to Can Do MusicCan Do Muses
June 2023
Before researching Savez-Vous Planter Les Choux, I could conjure up an image of someone planting their hearts into love because in France, it is the done thing to call a sweetheart “mon petit chou”. Alas, the “chou” in this love statement is probably a pastry “chou”. More understandable, but not as much fun eh?
reference below
https://spkfrnch.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/mon-petit-chou/
Cabbages became all the rage in Europe during the 1500s as an easy to grow and staple food source. Chances are this folk song was a part of the same time. Add the actions to planting cabbage with your elbows and nose as you sing. If wanted its a simple twist to make the song cumulative.
Or visit John in a backyard garden for an easy to learn Call-Response song. John the Rabbit
Oats and Beans and Barley goes through the stages of sowing and reaping a crop. Check out the video for illustrations of grains and the foods they become as the song is sung.
June is time to enjoy the year’s repertoire. Challenge students to remember the best and worst of the songs they learned. How about a contest to promote the “best of year” song with a vote held during the last music class? Hearing student comments about “the worst” or politically correct phraseology “the not liked as much” songs gives a review for teachers who will be preparing next year’s syllabus.
from May: News flash!!! (actually its not quite that new but) —Take Me Out To The Ball Game is now in the public domain!!! Sing it, print it, enjoy it –and include the rest of the song because its a great story. Take Me Out To The Ball Game
Lessons
Each lesson builds on the one before so that concepts grow in complexity through the year. Practice and review are planned into lessons. Canadian curriculum expectations are detailed at the beginning of every lesson (and in the overview). This is a complete music curriculum including music literacy, performance, instrument playing and active listening. Songs are suggested, but may easily be switched with your own favourites. As long as the planned teaching points are covered, all curriculum expectations will be met.
Grade 1 - Music, Dance & Drama!
Begin with the basics, for student and teacher. Music, dance and drama combined in 2 fine art lessons per week!
Grade 2 - Music & Dance
Review Grade 1 music concepts then move into growing those concepts through new and familiar music. Focus on solidifying the basics --beat, rhythm and reading rhythm.
Grade 3 - Music
Review music concepts from Grades 1-2 while adding a few new ones. Lots of time in the lessons for using concepts in performance and composition. Music pre-literacy is the focus of the second half of the year in preparation for learning to read the musical staff in Grade 4.
About Can Do
Create your own music lessons using some of the resources on the site, or, if you’re new to teaching music, try following a few of the lessons given here. Whatever you use –my hope is that “Can Do Music” helps to make music in your classroom and life. To learn more about the site and its creations, explore the links below.
