Lesson Plan: Lesson 3 – Song Class: Itsy Bitsy Spider

Age Group: K1 and K2 (3 to 5 years old)
Class Size: 10 children
Duration: 60 minutes
Focus Area: Pace selection, breath cues, pitch contour, and coordinated finger-gesture clarity

Learning Objectives:

• Children will be able to choose a steady pace and take a quiet breath before each line.
• Children will be able to glide pitch up/down to match climb/rain/sun ideas.
• Children will be able to perform clear finger actions without losing word clarity.

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Materials Needed:

• Printed lyrics of Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Printed visual aids for pitch contour (e.g., arrows for climb/rain/sun)
• Audio playback device (Suggested version:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80X3kFiHVw8)
• Visual aids for breath cues (e.g., breath bubbles between lines)
• Floor markers for performance spots

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Procedures:

5 min Warm-up: Body + Breath
Purpose: To settle the group, awaken body awareness, and prepare breath for singing.

• Lead gentle stretches: reach arms up, roll shoulders, wiggle fingers. Use imagery like“stretch like a sunbeam” or “wiggle like a spider.”
• Guide belly breathing: place hands on belly, breathe in slowly through nose, exhale gently through mouth.
• Invite children to make soft sighs or hums to connect breath with vocal tone.

15 min Technique Focus 1: Pace Selection and Breath Cues Between Lines
Purpose: To help children sing at a steady pace and breathe calmly between lines.

LCM Early Learning Drama

Imperial Academy 2025

• Introduce the song Itsy Bitsy Spider and play the suggested version once for listening.
• Demonstrate singing the first two lines slowly, with a quiet breath between each line.
• Use visual aids to show breath bubbles between lines (e.g., after “water spout” and“washed the spider out”).
• Invite children to echo each line with guided breath cues and steady pacing.
• Reinforce posture and breath control: stand tall, breathe low, and pause briefly before each new line.

   

15 min Technique Focus 2: Pitch Contour + Coordinated Finger-Gesture
Clarity
Purpose: To help children match pitch movement with gestures and maintain word clarity.
• Identify pitch movement in the song: rising pitch for “climbed up,” falling pitch for
“washed out,” gentle rise for “dried up.”
• Demonstrate pitch contour using hand gestures and voice slides.
• Invite children to mimic pitch movement with their voices and fingers.
• Teach coordinated finger gestures for each line (e.g., climbing fingers, rain fingers,
sun arms).
• Invite children to sing short phrases while performing gestures clearly and keeping
words understandable.

10 min Guided Application to Exam Task
Purpose: To apply breath, pacing, pitch, and gesture techniques to the full song.
• Model the song with breath cues, pitch contour, and gestures.
• Invite children to sing in small groups, focusing on breath, pacing, and gesture clarity.
• Guide children to stand on performance spots and maintain posture throughout.
• Reinforce memory by gradually removing lyric prompts and gesture demonstrations.

10 min Performance + Feedback
Purpose: To build performance confidence and reinforce technique through observation and
feedback.
• Invite children to perform the full song from memory, one group at a time.
• Observe posture, breathing, pacing, pitch, and gesture clarity.
• Offer specific feedback: “Your climbing fingers were so clear!” or “Lovely breath
before ‘washed the spider out.’”
• Invite children to finish with a poised bow: feet together, head nod, smile.

LCM Early Learning Drama

Imperial Academy 2025

5 min Calm Close
Purpose: To help children wind down and leave the session feeling proud and calm.
• Lead a gentle humming exercise using the melody of Itsy Bitsy Spider.
• Invite children to sit or lie down and listen to soft instrumental music.
• Thank children for their effort and preview the next lesson: “Next time, we’ll use our
voices to explore animal sounds and movement.”

Extension Ideas:
• Use spider finger puppets or props to enhance gesture clarity.
• Practice breath cues during transitions (e.g., breathing before saying “hello” or
“goodbye”).
• Reinforce pitch contour with movement games (e.g., climbing up and sliding down).