progress and improvement until a very high level of playing proficiency is achieved.

Songs include well-known folk and traditional tunes, classical works, and Donna Rhodenizer’s original songs. Longer songs, more complex forms, plus the addition of stylistic elements such as phrasing and dynamics, add to the musicality of the Book 2 repertoire. A wider range of notes expands the complexity as well as the variety of songs offered. At the conclusion of all 13 Royal Recorders levels, students should be able to play simple music written in C, F, G, D and A major and their relative minor keys. Their foundational understanding of music theory and reading notes also makes them well prepared as they move on to band programs.

Students have two opportunities to create an original composition. Applying theory they have learned and using their playing skills to play an original composition creates ownership and a real sense of purpose within the context of learning to play the recorder.

Accompaniment tracks in a variety of styles (available as downloads) provide support and musical interest, motivating students to play songs multiple times. Two tracks are provided: a practice speed, supporting the early stages of playing, and a performance speed for concerts or as an added challenge in regular class activities. The accompaniment tracks are particularly useful at this advanced level when students are providing complex and musical contributions at community events and concerts.

Provides continued development for second-year students and more advanced players

Song challenges for levels 8-13 (23 songs)
Explanations for each new element presented
Practice tips
Composing opportunities (at two different Knight levels)
Note-naming Challenges (practice pages)
Recorder Care and Maintenance
Fingering chart
Completion certificate

Songs Include:

(* Original songs by Donna Rhodenizer)

Moravian Folk Tune - Folk song
Still Waters *
Twilight *
Morning - Grieg
Birch Tree (duet) - Tchaikovsky
Sharp as a Tack *
English Melody - Kingsfold
Merry Branle - Arbeau
C Major Scale - Baroque style
Scarborough Fair - English ballad
My Paddle - Embers McGee
What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor? - Trad. Sea Shanty
Music Alone Shall Live (canon) - Folk song
Un Canadien Errant (duet) - Gérin-Lajoie/arr. Rhodenizer
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - Spiritual
Let’s Catch a Rooster (canon) - Trad.
Donna’s Aire *
Scotland the Brave - Trad.
Down by the Sally Gardens - Folk song
Ash Grove - Trad.
Celtic Winter *
Early One Morning - Folk song
Little Burnt Potato - Trad./Boyd

First Song

- Student Book 2

See more playing videos of songs from Student Book 2 below!

Teacher Guide

Teacher Guide includes - Teaching strategies to prepare and practice each song - 6 lesson plans for introducing recorder to your students - How to use motivational Class Castles and Knight Certificates - Tables for tracking student progress - MP3 accompaniment tracks information chart (intros, outros, style, speed, etc.) - Chart with songs listed alphabetically.

Royal Recorders Teacher Guide supports teachers as they use the Royal Recorders motivational recorder teaching method created for students (grades 4-6) learning to play recorder in elementary school music programs, private music classes, or homeschools. Students are excited and motivated to play the recorder when teachers use the Royal Recorders teaching method.

The Royal Recorders teaching method is fantastic for beginners of all ages and comprehensive enough to use for a two-to-three-year recorder program, with upper levels that challenge advanced players. Students are engaged and eager, working their way through 13 Knight levels of the Royal Recorders program, learning 45 songs along the way. They also compose five of their own compositions using the notes and theory they have learned.

Comprehensive Teaching Method
Teachers are supported as they teach recorder with this comprehensive teaching method. The step-by-step approach of Royal Recorders, with sequential presentation of new notes and musical elements, promotes rapid achievement and improvement. Students are excited to play and love celebrating their success with each new song.

Teaching Strategies and Lesson Plans
The teacher guide is like having a personal mentor

30 pages of suggestions and teaching strategies for every step in the recorder teaching process.
Detailed foundational lesson plans give the teacher the tools they need to provide solid instruction for beginner recorder players.
Specific "prepare and practice activities" are provided for new elements as they are introduced in each Knight level.
See the Teacher Guide Table of Contents here

Composing hints and teaching strategies

Teachers are supported as they lead students through composing activities.
Guidelines and composing strategies aid the teacher as they encourage students to use what they know to create their own compositions. This is an empowering exercise for young musicians.

The Teacher Guide has 176 pages packed with support for the teacher:

Teaching strategies
Composing hints and strategies
Classroom management tips
Foundational lesson plans
Activities to prepare and practice new elements appearing in the song challenges
Printable certificates
Student Incentives (class castles, Knight certificates)
Student tracking charts
Printable student pages (certificates, note-naming sheets, etc.)
Fingering charts
All student pages are included in the Teacher Guide for easy reference

Print Copy of the Teacher Guide is available on Amazon

Printed Copies of Royal Recorders Books

Print Copies (in North America)

Order Book 1, Book 2 and Teacher Guide using this order form

Print copies are also available on Amazon (world wide).

