Chapter 1 Music Integration in the Classroom

Chapter 2 How to Teach a Song

Chapter 3 Rhythm and Texture
Chapter 4 Body Percussion
Chapter 5 Movement
Chapter 6 Melody, Form, Timbre, Dynamics
Chapter 7 Designing “Listening” Lessons
Chapter 8 Language Arts and Music Integration
Chapter 9 Social Studies and Music Integration

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Chapter 1: Music integration in the
classroom

Opening Vignette:

Vignette: 3rd grade students at Jefferson Elementary school are working hard in their literature
groups. Four students are in each group, and they take turns reading, posing questions, looking
up vocabulary and drawing their visualizations of the events in the book. Their teacher, Robert
Jackson, or Mr. J as the children call him, knows they will be reluctant to leave their groups in a
few minutes and transition into math learning. To help them, Mr. J gives them a two-minute
warning, and after two minutes are over, he softly strums his ukulele and begins to sing their “math
transition” song, to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle.” During the second verse, the students join in
with the song and complete their clean-up and move to the tables for math.

“Listen, listen, students dear, Time for math, get our supplies
Reading’s over, have no fear, Pencil, eraser, lively minds,
We will read another day, With our teacher, Mr. J,
You’ve worked hard now, I must say: Solving problems in many ways
Listen, listen students dear, Time for math, get our supplies,
Reading’s over have no fear. Pencil, eraser, lively minds.”

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Introduction
In the opening vignette, Mr. J used music to help his students seamlessly prepare for their math
class in what Liora Bresler 1 calls the “Affective Style” of music integration.

What role does music play in your life? Do you turn to certain songs when you have had a rough
day and need soothing? What about when you are heading in to class? Do you have a playlist you
listen to as you drive or walk? How about a special song? Do you recall memories of a special
person in your life when you hear a certain song? Music can lighten our burdens, bring us
together, sooth our minds and souls, and help us celebrate or mourn. Music can also play an
important role in your classroom, helping you infuse joy and warmth into the daily routines of your
students. On top of that, music can also help deepen learning for the students, increase the
effectiveness of your transitions, and inspire creativity. Watch this video, entitled “Dancing Away
the School Day Blues.”

In the video, you noticed that students used songs to help them remember concepts. They also
re-wrote words to familiar songs to synthesize issues they were studying. You saw the teachers
training at the school using tambourines and other instruments. So how can you learn these
skills? The good news: you will get the skills you need from this class, as well as many lesson
plans you can use as models.

Photo credit: https://goo.gl/images/quRVjS

1Bresler, Liora. The Subservient, Co-Equal, Affective, and Social Integration Styles and Their
Implications for the Arts. Arts Education Policy Review , v96 n5, p31 -37, May-Jun 1995.
Four Styles of Music Integration in the Classroom
Before you begin learning the skills you will need, it will be useful to develop and learn a framework
for music integration in a classroom. Liora Bresler defined 4 musical integration styles (see
illustration below), all useful in the classroom. Let’s explore each one.

To begin, watch this video about how music functions in The Ron Clark Academy. Notice how the
school uses music, art, and student participation to make the learning environment engaging and
exciting. Now, let’s explore how this magic can happen.

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Social Interaction Style
In the social interaction style, music is used to support and build community. This can be a
classroom community; but can also be expanded to include the school, the parents, and the local
neighborhood. Here are some examples of the social interaction style in a classroom:

• You and your students choose a special song to be the “Monday morning” song and
another to be the “Friday afternoon” song. You sing these songs to start and end the week,
welcoming the students on Monday and celebrating their accomplishments. The Monday
song gets the students pumped up to learn, and you sing with them showing them that you
are excited they are there. The students in your class know that they can count on the
special songs—they feel like they belong in your classroom.
• You have completed a unit on the state of Kansas (substitute your state if you are not from
Kansas!) The students wrote a song incorporating some of the historical facts they learned
about Kansas, and want to perform it. You invite the parents to school at the end of the
week, and perform the song for them, inviting them into the learning community to celebrate
their children’s accomplishments.
• The students created a rhythmic rendition of a Langston Hughes poem and have added
instrumental accompaniment. The school board of your district invites students to open
each meeting, and you ask if your students can perform. At the board performance, your
students share what they’ve learned about Hughes and the community members interact
with your students.
• Your school decides to celebrate the end of the standardized testing season, and you
suggest a hallway dance party. The other teachers love this idea, and the administrator
plays “Happy” by Pharrell Williams over the intercom at the end of the last day of testing. All
of the teachers, students, administrators, and other staff head out into the hallways, and
boogie down to the song. Everyone feels they have accomplished something together.

Affective Style
• In the affective style of music integration, music is integrated to create a mood or to
enhance creativity. Your “affect” includes your emotions and desires and can be then linked
to resulting behaviors. When you use music to help students navigate daily emotions one
positive outcome is that students can learn to identify and describe feelings as well as
choose from a range of responses. In addition, music can be strategically used to support
creative thought in other endeavors, such as writing, painting, or movement. The opening
vignette provides an example of the affective style of music integration as the teacher used
a song to support students as they navigated the sometimes-difficult task of transitioning
from one activity to the next. Other examples of the affective style include:
• You play a recording of soothing guitar music as students circulate around the classroom.
You have put up some art prints in a variety of styles. You invite students to take a gallery
walk and stop by one painting that speaks to them. As they gaze at the painting, you

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 instruct them to write a story about what they imagine in the painting. The music provides a
background for their creative writing.
• Students have just returned to your classroom after finishing lunch and recess. A few
students began to argue at recess, and you sense a grumpy energy as the students enter.
Before dealing with the argument and moving on to learning, you have a feeling that the
students might benefit from some calming music. You put on an instrumental track and
invite students to join you in the series of steps involved in the Brain Dance. (Watch this
video!) This refocuses your students and you see the smiles return as you begin class
again.
• You have several kindergarten students who flourish when they can sense predictability in
their daily schedules. You develop a visual schedule with words and icons. You also
include a simple song that signals all of the students that an upcoming transition is
approaching. Your students rely on the songs to help them follow along on the schedule,
and their parents report that the children are eager to get started at school each day.

Subservient Style
In the subservient style, teachers use music in the service of other subjects. When they integrate
music in the subservient style, they use the song to help students learn a concept or idea from
another subject area, or remember something important. In this style, the students may not study
the music itself, and typically don’t gain much musical understanding other than possibly singing a
song or moving to a beat. Here are a few common examples:

• You are working on counting and number concepts with your students. You play the song
“5 Little Monkeys” and have the students act out the subtraction as they listen to the song.
• You teach your kindergarten students a song to help them remember the days of the week.
• You have your 2nd grade students draw pictures of the water cycle. You create an iMovie
with their drawings and add a song about the water cycle. The students enjoy seeing their
drawings as they learn the song.
• You help your kindergarten students learn the sounds the letters make with this “Phonics
Dance.”
• Your third grade students use songs to remember their times tables.

Co-Equal, Cognitive Style

In the co-equal, cognitive style, students tap into higher-order creative and critical thought
processes as they explore how music and one or more subject areas connect and enhance one
another. Teachers who employ this style understand that interdisciplinary learning provides
students with opportunities to analyze, synthesize and evaluate disciplines in new ways, leading to
deep learning in all subject areas included. Students are encouraged to think critically, research
and problem solve when learning in co-equal, cognitive ways. The teacher who integrates this
style must understand how subject areas overlap and intersect, and must also be able to set up
learning as a quest for understanding. Examples of the co-equal, cognitive style include:

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 • When studying life science with 1st graders, you wonder with your students how and why
living creatures make sounds. The students search for sound bytes of different human
vocal sounds and animal sounds. They learn how vocal cords work in humans and explore
how and if spoken and sung sounds may vary. Students may ask questions surrounding
this topic, such as, “Why do humans sing?” or “Do humans sing for different reasons?” or
“Do animals sing?” At the end of the inquiry, students have connected learning in science
and music, and many of them are inspired to continue searching for information on animal
and human communication when the visit the library the next week.

• When studying the elements of fictional stories with your 2nd grade students, you decide to
have them set a story to music using iMovie, choosing different music for the rising action,
the climax and the falling action. Students begin by asking questions such as, “How will we
know what type of music to select?” “How can we make the mood of the music match the
mood of that part of the story?” “Can we play our own music to create those moods?” “Does
every story have those 3 elements? What might some different elements be?” “How could
music help us find new elements?” You complete a sound story as a class, and then put
students in groups to select a new story for which they will compose or arrange music. You
have them create a presentation to describe the elements of the story and why they
selected the music they chose.

• When 5th grade students are learning about the country of China, you invite them to explore
the music made by the people living there. Students ask questions such as, “What songs
do the children sing?” “Do people in China listen to the same types of music that I do?”
“What is the traditional music like there?” You help them find resources, and they decide
they would like to talk to a 5th grade class in China and talk with them about their lives. You
find a teacher in China who is willing, and arrange a Skype meeting. Your students develop
questions to ask. You decide to create a documentary of students’ work to share with
parents.

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Music Integration: Your Turn
You have now learned about the 4 styles of musical integration most common in classrooms,
according to Bresler’s work. These are not the only ways we can integrate music into life, as I’m
sure you know! We use music in many other ways—worship, for example. This framework,
however, helps us realize 4 great ways we can create a joyful, warm, deep learning experience for
our students. Try the following suggestions and jot down your notes below:

1. Your musical self. We all integrate music into our lives. On a piece of white paper, or
using a drawing app, draw a picture and use words to describe your favorite types of
music, any instruments (including voice) you may have studied, favorite memories
where music is involved, special songs that hold meaning for you, any concerts you
may have been to, anything else unique to you related to music. Check out my
example here.

2. Subservient Integration:

a. Write out the words for “Row Row Row Your Boat” or “Mary Had a Little
Lamb.”
b. Now pick a math or science concept you might teach young students, such as
counting by 2s or learning the lifecycle of a butterfly. List the concept and the
elements of that concept you want the students to remember. Example of
Elements involved in counting by 2’s: (2,4,6,8,10,etc.)
c. Try changing the lyrics of that song to teach that concept. Write your new
song lyrics.

3. Social Interaction: Think of a song that has a great message for you to use in your
classroom as a “Monday Morning” song. List it.

4. Affective: Can you find an instrumental piece of music (no lyrics) that will provide a calming
affect for your students in the classroom and to which you could have them do basic yoga
moves before a stressful test? List it.

5. Co-Equal/Cognitive: Go to the website www.folkways.si.edu . Go to the tab “genre” on

the left side. Select a type of music from somewhere in the world. Choose one track, click
on it, listen to it, and read the liner notes or introduction. a) What did you learn? b) Describe
a lesson idea that integrates this information. c) Do a quick search on Amazon to see if you
can find any children’s books related to the culture or time period represented by the music
you selected. List it.

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Chapter 2: How to Teach a Song

Introduction: Why sing?

Singing. When do you sing? Do you sing in the car or the shower? How about church or at
concerts? Have you ever sung a lullaby? How about in school? Were you in choir? Now a new
set of questions: How do you feel about your voice? Do you think of your singing voice as a
powerful part of your identity, a tool to share who you are, or do you think of your singing voice as
something to be hidden away?

Watch this video entitled “Music is Our Birthright.” What do you think? Did you hear the description
of 5-year-old students as compared to 12-year-old students? The 5 year olds often see
themselves as singers, while the 12 year olds may not. Why do you think this is? Perhaps
somewhere along the way they were told that they were not a great singer. (Have you had this
experience? Doesn’t feel good!) Perhaps they got used to doing non-singing activities most of the
time during their daily lives, so singing fell to the way side. Well, good news. As teachers, we
have the privilege of reaffirming students’ (and our own) identities as singers.

