Who Has the Candy in Their Pocket? | Free Elementary Music Lesson Plan

Music Lesson Plan

Step 1
Tell students, "Today we're going to play a game called 'Who's Got the Candy in Their Pocket?' Everyone come to the whiteboard. We have a few things to learn before we play!"

Step 2
Tell students, "During the game, we'll be performing rhythms on tambourines, wood blocks, and drums. First, we'll learn the rhythm to the rhyme we'll say during the game. Next, we'll put the words to that rhythm."

Step 3
Discuss the values of each rhythm (quarter note, eighth notes, and quarter rest). Next, clap the rhythms phrase by phrase, having the students echo you.

Step 4
Tell students, "Now that we know the rhythm, let's learn the words." Practice the rhythm of the rhyme phrase by phrase until students are performing it confidently. (Substitute the name of a student in your class for "Samantha.")

Class: Who has the candy in their pocket?
Class: Who has the candy in their pocket?
Johnny (Player 1): Samantha has the candy in her pocket.
Class: Samantha has the candy in her pocket?

(The rhyme concludes with one of two possible endings.)

Samantha (Player 2): "Who me?"
Class: "Yes you!"
Samantha (Player 2): "You win!"
Class: "Ya hoo!"

or

Samantha: "Who me?"
Class: "Yes you!"
Samantha: "Not me!"
Class: "Then who?"

Step 5
Tell students, "Let's grab the percussion instruments and try performing our rhyme all the way through."

Step 6
Chant the rhyme and perform the rhythm on non-pitched percussion instruments.

Step 7
Tell students, "Great! I'll explain the rules, and then it's game time."

Rules
The teacher selects a student (Player 1) to guess which classmate has the candy. Player 1 leaves the room. The teacher hands a student (Player 2) a piece of candy to place in their pocket. Player 1 returns to the classroom to guess. The class performs the rhyme together. If Player 1 guesses correctly, they win the candy! If they're wrong, they don't. Repeat with new players.

Step 8
Repeat! It may be helpful to narrow the choices for Player 1 to make the game move faster. For example, have boys guess girls or girls guess boys.