end of year

>^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^< >^..^<Another fun presentation is to narrate a story while the children listen for particular words, at which time they deliver sound effects. We had the children sit on chairs lined up in a row on stage, holding their sound effect instruments in their laps. We used several musical instruments for the sound effects but you can use whatever is available to you and sounds appropriate. By the way, this is an absolutely fabulous "sense of hearing/sound" activity.
THE LITTLE PRINCESS AND HER FRIENDSOnce upon a time, in a beautiful castle, there lived a little princess (triangle tingle or whistle). Her room was way up high in the castle. One day, she heard a knock on the door (a loud pound). She ran down the stairs (descending notes on a stringed musical instrument) and opened the door (a creaking sound). There was her friend Little Bird (tweet sound or bird caller). The little princess (triangle tingle or whistle) and Little Bird (tweet sound or bird caller) decided to go for a walk and take a picnic lunch. They hopped (hand clapping -- clap, clap, clap) and skipped (rhythm hand claps) until they came to a brook (blow bubbles through a straw in cup of water). In the middle of the brook (blow bubbles through a straw in cup of water) sat a frog (ribbit sound) on a log. The little princess (triangle tingle or whistle) asked the frog (ribbit sound) to join them. They had so much fun hopping (hand clapping -- clap, clap, clap) and skipping (rhythm hand claps) through the forest. Then, they decided to have their picnic near the brook (blow bubbles through a straw in cup of water). Pretty soon it began to thunder (cymbal) and rain (tapping sound). The wind blew very hard (blow through a gift wrap cardboard tube), the brook (blow bubbles through a straw in cup of water) turned into a torrent (several children blow through straws in water very hard), and the little princess (triangle tingle or whistle) fell into the water. Little Bird (tweet sound or bird caller) didn't know how to swim so he couldn't help her. But the frog (ribbit sound) knew how to swim, so he jumped into the water and saved the little princess (triangle tingle or whistle). The thunder (cymbal) and rain (tapping sound) finally stopped, and the little brook (blow bubbles through a straw in cup of water) was gentle again. The little princess (triangle tingle or whistle) kissed (everyone throw a smacking kiss to the audience) the frog (ribbit sound)! Then, the little princess (triangle tingle or whistle), Little Bird (tweet sound or bird caller), and the frog (ribbit sound) all hopped (hand clapping -- clap, clap, clap) and skipped (rhythm hand claps) back to the castle. Little princess (triangle tingle or whistle) opened the door (a creaking sound) and they all ran up the stairs (ascending notes on a stringed musical instrument) to her room. The little princess (triangle tingle or whistle), Little Bird (tweet sound or bird caller), and the frog (ribbit sound) lived happily ever after. The End(All the children perform their sound effects in unison)
Before doing this with the children, read the story to them (without the sound effects) and define any unfamiliar words (brook, torrent, gentle, etc).

Depending on the size of your class, you may have more than one child perform a given sound. For example, several children could tingle a triangle when they hear the word "princess." You can also have children create sound effects using their voices. Even if they "freeze up" the night of the program, the parents will absolutely love this!!!!!! Trust me! And if you do this with the children at various times throughout the school year, you won't have to practice quite so much near the end of school and before presenting it to the parents.
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