Help with finding a children's song with a story for PGCE interview

[josh751]

I have an interview for a PGCE in primary and as part of it I need to tell the lecturers a story as if they're children using props, it must be geared towards 4-8 and I want to get them to participate. I plan on using a guitar as my prop and telling them a story through song. so does anyone have any ideas?

much appreciated
josh

Can I ask op, why did you post? What help did you hope for?

LOL.

I have no idea why OP posted because she knows all the answers better than anyone else.

Right perhaps I have come across as cheeky, I'm sorry about that and I should have provided you with better Info on this. Heres the facts :)

The Course Director basically insisted I used a guitar to tell the story

The story most popularly used is "The Hungry Caterpillar"

It has to be a story for 4-8 (what I meant was I have to go in and specify that this story will be for a P.1. class etc.)

Has to be 5 minutes long

I'm trying to find a nice short, simple story (similar to the hungry caterpillar) that can be sung, Bringing props is NOT an necessity and I know people who have got in with them (some people have even advised me against using any at all).

I am on placement at the moment in a primary school and I went to the P.1. told her all this and she said I should do "Five Little Ducks"

now tell me your thoughts? (Again sorry for my previously messages)

:)

In your shoes, I would go and ask the Y3/P4 teacher the same question and see what she thinks about Five Little Ducks.

OK then think about the STORY of 5 little ducks. What do you expect the children to get out of it (aka what are your learning objectives) - what kind of conversation do you see yourself having with the children after you have sung the song? what activities will you use to build what you have done? as people have said, it's really a counting song- with younger children you could do lots with toy ducks, adding them, counting them, subtracting them, using lots of mathematical language. But not sure what you would do with the age group you are targeting.

Hi, But theres no need, I will be walking into the interview and stating "this will be for a P.1. class" and then starting.. thanks for getting back to me tho :)

'I have no idea why OP posted because she knows all the answers better than anyone else.'

That's odd, I thought I heard the Boiiinnggg of a Y chromosome being waved around. Auditory illusion possibly?

So the story doesn't have to cover the whole range of 4-8yo but only a year group within that? In that case either 5 little ducks (extended with 'taking away' numeracy stuff) or The Hungry Catapillar (extended with life cycles or healthy eating) would be fine for 4-6 year olds.

I think 'We Are Going On a Bear Hunt' is a fab book to use. You could definitely sing it and there are loads of opportunities for props. You could play the guitar to the in between bits and then use props for the sounds of the different obstacles. Swishy Swashy grass, Squeltchy mud etc.

It's a lovely descriptive book. I would say year 1 or year 2 class.

Bear Hunt is a really good idea, or maybe There Was A Princess Long Ago (Sleeping Beauty) as that is a story told through a song - a classic fairytale at that so lots of directions to go in for props/discussion.

I've used Dear Zoo as the basis for a storytelling with Y1, and the children calling out appropriate words for each animal.
Have you come across this book?
www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Singing-Pigs-Traditional-Musicals/dp/0713673257/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385926185&sr=1-1&keywords=three+singing+pigs

what about this wee song?

Thanks for all your help guys! Thanks to you a found a great story/song to do! its called 'The Cat Came Back', each verse has a different vehicle tractor, train etc. I plan to get each of them printed out into cards and give them to the lectures and get them to hold up whichever vehicle i'm talking about and I'll have a nice yellow cat stuffed toy beside me as well :) GREAT!!

Is this a wind up?

Please, please never come to teach in England.

What? why? obviously I picked a version that is suitable for Children, Check it out here

Apart from the dubious attitude towards animals I still don't think that song tells a story.
You need a beginning, middle and end. Some kind of character development, a crisis or problem to overcome or lesson to learn.

What about 'There was a princess long ago'?

The story goes through her being in the tower, vibes growing, prince arriving etc.

Basically sleeping beauty in song form.

Please do post the lyrics you are supposedly going to use. I would be fascinated to hear how you think this is suitable for Reception/P1 children.

Vines growing not vibes!

Old Mr. Johnson had some troubles of his own.
He had a yellow cat which wouldn't leave his home.
He tried and tried to give the cat away.
He gave it to a man going far, far away.
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away
He gave it to a farmer, said he'd take it to a farm.
The farmer drove the tractor with the cat under his arm.
He dropped it in a cornfield, thought he'd surely get lost.
The cat ate up the cornfield at the farmer's cost.
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away
He gave it to a trucker that was going to Mexico.
The trucker stopped for coffee at a "Trucker Stop & Go".
But while he was a' paying he knew that he was stuck
He saw the cat jump in the cab and take off with his truck.
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away
He gave it to a pilot with a real nice plane.
The pilot could just fly it far away in one day.
But the pilot had his troubles he couldn't touch down.
Because the cat had the controls and made the pilot turn around.
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away
He gave it to a train conductor, put it on a train
New England's where the train was headed up to Bangor Maine
He pull down on the brakes those wheels screeched on the track
And as it ran away, conductor said, "Here, kitty cat".
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away

The cat was taken in by a lovely little girl
She loved that yellow cat, she made that cat her world
Now there is no reason for the cat to come back
Cuz it never has to leave and it likes it like that.
Chorus: But the cat came back, the very next day.
The cat came back. We thought he was a goner.
But the cat came back. It just couldn't stay away.
Away, Away, Away
It likes it where it is. It loves that little girl.

I think you will struggle to remember all those lyrics in an interview and it is far too complicated for reception.

I will say its for P.3. - P.4. :)

The princess one is far better. I do it with reception all the time and it works really well. You can add actions, change the lyrics etc. Lots of learning opportunities. It needs to involve them and help them make progress, not be a performance.

Add message | Report | Message poster josh751 Sun 01-Dec-13 19:05:20
Hi, But theres no need, I will be walking into the interview and stating "this will be for a P.1. class" and then starting.. thanks for getting back to me tho

here