Photo credit: https://goo.gl/images/aWrIL2

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Singing in the Classroom



Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/LPRW5G
In the classroom, singing can:

• Bring joy. (Affective style)

• Teach concepts (Subservient style)
• Help us visualize what we read (Co-equal/Cognitive)
• Develop a positive and strong classroom community (Social Interaction)
• Calm us or excite us (Affective), and
• Give us perspective into many cultures (Co-equal/Cognitive, Social Interaction,
Affective, and Subservient).

Singing classrooms are joyful classrooms. Let’s take a look at examples of each of the above
purposes for singing in the classroom.

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Songs to Bring JOY (Affective Style)
Singing can bring us joy and help us develop a strong and positive classroom community. As
you watch this video of “The Peace Village Song,” notice the joy of the singers. A song like this
can help your students start their day with joy, encourage them to support each other, remind
them of their joy after a difficult set of instruction, or bring joy to the close of a day:

Songs to Teach Concepts (Subservient Style)

You can also use songs to help you teach concepts. Here is a song to reinforce counting.
Listen to this song to learn the characteristics of jellyfish.

Songs to Visualize What We Read (Co-equal/Cognitive)

Visualization is a strategy that helps students improve their reading comprehension. When we
can make a mind picture of what we are reading, we are more likely to remember and
understand it. Watch and listen to “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” by Martin, Archambault and
Ehlert, a video that uses a song to help students visualize the book and learn letters. Notice how
the song in “Pete the Cat and His 4 Groovy Buttons” by Litwin and Dean helps students
visualize what they are reading.

Songs to Calm or Excite Us (Affective)

Songs can calm us. Listen to the simplicity of this song, “I Send My Love,” and experience its
calming effect.

Songs to Give us Perspective into Many Cultures (Co-equal/Cognitive, Social Interaction,

Affective, and Subservient)
Songs can also give us new perspectives. We can learn to appreciate a person through their
song, we can connect through shared understandings, and we can learn to appreciate and
celebrate differences. As Quetzal says in this video, “It is exciting…and sort of challenging…to
find each other.” Take a look at how two groups of people collaborate by making music that
merges multiple cultures, a great metaphor for a classroom. Now listen to this beautiful song
from Ghana, a song about greeting the sunrise. And one more, an Arabic greeting song.

As you watched these videos, did you notice the warmth and joy present? A classroom
environment that is also full of warmth and joy will help support a wonderful and deep learning
experience for your students. Want some more good news? Your students don’t care how your
voice sounds. In fact, your voice (a very personal part of your identity) can often be judged
more harshly by you than by anyone hearing you. Children know the magic of live singing,
and they will love to hear you sing and join in with you.

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Developing a Classroom Environment for Singing

Photo:
https://goo.gl/images/CvFRE0
To develop a classroom environment for singing:
• Explain why you have chosen the song.
• Be enthusiastic.
• Employ the “rule of ‘yes’” or “give it a try.”
• Teach the song so students experience confidence.
• Remember: If students can hear it, they can sing it.
• Model a healthy environment for making mistakes.
• Honor the culture from which the song originated.

As you know, time is precious in a classroom. Students and teachers have much learning to
accomplish and singing must fit in with those purposes. That is why I started this chapter with
some of the main classroom purposes for including singing. Your students will learn better when
they are calm, joyful, and able to use music to help them learn deeply. So how can you develop a
classroom environment where singing feels natural, and produces joy and deep learning? Here
are a few suggestions:

When asking your students to sing a song, explain why you have chosen this song in particular
for them to sing. Notice how many of the song videos above begin with this type of statement. Tell
them that you think it will give them energy and remind them that they are valuable to the world, tell
them it will help them learn to count, let them know that they will be learning about how children

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interact and learn around the world. When you tell the students why you or another student has
selected a song to learn, you create relevance for the students. They can then sense how the
song relates to their lives and learning and will be open to singing.

Be enthusiastic. When you are introducing a song to your students, engage in the act of singing
with them. Show them that you love the song by singing confidently and looking them in the eye
when you sing. Have the song memorized. If you make a mistake in pitch, make it loud and
proud! Your enthusiasm is contagious, and your students will think, “If my teacher loves this song,
so will I!”

Employ the “rule of ‘yes’” or “give it a try.” Some of your students may have already developed
shyness or sensitivity about their singing voice. Tell them that you have only one rule: give it a try.
This lets them know that you are not concerned with the quality of their voice, but concerned that
they experience the act of singing for the purposes you mentioned. This is freeing! That being
said, if a student chooses not to try the first time, they may be checking to see if the singing activity
is safe for them and that their voice will be valued. In those cases, don’t force a child to sing.
They will join in eventually when they sense the fun and joy involved.

Teach the song so students experience confidence. If you are not confident singing in front of
others, following this tip may involve “acting” confident until you are. Sing the song confidently,
making sure you have practiced so that you can share the song from memory. Think carefully
about how you will introduce the song, and teach the song (selecting and planning using the
strategies you will learn next) so that students will feel that they have learned the song well and
know the lyrics and melody when you ask them to sing it with you by the end of the instruction.
When selecting your song-teaching strategies, you can always ask yourself, “How did I learn this
song?” This helps you understand how your students might learn best.

Remember: If students can hear it, they can sing it. Contrary to what one might think, a person
who sings off pitch does not have a problem with their voice. They just have not learned to
translate what they are hearing into pitches they are singing. The siren/scoop strategy works well
for helping students find the pitch they are trying to match (adults too.) Check out this video on the
strategy. You can encourage your students to sing on pitch by encouraging them to listen carefully
to the pitches first, imagine the pitches in their minds (get them “stuck in their heads”) and then
practice singing. Usually a student will have an easier time matching pitch if they sing alone. This
lets them hear their own voice. You can help them hear pitches when singing in a group by
encouraging them to close one ear as they push down the flap of cartilage in front of the ear canal.
This helps them hear their own voice as they sing—try it!

Model a healthy environment for making mistakes. When you make a mistake when singing,
how do you react? Do you gloss over it, acting like it didn’t happen? Take the opportunity to show
students that it is ok to make mistakes. One teacher I worked with always told her students, “It’s
cool! Let’s fix it,” when they made a mistake. When she made a mistake, she would request, “Tell

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me ‘it’s cool,’ tell me ‘you can fix it’!” The students learned that their classroom was a place to try
and to make mistakes.

Honor the culture from which the song originated. Do your homework on each song you teach.
Where did it come from originally? Who sang it first? Why? What does it mean? Is it respectful to
the home culture to sing this song in your classroom? For example, if you choose a song from a
culture in Ghana, make sure that this song is not a sacred song to be sung only at funeral
celebrations in that culture.

How Can I Teach A Song?

First, choose an appropriate song for your class.

Consider your students’ age and experience with singing when choosing songs for them to sing.
Keep in mind that songs with many leaps in between pitches (Star Spangled Banner, for example)
will be more difficult. Be sure the song is in a good pitch range for children’s voices (typically
middle C to the E above treble C). Make sure that the song serves a solid purpose in your
classroom curriculum.

Then, follow the “whole, part, whole” teaching pattern.

Whole: In this part of the teaching sequence, or pattern, you will engage the students by letting
them hear the whole song. You will want do the following in the order that makes most sense for
the song you have selected and the students you are teaching. Use an instrument, such as
ukulele, to provide the students with the harmonies if appropriate. This helps the students know
what they will be learning through the song, generates excitement, and gives them a context for
the instruction. Explain why you have chosen the song and give them background information
appropriate for their age.

Part: Employ song teaching strategies to help the students learn the lyrics, rhythm, and melody of
the song. Select your strategies carefully, by analyzing the song and thinking about how you
learned the song.

Whole: In this segment of the teaching pattern, the song will now be sung again, except this time,
the students will join in with you, providing closure to this part of the instruction.

During the “Part” section, select from the following song-learning strategies:
Echo teach the words without melody. Watch the beginning of the Ghanaian song for greeting
the sunrise again. When you are teaching your students a song that is in an unfamiliar language or
contains unfamiliar vocabulary, you may want to begin by echo teaching the words. Notice in the

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video how Gina teaches the words in the song with the rhythm of the song as well! This helps the
students learn the rhythmic patterns as they learn the words.

Echo teach the words with melody. Break the song down phrase by phrase, and have the
students sing after they listen to you. You can always repeat a line if students do not sing the
correct pitches the first time. This strategy works well for almost every song, and should be used
almost always during the “part” segment of the song-learning pattern.

“Fill in the blank.” Sing the song all the way through, and invite the students to fill in the
“mystery” words. This strategy works well when a song has a regular rhyming pattern, and
students can fill in the rhyming words at the end of each phrase. This strategy also helps students
hear how the phrases fit together (after they echo-sing each one), since you will sing all but the last
words. You can also have the students fill in the second half of each phrase, requiring them to
remember a little more each time.

Use a powerpoint to display the lyrics. This is a great strategy to use when the song has
multiple verses. Don’t give our song lyric sheets while teaching the song, although they can be
wonderful to give to students who want to practice at home. An overhead display of the lyrics is
more effective than individual sheets because it maintains the focus of the students centrally, and
does not break the community you will develop when singing the song.

Use “cue cards” or “lining out.” Many songs have a chorus that repeats multiple times with a
different verse in between. The verses have the same melody, but different words. Cue cards can
display a few words or a picture reminding students which verse is up next. “Lining out” serves the
same function as the cue card, except the song leader will just call out those first few words of the
upcoming verse. This practice was common in Scottish and American communities in times when
song books were scarce, especially in worship (think hymns with many verses). Lining out can be
used for the first few words of each verse, or even each phrase within a verse if necessary.

Teach the easiest part first. Let’s say you want to teach a song with many verses and a chorus
or refrain that repeats. Teach the chorus (easiest part to remember) first! Then when you are
working on the verses, the students can join in each time the chorus happens.

Play the song at other times in the classroom leading up to the day when you will teach the
students to sing. Ever got a familiar song stuck in your head and find yourself singing it? That is
the idea here. By the time you are ready to introduce and sing the song, the students are already
familiar with the melody.

Tell a story where the song repeats. If you can use a picture book to help introduce the song
because there is a story involved, do it! When you read the book, you can also sing the song each
time it appears (or you insert it) into the story. The students will hear the song multiple times by
the end of the story, having a very similar effect to playing the song for them before you teach it.

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No matter what strategies you select, be sure to use gestures to cue your students. This will help
them know (without you explaining) when they should listen to you sing and when it is their turn.

Singing can integrate music in each of Bresler’s four styles in your classroom, providing your
students with opportunities to develop their reading comprehension skills as they visualize what
the lyrics say, practice reading fluency as they sing and read lyrics, develop community, support
each other through difficult days, re-energize and re-charge.

Singing in the Classroom: Your Turn

Question 1: What is your favorite song to sing in the car? List it. Next time you are driving
around, roll down your windows, sing it in your own way, and practice not caring at all who hears or
what anyone thinks.

Question 2: Check out this Youtube playlist from Barefoot Books.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0maGUp7cdUn5uuLnjsk1NvV2u5Yg5LAV (The playlist
also contains a link to their website, handy for purchasing the picture books you will see.) Choose
one book/song that speaks to you. A. Write the title of the book. B. How could you use this
book and song in the classroom (what could you do with it, or teach with it)? Write TWO
specific ideas. C. What grade level?

Question 3: Choose a nursery rhyme song from this website:

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/childrens-songs-chords/ Or a song from this ukulele story time
website: https://storytimeukulele.wordpress.com. Decide how you will accomplish each section and
which strategies you will select and use for the “part.” Write a lesson plan outline following the
whole-part-whole pattern.

