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DRAMATIZED
RHYTHM PLAYS
MOTHER GOOSE AND TRADITIONAL
BY
JOHN N. RICHARDS, B.P.E.
ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
NEWARK, N.J.
NEW YORK
A. S. BARNES AND COMPANY
1931
Copyright, 1922,
by
A. S. BARNES AND COMPANY
This book is fully protected by copyright and nothing that appears in it may be reprinted or reproduced in any manner, either wholly or in part, for any use whatever, without special written permission of the copyright owner.
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
The following rhythmic plays compiled by Mr. John N. Richards of the Newark Department of Physical Education have been devised to meet the needs in the transition of Physical Education activities between the kindergarten and the first few years of the primary school.
The physiologist tells us that the nervous organism of early childhood is injured by the strain of strict, immobile attention required in formal gymnastics. Therefore it is wise to hold the child's interest and attention by means of dramatized nursery plays. These make little strain on mental application and the child is able to dramatize in motion the words and music which are planned to develop his motor co-ordination. In this way the child is gradually and interestingly led from the freedom of expression, characteristic of babyhood to the more specialized formal activities of the third and fourth years in the school.
Mr. Richards' contribution merits widespread usage because he has clearly and definitely described his rhythm plays so that the classroom teacher can easily make use of them without having to draw on her imagination or having to guess at the written explanation.
The book should be useful and welcomed too, not only by the classroom teacher but also by the specialist and supervisor of Physical Education.
Randall D. Warden
Director of Physical Education, Newark, N.J., Public Schools
INTRODUCTION
The young people of to-day are most fortunate in their opportunities and advantages. The home, the school, the shop, social life and play offer increasing fields for service. The ever increasing number of problems which must be faced, in this reconstruction period of our nation's life, demands leaders of broad intellect, clear vision and sound judgment. Coupled with these qualifications there must be developed a moral earnestness which will make for better citizenship.
The trend of society movement is undoubtedly toward congested city life. There is lamentable lack of playgrounds and properly equipped gymnasiums. The school buildings are crowded to capacity and there is a rush and hurry of life which challenges the attention of all educators who are interested in the physical well-being of children.
The priceless assets of our communities are the boys and girls who are growing into manhood and womanhood. We should spare neither expense nor energy in fitting them physically, mentally and spiritually for the great problems which will all too soon be theirs.
Exercise habits and a spirit of fair play must be a part of their training from the early school days. There is no better way of inculcating these lessons than through story plays and games during their first school years.
The material contained in this book is practical. The exercise movements have been set to music which is popular both in the schools and in the homes. It is carefully graded and should prove to be of great assistance to the teachers in the lower grades. It tends to bridge over the gap between the Kindergarten and the Primary Grade activities.
There is need for a manual of this type in our Physical Training literature and it is hoped that this material will be used generally throughout the schools of our country.
F. W. Maroney, M.D.
Director of Physical Education and Medical Inspection
Atlantic City, N.J., Public Schools
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to express his thanks to F. W. Maroney, M.D., formerly Director of Physical Education of the State of New Jersey and now Director of Physical Education and Medical Inspection of the Public Schools of Atlantic City, N.J., for the Introduction.
To Mr. Randall D. Warden, Director of Physical Education, Public Schools, Newark, N.J., for the Preface.
Special acknowledgment and thanks are due Miss A. E. Barth of the Charlton Street School, Newark, N.J., for her contribution of "Rhythm Plays" and to Miss Louise Westwood, Director of Music, Newark Public Schools, as hereinafter stated.
