Dillysongs Curriculum Suggestions

Picklehead

Picklehead is a song about a kid with a head like a pickle. At the beginning of the song, other kids at school tease him and sing his name in disrespect. When those kids realize that they've hurt Picklehead's feelings and brought him to tears, they apologize and then invite him to join in their baseball game!

Lifeskills
Students may choose to write/share a story about how they had to forgive or be forgiven for teasing. Students should realize that retribution (what is done afterward) is a healing part of saying, "I'm sorry."

I am a Pizza

Anthropomorphic Pizza!

What would it be like if your favorite food came to life? Would it be able to walk and talk? Could it sing and dance? Okay, how about just sing?

Creative Dramatics
Acting this story out isn't playing with food. Or is it?

Bug Juice

This song is based upon a familiar tune, On Top of Old Smoky. The lyrics are simply changed to tell a different story.
Try this:
Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Now sing the ABC song.
Did you notice anything similar about the songs? Yep, the tune is the same!

Compare
List a few songs and come up with some other titles that share the same tune.

Compose
Maybe you could write a song about your science lesson to the tune of Jingle Bells.

Goldilocks
Three Little Pigs

Life Skills
These songs are renditions of classic bedtime tales. Both teach important lessons about life.
Ask before you touch something that is not yours.
Do the best you can.
Have kids share what lesson they learned from the story.

Literature
Read a few variations of these stories.
Kids can share their favorites from the library.
Compare and contrast the elements and facts of the stories.

Herman the Worm

I used to tell this joke to my cousin over and over and over again when I was in elementary school. Turning it into a song was lots of fun!

Very Dark

This song was written about one of my childhood annoyances, the ticking of a clock at night. I like using the harmonics on my guitar because they sound like chimes.

Literature Connection
The story is similar to the Dark, Dark House

Pink Pajamas

When I went to fifth grade camp I heard this silly ditty and loved it!
Camping
Sing this around a campfire at the top of your lungs. It will make even the woodland critters laugh out loud!

Hittle Led Hiding Rood (Little Red Riding Hood)

This story is based upon "Spoonerisms." Rev. Spooner was a preacher whose congregation delighted in his unintentional consonant reversals. Although many spoonerisms may be funny by themselves, try putting a bunch together and they become really funny!

Language Arts
Find a simple short story.
Rewrite the story, making your own spooner story.
Hint: In order to read a spooner story you may want to spell the new words phonetically. It will help you as you speak through the giggles.

I Like Bananas

My grandpa Vande Wege would sing this song after dinner. The song was our signal that dinner was done and we could be excused. Come up with your own silly signal!