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Chapter 3: Rhythm and Texture

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/aWrIL2

Rhythm
Think about your favorite song, or if you have many favorites, think of one you love. WHY do you
love that song? Chances are, the song does a few things for you. Maybe it reminds you of a
special person, memory, or time in your life. Perhaps the lyrics speak into your life and give voice
to something you feel deeply. Maybe it just makes you feel really great to listen to the song: it
calms you, energizes you, or makes you want to move. Now imagine hearing the first few seconds
of that song…perhaps you hear it as you are grocery shopping, or it comes on the radio. Maybe
you turn it on as you are driving or cooking. What physical reactions do you have when you hear
those first few seconds? Perhaps you feel a deep joy or if you are like me, you start singing along
or moving to the beat.

This “beat,” or “groove,” or “rhythm,” will be very distinct to you in the songs you love. The rhythm
can be simple or complex, fast or slow, driving or mellow, rich or sparse. Perhaps you select
songs to listen to based on the rhythms you want during different parts of your day. A rhythm you
select as you study or read might be different than a rhythm you select for eating dinner with
friends.

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Rhythm is an obvious part of our music and our lives. What makes this feature of music so
connected to our minds and emotions? Simply put,

Rhythm is the movement of music through time, created by sounds and silences.

When you think about it, this makes music kind of magical. When you hear your favorite song
performed live, for example, you know that you are in a very special moment that won’t ever
happen again in the same way, even if you hear the same artists perform the same song again. It
is a special gift of the present, something that happens in that moment of time.

For people around the world, different conceptions of time in music influence the styles and types
of rhythm that exist in different genres of music. In the ancient past, those rhythms developed
around local ways of life, and were very specific to a location. The only way you could hear or
experience the music of another culture was to travel through a different part of the world and hear
that music live. In our world today, through the use of technology for recording, videotaping, and
travel, we find that music often blends elements of rhythm from many locations and traditions
around the world.

Rhythm, or sound organized in time, is pretty amazing! Let’s try to understand how humans use
this element of music. As you watch the following videos, use the written guides to help you think
about the terms and ideas you hear. The point of thinking deeply about this concept of rhythm,
ultimately, is to think about how we can use rhythms (and music in general) to enhance the
learning and well-being of our young students. Here are the main reasons to understand and
consider rhythm as teachers:

Our students all have their favorite styles and types of rhythm in music. Understanding how to
integrate musical rhythms into the classroom can help us provide joyful moments for our students.
These joyful moments can help establish a classroom community where collaboration and learning
can develop and grow.

Rhythms also connect to our bodies. Our heartbeats provide us with a constant internal rhythm.
Linking up to this internal feature of our bodies can provide students with moments of connection
to the learning and to the other humans in the room.

Rhythms are often based on patterns. This connection provides powerful moments for students to
connect to patterns in math, science, language arts, and history.

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Cultural Conceptions of Rhythm

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/V8q29v

Definitions Relating to Rhythm
As you watch the first video, “Oh, I’ve got rhythm!”, based on conceptions of time in European
classical music and popular styles, consider and take note of the definitions of the following terms:

What is a steady beat?

What is a meter?

What is “tempo”?

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Linear Conceptions of Rhythm
Think about the music you heard in the video above, “Oh, I’ve Got Rhythm.” This music can all be
described as moving in a linear fashion, the rhythm as traveling through the song in one long line.

https://goo.gl/images/8645g9

The music, in those cases, is divided up according to weak and strong beats, similar to what you
would see on a heart rate monitor. In schools, children learn how linear patterns work in many
different subjects. They learn to sort and describe based on linear patterns, linking to
mathematical concepts:

https://goo.gl/images/fbGg5u

https://goo.gl/images/s2kjU1

If you think of rhythm in a linear way, you might think of moving through time, always moving
forward until you reach an end point (the end of a month, day, or week). However, you might also
conceive of time as a cycle. Perhaps the rhythm of a year, where the four seasons comprise a
“cycle” that repeats. Winter spring summer fall, winter spring summer fall…

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https://goo.gl/images/fCDMVY
Cyclical Conceptions of Rhythm
Rhythms that resemble a cycle also exist in nature. Consider the life cycle of living things, such
as frogs or trees:

https://goo.gl/images/KZOCCf

https://goo.gl/images/EgsBsV

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We can also see cyclical patterns in nature. Consider the pattern of this flower:

https://goo.gl/images/MihJMp
Children learn about cyclical rhythms when they discuss symmetry in math, or learn about the
different life cycles in science.

Rhythm in music can also be conceived in a cyclical manner. Many cultures around the world
derive their rhythms based on a cyclical pattern. Explore the following styles of music from India,
West Africa, and Cuba. In India, the rhythm played by the tabla, or type of drum, is based on a
cyclical pattern called the “tala.” Watch and listen as Ravi Shankar demonstrates the role of
speech patterns in “tala” and how the drums imitate these patterns. The drummers in this style of
music use speech patterns to learn and remember the cycles, which can be short or very long.

Polyrhythms
Next, listen to this demonstration of West African rhythms. You will hear examples of
“polyrhythms” or many rhythms fitting in, or faceting, around a cyclical bell pattern. See if you
can hear the bell pattern clearly.

Clave and Hip Hop

Now, explore a specific rhythmic cycle in many Latin musics, called the “clave.”

Today, through global contact, we see the influences of different conceptions of rhythm in many
musics. When you listen to music, you can often pick out these styles. Listen to this version of the
opening of the musical “Hamilton,” performed at the White House in 2009. Feel free to watch
President Obama introduce the musicians, or skip to the music that begins at 9:06 minutes. Pay
attention to the way the artists keep the beat cycle with their snaps, but use their voices to hang
back from that beat, weaving in and around the time with their voices. This is an element of
spoken word and hip hop.

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Texture and Harmony



https://goo.gl/images/ykplsm

Texture: The thickness or density of the sound in music.

Texture can be thought of as the fabric of the music. Just as a piece of cloth can be thick or thin,
floaty or heavy, dense or airy, rough or smooth, so can a piece of music. The tones in the musical
“fabric” function the same way that threads function in a piece of cloth. Instead of touching the
fabric to discuss its texture, you will listen to the musical “cloth” to discuss its texture. For example,
you may choose to describe a piece of music that has very little silence in between the notes as
more dense, while a piece of music that uses space in between tones might be thought of as airy.
Listen to the following two pieces of music and see if you can decide which piece you think is
dense and which is airy.

“Rivers Deep and Mountains High” by Tina and Ike Turner

“Swinging on a Star” by Bing Crosby

Did you describe the Tina and Ike Turner song as more dense and the Bing Crosby as more airy?
I heard more space in between the sounds in the Crosby, and this was typical of music in the 40s.
In the 60s, the record producer Phil Spector developed a style of music he called the “Wall of
Sound.” As you know, a wall is typically a dense object, and that was Spector’s idea with the

24
music. He wanted to create a rich, thick, strong style of music that harkened back to the compose
Richard Wagner (Ride of the Valkyries). Even styles of texture have contexts of time and place!

Harmony: Two or more distinct tones sounding together.

Harmony is one particular facet of texture. Harmony can be conceived as two or more distinct
tones sounding together. Throughout time and place, humans have combined tones in different
purposeful ways. Please watch this interesting history of harmony.

Now watch this great description of the three different types of common harmony (monophonic,
homophonic, and polyphonic) in Western European concert and pop music.

Rhythm and Texture: Your Turn

Question: Watch this video of children around the world using rhythmic ideas that are familiar to
them. Notice the joy and creativity. Describe in detail an idea that you get from this video
about using music in your future classroom (at least 3 sentences).

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Chapter 4: Body Percussion

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/Psnj1k

Vignette: In Ms. Kady’s kindergarten class, she knows that an important aspect of literacy is the
identification of syllables. (See the corresponding Common Core language arts standard, under
the heading “Phonological Awareness.”) One day, she decides to reinforce the concept of syllables
in words by having each student identify the syllables in his or her name. To demonstrate, she
says her own first name, “Karen,” and her last name, “Kady.” She writes her first and last name on
the board and asks the children to tell her how many syllables are in her first name. Some children
count the letters and say, “Five.” Others say, “One,” since they know that her first name is one
word, separate from her last name. Ms. Kady realizes that she needs to help them understand
syllables. She speaks her name slowly, separating the two syllables. Then she speaks her name
again and claps with each syllable. She asks the students how many claps it took to speak her
first name. Ah, now that is a clearer question. “Two!” they declare. “Yes,” says Ms. Kady, “and the
amount of claps show us the distinct syllables in a word. Let’s try with each of your names.”
Several children eagerly volunteer their names and after a few more examples, the children are
engaged in trying out their names with claps to identify and count the syllables.

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What is Body percussion?

https://goo.gl/images/4fDTZO

What is body percussion, and why is it important in classrooms?

Body percussion is, simply, making percussive sounds with your body. In the vignette that opens
this chapter, the kindergarten children are using body percussion to identify syllables in their
names. The claps are sounds that they can make with their bodies, and these claps match the
syllables they are speaking. So, what is body percussion? Body percussion is any sound that you
can make with your body! Some sounds are easier for students to produce than others, depending
on the purpose for the body percussion and the developmental levels of the students. For
classroom purposes, the most commonly used body percussion sounds are:

Claps, Pats (on legs), Steps (with feet), and Snaps.

Pats are the simplest for most students, followed by claps, then steps and snaps. Steps involve
weight shifts and a larger movement, which can be more difficult for young students to control with
a beat than leg pats, however, by the age of 6 or 7, most children can use steps effectively. Snaps
involve a fine motor skill; again, most children can produce a sound with a snap by age 6 or 7, and
control it enough to produce a rhythm by age 7 or 8.

27
Body percussion can be used in two basic ways:
1) To illuminate and sound out the rhythm created by the syllables in words. See this
example of a body percussion piece that includes a sound for each syllable. Check out
this video using the characters in Harry Potter. The “mysterious ticking noise” is the
steady beat of the song, while the spoken names of the characters provide a rhythm
through the use of syllables. See if you can clap along with the “tick” or steady beat, and
then see if you can clap the syllables of each name.
2) Body percussion can also be used to provide a groove, or repeating set of patterns over
which children can recite poetry, sing songs, or recite other texts. Here is an example of
a group performing a groove with body percussion and singing “Bring Me Little Water,
Sylvie” over the top. You might also recognize “Cups (When I’m Gone)” as an example
of this type of body percussion (in this case, done with cups).

Why Use Body Percussion in the Classroom?

https://goo.gl/images/8tP52o
Using body Percussion in the classroom:
1) enhances your students’ abilities to identify and count syllables (see the vignette for the
corresponding Common Core standard)
2) enhances reading fluency,
3) enhances students’ understanding of rhythm and rhyming words in poems and other
texts,
4) can help students memorize sight words, and
5) can help students put patterns into motor movements.

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Syllable Identification and Counting
Distinguishing syllables aurally (by ear) is an important part of preparing to read those syllables.
Using body percussion to illuminate and audiate those syllables is very powerful for students
learning this skill.

Reading Fluency
But what about reading fluency? First, what is reading fluency? Very simply, it is the ability to
read a text with appropriate speed, expression, and accuracy, enabling the reader to
comprehend the meaning of the text. (See the “Fluency” section in this 3rd grade Common Core
standard--and note the Phonological Awareness section also. See this link to the “Fluency”
standard for 4th grade.) You know what it is like to read something and then wonder, “what did I
just read?” Perhaps you go back and read it again to increase your comprehension, or
understanding. For all of us, reading fluency is a skill we continue to develop. Most of us can
find a text that is difficult to read with fluency that also leads to comprehension. For example, if
I read a bio-chemistry dissertation, I might be able to sound out the words, but it will sound
halting if I read it out loud, and I guarantee that I will understand/comprehend only around 30%.
However, if I read a novel in my interest area, I will likely be able to read aloud with better flow
and accuracy, and understand much closer to 100%. Our students will be the same! Part of
reading fluency is learning to understand the vocabulary and concepts in the text that are
currently unfamiliar, and part of reading fluency is being able to read with comprehension those
words and concepts that are already familiar. Body percussion can help with this second part of
fluency.

