“Happy New Year 2014 Card46” image courtesy of gubgib / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
It’s already January 3rd, yet here in Japan, New Year’s celebrations continue. O-shogatsu (New Year’s) begins on the night of Dec. 31st and continues for three days. Tonight we’ll be enjoying o-sechi ryori, traditional New Year’s foods, with our Japanese friends. Starting on Monday, I’ll be back in the classroom with my students. Here are two songs I’ve written to teach my students about New Year’s celebrations. The first song was written with my son Christian when he was in elementary school. He and Chuck are singing it for you!
Happy New Year
Words and music by Christian Vilina and Kathleen Kampa
copyright © 2013 by Kathleen Kampa
Happy New Year! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Hip hip hooray!
My students love to keep a “steady beat” by patting their legs, then clapping their hands. Think “pat-clap-pat-clap.” Do this for the first three lines.
We like to do something special on the last line.
On Happy New Year! my students like to wave their hands above their heads. More advanced students like to turn around quickly!
On Hip hip hooray! students roll their hands and jump once in place.
To hear the studio version of this song, go to iTunes, and click on Track #3.
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And now for our second New Year’s song! . . .
In the Chinese or lunar calendar, this is the Year of the Horse. Here in Japan, we already began celebrating the Year of the Horse on January 1st.
In this song, students learn the name of the animal, how to spell the animal name, and how to say “2014.”
It’s The Year
Words by Kathleen Kampa
copyright © 2013 by Kathleen Kampa
Medley of songs based on French song “Marlbrough s’en va-t-en guerre” (For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow) and BINGO
It’s the year of the horse,
It’s the year of the horse,
It’s the year of the horse,
It’s 2014.
H–o–r-s-e, h–o–r-s-e, h–o–r-s-e,
It’s the year of the horse!
1. Display the image of the horse. There are twelve animals in the lunar calendar. What do your students know about horses? Can they make a pose like a horse? Can they gallop like a horse? What other movements do horses do?
If you have a small space, have students create a pose when they sing the word “horse.” If you have a larger space, students may enjoy galloping in a circle while singing “It’s the year of the horse.”
2. Write the number 2014 on the board. My students like to make these numbers with their fingers. Try this:
Hold up two fingers for “two,” then move two fingers in a circle to say “thousand.” For fourteen, students hold up one finger on their left hand, and four fingers on their right.
When you sing the song, students stop in place and do the finger movements on “It’s 2014!” Students can even wave their hands in the air!
3. Now your students are ready to spell. Write the word horse on the board. Use lower case letters. Say the letters with your students.
Then clap the rhythm while saying the letters.
You can encourage your students to make different sounds for this rhythm by patting their legs, stamping their feet, or snapping their fingers. You can even add simple instruments.
4. Finish the song with a horse pose on “It’s the year of the horse!”
We hope you enjoy these New Year songs with your students!
Happy Teaching!
Kathy and Chuck
MagicTimeKids 