C45 Christmas Music Lessons by Craig Cassils
December music classes can be challenging, especially in the days following your holiday concert. This is a collection of lessons and activities based on nine familiar Christmas carols. Each song is notated for vocals, soprano recorder in two parts, Boomwhackers in two parts, a variety of percussion instruments, and with chords provided for ukulele (or guitar).
All parts can be used together and also work in any combination. Each song comes with a vocal track and an orchestrated accompaniment track. A slower accompaniment track is given for Boomwhacker play alongs. Reproducible and Projectable lyrics are included so the songs could be used in a performance or a school holiday sing along. The activities include naming notes, writing notes, recognizing rhythms, creating new melodies, as well as fun games and word puzzles based on the lyrics of the carols and the song information.
Materials Included
In the printed product:
– Printed Book
– Digital Book PDF / Audio MP3
– Projectable PDF
Enhanced CD (Not for Purchase):
– If your book came with a download
code select this CD
Songs Include:
1. African Noel: This was originally a Liberian melody called Banuwa which means, “don’t cry little girl.” Sometime ago the words “Sing Noel” were added, creating a simple Christmas Song.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhacker, Unpitched Percussion (Bongo Drums, Hand Drum)
Activities: Create a new melody, Word Search
2. Jolly Old St. Nicholas: This traditional Christmas carol was written by Benjamin Hanby who also wrote “Up on the Housetop.”
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhacker, Unpitched Percussion (Triangle, Jingle Bells)
Activities: Note naming, Word Search
3. Up on the Housetop: This traditional Christmas song was written about 150 years ago!
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhacker, Unpitched Percussion (Triangle, Jingle Bells, Tic-Toc Block)
Activities: Write the notes on the staff, Crossword
4. Joy to the World: The words are a hymn based on the second half of Psalm 98 in the Bible. The melody is based on music by Handel.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhackers, Unpitched Percussion (Triangle, Finger Cymbals)
Activities: Rhythm Sort, Unscramble the words
5. Jingle Bells: This is a Christmas favourite originally written for Thanksgiving.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhackers, Pitched Percussion (Jingle Bells, Temple Blocks)
Activities: Rhythm Sort, Word Search
6. Christmas Chopsticks: The lyrics are from the poem “‘Twas the Night before Christmas.”
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhackers, Unpitched Percussion (Finger Cymbals, Tambourine, Hand Drum)
Activities: Name the notes in a scale, Write the notes in a scale, Crossword
7. D’où viens-tu bergère?: This is a traditional French carol.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhacker, Unpitched Percussion (Triangle, Finger Cymbals)
Activities: Write a new melody, Unscramble the words,
8. Over the River and Through the Wood: This song tells the story of a child visiting their grandmother’s house.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhackers, Pitched and Unpitched Percussion (Triangle, Temple Blocks, Sand Blocks)
Activities: Rearrange the rhythms, Crossword
9. O Come Little Children: This is a traditional German Christmas carol.
Arrangements: Recorder, Ukulele, Boomwhackers, Unpitched Percussion (Finger Cymbals, Claves)
Activities: Name the notes, Unscramble the words