Understanding the Structural Elements of Poetry

The use of body percussion as a rhythmic accompaniment to texts can also assist students as
they learn to understand the structural elements of poetry: rhythm, meter, and verse. (See this
4th grade Common Core standard, the second standard listed under “Craft and Structure,” as
well as this 2nd grade “Craft and Structure” standard.) Students can use a rhythmic pattern to
underlay a poem, illustrating the mood or tone of the poem, and animating the meter. For
example, students can recite a poem beginning with a simple steady beat on claps, then adding
sounds to illustrate the different emphases on the syllables (meter). Check out this video of
“Copy Cat” by Rob Amchin for a demonstration of this technique.

Sight Words
Body percussion can also help students memorize sight words! Sight words are words that
students begin learning in kindergarten. These words are often common words that students
will read in beginner texts and can sometimes be difficult to “sound out” phonetically. Common
sight words include: the, of, and, a, to, is, you. Number words are also sight words: one, two,
three, four, five.

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Patterns
Finally, body percussion enhances students’ ability to understand patterns. If you assign each
standard body percussion a letter or number (Clap= A or 1, Pat= B or 2, etc), you can help
students understand mathematical patterns, including counting by 2s, 3s, etc. For example if
students clap a basic AB pattern (clap, pat, clap, pat) while counting “1, 2, 3, 4…” they will be
clapping on every multiple of 2. They can move from counting all of the numbers while
performing the body percussion to only speaking out loud on the multiples of 2.

So how can body percussion help students develop these skills?

Here is a little rhyme:

(Gustina, Prisha. Steps to Music Literacy. 2012.

http://www.stepstomusicliteracy.com/index.html).

Examine this little poem. Do you see a pattern? The first 3 lines are the same, and the last
line is different (AAAB). Notice the heart symbols. Those heart symbols are regularly spaced
and represent the steady beat of the rhyme. Now, notice the “bird” symbols. Those symbols
represent the syllables (rhythm) of the poem. Notice how there is one bird symbol per syllable.
Do you notice how the steady beat of the poem (hearts) and syllables of the rhythm (birds)
almost line up exactly? There is only one place at the end of the poem where the spoken words
stop and one more rest fills out the steady beat (the place where the heart stands alone without
a bird.) So, if students were to pat the steady beat on their laps with this poem, and you as the
teacher were to teach it to them by rote (using the strategies from chapter 2), they would
automatically be patting out the syllables. If you draw their attention to the words that span two

30
beats and get two pats (blue-bird, part-ner, and win-dow) you are helping them to identify
syllables and pat them!

Now, what about those sight words? So, you have helped the students memorize this little
poem, perform the body percussion while reciting the poem, and identified the syllables. Now
you can point to the words as they recite. What happens? They are “reading” the poem.
(Really, they are learning to associate the memorized poem with the words they see.) As they
practice reciting the memorized poem while pointing to the words, they will learn to associate
the spoken word “through” with the letter combination “t-h-r-o-u-g-h.” You can now point out to
them the different sight words, and they can practice at their seats and at home.

Let’s talk about fluency. Here is a little video of a child reading “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What
do You See?” by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle. If his teacher had asked him to read the book
on his own for the first time, he would not have had the decoding ability to look at the page and
figure out the words. However, since the pages are repetitive, if the teacher helps his class sing
this book as the song you hear, he can now remember that song and pattern, singing the book
on his own as he points to each word and read-sings fluently. As his decoding skills develop and
he associates the letters with the words he is singing, he understands the rhythm, pacing, and
accuracy (using picture cues) necessary to fluently read the story.

How Can You Teach Your Class a Body

Percussion Pattern?
The basic principle when teaching body percussion patterns to your class is to go from simple to
complex. First of all, be sure you have chosen a body percussion pattern that reflects your
learning goals. Do you want to emphasize syllables, fluency, patterns, rhyming words, or literary
meter/structure? Then, decide on a pattern that will match your students’ developmental abilities.

Here are good rules of thumb:

• For Kindergarten students, start with only patting, then add clapping.
• For 1st grade students, combine patting and clapping, adding steps sparingly toward the
end of the year.
• For 2nd grade students, use pats, claps, and steps, but be sure to keep the pattern regular
and logical for them.
• For 3rd grade students, add snaps to the other patterns, but be sure to keep the patterns
fairly uncomplicated and don't move quickly from snaps to steps. Try it out first on yourself!
If it is easy for you to do, it will be also manageable for them.
• For 4th grade and up, use all four patterns, but still keep it repetitive; a 4-beat pattern that
repeats works great!

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Once you have chosen an appropriate body percussion pattern, teach it with the same principle:

Simple to Complex

• Model for your students by patting the basic beat: the steady beat of your song or poem.
Ask the student to join in with you, have the student perform the text/song simultaneously
and assess. If they are able to do this, keep moving.
• Develop the body percussion pattern from this point on through the introduction of small
changes. Model each change and invite your students to join in. After each change is
introduced, students need to successfully perform the text and accompaniment
simultaneously before proceeding.
• Continue developing the body percussion accompaniment until complete; remember to
perform the text/song with every change of the body percussion.
• Assess student performance, and stop adding changes when it becomes frustrating.
• Transfer text and/or body percussion to instruments as appropriate.

The following development is one appropriate for 2nd graders still somewhat new to rhythmic
accompaniment performed with body percussion.

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Completed Ostinato

If you don’t read music notation (as above), here’s a way you can notate the same rhythm:

Snap

Clap XX

Pat X X

Stamp

33
Body Percussion: Your Turn
Question 1: Using the song you chose in Your Turn Chapter 2, decide whether you want to
emphasize syllable identification or reading fluency. To help you decide, try clapping with every
syllable as you sing the song. Then try clapping with a steady beat (not every syllable). If clapping
every syllable worked well, then you can focus on syllable identification, and design a body
percussion pattern that has a sound on every syllable. If clapping with a steady beat seemed more
natural, then focus on reading fluency and create a body percussion pattern that is simpler than
the syllable patterns. Write which type of body percussion pattern you will do.

Question 2: Next, create and write down your body percussion pattern, putting your
notation here. There are many ways to do this, you just need to find a system that makes sense
to you. Whatever way you decide to do it, be sure that you can perform it easily. Tweak it until
you like it! Then practice teaching it. Simplify the pattern to teach it, as described in Section 3
of this chapter. Begin with a steady beat, and then gradually add more difficulty until you achieve
your pattern. Invite a friend to join in with you and then get their feedback on anything that was too
difficult.

Here are some examples that use the song/chant “Pout Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen. Here is
what the chant looks like in standard musical notation:

Here is an example that focuses on reading fluency. You can see that there are 4 body percussion
sounds for each measure, 1 per beat, not a sound for every syllable:

34
This next example focuses on syllable identification during the first half of the poem (top two
charts), and then gets creative during the “blub” portion (which was repeated):

Here is one more example of “Baa Baa Black Sheep” that focuses on syllable identification. You
can see how there is an “x” for every syllable:

35
Question 3: Take a look at this website with body percussion (and cups patterns) from around the
world. Try one out and bookmark this page for your future classroom! Write which one you
chose and why.

36
Chapter 5: Movement

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/rS27Ak

Introduction
Have you ever run into a mental block with a paper you are writing or another task or problem you
are working to solve? You get frustrated and you decide to take a break. You go for a run, do
yoga, do some house work, or shoot some hoops. After a while, you discover that you have
thought of a new approach to your original task, and are ready to give this approach a try.

Our brains are a mysterious thing, but research has shown that a definite link exists between
movement and our mental processing. Check out the article on your university’s library website by
Connie Blakemore, entitled “Movement is Essential to Learning.” You can read about some of the
research, along with different results of including movement in the classroom.

So, how can you use movement in the classroom? In this chapter, we will explore creative
movement as well as choreographed movement. Each type has its purpose for learning in the
classroom. First, let’s get a handle on different types of movement. Moving in space includes two
basic types: locomotor and non-locomotor. Locomotor movements are performed while
students are traveling from one place to another. These might include walking, skipping, gliding,

37
twirling, swimming, and the like. Non-locomotor movement is done while remaining in the same
place. These movements include stretching, bending, twisting, turning, and the like.

Movements can also be fine-motor or large-motor. Fine-motor movements use smaller muscle
groups in the body, such as fingers or ankles, while large-motor movements involve larger muscle
groups such as the core, arms and legs. You can model many types of movement for and with
your students, giving them many ways to interpret and deepen the concepts they are learning.

Creative Movement


https://goo.gl/images/VjgL1c
Let’s begin with creative movement. Creative movement involves…creativity! The students will
use their own ideas to create movements that are meaningful to them.

Why is creative movement helpful in the classroom?

Here are a few examples of how creative movement can help deepen learning.

Language Arts:

• In learning a poem, the students create movement in groups that shows their interpretation
of the meaning of the lines.

38
 • While studying the plot line of a story, the students use movement to act out the events and
the characters, portraying emotions and events.
• While writing, students are encouraged to stand and move to activate their creative ideas.
• While first learning letters, students can create letter shapes with their bodies to internalize
the shapes while speaking the sounds.

Math:

• When presenting a new concept, such as how to plot a line on a graph, distinguishing
between perimeter and area, or learning the difference between shapes, students can be
encouraged to work with each other to create those concepts with their bodies.
• When students learn a chant or song to help remember a concept, they can create
movement to assist them as they internalize the concepts.

Science:

• Students can simulate the movement of the solar system with their bodies, learning the
different rotations as well as paths of revolution.
• Students can use creative movement to portray different animal habitats.
• Students can creatively move to animate different elements of physics: atoms or magnets,
for example, to internalize their properties.

Social Studies:

• Students can create movement to interpret songs from varying historical periods and places
in the world.
• Students can creatively animate the movements of communities, governments or historical
events.
• Students can creatively interpret dance styles or folk dances from various times and places
(this might also involve choreographed movement, which we will cover later!)

Of course, you can also use creative or choreographed movement to build community and create a
sense of joy in your classroom. Moving with different songs can lighten a mood, provide a break
from difficult work, and bring your class together. Watch this clip from “Grey’s Anatomy.” The
character Meredith has employed the strategy of “Dancing it out” to alleviate the emotions of
difficult and sad events.

You can use this in your classroom too! Imagine a Friday fun dance that you do every Friday
morning to celebrate a great week, or a Monday fun dance to celebrate the start of more learning.
Once, I visited a school where, at 3:00 PM every Friday, the ENTIRE school went out into the halls

39
and danced it out to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Here’s a video of Happy in a school to inspire
you.

So, HOW can you use creative movement in the classroom to help students internalize
concepts you are learning?
Let’s use the example of creative movement to interpret a poem or story. To facilitate this type of
learning, you as the teacher, should keep several principles in mind:

Balance: You want the students to be creative, but students also need guidelines. The first key
principle for success with this type of activity is to create a balance between providing
guidelines for the students’ movement but also encouraging freedom of expression within
those guidelines. For example, the teacher may provide an inspiration for creative movement (a
poem, an object, a song, a piece of art), but then each student is free to interpret the inspiration
with their own ideas. If a teacher provides no guidelines (“Everyone just dance freely”), then
students are often left confused and less willing to participate, wondering why their teacher is
asking them to do a particular activity. Provide the students with guidelines through ideas such as,
“Imagine what a snowflake could do as it fell to the ground. Can you make your body do those
things?” will help the students’ creativity flow.

Think time: After you give the students an idea to explore with movement, don’t move too quickly
to the next idea. Sometimes students need time to explore what their bodies can do and to think
about the idea, either individually or as they watch or talk with classmates. For example, if you
give the students a direction such as, “In your group of 6, create a perimeter with your bodies,”
they may need some time to figure this out, and if you cut them off before they have had a chance
to process, they may not have the chance to internalize and interpret the meaning of “perimeter.”

