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Lesson plan: «Canta y Brinca»

Children sing and jump to «Canta y Brinca», tell the words «canta» (“sing”) and «brinca» (“jump”) apart by ear and wait for the signal before they jump.

Ages
Ages 3–6
Time
20 minutes
Areas
Movement and the body · Attention and self-control · Music and creative expression

Opening

  1. Ask who knows what «brincar» (“to jump”) means and have them show you. Try a small jump and a big jump together.
  2. Have each child stand on a tape mark with room to open their arms without touching anyone: that’s their jumping spot.
  3. Watch the video once, together, and listen for every «brinca». Then turn the screen off.

Main activity

  1. Crouch down together on «Uno, dos, tres» (“one, two, three”) and jump on «a brincar» (“let’s jump”). Do it a few times: whoever jumps too soon laughs and starts again.
  2. Sing the chorus slowly, without the video, with two actions: on every «canta», pretend to sing into a microphone; on every «brinca», jump. Listen closely, because the words swap places!
  3. Add actions: on «hasta el sol» (“all the way to the sun”), stretch up on tiptoe with your arms high; on «canta con el corazón» (“sing from the heart”), put your hands on your chest.
  4. Crouch like frogs on «Cucú, cucú, canta la rana» (“cucú, cucú, the frog sings”), make donkey ears on «a mi burro lo curamos» (“we made my donkey better”) and sing out loud, arms wide, on «y a cantar con muchas ganas» (“and let’s sing with gusto”).
  5. Play mixed-up words: with no music, you say «canta» or «brinca» in any order, or hold up a card, and everyone jumps only on «brinca». Then let a child lead.

Closing

  1. To wind down, sing the chorus slower and softer each time, swap the jumps for gentle claps and end up sitting in your spot.
  2. Put a hand on your chest and ask: “How is your heart beating after all that jumping? And now that we’re calm?”
  3. Ask: “What other song has a frog in it? And a donkey?” Listen to what they remember.

Materials

  • Tape to mark a spot on the floor for each child
  • Two picture cards: a singing mouth and jumping feet

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What to observe

  • Stays down until they hear «brinca», then jumps.
  • Tells «canta» from «brinca» and does the matching action.
  • Jumps in their own spot, leaving room for others.
  • Leads the mixed-up words game for the group.

Adaptations

  • With 2-year-olds, sing it holding their hands: on every «brinca», help them do a little hop or bend and straighten their knees.
  • For children who don’t speak yet or who use AAC, use the two cards: they can lead the mixed-up words game by holding them up.
  • For children who need to move less, each jump can be raising their arms, clapping or patting the table, without getting up.
  • If the group speaks other languages, ask how to say «brinca» at home and use those words in the mixed-up words game.

For families

Ask families to play mixed-up words at home: you only jump when someone says «brinca».

If you teach Spanish as a new language

  • Teach the key words with actions (TPR): «canta» (sing), «brinca» (jump), «uno, dos, tres» (one, two, three), «sol» (sun), «corazón» (heart).
  • Model one line at a time and let students echo it: the chorus repeats «canta» and «brinca» so often that everyone joins in fast.
  • Turn the mixed-up words game into a question: «¿Cantamos o brincamos?» (“Do we sing or jump?”) — students answer with one word and then do it.

ACTFL World-Readiness Standards: Communication (interpretive and interpersonal), Cultures (a traditional game is a cultural practice; the song, a cultural product) and Comparisons (Spanish sounds and words next to your students’ languages).

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