Santa Claus is Coming to Town

-Teaching a story through music

-Grade Level: 2nd Grade- 3rd Grade
-Time: 45 minutes
-Lesson Design: Jackie Shepler & Caroline Werner

Overview
Using different types of musical instruments such as jingle bells, students will focus on their
listening skills, organizational skills, and rhymthic skills while incorporating this through a
childrens book.

Objectives
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Students will learn a sense of rhythm

Students will be familiar will different musical instruments
Students will learn how to improve singing skills
Students will improve reading comprehension through music improvisation

Activities/Procedure
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Sing the story to the rhythm of Santa Claus is coming to town

Talk about the parts of the story such as: Who, what, where, when, and how
Talk about different sounds throughout the story
Go through and just listen to the song by itself
Divide the class up with different instruments
Go over when each student will be playing each instrument
Rehearse each part separately
Play all together until students get it right

Materials
-(the book??)
-Jingle Bells

- Music or song in the background

Other Resources???

Common Core Standards-Reading

2. Recount stories that connect to the story being presented, that way each child can
learn and remember it the way they want too.
3. Talk about characters in the story so that kids know whom you are talking about and
why you are talking about them.
7. Explain how the story pertains to something in real life and how to put it into context
and be able to distinguish it from other things.

Extensions/Teaching Tips
Make sure all students are included by having an instrument to play. Go over each instrument
with the students involved in that certain part of the song. Also, re-read the story with the
students at least twice so they get a better understanding of the story.