Tubas and Tambourines

FREE Subscription

Objective

Associate the uppercase letter T and lowercase letter t with the /t/ sound as in tuba, tap, and tambourine.

See Standards

Lesson Plan

Target Words:

tuba
tambourine
tap
ting

Materials:

Real instruments or instrument graphics (e.g., tuba, trombone, trumpet, tambourine, triangle)
"I am a Fine Musician" modified song lyrics
T Instruments target text
Writing practice page
Book: Meet the Orchestra by Ann Hayes (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1995) (optional)

Overview
The children will make music using instruments that begin with the letter T as they practice saying the /t/ sound in words such as trumpet, tambourine, and tuba.

Literacy Activities
Teach a song with tubas

Teach the children the "I am a Fine Musician" song.
Show the children the instruments and teach them the instrument names.
Have the children circle the letter T in the word on each picture card and emphasize that each word starts with the /t/ sound.
Sing the "I am a Fine Musician" song with the children and pretend to play each instrument.
If desired, divide children into five groups and assign each group one verse of the song.
When their verse is sung, have the children pretend to play the instrument mentioned in the verse.

More Practice
Find the target letter in a text

Read the T Instruments target text to the children.
Help the children circle the uppercase letter T and lowercase letter t throughout the text while they say the /t/ sound.

Write the target letter

Give each child a practice writing page and help the children write the uppercase letter T and lowercase letter t.
Have the children produce the /t/ sound each time they write the letter T.
Have the children draw a picture of an instrument that starts with T (e.g., tuba, trombone, trumpet, tambourine, triangle) in the space below the letters.

I am a Fine Musician

Sing the chorus in between each verse
CHORUS:
I am a fine musician,
I practice every day!
And people come from miles around
Just to hear me play.
Verse 1:
My trumpet, my trumpet,
I love to play my trumpet!
Ta ra ta ta, Ta ra ta ta, Ta ra ta ta ta ta!!
Verse 2:
My tuba, my tuba,
I love to play my tuba!
Toompa, toompa, toompa, toompa, toompa!
Verse 3:
My trombone, my trombone,
I love to play my trombone!
Temba, temba, temba, temba, temba!
Verse 4:
My triangle, my triangle,
I love to play my triangle!
Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, ting!
Verse 5:
My tambourine, my tambourine,
I love to play my tambourine!
Tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam, tam!

T Instruments

We can make music with instruments that begin with T.
Shake the tambourine.
Blow the trumpet.
Blow the tuba.
Blow the trombone.
Hit the triangle.
Tambourine, trumpet, tuba,
trombone, and triangle!
T instruments are fun!

T Writing Practice

T Instrument Picture Cards

SEEL At Home

Objective

Associate the uppercase letter T and lowercase letter t with the /t/ sound as in tuba, triangle, and time.

Materials

"I am a Fine Musician" song
Instrument picture cards

Activity: Tubas and Tambourines

Learn the "I am a Fine Musician" song with your child, then sing it together.
As you sing about each instrument, hold up the corresponding picture card and pretend to play the instrument.
Have your child circle the uppercase letter T and lowercase letter t in the words of the song.
Have your child produce the /t/ sound each time he or she circles the letter T.
Sing the song several times and then perform it for a family member or a friend.