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Valentine's Day Listening Activity

Denise Gagne

Valentine's Day Listening Activity - Cinnamon Hearts Listening

Materials Needed:
- tub of cinnamon hearts

Screen Shot 2023-06-06 at 3.29.05 PM (sold at Walmart for $2.97)
-plain white napkins or ziplock bags.
- hand drum
- listening selections in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4

OR

use selections suggested in Listening Resource Kit Level 2

Introduction: Ask the students to move into the open area of your classroom. Play a 2/4 pattern on a drum and ask the students to move to the music. When you stop, they are to freeze. Ask them to tell you whether the beat was moving in twos, threes or fours. Have them move again as you play a pattern in 3/4 or 4/4. Exaggerate the meter so it’s easy for children to tell if it’s moving in twos, threes or fours. Stop, freeze and ask them again. Have them move again as you play a pattern in 3/4 or 4/4. Continue playing and moving until the students are able to answer correctly.

Cinnamon Heart Listening Activity: Give each student a white napkin and 4 hearts. (or pre-package the hearts in ziplock bags) Play a piece of music in 4/4 time and ask the students to do the following ostinato with you as they listen: pat legs - tap, tap, tap (tap shoulders) Use #31 from the Listening Resource Kit Level 2: Contradance, Mozart

Have the students tap the 4 beats on their cinnamon hearts as you listen to the piece. Then play a piece of music in 3/4 time. Use #20, Minuet by Bach from the Listening Resource Kit Level 2.

Ask the students to do the following ostinato with you as they listen: pat legs - tap, tap, (tap shoulders) Ask the students to tell you how the beats are grouped. (3’s) They need to eat one cinnamon heart and tap just 3 beats as the music plays.

Then play a piece of music in 2/4 time.Use #25 Allegro, from "Spring" by Vivaldi in the Listening Resource Kit Level 2: 2/4 #25 Allegro. Perform the ostinato, pat-tap, pat-tap or tap two here - two there. Ask the students to tell you how the beats are grouped. (2’s). They need to eat one heart and tap just 2 beats on their cinnamon hearts as the music plays.

If you don’t have the “Listening Resource Kit” you could choose music from the Musicplay binder in 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4 time. In Musicplay 2 you could use Ridin' that New River Train for 4/4 On Top of Spaghetti for 3/4 Obwisana for 2/4

Let them take the rest of the cinnamon hearts home with them.

This was an all time-favorite listening lesson for my students, and is perfect for Valentine’s Day. If for some reason you can't give students cinnamon hearts, use heart stickers from a dollar store.

Other great Valentine songs in Musicplay:
Musicplay for Kindergarten
I Like Valentines
- there are lots of opportunities for expressive singing in this song. When you sing about the small valentines, sing quietly. Sing louder when singing about big valentines. Add actions or movement to the song.
Hey There Friend
- Valentine's Day should be all about friendship in elementary. This is a great singing game about friends!

Musicplay 1
I Like You
- this is a favourite singing game for K-3. It's sung to the tune of "Bow Wow Wow" and the game is played the same way. I like you. Yes I do. Will you be my Valentine? I like you!

Musicplay 2
I Sent a Valentine
- uses the singing game A Tisket A Tasket with valentine words. Kids love chase games! I sent a valentine to my love and on the way I dropped it. A little doggie picked it up and put it in his pocket.

Musicplay 3
Love Somebody

- This is a great song for teaching or practicing 16th note patterns. Game: One child holds a valentine and walks around the outside of the circle. At the end of the song he puts the valentine behind a child. The child picks it up, leaves the circle and tries to tag the person who is "it" before that person gets to the hole in the circle. Use an "imaginary" valentine instead of a real one to give the racer more of a chance. Create a B section for by writing and reading "Roses are Red" poems. Example: Roses are Red, Violets are blue, Sugar is sweet, and so are you.
- decide on a final form ABACADA - create a rondo, or create just one poem as a class and perform it as ABA.
- in another lesson, transfer poems to non-pitched percussion

Musicplay 4
Make New Friends
Create a B section for the song by having students create a friend poem using the letters of the word "friend" as the starting letter of each line of the poem. F is for…., r is for …., i is for...

If you don't have a lot of time, create the poem as a class. Possible extensions - create a melody for the poem or accompany the poem with non-pitched instruments. Decide as a class how the final performance should be organized.
- this would be a great activity for Grade 4, 5,6