Props: The use of props or visuals can enhance your students’ interpretations of concepts with the
use of their bodies. For example, you can use scarves or streamers (check with the music teacher
in your school, who will have some he/she can loan you!). In a pinch, you can use a facial tissue
to simulate a scarf. You can use visuals such as art work to inspire students’ ideas for movement.
For example, what if you had them interpret the angular lines of “Mediterranean Landscape” by
Picasso…

40
 https://goo.gl/images/XfmXBK

and then compared that type of movement to movement inspired by the curved lines in “Starry
Night” by Van Gogh?

https://goo.gl/images/x8Ikht

41
You can also encourage your students to use classroom instruments to interpret poems or stories.

Music: Using recorded or live music is a great way to inspire students’ creativity through
movement. However, choose your music carefully! You want the mood of the music to help
enhance the ideas the students are generating with movement. So, if you want them to interpret
the movement of snowflakes, you might choose music that enhances that idea. Typically,
wordless music (instrumental only) works better for this type of activity since lyrics can have a
tendency to overshadow students’ own thoughts and interpretations of the poem or other concept.

Encouraging students to watch each other and collaborate: In some classroom activities, students
may be encouraged to “do their own work,” or to not copy their classmates’ ideas. However, in
creative movement activities, we can encourage our students to collaborate and to notice the
creativity of their classmates. I call this, “copying like an artist.” Students can take an idea they
see, try it out, and make it their own. To encourage this, you can model copying like an artist by
“thinking out loud” when you see a creative idea. “I really love what I see Marcel doing with his
hands! I think I can add that to my idea for how to act out an elephant moving through its habitat!
Cool!” “I like Maria’s idea to move low to the ground. I think I will try that too!” This encourages
students to celebrate the creative ideas of their friends and to think creatively themselves.

Choreographed Movement


https://goo.gl/images/X9cF0b

42
Three Key Principles
You may think of choreographed movement as something too sophisticated for you to implement
in the classroom. However, it is really more simple than you think! Consider that choreographed
movement can be simply taking a creative idea that you like, and inviting others to do the same
thing. It can mean that students will simply remember and recreate ideas that they like. It might
also mean taking a movement sequence that has been created in the past and recreating it. This
might include dances with specific steps, folk dances from around the world, or even using
American sign language with songs.

So, what are the strategies for teaching a set sequence of movements? Phyllis Weikart describes
three key pedagogical practices for teaching your students a sequence of movement. 2 These
three practices are:

• Separate

• Simplify

• Facilitate

Separate
To employ the practice “Separate” when teaching choreographed movement, you can separate
the instructional modes you use to teach the steps, reaching your visual, kinesthetic, and auditory
learners. To do this, first model the step without talking. Let your students watch you do the step
without interrupting their observation by talking through it. This step will especially help your
visual learners, but all students will benefit. Then, describe the step with your voice, assisting
your auditory learners. At this point, you can put the two modes together (demonstrate the step
while adding a verbal cue). Finally, you can assist your students who are kinesthetic learners.
For example, if you notice a student who is incorrectly moving a foot or hand, for example, you
might ask, “Can I move your foot for you?” and gently assist the student to correct the movement
by helping them coordinate the foot or hand.

Simplify
So, what do we “Simplify” when teaching choreographed movement? To simplify means to break
down the complete movement sequence into chunks that are easier to learn. So, if your
movement sequence involves two claps/two pats, followed by a 4-beat turn, you can teach the
students to do the clap/pat sequence first. Once they master that sequence, then you can add the
turn.

2 Weikart, Phyllis. 2003. “Teaching movement and dance: A sequential approach to rhythmic movement,” High-Scope

Press.

43
Facilitate
How about “Facilitate”? To facilitate means that you are assisting the students to internalize the
sequence of movements and remember it without relying on your voice calling out the movements
to them. For example, you might ask the students to try out the sequence of movements on their
own, without your guidance. Then, you can ask them to think about which part of the sequence
was difficult to remember, and help them to identify and correct those places. You can also have
them close their eyes and visualize the steps in order. Finally, you can ask them to describe the
order of the steps.

Movement: Your Turn

Question 1: Go to www.pinterest.com. Type in a search for “teaching folk dance.” Create a new
Pinterest board for yourself and pin at least 10 dance ideas from around the world. Submit the link
to your board, or a screen shot of your board.

Question 2: Read “Creative Movement from Children’s Storybooks,” an article by Ritchie Gabbei
and Heidi Clemmens. (To access this article, search for it on your university’s library website.)
Write down a detailed idea for use in your classroom that you get from this article (at least 3
sentences).

44
Chapter 6: Melody, Form, Timbre,
Dynamics

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/pTcTfr

In this chapter, you will explore four elements of music: melody, form,
timbre, and dynamics.

45
Melody



https://goo.gl/images/zE8bgn
Definitions of Melody, Pitch, Tonal Pattern, Phrase
First, we will delve into melody. When you compose a song, typically you will have a melody of
some sort. But what exactly is a melody? What are some of the ways a melody is created and
works in music?

Watch this video on Melody by Robin Giebelhausen and as you watch, pause to write down the
different definitions, either as stated in the video, or in your own words:

Melody:___________________________________________

Pitch:____________________________________________

46
Tonal Pattern:_____________________________________

Phrase:___________________________________________

Cultural Connections for Melody

Now that you know the basics, let’s explore how people have used the concept of pitch and
melody across place and time. First, it is important to know that the way melodies are created and
used vary based on time and place. In Western European classical or pop styles, we typically
think of melodies as based on a set of pitches we know as a “scale.” You have heard of “major”
and “minor” scales, and possibly a “chromatic” scale or a mode. A major scale is typically
comprised of a set of intervals or tonal patterns. Here is the major scale “formula”:

https://goo.gl/images/6ovQcM

47
This scale consists of 6 distinct pitches (and one repeated an octave higher at the top). Notice that
each pitch is distinct. Also notice that the repeated pitch, in this case, is C. This pitch, due to its
location in the major scale formula, is also called the “tonic” or “home tone” and often is the pitch
on which the song will end. Recall the clip from “Do, Re, Mi” on the video. The “Do” is also the
“tonic” or “home tone” in the major scale. However, scales do not have to center around the “Do.”
They can center around “La” (the A, in the case of the C Major formula; creating a minor scale) or
any of the other tones, forming a “mode.” The following image shows the names and “home tones”
of these modes.

https://goo.gl/images/NN6uWl

Click here to hear popular songs in the different modes.But, modes or scales provide just one way
to think about melody. Click here and explore different melody types throughout the world.

Now, let’s explore the way pitch is used in the ancient classical styles of music in India. The term
that comes closest to “melody” in Indian classical music is “raga.” However, a raga has no direct
equivalent in Western music. It is conceived of as something that has a personality all its own and
provides a “color” to the music that can be perceived by the listener. Each raga supports a
different mood. While there are 7 basic modes in Western Euro music, there are over 100 known
ragas. A raga contains a set of pitches, but also certain tonal patterns and musical ways of moving
from one note to another. Click here to hear a raga and read more about it.

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Form



https://goo.gl/images/TQ4MYb

Form: Definitions
Next, we will explore form in music. You can think of form as the way a piece of music is put
together: it’s structure. Click on this video by Robin Giebelhausen to learn the types of form. As
you watch, jot down definitions of the following types of form:

Strophic:____________________________________________

Binary:_____________________________________________

Ternary:____________________________________________

49
Rondo:_____________________________________________

Theme and Variations:______________________________

Sonata:__________________________________________

Multi-movement forms:______________________________

Now, explore how form can connect to poetry as one example of a curricular connection. Check
out this website for children that can help them compose a simple AAB form, related to the blues.
Try it yourself!

Form in the Gamelan Music of Indonesia

However, form in music can take many different shapes. In Indonesian gamelan music, the
form is conceived of as a cycle with a gong marking the cycles. This can be called colotomic
structure or form. In the image below, you can see the notation, each number represents a pitch,
and the circle marks the gong, signaling the end of the cycle.

50
 https://goo.gl/images/uTqiSX

Listen to the Indonesian Gamelan music on this link and see if you can hear the gong. Click here
to read more and see pictures of the instruments in the gamelan.

51
Form in Popular Music
Check out this video to help you understand the form for a popular song. While watching, see if
you can identify and define the following parts:

Intro_____________________________________________

Verse_____________________________________________

Pre-Chorus________________________________________

Chorus___________________________________________

Bridge____________________________________________

Outro____________________________________________

https://goo.gl/images/WeA56J

After reading this section, you can see that there are many ways of creating a structure, or “form,”
in music.

52
Timbre and Dynamics


https://goo.gl/images/OPfSkW
Expressive Elements: Timbre
Watch this video by Robin Giebelhausen and give a definition of “Timbre.”

Timbre__________________________________________________________________

The unique timbre of your voice is one of the interesting things that makes each human different.
It is also one of the characteristics of a voice that helps you distinguish the voices of your favorite
(or not-so-favorite people). This quality makes your voice special, something to embrace! Imagine
if we all had the same “timbre.” Our voices would sound exactly the same, and make it very difficult
to tell each of us apart.

Expressive Elements: Dynamics

Dynamics are one way to add expression to your music. Watch this video by Robin Giebelhausen
to learn about some common terminology in musical dynamics.

53
Melody, Form, Timbre, Dynamics: Your
Turn
Try your hand at composing a song using Garage Band (Mac) or Magix Music Mixer Jam
(Android/Windows). Explore and apply the elements of music that you have learned about in this
chapter and develop an understanding of music composition software. As you do, you will be able
to use of these ideas in your classroom. You will also most likely experience a new learning
experience here that will expand your creativity and help you understand how to best empathize
and support your students as you assist them in meeting their own challenges as they learn new
things every day in your classroom.

54
Chapter 7: Designing “Listening”
Lessons

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/IjBNkg

Introduction
Talk, talk, talk. Do you ever find that sometimes you are so surrounded by talk that you feel the
need to escape, even if for a short while? Maybe you take a walk by yourself, or you find a quiet
place where you can be alone. Maybe you can’t get away, but you can block out other
conversations by putting in your ear buds to hear music that soothes. You listen to your music and
you feel refreshed or energized or both.

55
How to Design a Listening Lesson


https://goo.gl/images/97eq8y

1. Select Meaningful/Rich/Deep/Purposeful Music

Your future students will benefit in many ways when you can find ways to teach and communicate
that sometimes step away from ‘talk’ and use music as the basis for critical thought, synthesis of
ideas, understanding a story, gaining insight into concepts, analyzing lyrics, or learning about a
people-group’s music and life. To do this, you will select music that is meaningful—it has stood the
test of time, speaking to many people throughout history in different ways. That’s not to say that
the music you select be “old.” No, it can be something recently composed that reflects important
social or historical happening, providing commentary on current events. Your musical selection will
demand deep listening and analysis from the students and you will guide them to a deeper
understanding of the people behind the music, the music itself, and the cultural context in which it
grew.

2. Research the Piece You Have Selected

To design lessons that will help your students interact with the music deeply, you can consider the
background and historical significance of the music. Locate resources that share the “story” of the
people behind the music, especially children. If you can find pictures of children currently living in
the area where the music is important, that can be very powerful to form a connection to the music.
Search for resources that can help you and your students understand:

56
 • Where and when was this piece or style first played?
• What is the story behind the music?
• Who makes the music today? Is there anyone in my class or community who might make
this music?
• What is the meaning or significance of the music for those who play/sing/dance it?
• Given the significance of the music, what are respectful ways to bring it into the classroom?
• Then, research how the music is “put together.”
• What is the structure or form of the music?
• What are the features that relate to harmony, melody, rhythm, texture, and timbre?