Get Your Student Book 1 Student Book 2 Teacher Guide

Go to Donna's Amazon Author Page to see more of Donna's books.

Accompaniment Tracks

MP3 accompaniment tracks are central to the delivery of the Royal Recorders program.

- Accompaniments (in a variety of styles) add excitement to the foundational, simple 2-note songs. See student recorder playing videos below.

- Accompaniments provide support for more difficult songs

- Each song has two accompaniment tracks; a slower practice speed track and a faster speed accompaniment track for performances.

- Get the accompaniment tracks above in the Royal Recorders Product Options. Look for options 4, 5 or 6.

Permission is given to download MP3s in the best format for you AND your students (phones, computers, Google Classroom, etc.). Students are encouraged to use these tracks outside of class time as well.

Performance Videos

Check out some of the Royal Recorders Knights / student recorder playing performances below.

Tutorial Videos

Tutorial Videos

Enjoy 63 tutorial videos that have been created to support each song in the Royal Recorders teaching method. These videos may be used for student support in a variety of teaching settings (homeschool, elementary music class, private studio, etc.). These videos are posted on an unlisted YouTube playlist with purchasers having access via the private link provided.

Choose option "9. Tutorial Videos" from the Royal Recorders Product Options above to access all 63 Royal Recorders Tutorial Videos.

Student Incentives

Student Incentives

Use these student incentives (Class Castles and Knight Certificates) to motivate and support students as they work toward achieving their Royal Recorders playing goals.

Choose option "10. Student Incentives" from the Royal Recorders Product Options above to access all student incentives information.

Note-Naming Worksheets

Note-naming Worksheets (challenges) are designed as a 1-2 minute speed activity for the beginning or end of music class. The challenge of beating your own best score keeps things fun (sort of!) and the briefness of the activity keeps students from feeling frustrated when they are impatient to get to the recorder playing part of music class. Note-naming challenges are included in Student Book 1 and Student Book 2. Encourage students to do their challenges at home for even quicker improvement. Extra printable note-naming worksheets / challenges (student practice pages) are available here.

Recorder Fingering Charts

Fingering charts are included in Student Book 1 and 2 as well as the Teacher Guide. However, sometimes an extra copy comes in handy. Check out the free downloadable fingering chart here.

There is also information to help teachers and students determine if they are using an English/Baroque recorder or a German recorder. This information is important because the high and low F and F# fingerings are played differently on each of these recorders.

Find information about English/Baroque recorder or German recorders here.

About Your Recorder

There are two types of recorders: English/Baroque or German. The hole sizes vary between these two recorder types and that affects which fingerings are used for certain notes (specifically F and F#).

For information about how to identify which recorder you are using, go here.

Information about ordering recorders, what brand to choose, and how to care for your recorder is available as a PDF download here.

Composer's Notes

Royal recorders

For a long time, I taught recorder by rote. My students learned the mechanics of how to play and letter names were used to “notate” simple quarter and half note songs. Students were excited to be able to play songs but they were really learning to do so by rote or by ear. I was job sharing with a teacher who discovered Recorder Karate. The students learned simple songs and for each song they were able to play, they were rewarded with karate belts. They were very proud to have a variety of coloured tassles hanging from their recorders.

This program inspired me to create my own songs and a more comprehensive, foundational series of songs to develop both note reading and mechanical facility with the recorder. Living in Kings county, Nova Scotia made it a natural fit to move into the world of castles and knights. Students were given song challenges with the immediate reward of adding their name to a class castle each time they had mastered a song. Three songs resulted in receiving the designation of a knight, with different colours for each level. They received a certificate and a flag (tassle) for their recorder. With three songs for every level, now the students learned more songs with each new note and their skill level deepened and became much more internalized.

Students were excited to see all the names that were being added to the class castles. In order to achieve the right to add their names, testing of songs was required. Students knew that they really had to play the song correctly in order to pass the song challenge. Students started asking peers for help outside of class time. Outside on the playground, the sound of recorders could be heard at every recess and noontime break. Students were asking their friends to help them learn songs they had heard in higher levels, but that we had not started in class. Clandestine peer-to-peer teaching was taking place and the students thought they were getting away with something. I was delighted. They were taking charge of their own learning and they wanted MORE songs!

