This song is available Mar Harman's "Math with Mar."
Movement adds to any learning experience since 95 percent of children are kinesthetic learners. (Mozart was a kinesthetic learner.) We need to move to learn.
Before moving with the song, listen to it and learn the counting part. When they know that part, add the marching. This puts the beats in sets of 2 or 4. Have children get up and march, swinging their arms by their sides. If the right leg is up, the left arm should be up. Then, switch. This is getting cross-lateral movement happening. Cross-lateral movement is important for reading skills and also for helping the brain to work from both hemispheres.
The students should echo along with the children on the recording and learn their part. After the song is familiar, the children can sing it without the recording. The teacher can be the leader or children can have turns.
This is an opportunity to really use cross-lateral movement. Try this march: Move the right foot forward, back and forward, then the left foot forward, back and forward. Keep doing this and alternating while swinging opposite arms. Doing this march while singing the fives will really strengthen those brain muscles. (Oh yeah. And, they’ll be having fun!) -- Mar. Harman
Everybody March.
Move your feet.
Count by fives to the Dixie beat.