3. Design an Effective Goal for the Lesson

As you select and research pieces of music that enhance your curriculum and provide the students
with a unique and creative entry point into the curricular topics, you can think about how you could
design a learning target, or goal, for your students. Ask,

• What subject category does this music link up with (Social studies, math, language arts,
science, or a combination)?
• Why do I want the students to listen to this music?
• What do I think the students might gain from incorporating this music?
• What will my students DO as they interact with and consider this music?

Answering these questions can help you decide on a curricular goal.

4. Design Interactive Listening Activities that Reach the Curricular Goal

To help you design engaging, interactive activities that encourage deep learning and critical
thinking surrounding the music, consider the music you have selected as if you were hearing it for
the first time (as might be the case for your students). Ask yourself, what will my students notice
about this music first? It might be the lyrics, the instruments, the groove, the timbres, or something
else. Then, begin to design questions or prompts that will help you connect your students to the
music. Questions might fall under the following categories:

1) Noticings about the different features of the music.

• What instruments do you hear?
• How many people do you think are making the music?
• When do you think this music was first made? By whom? For what reason?
• How can you describe the rhythm of this piece?
• What does the music make you imagine?
• Let’s try to pick out the drum/horn/bell/vocal part and focus our ears on that part.

57
 2) Interactive questions or suggestions.
• Let’s try tapping/singing/playing along with some part of this music.
• How could we move/dance to this music? How would our movements be different
if we focused on the rhythm/texture/melody/etc.?
• Could we play some of the instrument parts in this music?
• Can we sing along with the harmony? Could we play that harmony on our
ukuleles?
• Can we use puppets to act out the story in the song?
• Can we use a book written about the song as we listen?

3) Critical/Analytical questions.
• What are the lyrics describing?
• Why do you think the composer wrote this song?
• What emotions do you feel when you listen? Why?
• Who else wrote a book/song/poem with a similar theme?
• What is the form of the music?
• What political or social events are reflected in the music?

5. Connect to the subject areas. You can encourage the students to interact with the music in
an autonomous way that will help them to come to new realizations about the subject area you are
linking to the music.

• Language arts: Can they illustrate pictures to showcase the story line of the opera,
musical, or song?
• Language arts: Can they rewrite the lyrics with the same rhyme scheme or pattern,
including the rhyming words? (This could be with a new theme, or they could write “new”
verses with the same theme.)
• Language arts: Can they journal about the life of the artist and purposes in writing the
lyrics?
• Social studies: Can they find other songs/artists written at the same time as the song of
study and compare/contrast the music and lyrics?
• Social studies: If studying a song that provides a social or political reaction to the times in
which it was created, can they compose their own music, inspired by the social events of
their day?
• Math: Can they count the number of beats or measures for each chord in the harmonic
progression?
• Science: Can they create a chart comparing the features of the music to the subject of the
music (planets, seasons, etc.)

58
Tips For Success with Listening Lessons
• Fill the room with sound. Be sure that the students can hear the layers of sound and all
aspects of the music clearly. Use good speakers at a volume that isn’t too loud, but doesn't
make them strain to hear either.
• Listen with the students. Model the listening activities you want them to try.
• Beware of talking over the music. When asking a question, either speak it before you play
the music or after.
• Enthusiasm. A class mirrors you. If you show enthusiasm, so will they.
• Explain why you have chosen the music for your students. Describe the connections
and curricular goals. This helps them understand your purposes, and engage in the
learning.
• Encourage creative responses to the music (emotions, movements, thoughts). One
of the key benefits of using a piece of music for listening is that students will have different
responses, a beautiful thing. Be open to their ideas.
• Keep a repertoire of music you have listened to in the classroom. This helps students
hear the music they are growing to love.

Leading a Listening Lesson: Your Turn

Activity 1: Select a piece of music. Use the list below, or click on the Smithsonian Folkways
website links listed here. You can see a selection of playlists for inspiration, for example, this
playlist of children’s songs from around the world, or you can type into the search function to find
music from many places.

Activity 2: Research both the history and the musical elements, answering the questions found in
Section 2 of this chapter, “Research the Piece You Have Selected.”

Activity 3: See Section 3, and “Design an Effective Goal for the Lesson.”

Activity 4: Then design questions and activities described in Section 4 entitled “Design Interactive
Listening Activities that Reach the Curricular Goal.” Don’t just copy the questions you see there,
but use them as examples and design questions and activities that relate to the particular piece
you have selected.

Activity 5: Describe your curricular connections. See examples in Section 5, “Connect to the
Subject Areas.”

59
List of possible pieces for listening:
Children’s Opera/Ballet:

Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck

The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky

Where the Wild Things Are, a Fantasy Opera by Knussen

The Adventures of Pinnochio by Dove

Amahl and the Night Visitors by Menotti

El Retablo de Maese Pedro (Master Peter’s Puppet Show) by de Falla

Brundibar by Krasa (Information about this opera first performed by children in a concentration
camp)

Peter Pan by Richard Ayers

Carnival of the Animals a ballet by Christopher Wheeldon

The Sleeping Beauty a ballet by Tchaikovsky

The Wooden Prince by Bartok

Mother Goose by Ravel

Cinderella by Prokoviev

Appalachian Spring by Copland

Afternoon of a Faun by Debussy

Estancia: Ballet Suite by Villa-Lobos

60
Children’s Classical/Concert Music(the links in this section connect to Spotify):

Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Britten

Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev

Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens

The Planets by Gustav Holst

The Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi

Rodeo by Aaron Copland

Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah by Georg Frederic Handel

Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky (inspired by Victor Hartmann’s art)

Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson

Symphony #94 “Surprise Symphony” Movement 2 by Haydn

Clair de Lune by Debussy

Children’s Corner: the Snow is Dancing by Debussy

Somerset from English Folk Song Suite by Vaughan Williams

In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg

Little Train of Caipira by Villa-Lobos

‘Tis Autumn by Nat King Cole

On the Sunny Side of the Street by Nat King Cole

Car Song by Woody Guthrie

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Places:

Grand Canyon Suite by Grofé

A Night in Tunisia by Dizzy Gillespie

Route 66 by Nat King Cole

St. Louis Blues by W.C. Handy

Take the ‘A’ Train by Strayhorn, recorded by Duke Ellington (NYC)

This Land is Your Land recorded by Woodie Guthrie

City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie

Gospel:

His Eye is on the Sparrow by Mahalia Jackson

Take My Hand, Precious Lord performed by Aretha Franklin (sung at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s
funeral)

I Smile by Kirk Franklin

Jazz:

Kind of Blue, album by Miles Davis

Mood Indigo, by Duke Ellington

Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk

Take 5 by the Dave Brubeck Quartet

62
Koko by Charlie Parker

1930’s:

Strange Fruit by Billie Holliday

1940’s:

WWII: We’ll Meet Again recorded by Vera Lynn

1960’s:

My Girl by The Temptations

Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag by James Brown

Respect and Think by Aretha Franklin

We Shall Overcome, Civil Rights Anthem

Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan

Abraham, Martin, and John by Dion

Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival

1970’s:

Mr. Bojangles by Nina Simone

Imagine by John Lennon

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Working Class Hero by John Lennon

Redemption Song by Bob Marley

Livin’ For the City by Stevie Wonder

Run Through the Jungle by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Indian Reservation by Paul Revere and the Raiders

Dust in the Wind by Kansas

1980’s:

The Message by Grandmaster Flash

Bombs Away by The Police

Red Rain by Peter Gabriel

Russians by Sting

Land of Confusion by Genesis

Cold War by Devo

19 by Paul Hardcastle

Invisible Sun by the Police

Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil

Luka by Suzanne Vega

Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2

64
1990’s:

Missing the War by the Ben Folds Five

Mr. Wendal by Arrested Development

Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen

99 Luft Balloons (99 Red Balloons) by Nena

2000’s:

Beautiful Day by U2

I Get Out by Lauryn Hill

2010’s:

All We Got by Chance the Rapper

Ghost in the Machine by B.O.B.

Don’t Breathe Out by Roots Manuva

Blue Sky by Common

Songs with picture books (Click link for more information about the books in the next three
categories):

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeannette Winter

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Abiyoyo and Abiyoyo Returns by Pete Seeger

Baby Beluga by Raffi

Blowin’ in the Wind, Lyrics by Bob Dylan, Illustrations by Jon J. Muth

Don’t Laugh At Me by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin

Funga Alafia by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D. (with CD)

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson

I Hope you Dance (song by Lee Ann Womack) book by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers

I’ve Been Working on the Railroad by Ann Owen

John Coltrane’s Giant Steps remixed by Chris Raschka

John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads by Christopher Canyon

Moon, a Korean song, by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D. (with CD) from the Music Map Series

No Mirrors in My Nana’s House by Ysaye M. Barnwell (CD included)

Oh, Little Rabbit (A Greek Song) by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D. (with CD) from the Music Map
Series

Peter and the Wolf by Chris Raschka

Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton

Woody Guthrie’s Riding in my Car by Woody Guthrie

Siku’s Song by Julia Jordan Kamanda (music of Peru, exploring the element of melody)

Sing! (from Sesame Street) by Tom Lichtenheld and Joe Raposo (with CD)

Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) by Dubose Heyward

66
The Baby Chicks, a song of Latin American Origin (CD in Spanish) by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D.

The Goldfish Family, a song from Japan by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D. (with CD)

The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers

This Little Light of Mine by E.B. Lewis

This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie

Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree (from England) by Hyun Kyung Youm, Ph.D. (with CD)

When You Wish Upon a Star by Judy Collins

What Does the Fox Say? By Ylvis

Song Collections:

Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America, Selected and illustrated by Lulu
Delacre

Favorite Folk Songs, by Peter Yarrow

Songs for Little Folks, the Peter Yarrow Songbook series by Peter Yarrow (with CD)

Sleepytime Songs by Peter Yarrow (with CD)

Books About Musicians:

Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Pinkney

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka

Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange

67
For the Love of Music: The Remarkable story of Maria Anna Mozart by Elizabeth Rusch

Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renee Watson

If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by Roxane Orgill

Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Gorlio

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen
Krull

Rap a Tap Tap, Think of that! (Bill “Bojangles” Robinson) by Leo and Diane Dillon

Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Sa, Native American Author, Musician, and Activitist Adapted
by Gina Capaldi and Q.L. Pearce

Satchmo’s Blues by Alan Schroeder (about Louis Armstrong)

This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt (about nine jazz artists)

Tito Puente, Mambo King/ Tito Puente, Rey del Mambo by Monica Brown, in Spanish and English

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews

Vivaldi and the Invisible Orchestra by Stephen Costanza

Zap! Boom! Pow! Superheroes of Music by Lucy A. Warner

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Munoz Ryan

68
Chapter 8: Language Arts and Music
Integration

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/ozx5AD

So far in this book we have explored many ways in which music related to language arts. In
Chapter 4 “Body Percussion,” you saw how music can help students with reading fluency, syllable
identification, and poetry. Let’s explore a few more connections between music and language arts,
with a special focus on reading comprehension. Reading comprehension in the following areas
will help students understand what they read:

• Culture: Time, place, people, history

• Theme
• Mood/Tone
• Plot
• Characters

69
Reading Comprehension and Music


https://goo.gl/images/JxTEiB
Culture: Time, place, people, history
As we will also explore in Chapter 9, “Social Studies,” music can enhance any study of people in
time or place. As you select picture books that originate from within a culture, you can also select
music to study alongside.

Theme
In your video lesson (for those students in Kansas State’s Music 405) on Poetry and Music, you
also explored the idea of “theme.” You saw how a theme in literature can also cross into art, music,
poetry, and more. For example, you saw how the song “I Get Out” by Lauryn Hill, the book “The
Big Box” by Toni Morrison, and the book “Hooray for Diffendoofer Day” by Dr.
Seuss/Prelutsky/Smith address the theme of thinking outside of the box, getting out of prescribed
“boxes” and imagining new futures. As students study these themes, they learn to synthesize their
ideas, create their own connections, and recognize these themes in future songs and writings. In
the next section, you will take a closer look at how music can enhance reading comprehension,
with specific examples for the concepts of mood/tone and plot.