Thanks are also due to McLoughlin Bros. for permission to use the words and music of the following songs found in J. W. Elliott's book entitled, "Nursery Rhymes, Set to Music":
Little Jack Horner
See Saw, Marjory Daw
Dickory, Dickory, Dock
Sing a Song of Sixpence
To D. Appleton & Company for permission to use the words and music of the following songs found in "Songs the Whole World Sings":
Rock-a-bye, Baby
Little Boy Blue
To Miss Lydia Clark, author of "Physical Training for Elementary Schools," and to B. H. Sanborn & Company, for permission to use the words and music of the following songs:
Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
Looby LooJ. N. Richards
ALPHABETICAL INDEX
Aisles of Classroom
Page Bye O Baby Bunting 29 Bean Porridge 37Dickory, Dickory, Dock, 1st and 2nd verses
Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling
39Fly Away Jack and Jill
38 Humpty Dumpty 24 Hey, Diddle, Diddle 32Jack Be Nimble, No. 1
22Jack Be Nimble, No. 2
23 Jack and Jill 28 Little Jack Horner 20 Little Miss Muffet 27 Little Boy Blue 30 Pat-a-cake 36 Rock-a-bye, Baby 21 Ride a Cock-horse 34Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
40, 41 See Saw, Marjory Daw 42 The Band 19 Wee Willie Winkie 31Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
33Yankee Doodle, verse and chorus
35Circle
PageBaa, Baa, Black Sheep
50 Bean Porridge 51 Dapple Grey 54Dickory, Dickory, Dock
48Fly Away Jack and Jill
52 Jack and Jill 47 Little Jack Horner 45 Little Miss Muffet 46 Looby Loo 49Pop Goes the Weasel, verse and chorus
55Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
57GRADATION INDEX
First Grade
Aisle Page 1. The Band 192. Little Jack Horner
203. Rock-a-bye Baby
4. Jack Be Nimble, No. 1
225. Humpty Dumpty
246. Dickory, Dickory, Dock, 1st and 2nd verses
25, 267. Little Miss Muffet
278. Jack and Jill
289. Bye O Baby Bunting
29 10. Little Boy Blue 3011. Wee Willie Winkie
3112. Jack Be Nimble, No. 2
23 Circle1. Little Jack Horner
452. Little Miss Muffet
463. Jack and Jill
474. Dickory, Dickory, Dock
48Second Grade
Aisle Page1. Hey, Diddle, Diddle
322. Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
333. Ride a Cock-horse
344. Yankee Doodle, verse and chorus
35 5. Pat-a-cake 366. Bean Porridge
377. Fly Away Jack and Jill
388. Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
40, 419. Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling
3910. See Saw, Marjory Daw
42 Circle 1. Looby Loo 492. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
503. Bean Porridge
514. Fly Away Jack and Jill
52Third Grade
Circle Page 1. Dapple Grey 542. Pop Goes the Weasel, verse and chorus
553. Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
57INDEX OF PROGRESSION
Aisles of Classroom
Page 1. The Band (File Alignment)2. Little Jack Horner
" " 203. Rock-a-bye, Baby
" " 214. Jack Be Nimble, No. 1
" " 225. Humpty Dumpty
" " 246. Dickory, Dickory, Dock, 1st and 2nd verses
" " 25, 267. Little Miss Muffet
" " 278. Jack and Jill
" " 289. Bye O Baby Bunting
" " 29 10. Little Boy Blue " " 3011. Wee Willie Winkie
" " 3112. Jack Be Nimble, No. 2
" " 2313. Hey, Diddle, Diddle
" " 3214. Where Has My Little Dog Gone?
" " 3315. Ride a Cock-horse
" " 3416. Yankee Doodle, verse and chorus
" " 35 17. Pat-a-cake(Open line formation, partners facing)
36 18. Bean Porridge " " " " " 3719. Fly Away Jack and Jill.
" " " " " 3820. Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
" " " " " 40, 4121. Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling
" " " " " 3922. See Saw, Marjory Daw.
" " " " " 42Circle
(Outer aisles of classroom)
Page 1. Little Jack Horner
452. Little Miss Muffet
463. Jack and Jill
474. Dickory, Dickory, Dock
48 5. Looby Loo 496. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
507. Bean Porridge
518. Fly Away Jack and Jill
529. Dapple Grey
5410. Pop Goes the Weasel, verse and chorus
11. Sing a Song of Sixpence, 1st and 2nd verses
57SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHING OF THE GYMNASTIC ACTIVITY
1. Teach the words of the rhyme to the class, keeping in mind the rhythm.
2. If in presenting the action, the movement is based upon certain words as cues, present by imitation the activity as applied to the words, i.e., Little Jack Horner; Little Miss Muffet, etc.
