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Infant Music at Home 21

A Song from the Caribbean  |  Singing: Sunshine in my Heart

Infant-MAH-webEnjoy these structured musical activities that we have prepared especially for you to continue your learning at home...

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1. A Song from the Caribbean

Listen and learn the song Yellow Bird on BBC Teach – a song about a yellow bird in a banana tree with a Caribbean style. 

Yellow Bird

What to do

  • Follow the link and listen | Head over to the BBC Teach website and listen to the words – find out why the yellow bird is so sad.
Go to BBC Teach
  • Make a story | If this was the beginning of a story about the Yellow Bird, what might happen to him next?
  • Carry on listening | Next, listen to the same song played by a band from the Caribbean. [The button link below will take you to another BBC Teach page for 'Anansi and the Moss-Covered Spider. Scroll down to the Listening music section (just above resources)]
Go to BBC Teach
  • Compare | Is this faster or slower than the cartoon version?
  • Dance | Move your arms like wings of a bird in time to the music. Can you keep a steady beat when doing this?
  • Observe | The instruments in the picture are called steel pans. These are what you can hear. How do they make you feel?
Yellow Bird (Steel Band)

Teaching notes

  • Steel Pans | The main instruments featured in this piece of music are the steel pans. The steel pan is the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. It is made out of metal -traditionally an empty oil drum - and is struck with wooden beaters to make a sound.
  • Explore | You could explore with a map where the Caribbean islands are in relation to where we live and draw a picture of the Yellow Bird flying from there to visit us where we live. It might find it very cold!!

This resource is now archived

We no longer keep our Covid-19 remote learning resources up to date and there are likely broken links or missing videos or resources where third-party content has been removed at source. 


2. Singing: Sunshine in my Heart

  • By Alison Burns | A SingUp! song

Join in with Rachel and learn this happy song about friends being together - don't forget to smile!

What to do

  • Watch and follow | Listen and watch the video, follow Rachel and simply copy what you see and hear. You can always rewind if you want to do a section again.
  • Performance | When you have finished the song, can you add any of the Makaton signs and perform it?

Teaching notes

  • Clear words | Many of the words in this song end with the letter 'T' - street / meet / sweet / heart. Can you encourage your singers to make this sound clearly?
  • Rhythmic additions | See if your pupils can multi-task by adding the marching arms to the steady beat in the 3rd section PLUS the 3 hand claps.
  • Remember | This is a song about friendship - you may find it helpful to discuss with your class how it feels to be with your friends