The following plans are a recommended sequence for a 15-25 minute practice. Each part may require several practices before moving on to the next lesson. The songs should be taught before teaching the ukulele chords with them. National Standards: 2d Music Target 5th: Music Target 6th: Play simple accompaniment Play simple three-chord accompaniment on a ukulele Part 1-Ukelele Objective: Materials Needed: The students will play a one chord song using correct ukulele technique. ukeleles students should already know the songs that they play overheads with the chord chart and picture of the ukulele Lesson Procedures: 1. Sing the song Make New Friends. As they sing, demonstrate the use of the ukulele. 2. Introduce the ukulele. Include the parts of the ukulele, how to hold it, how the strings are tuned. Here are some suggested rules to use: Treat a ukulele very gently, never as a toy Pick up the ukulele by the neck Resting position is neck-up toward ceiling Playing position is only used when practicing General Information on the Ukelele Tuning: Care: Ukeleles can be tuned in two different ways. The most preferred tuning is A D F# B. The other is G C E A. There are books and materials for both. However, this manual will concentrate on the first. Most ukeleles are made of wood and need protection against dropping, cold, heat, and sunshine. Children need to be informed about how to strum the instrument correctly or they may break strings by pulling on them. Holding and Strumming: The ukelele is held close to the body by the right forearm. The fingers of the left hand are placed just in back of the frets of the fingerboard. The index finger is one and is placed in back of the first fret. The next finger is two and is placed in back of the second fret. The third finger is in back of the third fret.
The fingernails of the first and second fingers on the right hand should be used to strum. If the thumb is used to strum, it develops a blister. Some people prefer a pick, but it changes the tone quality and can be a distraction to students. For children, it is preferable to use the fingers rather than a pick. The strings must be pressed all the way to the fingerboard and held that way to produce a good tone quality. Children may complain about their fingers hurting at first. Show them your wonderful string dents and be proud that you are making callouses and getting tough finger tips.
The Ukulele Tuning Keys Nut Fingerboard Frets Neck Sound Hole Strings Bridge
Make a transparency. Write in the chords you want to teach, or copy these chart blanks and give to each student to write the chord patterns they will use.
3. The teacher should be the only one to tune the strings. Teach the students the song below. Choose the tuning that best fits your teaching style. Tuning it higher is generally better for the students singing range. Tuning the Ukulele The most commonly used tuning for the ukulele is A - D - F# - B. Using a piano, you can tune the ukulele to the exact pitches shown: M id d le C A D F# B To make tuning simple, remember the simple melody My dog has fleas. & A w My D w dog F# #w has B w fleas
Another common tuning for the ukulele is G - C - E - A. This tuning is shown below. M id d le C G C E A To make tuning simple, remember the simple melody My dog has fleas. & G w My C w dog E w has A w fleas
4. Have students pick up the ukelele with the left hand on the neck. Press the body of the ukulele against their abdomen. Explain that string one is closest to the floor. Tell them to point to each string and say its number out loud. 1-2-3-4. Now say it backwards 4-3-2-1. This should sound like my dog has fleas tune. If they think it is out of tune, have them raise their hands and you go and tune it quickly. With many practices, this goes quickly especially if you tune them before class starts. 5. Next, have the students identify frets. Press string one with the index finger (1) in fret one. Be careful to remind students that the thumb should be on the back of the neck to help squeeze the string. Have the students use the index (1) finger and move up one fret at a time and pluck the string. Repeat this with the middle finger (2) and ring finger (3). 6. Stay with the third finger and have them count down to fret three. Make sure they count the first fret as number 1. Now strum the strings. You are now playing your first chord. Use the overhead chart to show them the C chord or the D chord chart depending on your tuning choice. C D 3 3 7. Strum the chord with a steady beat and sing familiar songs like Row Your Boat Are You Sleeping Hot Cross Buns Make New Friends (Any pentatonic songs will work well.) Adaption: Have students work in partners and help each other. One person checks for correct fingering while the other plays. Then they can switch turns. The partner can also help sing the song. Assessment: Students hold the ukulele correctly Students identify string one and use the third finger to play the C (D) chord.
Part 2- Ukelele Review the rules and playing techniques as you introduce a new chord F (G). Review the C (D) chord. Determine which chord is better for each one-chord song. One key will feel more comfortable with their voices. F G 1 1 2 2 Other one chord songs are: Kookaburra Li l Liza Jane Three Blind Mice Swing Low Sweet Chariot In this lesson, go into more detail about how to read a chord chart. Vertical lines are the strings and horizontal lines are the fret marks. Adaptions: Color code the strings and the frets Use R for ring finger instead of finger 3 Use M for middle finger instead of 2 Use P for pointer finger instead of 1 This helps to eliminate confusion with piano finger numbers. Assessment: Students strum the F (G) chord on the beat while they sing familiar songs.
