Language focus: Farm animals (cow, horse, pig, sheep, duck, rooster) and the sounds they make.

Classroom benefits: Great song for practicing rhythm. Introduces the expression, "What does a __________ say?", which helps when learning the sounds of the alphabet. When children can answer, "What does a cow/pig/dog/cat/etc. say?", they are ready for the question, "What does 'A' say?" or "What does "B" say?"

For very young ESL/EFL learners, learning the different sounds attributed to animals in English (for example, in English, a pig says, "Oink, oink," while in Japanese a pig says "Buuu, buuu") helps them conceptualize that English is truly a different language, but fun and interesting as well! Children love learning the sounds animals make, and knowing those sounds in English (something many adult ESL/EFL speakers don't even know) can give young learners a lot of confidence in their ability to speak English.

Before singing the song, learn the gestures for the farmer and each of the animals. Use pictures or stuffed animals to introduce the animals. As you introduce each animal, teach the gesture for that animal. Have the children do the gesture and say the animal's name at the same time.

Of course, you can create your own gestures. In fact, it's best if you create gestures for the animals together with your group/class. However, here are some gesture ideas to get you started:

Farmer - Pretend to hold on to your overall straps.

Cow - Make cow horns by placing your thumbs on the top of your forehead, and then extending your pinky fingers up and out.

Horse - Use your hands to mimic a horse's two front legs when running.

Pig - Push your nose up with one finger.

Sheep - Pretend like you are squeezing something soft.

Duck - Make a duck's bill in front of your mouth with your hand.

Rooster - Place one thumb on the top middle of your forehead and wiggle all your fingers.

Lyrics and actions:

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O. (Pretend like you are a farmer holding on to your overall straps.)
And on that farm he had a COW. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a cow gesture.)

What does a COW say? (Shrug your shoulders to indicate asking a question.)
Meow? (Elicit "No!" answers by shaking your head no.)
Oink? (Elicit "No!" answers.)
Moo? (Elicit a big "YES!!!" answer by nodding your head up and down.)

With a moo moo here. (Continue making the cow gesture and "moo" to the left.) A moo moo there. ("Moo" to the right.)
Here a moo. ("Moo" to the left.) There a moo. ("Moo" to the right.) Everywhere a moo moo. ("Moo" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O. (Pretend like you are a farmer holding on to your overall straps.)

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a HORSE. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a horse gesture.)

What does a HORSE say? (Shrug your shoulders.)
Woof woof? (Elicit "No!")
Moo? ("No!")
Neigh? ("YES!!!")

With a neigh neigh here. (Continue making the horse gesture and "neigh" to the left.) A neigh neigh there. ("Neigh" to the right.)
Here a neigh. ("Neigh" to the left.) There a neigh. ("Neigh" to the right.) Everywhere a neigh neigh. ("Neigh" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a PIG. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a pig gesture.)

What does a PIG say? (Shrug your shoulders.)
Quack? ("No!")
Tweet? ("No!")
Oink? ("YES!!!")

With an oink oink here. (Continue making the pig gesture and "oink" to the left.) An oink oink there. ("Oink" to the right.)
Here an oink. ("Oink" to the left.) There an oink. ("Oink" to the right.) Everywhere an oink oink. ("Oink" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a SHEEP. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a sheep gesture.)

What does a SHEEP say? (Shrug your shoulders.)
Cluck cluck? ("No!")
Oink? ("No!")
Baa? ("YES!!!")

With a baaa baaa here. (Continue making the sheep gesture and "baaa" to the left.) A baaa baaa there. ("Baaa" to the right.)
Here a baaa. ("Baaa" to the left.) There a baaa. ("Baaa" to the right.) Everywhere a baaa baaa. ("Baaa" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a DUCK. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a duck gesture.)

What does a DUCK say? (Shrug your shoulders.)
Meow? ("No!")
Moo? ("No!")
Quack quack? ("YES!!!")

With a quack quack here. (Continue making the duck gesture and "quack" to the left.) A quack quack there. ("Quack" to the right.)
Here a quack. ("Quack" to the left.) There a quack. ("Quack" to the right.) Everywhere a quack quack. ("Quack" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a ROOSTER. E-I-E-I-O. (Make a rooster gesture.)

What does a ROOSTER say? (Shrug your shoulders.)
Ribbit? ("No!")
Meow? ("No!")
Cock-a-doodle-doo? ("YES!!!")

With a cock-a-doodle-doo. (Continue making the rooster gesture and "cock-a-doodle-doo" to the left.) Cock-a-doodle-doo. ("Cock-a-doodle-doo" to the right.)
Cock-a-doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle-doodle-doo.("Cock-a-doodle-do" as you move your head in a circular motion.)
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Activity ideas:

While singing the song, stop the music at the part where it says, "What does a cow/horse/pig/etc. say?" Elicit answers from the kids. Make some silly noises, like an elephant, or an ambulance, or a popular cartoon character! Encourage the kids to say "No!" and give you the correct answer. After the kids say the correct animal noise, everybody moves around the room pretending to be that animal and making those noises.

Before or after singing the song, play animal charades. One person looks at a picture of an animal and makes that animal's noise. The rest of the group/class try to guess which animal it is.

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