I usually begin recorders in grade 4 and finish with them in grade 5. My students were excited about the songs they were playing and when they learned all the songs I thought we could cover in two years, they were still asking for more. I think I expanded the number of knight levels and the difficulty of the pieces three times before I arrived at the final iteration of Royal Recorders as it is today. When I had grade 6 students added to my teaching responsibilities the students were delighted to have the opportunity to play recorders for another year. We played duets, we added alto recorders, we had students learn O Canada in a three part arrangement and they were invited to play for the annual teacher’s retirement banquet. That was a real honour, and even more amazing since most people think recorders are only good for playing Hot Cross Buns and that they sound terrible. My group of top grade 6s did an amazing job and the audience was blown away. What a great success story!

There are many, many recorder stories I could tell, but I will close with two more. Firstly, My students loved playing with the accompaniment tracks. They make even simple two-note songs sound great and it is motivating to play when it sounds good. I knew this was going to be a hit when we played the song “He B G Bees” and as the final notes of the accompaniment faded away, a student asked, “Can we play it again?” Now THAT is music to the music teacher’s ear!

As the program developed and more and more students wanted to play song challenge tests, it became clear that I couldn’t keep up with testing individual students at recess and noon. There were just too many kids ready and anxious to play and not enough time to hear them all. We came up with the plan that students could submit a playing test via video. The beauty of this system was that I could listen to playing tests at home (with my feet up and sitting by the fire), I could listen to a test more than once if needed, I had time to give productive feedback, and students were taking time at home to prepare their video tests. Their families heard them practicing and helped with the videos and therefore became involved in the music development of the students. Siblings, parents and grandparents were pressed into service as camera assistants and they also weighed in on whether or not they thought the song was ready to present. I know that students did many video takes before settling on the one they would submit (that is called practicing!) and they were very proud to submit their videos. One day I got an email from a mom who was anxiously awaiting the results from a playing test that had been submitted. She emailed me to ask about the results of the song challenge. She just couldn’t wait until the end of the school day to hear if “they” had passed. When kids are supported at home and they know that what they are doing has worth, it is truly inspiring to see what can be accomplished.

I love teaching recorder. I love seeing the kids being excited when they can play fast songs, beautiful songs, tricky songs and to play them well. I love seeing them so motivated to play and learn and to add to their knowledge. What a great gift that is. They make my castle an exciting place to be!

You Are Invited

When you have enjoyed seeing the videos and learning about the Royal Recorders Program - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Please send us your performance videos - we might be able to post them on this page!

Sample

Tutorial Videos – enjoy 63 tutorial videos that have been created to support each song in the Royal Recorders teaching method. Scroll up to Royal Recorders Product Options to access all tutorial videos (includes one for each song) in the program

Enjoy these Royal Recorders playing videos!

Watch these video samples of students (Royal Recorders Knights) (or Donna) playing each song in the Royal Recorders program with the performance-speed accompaniment tracks.

The printed music is included in the videos so you can have fun playing along. Enjoy!

Student Book 1

White Knight (level one)

Yellow Knight (level 2)

Orange Knight (level 3)

Green Knight (level 4)

Purple Knight (level 5)

Turquoise Knight (level 6)

Blue Knight (level 7)

Student Book 2

Red Knight (level 8)

Pink Knight (level 9)

Brown Knight (level 10)

Black Knight (level 11)

Silver Knight (level 12)

Gold Knight (level 13)

Bonus - Super Knight

Send us your videos of Royal Recorders performances and perhaps we can post them here.

The post Royal Recorders appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Fluffy Flakes of Snow

Andy Duinker — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:16:43 +0000

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Fluffy Flakes of Snow

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Fluffy Flakes of Snow.

Teaching Tips

Teaching Tips

Introduce the song

Have a discussion about activities the students enjoy doing when it snows.

Has anyone ever tried to catch a snowflake on their tongue?

Do they get together with friends to enjoy outdoor activities?

Expressive singing

This song tells a story about enjoying a snowy day with friends. Use dynamics, facial expression and clear diction to sing expressively as you present this story to your audience.

Syncopation

The melody has a syncopated feel to it because many phrases begin with a rest on beat one. Beat one is usually a stronger sounding beat and the rest shifts the accent to land on beat two. This shifting of the accent creates a syncopated feeling.

To practice this syncopation, clap or stamp on beat one to create the space of the rest. Once you are comfortable with how it feels to start the phrases on beat two, leave out the clap or stamp.

Score study

Study the score to find the following elements and discuss how they work in the song:

Swing the eighths
Rests on beat one
First and second endings
Accidentals
Additional Score Markings

The PDF download includes information about these musical elements.

Composer's Notes

Fluffy Flakes of Snow

I was driving to my mom’s house, an hour away from where I live. I was thinking it would be nice to have a new winter song for the lower elementary grades to sing so I was trying to think of a simple song as I was driving. Being in a vehicle with the monotony of the tire noise is a good time to block out the world and think about song ideas. However, this particular day everything I tried out for ideas seemed too contrived or too uninteresting and I arrived at my destination without any new songs to show for my efforts.

