Blue Sky Sparklin' Day - Elizabeth McMahon

Blue Sky Sparklin' Day is Mrs. McPuppet’s first recording and a perennial favorite. From the whimsical ode to the “Baby Hippo”, a popular request, to her operatic celebration of “Lasagna”, this album has been a staple of her public and school performances for the past decade.

The tasty homage to the “Home Dairy Bakery” along with "The Little Red Hen" and "The Mitten", traditional stories set to music, are among the other wonderful songs found on this debut album. Accompanied by a rich assortment of instruments, "McMahon's melodic voice rings out clear as a bell and bright as a starlit sky.  She writes songs we would sing to our own children, if only we could." (The Ithaca Journal)

This song is like a painting; the cows standing in the tall green grass, the sky painted blue with a cloud or two, the sunshine coming up fast. With all these images it is made for a mural. Get a long piece of paper and take your time over the week drawing and coloring the pictures. White shelf paper or a roll of brown wrapping paper will do.  

Add your own  arm motions to the chorus.       

Little Red Hen

This classic folktale tells the story of  responsibility , one of the themes of Character Education. For school, learn the chorus:” When someone needs help, then it's your turn.”

It works well and is fun to act out with the puppets. Click here for directions. Use a chair  as a stage- rest the puppets on the seat and bring them to life using  the area above the back of the chair for the action.

The Cow

The loveable cow, a good subject to talk about nutrition and all the wonderful foods made from milk.

Wishing Well

This peaceful, quiet song is about imagination,

“ I wish the clouds were made of whip cream floating in a blue sky stream, I'd climb on top and drift in the breeze, have a taste when ever I pleased. “ It would be a good starter for creative writing: "what do you wish you could be?"

Baby Hippo

This song has a great beat to jump to, good to get the wiggles out. Jump during the chorus,  stay still for the verses.

Imagine Baby Hippo is coming to your house. Describe the visit. What does Baby Hippo see and like? What games would you teach him, what places would you show him.? What books would you read to him?

Make the Baby Hippo Puppet- bring it to life with the song. Click here to see instructions from our Spring 2009 Newsletter.       

Lasagna

With a chorus that nobody can resist, this song is pure fun to sing along to. The theme is A family get together and a good  jumping off point for talking about community in a  school, in a neighborhood, in a family etc.

Scooby Dooby

In this fun dancing song, listen to the chorus and follow the movements.  The verses talk about animals getting ready for Spring- Mrs. Robin, Mr. Squirrel, Fuzzy Bear. Make a list of what other animals are doing to get ready for Spring- the frogs, bees, butterflies.

Home Dairy Bakery

Ithaca had the quintessential bakery, with all the beautiful baked goods smiling out at you from the front window. This song would be fun to illustrate.

My Puppy Dog

This is a loving song about our family dog Taffy. It is a quiet sing-a-long and a good starter for talking about pets. For a descriptive writing piece, describe and draw your pet. 

Love Grows

A song about life, learn the sign language

The Mitten

A new version of the classic Russian folktale.  Have fun making the fox puppet. . Click here for the puppet pattern.

Great for acting out in the classroom, each animal has a chance to move around looking for the mitten ( designate an area ) then for the chorus , that group of animals joins hands and does a circle dance , circle around one way then back and then sits back down.