to Can Do MusicFeatured Can Do Songs
Can Do Muses
January 2025
In 1748, my great-great … great Grandfather left Scotland for northern New Brunswick. Family lore says it was because of sheep stealing, but that soon after the Jacobite rebellion, chances are they were running from the English for more than one reason. Having a bit of Scotland in the family tree gives a great excuse for celebration in the doldrums of January. Robbie Burns Day is January 25.
Robbie Burns wrote about the ordinary things in life —farming, a mouse in the field, love, being poor. He emphasized that a person needs to be measured by who s/he is, not by what s/he has, the family s/he was born into or who s/he is married to. Burns became the “peasant’s poet.” His works were quoted often by Russian peasants as well as the poor in many countries. He wrote the song now sung around the world to welcome the New Year “Auld Lang Syne”.
In “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”, its not clear if “Bonnie” is a woman or a man! Maybe Bonnie’s husband has emigrated to Canada, and she is still in Scotland. Or maybe Bonnie and her family have emigrated to Canada, and her boyfriend back in Scotland is missing her. Or maybe the Bonnie is
talking about a prince from Scotland named Charlie. Scotland and England were fighting and Charlie had to leave Scotland. He was called the “Bonnie Prince Charlie”.
Who ever you think Bonnie is, enjoy the song with its traditional actions of standing/sitting every time a “b” is sung. More background information about Robbie Burns, Scotland and bagpipes is found in the pdf for this song.
Can Do Music is a gift. No ads, no log-ins, no email list –just some things to help you make music in your classroom (if you’re a teacher), or to sing-a-long with (if you’re young in years or heart).
Pop around the website exploring. Download songs for a road trip. Browse the lessons for ideas about how to present music elements –and basic info like: What is the difference between beat and rhythm?
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 students and teachers. Music, dance and drama combine to cover curriculum expectations in two fine arts lessons a 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.