70
How Music Can Improve Reading Comprehension Through Focus on Mood/Tone
Stories, poems, and books connect to a mood/tone. Perhaps, each character in the story has
his/her own mood, perhaps the mood/tone changes throughout the plot, or perhaps the author
conveys a particular mood/tone with a specific purpose in mind. Regardless, helping students
connect to the mood/tone of a piece of writing is very helpful in enhancing their overall
understanding or comprehension.

When watching a movie, typically we know when something is about to happen because the film
directors use music to signal upcoming events. Music can make a drastic difference in how we
experience the mood/tone of a scene or event. Think about the movie “Mary Poppins.” Chances
are, you have a certain image of this movie in your mind, even if you have never watched the
whole thing. Take a look at this version of the trailer for the movie, set to very different music.
Notice how the mood/tone is completely altered by the music!

Interestingly, not all cultures experience musical mood/tone in the same way. What might connote
an ominous mood to one person may be the complete opposite for another person. For example,
this article describes a people group who experience all music as joyful, and therefore, the Psycho
theme music (often associated with feelings of fear) does not bring about feelings associated with
fear. This is an important point to keep in mind: when asking students to create or select music that
links to a tone, mood, or emotion, they will likely have very different ideas, and this is a great thing!

Adding in Plot and Characters

This brings us to our first idea for musical integration: both you and the students can select music
that matches or enhances the mood/tone of the story, the plot line, or the characters. You can
choose music to enhance your read alouds (and so can students.) See these two examples: “Hey,
That’s My Monster,” and “As Fast as Words Could Fly.”

Students can also use sounds that they create to animate the mood/tone. Young students can use
body percussion, small instruments, or sounds they find around the room to animate the emotions
or actions of characters or events. Watch this video of “I Want My Hat Back” by Jon Klassen to
see young students doing just that.

71
Writing



https://goo.gl/images/5LM6ug
Writing: 6 Traits
• Ideas—the main message.
• Organization—the internal structure of the piece.
• Voice—the personal tone and flavor of the author's message.
• Word Choice—the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning.
• Sentence Fluency—the rhythm and flow of the language.
• Conventions—the mechanical correctness.

Writing: Ideas
Let’s take a look at how students can apply the idea of mood/tone to their writing, using music as
inspiration. This example uses a book entitled, “The Mysteries of Harry Burdick,” by Chris Van
Allsburg. In this book, Van Allsburg uses provocative illustrations and captions to present multiple
possibilities for stories. As the teacher, you can use music to match a mood/tone to a certain
illustration, and inspire stories of the same mood tone. For example, what if you set the illustration
“Uninvited Guests” to music with a dark, mysterious tone, such as this music. Imagine the stories
the students might create. What if the music were different, such as this music? Here’s an idea!
What if you wanted to teach the students what mood/tone can do in a story? You could invite small
groups to look at the picture you want them to write a story about (say, “Uninvited Guests”). Each
group could hear music with a different mood/tone, with one group hearing no music at all. As a
group, they come up with a short story to tell about the illustration. When sharing, you play each
72
music as the groups tell their story. Students can discuss how the mood/tone of the music may (or
may not) have influenced the mood/tone of each story.

https://goo.gl/images/2bersg

This book can be the start to many more writing activities. You could have students create
individual stories, focusing on word choice as a means to conveying mood. The students could
select their own story music, reflecting their chosen mood. You could also compare the works of
famous authors! Check out “The Chronicles of Harris Burdick,” a collection of short stories by
famous authors based on the illustrations.

73
 https://goo.gl/images/bMNBzB

Now, let’s explore a lesson example based on the book “Tuesday” by David Wiesner. This is a
wordless picture book, and supplies many ideas for writing in the classroom. First take a look at
this video, a sound story of this book. It sets the pictures in the book to music. Next, imagine all of
the different ideas you might have for learning activities students could complete surrounding this
book. List two here before you read further:

1.

2.

74
Here are my ideas. 1. Students could create their own text for this book, using prose or “speech
bubbles.”

2. Students could write their own sequels, call them “Next Tuesday” and springboard from the last
page of this book.

https://goo.gl/images/YgDIy6

3. Students could create music for both “Tuesday” and their sequels that reflect the mood/tone of
each. Check out the video to see a 1st grade student composing music and text for “Tuesday.”
This student used the app Loopy.

75
4. Students could predict the events in the story by starting with this page, about halfway through
the story:

https://goo.gl/images/lEN8J5

At the beginning of this section, I listed the 6 traits of writing and their definitions. In Kansas,
schools use these six traits to help enhance students’ writing skill and craft. Even if your district
doesn’t use the 6 traits of writing in formal assessment, they provide a great basis for
understanding how to systematically teach writing to students. For our purposes here, let’s close
this section by making some connections between these traits and musical elements that we
explored in chapters 3 and 6 of this book (rhythm, texture, harmony, melody, form, timbre, and
expressive elements).

76
6 traits of
musical connections
writing

Ideas Theme: both music and writing have themes (often)

Form: the organization or structure of writing relates

Organization
to the “form” of a piece of music.

Voice is what makes the author’s work unique and

Voice personal. This connects to all aspects of music, but
timbre, or unique tone color is a special link.

Choosing the best words helps authors convey their

Word Choice meaning. In music, composers make choices in all
of the musical elements to do the same.

Sentence fluency involves the rhythm and flow of

Sentence
the language--you guessed it--connecting to rhythm
Fluency
in music.

Conventions involves the mechanics of written and

spoken language. Music typically has these
Conventions
mechanics, but they differ throughout time and
place, same as language.

I want to leave you with one other great tool for new and seasoned teachers alike. This website
contains wonderful ideas for lesson plans in the language arts, student interactives, and more.
Check out this Plot Diagram interactive that works well with many of the ideas in this section.

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Picture Books for Music Integration
Children’s picture books enchant the young and old for good reason. We all love a beautifully
crafted, or funny, or poignant, or otherwise enchanting story with imaginative illustrations. The
following list is a very short start to books that lend themselves to musical integration. Each one
supports ideas for including music, examining rhythm, adding a chant, retelling with musical
accompaniment, and much more (only author is listed):

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Jon Archambault

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton

Barn Dance! By Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale by Verna Aardema

Blue on Blue by Dianne White

Chicky Chicky Chook Chook by Cathy MacLennan

Earthdance by Joanne Ryder

Everybody Gets the Blues by Leslie Staub

Fish Jam by Kylie Howarth

The Flute Player: An Apache Folktale by Michael Lacapa

Father’s Chinese Opera by Rich Lo

Gobble, Quack, Moon (with CD) by Matthew Gollub

Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun by Marianne Berkes

Hey, Charleston! By Anne Rockwell

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Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins

Hip Hop Dog by Chris Raschka

I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison

Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers

Love Flute by Paul Goble

Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman (Tells the story of Moses, a deaf child and his friends
and how they experience music).

Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta

Pete the Cat books by James Dean and Eric Litwin

The Pout Pout Fish books by Deborah Diesen

Rain by Robert Kalan

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman

Red Knit Cap Girl by Naoko Stoop

Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Somewhere in the Ocean by Jennifer Ward

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Straight Line Wonder by Mem Fox

Spotty, Stripy, Swirly: What are Patterns? By Jane Brocket

Tap Tap Boom Boom by Elizabeth Bluemle

The Harmonica by Tony Johnston (World War II, Poland)

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson

The Pot of Wisdom: Ananse Stories (Ghana) by Adwoa Badoe

Train Song by Diane Siebert

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

Up Down and Around by Katherine Ayres

Water Dance by Thomas Locker

Wangari’s Trees of Peace a True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter

Yesterday I had the Blues by Jeron Ashford

Zin Zin Zin a Violin! By Lloyd Moss

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

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Language Arts and Music: Your Turn



https://goo.gl/images/0gQ4kw
Activity 1: Gather some teaching ideas and resources for the illustration “The Harp.” Fill in ideas
for what you find (all related to the art piece):

• List a link or title/composer of piece of music that sets a peaceful tone.

• List a link or title/composer of a piece of music, (or art) that sets a __________ tone (you
select another mood that you see present in “The Harp”):
• List another book, poem, or song with a connecting theme to the art and music you selected
(harp, water, peace, mystery, etc.):

Activity 2: Describe your idea for a writing project that uses music and connects to “The Harp” and
the themes/songs/books/poems you identified (at least 3 sentences):

Activity 3: Use one of the picture books from Section 3 of this chapter (check it out at the library or
on Amazon.com). Describe at least two ideas for musical integration (at least 2 sentences each)
and how those ideas support reading comprehension or writing based on that book.

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Chapter 9: Social Studies and Music
integration

Photo Credit: https://goo.gl/images/xklK9Y

If we think of “social studies” as any topic that involves people throughout place and time,
especially focusing on social and political events and stories, then the inclusion of music in these
topics is a necessity! Music can reflect the social and political events of a place and time or can
reflect the emotions and emotions of people living in those places and times. When you can
include the music to your studies, you will open up deep and relevant connections to those places
and times. In this chapter, we will explore the “hows” and “whys” of immersing students in the
music from throughout time and place, whether familiar or unfamiliar.

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Why teach music students with which students
are not familiar?



https://goo.gl/images/oG16zN
To begin, watch this video. You will see Sting, Cheb Mami, Chris Botti, along with other musicians
performing “Desert Rose.”

How many different styles of music do you hear? How many ethnicities do you think are
represented? Cheb Mami is from Algeria, Sting from Great Britain, Chris Botti (trumpet) from the
United States, and you can probably identify and guess at a few other nationalities. Importantly,
this video demonstrates how musical styles and genres come into contact with each other due to
the globalization brought about by advances in communication and transportation, among others.
This is important to keep in mind as you explore different musical cultures: musics are not static.
While they may emerge from a strong historical and cultural tradition, they are experienced
differently by people who make them now and people who have made them in the past. While this
may seem like a very confusing web to encounter, and it is, you can help students learn from other
people, especially students such as themselves, as they delve deeply into the musical cultures of
past and present. Examine this quote

“How can people know each other through musical activities? We seek to know how
people understand themselves, but we must acknowledge the impact of our own
perspective. An active involvement in music not only provides a wonderful way to learn
about other people, but can change a person’s own life as well. A cross-cultural encounter
can be an active process of self-development rather than an act of cultural tourism.” Jeff
Todd Titon, Worlds of Music

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Cultural tourism is a negative for our students. You can imagine cultural tourism as a walk
through a museum. You will see pictures and displays, perhaps even simulations of what life was
like for a person or group of people in some place and time. You might think, “Oh, that’s
interesting!” or “So different.” However, you would not get to interact with a person living in that
place or time. While it isn’t possible to interact with people in the distant past, your students can
learn to “hear” them (and CAN, in real ways, interact with children in present day) and can seek to
understand and empathize. This type of interaction can help students identify their own
perspectives as one possible way to engage with the world, and can open their perspectives to
new ideas, even offering them new choices for their own views.

Here are a few benefits of studying music with which students are unfamiliar (or familiar!):
• Gives insight into a culture’s perspectives.
• Encourages self-development, new perspectives gained.
• Encourages critical reflection and expansion of students’ original perspectives.
• Counteracts Western ideas of music as individualistic, competitive and teacher-
directed.

