Sing a Song of Science
Interactive science songs for children

Companion to recording by Nancy Stewart 
 www.Nancymusic.com
(206) 232-1078

lyrics and activities included

Ages 2-8

These simple songs can be used to introduce or reinforce basic science concepts. 
Following are lyrics and activities for each song. 
They have been successfully used with children from 2-8 years old

1. SCIENCE

S C I E N C E, science is the place to be
If you want to find out what makes the world go ‘round
On the earth or in the air, science tells us why it’s there
If you want to find out why things go up and down
It’s a matter of science, science, it’s everything you see
Its sound advice turns water to ice and electricity
S C I E N C E, science is the place to be
If you want to find out what makes the world go ‘round
S C I E N C E , it’s everything you see
S C I E N C E, it’s everything you see

Activity:
Decorate each of seven boxes or envelopes with one letter of the word “science”. Cut out pictures relating to science, and write a word on each picture telling what it is. Then have children sort the pictures into the envelopes or boxes. Example: A picture of clouds would go in the “c” box. A picture of the sun would go in the “s” box.

CONCEPT : Science is all around us

 

2. Mixing Up the Colors

1.Red and yellow make orange (3 times).
That’s the way the colors go
Chorus:
Red and yellow and blue make so many pretty colors it’s true 
And it only takes two to make another pretty color for you
2.Blue and yellow make green (3 times).
That’s the way the colors go. (chorus)
Every color that you see is made by mixing just these three
Red and yellow and blue, red and yellow and blue
3.Red and blue make purple, (3 times).
That’s the way the colors go (chorus)

Activity:
Cut out squares of cellophane in red, yellow, and blue. Give one set of colors to each child. On a white piece of paper, have children lay one color on the other as the song suggests. Cellophane will hold up better if you put each piece in a clear holder such as a sandwich bag or clear page protector.

CONCEPT: using 2 colors to make a 3rd.
All colors are made from the 3 primary colors

3. Hi, Ho, to Space We Go

The Sun is our daytime star, the Sun is our daytime star
Hi, ho, to space we go, the Sun is our daytime star
Mercury’s number one, Mercury’s number one
Hi, ho, to space we go, Mercury’s number one
Venus is number two, Venus is number two
Hi, ho, to space we go, Venus is number two
The Earth is third around, the Earth is third around
Hi, ho, to space we go, the Earth is third around
The Moon goes round the Earth, the Moon goes round the Earth
Hi, ho, to space we go, the Moon goes round the Earth

Activity:
Make props to represent the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Earth, and the Moon. These can be as simple as decorated paper plates, or as elaborate as paper mache globes, or large pieces of poster board which children can wear like a sandwich board. Begin the song with one child who is the sun. Add other children as the song indicates, and have them walk slowly in concentric circles around the sun. They will discover that Mercury will have to walk very slowly, for as the other planets are added, and the circle becomes larger, those children will have to walk faster to keep the planets lined up. Finnish with the child who is the moon. That child will have to walk around the earth while the earth is walking around the sun. This is not easy, but is very entertaining! A teacher or parent can be Mother Nature, and help keep everyone going.

CONCEPT: The sun is the center of our solar system, and the planets orbit around it. The moon orbits around the earth.

4. Gravity Dance

Come on and do a little dance with me,
And we can call it the gravity
‘Cause what goes up must sooner or later come down
First you put your hands way up in the air
Try hard as you can to keep them there
But what goes up must sooner or later come down
Chorus:
We’re pulled by gravity, gravity, it keeps us on the earth you see
Even little birdies up in the air have to flap their wings or they won’t stay there
Isaac Newton said, “Now I see why the apple falls from the apple tree,
‘Cause what goes up must sooner or later come down”
Next you jump way up high in the air - try hard as you can to stay up there
But what goes up must sooner or later come down  (chorus)

Activity:
Ask children to jump up in the air and stay there. When they say they can’t, explain that gravity is the force that pulls everything close to the earth. 
Listen to the song, and have children follow directions .