One Chord Songs Row Your Boat C (D) Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream. Kookaburra Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree Merry merry king of the fish is he Laugh kookaburra, laugh kookaburra, Gay your life must be. Lil Liza Jane C (D) 1. I ve gotta house in Baltimore, Lil Liza Jane, Street car runs right by my door, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane, 2. I ve gotta house in Baltimore, Lil Liza Jane, Silver doorplate on my door, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane, 3. Come my love and go with me, Lil Liza Jane, And I ll take good care of thee, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane, Oh, Eliza, Lil Liza Jane,
More One Chord Songs Are You Sleeping? F (G) Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Brother John, Brother John. Morning bells are ringing, Morning bells are ringing Ding, ding, dong, Ding, ding, dong Hot Cross Buns F (G) Hot cross buns. Hot cross buns One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns. Make New Friends F (G) 1. Make new friends but keep the old One is silver and the other gold. 2. A circle is round, it has no end; That s how long I want to be your friend. 3. On the land, across the sea; Friends forever we will always be.
Part 3-Ukelele Objective: Materials needed: Students will play two-chord songs and read chord charts above text overheads or booklet of familiar songs chord charts for G7 (A7) Lesson Procedures: 1. Remind the students how to read the chord charts for the chord and chord. 2. Tell the students that most songs use more than one chord. Today we are going to play songs with two chords. 3. Ask them to practice switching back and forth at their own speed. This gives you an opportunity to help individuals. 4. Group practice by having students strum 8 times with 3 seconds in between to switch chords. Strum 4 times with 2 seconds in between to switch chords. Strum 2 times with 2 seconds in between to switch chords. Strum 1 time with no time in between to switch chords. 5. Show students the following song. Explain that the chord name is above certain text and they switch on that word. They will discover that if they don t switch at the right time it won t sound good. 6. Repeated practice is important. Try the following songs. Chicken on the Fencepost Sourwood Mountain Apples and Bananas Clementine Extension: To make repetition more interesting, have students strum different patterns. Assessment: Students are able to switch easily back and forth between the chord and the chord.
Chicken on the Fencepost F (G) Chicken on the fencepost, can t dance Josey Chicken on the fencepost, can t dance Josey Chicken on the fencepost, can t dance Josey Hello, Susan Brown. Sourwood Mountain Two Chord Songs & C (D) 1. Chicken crowin on Sourwood Mountain, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day So many pretty girls I can t count them, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day My true love she lives in Letcher, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day She won t come and I won t fetch her, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day 2. My true love s a blue-eyed daisy, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day If I don t get her I ll go crazy, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day Big dogs bark and little ones bite you, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day Big girls court and little ones slight you, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day 3. My true love lives by the river, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day A few more jumps and I ll be with her, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day My true love lives up in the hollow, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day\ She won t come and I won t follow, Hey De-ding dang diddle ally day Apples and Bananas I like to eat, I like to eat, I like to eat apples and bananas. F(C) I like to eat, I like to eat, I like to eat apples and bananas. (Continue singing with different vowel sounds)
Clementine In a cavern, in a canyon, Excavating for a mine, Dwelt a miner, forty-niner and his daughter Clementine, Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling, Oh, my darling Clementine, You are lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry Clementine.
Part 4- Ukelele Objective: Materials Needed: The students will play the chord and play two chord songs ukeleles chord charts for C (D) and G7 (A7) song chart overheads or booklets Lesson Procedures: 1. Repeat the procedures from the previous lesson for the new G7 (A7) chord. 2. This is a harder chord to master. Show them that the pointer finger (1) is in the same location as the chord. 3. As they switch back and forth make sure they are using the ring (3rd) finger to play. This makes switching easier. 4. Remind students how to read the song charts. Try singing the following songs. Buffalo Gals Skip to My Lou Mama Paquita He s Got the Whole World in His Hands Adaptions: Color code finger numbers on a chord chart. Students who can not play all three fingers can practice switching on one string and only pluck that one string when they play. Have students work in partners and help each other. One person checks the fingering while the other plays. Assessment: Students are able to switch easily between the chord and the G7 (A7) chord.
Buffalo Gals G7 (A7) As I was walking down the street, down the street, down the street, A pretty gal I chanced to meet, Oh she was fair to see. G7 (A7) Buffalo Gals won t you come out tonight, come out tonight, come out tonight, Oh, Buffalo Gals won t you come out tonight, and dance by the light of the moon. Skip to My Lou Lost my partner, what ll I do? Lost my partner, what ll I do? Lost my partner, what ll I do? Skip to my Lou my darling. Lou, Lou, Skip to my Lou Lou, Lou, Skip to my Lou Lou, Lou, Skip to my Lou Skip to my Lou my darling. He s Got the Whole World in His Hands He s got the whole world in his hands G7(A7 He s got the whole world in his hands He s got the whole world in his hands G7(A7 He s got the whole world in his hands
Mama Paquita Mama Paquita, Mama paquita Mama Paquita buy your baby a papaya, A ripe papaya, and a banana A ripe banana that your baby will enjoy, mamamama Mama Paquita, Mama paquita Mama Paquita says, I haven t any money To buy papayas and ripe bananas, Let s go to Carnival and dance the night away.
