The child-appropriate version of "Ten Little Indians" was intended to serve as a counting aid, and is very popular with young children. The singsong rendition of "One little, two little, three little Indians" counts up to 10; the next verse starts at 10 and counts down to 1. For personalization that makes the song an instant hit, change "Indians" to the child's name.
Incorporate the "Ten Little Indians" song into your Thanksgiving classroom time, diverting some attention from the Pilgrims and focusing on the Native Americans with whom they shared their day. First, sing the song's first verse with the students, holding up 10 fingers and counting down with the song. Choose 10 students to play Indians, lining up in front of the class with their legs crossed as they imagine Indians might. As you sing the song again, have them stand up one at a time as the song progresses. Supplement this activity with a craft like homemade Indian headbands, made from a strip of construction paper, tape and 10 feathers each.
The "Ten Little Indians" poem used by Christie in her novel -- also known as "And Then There Were None" -- begins on a grim note, as the first little Indian "chokes his little self," but progresses more mildly, with the demise of subsequent Indians being far more discreet. For a literature or English class activity, have students write their own version of the poem, exercising their creativity in rhyming as well as literary subtlety. Encourage them to include a range of conclusions, both as obvious as "One chopped himself in half and then there were six" and as subtle as "A bumblebee stung one and then there were five." Encourage them to come up with inventive demises for their characters.
Christie uses the child's rhyme "Ten Little Indians" as the structure for her novel. Literature and English students will benefit from an activity in which they use a poem of their choice as the outline for a short story of their own. Encourage them to use creativity in selecting a poem with a convenient structure, and instruct them to think imaginatively. After all, "Ten Little Indians," on first reading, doesn't automatically bring murder to mind.