Ants in My Pants: Unison Teacher's Handbook

Albrecht knows exactly what makes young singers tick. The pairing of kinesthetic action with simple, memorable melodies turns classroom singing into genuine play, and the included movement suggestions spare you the guesswork of how to stage each piece. With reproducible student pages and both full performance and accompaniment tracks on the Enhanced CD, this handbook handles everything a busy primary teacher needs.

These thirteen songs bubble with genuine fun. Each animal-inspired tune captures the specific movement and personality of its creature—wiggles, spins, and splashes—creating moments where singing and physical joy are inseparable. Young singers experience themselves as both musicians and performers, which is the sweet spot for this age.

Primary teachers and music specialists working with Pre-K through Grade 3 students who want to build unison singing skills through movement and play. Classroom teachers benefit from the built-in activities and reproducible materials, while music specialists can use the handbook as the foundation of early childhood song exploration.

• Let students lead the movements on their second pass through each song; once they know the tune, ownership of the physical storytelling transforms the energy in the room.
• Use the accompaniment track during classroom learning and the full performance recording as a model for phrasing, dynamics, and confidence.
• Assign students animal-specific sound effects or motions to perform during instrumental interludes, turning accompaniment time into active listening.
• Layer the songs: start with the simplest, shortest ones to build comfort with the format before tackling the more elaborate staging.

Build a primary concert around these pieces as the anchor, combining them with finger plays and movement activities to create a cohesive program that keeps young audiences and performers engaged. The unison format works beautifully as the backbone of a K-2 assembly program, or use individual songs throughout the year in classroom music lessons to maintain momentum between formal performances.

• Singing in unison with steady rhythm and pitch control
• Coordinating movement with singing
• Following song form and repeated musical phrases
• Listening and responding to accompaniment
• Building confidence in group performance