The next morning when I got up, I was humming to myself and this perky little tune was what “came out”. I grabbed paper and a pen and jotted down the tune and the words for the first line, “Lots of flakes of snow are falling.” I discussed my new song with Andy (as I often do) and we bounced a few lyric ideas around to find alternate words to describe the flakes of snow. We settled on “fluffy flakes” because the alliterations are such fun to sing! Although my original intention was a song for the youngest elementary students, this song is really a grade 2-3 level or higher, but when a song is being delivered by the muse, one does not quibble about such details!

I added the second “verse” lyrics as we were editing the score to be uploaded and published. I was wondering how to explain to the singers the reasoning behind singing exactly the same words twice, so by adding one small change, I had a reason for that repeat. It won’t be hard for the singers to learn one additional line and they will have a two-verse song.

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Fluffy Flakes of Snow and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Fluffy Flakes of Snow appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Sing a Song of Peace

Andy Duinker — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:32:05 +0000

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Sing a Song of Peace

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Sing a Song of Peace.

Teaching Tips

Expressive singing

Sing expressively to present the theme of peace and the reflective mood of the song.

Discuss dynamics, facial expression, legato phrases and treatment of interval jumps that must be sung accurately without sticking out.

Score Study

Sing a Song of Peace is written in ABA form. Explore the score to determine where each section begins and ends.
Sing the melody line and/or the descant harmony line using solfege syllables and/or hand signs.
Discuss where the phrases begin and end. While singing, move one hand in an arc to represent the shape of the phrase that is being sung.

Adding harmony

There are two opportunities to add harmony, using instruments (handbells, hand chimes or Orff instruments such as metallophones) or by singing.

After the students are comfortable with the melody of the B Section, introduce the descant line by playing the line on the piano while all singers are singing the melody in unison.

Choose a few students to play or to sing the descant line. Keep it light and complimentary to the melody without being overpowering.

Composer's Notes

Sing a Song of Peace

I got an email from Joanna, my former job-share partner. In her current school she was starting a Grade 4-5 choir. The first rehearsal was approaching, and she wanted something fun and exciting to pique the interest of the students and get them enthused to join the choir. She also needed something for them to sing for Remembrance Day with a short window to prepare something. I was inspired to sit at the piano and write her a simple song with a focus on peace. I knew she had handchimes at her school and I also know that kids love to play them. What better way to inspire kids to join the choir than to give them a chance to get their hands on the handchimes. I also Included a short section with a simple descending harmony line for a nice taste of harmony that the students would easily be able to sing and it would come together and sound good quickly.

By the time I met with Joanna the next day, I had a song written with separate vocal parts and handbell scores ready for copying and distribution to her choir singers. It was fun to be writing for young elementary choir singers. Having a specific theme also helps narrow the creative process from endless possibilities to something far more manageable. After the initial writing for the elementary singers, I couldn’t resist creating an arrangement for choirs who are able to manage more two-part singing (and eliminating the niche of having handbells or handchimes). Once again, a simple song will end up with several arrangement variations so that music teachers and choir directors have options. It makes their musical lives less complicated and my composing life more complicated, but creating music is still a terrific way to pass the time!

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Sing a Song of Peace and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Sing a Song of Peace appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Hello Ghostie!

Andy Duinker — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:37:32 +0000

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Hello Ghostie!

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Hello Ghostie!.

Art Song style

Teaching Tips

Teaching Tips

Style study

Hello Ghostie! is written with two different accompaniment styles.

Sea Shanty style

The song has a jaunty, rollicking feel with heavy chordal accompaniment.

How will the story be presented in this style?

Art Song Style

Hello Ghostie! is also provided with an accompaniment written in an art song style.

How will the song be sung differently within this style?

Singers should sing expressively in both accompaniment styles.

Expressive singing

Dramatic interpretation and expressive singing can be incorporated in the responses to the ghost at the door.

Sing “Hello Ghostie” different ways:

bravely
anxiously
curiously

When singing repeated lyrics “Hello Ghostie. How are you today?” each chorus can be sung with the same emotional response, or singers may choose to sing each response with a different emotion each time.

See the “Singer’s Notes” included with the PDF download. The composer, Donna Rhodenizer, has written instructions to the singers who will be interpreting the song.

Add percussion

The purpose of a sea shanty was to have a song that could be sung while doing tasks such as pulling rigging ropes when sailors would need to work together. Singing songs with a strong and steady beat provided the reference for all the sailors to pull at the same time, therefore being most efficient and productive.