Just a word about the last point on the list. If you had experiences in school music, you may have
experienced these characteristics of school music as “individualistic, competitive, and teacher
directed.” While many music teachers today are moving away from these practices to classroom
instruction that is more collaborative and student-centered, many still employ the requirements of
individual practice (students required to spend the bulk of their practice time outside of class with
only themselves and their instrument), competitive instruction (seating auditions), and teacher-
directed instruction (music teacher directs the learning and students do not make creative choices
or engage in critical thought). Many cultures around the world do not experience music-making in
this way. Music is a part of life, and people make music in ways that are collaborative. Many
musicians (players, singers, dancers, listeners) join together to create a unique experience that
includes them all. You can provide learning experiences where students see and hear these
practices take place and can incorporate them into their lives.

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How to Design a Co-equal Social Studies-Music
Lesson



https://goo.gl/images/AxBzyj

Overview
1. Start with an idea and/or a Social Studies Standard for your state.
2. Consider your rationale: why is it important that students study this topic and integrate
music?
3. Locate resources to design the lesson.
4. Resources for you to use as the teacher.
5. Resources for the students to use.
6. Now ask, “What can I have the students do?” Design the main learning activities.
7. Begin the lesson plan and fill in the sections in the order that works for you.

To discover how to design a co-equal social studies and music lesson plan, let’s explore an
example. We’ll begin with the first step in the process:

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1. Start with an idea and/or a social studies standard for your state.
In the 7th grade social studies standards in the state of Kansas, students study the Underground
Railroad in American history. As a teacher, this serves as a starting point for a lesson. Another
idea that surfaced for me when designing this lesson was the book “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” a
picture book by Jeannette Winter that includes the song. The book describes the journey on the
Underground Railroad for several individuals, and gives some ideas for how this was
accomplished.

https://goo.gl/images/NrY5WR

2. Consider your rationale: Why is it important that students study this topic and integrate
music?
As you design your lesson, it is important to have your rationale in mind. This helps you design a
lesson that will be valuable and effective for your students. It provides you (and them) with the
“why” for the lesson and you can share your rationale with them, letting them into your thought
process, helping create relevance and buy-in from your students. This step in the process results
in a higher level of trust from your students (they know that you have reasons, you have their
learning in mind, and you are charting a thoughtful, non-random course for them). For this lesson,
my rationale is as follows:

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Why is it important that students learn this lesson? What will they gain from this content?
This analysis of the Underground Railroad is important for students. This is an important sequence
of events in American history that connects to the Civil War and many other events. The students
will also learn a song that links to the Underground Railroad and develop research and
presentation skills along the way.

How will the inclusion of music enhance the overall lesson and the other subject matter?
In history, facts and artifacts often appear as static. Through this lesson, students discover that
“Follow the Drinking Gourd” is a bit of a mystery. No one really knows how it originally sounded,
who might have sang it, or if Peg Leg Joe was a real person or not. However, this song illuminates
coded language, a key feature of songs from pre-Civil War to present day. Through this song,
students learn about map-making, the history of the Underground Railroad, and also participate in
research.

3. Locate resources to design the lesson.

Resources will help guide you and give you ideas for creative and effective ways to design your
lesson. Let’s talk about what kind of resources you are looking for, and where to find them. You
want resources that are useful to you as the teacher. These resources will give you information
about the topic and ideas for lessons. You also want resources that are useful to your students.
These are resources that they will be able to use in their learning. In both categories of resources,
you want materials that are:

• Accurate. They are not simply someone’s opinion, but are backed up with logic and
research. Locating “primary sources,” or material that comes directly from the time or place
are especially valuable.
• Accessible. The resources should serve their purpose. They should be interesting, and
provide new and useful insights into the topic for both your students and you.
• Diverse. You want a variety of useful resources. You can find videos, websites, books
(both for you and your students), articles and more.

For this lesson, I found websites, videos, the picture book, and 2 articles. To find these resources,
I used two primary search vehicles: Google and my library. I needed to craft several searches to
find the information I needed, and then I had to sort through my findings to narrow down my
resources to those that met my criteria above. The searches I used (that yielded the most results)
were “Underground Railroad,” “Underground Railroad Songs,” “Underground Railroad Lessons,”
“Underground Railroad Maps,” “Underground Railroad History,” “Follow the Drinking Gourd” and
“Follow the Drinking Gourd history.” You may need to tweak your search terms until you begin
finding materials that meet the above criteria.

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Here are the list of accurate, accessible and diverse resources that helped me design the
lessons. Lesson plans with ideas for my own lesson. This website, Artsedge, has many great ideas
for arts-integrated lessons, and it did not disappoint on this topic. A website giving the history of
the song, primary documents surrounding the song, and information discussing some of the
“myths” surrounding the song. This website was important due to the information that debunked
many of the possible interpretations of the lyrics of the song in addition to providing primary
documents. A Youtube video of the Ishmel family singing “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” sung by the
sisters, arranged by the father. This video stunned me! I had never heard such a beautiful and
powerful arrangement of the song, so different from this version by Pete Seeger. Here is another
powerful arrangement of the song. A Youtube video with a sample of a multimedia presentation
done by students. A Youtube video that gives the coded meanings of the songs--one possible
interpretation. A website providing information on the lyrics of the song. An interactive website
students could use to create their own timelines, and another one for creating maps. Here is an
article I found on Science Scope called “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” And one more article called
“Song, Story, or History: Resisting Claims of a Coded Message in the African American Spiritual
‘‘Follow the Drinking Gourd.’”

Once I have gathered my resources, it is time to move on to designing the lessons. We begin with
this question:

4. Ask, “What will my students do?” and then design the main learning activities.
In this lesson, the resources gave me three primary activities for learning activities:

1. Social Studies Learning Outcome: Students will be able to create a map that includes
6 possible route locations from the song “Follow the Drinking Gourd”. Since mapping
is a big part of the resources I found, I decided that it would be valuable to have the
students create a map. Creating a map will help them visualize the many and varied paths
of the Underground Railroad and also help them associate the different states involved.
2. Music Learning Outcome: Students will be able to analyze three recordings of the
song “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” select one to include in their presentation, and
write a paragraph stating at least 2 musical reasons for their choice. As I listened to
the recordings of the song Follow the Drinking Gourd, I noticed the different styles and
interpretations. Certain recordings struck me as more powerful than others, and I wanted
the students to develop their analysis and synthesis skills, as well as their writing skills by
analyzing the different styles and selecting one to use in in their presentation. Through
writing their paragraph, they will synthesize their ideas into “reasons” as they write. They
will also have an interest in their choice of music, since they will be using it in a
presentation.

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 3. Co-equal Learning Outcome (overarching objective for both music and social
studies): Students (in groups) will be able to create a multimedia presentation
incorporating a timeline of the Underground Railroad as well as a recording, history
and map of Follow the Drinking Gourd. I know that when you synthesize information to
share with others, you often develop a deeper and richer understanding of the content you
are sharing. The students will incorporate their maps and recordings from the first two
learning outcomes in addition to developing a timeline to organize their presentation of the
historical events of the Underground Railroad.

5. Begin the lesson plan and fill in the sections in the order that works for you.
At this point in the lesson design process, you have already written many portions of the lesson.
Perhaps you already have your Standards, Student Learning Outcomes, Rationale, and most of
your Materials. You can now address the rest of the lesson plan. You may find that you work best
by going sequentially through each of these parts of the lesson plan, or you may find that you have
an idea in one of the later categories that you can develop and then move back to the earlier
categories.

Introductory Activity: (How will you engage students? What questions will you ask? What activity
will you introduce to interest students in the concepts and topics?)

1. Read Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeannette Winter to the class. Sing the song in the book
with them (teach it to them).
2. Ask: What do you know about the Underground Railroad? When did the Underground
Railroad take place in history? Where?
3. Create a KWL chart (What do I KNOW, WANT TO LEARN, and WHAT DID I LEARN?). Fill
out the first two categories with the students.

Body of Lesson: (Use multiple teaching strategies, scaffold the learning from simple to complex
for students’ success, provide multiple assessment activities/opportunities, support engaged and
active learning.)

Map-Making.

1. Watch this video. On the handout, have students write down what each lyric means
according to the video.
2. Using the blank map, and the locations, and teacher guidance, the students mark the map
and trace each location. They can work in groups to do the maps or as a class.

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Examining the history of the song.

1. Play contemporary version by Ishmel sisters. Ask “What style of music do you think this is?
What gives you that idea?” (Look for answers that relate to musical elements.)
2. Introduce students to the history of the song. Ask, “What have you learned so far?” and add
this to the KWL chart, in the “What have you learned?” category.
3. Have students complete a search online for recordings of this song throughout history,
gathering information about the performances using the handout. Use the materials listed in
this lesson plan, including the articles.
4. Have each student choose the version of the song they would like to use for their
presentation, and write a paragraph describing why they made the selection they did. This
can be a personal preference, with students using their research to inform their selection
and reasons. Directions for students include: supplying links between their choices and the
time period of the Underground Railroad as well as the musical elements.

Multimedia presentation

• Day 1: Students work together to create a timeline of at least 5 major events pre-1850
relating to the Underground Railroad. Students will use this website.
• Day 2: Students decide how to present their research on the history of “Follow the Drinking
Gourd.” They list important points and describe how they will present the information
visually or aurally. They create an outline for this portion.
• Day 3-5: Students create a script that describes the timeline they created, the history of the
song (this done in day 2), the meaning of the lyrics, and the map.
o Watch the following Youtube videos for examples and discussion points:
 Sample of students’ multimedia presentation on Follow the Drinking Gourd”
 Youtube video that gives one possibility for the coded meanings of the songs.
• Day 6: Students practice and record their script.
• Day 7-9: Students locate and add visual images to their script (these could include pictures
of their maps, timelines, images related to the song, the Underground Railroad, etc.)

Closing Activity: (This lesson segment brings it all together, answering: Why did we do this
lesson? What was learned? Where is this going? What connections can be made?)

1. Student groups play their multimedia presentations for each other.

2. Students use the rubric to evaluate their work with teacher assistance.

Moving forward, students can:

• Examine other routes on the Underground Railroad.

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 • Examine coded language in other songs, especially Spirituals (“Wade in the Water,” “This
Train.”)
• Examine other important people involved in the Underground Railroad.
• Learn to sing the song and add singing to their presentations.

Assessments: (How are you assessing? What are you assessing? What are your goals for
assessing? What were students gaining from assessment?)

1. Did each student create a map that contained the 6 locations from the book/song? (Observe
each student’s map, use rubric.)
2. Did each student write a paragraph identifying a version of the song (with
composer/performer and other context) they chose for their presentation and list 2 reasons?
(Examine the paragraphs, use rubric.)
3. Use the rubric to evaluate the multimedia presentations (see PDF of rubric below).

As you read through these lesson components, you will see that the need for additional handouts,
assessment tools, photographs, and other materials will arise during this process.

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Click into the full lesson plan to see those elements. In a later chapter, we will discuss the
assessment process with some ideas for rubric and checklist creation.

Conclusion
As you begin to follow this process for lesson creation, you will discover that your speed and
efficiency develop. Learn to observe what style of lesson creation works best for you. Does it help
you to:

• Talk through your ideas with a friend?

• Ask for help at the library to gather your resources?
• Talk with other teachers? Here’s a great website that can help you see what lessons other
teachers have done in the area of social studies.
• Work on it all at once, or create a plan for spreading it out over multiple days?

As you learn how you work best, you can recreate those processes for future lessons.

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Social Studies and Music: Your Turn



https://goo.gl/images/UkNxCX

Activity: To write a social studies/music integrated lesson, you can follow the steps given in this
chapter. To help you, here is a worksheet that you can fill out with links to the Kansas social
studies standards (You will need to search the web for your own state’s standards) and the
National Music Standards (you can scroll to select from “Create,” “Perform,” or “Respond” for your
grade level, usually social studies lessons involve listening to music and will fall into the “Respond”
category).

Here is one more example of a social studies/music integrated lesson. This lesson focuses on the
Civil Rights era of the 1960s in the United States and integrates music by Aretha Franklin, Bob
Dylan, James Brown, and Dion.

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