CONCEPT:: gravity is what keeps us on the ground

 

5. Optical Illusions

Crossing the desert in the middle of the night, you’re hoping some water to find
You see a magical pool, it’s looking lovely and cool
Then you discover it was all in your mind
Chorus:
It’s just and optical illusion, it’s not what it appears to be
You see an optical illusion is very good at fooling you and me
Two straight lines, one long and one short, you think that’s what you’re gonna find
But when you measure the two, you see it just isn’t true
And you discover it was all in your mind  (chorus)
Looking at life through the eyes of your mind
You’ll be surprised at the things you might find
Two glasses of water, one more than the other, this time you know you must be right
But when you pour them both out, you see there isn’t a doubt
And once again you see it’s all in your mind (chorus)

Activity
1. Talk about what a mirage is. 2. Enlarge line drawings below and ask which line is longer. Then measure. You’ll see they’re the same.

 

3. Have 2 glasses of water in different shapes. Pour the same amount of water in each, and have children guess which has more. Pour them out, and they will see how our mind is tricked.

CONCEPT: Things aren’t always what they seem!

 

6. Energy

Did you have your breakfast, did you get a good night’s sleep
Then you’ll have lots of energy, get up get on your feet
Chorus:
Get up and shake, shake, shake, shake your hands
Jump, jump, jump, up and down
Turn, turn, turn, turn around
Reach way up high, and sit back down
Stirring up the molecules creates a lot of heat
So let’s stir up the molecules, get up get on your feet (chorus)
Put your hands together now and clap along with me
Just like the sun that shines you have a lot of energy (chorus)
From sun to light, and light to heat, it changes all the time
Moving, growing, changing, energy’s a busy guy (chorus)
Kids have lots of energy, they’re always on the go
Running, jumping, dancing, you need energy to grow (chorus)

Activity
Before singing and moving to the song, discuss the following:
Everything needs energy to grow
Energy can change, but it can’t be destroyed
Energy come from many sources.. The most common is the sun. Sun is changed to light,
is changed to heat, etc. Some other energy sources are water, fossil fuels, wind power.

CONCEPT: energy makes things happen, changes forms, but can’t be destroyed

7. Squid Tarantella

Chorus:
Head and feet, feet and head, these are the body parts of the squid
Mantle and feet, mantle and head, these are the body parts of the squid (repeat all)
First you clean it and skin it and pound it and slice it
And all of your kids say, “Eeeooo!”
Then you bread it and fry it in garlic and butter
Just like Grandma used to do
And you tell everyone that it’s calamari, and that sounds ever so fine
‘Till they learn that a squid has come to the party and they refuse to dine
It’s calamari, it’s calamari, no longer a squid, it’s calamari
Just like the pasta becomes spaghetti, now the squid she is calamari
Serve the pasta, serve the bread, serve the salad and serve the squid
Heads and feet are part of the deal, heads and feet make a very good meal
You say try it, you will like it and they find it hard to believe
So they do and they did love the body parts of the squid
Mangia pasta, mangia panne, mangia tutto il calamari,
Calamari, calamari, mangia tons of calamari

Activity
Discuss: Squids are part of a group of animals called cephalopods, meaning “head foot”. These animals have only a head and feet. Some other cephalopods are the octopus and the cuttlefish In the song, when the word “head” is sung, have children touch their heads. When “feet” is sung, have them touch their feet. And of course, say “eeooo!” when the times comes!

CONCEPT:  Cephalopods are animals with only a head and feet, and also good to eat!

