Like many other music teachers, I have quite a few songs and chants in my collection about apples, so I've become a bit picky about adding new ones. Nevertheless, "Apple Tree Chant" made the cut because it is musically satisfying both in it's simplest form as a fingerplay and still full of potential for more complicated exploration.

For example, each element in the poem could be assigned to an instrument (ie. tree woodblock, applesspoons, windrattles, basketshakers). Students play their instrument on the appropriate line. Pictures of each element could be arranged to create a composition (apple/basket/wind/tree). For those teachers teaching first steps in notation, "wind" and "tree" could be quarter notes, and "apple" and "basket" could be two eighth notes.

Some other ideas for expanding this fingerplay can be found on Beth's Notes (bethsnotes.com), which was my source for this piece. I want to put in an entirely unprompted and unsponsored plug for both the website and their "Plus" membership. It is a useful, substantial, and wellorganized resource, and I am finding that it is money wellspent to have the ease of downloadable pdfs and game/dance ideas. The site is obviously created and maintained by a teacher who actually works with children and likes doing it. Check out Apple Tree Chant on Beth's Notes here: https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2020/0....

Lyrics:
Here is the tree with leaves so green.
Here are the apples that hang between.
When the wind blows the apples fall.
Here is a basket to gather them all.

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