3. If the movement is based on a time element (rhythm), present the activity content, line by line, i.e., Yankee Doodle; Pat-a-cake, etc.
4. Be sure the rhyme and activity has been thoroughly mastered before adding the song element.
5. If a dancing movement is involved, present same to the class as a unit before combining with other movements, i.e., Fly Away Jack and Jill; Diddle, Diddle, Dumpling, etc.
The author wishes to express thanks to Miss Louise Westwood, Director of Music of the Newark Public Schools, for the following suggestions as to the teaching of the song element:
1. Pitch-pipes:
No song under any condition should be sung without the pitch of the first word being given; using the pitch-pipe to get the key in which the song is written.
2. Range of Songs:
All songs should be sung not lower than the first line E or higher than the fifth line F of the staff. If songs are scored in another range, transpose the song by changing the pitch of the first word.
3. Quality of Tone:
All singing should be in a soft, light, head tone. Half-tone quality.
No loud singing should be allowed at any time.
PROCEDURE IN TEACHING
1. Teach the rhyme. 2. Combine rhyme with the gymnastic activity.
3. Teach the song. 4. Combine No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.
COMMANDS USED TO PRESENT THE GYMNASTIC ACTIVITY AND SONG
1. Determine key in which the song is written and find starting note.
2. Teacher sounds keynote of first syllable or word.
Command:—Pitch—Sing!
Examples:
(a) Yankee Doodle. The first syllable of the word, "Yankee," which is "Yank," is sung to establish the pitch.
(b) Oh, where, oh where has my little dog gone? The first word, "Oh," is sung to establish the pitch.
3. In order to insure united action, the following command is used:
Ready—Begin!
RHYTHMIC STEPS
1. The Point Step, Forward:
Point foot forward with outside edge of toes touching the floor; the heel is raised and turned inward toward the other foot. (No weight transference, the weight being on the stationary foot.)
2. Closing Step, Sideward:
Step sideward, right, maintaining the weight equally to both feet (1). Close left foot to right (2).
Note.—Counterlike for movement in the forward and backward direction.
3. Chasse or Gliding Step, Sideward:
Raise heels and slide sideward, right, immediately closing left to right. A light, quick movement requiring only one count for completion.
4. Step Throw or Step Hop Swing, Sideward:
Step sideward, right (1). Hop on right, and swing left leg diagonally forward across (2). (Knee slightly flexed with ankle extended.)
5. Schottische Step, Sideward:
Step sideward, right (1). Cross step left to rear of right (2). Step sideward, right (3). Hop on right, swinging left leg diagonally forward across (4). (Knee slightly flexed with ankle extended.)
6. Two Step or Change Step, Forward:
Step forward, right (1). Close left instep to right heel (and) Step forward, right (2).
7. The Step Dip, Sideward:
Step sideward, right, with transference of body weight to the right foot (1). Place left toe behind right heel (heel raised) with the knee turned sideward (and) Bend and stretch right knee slightly with trunk bending sideward, left (2).
Hand clapping occurs on counts one and two.
8. Encircle to left with partner kneeling. (Partners.)
Stationary pupil.—Pupil extends leg backward, lowering knee to floor. The trunk is erect; left hand on hip with the right arm stretched upward, supporting encircling partner's left hand.
Dancing pupil.—The encircling pupil grasps with the left hand the kneeling partner's right hand and performs the dance movement in given direction.
DIAGRAMMATIC FORMATIONS
Classroom Classroom Standing in the right aisle facing front of room. Standing in the right aisle in OPEN LINE FORMATION, partners facing. Six rows of seats; six pupils per row. Seven rows of seats; six pupils per row.Note:—When executing partner plays, children in extreme row on the right (odd row) form in partner formation in open area.
Circular
SINGLEFacing, line of direction.
Facing, inward.
Facing, reverse line of direction.
Counter-clockwise Clockwise DOUBLEFacing, line of direction.
Facing, reverse line of direction.
Partner formation, facing each other.
CLASSROOM
Aisle Alignment:—Single and partner formation.
Note:—May also be used to advantage in any open area or gymnasium with exception of several in the First Grade which are essentially classroom in type. (Desks are used as part of the rhythmic action.)