8. Measurement Song

Numbers tell the story of how much, how long, how far
So no matter where you go you’ll know just where you are
12 inches to one foot and there are 3 feet to one yard
Once you know these measurements, it’s really not so hard
If I tell you when you were 2 you were 31 inches tall
You will know how big you were, ‘cause I measured it on the wall
12 inches to one foot and there are 3 feet to one yard
Once you know these measurements it’s really not so hard
If your mother wants to make a chocolate cake for you
You can help by getting out the measuring cups and spoons
3 teaspoons to one tablespoon, 16 tablespoons to one cup
2 cups to one pint, 4 cups to a quart, now eat the cake up!
If I say that we can play outside for an hour or two
You can look at the clock and you will know when we are through
60 seconds to one minute, 60 minutes to an hour too
24 hours in one day, and that’s a lot of time to you!
Using numbers scientists keep track of all they do
They write it down, and soon they’ve found that they’ve learned a thing or two
12 inches to a foot, and there are 3 feet to one yard
Once you know the measurements, it’s really not so hard

Activity
Have examples of a ruler, a yard stick, measuring cups and spoons, and a clock with hands.
  Cut out magazine pictures and ask children which measuring devices would be used to measure each.
Example: cooking pictures (cups and spoons), sports (time), sewing, decorating (ruler).

CONCEPT: We all use the same basic measurements so we can communicate amounts

9. I HAVE A LITTLE PULLEY

I Have a little pulley, it’s good at lifting things
It makes my work go faster so I have more time to sing
It lifts things even higher than I could ever do
And when it reaches to the top it brings it back to you
Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, Boom!

Activity

Rig a pulley for the children to use. Attach a clip to one end of a rope, and connect a cardboard box to it. Load the box with stuffed animals or other soft items, and let the children take turns lifting and lowering the box. Show the children how to lift the box by pulling hand over hand. Remind them not to let go of the rope, or the box will fall! It will take younger children a few minutes to figure out not only how to pull the rope hand over hand, but how to reverse the process in order to lower the box. By having children lift and lower the box while playing the song, they will have to control the speed of their movements. Children will enjoy doing this over and over again, changing the load in the box.

CONCEPT:
Pulleys are simple machines that help us do work.

10. Electricity Game

Listen to the sound,
Can you listen to the sound of electricity
Listen to the sound, when you listen to the sound
Can you guess what can it be?
Chorus:
Electricity is a fine thing, don’t you know, you knowBecause electricity make the hair dryer go
(repeat song with game buzzer, food blender, toy spaceship)

Activity

Assemble items mentioned in the song, or use your own. Hide items from view, make a sound, and have children guess what the sound is. Do all things run by electricity make noise? What are some others that do? What are some that don’t?

Other Activities:

Choose one room in a typical house, and discuss what things powered by electricity might be found in that room.
Cut out pictures from magazines and have children tell you whether or not each is powered by
electricity or not. Example: picture of a bicycle, a car, a microwave oven, etc.

CONCEPT:
Electricity powers many of the things we use in everyday life
.

 

11. Sadie the Slimy Slug

I’m Sadie the slimy slug
You may think that I am, but I’m not a bug
You may think that I don’t but I do like hugs, I’m Sadie the slimy slug
Well you might think slime is yucky. but to have it I’m really lucky
‘Cause if someone I don’t like tries to take a big bite of me
I can just slip away (repeat chorus)
If you wanna know just where I’ve been , you can look for a trail that’s silvery and thin
Sometimes I climb trees just to get off the ground
Then when I’m ready I just slip on down (chorus)
During the day you might not see me, I like to stay cool underground
But if you come out at night and you turn on a light
You’ll probably see me slippin’ around
I’m Sadie the slimy slug, you may think that I am, but I’m not a bug
You may think that I don’t but I do like hugs, I’m Sadie the slimy slug, oh yeah
Sadie the slimy slug, I’m gonna slime you
Sadie the slimy slug, here comes a big wet one, Sadie the slimy slug

Activity

Have the children make slug puppets out of brown or yellow socks. For slime, they can use glitter glue. Then use the puppets to “choreograph” the song.

CONCEPT:
learning about slugs

dedicated to my father, Fred Hooper,
a self-employed science teacher who valued children and music as much as I do.
Thanks Dad

All songs arranged, performed, and produced
by Nancy Stewart

All songs written by Nancy Stewart
except
Squid Tarantella, by MaryLee Sunseri