Part 5-Ukelele Objective: Materials Needed: The student will play three-chord songs on the ukulele ukeleles chord charts for, F( G), and G7 (A7) chord sequence written on the board Lesson Procedures: 1. After students can confidently play two-chord songs let them try three-chord songs. 2 Begin by pointing to a chord sequence on the board. Tell them to strum each chord 8 times, then 6 times, then 4, 3, 2, and 1. C F G7 C C G7 F C 3. Play through the following familiar songs. I ve Been Working on the Railroad Bought Me a Cat Kum Ba Yah This Land is Your Land Home on the Range Adaption: Divide the class into three groups and assign each group one specific chord. Assessment: The students can switch easily from one chord to another in the three-chord songs.
Three Chord Songs I ve Been Working on the Railroad C (D) I ve been working on the railroad all the live long day; I ve been working on the railroad just to pass the time away Can t you hear the whistle blowing? Rise up so early in the morn. Can t you hear the captain shouting, Dinah, blow your horn! C (D) Dinah, won t you blow, Dinah, won t you blow, C (D Dinah, won t you blow your horn? C (D) Dinah, won t you blow, Dinah, won t you blow, C (D Dinah, won t you blow your horn? C (D) Someone s in the kitchen with Dinah, Someone s in the kitchen I know----- C (D) C (D) Someone s in the kitchen with Dinah, Strummin on the old banjo. C (D) Fee fie fiddle-ee-i-o, Fee fie fiddle-ee-i-o, C (D) G7(A7 C (D) Fee fie fiddle-ee-i-o, Strummin on the old banjo. Kum Ba Yah Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah! Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah! O Lord, Kum ba yah! 2. Someone s singing, Lord 3. Someone s crying, Lord 4. Someone s praying, Lord
I Bought Me a Cat C (D) 1. I bought me a cat, and the cat pleased me 2. Dog dog 3. Duck duck 4. Goose goose I fed my cat under yonder tree Dog Duck Goose Cat goes fiddle- i- fee! Hen goes chimmy chuck chimmy chuck Duck goes quack, quack! Goose goes hissy, hissy Home On the Range Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam. Where the deer and the antelope play Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day. Home, home on the range, Where the deer and the antelope play Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day.
This Land Is Your Land Chorus: This land is your land, this land is my land, From California to the New York Island, From the Redwood Forest tot eh Gulf Stream waters, This land was made for you and me. 1. As I was walking the ribbon of highway, I saw above me that endless skyway, I saw below me that golden valley. This land was made for you and me. 2. I ve roamed and rambled and followed my footsteps To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts, When all around me a voice was sounding This land was made for you and me. F 3. When the sun came shining and I was strolling And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting. This land was made for you and me.
Part 6- Ukelele National Standard: 2d, 3a Music Target 5th: Objective: Materials Needed: Explore variations of rhythmic strumming Students will strum various rhythm patterns with familiar songs chart with strumming patterns chord charts Lesson Procedures: 1. After students have mastered finger placements for each chord begin varying the strumming patterns with familiar songs. 4 œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ. (down) (up) (down) (down) (down) (down) (up) (down) (up) (down) (down) 4 3 œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ. 4 2 œ œ œ. œ œ œ. Extension: Have students combine patterns or create their own strumming patterns for introductions, interludes, and codas to familiar songs. Assessment: Students are able to strum various patterns while singing familiar songs.
Part 7- Ukelele National Standard: 2d, 3a, 6c, 7b Music Target 5th: Objective: Materials Needed: Create a chord diagram to accompany a familiar song The students will create a chord diagram to accompany a familiar song overhead of song lyrics without a chord chart. erasable overhead markers in three different colors ukeleles Lesson Procedures: 1. Sing This Old Man in the key of. 2. Show students the text and ask them what is needed in order to play the ukulele with it. (Answer - chord chart) 3. The teacher starts on, sings the song and asks the students to raise their hands when the chord needs to change. Determine the exact word and underline it. Experiment with other known chords to see which chord fits best on that word. Write the chord name down. Do this for the entire song. 4. When the chart is completed, have the students play and sing the song. 5. Divide the class into three groups. Give each group an overhead chart with the familiar song text, overhead pen and several ukeleles. 6. Have each group determine the chords for their song and play it through. Make sure they start on, decide when a change needs to happen, and which chord to place above the correct word. 7. Have each group play the other groups charts and make any corrections with their color pen without erasing previous markings. 8. Put each corrected chart on the overhead and play as a class. If there has been a correction, decide which one is the best chord choice and chord placement. Extension: Adaption: Each group can create a strumming pattern to go with their song. Remind them of lesson in step 6. Do the small group activity on a different day. Assessment: Students can determine where a chord change needs to be and successfully mark it on a song chart.
When the Saints Go Marching In Oh, when the saints go marching in, Oh, when the saints go marching in, Oh, Lord I want to be in that number when the saints go marching in, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Swing Low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home Swing Low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. This Train is Bound for Glory This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory, this train This train is bound for glory if you ride it you must be holy, This train is bound for glory, this train
This Old Man This old man he played one, He played knick knack on my thumb With a knick knack patty whack give a dog a bone This old man came rolling home.