Add percussion to Hello Ghostie! The PDF download includes specific percussion suggestions to try. Singers also are invited to create a percussion part to include in the performance.

Composer's Notes

Hello Ghostie!

Halloween songs can be a great teaching tool. They often include minor tonalities, lots of “oohs” and other sound effects, and topics that are mysterious and fun to sing. These songs tie in with the anticipation children experience leading up to Halloween festivities at the end of October. However, in my music classroom some students didn’t partake in any Halloween observances. Ghosts in particular are a sticky subject. Are they real? Are they just stories? Some kids believe strongly, other do not and others are not sure. Where does my responsibility lie when students look to me for opinions?

Hello Ghostie! was written as a way of giving young singers some tools for dealing with ghosts in general. Not to present ghosts as scary, horror-movie kind of creatures, but acting like regular people by walking up to a house and knocking on the door to have a visit. How would you react if you heard a knock at the door and when you opened it, a ghost was standing there? There are certainly a variety of possible reactions and I explored both afraid and brave responses for different verses. This makes for an interesting expressive singing exercise for singers. How will they sing a chorus with the same words but conveying different emotions? Will they sing each repetition of “Hello Ghostie” with changing emotions or keep it all the same within each chorus? I also composed the ending with room for interpretation. The singer must decide if they finish with brave confidence or maybe after all their bravado, a few doubts are still lingering and they aren’t quite sure of the outcome.

Composing the accompaniment for Hello Ghostie! was an interesting journey. Sea shanty songs are popular with young singers (and older ones too!) and this song fit that style very well. That is the style I wanted for my song. However, when I first framed out the accompaniment, I wrote out simple chords, basically to get the chord structure. This was a more sedate musical style and it also works well with the song. That meant I had to decide – but then again, maybe not! I decided to provide both accompaniment versions so singers can decide which accompaniment suits their needs. It also creates a neat learning experience to compare two styles of accompaniment that make a song sound different, even though the melody and words are exactly the same for both versions. I am always interested in encouraging musical exploration and creativity.

I like writing songs where the singer has the opportunity to make musical decisions about their performance – which should happen every time someone sings, but often does not. It is one of the most difficult things I do as a composer to commit myself to one specific interpretation of a song. There are so many options and there are reasons to include or omit different dynamics in a song. In the teaching tips for this song, I included specific notes written to the singer instructing them to make the song their own by adding the dynamics they think work best, even if that means ignoring what I wrote in the score. It will be interesting to experience a variety of performances of this song as it develops its own personality in the singing world.

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Hello Ghostie! and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Hello Ghostie! appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Get Up Christmas Mornin’

Andy Duinker — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:59:33 +0000

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Get Up Christmas Mornin'

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Get Up Christmas Mornin' & Get Up in the Mornin'.

Part of a song collection

The companion song to Get Up Christmas Mornin' is

Get Up in the Mornin' - and it is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Blue Skies and Pirates". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 110-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Blue Skies and Pirates is also available on Amazon

Stream and purchase audio tracks

Stream or Purchase the Get Up in the Mornin' tracks from many streaming sites including: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

Donna & Andy have yet to record Get Up Christmas Mornin'.

The Blue Skies and Pirates CD and tracks (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental tracks - 24) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teacher Tips

Introduce the song

Initiate a discussion about Christmas memories.

Have the students ever written a letter to Santa?
What are things that students might do to get on the “nice list?”
What are things that students might do to get on the “naughty list?”
What time do students get up on Christmas morning?
Do students have to wait to get up until a specific time?
If they could only receive one gift, what would they want that gift to be?

Listen to the song or read the lyrics.

What is the message of this song? Don’t be grumpy and stay off the naughty list!
Is this good advice?

Expressive singing

Sing expressively to create a different presentation style for each of the verses.

Emphasize the lyrics by using:

dynamics
clear diction
facial movement
simple gestures

Improvisation

There are instrumental breaks between each verse (bars 29-40).

Have students use these instrumental bars to improvise using their own musical ideas.

Students may sing specific Christmasy words or sing scat syllables.

There is also the option to skip these bars (tracks are provided to accommodate both options).

Be a composer

Create your own verses for this song.

As a composer you will make musical decisions about the content of your song lyrics.

You may decide to sing about a gift you hope you receive, or perhaps you will sing about leaving Santa a snack.

Use the instrumental accompaniment tracks and sing your new lyrics.

Have fun composing!

Colouring page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song Get Up in the Mornin'.

