Letter Pops
(Tune: Lollipop)

Letter pops, letter pops, (Bounce and kick right and then left.)
It’s letter popping day.
Use arms and legs to make letters that I say.
You can do them any way,
So come on let’s play – letter pops!
Letter A, Letter A /a/ /a/ /a/
Letter B, Letter B /b/ /b/ /b/
C…Z

Hint! Let the children brainstorm how to make these letters with their bodies before you begin. You can make upper or lowercase letters ANY way that you want!

Here are some suggestions:

    A – Palms together overhead. Feet extended.
    B – Right arm on waist. Left leg bent.
    C – Make semi circle with arms facing right.
    D – Bend to the right and touch feet.
    E – Extend arms straight to the right and stick out right foot.
    F – Extend arms to the right. Feet together.
    G – Left arm circles head. Bend right wrist in to make “G.”
    H – Legs out and knees bent. Arms up bent at elbows.
    I – Arms straight overhead.
    J – Face right and bend one leg backwards.
    K – Extend right arm and right leg to the side.
    L – Turn feet and face right.
    M – Straight arms slightly out by sides.
    N – Bend right elbow and left arm out by side.
    O – Circle arms overhead.
    P – Right hand on waist.
    Q – Left hand on waist.
    R – Right hand on waist. Extend right leg.
    S – Curve arms to right and bend left knee backwards.
    T – Arms extended on either side.
    U – Arms curved up in the air.
    V – Arms straight up and out in the air.
    W – Bend elbows by sides and forearms out.
    X - Extend arms and legs.
    Y – Extend arms in “v” overhead.
    Z – Turn right. Extend right arm and kick back left leg.

Letter pops, letter pops, (Side step and swing arms.)
We sang from A to Z.
It’s the end of the alphabet, you see.
It was fun for you and fun for me.
Letter pops! (Hands up.)

Activities: Use bodies to make letters with a partner.
Make letter pops by gluing magnetic letters to craft sticks. Match up with letters in the classroom, in books, etc.
Make an alphabet book by having children lay on the floor and form letters. Take pictures and make a class book.
Pop out words that start with each letter.
Use sign language to sing this song.

Phonercise

Time to Phonercise. We’re going to put our arms in the air and say a letter.
We’ll touch our shoulders and make the sound. Then we’ll touch the ground and say a word that starts with that sound.
A (Hands up in the air and say “A.”)
/a/ (Hands on shoulders and make the short /a/ sound.)
____ (Say a word that starts with “A” as you touch your toes.)
B…Z

Activities: Use different categories to phonercise. You could do foods, animals, vocabulary from a unit of study, things in your state, etc. Do body blending. Touch your head and make the beginning sound in a word. Touch your waist and make the middle sound. Touch your toes and make the final sound. Blend the sounds and say the word.
Do body math. Hands in the air and say a number. Touch your head and say “plus” or “minus.” Touch your waist and say a second number. Touch your knees and say, “equals.” Touch your toes and say the answer.

Cheering Letters
(Tune: Notre Dame Fight Song – Glory to Old Georgia)

We’re going to cheer lowercase letters by making a V with our arms in the air for letters that start at the top dotted line. We’ll put our arms out straight in front of us for letters that start at the middle dotted line. We’ll squat down with our hands on our hips for letters with a tail.

A (Arms straight out in front of you with feet extended.)
B (Arms straight up in the air in a “V” shape.)
C (Arms straight out in front of you with feet extended.)
D (Arms straight up in the air in a “V” shape.)
E (Arms straight out in front of you with feet extended.)
F (Arms up in the air in a “V” shape.)
G (Squat down on the ground with hands on your hips.)
H….Z
A-Z to “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia”

Activities: Make sign language letters when you sing this song.
Write “invisible” letters in the air with your index finger as you sing.
Make pom poms from lunch sacks. Cut down 1” strips from the top of the sack stopping at the bottom flap. Roll up the flap to make a handle and tape in place. Fluff up the strips.
Spell word wall words or vocabulary words by cheering them.
Give me a “t.” “T”
I’ve got a “t,” you’ve got a “t.”
Give me an “h.” “H”
I’ve got an “h,” you’ve got an “h.”
Give me an “e.” “E”
I’ve got an “e,” you’ve got an “e.”
What’s it spell. “THE!”

Macarena Count to 100

1 (Right arm out palm down.)
2 (Left arm out palm down.)
3 (Right palm up.)
4 (Left palm up.)
5 (Right hand on left shoulder.)
6 (Left hand on right shoulder.)
7 (Right hand behind head.)
8 (Left hand behind head.)
9 (Right hand on left hip.)
10 (Left hand on right hip.)
(Clap two times.)
That is one ten. (Hold up one finger.)

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (clap clap) That is two tens.
21-100

Activities: Point to the numerals on a 100 chart as you sing.
Skip count using the Macarena. Counting by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc. will help children with multiplication.
Do expanded notation with the body movements. Clap the ones, stomp the tens, and snap the hundreds.
Can children count backwards from 100??
Trace around each child’s hand on a 7” square. Let them decorate their hands with markers or crayons. Put their hands together to make a book called “High Five to 100” by writing 5, 10, 15, 20…100 on each page.
You can make a similar book called “Give Me Ten to 100” by tracing toes!