Here, some rockin’ awesome Mississippi librarians show me how they sing If You’re Hoppy, incorporating the slight variations from the traditional If You’re Happy song. (I admit I never imagined folks singing it, only saying it out loud. But I’ve heard lots of librarians are singing it for story hour.)  The facebook author page with the video.

Act It Out!

Divide students (or teachers) into pairs or small groups. Have each group write out and learn a stanza (four lines). They can decide how to perform it. Here are some aspects of the chant that performers have tried in the past:

saying the entire chant in unison

saying only part in unison

alternating speakers for each word

popping up then sitting down for each speaking turn

adding claps, snaps, and arm shapes

making poster art for each vegetable

bringing real vegetables to show when each is mentioned

Audio samples to help in teaching and reading Rah, Rah, Radishes: a Vegetable Chant and April Pulley Sayre’s other chant books (Trout, Trout, Trout: A Fish Chant; Ant, Ant, Ant: An Insect Chant; and Bird, bird, Bird: a Chirping Chant) are available on the front page of www.aprilsayre.com or athttp://www.aprilsayre.com/2011/04/07/the-chant-books-read-taste-teach/

Oh boy, bok choy! Rah, Rah, Radishes: a Vegetable Chant is out in stores. (Go, Go, Grapes: a Fruit Chant will follow in May 2012.) My thanks to all of you who encouraged me to keep pursuing a home for the veggie book.  I hope it encourages kids to taste delicious vegetable words and the vegetables, too.

Mrs. Leaphart’s and Mrs. Bates’ Class did some extraordinary writing inspired by the structure of Vulture View and Trout, Trout, Trout: a Fish Chant.

2nd Grade Music Students at Red Bank Elementary studied rhythm by analyzing and marking rhythms for stanzas in my book, Ant, Ant, Ant: an insect Chant. They also performed the text with rhythm instruments. Wow, talk about creative and enthusiastic educators!

See how the teachers at Sandhills Elementary honor writing and analyze books. (more…)

Vulture View, a Theodor Geisel Honor Book, American Library Association. I am so excited about this book! It explores the life of vultures, surely some of the most underappreciated cleaners in the world. It also teaches kids about warm air rising and cooling air sinking. (more…)

This follow-up to the wildly popular TROUT, TROUT, TROUT: THE FISH CHANT celebrates American insects and insect diversity in general through a wild chant of their common names. Backmatter includes fun facts about each kind of insect featured. Trip Park’s illustrations are zanier than ever as he tackles the insect world.  

For English/Language Arts and Science standards met by this book, check the standards page.

A wildly popular gift for fishermen young and old, this fish chant is a celebration of North American freshwater fish. Rhyme, rhythm, repetition, voice, and wacky illustrations bring this book to life. The backmatter is full of facts about each fish. If you’re studying rivers, streams, lakes, fish, or just how to have fun with words, this book is a great resource, not to mention plain ol’ fun.For standards, see standards page.