Composer's Notes

Get Up Christmas Mornin'

I was taking my son to a Scout Jamboree in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada. 14,000 Scouts from all over Canada were converging at a massive camp site for a week-long event. As we were heading to the camp on a bright and sunny day, the melody and the first verse of the song popped into my head. I started to sing as we walked from the parking lot to the central gathering location (it was quite a hike so I had some time!) My son has camped in some pretty uncomfortable weather conditions. He always had lots of stories to tell, but he really didn’t complain about the weather. He seemed to enjoy the challenge of surviving even rainy and snowy camping trips. He didn’t get that from his mother. I prefer to be protected from heat, cold, bugs and hard ground when I sleep. Despite my personal preference to avoid being involved in bad weather, I thought it made sense to include the advice not to be saucy to Mother Nature. At the end of the day, being grumpy doesn’t change the weather conditions but a good attitude can go a long way to improving the outlook of the situation.

A few years later, our Donna & Andy duo was invited to sing at a Christmas event. We were practicing some standard seasonal tunes when we started to change the lyrics of Get Up in the Mornin’ to fit in with getting up on Christmas morning. We sketched out alternate lyrics that worked for that concert and I include them with the original words so teachers can have an option for school and vocal studio Christmas concert presentations. The admonishment not to be grumpy or sassy also works in the context of staying off the naughty list!

You're Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Get Up Christmas Mornin' and perhaps we can post it here.

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Get Up in the Mornin’

Andy Duinker — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 17:46:01 +0000

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Get Up in the Mornin'

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

Follow along with the lyrics as you listen to the accompaniment with melody guide for Get Up in the Mornin' & Get Up Christmas Mornin'.

Part of a song collection

Get Up in the Mornin' is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Blue Skies and Pirates". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 110-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Blue Skies and Pirates is also available on Amazon

Stream and purchase audio tracks

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Blue Skies and Pirates CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teacher Tips

Introduce the song

Have a weather-related discussion.

Do the students have a favourite kind of weather?
What is their least favourite kind of weather?
Do they ever grumble about the weather?
Does grumbling and complaining improve the weather conditions?

Listen to the song or read the lyrics.

What is the message of this song? Don’t be grumpy or blue about the weather, and don’t “sass” Mother Nature!
Is this good advice?

Expressive singing

Sing expressively to create a different presentation style for each of the types of weather about which you are singing.

Emphasize the lyrics by using:

dynamics
clear diction
facial movement
simple gestures

Improvisation

There are instrumental breaks between each verse (bars 29-40).

Have students use these instrumental bars to improvise using their own musical ideas.

Students may sing specific words e.g., rain, sun, wind, etc. or sing scat syllables.

There is also the option to skip these bars (tracks are provided to accommodate both options).

Be a composer

Create your own verses for this song.

As a composer you will make musical decisions about the content of your song lyrics.

You may decide to sing about your favourite kind of weather, or you may want to take the opportunity to complain a bit about your least favourite kind of weather.

Will you still decide to present the message that it won’t help to be grumpy, or will you create a different message for your weather song?

Use the instrumental accompaniment tracks and sing your new lyrics.

Have fun composing!

Colouring page - download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song Get Up in the Mornin'.

Composer's Notes

Get Up in the Mornin'

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your video of Get Up in the Mornin' and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Get Up in the Mornin’ appeared first on Donna & Andy.

It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me

Andy Duinker — Fri, 23 May 2025 19:22:08 +0000

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It's a Pirate's Life for Me

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio Sample

Listen to melody + accompaniment for It's a Pirate's Life for Me as you follow along with the lyrics.

Part of a song collection

It's a Pirate's Life for Me is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Blue Skies and Pirates". Donna Rhodenizer and Andy Duinker have written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 112-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Stream and purchase audio tracks

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including: Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Blue Skies and Pirates CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available as download or physical CD on this website.

Teaching tips

Introducing the song

Read the lyrics aloud.
Discuss any unfamiliar words.
Have a discussion

Do students think it would be fun to be a pirate with a talking parrot and the ability to sail a ship wherever they want to go?
Has anyone ever seen or heard a talking parrot?

Lyric options

Two options for lyrics are provided for line two of verse three.
Decide if you want to sing about a pirate with a sword, or if you prefer to have the pirate sleeping.
The teacher may make this decision before introducing the song, and two separate lyric sheets are provided to accommodate this lyric choice. It is also an option to have the students vote on their preference.

Performance suggestions

Add simple props – striped shirts, bandanas, toy parrots and fake tattoos (An eyeliner is a great tool for creating temporary tattoos).

Include special pirate “soloists” to present the spoken response, “To the sea!” Invite soloists to give different interpretations of the “to the sea!” response.

Loud / soft
High pitched/ low pitched
Changing their natural voice to sound more gruff, or silly, or…..

