Regular classroom teachers may expand on the songs the students have already learned in music class or by using the CD to present the songs as part of the regular classroom activities. The songs provide openings for reinforcement of concepts in other subject areas.

The activities provide learning experiences through listening, singing and a variety of cross-curricular activities.

The activities are varied so as to accommodate the learning styles of multiple intelligences.

Teachers can use the activities presented in the teacher's guide and may also use them to expand and develop their own ideas.

In addition to activity suggestions, the book includes reproducible student pages, vocal parts, lyrics, director's score, accompaniments, worksheets, teacher's answer sheets, and composer's anecdotes.

Permission is given to the purchaser of the book to copy pages for student use.



The songs:

The performers are:

Donna has written over forty songs that are published in four song books for elementary students. She writes music for children as well as for adult choirs and ensembles.

Editor and Red Castle Publishing co-owner, Andy Duinker, brings years of musical experience to these positions. His understanding of music, his attention to detail, and his artistic input insures that all publications are of top quality. He is also an integral part of the recording and the live performances of Donna's original music.

The arrangements and attention to musical details of the Computer Cat CD are testaments to Donna and Andy's belief that music for children should be of the very best quality possible.

This book of cross-curricular activities for the elementary classroom is a stepping-stone for teachers who wish to begin with music and expand into other subject areas. In addition to inherent aesthetic satisfaction, music also assists our students with memorization of facts, learning about flow and timing when reading, history, various cultures, and a host of other positive spin offs. This book contains many activities that I would never have time to incorporate in my general music classroom, but once the students have learned or heard the song, the classroom teacher can build on that and use the activities provided to explore many other areas with their students. This book can be a wonderful resource for integrated arts programs - a resource to be shared between the classroom teacher and the music teacher.

Let me emphasize here that this book will not in any way replace the delivery of a quality music program by a qualified music specialist, nor should it be used to fill music classes with activities that take away from the music education our children need and deserve. Let us not replace the music program or the music teacher, but allow the musical foundation she or he provides to enhance the learning of our students in other subject areas.

Secondly, this book is not able to provide an in-depth curriculum for every subject area. Both time and sheer size of the volume will limit that option. What this book does provide is a series of ideas and teaching strategies that will give you a start in a process. As a creative and imaginative teacher you will read one idea and have several more that may expand the original idea or take you in a completely different direction. That is the nature of the creative teacher. It is my hope that elementary classroom and music teachers will be able to use this resource together. Using music as the launching pad, these songs will enhance the music education of students as well as provide activities to expand their imagination and explore the world around them.

I wish you every success as you educate and share your love of learning with the students you teach.

The following visual references will assist you as you use this resource.

	Title of the song appears in this font at the top of the vocal scores.
	Printed in the lower left hand corner of the music, this indicates the approximate duration of the song.
	Printed lyrics for each song. Reproducible for student use.
	Title page at the beginning of the activity section for each song.
	Single bar header appears on all subsequent activity pages.
	Reproducible student sheets. The Activity # and song title are indicated at the bottom of the student sheet for easy reference.
	Answer sheet for teacher to correct student worksheets.
	Background information from the composer.
	Indicated immediately following each activity to assist planning
	Song title and thumbnail graphic are included along the side of every page related to that song, for quick and easy reference.
	Activity #1 is a set of statements or questions providing a focus for the students as they are introduced to the song.
	Directed listening questions are provided for each song. This is a list of questions that can be used in the teaching strategy you wish to utilize. Note: Two of the most effective teaching strategies for directed listening are: Before listening to the song, ask the students to listen for the answers to several specific questions. Listen to the corresponding section of the song. Stop the CD. Ask the students to answer all the questions asked. OR Ask one question. Listen until you hear the answer and then stop the CD. Continue to "stop and start" until you have asked and answered all the questions.
	Subsequent activities are numbered and given a title. They utilize a variety of cross-curricular topics that relate in some way to the song or other activities for that song.
	Every effort has been made to keep activities from crossing page breaks, however when it does occur a bracketed reminder is given.
	Title of the song appears in this font at the top of the full music score. The director's score/accompaniments are located in their own section at the back of the book.
Topical index	Located at the back of the book, the topical index lists the page numbers of activities that have some element of the subject area indicated.
Performance tracks	Performances of the songs (tracks 1-13)
Sing-along tracks	Full instrumental accompaniments of the songs (tracks 14-26).