Monkeys and Pops

Today in Kindergarten we learned the valuable song of "Pop Goes The Weasel".  It is an old English nursery rhyme and singing game.  If you remember playing with a jack-in-the-box, this was often the tune played while you wound the crank.

Up and down the City Road

In and out the Eagle

That’s the way the money goes

Pop! goes the weasel

 

These are the original words written in 1856 in England.  Side Note: In cloth making, the machine that wound the yarn was called the weasel. Every 1,000 yards, the machine made a popping sound, thus “Pop! goes the weasel.” 

 

As the song moved to America, the words obviously became more Americanized.  The words I learned and taught to Kindergarten this afternoon were:

 

All around the mulberry bush

The monkey chased the weasel

The monkey thought 'twas all in fun

Pop! Goes the weasel

 

If you've been in my room, you can imagine the temptations that await Kindergarten students as they see a room filled with instruments.  Every day they wonder if we're going to "play" with something.  Today, I thought we'd start simple and add "poppers".  I love recycling but I also love re-purposing in my music room. 

A few years ago, in a hallway here at school, I saw a science kit that was going unused.  Nosy me peeked inside and saw a bag full of syringes (without needles).  When I pulled the plunger out, it made a crazy popping sound, and I had to have them.  I quickly asked my principal if anyone was using the kit and she said "anything that is in that hallway is up for grabs".  Guess what? I grabbed.

The following videos are 2 of my 3 Kindergarten groups I had for specials this afternoon.  The second group was having a very hard time following directions and we ran out of time.  Maybe next time.