Teaching the “D” Tin Whistle
in primary schools
•East ways into teaching the tin whistle …. You can teach music and I will prove it …..
•Curriculum mentions either whistle or recorder in the strands for performance.
•How to hold it
•Tommy Thumb rhythm
•Left Hand … hold up your two hands in front of you which hand makes the “L”
•Notes
•Links to literacy
•Links to musical elements
•Performing singing
•Clean Hands
•Never run with the whistle in your mouth
•Never blow it into another Childs ear
•Keep it clean
•Wash it with suds and hot water
•It is not a weapon
•Practice your tune ten times a night

Buzzing Bee
The Note “B”
Where is B on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 First finger down


Buzzing Bee Tune
 BB
B
 BB BB B
 BB B

Annies Apple The Note “A”
Where is A on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Two fingers down


Annies Apple Tune
 AAA
 AAAA
 AAA
A

Giggly Goat The not “G”
Where is G on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Three fingers down


Giggly Goat Tune
 GGG
 GGGG
 GGG
G

The Bag Tune
 BBBB
BB
 AAAA AA
 GGGG GG Put it all together

Friendly Fish New Note Tune “F”
Where is F on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Four fingers down


Friendly Fish Tune
 FFF
 FFFF
 FFF
F

Ellie Elephant
The Note “E”
Where is E on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Five fingers down


Ellie Elephant
 EE
E
 EE EE E
 EE E

Dippy Duck
New Note D (low D)
Where is D on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Six fingers down


Dippy Duck Tune
 DD
D
 DD DD D
 DD D

Dippy Duck
New Note D’ (High D’)
Where is D on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Six fingers down


Dippy Duck Tune
 D’D’
D’
 D’D’ D’D’ D’
 D’D’ D’

Clippety Clop
New Note C natural
Where is C natural on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 Play G and take off the B finger TO GET C
NATURAL


Clippety Clop (c natural)
 CC
C
 CC CC C
 CC C

Teaching High Notes
 High
“ E’ ” same as E just blow harder
 High “ F’ ” same as F just blow harder
 High “ G’ ” same as G just blow harder
 High “ A’ ” same as A just blow harder
 High “ B’ ” same as B just blow harder
 High “ C’ n ” same as Cn just blow harder
 High “ C’ # ” same as C #just blow harder

Relate to Music Literacy
Now you can relate all of the notes and tunes
to music literacy classes
 Show them each note on the stave
 Explain why I don’t do all together
 My experience has shown that it is too
confusing and you get faster results this way
 Sound before symbol …..
 Still using stave letter names and singing and
clapping etc., cross strand intergration
 Click on www.ceolcriostri.weebly.com for
templates



Clickety Click
New Note C#
Where is C sharp on the whistle
 Left Hand on top
 All Fingers off C #


Clippety Click (C sharp #)
 CC
C
 CC CC C
 CC C

Next Step tunes…..
 Next
Tunes to teach are
 Mary had a little Lamb
 Twinkle Twinkle
 Titanic
 Go to …….
 www.ceolcriostri.weebly.com