There's A Litty Kitty Purring In My Heart

Every song in the CD by Laurie Beckner works well with 1st graders.
I was recently accused of loving CD's that others find, "just acceptable", but I do like it, really.
A Lot. Because I can sing with it is probably high on the list.....of why.
And if you think I like her then go here and read a wayyyyyy lot of why.

Buzz Buzz
Laurie Berkner

Every one on the CD, I now like. How often can you say that of a children's CD? But you have to be thinking for when, to pull them to help make the connections through the year within the contexts for learning. Use it to find your way to build the bridges to higher order thought. At 6 moving, singing your truths really is important.

She gets kids. Completely. Smart. She knows what they experience, what they like to do, how to be clear, enunciate, be crisp, clear, funny.

But the Song There's A Little Wheel Turning In My Heart and the way it was lyrically modified to get kids up, moving, thinking and acting out the thoughts, well that shows the lovely work that this is. Umm I think I'll just show you and give you a little taste.

It is somehow the one I feel the rest springs out of...I find it the CD centerpiece. Listen and see for yourself. We have a prayer wheel sent by a donor from Tibet ( friend of mine that visited a few years ago) and this song they like to get it out, they made that connection my 1st graders themselves, and wrote their own verses...wow...each time through you think of something happening in your heart ( kids sleeping, hands clapping, eyes blinking, truck honking, pot boiling, raindrops falling, grass growing complete with adjectives to boot) My Estevan waits to hit the keys in the right place to blink the eyes.It is a beautiful tune, hit the preview thingy on itunes or Ammy or wherever and see for yourself.

I, personally think Laurie Beckner sounds like a long lost Roche sister....the songs a pleasure and a change from my many male singers in the kid collections of songs I have. A welcome addition. Lots of these songs suggest rounds, interaction, but take one like Rum Sum Sum that one, as a round tool is excellent and it's delightfully clear about what a child should do. Can clap rhythms of many, work on harmony if you are up to it. Directions too like in I'm a Mess. I like this one for the rappy sound. As rapping as we white girls get.

Magic Box ( with that Irish violin piece) worked well with my third theme mandated in my curriculum in literature.(Surprises with several box stories) It was so well written the box becomes a box with wings, it flies, goes, takes on a transportation modality into the realms of imagination. And as I am teaching a new language and the way that language functions, a song like this one expands for us into imagery.Very hard to do, very wonderfully helped by music. I know I wish I had a magic box that could do anything just as she sings.. The violin here lovely, good thing I could play this part. And make it a bit more interesting for them as we l learned this tune.

I used the CD for traditional pieces, Down in the Valley with a nice twist into the Garden valley of vegetables. I need to teach all this classification vocabulary, teaches onomatopoeia too! onions, you can eat em they make you go oh oh u u u ..Very cute.

She is vegan...but her last milk product to go she says was ice cream, if you sing her Ice Cream Cone before you share a luscious ice cream treat I think you'll be happy with the vocabulary you develop as you lick round and round, take a little bite there fellow, of her tune instead.

YES, she has a clean up tune I play everyday. I am so thankful for this with it's brass support and marching get to business sound. Fun.
And the men join in to reinforce they have to do some of that work TOO!

Erie Canal( why do I love this so much, but I do), The More We Get Together, I've Been Working On The Railroad...( bass is fantastic, singable, train horn) all standards are re-done in a bright, cheering lyrical, singable way.

I have to admit this CD has grown on me, really grown on me ( today I'm printing out all their songs over at school-you can learn to read from song lyrics, really) grown on me as I hear pieces with basses plucking, instrumentation that just allows me to say....wait and listen kids... in this piece we are going to get to hear alto sax, or violin, trombone, snap our fingers, cluck, puff, wait for the piano. You can teach the a capella Telephone Song, it's wonderful with children, ohhhhh how sad...nobodies there. Call you up on the telephone. Ring, ring, ring.
No sarcasms in this work, cheer, happy to be alive...exactly right for my teaching)

So If You Really Love To Dance you'll have a song to get the feet going, lovely. How about monsters are you into them? I know one, so I dedicate the tune Monster Boogie to you, shout out there fellow, go with it cootie man. Get down.

Cookies???Try The Cookie Baker's of the Night and mix up your treat, this one is great if baking, both at home and in a classroom.Another one that really is a beauty.i like to listen to this CD myself but this is one I hit a couple times to sing...

When I got pretzels and we finished a treat we put on the Pretzel Store got out the play dough rolled our play dough and made some really wild new imaginative tricky pretzels inspired by her fantastic ideas.
Just gallop those horses...everyday, find a form in your tricky pretzel. Her melody is delightful here so bouncy.


Sometimes I have my problems but..you know Laurie has a mmmmmmmmMUCH bigger one.Yeah you knew it,
Pig on the Head. So play and listen to all the animals on the head in her family sing your own. I know a guy with a gorilla on the head, you? This one is very, very funny.
Kids laugh. Having a bad day in primary might try it.



I can go on here.......

But the point is this collection was a great find. I appreciate it, I kid tested it as I do all things I recommend for a variety of situations with children. It worked to develop many things, suggesting lots of activities and joy, as it should be for kids.
I recommend this for teachers, parents for kids.
....... I might play it to age 48, can't speak for 49 yet!

Try it out Buzz, Bumblebee is terrific to riff. Bring in your harmonica, voice, violin, balloons and enjoy the fun in your class or life.