Today, I’m sharing two folk songs that are wonderful for upper elementary. This first song is called "Sandy’s Mill," which I learned from Joan Litman at Capital University.
The song is great for several concepts. Typically, I would only pull out the hardest rhythmic concept from a song to teach it, which in this case would be ti-tam, or eighth/dotted quarter. But because the first two measures only have tika-ti, or 2 sixteenths/1 eighth, I've used it for tika-ti.
You could use it for tim-ka, or dotted eighth/sixteenth, but it's not the best song for it, since the sixteenth note is an inner anacrusis. Melodically, it works really well for high do! I can't think of any other songs that have the motive d' l s m, so it's great to use for that. The song also works beautifully in a round!
As far as games go, when I learned it from Joan, here's the game she taught us:
Students sit in a circle, passing a playground ball to the beat. On the word "pom," they switch directions. Any time the teacher plays the hand drum, they also switch directions! A student volunteer can also play the hand drum.
This is great for practicing steady beat, and for that reason, the song would also work really well with older beginners who need practice with steady beat.
Last year, before a choir concert, as I was waiting for all my kids to come in, I saw a group of students play a game called "Silent Ball," and immediately was in love with the game.
The idea of silent ball is that one student starts with the ball, and throws it to another person, who throws it to another person, etc. The trick is, students have to be completely silent when they do this. If they don't, they are out! Other reasons they can get out are:
- If they giggle
- If they "chuck" the ball (or throw it so hard/high/low that a student has a hard time catching it)
- Does "snake eyes," or looks at one person while throwing to another
- Throws to the person next to them
Since the game seemed to be such a hit with my students, and since we were already playing a playground ball game with "Sandy's Mill," I decided to use it as a second game. Students sing the song, then play one round of silent ball until one person is out, then sing again, etc. I typically do it several times until maybe 5-6 students are out.
Another song I love for upper elementary is "Liza Jane."
Additional Verses:
I’ve got a house in Baltimore, Lil’ Liza Jane.
Street car runs right by my door, Lil’ Liza Jane.
(Chorus)
I’ve got a house in Baltimore, Lil’ Liza Jane.
Brussels carpet on the floor, Lil’ Liza Jane.
(Chorus)
I’ve got a house in Baltimore, Lil’ Liza Jane.
Silver doorplate on the door, Lil’ Liza Jane.
(Chorus)
The song is great for several concepts. Because the first four measures only have syncopa, or eighth/ quarter/ eighth, I've used it to teach that. Melodically, it works really well for high do! I've also used it for mi-re-do, for older beginners, by only using measure 4.
As far as games go, when I learned it from Bruce Swank at Capital University, here's the hand jive he taught us:
Students face partner.
Clap own hands, clap partner’s right hand,
clap own hands, clap partner’s left hand,
clap own hands, clap front of partner’s hands,
clap back of partner’s hands, clap front of partner’s hands
Repeat
Clap own hands, clap partner’s right hand,
clap own hands, clap partner’s left hand,
clap own hands, clap partner’s hands (one hand up and face down, the other hand down and face up), then switch 2x.
Repeat
I hope you enjoy both of these songs with your upper elementary students! Happy teaching!