Small group classes, elementary music classroom singers or choirs may be divided into small solo groups to sing the verses as small solo sections. This helps lighten lyric memorization demands for younger singers.

Home schoolers

Create a ship by organizing a group of chairs, turning a table upside down, or using a cardboard box.

Pretend to be pirates as you listen to the song and sing along.

Have fun!

Colouring page

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song It's a Pirate's Life for Me

Composer's Notes

Some songs seem to “arrive” without much fuss. This is one of those songs. I don’t remember what sparked my imagination and got me started writing, but it was a simple process to include all the clichés associated with pirates as I wrote lyrics for the verses. It is great fun to include participatory bits in a song that I know the students will love to sing. The exuberant call, “To the sea!” is that kind of fun element that draws kids into the singing experience. Often the songs I write reflect the fact that I am the mother of three energetic boys. If I could write lyrics and keep my own three livewires interested, it was a good indication of how it would go for the general child population that eventually sings my songs.

The recording process for this song was also a blast. Our Donna & Andy recordings have all been recorded using the talents of the best musicians we can find. It’s a Pirate’s Life for Me was recorded for the CD: Bue Skies and Pirates, with lots of blues and jazz influenced tunes. The “heavyweights” we hired to record our tracks were high-end, well-known jazz musicians and musical monsters who are able to play with incredible skill. We took courage in hand and requested each of these highly respected musicians to add a spoken response, “to the sea!” to include on this track. At first, we thought nobody would agree, but as each musician contributed their pirate interpretation, their inner child became very evident. As the voices started accumulating, efforts were made to stand out in the group of voices. they tried to be louder, they laughed at each other, they asked to re-do their part if they thought they could do a better take. They were silly, they were earnest and they had fun!

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song with your students - please drop by again and leave a Review on this page. Thanks!

Send us your performance video - perhaps we might post it on this page!

Send us your video of It's a Pirate's Life for Me and perhaps we can post it here.

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My Chihuahua

Andy Duinker — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:24:25 +0000

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My Chihuahua

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

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

Melody guide + accompaniment (piano)

Melody guide + accompaniment (band)

Teacher Tips

Make a connection with the song topic

Initiate a discussion by asking students to share information about their pets. This creates a connection between the students and the subject matter of the song. Pets are important members of the family in many homes. Opening a discussion about pets will result in a variety of stories and multiple students who want to share.

“Time management” tip: In a classroom with a large number of students, find ways to include all the students without spending an entire class on pet stories! It is important to find ways to give students the opportunity to share without using up all the teaching time with stories.

Some options to “streamline” multiple answers include:

- Put up one hand if you have a dog/cat/hamster, etc.

- If you have more than one dog/cat, etc., hold up fingers to show how many

- If you have more than one kind of pet hold up two hands

- Hands up if your family had this pet before you were born

- Put up your hand if you have a pet (any number, any kind). Put your hand down when the teacher says the animal that is your pet. When there are only two or three hands still up, ask those students to share what pet they have.

Introduce the song

This song is about a specific kind of dog.

Ask students if they know anything about chihuahuas.

Find pictures or images to share to familiarize them with this breed of dog.

What are some characteristics of chihuahuas?

Expressive singing

Find the repeated words and phrases that will need to be sung with clear, crisp consonants so the lyrics can be understood. The expressive presentation of these repeated lyrics also add a humorous feeling to the song.

The singer’s task is to present the song authentically so the audience is convinced that the singer truly thinks a chihuahua is the best dog ever!

Accidentals

My Chihuahua is written in a major key. However accidentals are used to briefly change the tonal feeling of the song.

Using the vocal score, locate the bars where accidentals are added (bar 20 in each of the first two verses, and also in bars 38, 42 and 46).

Sing this melodic figure several times to internalize the altered notes before singing the song in its entirety.

Sing the altered notes with confidence so they sound like they belong in the melody (which they do!) and enjoy the interesting melodic colour they add to the song.

Composer's Notes

There have been a variety of dogs in my life, mostly family pets I remember from when I was a young child. Dogs were useful on our family farm but we also regarded them as beloved family members. Most of our dogs were larger and family and friends also had large dogs such as German shepherds, Irish setters and Labrador retrievers, to name a few. The one exception was the small chihuahua owned by my aunt and uncle. “Cleo” was a short-haired little dog with protruding eyes and a jaunty little tail. I remember Cleo’s little toenails clicking on the floor when my uncle would get him to dance for us.

As an adult, I also had the opportunity to meet Diago, a feisty chihuahua who truly lived up to his name. He had a sturdy, wide chest (for a chihuahua) and short stubby legs. His best trick was when his owners would say “Sing, Diago” and he would plant his feet, throw back his head and howl in a most impressive operatic style. He had a big voice for a little dog! I don’t think he understood that he was the smallest individual in the room, and if he did realize that, I am sure it didn’t matter to him at all. He was a fun chihuahua with lots of confidence!

It was good to be able to tap into all this dog experience when writing My Chihuahua, but one might wonder why I chose that topic at all. I had written about a pet hamster (Pickles) after a request from my friend, Nikki Loney at Full Voice Music. A voice teacher who had used Pickles with her students contacted Nikki asking if she might be able to have a chihuahua song written. In turn, Nikki contacted me just in case it might spark an idea for a song. I jotted down the idea in one of my song-idea notebooks and every now and then I would push around lyrics that I thought might work, but I didn’t ever really work on it seriously. I finally got around to writing the song two years later! My Chihuahua is a fun and spicy little song, and I think Diago would approve.

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song 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!

More Dog Songs

Sing more dog songs written by Donna Rhodenizer

It's Raining Cats and Dogs
I Got a Sister (but I wanted a dog)
Cyril, the Sausage Dog
Cat and Dog Canons
Dogs Hide Bones (singing game) (included in New Singing Games for Young Singers Vol. 1 & Vol. 2)

Send us your video of My Chihuahua and perhaps we can post it here.

The post My Chihuahua appeared first on Donna & Andy.

Computer Cat

Andy Duinker — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 23:49:39 +0000

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Computer Cat

by Donna Rhodenizer

Audio & Lyrics

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

Part of a Song Collection

The song Computer Cat is one of 12 songs from the award-winning song collection "Computer Cat". Donna Rhodenizer has written these songs in a variety of styles and skill levels for singers from ages 5-12+.

Learn more about this fun collection for elementary-aged kids, choirs and solo vocal students. The 93-page book provides the vocal score, full score and separate lyrics pages for 12 songs. Enjoy!

Please note: audio tracks for the e-book version are sold separately. Print copies of the book include CD (24 tracks)

Computer Cat print book (without CD) is also available on Amazon

Stream and purchase Audio tracks

Stream or Purchase from many streaming sites including:

Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer.

The Computer Cat CD (Donna & Andy performance and instrumental) tracks (24) are available for download or physical CD on this website.

Teacher Tips

Discuss the Vocabulary used in this song

Do the students ever use a mouse with their computer?
Have they ever seen a mouse that is attached to the computer with a cable?
What is the “pad” that is mentioned in bar 10?
What is computer RAM?

Once the vocabulary has been explored, review the story as it is written in the lyrics. This should help students understand the story they are singing!

Expressive singing

Use expressive singing to tell this humorous story.
What emotions will you try to convey? Humour, exasperation, frustration…?
Use dynamics, paying particular attention to lyrics that repeat. Singing the repeated words with dynamic changes creates interest and momentum for the phrase. Decide if you will add a crescendo or a decrescendo for the repeated words.

Solo opportunity

If singing with a group of students, select one or two students to add a few solo meows at strategic spots in the song.

Add simple movement

Adding a few simple gestures can help emphasize the lyrics.

Some examples include:

with my hand on the mouse – move your hand as if moving a computer mouse

push the cat around on the desk – move your hand as if pushing a cat!

Explore cross-curricular activities and connect with other subject areas.

10 Cross-curricular activities

10 Cross-curricular activities are provided in the PDF download extending the focus of this song to other subject areas including:

Fine arts: music, visual art, drama, dance
Language arts
Math
Technology

Colouring Page - Download

Download (pdf), print and have fun colouring this page while you listen to the song Computer Cat.

Composer's Notes

Computer Cat is one of my early songs. It was written in the mid 1990s as a result of a question posed by my six-year-old son, Daniel. He had seen me using the computer (or maybe he was using one himself at that point) and he said, “Mom, what would happen if the cat ate the mouse for the computer?” This was an interesting thought and evoked amusing images and it was a great foundation for a fun song. Cats are not known to be particularly cooperative at the best of times. I envisioned the necessity of chasing and catching the cat when it was time to do computer work and then the trouble of convincing it to agree to being pushed around on the desk. The issues of static electricity and being ticklish would certainly create some tension!

It is amazing to me that almost 30 years after writing this song, I can look back and see how much technology has changed since the song was originally written. Many of the computer innovations of the 1990s have been replaced and replaced again in the ensuing years. What we thought was leading-edge technology (which it was at the time) now looks very antiquated. Computer Cat still has appeal as a humorous song, although it may require a bit of historical context for young singers who wonder what a mouse and pad have to do with using a computer!

You are Invited

When you have enjoyed singing this song 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 Computer Cat and perhaps we can post it here.

The post Computer Cat appeared first on Donna & Andy.